Two distinct types of mutations conferring to Escherichia coli K12 capability of D-tryptophan utilization

We showed that the ability of Escherichia coli K12 tryptophan auxotrophs to utilize D-tryptophan as a substitute for L-tryptophan may result from two types of mutations. The first type consisted in changes in the dadR regulatory site of the dad operon increasing the synthesis of D-amino acid dehydrogenase. The mutations of the second type mapped within the dad A structural gene. They changed the apparent substrate specificity of D-amino acid dehydrogenase. We suppose that the change may be due to an altered enzyme structure which make it more accessible to D-tryptophan.     

Insensitivity of D-amino acid dehydrogenase synthesis to catabolic repression in dadR mutants of Salmonella typhimurium

It has been found that synthesis of D-amino acid dehydrogenase in Salmonella typhimurium is stimulated by cyclic AMP and crp gene product. This indicates that catabolic control of the dehydrogenase resembles other bacterial systems of catabolic repression. We have isolated S. typhimurium mutants, dadR, which are resistant to L-methionine-interference with D-histidine utilization and are able to utilize D-tryptophan as a precursor of L-tryptophan. Mapping data indicate that the dadR locus is closely linked to dadA coding for the structure of D-amino acid dehydrogenase. The synthesis of the dehydrogenase in dadR mutants is completely insensitive to the repression by glucose, but remains inducible by L-alanine. We conclude thereof that dadR mutants have changes in the promoter region which increase the expression of the dadA gene in the presence of glucose metabolism. A likely possibility that induction of the dad operon by alanine might be under positive control is discussed.     

Efficiency of D-tryptophan as Niacin in rats

L-tryptophan is a very important precursor of niacin in mammals. Food preparation in which proteins are exposed to an alkali and/or high temperature for a long period generate appreciable amounts of D-amino acids from racemization. The efficiency of D-tryptophan as niacin was thus investigated by using weanling rats. The availability of D-tryptophan was almost the same as that in L-tryptophan as the precursor of niacin and was 1/6 as active as niacin.     

L- and D-tryptophan aminotransferases from maize coleoptiles

Two forms of L-tryptophan aminotransferases (L-TAT-1 and L-TAT-2) and one D-tryptophan aminotransferase (D-TAT) were separated from maize coleoptiles by using L- and D-tryptophan as amino group donors. The enzymes were partially purlfied by hydrophobic and gel filtration column chromatographies. L-TAT-1 and L-TAT-2 had similar properties, showing optimum pH at 8–9 and a high optimum temperature of 50–60 C for catalytic activity. As the amino group acceptor for these two enzymes, α-keto glutaric acid was more effective than pyruvic, oxaloacetic and glyoxylic acids. The molecular masses of L-TAT-1 and L-TAT-2 estimated by gel filtration were approximately 80 kDa and 45 kDa, respectively. D-TAT had an optimum pH similar to those of L-TATs, but the optimum temperature was conslderably lower (30 C). Pyruvic acid was an effective amino group acceptor for D-TAT, whereas oxaloacetic and α-keto glutaric acids were not. D-Cycloserine completely inhibited the activity. The molecular mass of D-TAT was approximately 55 kDa. These three TATs required pyridoxal-5-phosphate for their catalytic activities.     

Exchange of free and bound coenzyme of flavin enzymes studied with [14C]FAD.

The exchange of bound FAD for free FAD was studied with D-amino acid oxidase (D-amino acid:oxygen oxidoreductase (deaminating), EC 1.4.3.3) and beta-D-glucose oxidase (beta-D-glucose:oxygen 1-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.3.4). For a simple measurement of the reaction rate, equimolar amounts of the enzyme and [14C]FAD were mixed. The exchange occurred very rapidly in the holoenzyme of D-amino acid oxidase at 25 degrees C, pH 8.3 (half life of the exchange: 0.8 min), but slowly in the presence of the substrate or a competitive inhibitor, benzoate. It also occurred slowly in the purple complex of D-amino acid oxidase. In the case of beta-D-glucose oxidase, however, the exchange occurred very slowly at 25 degrees C, pH 5.6, regardless of the presence of the substrate or p-chloromercuribenzoate. On the basis of these findings, the turnover of the coenzymes of flavin enzymes in mammals is discussed.     

Evolutionary significance of the system utilizing D-amino acid enantiomers.

The evolutionary significance of the system utilizing D-amino acid enantiomers in living organisms is discussed, based on an experiment in which the mutant from Escherichia coli K--12 4627 grown on D-tryptophan was used. The mutant shows the ability of D-tryptophan is degraded to indol which can be utilized for the synthesis of L-tryptophan in the presence of serine.     

Biotransformation of D-methionine into L-methionine in the cascade of four enzymes

D-Methionine was converted to L-methionine in a reaction system where four enzymes were used. D-amino acid oxidase (D-AAO) from Arthrobacter protophormiae was used for the complete conversion of D-methionine to 2-oxo-4-methylthiobutyric acid. Catalase was added to prevent 2-oxo-4-methylthiobutyric acid decarboxylation. In the second reaction step, L-phenylalanine dehydrogenase (L-PheDH) from Rhodococcus sp. was used to convert 2- oxo-4-methylthiobutyric acid to L-methionine, and formate dehydrogenase (FDH) from Candida boidinii was added for NADH regeneration. Enzyme kinetics of all enzymes was analyzed in detail. Mathematical models for separate reactions steps, as well as for the complete system were developed and validated in the batch reactor experiments. Complete conversion of D-methionine to L-methionine was achieved. Considering that both enzymes act on different substrates, such a system could be easily employed for the synthesis of other amino acids from D-isomer, as well as from the racemate of a certain amino acid (DL-amino acid).     

Effect of triamcinolone administration on content of flavins in rabbit liver.

Triamcinoline acetonide (10 mg per kg of body weight a day) was administered to rabbit fed on a laboratory chow diet. The content of flavins in liver but not in kidney, muscle and brain started to decrease 24 h after a single dose. The activities of enzymes in the liver were determined: the activities of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, lipoamide dehydrogenase (NADH:lipoamide oxidoreductase EC 1.6.4.3), NADH dehydrogenase (NADH : (acceptor) oxidoreductase EC 1.6.99.3) and D-amino acid oxidase (D-amino acid: oxygen oxidoreductase (deaminating) EC 1.4.3.3) were decreased but those of succinate dehydrogenase (succinate : (acceptor) oxidoreductase EC 1.3.99.1) and xanthine oxidase (xanthine : oxygen oxidoreductase EC 1.2.3.2) remained unchanged. The activities of enzymes in the kidney, however, remained unchanged except the decrease in the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.     

Effect of site-specific mutagenesis of tyrosine-55, methionine-110 and histidine-217 in porcine kidney D-amino acid oxidase on its catalytic function

To assess the contributions of Tyr-55, Met-110 and His-217 in porcine kidney D-amino acid oxidase (EC 1.4.3.3, DAO) to its catalytic function, we constructed three mutant cDNAs coding for the enzymes possessing Phe-55, Leu-110 and Leu-217 by site-specific mutagenesis. The mutant and wild type cDNAs could be expressed in vitro with similar efficiency. The three mutant enzymes thus synthesized showed catalytic activities comparable to that of the wild type oxidase. It is concluded that Tyr-55, Met-110 and His-217 are not directly involved in the catalytic function.     

Studies on peroxisomes. V. Effect of ethyl p-chlorophenoxyisobutyrate on the centrifugal behavior of rat liver peroxisomes.

After Wistar male rats had been fed on a diet containing 0.25% of ethyl p-chlorophenoxyisobutyrate (CPIB) for 28 days, changes in the enzyme activities and centrifugal behavior of rat liver peroxisomes were investigated. (1) Compared with control rats fed on the basal diet, the catalase [EC 1.11.1.6] activity of rat livers after the administration of CPIB increased about 2.5-fold, while urate oxidase [EC 1.7.3.3] activity did not change significantly. Though D-amino acid oxidase [EC 1.4.3.3] activity markedly decreased to approximately one-sixth of the control, the activity of L-alpha-hydroxy acid oxidase [EC 1.1.3.15], a flavin enzyme like D-amino acid oxidase, was not affected significnatly after the administration of CPIB. (2) When the hepatic cells of CPIB-treated rats were fractionated by differential centrifugation, most of the increase of catalase activity appeared in the supernatant fraction. A decrease in the hepatic D-amino acid oxidase activity of CPIB-treated rats was observed in all the fractions. As for the subcellular distribution of the particle-bound enzymes, the specific activities of both catalase and urate oxidase of CPIB-treated rat livers were higher in the light mitochondrial fraction than in other fractions. (3) Sedimentation patterns in a sucrose density gradient did not show any difference between normal peroxisomers, and CPIB-treated ones. (4) In the case of CPIB-treated rats, studies of their sedimentation patterns by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation showed two main particulate peaks containing both catalase and urate oxidase, although only a single peak was observed in the case of control rats.     

Translation of messenger RNA of pig kidney D-amino acid oxidase in a cell-free system

In vitro synthesis of D-amino acid oxidase [D-amino acid: O2 oxidoreductase (deaminating), EC 1.4.3.3], one of the peroxisomal flavin enzymes, was performed using a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system in order to elucidate the biosynthetic pathway of the enzyme. The apparent molecular weight of the synthesized enzyme protein was the same as that of D-amino acid oxidase purified from pig kidney. On the other hand, the enzyme protein was not detectable when a wheat germ lysate system was used for the translation. Denaturation of pig kidney poly(A)+ RNA with methylmercury hydroxide prior to the translation was found to enhance the synthesis of the enzyme protein. These results suggest a tight conformational structure of the mRNA used.     

A D-amino acid oxidase from Chlorella vulgaris.

A procedure has been developed for the partial purification from Chlorella vulgaris of an enzyme which catalyzes the formation of HCN from D-histidine when supplemented with peroxidase of a metal with redox properties. Some properties of the enzyme are described. Evidence is presented that the catalytic activity for HCN formation is associated with a capacity for catalyzing the oxidation of a wide variety of D-amino acids. With D-leucine, the best substrate for O2 consumption, 1 mol of ammonia is formed for half a mol of O2 consumed in the presence of catalase. An inactive apoenzyme can be obtained by acid ammonium sulfate precipitation, and reactivated by added FAD. On the basis of these criteria, the Chlorella enzyme can be classified as a D-amino acid oxidase (EC 1.4.3.3). Kidney D-amino acid oxidase and snake venom L-amino acid oxidase, which likewise form HCN from histidine on supplementation with peroxidase, have been compared with the Chlorella D-amino acid oxidase. The capacity of these enzymes for causing HCN formation from histidine is about proportional to their ability to catalyze the oxidation of histidine.     

A new D-stereospecific amino acid amidase from Ochrobactrum anthropi

A new D-stereospecific amino acid amidase has been partially purified from Ochrobactrum anthropi SCRC SV3, which had been isolated and selected from soil. The Mr of the enzyme was estimated to be about 38,000, and its isoelectric point was 5.3. The enzyme catalyzes the stereospecific hydrolysis of D-amino acid amide to yield D-amino acid and ammonia. The major substrates included D-phenylalanine amide, D-tyrosine amide, D-tryptophan amide, D-leucine amide, and D-alanine amide.     

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of cDNAs encoding porcine kidney D-amino acid oxidase

Complementary DNAs encoding D-amino acid oxidase (EC 1.4.3.3, DAO), one of the principal and characteristic enzymes of the peroxisomes of porcine kidney, have been isolated from the porcine kidney cDNA library by hybridization with synthetic oligonucleotide probes corresponding to the partial amino acid sequences. Analysis of the nucleotide sequences of two clones revealed a complete 3211-nucleotide sequence with a 5'-terminal untranslated region of 198 nucleotides, 1041 nucleotides of an open reading frame that encoded 347 amino acids, and a 3'-terminal untranslated region of 1972 nucleotides. The deduced amino acid sequence was completely identical with the reported sequence of the mature enzyme [Ronchi, S., Minchiotti, L., Galliano, M., Curti, B., Swenson, R. P., Williams, C. H. J., & Massey, V. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 8824-8834]. These results indicate that the primary translation product does not contain a signal peptide at its amino-terminal region for its translocation into peroxisomes. RNA blot hybridization analysis suggests that porcine kidney D-amino acid oxidase is encoded by three mRNAs that differ in size: 3.3, 2.7, and 1.5 kilobases. Comparison of the sequences of the two cDNA clones revealed that multiple polyadenylation signal sequences (ATTAAA and AACAAA) are present in the 3'-untranslated region, making the different mRNA species. The efficiency of 3' processing of the RNA was quite different between the two signal sequences ATTAAA and AACAAA. Southern blot analysis showed the presence of a unique gene for D-amino acid oxidase in the porcine genome.     

Studies on peroxisomes. VI. Relationship between the peroxisomal core and urate oxidase.

The peroxisomal core from the liver of rats was purified 450-fold as a marker of urate oxidase [EC 1.7.3.3.] activity. This preparation has a high specific activity of urate oxidase but not of other peroxisomal enzymes: D-amino acid oxidase [EC 1.4.3.3.], L-alpha-hydroxy acid oxidase [EC 1.1.3.15], or catalase [EC 1.11.1.6]. No activity of marker enzymes for other subcellular particles; cytochrome c oxidase [EC1.9.3.1] (mitochondria), acid phosphatase [EC 3.1.3.2] (lysosomes), or glucose-6-phosphatase [EC 3.1.3.9] (microsomes), was detected in this preparation. The core obtained showed a single protein band in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the position of the band was found to correspond to a molecular weight 35,000. When the peroxisomal core was subjected to treatment at various pH's with 0.1 M carbonate buffer, urate oxidase was almost completely solubulized at pH 11.0, although approximately 35% of the core protein still remained in the pellet After solubilization of the core at pH 11.0, the specific activity of urate oxidase in the supernatant increased about 1.6 times; the density of the insoluble protein remaining in the pellet was identical with the that of the original core on sucrose density gradient centrifugation.     

Lifetime of the purple intermediate of D-amino acid oxidase under anaerobic conditions.

The lifetime of the purple intermediate formed from D-amino acid oxidase [D-amino acid: O2 oxidoreductase (deaminating), EC 1.4.3.3] and a neutral D-amino acid under anaerobic conditions was measured with a series of neutral D-amino acids. The lifetime increases with increase in the number of carbons in the side chain of the amino acid up to 4-5 atoms and then decreases with further increase in the number of carbons. This suggests that the hydrophobicity of the alkyl group of the neutral D-amino acid determines the lifetime of the purple intermediate unless a steric effect occurs.     

Genetic and Segregation Analysis of Escherichia coli Strains Containing a Tandem Duplication of the trpD-purB Region of the Chromosome

Genetic and segregation analysis of Escherichia coli strains containing a partial duplication of the trp operon reveal that the 2.5-min-long region trpD-purB is duplicated in tandem in the chromosome. The adjacent loci cysB and fabD are not duplicated. Although one copy of the duplicated region is longer than the maximum size of bacteriophage P1kc transducing fragments, the frequency at which the duplicated segment trpDCBA is transferred by transduction to tonB-trp deletion strains is equal to that observed for transfer of the normal trp operon. This suggests that three-point recombination events believed to account for transduction of long duplications occur as frequently as two-point recombination events believed to account for normal transduction. Cotransduction frequencies of trpDCBA with the duplicated loci tonB, galU, tyrT, and hemA are very similar to those for the trp operon with the same loci. This indicates that normal genetic linkage is maintained during the three-point recombination event. However, purB, which is normally unlinked to trp by transduction, is closely linked to trpDCBA and thus must be near the repeat point of the duplication. Transduction tests with point mutations in the trp operon indicated that the repeat point occurs near the normal boundary between trpE and trpD. Segregation analysis of heterogenotes constructed from tonB-trp deletion strains shows that the frequency at which a marker is lost is approximately proportional to its distance from the repeat point. This finding is consistent with a random, singlesite crossover event during segregation. Several observations indicate that non-reciprocal genetic exchange also occurs between copies of the duplication. Analysis of heterogenotes containing dadR1 and dadR(+) demonstrate that the mutant allele is transdominant.     

Hydrogen peroxide produced by two amino acid oxidases mediates antibacterial actions

The antibacterial actions of two amino acid oxidases, a D-amino acid oxidase from hog kidney and a L-amino acid oxidase from the venom of Agkistrodon halys, were investigated, demonstrating that both enzymes were able to inhibit the growth of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and that hydrogen peroxide, a product of their enzymatic reactions, was the antibacterial factor. However, hydrogen peroxide generated in the enzymatic reactions was not sufficient to explain the degree to which bacterial growth was inhibited. A fluorescence labeling assay showed that both of these two enzymes could bind to the surfaces of bacteria. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report regarding the antibacterial activity of the D-amino acid oxidases.     

Vinylglycine and proparglyglycine: complementary suicide substrates for L-amino acid oxidase and D-amino acid oxidase.

Proparglyglycine (2-amino-4-pentynoate) and vinylglycine (2-amino-3-butenoate) have been examined as substrates and possible inactivators of two flavo enzymes, D-amino acid oxidase from pig kidney and L-amino acid oxidase from Crotalus adamanteus venom. Vinylglycine is rapidly oxidized by both enzymes but only L-amino acid oxidase is inactivated under assay conditions. The loss of activity probably involves covalent modification of an active site residue rather than the flavin adenine dinucleotide coenzyme and occurs once every 20000 turnovers. We have confirmed the recent observation (Horiike, K, Hishina, Y., Miyake, Y., and Yamano, T. (1975) J, Biochem. (Tokyo), 78, 57) that D-proparglglycine is oxidized with a time-dependent loss of activity by D-amino acid oxidase and have examined some mechanistic aspects of this inactivation, The extent of residual oxidase activity, insensitive to further inactivation, is about 2%, at which point 1.7 labels/subunit have been introduced with propargly[2-14C]glycine as substrate. L-Proparglyclycine is a substrate but not an inactivator of L-amino acid oxidase and the product ahat accumulats in the nonnucleophilic N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid buffer is acetopyruvate. In the presence of butylamine HCl, a species with lambdaman 317 nm (epsilon = 15 000) accumulates that may be a conjugated eneamine adduct. The same species accumulates from D-amino acid oxidase oxidation of D-propargylglycine prior to inactivation; the inactivated apo D-amino acid oxidase has a new peak at 317 nm that is probably a similar eneamine. A likely inactivating species is 2-keto-3,4-pentadienoate arising from facile rearrangement of the expected initial product 2-keto 4 pentynoate. Vinylglycine and proparglyglycine show inactivation specificity, then, for L-and D-amino acid oxidase, respectively.     

Distribution of two aminotransferases and D-amino acid oxidase within the nephron of young and adult rats.

In the adult rat kidney, alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2), aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) and D-amino acid oxidase (EC 1.4.3.3) were measured in glomeruli, 4 parts of the proximal tubule, 2 parts of the distal tubule and in patches from the thin limb area and the papilla. These enzymes were measured in more limited parts of the nephron during postnatal development. Adult aspartate aminotransferase activities (percentage of the highest) ranged from 100 in the distal straight segment to 25 in the late part of the proximal straight segment to 10 in the thin limb and papillary area. Alanine aminotransferase (lower by a factor of 100 in absolute terms) was distributed as the mirror image of aspartate aminotransferase within proximal and distal tubules. D-Amino acid oxidase was 850-fold higher in proximal straight segments than in medullary structures. During development alanine aminotransferase increased 6-fold and D-amino acid oxidase, 4.5-fold in proximal straight tubules but aspartate aminotransferase increased in distal straight tubles 8-fold.