Specific activities of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase,glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase during Bufo bufo development

It has been suggested by some authors that during amphibian development, due to the higher glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) activity compared to that of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.43), 6-phosphogluconate could accumulate in the embryo tissues and regulate the channelling of glucose-6-phosphate into glycolysis. Here, on the base of the specific activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (EC 5.3.1.9) found in the embryos of Bufo bufo during development, it is discussed whether 6-phosphogluconate can accumulate and play a regulative role on glucose-6-phosphate metabolism in the anuran embryo.     

Changes in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and ribonucleases activities during PVY-RNA biosynthesis in infected potato plants

Changes in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, ribonucleases activities and chlorophyll content were studied in leaves of plants systemically infected by potato virus Y, necrotic strain (PVY^N). Potato cultivars Jara and Adretta differing in resistance to potato virus Y were used. No statistically significant differences were observed between healthy and infected plants of both cultivars in chlorophyll content. Activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase slowly increased in connection with virus multiplication and reached 203.4% of the values of non-infected control in susceptible cv. Jara and 160.4% in the resistant cv. Adretta. Differences between cultivars were significant from 60 d after inoculation (P≤0.05). The activity of ribonucleases quickly increased in the initial period of the experiment and then slowly decreased. Their activities reached 195.6% in susceptible cultivar and 183.5% in the resistant one. Significant differences (P≤0.01) between susceptible and resistant cultivars was found from 18 to 35 d after inoculation. The activities of enzymes corresponded to PVY^N multiplication which was since 40 d considerably higher (P<0.01) in susceptible cultivar in comparison with the resistant one. Thus the activities of studied enzymes could be considered as markers of resistance of potato cultivars to PVY^N multiplication.     

Changes in ribonuclease and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities during PVY-RNA biosynthesis in potato leaf discs

Changes in fresh matter content, protein content, chlorophyl content, ribonuclease activity, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, associated with potato Y-virus multiplication (common strain, PVY ordinary) were studied in discs cut from potato leaves. The results obtained showed that marked decreases in disc fresh matter, in protein content, and in chlorophyll content occurred during a 5-day-long cultivation period. The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, that is of the rate limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway, and the activity of ribonucleases which characterize the rate and intensity of host RNA degradation were markedly enhanced in this period. The fact that activity curves of both these enzymes were in linear relationship with the PVY reproduction curve indicates that not only nucleotides produced in the reactions of the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway but also nucleotides released in the process of host RNA degradation were the main source of nucleotides necessary for PVY-RNA biosynthesis, in spite of a high photosynthetic rate.     

Purification and regulation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Bacillus licheniformis

d-Glucose-6-phosphate nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.49) from Bacillus licheniformis has been purified approximately 600-fold. The enzyme appears to be constitutive and exhibits activity with either oxidized NAD (NAD(+)) or oxidized NADP (NADP(+)) as electron acceptor. The enzyme has a pH optimum of 9.0 and has an absolute requirement for cations, either monovalent or divalent. The enzyme exhibits a K(m) of approximately 5 muM for NADP(+), 3 mM for NAD(+), and 0.2 mM for glucose-6-phosphate. Reduced NADP (NADPH) is a competitive inhibitor with respect to NADP(+) (K(m) = 10 muM). Phosphoenolpyruvate (K(m) = 1.6 mM), adenosine 5'-triphosphate (K(m) = 0.5 mM), adenosine diphosphate (K(m) = 1.5 mM), and adenosine 5'-monophosphate (K(m) = 3.0 mM) are competitive inhibitors with respect to NAD(+). The molecular weight as estimated from sucrose density centrifugation and molecular sieve chromatography is 1.1 x 10(5). Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis indicates that the enzyme is composed of two similar subunits of approximately 6 x 10(4) molecular weight. The intracellular levels of glucose-6-phosphate, NAD(+), and NADP(+) were measured and found to be approximately 1 mM, 0.9 mM, and 0.2 mM, respectively, during logarithmic growth. From a consideration of the substrate pool sizes and types of inhibitors, we conclude that this single constitutive enzyme may function in two roles in the cell-NADH production for energetics and NADPH production for reductive biosynthesis.     

Posttranslational regulation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in tongue epithelium.

Expression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity is high in tongue epithelium, but its exact function is still unknown. It may be related either to the high proliferation rate of this tissue or to protection against oxidative stress. To elucidate its exact role, we localized quantitatively G6PD activity, protein and mRNA using image analysis in tongue epithelium of rat and rabbit, two species with different diets. Distribution patterns of G6PD activity were largely similar in rat and rabbit but the activities were twofold lower in rabbit. Activity was two to three times higher in upper cell layers of epithelium than in basal cell layers, whereas basal layers, where proliferation takes place, contained twice as much G6PD protein and 40% more mRNA than upper layers. Our findings show that G6PD is synthetized mainly in basal cell layers of tongue epithelium and that it is posttranslationally activated when cells move to upper layers. Therefore, we conclude that the major function of G6PD activity in tongue epithelium is the formation of NADPH for protection against oxidative stress and that diet affects enzyme expression in this tissue.     

Characterization of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in Thailand

Summary Characterization of partially purified eryrhrocyte G-6-PD from 50 enzymedeficient males in 45 unrelated Thai families revealed 6 enzyme variants. Thirty-five subjects in 31 families had G-6-PD variant with normal electrophoretic mobility, slightly low Km G-6-P, normal substrate-analog utilization, normal pH-optimum curve, and slightly increased heat stability. This enzyme variant is called G-6-PD Mahidol.Six subjects had enzyme with fast electrophoretic mobility (106–108% of normal), low Km G-6-P, slightly increased substrate-analog utilization, biphasic pH-optimum curve, and slightly low to normal heat stability. This variant was identical to G-6-PD Canton.Five subjects had G-6-PD with fast electrophoretic mobility (103–106% of normal), low Km G-6-P, very high substrate-analog utilization except for DPN which it did not use as cofactor, markedly biphasic pH-optimum curve and very low heat stability. This variant is called G-6-PD Union (Thai).Two brothers had G-6-PD with normal electrophoretic mobility, low Km G-6-P, slightly increased substrate-analog utilization, biphasic pH-optimum curve and low heat stability. This variant is designated G-6-PD Siriraj.G-6-PD from one patient had slightly fast electrophoretic mobility, increased substrateanalog utilization, especially of DPN, and very low thermal stability. It is called G-6-PD Kan.One subject had G-6-PD with normal electrophoretic mobility, Km G-6-P, pH-optimum curve and heat stability, and increased substrate-analog utilization. This G-6-PD variant is named G-6-PD Anant.G-6-PD Mahidol is far more common than any other known variants in Thailand.

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Zusammenfassung Eine Charakterisierung von teilweise gereinigtem Erythrocyten-G-6-PD von 50 Männern mit Enzym-Defekt aus 45 nicht miteinander verwandten Thai-Familien ergab 6 Enzym-Varianten. 35 Personen in 31 Familien hatten eine G-6-PD-Variante mit normaler elektrophoretischer Wanderungsgeschwindigkeit, einen leicht verminderten G-6-P-Km-Wert, einer normalen Substratanalog-Verwertung, einer normalen pH-Optimum-Kurve und einer leicht erhöhten Hitze-Stabilität. Diese Enzym-Variante wurde G-6-PD Mahidol genannt.Sechs Personen hatten ein Enzym mit rascher elektrophoretischer Wanderung (106–108% der Norm), niedrigem Km für G-6-P, leicht erhöhter Substrat-Verwertung, einer biphasischen pH-Optimum-Kurve und normaler bis leicht erniedrigter Hitzestabilität. Diese Variante ist identisch mit G-6-PD Canton.Fünt Personen hatten G-6-PD mit rascher elektrophoretischer Wanderung (103–106%), niedrigem Km G-6-P, sehr hoher Substratanalog-Verwertung—mit Ausnahme von DPN, das nicht als Cofactor wirkte—, einer stark biphasischen pH-Optimum-Kurve und sehr geringer Hitze-Stabilität. Diese Variante wurde als G-6-PD Union (Thai) bezeichnet.Zwei Brüder hatten ein G-6-PD mit normaler elektrophoretischer Wanderung, niedrigem Km G-6-P, leicht erhöhter Substratanalog-Verwertung, einer biphasischen pH-Optimum-Kurve und geringer Hitze-Stabilität. Diese Variante erhielt den Namen G-6-PD Siriraj.G-6-PD eines Patienten hatte eine leicht erhöhte elektrophoretische Wanderungsgeschwindigkeit, eine erhöhte Substratanalog-Verwertung, besonders für DPN, und eine sehr geringe Hitze-Stabilität (G-6-PD Kan).Eine Person zeigte ein G-6-PD mit normaler elektrophoretischer Wanderungsgeschwindigkeit, Km G-6-P pH-Optimum-Kurve und Hitze-Stabilität. Nur die Substratanalog-Verwertung war erhöht. Diese Variante wurde G-6-PD Anant gennant.G-6-PD Mahidol ist die bei weitem häufigste Variante in Thailand.

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This investigation received financial support from the World Health Organization.     

Selection of Escherichia coli mutants lacking glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase or gluconate-6-phosphate dehydrogenase

Glucose is metabolized in Escherichia coli chiefly via the phosphoglucose isomerase reaction; mutants lacking that enzyme grow slowly on glucose by using the hexose monophosphate shunt. When such a strain is further mutated so as to yield strains unable to grow at all on glucose or on glucose-6-phosphate, the secondary strains are found to lack also activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. The double mutants can be transduced back to glucose positivity; one class of transductants has normal phosphoglucose isomerase activity but no glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. An analogous scheme has been used to select mutants lacking gluconate-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Here the primary mutant lacks gluconate-6-phosphate dehydrase (an enzyme of the Enter-Doudoroff pathway) and grows slowly on gluconate; gluconate-negative mutants are selected from it. These mutants, lacking the nicotinamide dinucleotide phosphate-linked glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase or gluconate-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, grow on glucose at rates similar to the wild type. Thus, these enzymes are not essential for glucose metabolism in E. coli.