The stereochemical course of phosphoryl transfer catalysed by Bacillus stearothermophilus and rabbit skeletal-muscle phosphofructokinase with a chiral [16O,17O,18O]phosphate ester.

1. Soluble extracts from rat heart and liver mitochondria were used to evaluate the early steps in the conversion of pent-4-enoyl-CoA into tricarboxylic acid-cycle intermediates. Hitherto the unresolved problem was the reduction of the double bond of pent-4-enoate. 2. Soluble extracts from heart mitochondria reduced pent-4-enoyl-CoA and penta-2,4-dienoyl-CoA in the presence of NADPH at rates (nmol/min per mg of protein) of 0.9 +/- 0.1 and 132 +/- 8 and from the liver mitochondria at the rates of 1.9 +/- 0.2 and 52 +/- 6 respectively. No reduction of acryloyl-CoA was found. 3. We show that primarily the double bond in position 4, not in position 2, of penta-2,4-dienoyl-CoA is reduced. 4. It is concluded that the principal metabolic pathway of penta-4-enoate is reduction of the double bond in position 4 after an initial oxidation of penta-2,4-dienoyl-CoA. The pent-2-enoyl-CoA thus formed can be further metabolized by the usual enzymes of beta-oxidation, and by the further metabolism of propionyl-CoA to tricarboxylic acid-cycle intermediates.     

Biochemical effects of the hypoglycaemic compound pent-4-enoic acid and related non-hypoglycaemic fatty acids. Effects of their coenzyme A esters on enzymes of fatty acid oxidation

1. Pent-4-enoyl-CoA and its metabolites penta-2,4-dienoyl-CoA and acryloyl-CoA, as well as n-pentanoyl-CoA, cyclopropanecarbonyl-CoA and cyclobutanecarbonyl-CoA, were examined as substrates or inhibitors of purified enzymes of beta-oxidation in an investigation to locate the site of inhibition of fatty acid oxidation by pent-4-enoate. 2. The reactions of various acyl-CoA derivatives with l-carnitine and of various acyl-l-carnitine derivatives with CoA, catalysed by carnitine acetyltransferase, were investigated and V(max.) and K(m) values were determined. Pent-4-enoyl-CoA and n-pentanoyl-CoA were good substrates, whereas cyclobutanecarbonyl-CoA, cyclopropanecarbonyl-CoA and acryloyl-CoA reacted more slowly. A very slow rate with penta-2,4-dienoyl-CoA was detected. Pent-4-enoyl-l-carnitine, n-pentanoyl-l-carnitine and cyclobutanecarbonyl-l-carnitine were good substrates and cyclopropanecarbonyl-l-carnitine reacted more slowly. 3. Pent-4-enoyl-CoA and n-pentanoyl-CoA were substrates for butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase and for octanoyl-CoA dehydrogenase, and both compounds were equally effective competitive inhibitors of these enzymes with butyryl-CoA or palmitoyl-CoA respectively as substrates. V(max.), K(m) and K(i) values were determined. 4. None of the acyl-CoA derivatives inhibited enoyl-CoA hydratase or 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase. Penta-2,4-dienoyl-CoA was a substrate for enoyl-CoA hydratase when the reaction was coupled to that catalysed by 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase. 5. In a reconstituted sequence with purified enzymes crotonoyl-CoA was largely converted into acetyl-CoA, and pent-2-enoyl-CoA into acetyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA. Penta-2,4-dienoyl-CoA was slowly converted into acetyl-CoA and acryloyl-CoA. 6. Penta-2,4-dienoyl-CoA, a unique metabolite of pent-4-enoate, was the only compound that specifically inhibited an enzyme of the beta-oxidation sequence, 3-oxoacyl-CoA thiolase. The formation of penta-2,4-dienoyl-CoA could explain the strong inhibition of fatty acid oxidation in intact mitochondria by pent-4-enoate.     

Metabolic effects of pent-4-enoate in isolated perfused rat heart.

The metabolic effects of the hypoglycaemic agent pent-4-enoate were studied in isolated, beating or potassium-arrested rat hearts. The addition of 0.8mM-pent-4-enoate to the perfusion fluid increased O2 consumption by 76% in the arrested heart and by 14% in the beating heart; the concentration ratio of phosphocreatine/creatine increase concomitantly by 47% and 27% respectively. Perfusion of the heart with pent-4-enoate resulted in a 30-fold increase in the concentration of the pool of tricarboxylic acid-cycle intermediates in the tissue, about 90% of this increase being due to malate. The sum of the concentrations of the myocardial free amino acids remained virtually unchanged during the accumulation of the tricarboxylic acid-cycle intermediates. It was concluded that pent-4-enoate can be effectively metabolized in the myocardium and that its metabolism probably proceeds via propionyl-CoA, since pent-4-enoate reproduces many of the metabolic characteristics of propionate in the cardiac muscle. The accumulation of the tricarboxylic acid-cycle intermediates is probably due to carboxylation of propionyl-CoA. The response pattern of the metabolite concentrations in the cardiac muscle is quite different from that in the liver, in which decrease of the concentrations of the tricarboxylic acid-cycle intermediates has been observed previously [Williamson, Rostand & Peterson (1970) J. Biol. Chem. 245, 3242-3251].     

Isolated rat heart mitochondria are able to metabolize pent-4-enoate to tricarboxylic acid-cycle intermediates.

The metabolism of four short-chain odd-number-carbon fatty acids, pentanoate, pent-4-enoate, propionate and acrylate, was studied in isolated rat heart mitochondria incubated in [14C]bicarbonate buffer. Under these conditions pentanoate was metabolized with a concomitant accumulation of malate and incorporation of 14CO2 into non-volatile compounds. The metabolism of propionate to tricarboxylic acid-cycle intermediates required the addition of ATP and oligomycin. After addition of a small amount of rotenone to the incubation medium, pent-4-enoate was metabolized with an increase in malate from less than 3 nmol/mg of protein to 34.0 +/- 1.5 nmol/mg in 40 min, during which time the amount of 14CO2 fixed in acid-stable compounds increased from 1.56 +/- 0.30 to 41.1 +/- 2.6 nmol/mg of protein. Acrylate was not metabolized under any of the conditions tested. The results show that cardiac mitochondria must have an enzyme system that is capable of reducing the double bond of either pent-4-enoate or its metabolities. That the metabolism of pent-4-enoate occurs through a reductive step and energy-dependent carboxylation is evident from the requirement for NAD+ reduction by partial inhibition of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and the presence of ATP and CO2. The results do not enable us to say whether the compound reduced is pent-4-enoyl-CoA or acryloyl-CoA.     

Biochemical effects of the hypoglycaemic compound pent-4-enoic acid and related non-hypoglycaemic fatty acids. Effects of the free acids and their carnitine esters on coenzyme A-dependent oxidations in rat liver mitochondria

1. The synthesis of pent-4-enoyl-l-carnitine, cyclopropanecarbonyl-l-carnitine and cyclobutanecarbonyl-l-carnitine is described. 2. Pent-4-enoate strongly inhibits palmitoyl-l-carnitine oxidation in coupled but not in uncoupled mitochondria. Pent-4-enoyl-l-carnitine strongly inhibits palmitoyl-l-carnitine oxidation in uncoupled mitochondria. Prior intramitochondrial formation of pent-4-enoyl-CoA is therefore necessary for inhibition. 3. There was a small self-limiting pulse of oxidation of pent-4-enoyl-l-carnitine during which the ability to inhibit the oxidation of subsequently added palmitoyl-l-carnitine developed. 4. Pent-4-enoate and pent-4-enoyl-l-carnitine are equally effective inhibitors of the oxidation of all even-chain acylcarnitines of chain length C(4)-C(16). Pent-4-enoyl-l-carnitine also inhibits the oxidation of pyruvate and of 2-oxoglutarate. 5. Pent-4-enoate strongly inhibits the oxidation of palmitate but not that of octanoate. This is presumably due to competition between octanoate and pent-4-enoate for medium-chain acyl-CoA ligase. 6. There was less inhibition of the oxidation of pyruvate by pent-4-enoyl-l-carnitine, and of palmitoyl-l-carnitine by cyclopropanecarbonyl-l-carnitine, after pre-incubation with 10mm-arsenate. This suggests that these inhibitions were caused either by depletion of free CoA or by increase of acyl-CoA concentrations, since arsenate deacylates intramitochondrial acyl-CoA. There was little effect on the inhibition of palmitoyl-l-carnitine oxidation by pent-4-enoyl-l-carnitine. 7. Penta-2,4-dienoate strongly inhibited palmitoyl-l-carnitine oxidation in coupled mitochondria; acrylate only inhibited slightly. 8. Pent-4-enoate (0.1mm) caused a rapid and almost complete decrease in free CoA and a large increase in acid-soluble acyl-CoA when incubated with coupled mitochondria. Cyclopropanecarboxylate caused a similar decrease in CoA, with an equivalent rise in acid-soluble acyl-CoA concentrations. n-Pentanoate caused extensive lowering of CoA and a large increase in acid-soluble acyl-CoA and acetyl-CoA concentrations. Octanoate caused a 50% lowering of CoA and an increase in acid-soluble acyl-CoA and acetyl-CoA concentrations. 9. Cyclopropanecarboxylate and n-pentanoate were less potent inhibitors of palmitate oxidation than was pent-4-enoate. 10. It is concluded that pent-4-enoate causes a specific inhibition of beta-oxidation after the formation intramitochondrially of its metabolites.     

Effect of pent-4-enoic acid, propionic acid and other short-chain fatty acids on citrulline synthesis in rat liver mitochondria.

19 The effect of pent-4-enoic acid, propionic acid and several other short-chain fatty acids on citrulline synthesis in rat liver mitochondria was studied. 2.Pent-4-enoate at 1 mM inhibited mitochondrial citulline synthesis by about 80-90%. It is concluded that pent-4-enoate inhibits citrulline synthesis by interfering with some aspect of mitochondrial energy metabolism. This results in impairment of mitochondrial ornithine uptake or depletion of mitochondrial ATP, which, in turn, impairs carbamoyl phosphate synthesis or both. Evidence in support of this conclusion includes: pent-4-enoate has no effect on citrulline synthesis supported by succinate or exogenous ATP; pent-4-enoate lowers the medium plus mitochondrial ATP concentration; finally, when glutamate is the oxidizable substrate, pent-4-enoate decreases the carbamoyl phosphate concentration in mitochondria incubated without ornithine to minimize citrulline synthesis and impairs the mitochondrial uptake of ornithine, but it has neither effect when succinate is the oxidizable substrate. 4. Propionate, butyrate and crotonate also inhibit mitochondrial citrulline synthesis, but much less than pent-4-enoate. 5. Acetate, pentanoate, pent-2-enoate, hexanoate, octanoate, isovalerate, tiglylate and alpha-methylbutyrate have little or no effect on mitochondrial citrulline synthesis.     

Effects of pent-4-enoate on cellular redox state, glycolysis and fatty acid oxidation in isolated perfused rat heart

The metabolic effects of pent-4-enoate were studied in beating and potassium-arrested perfused rat hearts. The addition of 0.8mm-pent-4-enoate to the fluid used to perfuse a potassium-arrested heart resulted in a 70% increase in the O(2) consumption and a 66% decrease in the glycolytic flux as measured in terms of the de-tritiation of [3-(3)H]glucose, although the proportion of the O(2) consumption attributable to glucose oxidation decreased from an initial 30% to 10%. The pent-4-enoate-induced increase in O(2) consumption was only 15% in the beating heart. In the potassium-arrested heart, pent-4-enoate stimulated palmitate oxidation by more than 100% when measured in terms of the production of (14)CO(2) from [1-(14)C]palmitate, but in the beating heart palmitate oxidation was inhibited. Perfusion of the heart with pent-4-enoate had no effect on the proportion of pyruvate dehydrogenase found in the active form, in spite of large changes in the CoASH and acetyl-CoA concentrations and changes in their concentration ratios. The effects of pent-4-enoate on the cellular redox state were dependent on the ATP consumption of the heart. In the beating heart, pent-4-enoate caused a rapid mitochondrial NAD(+) reduction that subsequently faded out, so that the final state was more oxidized than the initial state. The arrested heart, however, remained in a more reduced state than initially, even after the partial re-oxidation that followed the initial rapid NAD(+) reduction. The ability of pent-4-enoate to increase or decrease fatty acid oxidation can be explained on the basis of the differential effects of pent-4-enoate on the concentration of citric acid-cycle intermediates under conditions of high or low ATP consumption of the myocardial cell. The proportion of the fatty acids in the fuel consumed by the heart is probably primarily determined by the regulatory mechanisms of glycolysis. When pent-4-enoate causes an increase in the citric acid-cycle intermediates, feedback inhibition of glycolysis results in an increase in the oxidation of fatty acids.     

Potentiation by ammonia of the metabolic effects of pent-4-enoate in isolated rat hepatocytes.

The metabolic effects of pent-4-enoate were studied in isolated rat hepatocytes; 1 mM-pent-4-enoate did not significantly inhibit gluconeogenesis from lactate, alanine and glycerol, but significantly decreased glucose synthesis from pyruvate. The addition of 1 mM-NH4Cl led to a drastic inhibition of glucose synthesis from all these substrates. In hepatocytes incubated with 10 mM-alanine and 1 mM-oleate, pent-4-enoate at 0.05-1 mM slightly inhibited glucose synthesis and ketogenesis. The addition of ammonia resulted in a dramatic potentiation of the metabolic effects of pent-4-enoate. Half-maximum effect of ammonia was observed at 0.2 mM concentration. Concomitant cellular concentrations of ATP and acetyl-CoA were also decreased by the addition of ammonia, as were lactate/pyruvate ratio and beta-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio. These data suggest that ammonia seriously interferes with the cellular metabolism of pent-4-enoate and leads to a dramatic potentiation of its effects.     

Substrate inhibition in the tricarboxylic acid cycle

It has been shown in the experiments on rat liver mitochondria under glucose hexo-kinase load that excess of substrates of (1-20 mM) pyruvate, acetate, propionate, pent-4-enoate and malate may induce oxidation of NAD(P)H and inhibition of mitochondrial respiration (by 20-50% and more) due to a decreased rate of hydrogen production by tricarboxylic acid cycle. It has been concluded from the analysis of mathematical models and metabolite-testings which remove this inhibition that for pyruvate and acetate this inhibition is an autocatalytic one. It is related to a decreased level of CoA and oxaloacetate due to the formation of "traps" such as acetyl-CoA and alpha-kotoglutarate. For propionate and pent-4-enoate in the bicarbonate-free medium suppression of the flux in the cycle is concerned with a decreased level of CoA, acetyl-CoA and succionoyl CoA due to the accumulation of propionyl-CoA. It seems to be also concerned with the inhibition of citrate-synthetase and alpha-ketoglutarate-dehydrogenase by propionyl-CoA. Malate (in the presence of malonate) can inhibit respiration at the expense of direct inhibition of citrate-synthetase.     

The effects of inhibition of fatty acid oxidation in suckling newborn rats.

Inhibition of fatty acid oxidation with pent-4-enoate in suckling newborn rats caused a fall in blood [glucose] and blood [ketone bodies] and inhibition of gluconeogenesis from lactate. Glucose utilization was not increased in newborn rats injected with pent-4-enoate. Active fatty acid oxidation appears to be essential to support gluconeogenesis and to maintain normal blood [glucose] in suckling newborn rats.     

Protection of rats by clofibrate against the hypoglycaemic and toxic effects of hypoglycin and pent-4-enoate. An ultrastructural and biochemical study.

An ultrastructural and biochemical study of the toxic and hypoglycaemic effects of hypoglycin and pent-4-enoate was made on the livers of normal and clofibrate-fed rats. Injection of hypoglycin to rats doubles (from 22% to 44%) the volume fraction of mitochondria and decreases (from 1.05% to 0.26%) the volume fraction of peroxisomes in hepatocytes. The fast-acting toxin pent-4-enoate causes few ultrastructural changes except for the accumulation of lipids. In male adult rats fed with 0.5% clofibrate in their diet for 1-2 months, the volume fraction occupied by peroxisomes and mitochondria in hepatocytes rose to 6.26% and 29.5% respectively. Clofibrate feeding apparently protected the animals against the toxic, hypoglycaemic and hypothermic effects of hypoglycin and of pent-4-enoate, and completely prevented the ultrastructural damage caused by hypoglycin. After hypoglycin administration, hepatic mitochondrial butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase activity was inhibited by more than 90% and, surprisingly, the activity of the peroxisomal enzymes studied was largely preserved. When hypoglycin was given to rats fed on a clofibrate-containing diet, the oxidation of decanoylcarnitine, which was incomplete after hypoglycin treatment alone, remained incomplete with uncoupled mitochondria, but became apparently complete with coupled mitochondria. In the latter condition, there was a slowing of the rate during the last quarter of the pulse of oxygen uptake. Further, butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase activity was much less affected by hypoglycin in clofibrate-fed animals. Pent-4-enoate does not inhibit beta-oxidation in coupled mitochondria from clofibrate-treated rats.     

Inhibition of urea synthesis by pent-4-enoate associated with decrease in N-acetyl-L-glutamate concentration in isolated rat hepatocytes

Pent-4-enoate at 0.1 to 1.0 mM strongly inhibited urea synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes. Pent-4-enoate at the same concentrations markedly decreased concentrations of $\text{N-}\text{acetyl-}\text{L}\text{-glutamate}$, an essential activator of carbamoyl-phosphate synthase-I (EC 2.7.2.5), and the decrease was well parallel with the inhibition of urea synthesis by pent-4-enoate. This compound also lowered cellular concentrations of acetyl-CoA, a substrate of acetylglutamate synthase (EC 2.3.1.1). Pent-4-enoate in a dose of 1 mM did not significantly affect cellular concentrations of ATP, and had no direct effect on acetylglutamate synthase activity. These results suggest that the inhibition of urea synthesis by pent-4-enoate is due to decrease in $\text{N-}\text{acetyl-}\text{L}\text{-glutamate}$ concentration and that the decrease is probably brought about by decreased rate of its synthesis due to the lowered concentration of cellular acetyl-CoA.     

Inhibition of urea synthesis by pent-4-enoic acid: potentiation by ammonia

Pent-4-enoic acid inhibited ureagenesis approximatively 90% in rat hepatocytes incubated with pyruvate, ammonia and ornithine. Inhibition of ureagenesis was much less with alanine as substrate (approximatively 10%). The addition of ammonia led to a drastic dose-dependent inhibition of ureagenesis by pent-4-enoate. Half-maximum effect of ammonia was observed at 0.2 mM concentration. Concomitant cellular concentrations of N-acetylglutamate were also drastically modified by the addition of ammonia as was the accumulation of citrulline. These data suggest that ammonia may seriously interfere with the metabolism of pent-4-enoic acid and leads to a dramatic potentiation of its toxicity.     

Green butyryl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase. An enzyme–acyl-coenzyme A complex

1. Butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase from Peptostreptococcus elsdenii forms very tightly bound complexes with various acyl-CoA compounds. Spectra in some cases merely show resolution of the 450nm band, but those with acetoacetyl-, pent-2-enoyl- and 4-methylpent-2-enoyl-CoA show long-wavelength bands similar to the 710nm band of native enzyme. These complexes are formed instantaneously by the yellow form of the enzyme and much more slowly by the green form. 2. An acid extract of the green enzyme reconverts the yellow into the green form. 3. Hydroxylamine makes irreversible the otherwise reversible conversion of the green enzyme into the yellow form by phenylmercuric acetate. 4. Amino acid analysis for taurine and beta-alanine shows approx. 1mol of CoA/mol of flavin in green enzyme. Anaerobic dialysis of reduced enzyme removes the CoA. On acid precipitation of green enzyme the CoA is found only in the supernatant. 5. It is concluded that native green enzyme is probably complexed with unsaturated acyl-CoA. This is shown to be consistent with findings of other workers. Catalytic activity requires displacement of the acyl-CoA, which is therefore likely to be a potent inhibitor. 6. An explanation is offered for the irreversible conversion of green into yellow enzyme by sodium dithionite. 7. The enzyme displays a feeble, previously undetected, activity towards beta-hydroxybutyryl-CoA. 8. The product of oxidation of pent-4-enoyl-CoA forms a complex with reduced enzyme and strongly inhibits reoxidation of the FAD. This may contribute to inhibition of fatty acid oxidation by pent-4-enoic acid in mammals.     

Biochemical effects of the hypoglycaemic compound pent-4-enoic acid and related non-hypoglycaemic fatty acids. Carbohydrate metabolism

1. The effects of the hypoglycaemic compound, pent-4-enoic acid, and of four structurally related non-hypoglycaemic compounds (pent-2-enoic acid, pentanoic acid, cyclopropanecarboxylic acid and cyclobutanecarboxylic acid), on glycolysis, glucose oxidation and gluconeogenesis in some rat tissues were determined. 2. None of the compounds at low concentrations inhibited glycolysis by particle-free supernatant fractions from rat liver, skeletal muscle and intestinal mucosa, though there was inhibition by cyclopropanecarboxylic acid and cyclobutanecarboxylic acid at 3mm concentration. 3. Pent-4-enoic inhibited the oxidation of [1-(14)C]palmitate by rat liver slices, but did not increase the oxidation of [U-(14)C]glucose. 4. Pent-4-enoic acid (0.01mm) strongly inhibited gluconeogenesis by rat kidney slices from pyruvate or succinate, but none of the other compounds inhibited significantly at low concentrations. 5. There was also some inhibition of gluconeogenesis in kidney slices from rats injected with pent-4-enoic acid. 6. The mechanism of the hypoglycaemic effect of pent-4-enoic acid is discussed; it is suggested that there is an inhibition of fatty acid and ketone-body oxidation and of gluconeogenesis so that glucose reserves become exhausted, leading to hypoglycaemia. 7. The mechanism of the hypoglycaemic action of pent-4-enoic acid appears to be similar to that of hypoglycin.     

A role for 2,4-enoyl-CoA reductase in mitochondrial beta-oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Effects of treatment with clofibrate on oxidation of polyunsaturated acylcarnitines by isolated rat liver mitochondria.

1. beta-Oxidation of gamma-linolenoylcarnitine, arachidonoylcarnitine and docosahexaenoylcarnitine by isolated rat liver mitochondria is inhibited by uncoupling conditions. Partial re-activation is obtained with added ATP. With mitochondria from clofibrate-treated rats ATP-stimulated rates of beta-oxidation of docosahexaenoylcarnitine are higher than ADP-stimulated rates. This is not observed with the beta-oxidation of oleoylcarnitine. 2. beta-Oxidation of docosahexaenoylcarnitine, in the presence of rotenone, is inhibited by added oxaloacetate, analogous to previous findings with pent-4-enoylcarnitine [see Osmundsen (1978) FEBS Lett. 88, 219-222]. In the absence of rotenone added oxaloacetate stimulates the beta-oxidation of docosahexaenoylcarnitine, but has the opposite effect on the beta-oxidation of palmitoylcarnitine. 3. beta-Oxidation of polyunsaturated acylcarnitines by isolated rat liver mitochondria is selectively increased after treatment of the animals with a low dietary dose (0.2%, w/w) of clofibrate. Treatment with a higher dose of clofibrate (0.5%, w/w) resulted in a general stimulation of beta-oxidation. 4. The results presented suggest that long-chain fatty acids possessing a delta 4-double bond are not readily beta-oxidized unless the 2,4-enoyl-CoA reductase (EC 1.3.1.-) is operating.     

Interactions in vivo between oxidation of non-esterified fatty acids and gluconeogenesis in the newborn rat.

Metabolic interactions between fatty acid oxidation and gluconeogenesis were investigated in vivo in 16h-old newborn rats under various nutritional states. As the newborn rat has no white adipose tissue, starvation from birth induces a low rate of hepatic fatty acid oxidation. Hepatic gluconeogenesis in inhibited in the starved newborn rat when compared with the suckling rat, which receives fatty acids through the milk, at the steps catalysed by pyruvate carboxylase and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase. These inhibitions are rapidly reversed by triacylglycerol feeding. Inhibition of fatty acid oxidation by pent-4-enoate in the suckling animal mimics the effect of starvation on the pattern of hepatic gluconeogenic metabolites. It is concluded that, in the newborn rat in vivo, hepatic fatty acids oxidation can increase the gluconeogenic flux by providing the acetyl-CoA necessary for the reaction catalysed by pyruvate carboxylase and the reducing equivalents (NADH) to displace the reversible reaction catalysed by glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase in the direction of gluconeogenesis.     

4-Thia-trans-2-alkenoyl-CoA derivatives: properties and enzymatic reactions

4-Thiaacyl-CoA analogues, in which the 4-methylene group is replaced by a thioether sulfur atom, represent new chromophoric substrates of acyl-CoA dehydrogenases and oxidase. The corresponding 4-thia-trans-2-enoyl-CoA products exhibit a strong new absorption band (extinction coefficient 22 mM-1 cm-1) that is red shifted from 312 to 338 nm upon binding to the medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase. 4-Thiaoctanoyl-CoA reduces the dehydrogenase several-fold slower than octanoyl-CoA, although in turnover it is dehydrogenated 1.5-fold faster. The redox potential of 4-thia analogues is some 30 mV more negative than that of their unsubstituted counterparts. 4-Thia-trans-2-enoyl-CoA derivatives are slowly hydrated by enoyl-CoA hydratase (EC 4.2.1.17) to the corresponding thiohemiacetal which fragments nonenzymatically to 1 equiv each of malonylsemialdehyde-CoA and alkanethiol. This fragmentation reaction might explain the release of methanethiol during the transamination pathway of methionine degradation. 4-Oxaoctanoyl-CoA is a much poorer substrate and kinetic reductant of acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and oxidase than the 4-thia analogue. The corresponding enoyl-CoA product is also fragmented by the hydratase, yielding butanol and malonylsemialdehyde-CoA. Thus, 4-heterosubstituted acyl-CoA derivatives provide new tools for the study of beta-oxidation enzymes.     

Metabolism of Glutamate in Purple Nonsulfur Bacteria Participation of Vitamin B12

Purple nonsulfur bacteria, Rhodospirillum rubrum and Rhodopseudomonas spheroides were found to possess coenzyme B₁₂-dependent glutamate mutase activity. Cell-free extracts of these bacteria grown on Co²⁺-containing media catalyzed the conversion of glutamate to β-methylaspartate and further to mesaconate. The activity of the cell-free extracts of these organisms cultivated on Co²⁺-deficient media was markedly lower than that of the normal cells. Addition of coenzyme B₁₂ to the former reaction mixture enhanced the mesaconate formation via β-methylaspartate. These results indicate the involvement of coenzyme Independent glutamate mutase of these bacteria in the dissimilation of glutamate to acetyl-CoA and pyruvate through the following pathway.

glutamate→β→methylaspartate→mesaconate→citramalate→→acetyl-CoA, pyruvate On the other hand, a greater part of glutamate was converted to α-hydroxyglutarate and succinate with the cell-free extracts of these photosynthetic bacteria. This fact, taking account of the presence of propionyl-CoA carboxylase in these bacteria, implies the participation of coenzyme B₁₂-dependent (R)-methylmalonyl-CoA mutase in the formation of succinate via the following route.

glutamate→α-ketoglutarate→α-hydroxyglutarate→propionate→propionyl-CoA→(S)-methylmalonyl-CoA→(R)-methylmalonyl-CoA→succinyl-CoA     

Biochemical effects of the hypoglycaemic compound pent-4-enoic acid and related non-hypoglycaemic fatty acids. Oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial oxidation of pyruvate, 3-hydroxybutyrate and tricarboxylic acid-cycle intermediates

1. The effects of the hypoglycaemic compound pent-4-enoic acid, and of four structurally related non-hypoglycaemic compounds (pent-2-enoic acid, pentanoic acid, cyclopropanecarboxylic acid and cyclobutanecarboxylic acid), on several reactions in rat liver mitochondria were determined. 2. The use of manometric techniques for measurements of oxidations and of phosphorylation is critically discussed. 3. Pent-4-enoic acid and pentanoic acid uncoupled oxidative phosphorylation at low concentrations, but usually by not more than about 50%. 4. All the compounds, except cyclobutanecarboxylic acid, strongly inhibited the oxidation of pyruvate and 2-oxoglutarate, but the oxidations of succinate, citrate and 3-hydroxybutyrate were not strongly inhibited. 5. All the compounds, except cyclobutanecarboxylic acid, inhibited decarboxylation of [1-(14)C]pyruvate with ferricyanide as electron acceptor. 6. All the compounds, except pent-2-enoic acid, caused mitochondrial swelling after a time-lag.