Malate dehydrogenase isozymes in the longnose dace,Rhinichthys cataractae

The interspecies homology of dace supernatant (A₂, AB, B₂) and mitochondrial (C₂) malate dehydrogenase isozymes has been established through cell fractionation and tissue distribution studies. Isolated supernatant malate dehydrogenase (s-MDH) isozymes show significant differences in Michaelis constants for oxaloacetate and in pH optima. Shifts in s-MDH isozyme pH optima with temperature may result in immediate compensation for increase in ectotherm body pH with decrease in temperature, but duplicate s-MDH isozymes are probably maintained through selection for tissue specific regulation of metabolism.This research was supported in part by NSF Grant SM176-83974 and a grant from the Blakeslee Fund.     

Malate dehydrogenase isozymes in flax genotroph leaves: Differences in apparent molecular weight and charge between and within L and S

Ferguson plots demonstrated that corresponding malate dehydrogenase (MDH) isozymes of Durrant's L and S flax genotrophs differ in apparent molecular weight (MW) and also in net negative charge. The MW differences explain heritable differences in electrophoretic relative mobility (R _m) between corresponding L and S isozymes. The MW for each MDH isozyme was higher for L than for S and resulted in a slowerR _m for L. The net negative charge for each isozyme was higher for L than for S. MDH isozymes also differ in MW within L and S. MW was lower for isozymes in leaves from the bottom of the stem than in leaves from the top of the stem, particularly in L. Integration of information on the MDH isozyme system in the flax genotrophs and information on the peroxidase system suggests the possibility that common modifier loci may controlR _m in both enzymes.The financial assistance of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is acknowledged with thanks.     

Malate dehydrogenase of spinach: Substrate kinetics of different forms

Sephadex G-200 gel filtration of an ammonium sulfate fraction, containing the bulk of NAD-dependent malate dehydrogenase, yields forms of differing MW. Both Mg²⁺ and NADH stabilize the 127000 daltons MW form. K⁺, or incubation with dithioerythritol, cause splitting and partial reaggregation, resulting in MWs ranging between 35000 and 180000 daltons. Chromatography in the presence of dithioerythritol and NADH results in an enzyme with a non-linear reaction rate at low substrate concentrations. Plots of initial velocity vs substrate and cofactor concentration respectively are characterized by two slopes of positive cooperativity separated by an intermediary plateau of negative cooperativity. Gel chromatography in the presence of Mg²⁺ or K⁺ or drastic dilution of the enzyme results in an enzyme with linear reaction rates also at low substrate concentration. Its kinetics are consistent with the view that the enzyme undergoes conformational changes when the substrate concentration is varied.     

UDP-glucose dehydrogenase from bovine liver: primary structure and relationship to other dehydrogenases.

The primary structure of bovine liver UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UDPGDH), a hexameric, NAD(+)-linked enzyme, has been determined at the protein level. The 52-kDa subunits are composed of 468 amino acid residues, with a free N-terminus and a Ser/Asn microhetergeneity at one position. The sequence shares 29.6% positional identity with GDP-mannose dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas, confirming a similarity earlier noted between active site peptides. This degree of similarity is comparable to the 31.1% identity vs. the UDPGDH from type A Streptococcus. Database searching also revealed similarities to a hypothetical sequence from Salmonella typhimurium and to "UDP-N-acetyl-mannosaminuronic acid dehydrogenase" from Escherichia coli. Pairwise identities between bovine UDPGDH and each of these sequences were all in the range of approximately 26-34%. Multiple alignment of all 5 sequences indicates common ancestry for these 4-electron-transferring enzymes. There are 27 strictly conserved residues, including a cysteine residue at position 275, earlier identified by chemical modification as the expected catalytic residue of the second half-reaction (conversion of UDP-aldehydoglucose to UDP-glucuronic acid), and 2 lysine residues, at positions 219 and 338, one of which may be the expected catalytic residue for the first half-reaction (conversion of UDP-glucose to UDP-aldehydoglucose). A GXGXXG pattern characteristic of the coenzyme-binding fold is found at positions 11-16, close to the N-terminus as with "short-chain" alcohol dehydrogenases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Malate valves: old shuttles with new perspectives

Malate valves act as powerful systems for balancing the ATP/NAD(P)H ratio required in various subcellular compartments in plant cells. As components of malate valves, isoforms of malate dehydrogenases (MDHs) and dicarboxylate translocators catalyse the reversible interconversion of malate and oxaloacetate and their transport. Depending on the co‐enzyme specificity of the MDH isoforms, either NADH or NADPH can be transported indirectly. Arabidopsis thaliana possesses nine genes encoding MDH isoenzymes. Activities of NAD‐dependent MDHs have been detected in mitochondria, peroxisomes, cytosol and plastids. In addition, chloroplasts possess a NADP‐dependent MDH isoform. The NADP‐MDH as part of the ‘light malate valve’ plays an important role as a poising mechanism to adjust the ATP/NADPH ratio in the stroma. Its activity is strictly regulated by post‐translational redox‐modification mediated via the ferredoxin‐thioredoxin system and fine control via the NADP⁺/NADP(H) ratio, thereby maintaining redox homeostasis under changing conditions. In contrast, the plastid NAD‐MDH (‘dark malate valve’) is constitutively active and its lack leads to failure in early embryo development. While redox regulation of the main cytosolic MDH isoform has been shown, knowledge about regulation of the other two cytosolic MDHs as well as NAD‐MDH isoforms from peroxisomes and mitochondria is still lacking. Knockout mutants lacking the isoforms from chloroplasts, mitochondria and peroxisomes have been characterised, but not much is known about cytosolic NAD‐MDH isoforms and their role in planta. This review updates the current knowledge on MDH isoforms and the shuttle systems for intercompartmental dicarboxylate exchange, focusing on the various metabolic functions of these valves.     

Properties and primary structure of a thermostable l-malate dehydrogenase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus

A thermostable l-malate dehydrogenase from the hyperthermophilic sulfate-reducing archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus was isolated and characterized, and its gene was cloned and sequenced. The enzyme is a homodimer with a molecular mass of 70 kDa and catalyzes preferentially the reduction of oxaloacetic acid with NADH. A. fulgidus l-malate dehydrogenase was stable for 5 h at 90° C, and the half-life at 101° C was 80 min. Thus, A. fulgidus l-malate dehydrogenase is the most thermostable l-malate dehydrogenase characterized to date. Addition of K₂HPO₄ (1 M) increased the thermal stability by 40%. The primary structure shows a high similarity to l-lactate dehydrogenase from Thermotoga maritima and gram-positive bacteria, and to l-malate dehydrogenase from the archaeon Haloarcula marismortui and other l-lactate-dehydrogenase-like l-malate dehydrogenases. Received: 20 November 1997 / Accepted: 28 February 1997     

Malate dehydrogenase (MDH; EC 1.1.1.37) isozymes in tissues and callus cultures ofCereus peruvianus (cactaceae)

Malate dehydrogenase (MDH; EC 1.1.1.37) isozymes were investigated in seeds and in seedlings and calli cultures ofC. peruvianus to determine if the changes in MDH isozyme banding patterns could be used as biochemical markers to identify the origin of regenerated plants from callus tissues. Four cytoplasmic MDH isozymes (sMDH), five mitochondrial MDH isozymes (mMDH), and one glyoxysomal MDH isozyme (gMDH) were detected and showed tissue- and stage-specific expression. A relationship of mMDH and gMDH isozyme patterns with callus tissues subcultured in three hormonal combinations and with the plants regenerated from these callus tissues was demonstrated. Furthermore, temperature and mechanical stress were found to be closely related to mMDH-1 activity in callus culture. Therefore, the different patterns of MDH isozymes in the various tissues ofC. peruvianus can be used as biochemical markers for the study of gene expression during development and as powerful tools in monitoring studies on callus cultures. This research was supported by the CNPq.     

Effect of high light intensities on oxygen evolution and the light activation of NADP-malate dehydrogenase in intact spinach chloroplasts

The factors limiting the photosynthetic carbon metabolism of intact spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts after a high-light pretreatment have been studied. Photosynthetic CO₂ fixation was decreased and became more sensitive to the inhibitory effect of the cyclic-electron-flow inhibitor, antimycin A. Depending on the extent of photoinhibition, changing the balance of linear to cyclic electron flow by adding oxaloacetate and antimycin A either did not relieve, or partially relieved the photoinhibitory effect. The decrease in CO₂ fixation appeared to be the consequence of either a limitation by photosystem-II activity (in the case of moderate inhibition) or, at least partially an unfavourable balance between the linear and cyclic electron flows (in the case of strong inhibition). The light activation of NADP-malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.82) was decreased only in the presence of CO₂, i.e. when there was strong competition for reducing power; otherwise, it was unaffected by photoinhibitory treatments, in accordance with its low energy requirement.Abbreviations Chl chlorophyll - NADP-MDH NADP-dependent malate dehydrogenase - PFD photon flux density - PSI, II photosystem I, II     

粉尘螨线粒体样苹果酸脱氢酶基因cDNA克隆和分子特征分析

摘要 目的：获取粉尘螨线粒体样苹果酸脱氢酶蛋白（mitochondrial-like malate dehydrogenase，mMDH）的编码基因并了解其分子特征。方法：以粉尘螨Total RNA为模板，RT-PCR扩增获得mMDH编码基因后、构建原核表达质粒，转化E.coil BL21(DE3)感受态细胞中，IPTG诱导表达，SDS-PAGE和Western Blot鉴定目的蛋白表达情况。采用NCBI、EXPASY在线生物信息学软件分析该基因编码蛋白质的生物学特征。结果：获得粉尘螨线粒体样苹果酸脱氢酶蛋白的编码基因，全长1032bp。构建的原核表达质粒pET28a(+)-mMDH，经转化和诱导表达后，SDS-PAGE和Western Blot可见目的蛋白条带。该基因编码的蛋白质由343个氨基酸组成，相对分子质量（Mr）36014.54Da，亚细胞定位主要在细胞质和细胞核，含有34个磷酸化位点（19个丝氨酸，12个苏氨酸和3个酪氨酸）。糖基化预测结果显示其含有2个N-糖基化位点（123位存在糖基化位点NASI和151位存在糖基化位点NSTV）和1个0-糖基化位点。二级结构主要为?琢-螺旋和无规则卷曲。三维建模可观察到该蛋白为二聚体结构，CD-Search保守区域分析后显示其属于NADB-Rossmann家族，具有MDH-glyoxysomal-mitochondrial结构域。PyMol可视化后可在三维结构中观察到保守区域位点。将该基因推导出的氨基酸序列进行Blast获得同源基因，粉尘螨与屋尘螨、梅氏嗜霉螨进化关系较近，独成一簇。结论：获得粉尘螨线粒体样苹果酸脱氢酶蛋白的编码基因全长及其原核表达质粒，并对其生物学特征进行分析，为进一步探讨该基因的生理功能、开发尘螨控制措施奠定基础。     

玉米苹果酸脱氢酶基因的分离与结构分析

以一个玉米（ＺｅａｍａｙｓＬ．）杂种一代超亲表达的ｃＤＮＡ片段为探针,从玉米幼苗期ｃＤＮＡ文库中筛选到一个全长１２８７ｂｐ的ｃＤＮＡ克隆。序列分析表明,该ｃＤＮＡ编码细胞质苹果酸脱氢酶,推导的氨基酸序列与龙须海棠（Ｍｅｓｅｍｂｒｙａｎｔｈｅｍｕｍ　ｃｒｙｓｔａｌｌｉｕｍ　Ｌ．）及拟南芥（Ａｒａｂｉｄｏｐｓｉｓ　ｔｈａｌｉａｎａ（Ｌ．）Ｈｅｙｎｈ．）同一编码基因的氨基酸序列同源性分别为９０％和８４％。这是禾谷类作物中首次克隆的编码细胞质苹果酸脱氢酶的完整基因。     

Evolution of Cryptosporidium parvum lactate dehydrogenase from malate dehydrogenase by a very recent event of gene duplication

We have expressed the L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and L-malate dehydrogenase (malDH) genes from the apicomplexan Cryptosporidium parvum (CpLDH1 and CpMalDH1) as maltose-binding protein (MBP) fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. The substrate specificities, enzymatic kinetics, and oligomeric states of these two parasite enzymes have been characterized. By taking advantage of recently completed and ongoing apicomplexan genome sequencing projects, we identified additional MalDH genes from Plasmodium spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Eimeria tenella that were previously unavailable. All apicomplexan MalDHs appeared to be cytosolic and no organellar homologs were identified from the completely sequenced P. falciparum genome and other ongoing apicomplexan genome-sequencing projects. Using these expanded apicomplexan LDH and MalDH sequence databases, we reexamined their phylogenetic relationships and reconfirmed their relationship to alpha-proteobacterial MalDHs. All LDH and MalDH enzymes from apicomplexans were monophyletic within the LDH-like MalDH group (i.e., MalDH resembling LDH) as a sister to alpha-proteobacterial MalDHs. All apicomplexan LDHs, with the exception of CpLDH1, formed a separate clade from their MalDH counterparts, indicating that these LDHs were evolved from an ancestral apicomplexan MalDH by a gene duplication coupled with functional conversion before the expansion of apicomplexans. Finally, CpLDH1 was consistently placed together with CpMalDH1 within the apicomplexan MalDH cluster, confirming an early working hypothesis that CpLDH1 was probably evolved from the same ancestor of CpMalDH1 by a very recent gene duplication that occurred after C. parvum diverged from other apicomplexans.     

Isolation and Characterization of a cDNA Encoding Maize Cyto solic Malate Dehydrogenase

A cDNA fragment derived from a gene over-expressing in hybrid maize ( Zea mays L. ) was isolated with RT-PCR and used as probe to screen cDNA library of hybrid maize seedlings. A positive cDNA clone ZH02 corresponding to the full-length mRNA sequence was obtained, which was shown to have an open reading frame encoding 332 a.a. DNA and proteinase database search revealed that the deduced amino acid sequence of ZH02 has high similarity with the cMDH of Mesembryaathemum crystallium L. and Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. up to 90% and 84%, respectively. This is the first report of the full-length gene coding for the cereal cMDH.     

Malate plays a central role in plant nutrition

Malate occupies a central role in plant metabolism. Its importance in plant mineral nutrition is reflected by the role it plays in symbiotic nitrogen fixation, phosphorus acquisition, and aluminum tolerance. In nitrogen-fixing root nodules, malate is the primary substrate for bacteroid respiration, thus fueling nitrogenase. Malate also provides the carbon skeletons for assimilation of fixed nitrogen into amino acids. During phosphorus deficiency, malate is frequently secreted from roots to release unavailable forms of phosphorus. Malate is also involved with plant adaptation to aluminum toxicity. To define the genetic and biochemical regulation of malate formation in plant nutrition we have isolated and characterized genes involved in malate metabolism from nitrogen-fixing root nodules of alfalfa and those involved in organic acid excretion from phosphorus-deficient proteoid roots of white lupin. Moreover, we have overexpressed malate dehydrogenase in alfalfa in attempts to improve nutrient acquisition. This report is an overview of our efforts to understand and modify malate metabolism, particularly in the legumes alfalfa and white lupin.     

Malate dehydrogenase: a useful phylogenetic marker for the genus Aeromonas

The reconstruction of correct genealogies among biological entities, the estimation of the divergence time between organisms or the study of the different events that occur along evolutionary lineages are not always based on suitable genes. For reliable results, it is necessary to look at full-length sequences of genes under stabilizing selection (neutral or purifying) and behaving as good molecular clocks. In bacteria it has been proved that the malate dehydrogenase gene (mdh) can be used to determine the inter- and intraspecies divergence, and hence this gene constitutes a potential marker for phylogeny and bacterial population genetics. We have sequenced the full-length mdh gene in 36 type and reference strains of Aeromonas. The species grouping obtained in the phylogenetic tree derived from mdh sequences was in agreement with that currently accepted for the genus Aeromonas. The maximum likelihood models applied to our sequences indicated that the mdh gene is highly conserved among the Aeromonas species and the main evolutionary force acting on it is purifying selection. Only two sites under potential diversifying selection were identified (T 108 and S 193). In order to determine if these two residues could have an influence on the MDH structure, we mapped them in a three-dimensional model constructed from the sequence of A. hydrophila using the human mitochondrial MDH as a template. The presence of purifying selection together with the linear relationship between substitutions and gene divergence makes the mdh an excellent candidate gene for a phylogeny of Aeromonas and probably for other bacterial groups.     

Induction of a Peroxisomal Malate Dehydrogenase Isoform in Liver of Starved Rats

The influence of starvation on malate dehydrogenase (MDH) in rat liver was investigated. Native electrophoresis revealed two MDH isoforms in non-starved rats and three isoenzymes in starved rats. After sucrose density gradient centrifugation of cell organelles from liver, MDH activity was detected in the mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions from non-starved rats. However, additional activity was found in the peroxisomal fraction from starved rats. The latter was identified as the electrophoretically new isoform in starved animals. The three isoforms of malate dehydrogenase from hepatocytes were separated and partially purified by chromatography on DEAE-Toyopearl. Several kinetic and regulatory properties of the three isoforms were rather similar. It is suggested that the newly expressed isoform of MDH operates in the glyoxylate cycle of liver peroxisomes of food-starved animals.     

Malate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, key markers for studying the genetic diversity of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

Abstract Cell-free extracts of strains belonging to the 5 serotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans were screened for several enzymes. Enzymes representative of the pentose phosphate pathway/hexose monophosphate shunt and the TCA cycle were present. Of these glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) were the most readily detected and stable. MDH and G6PDH retained more than 50% of their activities at alkaline pHs (10–11) for up to 6 h and 3 h at 25°C, respectively, while at pH 6.5, 50% of their activities were lost within 2–3 h. The K _m for malate oxidation catalysed by MDH was 5.8×10⁻⁴ M while that for glucose-6-phosphate oxidation was 2.0×10⁻⁴ M. The pH optima for MDH and G6PDH oxidation activities were 10 and 9.5, respectively. Among the 5 designated serotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans three groups were delineated by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis using MDH and G6PDH.     

Bifunctional isocitrate-homoisocitrate dehydrogenase: a missing link in the evolution of beta-decarboxylating dehydrogenase

Beta-decarboxylating dehydrogenases comprise 3-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and homoisocitrate dehydrogenase. They share a high degree of amino acid sequence identity and occupy equivalent positions in the amino acid biosynthetic pathways for leucine, glutamate, and lysine, respectively. Therefore, not only the enzymes but also the whole pathways should have evolved from a common ancestral pathway. In Pyrococcus horikoshii, only one pathway of the three has been identified in the genomic sequence, and PH1722 is the sole beta-decarboxylating dehydrogenase gene. The organism does not require leucine, glutamate, or lysine for growth; the single pathway might play multiple (i.e., ancestral) roles in amino acid biosynthesis. The PH1722 gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and the substrate specificity of the recombinant enzyme was investigated. It exhibited activities on isocitrate and homoisocitrate at near equal efficiency, but not on 3-isopropylmalate. PH1722 is thus a novel, bifunctional beta-decarboxylating dehydrogenase, which likely plays a dual role in glutamate and lysine biosynthesis in vivo.     

Improvement of thermostable aldehyde dehydrogenase by directed evolution for application in Synthetic Cascade Biomanufacturing

The aldehyde dehydrogenase from Thermoplasma acidophilum, which was previously implemented as a key enzyme in a synthetic cell-free reaction cascade for the production of alcohols, was optimized by directed evolution. Improvements have been made to enhance reaction velocity and solubility. Using a random approach followed by site-directed and saturation mutagenesis, three beneficial amino acid mutations were found after screening of ca. 20,000 variants. Mutation Y399C enhanced the protein solubility after recombinant expression in Escherichia coli 6-fold. Two further mutations, F34M and S405N, enhanced enzyme activity with the cofactor NAD⁺ by a factor of eight. Impacts on enzyme stability and substrate specificity were negligible.     

Characterization, primary structure, and evolution of lamprey plasma albumin.

The most abundant protein found in blood plasma from the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) has the hallmarks of a plasma albumin: namely, high abundance, solubility in distilled water, a small number of tryptophans, and a high content of cysteines and charged residues. As in other vertebrate albumins, not all the cysteines are disulfide bonded. An unusual feature of this protein is its molecular weight of 175,000, roughly 2.5 times the size of other vertebrate albumins. Its amino acid sequence, deduced from a series of overlapping cDNA clones, can be aligned with other members of the gene family including plasma albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, and vitamin-D binding protein, confirming that it is indeed an oversized albumin. An unusual feature of the sequence is a 28-amino acid stretch consisting of a serine-threonine repeat with the general motif (STTT). Lamprey albumin contains a 23-amino acid putative signal peptide and a 6-residue putative propeptide, which, when cleaved, yield a mature protein of 1,394 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 157,000. The sequence also includes nine potential N-linked glycosylation sites (Asn-X-Ser/Thr), consistent with observation that lamprey albumin is a glycoprotein. If all the potential glycosylation sites were occupied by clusters of 2,000 molecular weight each, the total molecular weight would be 175,000. Like other members of the gene family, lamprey albumin is composed of a series of 190-amino acid repeats, there being seven such domains all together. Quantitative amino acid sequence comparisons of lamprey albumin with the other members of the gene family indicate that it diverged from an ancestral albumin prior to the gene duplications leading to this diverse group. This notion is confirmed by the pattern of amino acid insertions and deletions observed in a consideration of all domains that compose this family. Furthermore, it suggests that the invention of albumin antedates the vertebrate radiation.