Preliminary x-ray diffraction characterization of crystalline rat liver dihydropteridine reductase

The pyridine dinucleotide-dependent dihydropteridine reductase from rat liver has been crystallized from various inorganic salts and from polyethylene glycol/ethanol mixtures using a vapor diffusion method. The crystal form most amenable to x-ray diffraction studies is monoclinic, space group C2, a = 224.3 A, b = 46.5 A, c = 94.9 A, beta = 99.0 degrees with two molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. These crystals grow to over 1 mm in length, diffract to at least 2.3 A resolution, and are relatively stable to irradiation with x-rays.     

Preliminary studies on the primary structure of rat liver dihydropteridine reductase

Cyanogen bromide cleavage of reductively alkylated homogeneous rat liver dihydropteridine reductase afforded several peptide fragments identifiable by polyacrylamide electrophoresis of which 6 (CB-1 to CB-6) could be individually isolated by C8 reverse phase HPLC. Each was characterised by N-terminal amino acid analysis and sequence information was derived for CB-1, CB-4 and CB-6. The blocked N-terminal of the holoenzyme was identified as pyroglutamate and the C-terminal sequence was obtained by sequential degradation.     

Isolation and characterization of dihydropteridine reductase from human liver.

Dihydropteridine reductase (EC 1.6.99.7) was purified from human liver obtained at autopsy by a three-step chromatographic procedure with the use of (1) a naphthoquinone affinity adsorbent, (2) DEAE-Sephadex and (3) CM-Sephadex. The enzyme was typically purified 1000-fold with a yield of 25%. It gave a single band on non-denaturing and sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, and showed one spot on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the enzyme was determined to be 50000 by sedimentation-equilibrium analysis and 47500 by gel filtration. On sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, a single subunit with mol.wt. 26000 was observed. A complex of dihydropteridine reductase with NADH was observed on gel electrophoresis. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was estimated to be pH 7.0. Amino acid analysis showed a residue composition similar to that seen for the sheep and bovine liver enzymes. The enzyme showed anomalous migration in polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. A Ferguson plot indicated that this behaviour is due to a low net charge/size ratio of the enzyme under the electrophoretic conditions used. The kinetic properties of the enzyme with tetrahydrobiopterin, 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6,7-dimethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropteridine, NADH and NADPH are compared, and the effects of pH, temperature and a number of different compounds on catalytic activity are presented.     

Pyridine nucleotide specificity of barley nitrate reductase

NADPH nitrate reductase activity in higher plants has been attributed to the presence of NAD(P)H bispecific nitrate reductases and to the presence of phosphatases capable of hydrolyzing NADPH to NADH. To determine which of these conditions exist in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Steptoe), we characterized the NADH and NADPH nitrate reductase activities in crude and affinity-chromatography-purified enzyme preparations. The pH optima were 7.5 for NADH and 6 to 6.5 for the NADPH nitrate reductase activities. The ratio of NADPH to NADH nitrate reductase activities was much greater in crude extracts than it was in a purified enzyme preparation. However, this difference was eliminated when the NADPH assays were conducted in the presence of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate to eliminate NADH competitively. The addition of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate to NADPH nitrate reductase assay media eliminated 80 to 95% of the NADPH nitrate reductase activity in crude extracts. These results suggest that a substantial portion of the NADPH nitrate reductase activity in barley crude extracts results from enzyme(s) capable of converting NADPH to NADH. This conversion may be due to a phosphatase, since phosphate and fluoride inhibited NADPH nitrate reductase activity to a greater extent than the NADH activity. The NADPH activity of the purified nitrate reductase appears to be an inherent property of the barley enzyme, because it was not affected by lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate. Furthermore, inorganic phosphate did not accumulate in the assay media, indicating that NADPH was not converted to NADH. The wild type barley nitrate reductase is a NADH-specific enzyme with a slight capacity to use NADPH.     

NADH-ferric reductase activity associated with dihydropteridine reductase

In mammals dietary ferric iron is reduced to ferrous iron for more efficient absorption by the intestine. Analysis of a pig duodenal membrane fraction revealed two NADH-dependent ferric reductase activities, one associated with a b-type cytochrome and the other not. Purification and characterization of the non-cytochrome ferric reductase identified a 31 kDa protein. MALDI-MS analysis and amino acid sequencing identified the ferric reductase as being related to the 26 kDa liver NADH-dependent quinoid dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR). The NADH-dependent DHPR ferric reductase activity was found to be pteridine-independent since exhaustive dialysis did not reduce activity and heat-inactivation destroyed activity. In intestinal Caco-2 cells, DHPR mRNA levels were found to be regulated by iron. Thus, DHPR appears to be a dual function enzyme, a NADH-dependent dihydopteridine reductase and an iron-regulated, NADH-dependent, pteridine-independent ferric reductase.     

Bovine dihydropteridine reductase

Dihydropteridine reductase has been purified to homogeneity from bovine liver and bovine adrenal medulla by precipitation with polyethylene glycol, ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and affinity chromatography on 5-AMP-Sepharose 4B. The enzymes from the two tissues seem identical by the criteria of gel filtration chromatography, affinity chromatography, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence and absence of dodecyl sulfate, isoelectric focusing, amino acid analysis, and binding of NADH. Fluorescence studies show two independent binding sites for NADH and a dissociation constant of 10 nM at pH 6.8. Isoelectric focusing of the enzyme as purified in the presence of NADH revealed three different bands, which by removal of this coenzyme were converted into a single band, corresponding to pI 5.7. The enzyme contains no carbohydrate or zinc.     

Catalytic properties of NADPH-specific dihydropteridine reductase from bovine liver

The catalytic properties of a new type of dihydropteridine reductase, NADPH-specific dihydropteridine reductase [EC 1.6.99.10], from bovine liver, were studied and compared with those of the previously characterized enzyme, NADH-specific dihydropteridine reductase [EC 1.6.99.7]. With quinonoid-dihydro-6-methylpterin, approximate Km values of NADPH-specific dihydropteridine reductase for NADPH and NADH were estimated to be 1.4 micron and 2,900 microns, respectively. The Vmax values were 1.34 mumol/min/mg with NADPH and 1.02 mumol/min/mg with NADPH. With NADPH, the Km values of the enzyme for the quinonoid-dihydro forms of 6-methylpterin and biopterin were 1.4 micron and 6.8 microns, respectively. The enzyme was inhibited by its reaction product, NADP+, in a competitive manner, and the inhibition constant was determined to be 3.2 microns. The enzyme was severely inhibited by L-thyroxine and by 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol.     

Role of aspartate-37 in determining cofactor specificity and binding in rat liver dihydropteridine reductase

Full-length rat dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) cDNAs have been combined with a prokaryotic expression vector and introduced into Escherichia coli. Transformed bacteria express dihydropteridine reductase immunoreactive proteins and demonstrate conversion of quinonoid dihydropteridines to their tetrahydro forms. Several recombinant enzymes have been purified to homogeneity and biochemical studies have been carried out comparing their properties with those exhibited by the rat liver enzyme. The optimal reaction conditions, kinetic constants, and stability are similar for the recombinant and naturally occurring enzyme. The results indicate that the nonmutant recombinant rat DHPR is an authentic replica of the natural protein and that the characteristics of DHPR activity are determined by a single gene product and do not require specific modification via the eukaryotic cell. In addition to the wild type, three specific mutagenic forms of the reductase, A-6-V, W-104-F, and D-37-I, and an additional abbreviated structure have also been formed. Each of the products exhibits reductase activity, although they show varied affinities for their cofactor, NADH, and less stability to chromatography, dialysis, and concentration than the wild-type enzyme. The N-terminal sequence contains a classic NADH binding region between amino acids 9 and 36, and Asp 37 is essential for binding the cofactor as is shown by the approximately 20-fold increase in dissociation constant for the D-37-I mutant and diminished kcat (approximately 43 s-1 compared to 156 s-1 for the wild-type enzyme). The results indicate that the DHPR cofactor binding site is similar to typical dinucleotide requiring dehydrogenases such as lactic acid and liver alcohol dehydrogenase.     

Human dihydropteridine reductase: characterisation of a cDNA clone and its use in analysis of patients with dihydropteridine reductase deficiency.

Deficiency of human dihydropteridine reductase (hDHPR) causes malignant hyperphenylalaninemia. We report the isolation of a cDNA clone for hDHPR that spans the complete coding region, and present the nucleotide sequence and the predicted amino acid sequence. The hDHPR protein does not share extensive homology with the enzymatically related protein human dihydrofolate reductase. Patients with hDHPR deficiency were analysed for the presence of hDHPR cross-reacting protein, mRNA encoding hDHPR, and chromosomal DNA rearrangements. The results show that this inherited error of metabolism can result from a variety of mutations. However, no major rearrangements were seen in 11 patients analysed by Southern blotting. Three RFLPs were found with the restriction endonucleases AvaII and MspI. These RFLPs are useful for prenatal diagnosis of hDHPR deficiency.     

Structural studies and isolation of cDNA clones providing the complete sequence of rat liver dihydropteridine reductase

The cleavage of reductively alkylated rat liver dihydropteridine reductase with cyanogen bromide afforded a mixture of peptides, six of which (CB-1 to CB-6) were isolated and purified by C8 reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Portions of peptides CB-1, CB-4, and CB-6 were sequenced by automated Edman degradation and high performance liquid chromatography and the carboxyl-terminal region by conventional procedures. Further proteolytic digestion of CB-6 and isolation of the products afforded a seven-amino acid peptide. A low degeneracy probe comprising 20 nucleotides was synthesized from the sequence of this peptide and was used to screen a rat liver cDNA expression library constructed in the vector lambda gt 10. Positive clones were isolated, and detailed examination of five of these by restriction endonucleases and dideoxy sequence analyses allowed identification of the entire coding region for dihydropteridine reductase. The gene was found to code for a protein of 240 amino acids (excluding the methionine initiator) of Mr = 25,420. Each of the sequences corresponding to the peptides CB-1, CB-4, CB-6, and the carboxyl terminus were identified in the deduced protein sequence. The rat enzyme is highly homologous to the human dihydropteridine reductase; the two proteins differ in only 10 amino acids, and all are conservative substitutions. In contrast, the sequence shows little homology with that of mammalian dihydrofolate reductase: reduced pyridine nucleotide-requiring enzymes with superficial mechanistic similarities.     

Characterization and nucleotide binding properties of a mutant dihydropteridine reductase containing an aspartate 37-isoleucine replacement.

Kinetic constants for the interaction of NADH and NADPH with native rat dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) and an Escherichia coli expressed mutant (D-37-I) have been determined. Comparison of kcat and Km values measured employing quinonoid 6,7-dimethyldihydropteridine (q-PtH2) as substrate indicate that the native enzyme has a considerable preference for NADH with an optimum kcat/Km of 12 microM-1 s-1 compared with a figure of 0.25 microM-1 s-1 for NADPH. Although the mutant enzyme still displays an apparent preference for NADH (kcat/Km = 1.2 microM-1 s-1) compared with NADPH (kcat/Km = 0.6 microM-1 s-1), kinetic analysis indicates that NADH and NADPH have comparable stickiness in the D-37-I mutant. The dihydropteridine site is less affected, since the Km for q-PtH2 and K(is) for aminopterin are unchanged and the 14-26-fold synergy seen for aminopterin binding to E.NAD(P)H versus free E is decreased by less than 2-fold in the D-37-I mutant. No significant changes in log kcat and log kcat/Km versus pH profiles for NADH and NADPH were seen for the D-37-I mutant enzyme. However, the mutant enzyme is less stable to proteolytic degradation, to elevated temperature, and to increasing concentrations of urea and salt than the wild type. NADPH provides maximal protection against inactivation in all cases for both the native and D-37-I mutant enzymes. Examination of the rat DHPR sequence shows a typical dinucleotide binding fold with Asp-37 located precisely in the position predicted for the acidic residue that participates in hydrogen bond formation with the 2'-hydroxyl moiety of all known NAD-dependent dehydrogenases. This assignment is consistent with x-ray crystallographic results that localize the aspartate 37 carboxyl within ideal hydrogen bonding distance of the 2'- and 3'-hydroxyl moieties of adenosine ribose in the binary E.NADH complex.     

Inhibition of dihydropteridine reductase in rat striatal synaptosomes and from human liver by metabolites of biogenic amines

Catecholamines are potent noncompetitive inhibitors of dihydropteridine reductase in rat striatal synaptosomal preparations or purified from human liver. Their metabolites, except homovanillic acid, also inhibit the enzyme from both sources. The inhibitory potency of these compounds depends on the presence of the catechol or the 4-hydroxyphenyl structure, but may be modified by the 2-carbon side chain and its substituents. Indoleamines which have a hydroxylated aromatic nucleus (5-hydroxytryptamine and 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine) are equally inhibitory to the enzyme. These results suggest that biogenic amines themselves rather than their metabolites may serve as physiological inhibitors of dihydropteridine reductase in rat brain.     

Isolation and characterization of dihydropteridine reductase from Pseudomonas species.

Dihydropteridine reductase isolated from the bacterium Pseudomonas species (ATCC 11299a) has been purified approximately 450-fold byammonium sulfate precipitation and diethylaminoethyl-cellulose chromatographic procedures. The preparation is at least 80% pure as judged by polyacrylamide gels. Its molecular weight was determined to be about 44,000. Both dihydropteridine reductase and phenylalanine hydroxylase activities were found to be higher in cells adapted to a medium containing L-phenylalanine or L-tyrosine as the sole carbon source than in those grown in L-asparagine. The substrate of the reductase is quinonoid dihydropteridine, and the product is tentatively identified as a tetrahydropteridine through its ability to serve as a cofactor for phenylalanine hydroxylase. The enzyme shows no marked specificity for the pteridine cofactor that occurs naturally in this organism, L-threo-neopterin. The pH optimum for the reductase is 7.2, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced form, is the preferred cosubstrate. Inhibition of the reduced and untreated enzyme by several sulfhydryl reagents was observed. A metal requirement for the reductase could not be demonstrated. Dihydropteridine reductase was found to be inhibited by aminopterin in a competitive manner with respect to the quinonoid dihydro form of 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6,7-dimethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropteridine.     

Inhibition of dihydropteridine reductase by dopamine

Dihydropteridine reductase has been purified 900-fold from rat liver. Dopamine inhibited the enzyme up to 50% at a concentration of 0.11mm. In the presence of dopamine the enzyme gave non-hyperbolic v-against-[S] plots. This enzyme may have a role in control of dopamine biosynthesis.