Inhibition of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase reduces adipogenesis and diet-induced obesity

We previously described a putative role for inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), a rate-limiting enzyme in de novo guanine nucleotide biosynthesis, in lipid accumulation. Here we present data which demonstrate that IMPDH activity is required for differentiation of preadipocytes into mature, lipid-laden adipocytes and maintenance of adipose tissue mass. In 3T3-L1 preadipocytes inhibition of IMPDH with mycophenolic acid (MPA) reduced intracellular GTP levels by 60% (p < 0.05) and blocked adipogenesis (p < 0.05). Co-treatment with guanosine, a substrate in the salvage pathway of nucleotide biosynthesis, restored GTP levels and adipogenesis demonstrating the specificity of these effects. Treatment of diet-induced obese mice with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), the prodrug of MPA, for 28 days did not affect food intake or lean body mass but reduced body fat content (by 36%, p = 0.002) and adipocyte size (p = 0.03) and number. These data suggest that inhibition of IMPDH may represent a novel strategy to reduce adipose tissue mass.     

IMP/GTP balance modulates cytoophidium assembly and IMPDH activity

Background

Inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), the rate-limiting enzyme in de novo GTP biosynthesis, plays an important role in cell metabolism and proliferation. It has been demonstrated that IMPDH can aggregate into a macrostructure, termed the cytoophidium, in mammalian cells under a variety of conditions. However, the regulation and function of the cytoophidium are still elusive.

Results

In this study, we report that spontaneous filamentation of IMPDH is correlated with rapid cell proliferation. Intracellular IMP accumulation promoted cytoophidium assembly, whereas elevated GTP level triggered disassociation of aggregates. By using IMPDH2 CBS domain mutant cell models, which are unable to form the cytoophidium, we have determined that the cytoophidium is of the utmost importance for maintaining the GTP pool and normal cell proliferation in the condition that higher IMPDH activity is required.

Conclusions

Together, our results suggest a novel mechanism whereby cytoophidium assembly upregulates IMPDH activity and mediates guanine nucleotide homeostasis.

     

Regulation of the interaction of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase with mycophenolic Acid by GTP

Inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), a rate-limiting enzyme in the de novo synthesis of guanine nucleotides, is a major therapeutic target. A prototypic uncompetitive inhibitor of IMPDH, mycophenolic acid (MPA), is the active form of mycophenolate mofeteil (CellCept), a widely used immunosuppressive drug. We have found that MPA interacts with intracellular IMPDH in vivo to alter its mobility on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. MPA also induces a striking conformational change in IMPDH protein in intact cells, resulting in the formation of annular aggregates of protein with concomitant inhibition of IMPDH activity. These aggregates are not associated with any known intracellular organelles and are reversible by incubating cells with guanosine, which repletes intracellular GTP, or with GTPgammaS. GTP also restores IMPDH activity. Treatment of highly purified IMPDH with MPA also results in the formation of large aggregates of protein, a process that is both prevented and reversed by the addition of GTP. Finally, GTP binds to IMPDH at physiologic concentrations, induces the formation of linear arrays of tetrameric protein, and prevents the aggregation of protein induced by MPA. We conclude that intracellular GTP acts as an antagonist to MPA by directly binding to IMPDH and reversing the conformational changes in the protein.     

Phthalazinone inhibitors of inosine-5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase from Cryptosporidium parvum

Cryptosporidium parvum (Cp) is a potential biowarfare agent and major cause of diarrhea and malnutrition. This protozoan parasite relies on inosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) for the production of guanine nucleotides. A CpIMPDH-selective N-aryl-3,4-dihydro-3-methyl-4-oxo-1-phthalazineacetamide inhibitor was previously identified in a high throughput screening campaign. Herein we report a structure–activity relationship study for the phthalazinone-based series that resulted in the discovery of benzofuranamide analogs that exhibit low nanomolar inhibition of CpIMPDH. In addition, the antiparasitic activity of select analogs in a Toxoplasma gondii model of C. parvum infection is also presented.     

Different Characteristics and Nucleotide Binding Properties of Inosine Monophosphate Dehydrogenase (IMPDH) Isoforms

We recently reported that Inosine Monophosphate Dehydrogenase (IMPDH), a rate-limiting enzyme in de novo guanine nucleotide biosynthesis, clustered into macrostructures in response to decreased nucleotide levels and that there were differences between the IMPDH isoforms, IMPDH1 and IMPDH2. We hypothesised that the Bateman domains, which are present in both isoforms and serve as energy-sensing/allosteric modules in unrelated proteins, would contribute to isoform-specific differences and that mutations situated in and around this domain in IMPDH1 which give rise to retinitis pigmentosa (RP) would compromise regulation. We employed immuno-electron microscopy to investigate the ultrastructure of IMPDH macrostructures and live-cell imaging to follow clustering of an IMPDH2-GFP chimera in real-time. Using a series of IMPDH1/IMPDH2 chimera we demonstrated that the propensity to cluster was conferred by the N-terminal 244 amino acids, which includes the Bateman domain. A protease protection assay suggested isoform-specific purine nucleotide binding characteristics, with ATP protecting IMPDH1 and AMP protecting IMPDH2, via a mechanism involving conformational changes upon nucleotide binding to the Bateman domain without affecting IMPDH catalytic activity. ATP binding to IMPDH1 was confirmed in a nucleotide binding assay. The RP-causing mutation, R224P, abolished ATP binding and nucleotide protection and this correlated with an altered propensity to cluster. Collectively these data demonstrate that (i) the isoforms are differentially regulated by AMP and ATP by a mechanism involving the Bateman domain, (ii) communication occurs between the Bateman and catalytic domains and (iii) the RP-causing mutations compromise such regulation. These findings support the idea that the IMPDH isoforms are subject to distinct regulation and that regulatory defects contribute to human disease.     

Characterisation of the interaction of guanine nucleotides with ribosomal GTPase Lsg1

Ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes requires the participation of several transactivation factors that are involved in the modification, assembly, transport and quality control of the ribosomal subunits. One of these factors is the Large subunit GTPase 1 (Lsg1), a protein that acts as the release factor for the export adaptor named Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay 3 protein (Nmd3) and facilitates the incorporation of the last structural protein uL16 into the 60S subunit. Here, we characterised the recombinant yeast Lsg1 and studied its catalysis and binding properties for guanine nucleotides. We described the interaction of Lsg1 with guanine nucleotides alone and in the presence of the complex Nmd3?60S using fluorescence spectroscopy. Lsg1 has a greater affinity for GTP than for GDP suggesting that in the cell cytoplasm it exists mainly bound to the former. In the presence of 60S subunits loaded with Nmd3, the affinity of Lsg1 for both nucleotides increases but to a larger extent towards GTP. From this observation together with the excess of GTP present in the cytoplasm of exponentially growing cells over that of GDP, we can infer that the pre-ribosomal particle composed by Nmd3?60S acts as a GTP Stabilising Factor for Lsg1. Additionally, Lsg1 undergoes different conformational changes depending on its binding partner or the guanine nucleotides it interacts with. Steady-state kinetic analysis of free Lsg1 indicated slow GTP hydrolysis with values of k_cat 1 min^?1 and K_m of 34 μM.     

Targeted disruption of the inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase type I gene in mice

Inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) is the critical, rate-limiting enzyme in the de novo biosynthesis pathway for guanine nucleotides. Two separate isoenzymes, designated IMPDH types I and II, contribute to IMPDH activity. An additional pathway salvages guanine through the activity of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) to supply the cell with guanine nucleotides. In order to better understand the relative contributions of IMPDH types I and II and HPRT to normal biological function, a mouse deficient in IMPDH type I was generated by standard gene-targeting techniques and bred to mice deficient in HPRT or heterozygous for IMPDH type II. T-cell activation in response to anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 antibodies was significantly impaired in both single- and double-knockout mice, whereas a more general inhibition of proliferation in response to other T- and B-cell mitogens was observed only in mice deficient in both enzymes. In addition, IMPDH type I(-/-) HPRT(-/0) splenocytes showed reduced interleukin-4 production and impaired cytolytic activity after antibody activation, indicating an important role for guanine salvage in supplementing the de novo synthesis of guanine nucleotides. We conclude that both IMPDH and HPRT activities contribute to normal T-lymphocyte activation and function.     

Modulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase by inhibitors of IMP dehydrogenase: Implications for insulin regulation

The activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), the rate-limiting enzyme of fatty acid biosynthesis, can be regulated by both adenine and guanine nucleotides in vitro. We have employed two inhibitors of IMP dehydrogenase, ribavarin and tiazofurin, to investigate a possible role for intracellular nucleotides in ACC regulation in rat adipocytes. Ribavarin, but not tiazofurin, leads to a profound time-dependent inhibition of ACC activity that is associated with a decrease in both intracellular ATP and GTP. This inactivating effect is largely reversed with guanosine, accompanied by increases in both ATP and GTP levels. Epinephrine-mediated inactivation of ACC in intact cells is not altered by ribavarin incubation. However, in these experiments, insulin-mediated activation is observed only after ribavarin-induced inhibition of the enzyme. These data suggest that nucleotides may modulate ACC activity and influence its regulation by insulin in intact cells. The possible mechanisms underlying the insulin activation of ACC and the role of intracellular nucleotides in insulin action are discussed.     

Regulation of Acanthamoeba castellanii alternative oxidase activity by mutual exclusion of purine nucleotides; ATP's inhibitory effect

The effects of different adenine and guanine nucleotides on the cyanide-resistant respiration (i.e. alternative oxidase (AcAOX) activity) of mitochondria from the amoeba A. castellanii mitochondria were studied. We found that guanine nucleotides activate AcAOX to a greater degree than adenine nucleotides, and that nucleoside monophosphates were more efficient activators than nucleoside di- or triphosphates. The extent of the nucleotides' influence on AcAOX was dependent on the medium's pH and was more pronounced at pH 6.8, which is optimal for AcAOX activity. In contrast to other purine nucleosides, we demonstrate, for the first time, that ATP has an inhibitory effect on AcAOX activity. Since we also observed the inhibition by ATP in the mitochondria of another protozoon, such as Dictyostelium discoideum, and the yeast, Candida maltosa, it may be a regulatory feature common to all purine nucleotide-modulated non-plant AOXs. The physiological importance of this discovery is discussed. Kinetic data show that the binding of GMP (a positive allosteric effector) and the binding of ATP (a negative allosteric effector) to AcAOX are mutually exclusive. ATP's inhibition of the enzyme can be overcome by sufficiently high concentrations of GMP, and conversely, GMP's stimulation can be overcome by sufficiently high concentrations of ATP. However, an approximately three times lower concentration of GMP compared to ATP gives a half maximal effect on AcAOX activity. This is indicative of a higher binding affinity for the positive effector at the same or, at least overlapping, nucleotide-binding sites on AcAOX. These results suggest that AcAOX activity in A. castellanii mitochondria might be controlled by the relative intracellular concentrations of purine nucleotides.     

De novo GTP Biosynthesis Is Critical for Virulence of the Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

We have investigated the potential of the GTP synthesis pathways as chemotherapeutic targets in the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, a common cause of fatal fungal meningoencephalitis. We find that de novo GTP biosynthesis, but not the alternate salvage pathway, is critical to cryptococcal dissemination and survival in vivo. Loss of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) in the de novo pathway results in slow growth and virulence factor defects, while loss of the cognate phosphoribosyltransferase in the salvage pathway yielded no phenotypes. Further, the Cryptococcus species complex displays variable sensitivity to the IMPDH inhibitor mycophenolic acid, and we uncover a rare drug-resistant subtype of C. gattii that suggests an adaptive response to microbial IMPDH inhibitors in its environmental niche. We report the structural and functional characterization of IMPDH from Cryptococcus, revealing insights into the basis for drug resistance and suggesting strategies for the development of fungal-specific inhibitors. The crystal structure reveals the position of the IMPDH moveable flap and catalytic arginine in the open conformation for the first time, plus unique, exploitable differences in the highly conserved active site. Treatment with mycophenolic acid led to significantly increased survival times in a nematode model, validating de novo GTP biosynthesis as an antifungal target in Cryptococcus.     

Failure of opiates to increase the hydrolysis of GTP in neuroblastoma-glioma 108-15 cells

It has been repeatedly demonstrated that the neuroblastoma-glioma (NG 108-15) cell line has opiate receptors that inhibit adenylate cyclase and it has been proposed that this inhibition is mediated by a naloxone reversible stimulation of a low K_m GTPase (Koski and Klee, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 78:4185, 1981). The guanine nucleotides of NG cells were labeled with [³H]guanine followed by incubation with 10^?6M guanine. Etorphine (10^?6M] or vehicle were added and the incubations continued for 1–4 min. The reaction was stopped with 5 percent TCA containing nucleotides as carriers and markers for the HPLC. Marker nucleotides were detected at 254 nm and the labeled nucleotides by liquid scintillation spectrometry. In several experiments, etorphine failed to produce any measurable change in the labeled nucleotides or in the GTP/GDP ratios. To verify that the opiate receptors were functional we measured its capacity to inhibit the formation of cAMP induced by PGE₁. We also studied the effects of naloxone and PGE₁ on the formation of cAMP in opiate tolerant cells. Tolerant cells responded to naloxone with a 50 percent increase in cAMP, indicating again that the opiate receptors were functional. Our results are consistent with the idea that in intact NG108-15 cells the opiate-mediated hydrolysis of GTP observed in cell membrane preparations is of very small magnitude.     

Overexpression of Inosine 5′-Monophosphate Dehydrogenase Type II Mediates Chemoresistance to Human Osteosarcoma Cells

Background

Chemoresistance is the principal reason for poor survival and disease recurrence in osteosarcoma patients. Inosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase type II (IMPDH2) encodes the rate-limiting enzyme in the de novo guanine nucleotide biosynthesis and has been linked to cell growth, differentiation, and malignant transformation. In a previous study we identified IMPDH2 as an independent prognostic factor and observed frequent IMPDH2 overexpression in osteosarcoma patients with poor response to chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to provide evidence for direct involvement of IMPDH2 in the development of chemoresistance.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Stable cell lines overexpressing IMPDH2 and IMPDH2 knock-down cells were generated using the osteosarcoma cell line Saos-2 as parental cell line. Chemosensitivity, proliferation, and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins were analyzed by flow cytometry, WST-1-assay, and western blot analysis. Overexpression of IMPDH2 in Saos-2 cells induced strong chemoresistance against cisplatin and methotrexate. The observed chemoresistance was mediated at least in part by increased expression of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Mcl-1, and XIAP, reduced activation of caspase-9, and, consequently, reduced cleavage of the caspase substrate PARP. Pharmacological inhibition of IMPDH induced a moderate reduction of cell viability and a strong decrease of cell proliferation, but no increase in chemosensitivity. However, chemoresistant IMPDH2-overexpressing cells could be resensitized by RNA interference-mediated downregulation of IMPDH2.

Conclusions

IMPDH2 is directly involved in the development of chemoresistance in osteosarcoma cells, suggesting that targeting of IMPDH2 by RNAi or more effective pharmacological inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy might be a promising means of overcoming chemoresistance in osteosarcomas with high IMPDH2 expression.     

Real-time NMR Study of Three Small GTPases Reveals That Fluorescent 2��(3��)-O-(N-Methylanthraniloyl)-tagged Nucleotides Alter Hydrolysis and Exchange Kinetics

The Ras family of small GTPases control diverse signaling pathways through a conserved “switch” mechanism, which is turned on by binding of GTP and turned off by GTP hydrolysis to GDP. Full understanding of GTPase switch functions requires reliable, quantitative assays for nucleotide binding and hydrolysis. Fluorescently labeled guanine nucleotides, such as 2′(3′)-O-(N-methylanthraniloyl) (mant)-substituted GTP and GDP analogs, have been widely used to investigate the molecular properties of small GTPases, including Ras and Rho. Using a recently developed NMR method, we show that the kinetics of nucleotide hydrolysis and exchange by three small GTPases, alone and in the presence of their cognate GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) and guanine nucleotide exchange factors, are affected by the presence of the fluorescent mant moiety. Intrinsic hydrolysis of mantGTP by Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb) is ∼10 times faster than that of GTP, whereas it is 3.4 times slower with RhoA. On the other hand, the mant tag inhibits TSC2GAP-catalyzed GTP hydrolysis by Rheb but promotes p120 RasGAP-catalyzed GTP hydrolysis by H-Ras. Guanine nucleotide exchange factor-catalyzed nucleotide exchange for both H-Ras and RhoA was inhibited by mant-substituted nucleotides, and the degree of inhibition depends highly on the GTPase and whether the assay measures association of mantGTP with, or dissociation of mantGDP from the GTPase. These results indicate that the mant moiety has significant and unpredictable effects on GTPase reaction kinetics and underscore the importance of validating its use in each assay.     

Design,synthesis and biological evaluation of Helicobacter pylori inosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase (HpIMPDH) inhibitors. Further optimization of selectivity towards HpIMPDH over human IMPDH2

Inosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH, EC 1.1.1.205) catalyzes a crucial step in guanine nucleotide biosynthesis, thereby governing cell proliferation. In contrast to mammalian IMPDHs, microbial IMPDHs are relatively less explored as potential targets for antimicrobial drug discovery. In continuation with our previous work, here we report the discovery of moderately potent and highly selective Helicobacter pylori IMPDH (HpIMPDH) inhibitors. The present study is mainly focused around our previously identified, modestly potent and relatively nonselective (for HpIMPDH over human IMPDH2) hit molecule IX (16i). In an attempt to optimize the selectivity for the bacterial enzyme, we screened a set of 48 redesigned new chemical entities (NCEs) belonging to 5-aminoisobenzofuran-1(3H)-one series for their in vitro HpIMPDH and human IMPDH2 inhibition. A total of 12 compounds (hits) demonstrated ≥70% HpIMPDH inhibition at 10 μM concentration; none of the hits were active against hIMPDH2. Compound 24 was found to be the most potent and selective molecule (HpIMPDH IC₅₀ = 2.21 µM) in the series. The study reaffirmed the utility of 5-aminoisobenzofuran-1(3H)-one as a promising scaffold with great potential for further development of potent and selective HpIMPDH inhibitors.     

The CBS subdomain of inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase regulates purine nucleotide turnover

Inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) catalyses the rate-limiting step in guanine nucleotide biosynthesis. IMPDH has an evolutionary conserved CBS subdomain of unknown function. The subdomain can be deleted without impairing the in vitro IMPDH catalytic activity and is the site for mutations associated with human retinitis pigmentosa. A guanine-prototrophic Escherichia coli strain, MP101, was constructed with the subdomain sequence deleted from the chromosomal gene for IMPDH. The ATP content was substantially elevated in MP101 whereas the GTP content was slighty reduced. The activities of IMPDH, adenylosuccinate synthetase and GMP reductase were two to threefold lower in MP101 crude extracts compared with the BW25113 wild-type strain. Guanine induced a threefold reduction in the MP101 ATP pool and a fourfold increase in the GTP pool within 10 min of addition to growing cells; this response does not result from the reduced IMPDH activity or starvation for guanylates. In vivo kinetic analysis using 14-C tracers and 33-P pulse-chasing revealed mutation-associated changes in purine nucleotide fluxes and turnover rates. We conclude that the CBS subdomain of IMPDH may coordinate the activities of the enzymes of purine nucleotide metabolism and is essential for maintaining the normal ATP and GTP pool sizes in E. coli .     

A highly conserved zebrafish IMPDH retinal isoform produces the majority of guanine and forms dynamic protein filaments in photoreceptor cells

Inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) is a key regulatory enzyme in the de novo synthesis of the purine base guanine. Dominant mutations in human IMPDH1 cause photoreceptor degeneration for reasons that are unknown. Here, we sought to provide some foundational information on Impdh1a in the zebrafish retina. We found that in zebrafish, gene subfunctionalization due to ancestral duplication resulted in a predominant retinal variant expressed exclusively in rod and cone photoreceptors. This variant is structurally and functionally similar to the human IMPDH1 retinal variant and shares a reduced sensitivity to GTP-mediated inhibition. We also demonstrated that Impdh1a forms prominent protein filaments in vitro and in vivo in both rod and cone photoreceptor cell bodies, synapses, and to a lesser degree, in outer segments. These filaments changed length and cellular distribution throughout the day consistent with diurnal changes in both mRNA and protein levels. The loss of Impdh1a resulted in a substantial reduction of guanine levels, although cellular morphology and cGMP levels remained normal. Our findings demonstrate a significant role for IMPDH1 in photoreceptor guanine production and provide fundamental new information on the details of this protein in the zebrafish retina.     

LRRK2 kinase activity is dependent on LRRK2 GTP binding capacity but independent of LRRK2 GTP binding

Leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a Parkinson's disease (PD) gene that encodes a large multidomain protein including both a GTPase and a kinase domain. GTPases often regulate kinases within signal transduction cascades, where GTPases act as molecular switches cycling between a GTP bound "on" state and a GDP bound "off" state. It has been proposed that LRRK2 kinase activity may be increased upon GTP binding at the LRRK2 Ras of complex proteins (ROC) GTPase domain. Here we extensively test this hypothesis by measuring LRRK2 phosphorylation activity under influence of GDP, GTP or non-hydrolyzable GTP analogues GTPγS or GMPPCP. We show that autophosphorylation and lrrktide phosphorylation activity of recombinant LRRK2 protein is unaltered by guanine nucleotides, when co-incubated with LRRK2 during phosphorylation reactions. Also phosphorylation activity of LRRK2 is unchanged when the LRRK2 guanine nucleotide binding pocket is previously saturated with various nucleotides, in contrast to the greatly reduced activity measured for the guanine nucleotide binding site mutant T1348N. Interestingly, when nucleotides were incubated with cell lysates prior to purification of LRRK2, kinase activity was slightly enhanced by GTPγS or GMPPCP compared to GDP, pointing to an upstream guanine nucleotide binding protein that may activate LRRK2 in a GTP-dependent manner. Using metabolic labeling, we also found that cellular phosphorylation of LRRK2 was not significantly modulated by nucleotides, although labeling is significantly reduced by guanine nucleotide binding site mutants. We conclude that while kinase activity of LRRK2 requires an intact ROC-GTPase domain, it is independent of GDP or GTP binding to ROC.     

Monitoring Ras Interactions with the Nucleotide Exchange Factor Son of Sevenless (Sos) Using Site-specific NMR Reporter Signals and Intrinsic Fluorescence

The activity of Ras is controlled by the interconversion between GTP- and GDP-bound forms partly regulated by the binding of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor Son of Sevenless (Sos). The details of Sos binding, leading to nucleotide exchange and subsequent dissociation of the complex, are not completely understood. Here, we used uniformly ¹⁵N-labeled Ras as well as [¹³C]methyl-Met,Ile-labeled Sos for observing site-specific details of Ras-Sos interactions in solution. Binding of various forms of Ras (loaded with GDP and mimics of GTP or nucleotide-free) at the allosteric and catalytic sites of Sos was comprehensively characterized by monitoring signal perturbations in the NMR spectra. The overall affinity of binding between these protein variants as well as their selected functional mutants was also investigated using intrinsic fluorescence. The data support a positive feedback activation of Sos by Ras·GTP with Ras·GTP binding as a substrate for the catalytic site of activated Sos more weakly than Ras·GDP, suggesting that Sos should actively promote unidirectional GDP → GTP exchange on Ras in preference of passive homonucleotide exchange. Ras·GDP weakly binds to the catalytic but not to the allosteric site of Sos. This confirms that Ras·GDP cannot properly activate Sos at the allosteric site. The novel site-specific assay described may be useful for design of drugs aimed at perturbing Ras-Sos interactions.     

Interaction of the low molecular weight form of elongation factor 1 with guanine nucleotides and aminoacyl-tRNA.

A low molecular weight form of the eukaryotic polypeptide chain elongation factor 1 (EF-1α) has been extensively purified from pig liver to give an apparently homogeneous preparation, which seemed to be analogous to the bacterial elongation factor, EF-Tu (Iwasaki, K., Nagata, S., Mizumoto, K., and Kaziro, Y. (1974) J. Biol. Chem. 249, 5008). Thus, the interaction of the purified EF-1α with guanine nucleotides as well as aminoacyl-tRNA has been investigated and the following results have been obtained. (1) EF-1α when kept in the absence of glycerol lost its activity to promote the binding of aminoacylt-RNA to ribosomes though it retained the ability to bind guanine nucleotides. However, the former activity could be stabilized by the addition of 25% ($\text{v}\text{v}$) glycerol to the solution. (2) EF-1α formed a binary complex with guanine nucleotides such as GTP, GDP, 5′-guanylyl methylenediphosphonate or 5′-guanylyl imidodiphosphate. The molar ratio of EF-1α to GTP or GDP in the binary complex was shown to be 1. (3) The presence of a ternary complex containing EF-1α, GTP and aminoacyl-tRNA was demonstrated by several methods, i.e., (i) an increased heat stability of EF-1α in the presence of GTP and Phe-tRNA, (ii) a decrease in the amount of the EF-1α·GTP complex in the presence of aminoacyl-tRNA, (iii) a protection of the ester linkage of Phe-tRNA from hydrolysis at alkaline pH by the presence of both EF-1α and GTP, and (iv) the isolation of the complex by gel filtration.