The reaction of pyruvate with saccharopine dehydrogenase.

The preceding paper in this journal has reported that pyruvate could be substituted for 2-oxo-glutarate as a substrate of saccharopine dehydrogenase [epsilon-N-(L-glutaryl-2)-L-lysine:NAD oxidoreductase (L-lysine-forming) in the direction of reductive condensation. In the present communication, the kinetic mechanism of saccharopine dehydrogenase reaction with NADH, L-lysine and pyruvate as reactants is reported. The results of initial velocity study, inhibition studies with lysine analogs and a reaction product, NAD+, are consistent with an ordered mechanism with the coenzyme binding first and pyruvate last. The reaction mechanism is at variance with that of the normal reaction in which 2-oxoglutarate is the substrate, in that the order of addition of the amino and oxo acid substrates is reversed. This fact suggests that there exists a small degree of randomness in the binding of amino and oxo acid substrates. From a product inhibition study, NAD+ was shown to be the last reactant released. Saccharopine [epsilon-N-(L-glutaryl-2)-L-lysine] was found to act as a potent dead-end inhibitor of the condensation reactions (of lysine and 2-oxoglutarate, and of lysine and pyruvate) by forming an abortive E. NADH. saccharopine complex.     

Crystal structures of ligand-bound saccharopine dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Three structures of saccharopine dehydrogenase (l-lysine-forming) (SDH) have been determined in the presence of sulfate, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and oxalylglycine (OxGly). In the sulfate-bound structure, a sulfate ion binds in a cleft between the two domains of SDH, occupies one of the substrate carboxylate binding sites, and results in partial closure of the active site of the enzyme due to a domain rotation of almost 12 degrees in comparison to the apoenzyme structure. In the second structure, AMP binds to the active site in an area where the NAD+ cofactor is expected to bind. All of the AMP moieties (adenine ring, ribose, and phosphate) interact with specific residues of the enzyme. In the OxGly-bound structure, carboxylates of OxGly interact with arginine residues representative of the manner in which substrate (alpha-ketoglutarate and saccharopine) may bind. The alpha-keto group of OxGly interacts with Lys77 and His96, which are candidates for acid-base catalysis. Analysis of ligand-enzyme interactions, comparative structural analysis, corroboration with kinetic data, and discussion of a ternary complex model are presented in this study.     

Properties of partially purified saccharopine dehydrogenase from human placenta.

Saccharopine dehydrogenase was previously purified 380-fold from human placenta. The enzyme was shown to catalyze the formation of α-aminoadipic-δ-semialdehyde and glutamate from saccharopine, to have a molecular weight of 480,000 on gel filtration, and not to be separable from l-lysine-α-ketoglutarate reductase. Additional properties of the saccharopine dehydrogenase are now described. The pH optimum for the conversion of saccharopine to glutamate and α-aminoadipic-δ-semialdehyde is 8.5 in Tris-HCl buffer and 8.9 in 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol buffer. The specificity of the enzyme for Saccharopine and NAD and the inhibition by glutamate and product analogs were tested. It was found the NADP was the only cofactor that could replace NAD in the enzyme reaction and that several NAD analogs were reaction inhibitors. Glutamate was found to be only moderately effective as an inhibitor. Initial velocity studies revealed that the enzyme has an ordered reaction mechanism. The true K_m values for saccharopine and NAD are 1.15 mm and 0.0645 mm, respectively.     

Determinants of substrate specificity for saccharopine dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A survey of NADH, alpha-Kg, and lysine analogues has been undertaken in an attempt to define the substrate specificity of saccharopine dehydrogenase and to identify functional groups on all substrates and dinucleotides important for substrate binding. A number of NAD analogues, including NADP, 3-acetylpyridine adenine dinucleotide (3-APAD), 3-pyridinealdehyde adenine dinucleotide (3-PAAD), and thionicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (thio-NAD), can serve as a substrate in the oxidative deamination reaction, as can a number of alpha-keto analogues, including glyoxylate, pyruvate, alpha-ketobutyrate, alpha-ketovalerate, alpha-ketomalonate, and alpha-ketoadipate. Inhibition studies using nucleotide analogues suggest that the majority of the binding energy of the dinucleotides comes from the AMP portion and that distinctly different conformations are generated upon binding of the oxidized and reduced dinucleotides. Addition of the 2'-phosphate as in NADPH causes poor binding of subsequent substrates but has little effect on coenzyme binding and catalysis. In addition, the 10-fold decrease in affinity of 3-APAD in comparison to NAD suggests that the nicotinamide ring binding pocket is hydrophilic. Extensive inhibition studies using aliphatic and aromatic keto acid analogues have been carried out to gain insight into the keto acid binding pocket. Data suggest that a side chain with three carbons (from the alpha-keto group up to and including the side chain carboxylate) is optimal. In addition, the distance between the C1-C2 unit and the C5 carboxylate of the alpha-keto acid is also important for binding; the alpha-oxo group contributes a factor of 10 to affinity. The keto acid binding pocket is relatively large and flexible and can accommodate the bulky aromatic ring of a pyridine dicarboxylic acid and a negative charge at the C3 but not the C4 position. However, the amino acid binding site is hydrophobic, and the optimal length of the hydrophobic portion of the amino acid carbon side chain is three or four carbons. In addition, the amino acid binding pocket can accommodate a branch at the gamma-carbon, but not at the beta-carbon.     

Overall kinetic mechanism of saccharopine dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Kinetic data have been measured for the histidine-tagged saccharopine dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, suggesting the ordered addition of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) followed by saccharopine in the physiologic reaction direction. In the opposite direction, the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) adds to the enzyme first, while there is no preference for the order of binding of alpha-ketoglutarate (alpha-Kg) and lysine. In the direction of saccharopine formation, data also suggest that, at high concentrations, lysine inhibits the reaction by binding to free enzyme. In addition, uncompetitive substrate inhibition by alpha-Kg and double inhibition by NAD and alpha-Kg suggest the existence of an abortive E:NAD:alpha-Kg complex. Product inhibition by saccharopine is uncompetitive versus NADH, suggesting a practical irreversibility of the reaction at pH 7.0 in agreement with the overall K(eq). Saccharopine is noncompetitive versus lysine or alpha-Kg, suggesting the existence of both E:NADH:saccharopine and E:NAD:saccharopine complexes. NAD is competitive versus NADH, and noncompetitive versus lysine and alpha-Kg, indicating the combination of the dinucleotides with free enzyme. Dead-end inhibition studies are also consistent with the random addition of alpha-Kg and lysine. Leucine and oxalylglycine serve as lysine and alpha-Kg dead-end analogues, respectively, and are uncompetitive against NADH and noncompetitive against alpha-Kg and lysine, respectively. Oxaloacetate (OAA), pyruvate, and glutarate behave as dead-end analogues of lysine, which suggests that the lysine-binding site has a higher affinity for keto acid analogues than does the alpha-Kg site or that dicarboxylic acids have more than one binding mode on the enzyme. In addition, OAA and glutarate also bind to free enzyme as does lysine at high concentrations. Glutarate gives S-parabolic noncompetitive inhibition versus NADH, indicating the formation of a E:(glutarate)2 complex as a result of occupying both the lysine- and alpha-Kg-binding sites. Pyruvate, a slow alternative keto acid substrate, exhibits competitive inhibition versus both lysine and alpha-Kg, suggesting the combination to the E:NADH:alpha-Kg and E:NADH:lysine enzyme forms. The equilibrium constant for the reaction has been measured at pH 7.0 as 3.9 x 10(-7) M by monitoring the change in NADH upon the addition of the enzyme. The Haldane relationship is in very good agreement with the directly measured value.     

Purification and characterization of saccharopine dehydrogenase from baker's yeast.

Saccharopine dehydrogenase (N6-(glutar-2-yl)-L-ly-sine:NAD oxidoreductase (L-lysine-forming)) from baker's yeast was purified to homogenicity. The overall purification was about 1,200-fold over the crude extract with a yield of about 24%. The purified enzyme had a sedimentation coefficient (S20,w) of 3.0 S. The molecular weight determinations by sedimentation equilibrium, Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gave a value of about 39,000 and, therefore, saccharopine dehydrogenase is a single polypeptide chain enzyme. A Stokes radius of 27 A and a diffusion constant of 7.9 X 10(-7) cm2 s-1 were obtained from Sephadex gel filtration chromatography. The enzyme had a high isoelectric pH of 10.1. The NH2-terminal sequence was Ala-Ala----. The enzyme possessed 3 cysteine residues/molecule; no disulfide bond was present. Incubation of saccharopine dehydrogenase with p-chloromercuribenzoate or iodoacetate resulted in complete loss of enzyme activity. Whereas the coenzyme and substrates were ineffective in protecting from inactivation by p-chloromercuribenzoate, iodoacetate inhibition was protected by excess coenzyme.     

Stereospecificity of hydrogen transfer in the saccharopine dehydrogenase reaction.

The stereospecificity of hydrogen transfer in the synthesis of saccharopine from alpha-ketoglutarate and L-lysine catalyzed by saccharopine dehydrogenase (N5-(1,3-dicarboxypropyl)-L-lysine: NAD oxidoreductase (L-lysine-forming), EC 1.5.1.7) was examined by using [4A-3H]- and [4B-3H]NADH. The enzyme showed the A-stereospecificity. The NMR analysis of the saccharopine prepared with [4"A-2H]NADH revealed that the label was incorporated into the C-2 of the glutaryl moiety.     

A proposed proton shuttle mechanism for saccharopine dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharopine dehydrogenase [N6-(glutaryl-2)-L-lysine:NAD oxidoreductase (L-lysine forming)] catalyzes the final step in the alpha-aminoadipate pathway for lysine biosynthesis. It catalyzes the reversible pyridine nucleotide-dependent oxidative deamination of saccharopine to generate alpha-Kg and lysine using NAD+ as an oxidizing agent. The proton shuttle chemical mechanism is proposed on the basis of the pH dependence of kinetic parameters, dissociation constants for competitive inhibitors, and isotope effects. In the direction of lysine formation, once NAD+ and saccharopine bind, a group with a pKa of 6.2 accepts a proton from the secondary amine of saccharopine as it is oxidized. This protonated general base then does not participate in the reaction again until lysine is formed at the completion of the reaction. A general base with a pKa of 7.2 accepts a proton from H2O as it attacks the Schiff base carbon of saccharopine to form the carbinolamine intermediate. The same residue then serves as a general acid and donates a proton to the carbinolamine nitrogen to give the protonated carbinolamine. Collapse of the carbinolamine is then facilitated by the same group accepting a proton from the carbinolamine hydroxyl to generate alpha-Kg and lysine. The amine nitrogen is then protonated by the group that originally accepted a proton from the secondary amine of saccharopine, and products are released. In the reverse reaction direction, finite primary deuterium kinetic isotope effects were observed for all parameters with the exception of V2/K(NADH), consistent with a steady-state random mechanism and indicative of a contribution from hydride transfer to rate limitation. The pH dependence, as determined from the primary isotope effect on DV2 and D(V2/K(Lys)), suggests that a step other than hydride transfer becomes rate-limiting as the pH is increased. This step is likely protonation/deprotonation of the carbinolamine nitrogen formed as an intermediate in imine hydrolysis. The observed solvent isotope effect indicates that proton transfer also contributes to rate limitation. A concerted proton and hydride transfer is suggested by multiple substrate/solvent isotope effects, as well as a proton transfer in another step, likely hydrolysis of the carbinolamine. In agreement, dome-shaped proton inventories are observed for V2 and V2/K(Lys), suggesting that proton transfer exists in at least two sequential transition states.     

Lysine-ketoglutarate reductase and saccharopine dehydrogenase from Arabidopsis thaliana: nucleotide sequence and characterization

We isolated the gene encoding lysine-ketoglutarate reductase (LKR, EC 1.5.1.8) and saccharopine dehydrogenase (SDH, ED 1.5.1.9) from an Arabidopsis thaliana genomic DNA library based on the homology between the yeast biosynthetic genes encoding SDH (lysine-forming) or SDH (glutamate-forming) and Arabidopsis expressed sequence tags. A corresponding cDNA was isolated from total Arabidopsis RNA using RT-PCR and 5 and 3 Race. DNA sequencing revealed that the gene encodes a bifunctional protein with an amino domain homologous to SDH (lysine-forming), thus corresponding to LKR, and a carboxy domain homologous to SDH (glutamate-forming). Sequence comparison between the plant gene product and the yeast lysine-forming and glutamate-forming SDHs showed 25% and 37% sequence identity, respectively. No intracellular targeting sequence was found at the N-terminal or C-terminal of the protein. The gene is interrupted by 24 introns ranging in size from 68 to 352 bp and is present in Arabidopsis in a single copy. 5 sequence analysis revealed several conserved promoter sequence motifs, but did not reveal sequence homologies to either an Opaque 2 binding site or a Sph box. The 3-flanking region does not contain a polyadenylation signal resembling the consensus sequence AATAAA. The plant SDH was expressed in Escherichia coli and exhibited similar biochemical characteristics to those reported for the purified enzyme from maize. This is the first report of the molecular cloning of a plant LKR-SDH genomic and cDNA sequence.     

Overall kinetic mechanism of saccharopine dehydrogenase (L-glutamate forming) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Kinetic studies were carried out for histidine-tagged saccharopine reductase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae at pH 7.0, suggesting a sequential mechanism with ordered addition of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) to the free enzyme followed by L-alpha-aminoadipate-delta-semialdehyde ( L-AASA) which adds in rapid equilibrium prior to l-glutamate in the forward reaction direction. In the reverse reaction direction, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) adds to the enzyme followed by addition of saccharopine. Product inhibition by NADP is competitive vs NADPH and noncompetitive vs alpha-AASA and L-glutamate, suggesting that the dinucleotide adds to the free enzyme prior to the aldehyde. Saccharopine is noncompetitive vs NADPH, alpha-AASA, and L-glutamate. In the direction of saccharopine oxidation, NADPH is competitive vs NADP and noncompetitive vs saccharopine, L-glutamate is noncompetitive vs both NADP and saccharopine, while L-AASA is noncompetitive vs saccharopine and uncompetitive vs NADP. The sequential mechanism is also corroborated by dead-end inhibition studies using analogues of AASA, L-glutamate, and saccharopine. 2-Amino-6-heptenoic acid was chosen as a dead-end analogue of L-AASA and is competitive vs AASA, uncompetitive vs NADPH, and noncompetitive vs L-glutamate. alpha-Ketoglutarate (alpha-Kg) serves as the dead-end analogue of L-glutamate and is competitive vs L-glutamate and uncompetitive vs L-AASA and NADPH. In the direction of saccharopine oxidation, N-oxalylglycine, L-pipecolic acid, L-leucine, alpha-ketoglutarate, glyoxylic acid, and L-ornithine were used as dead-end analogues of saccharopine and showed competitive inhibition vs saccharopine and uncompetitive inhibition vs NADP. The equilibrium constant for the reaction was measured at pH 7.0 by monitoring the change in absorbance of NADPH and is 200 M(-1). The value is in good agreement with the value determined using the Haldane relationship.     

Regulation of lysine catabolism through lysine-ketoglutarate reductase and saccharopine dehydrogenase in Arabidopsis.

In plant and mammalian cells, excess lysine is catabolized by a pathway that is initiated by two enzymes, namely, lysine-ketoglutarate reductase and saccharopine dehydrogenase. In this study, we report the cloning of an Arabidopsis cDNA encoding a bifunctional polypeptide that contains both of these enzyme activities linked to each other. RNA gel blot analysis identified two mRNA bands-a large mRNA containing both lysine-ketoglutarate reductase and saccharopine dehydrogenase sequences and a smaller mRNA containing only the saccharopine dehydrogenase sequence. However, DNA gel blot hybridization using either the lysine-ketoglutarate reductase or the saccharopine dehydrogenase cDNA sequence as a probe suggested that the two mRNA populations apparently are encoded by the same gene. To test whether these two mRNAs are functional, protein extracts from Arabidopsis cells were fractionated by anion exchange chromatography. This fractionation revealed two separate peaks-one containing both coeluted lysine-ketoglutarate reductase and saccharopine dehydrogenase activities and the second containing only saccharopine dehydrogenase activity. RNA gel blot analysis and in situ hybridization showed that the gene encoding lysine-ketoglutarate reductase and saccharopine dehydrogenase is significantly upregulated in floral organs and in embryonic tissues of developing seeds. Our results suggest that lysine catabolism is subject to complex developmental and physiological regulation, which may operate at gene expression as well as post-translational levels.     

Enzymatic determination of L-phenylalanine and phenylpyruvate with L-phenylalanine dehydrogenase

An enzymatic method is described for the determination of L-phenylalanine or phenylpyruvate using L-phenylalanine dehydrogenase. The enzyme catalyzes the NAD-dependent oxidative deamination of L-phenylalanine or the reductive amination of the 2-oxoacid, respectively. The stoichiometric coupling of the coenzyme allows a direct spectrophotometric assay of the substrate concentration. The equilibrium of the reaction favors L-phenylalanine formation; however, by measuring initial reaction velocities, the enzyme can be used for L-phenylalanine determination, too. Standard solutions of L-phenylalanine in the range of 10-300 microM and of phenylpyruvate (5-100 microM) show a linearity between the value for dENADH/min and the substrate concentration. Besides phenylalanine, the enzyme can convert tyrosine and methionine, and their oxoacids, respectively. The Km values of these substrates are higher. The influence of tyrosine on the determination of phenylalanine was studied and appeared tolerable for certain applications.     

Role of arginine residue in saccharopine dehydrogenase (L-lysine forming) from baker's yeast

The baker's yeast saccharopine dehydrogenase (EC 1.5.1.7) was inactivated by 2,3-butanedione following pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. The pseudo-first-order rate constant for inactivation was linearly related to the butanedione concentration, and a value of 7.5 M-1 min-1 was obtained for the second-order rate constant at pH 8.0 and 25 degrees C. Amino acid analysis of the inactivated enzyme revealed that arginine was the only amino acid residue affected. Although as many as eight arginine residues were lost on prolonged incubation with butanedione, only one residue appears to be essential for activity. The modification resulted in the change in Vmax, but not in Km, values for substrates. The inactivation by butanedione was substantially protected by L-leucine, a competitive analogue of substrate lysine, in the presence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and alpha-ketoglutarate. Since leucine binds only to the enzyme-NADH-alpha-ketoglutarate complex, the result suggests that an arginine residue located near the binding site for the amino acid substrate is modified. Titration with leucine showed that the reaction of butanedione also took place with the enzyme-NADH-alpha-ketoglutarate-leucine complex more slowly than with the free enzyme. The binding study indicated that the inactivated enzyme still retained the capacity to bind leucine, although the affinity appeared to be somewhat decreased. From these results it is concluded that an arginine residue essential for activity is involved in the catalytic reaction rather than in the binding of the coenzyme and substrates.     

Purification and characterization of bifunctional lysine-ketoglutarate reductase/saccharopine dehydrogenase from developing soybean seeds

Both in mammals and plants, excess lysine (Lys) is catabolized via saccharopine into alpha-amino adipic semialdehyde and glutamate by two consecutive enzymes, Lys-ketoglutarate reductase (LKR) and saccharopine dehydrogenase (SDH), which are linked on a single bifunctional polypeptide. To study the control of metabolite flux via this bifunctional enzyme, we have purified it from developing soybean (Glycine max) seeds. LKR activity of the bifunctional LKR/SDH possessed relatively high K(m) for its substrates, Lys and alpha-ketoglutarate, suggesting that this activity may serve as a rate-limiting step in Lys catabolism. Despite their linkage, the LKR and SDH enzymes possessed significantly different pH optima, suggesting that SDH activity of the bifunctional enzyme may also be rate-limiting in vivo. We have previously shown that Arabidopsis plants contain both a bifunctional LKR/SDH and a monofunctional SDH enzymes (G. Tang, D. Miron, J.X. Zhu-Shimoni, G. Galili [1997] Plant Cell 9: 1-13). In the present study, we found no evidence for the presence of such a monofunctional SDH enzyme in soybean seeds. These results may provide a plausible regulatory explanation as to why various plant species accumulate different catabolic products of Lys.     

The oxidation state of active site thiols determines activity of saccharopine dehydrogenase at low pH

Saccharopine dehydrogenase catalyzes the NAD-dependent conversion of saccharopine to generate l-lysine and α-ketoglutarate. A disulfide bond between cysteine 205 and cysteine 249, in the vicinity of the dinucleotide-binding site, is observed in structures of the apoenzyme, while a dithiol is observed in a structure with AMP bound, suggesting preferential binding of the dinucleotide to reduced enzyme. Mutation of C205 to S gave increased values of V/E_t and V/KE_t at pH 7 compared to wild type. Primary deuterium and solvent deuterium kinetic isotope effects suggest the catalytic pathway, which includes the hydride transfer and hydrolysis steps, contributes more to rate limitation in C205S, but the rates of the two steps relative to one another remain the same. There is a large increase in the rate constants V₁/E_t and V₁/K_NADEt at pH values below 7 compared to WT. Data indicate the low pH increase in activity results from a decreased sensitivity of the C205S mutant enzyme to the protonation state of an enzyme group with a pK_a of about 7, likely responsible for a pH-dependent conformational change. Reduction of WT and C205S mutant enzymes with TCEP gives equal activities at pH 6, consistent with the increased activity observed for the C205S mutant enzyme.     

General and lysin specific control of saccharopine dehydrogenase levels in the yeast Saccharomycopsis lipolytica.

Lysine supplementation of the growth medium of a wild type strain of the yeast Saccharomycopsis lipolytica specifically results in saccharopine dehydrogenase repression. Starvation of the strain for histidine triggers a general depression of various histidine, leucine, arginine and lysine biosynthetic enzymes, including saccharopine dehydrogenase. These two types of control, specific and general, act independently on saccharopine dehydrogenase expression, since mutants which fail to respond to the specific control still are sensitive to the general one. These mutants were first selected as unable to catabolize lysine, suggesting that a link may exist between saccharopine dehydrogenase specific regulation and activity of the catabolic pathway.