Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-6-phosphogluconolactonase. A novel bifunctional enzyme in malaria parasites.

Plasmodium falciparum glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Pf Glc6PD), compared to other Glc6PDs has an additional 300 amino acids at the N-terminus. They are not related to Glc6PD but are similar to a family of proteins (devb) of unknown function, some of which are encoded next to Glc6PD in certain bacteria. The human devb homologue has recently been shown to have 6-phosphogluconolactonase (6PGL) activity. This suggests Pf Glc6PD may be a bifunctional enzyme, the evolution of which has involved the fusion of adjacent genes. Further functional analysis of Pf Glc6PD has been hampered because parts of the gene could not be cloned. We have isolated and sequenced the corresponding Plasmodium berghei gene and shown it encodes an enzyme (Pb Glc6PD) with the same structure as the P. falciparum enzyme. Pb Glc6PD is 950 amino acids long with significant sequence similarity in both the devb and Glc6PD domains with the P. falciparum enzyme. The P. berghei enzyme does not have an asparagine-rich segment between the N and C halves and it contains an insertion at the same point in the Glc6PD region as the P. falciparum enzyme but the insertion in the P. berghei is longer (110 versus 62 amino acids) and unrelated in sequence to the P. falciparum insertion. Though expression of this enzyme in bacteria produced largely insoluble protein, conditions were found where the full-length enzyme was produced in a soluble form which was purified via a histidine tag. We show that this enzyme has both Glc6PD and 6PGL activities. Thus the first two steps of the pentose phosphate pathway are catalysed by a single novel bifunctional enzyme in these parasites.     

Transfer of the human X chromosome to human--Chinese hamster cell hybrids via isolated HeLa metaphase chromosomes.

Evidence is presented for the uptake of the human X chromosome by human-Chinese hamster cell hybrids which lack H P R T activity, following incubation with isolated human HeLa S3 chromosomes. Sixteen independent clonal cell lines were isolated in H A T medium, all of which contained a human X chromosome as determined by trypsin-Giemsa staining. The frequency of H A T-resistant clones was 32 x 10(-6) when 10(7) cells were incubated with 10(8) HeLa chromosomes. Potential reversion of the hybrid cells in H A T medium was less than 5 x 10(-7). The 16 isolated cell lines all contained activity of the human X-linked marker enzymes H P R T, P G K,alpha-Gal A, and G6PD, as determined by electrophoresis. The phenotype of G6PD was G6PD A, corresponding to G6PD A in HeLa cells. The human parental cells used in the fusion to form the hybrids had the G6PD B phenotype. The recipient cells gave no evidence of containing human X chromosomes. These results indicate that incorporation and expression of HeLa X chromosomes is accomplished in human-Chinese hamster hybrids which lack a human X chromosome.     

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase exerts antistress effects independently of its enzymatic activity

G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway that can generate cytosolic NADPH for biosynthesis and oxidative defense. Since cytosolic NADPH can be compensatively produced by other sources, the enzymatic activity deficiency alleles of G6PD are well tolerated in somatic cells but the effect of null mutations is unclear. Herein, we show that G6PD KO sensitizes cells to the stresses induced by hydrogen peroxide, superoxide, hypoxia, and the inhibition of the electron transport chain. This effect can be completely reversed by the expressions of natural mutants associated with G6PD deficiency, even without dehydrogenase activity, exactly like the WT G6PD. Furthermore, we demonstrate that G6PD can physically interact with AMPK (AMPK-activated protein kinase) to facilitate its activity and directly bind to NAMPT (nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase) to promote its activity and maintain the NAD(P)H/NAD(P)⁺ homeostasis. These functions are necessary to the antistress ability of cells but independent of the dehydrogenase activity of G6PD. In addition, the WT G6PD and naturally inactive mutant also can similarly regulate the metabolism of glucose, glutamine, fatty acid synthesis, and GSH and interact with the involved enzymes. Therefore, our findings reveal the previously unidentified functions of G6PD that can act as the important physiological neutralizer of stresses independently of its enzymatic activity.     

The maize low-phytic acid mutant lpa2 is caused by mutation in an inositol phosphate kinase gene

Reduced phytic acid content in seeds is a desired goal for genetic improvement in several crops. Low-phytic acid mutants have been used in genetic breeding, but it is not known what genes are responsible for the low-phytic acid phenotype. Using a reverse genetics approach, we found that the maize (Zea mays) low-phytic acid lpa2 mutant is caused by mutation in an inositol phosphate kinase gene. The maize inositol phosphate kinase (ZmIpk) gene was identified through sequence comparison with human and Arabidopsis Ins(1,3,4)P(3) 5/6-kinase genes. The purified recombinant ZmIpk protein has kinase activity on several inositol polyphosphates, including Ins(1,3,4)P(3), Ins(3,5,6)P(3), Ins(3,4,5,6)P(4), and Ins(1,2,5,6)P(4). The ZmIpk mRNA is expressed in the embryo, the organ where phytic acid accumulates in maize seeds. The ZmIpk Mutator insertion mutants were identified from a Mutator F(2) family. In the ZmIpk Mu insertion mutants, seed phytic acid content is reduced approximately 30%, and inorganic phosphate is increased about 3-fold. The mutants also accumulate myo-inositol and inositol phosphates as in the lpa2 mutant. Allelic tests showed that the ZmIpk Mu insertion mutants are allelic to the lpa2. Southern-blot analysis, cloning, and sequencing of the ZmIpk gene from lpa2 revealed that the lpa2-1 allele is caused by the genomic sequence rearrangement in the ZmIpk locus and the lpa2-2 allele has a nucleotide mutation that generated a stop codon in the N-terminal region of the ZmIpk open reading frame. These results provide evidence that ZmIpk is one of the kinases responsible for phytic acid biosynthesis in developing maize seeds.     

Modulation of agonist-induced inositol phosphate metabolism by cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate in adrenal glomerulosa cells

Activation of the cAMP messenger system was found to cause specific changes in angiotensin-II (All)-induced inositol phosphate production and metabolism in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells. Pretreatment of [3H]inositol-labeled glomerulosa cells with 8-bromo-cAMP (8Br-cAMP) caused both short and long term changes in the inositol phosphate response to stimulation by All. Exposure to 8Br-cAMP initially caused dose-dependent enhancement (ED50 = 0.7 microM) of the stimulatory action of All (50 nM; 10 min) on the formation of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] and its immediate metabolites. This effect of 8Br-cAMP was also observed in permeabilized [3H]inositol-labeled glomerulosa cells in which degradation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 was inhibited, consistent with increased activity of phospholipase-C. Continued exposure to 8Br-cAMP for 5-16 h caused selective enhancement of the All-induced increases in D-myo-inositol 1,3,4,6-tetrakisphosphate [Ins(1,3,4,6)P4] and myo-inositol 1,4,5,6-tetrakisphosphate. The long term effect of 8Br-cAMP on the 6-phosphorylated InsP4 isomers, but not the initial enhancement of Ins(1,4,5)P3 formation, was inhibited by cycloheximide. The characteristic biphasic kinetics of All-induced Ins(1,4,5)P3 formation were also changed by prolonged treatment with 8Br-cAMP to a monophasic response in which Ins(1,4,5)P3 increased rapidly and remained elevated during All stimulation. In permeabilized glomerulosa cells treated with 8Br-cAMP for 16 h, the conversion of D-myo-inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate [Ins(1,3,4)P3] to Ins(1,3,4,6)P4 was consistently increased, whereas dephosphorylation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 to D-myo-inositol 1,4-bisphosphate and of D-myo-inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate to Ins(1,3,4)P3, was reduced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Putative inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding proteins in rat brain cytosol.

In previous works, we synthesized a series of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) analogs, with a substituent on the second carbon of the inositol ring. Using these analogs, the Ins(1,4,5)P3 affinity media were also synthesized (Hirata, M., Watanabe, Y., Ishimatsu, T., Yanaga, F., Koga, T., and Ozaki, S. (1990) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 168, 379-386). When the cytosol fraction from the rat brain was applied to an Ins(1,4,5)P3 affinity column, an eluate with a 2 M NaCl solution was found to have remarkable Ins(1,4,5)P3-binding activity. The active fraction was further fractionated with gel filtration chromatography, and two proteins with an apparent molecular mass of 130 or 85 kDa were found to be Ins(1,4,5)P3-binding proteins but with no Ins(1,4,5)P3 metabolizing activities. Partial amino acid sequences determined after proteolysis and reversed-phase chromatography revealed that the protein with an apparent molecular mass of 85 kDa is the delta-isozyme of phospholipase C and that of 130 kDa has no sequence the same as the Ins(1,4,5)P3-recognizing proteins hitherto examined. Ins(1,4,5)P3 at concentrations greater than 1 microM strongly inhibited 85-kDa phospholipase C delta activity, without changing its dependence on the concentrations of free Ca2+ and H+. Among inositol phosphates examined, Ins(3,4,5,6)P4 inhibited the binding of [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 to the 130-kDa protein at much the same concentrations as seen with Ins(1,4,5)P3. This report seems to be the first evidence for the presence of soluble Ins(1,4,5)P3-binding proteins in the rat brain, one of which is the delta isozyme of phospholipase C.     

Inositol trisphosphate, calcium and muscle contraction

The identity of organelles storing intracellular calcium and the role of Ins(1,4,5)P3 in muscle have been explored with, respectively, electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) and laser photolysis of 'caged' compounds. The participation of G-protein(s) in the release of intracellular Ca2+ was determined in saponin-permeabilized smooth muscle. The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is identified as the major source of activator Ca2+ in both smooth and striated muscle; similar (EPMA) studies suggest that the endoplasmic reticulum is the major Ca2+ storage site in non-muscle cells. In none of the cell types did mitochondria play a significant, physiological role in the regulation of cytoplasmic Ca2+. The latency of guinea pig portal vein smooth muscle contraction following photolytic release of phenylephrine, an alpha 1-agonist, is 1.5 +/- 0.26 s at 20 degrees C and 0.6 +/- 0.18 s at 30 degrees C; the latency of contraction after photolytic release of Ins(1,4,5)P3 from caged Ins(1,4,5)P3 is 0.5 +/- 0.12 s at 20 degrees C. The long latency of alpha 1-adrenergic Ca2+ release and its temperature dependence are consistent with a process mediated by G-protein-coupled activation of phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) hydrolysis. GTP gamma S, a non-hydrolysable analogue of GTP, causes Ca2+ release and contraction in permeabilized smooth muscle. Ins(1,4,5)P3 has an additive effect during the late, but not the early, phase of GTP gamma S action, and GTP gamma S can cause Ca2+ release and contraction of permeabilized smooth muscles refractory to Ins(1,4,5)P3. These results suggest that activation of G protein(s) can release Ca2+ by, at least, two G-protein-regulated mechanisms: one mediated by Ins(1,4,5)P3 and the other Ins(1,4,5)P3-independent. The low Ins(1,4,5)P3 5-phosphatase activity and the slow time-course (seconds) of the contractile response to Ins(1,4,5)P3 released with laser flash photolysis from caged Ins(1,4,5)P3 in frog skeletal muscle suggest that Ins(1,4,5)P3 is unlikely to be the physiological messenger of excitation-contraction coupling of striated muscle. In contrast, in smooth muscle the high Ins(1,4,5)P3-5-phosphatase activity and the rate of force development after photolytic release of Ins(1,4,5)P3 are compatible with a physiological role of Ins(1,4,5)P3 as a messenger of pharmacomechanical coupling.     

G6PD deficient alleles and haplotype analysis of human G6PD locus in São Tomé e Príncipe (West Africa)

A population sample from S?o Tomé e Príncipe (West Africa) was screened for the G6PD-deficient variants A- (376G/202A), Betica (376G/968C), and Santa Maria (376G/542T). G6PD locus haplotype diversity was also investigated using six intragenic RFLPs (FokI, PvuII, BspHI, PstI, BclI, NlaIII) and a (CTT)n microsatellite 18.61 kb within the G6PD locus. The estimated frequencies of the G6PD*B normal allele, the G6PD*A variant (376G), and the G6PD*A- allele were 0.698, 0.194, and 0.108, respectively. G6PD variants Betica and Santa Maria were not found. Similar levels of microsatellite diversity were found on variants G6PD*B and G6PD*A (H = 0.61 and 0.68, respectively), indicating a similar age for both alleles. All G6PD*A- alleles share the RFLP-microsatellite haplotype ++(-)+(-)+/195, the same haplotype described in nearly all the *A-alleles from sub-Saharan, Mexican Mestizo, and Portuguese populations, consistent with a single and recent origin of the G202A mutation on this *A haplotype.     

The lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis core of the Mexican pathogenic strain Serratia entomophila is associated with toxicity to larvae of Phyllophaga blanchardi

The Mexican bacteria Serratia entomophila strain Mor4.1 (Enterobacteriaceae) is pathogenic to coleopteran species of the Phyllophaga genus, which are considered important soil-dwelling pests. Mor4.1 causes anti-feeding activity and mortality to larvae after oral and injection bio-assay either, by bacteria or by cell free culture broth inoculation. The pathogenic determinants of Mor4.1 have not been elucidated. We hypothesize that Mor4.1 produces several toxins and other virulence factors, some acting at the level of the insect gut and others at the hemocoel. To identify and characterize virulence factors, a fosmid library of S. entomophila Mor4.1 was made in Escherichia coli. Five different insecticidal clones were isolated by injecting individual clones into Phyllophaga blanchardi larvae. The complete 40 kb DNA sequence and gene organization of clone G8 was determined. By comparative genomics, 21 genes were associated with virulence. By transposon (Tn5) insertion mutagenesis of G8 and further bio-assays we show that a dUTPase, a flavoprotein and a heptosyltransferase III, are key factors for G8 toxic activity. The heptosyltransferase III, is part of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis core. We demonstrated that purified LPS from G8 and Mor4.1 are toxic to P. blanchardi larvae by injection bio-assay.     

Inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate acts in vivo as a specific regulator of cellular signaling by inositol 3,4,5,6-tetrakisphosphate.

Ca2+-activated Cl- channels are inhibited by inositol 3,4,5, 6-tetrakisphosphate (Ins(3,4,5,6)P4) (Xie, W., Kaetzel, M. A., Bruzik, K. S., Dedman, J. R., Shears, S. B., and Nelson, D. J. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 14092-14097), a novel second messenger that is formed after stimulus-dependent activation of phospholipase C (PLC). In this study, we show that inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate (Ins(1,3,4)P3) is the specific signal that ties increased cellular levels of Ins(3,4,5,6)P4 to changes in PLC activity. We first demonstrated that Ins(1,3,4)P3 inhibited Ins(3,4,5,6)P4 1-kinase activity that was either (i) in lysates of AR4-2J pancreatoma cells or (ii) purified 22,500-fold (yield = 13%) from bovine aorta. Next, we incubated [3H]inositol-labeled AR4-2J cells with cell permeant and non-radiolabeled 2,5,6-tri-O-butyryl-myo-inositol 1,3, 4-trisphosphate-hexakis(acetoxymethyl) ester. This treatment increased cellular levels of Ins(1,3,4)P3 2.7-fold, while [3H]Ins(3, 4,5,6)P4 levels increased 2-fold; there were no changes to levels of other 3H-labeled inositol phosphates. This experiment provides the first direct evidence that levels of Ins(3,4,5,6)P4 are regulated by Ins(1,3,4)P3 in vivo, independently of Ins(1,3,4)P3 being metabolized to Ins(3,4,5,6)P4. In addition, we found that the Ins(1, 3,4)P3 metabolites, namely Ins(1,3)P2 and Ins(3,4)P2, were >100-fold weaker inhibitors of the 1-kinase compared with Ins(1,3,4)P3 itself (IC50 = 0.17 microM). This result shows that dephosphorylation of Ins(1,3,4)P3 in vivo is an efficient mechanism to "switch-off" the cellular regulation of Ins(3,4,5,6)P4 levels that comes from Ins(1,3, 4)P3-mediated inhibition of the 1-kinase. We also found that Ins(1,3, 6)P3 and Ins(1,4,6)P3 were poor inhibitors of the 1-kinase (IC50 = 17 and >30 microM, respectively). The non-physiological trisphosphates, D/L-Ins(1,2,4)P3, inhibited 1-kinase relatively potently (IC50 = 0.7 microM), thereby suggesting a new strategy for the rational design of therapeutically useful kinase inhibitors. Overall, our data provide new information to support the idea that Ins(1,3,4)P3 acts in an important signaling cascade.     

In vitro regulation of mammary glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity by palmitoyl coenzyme A, acetate, and polyamines

An in vitro study was conducted to determine whether bovine mammary glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity was regulated by palmitoyl coenzyme A (CoA), acetate, spermidine, and putrescine and whether these effects were dependent upon stage of lactation. Early lactation explants incubated in media containing palmitoyl CoA or acetate had reduced (P less than 0.01) G6PD activity compared with incubated control explants. G6PD activity in early lactation explants was reduced (P less than 0.05) when incubated with 5 microM palmitoyl CoA or 1 mM acetate compared with 25 microM palmitoyl CoA or 10 mM acetate. Spermidine (0.4 mM) reversed (P less than 0.05) palmitoyl CoA-induced inhibition of early lactation G6PD activity at 5 microM, but not at 25 microM palmitoyl CoA. G6PD activity in early lactation explants was decreased (P less than 0.05) when treated with putrescine (0.4 mM) compared with explants treated with spermidine. Addition of acetate in combination with 5 microM palmitoyl CoA reversed G6PD inhibition (P less than 0.05 for 1 mM and P less than 0.01 for 10 mM) while addition of either level of acetate in combination with 25 microM palmitoyl CoA failed to reverse G6PD inhibition. G6PD activity was higher (P less than 0.01) in early lactation than mid-lactation explants. No statistical differences (P greater than 0.1) were found among any treatments in explants from mid-lactation cows. We conclude that palmitoyl CoA and acetate will inhibit G6PD activity in early lactation, but not mid-lactation explants; addition of spermidine will reverse this inhibition.     

Kinetic and inhibitor profiles of soluble and particulate inositol 1,4-5-trisphosphate 5-phosphatase from GH3 and IMR-32 cells.

A simple procedure for assay of Ins(1,4,5)P3 5-phosphatase is described. The reaction products [( 3H]Ins(1,4)P2, [3H]InsP and myo-[3H]inositol) are completely separated from one another, with quantitative yield, on Amprep SAX (100 mg) minicolumns. [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 [and [3H]Ins(1,3,4,5)P4] are adsorbed to the columns but not released to any appreciable extent by the elution conditions used. In GH3 cells, the stepwise dephosphorylation of [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 to myo-[3H]inositol was demonstrated, and was inhibited by 2.3-bisphosphoglycerate. The Km of the soluble form of the enzyme was lower in GH3 cells (8-13 microM) than in IMR-32 cells (26-32 microM) or in rat cerebral-cortical samples (22 microM. The Km of the particulate form of the enzyme was similar in all three preparations (10-16 microM). The pH profiles of the two soluble 5-phosphatases differed, with a wider pH optimum for the GH3-cell activity than for the IMR-32-cell activity. The soluble and particulate GH3 enzymes were more sensitive than the corresponding IMR-32 enzymes to inhibition by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, whereas there were no differences in their sensitivities to glucose 6-phosphate, 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate, fructose 1.6- and 2.6-bisphosphate and non-radioactive Ins(1,3,4,5)P4. Dialysis of the soluble fractions and washing of the particulate fractions did not affect the inhibitor sensitivities, except for the soluble IMR-32 fraction and p-hydroxymercuribenzoate. The Km value of the soluble GH3 5-phosphatase activity was lower, and the inhibition by Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 greater, after adsorption to and elution from phosphocellulose. It is concluded that there are qualitative differences in the properties of the soluble 5-phosphatase activity from GH3 and IMR-32 cells.     

Genetic rearrangement associated with in vivo mucoid conversion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO is due to insertion elements.

The conversion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO to the mucoid phenotype has been reported for a chronic pulmonary infection model in rats (D. E. Woods, P. A. Sokol, L. E. Bryan, D. G. Storey, S. J. Mattingly, H. J. Vogel, and H. Ceri, J. Infect. Dis. 163:143-149, 1991). This conversion was associated with a genetic rearrangement upstream of the exotoxin A gene. To characterize the genetic rearrangement, the region upstream of the toxA gene was cloned from PAO, PAO-muc (a mucoid strain), and PAO-rev (a nonmucoid revertant strain). The nucleotide sequence of a 4.8-kb fragment from PAO-muc was determined. A+T-rich regions of approximately 2 kb (IS-PA-4) and 0.4 kb (IS-PA-5) were identified in this fragment. DNA probes constructed internal to these regions hybridized to PAO-muc but not to PAO or PAO-rev, suggesting that PAO-muc contains an insertion element. Sequence analysis of the nonmucoid clones indicated that a 2,561-bp fragment corresponding to IS-PA-4 and a 992-bp fragment corresponding to IS-PA-5 were not present in PAO or PAO-rev. Both nonmucoid clones, however, contained in the same location as IS-PA-4, a 1,313-bp region which was not present in PAO-muc. DNA probes complementary to this sequence, designated IS-PA-6, did not hybridize with PAO-muc, indicating that this sequence had been replaced upon conversion to the mucoid phenotype. Between IS-PA-4 and IS-PA-5 there was a 500-bp sequence which was 94% identical to the 500-bp sequence downstream of IS-PA-6. These insertion elements had some DNA sequence similarity to plasmid and transposon sequences, suggesting that they may be of plasmid origin. IS-PA-4 and IS-PA-5 were shown also to be present in two mucoid isolates from cystic fibrosis patients. The insertions occurred in the same location upstream of the toxA gene, suggesting that this type of genetic recombination may also be associated with mucoid conversion in some P. aeruginosa clinical isolates.     

IL-3 and GM-CSF induce the expression of the inositol trisphosphate receptor in K562 myeloblast cells.

When treated with IL-3 plus GM-CSF, K562 myeloblast cells acquired the ability to mobilize nonmitochondrial stores of intracellular Ca2+ in response to added Ins (1, 4, 5) P3. Untreated K562 cells are capable of sequestering intracellular Ca2+ but released none of this Ca2+ in response to Ins (1, 4, 5) P3. Untreated K562 cells were shown to have no detectable specific [3H] Ins (1, 4, 5) P3 binding sites and no InsP3 receptor mRNA as assayed by Northern blot and PCR. However, following IL-3 and GM-CSF treatment, both a single class of low nM KD Ins (1, 4, 5) P3 binding site and a 10 kb InsP3 receptor mRNA were detectable. The results suggest that IL-3 and GM-CSF regulate the expression of the Ins (1, 4, 5) P3 receptor gene.