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For the past 50 years, it was believed that all bats, like humans and guinea pigs, did not synthesize vitamin C (Vc) because they lacked activity of L-gulonolactone oxidase (GULO) in their livers. Humans and guinea pigs lack the activity due to pseudogenization of GULO in their genomes, but there is no genetic evidence to show whether such loss in bats is caused by pseudogenization. Unexpectedly, our successful molecular cloning in one frugivorous bat (Rousettus leschenaultii) and one insectivorous bat (Hipposideros armiger) ascertains that no pseudogenization occurs in these species. Furthermore, we find normal GULO protein expression using bat-specific anti-GULO polyclonal antibodies in bats, evaluated by Western blotting. Most surprisingly, GULO activity assays reveal that these two bat species have retained the ability to synthesize Vc, but at low levels compared with the mouse. It is known that bats in the genus Pteropus have lost GULO activity. We then found that functional constraints acting on the GULO of Pteropus vampyrus (which lost its function) are relaxed. These results imply that the ability to synthesize Vc in bats has not been lost completely in species as previously thought. We also suggest that the evolution of bat GULO genes can be a good model to study genetic processes associated with loss-of-function. 相似文献
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Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) plays important roles as an anti-oxidant and in collagen synthesis. These important roles, and the relatively large amounts of vitamin C required daily, likely explain why most vertebrate species are able to synthesize this compound. Surprisingly, many species, such as teleost fishes, anthropoid primates, guinea pigs, as well as some bat and Passeriformes bird species, have lost the capacity to synthesize it. Here, we review the genetic bases behind the repeated losses in the ability to synthesize vitamin C as well as their implications. In all cases so far studied, the inability to synthesize vitamin C is due to mutations in the L-gulono-γ-lactone oxidase (GLO) gene which codes for the enzyme responsible for catalyzing the last step of vitamin C biosynthesis. The bias for mutations in this particular gene is likely due to the fact that losing it only affects vitamin C production. Whereas the GLO gene mutations in fish, anthropoid primates and guinea pigs are irreversible, some of the GLO pseudogenes found in bat species have been shown to be reactivated during evolution. The same phenomenon is thought to have occurred in some Passeriformes bird species. Interestingly, these GLO gene losses and reactivations are unrelated to the diet of the species involved. This suggests that losing the ability to make vitamin C is a neutral trait. 相似文献
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Maturational loss of the vitamin C transporter in erythrocytes 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
May JM Qu ZC Qiao H Koury MJ 《Biochemical and biophysical research communications》2007,360(1):295-298
Erythrocytes have the same intracellular concentration of ascorbate as plasma, which is much lower than that of nucleated cells. To determine why erythrocytes are unable to concentrate ascorbate, we tested for the presence of ascorbate transporters in these cells. Human erythrocytes had very low rates of uptake of radiolabeled ascorbate, which was accounted for by the lack of ascorbate transporter SVCT2 in immunoblots. Using a cell culture model of Friend virus-infected mouse erythroblasts, immunoblots showed that the SVCT2 was present in the erythroblast stages, but was lost following extrusion of the nucleus in the formation of the reticulocyte stage. Rates of specific ascorbate transport correlated with the presence of the SVCT2. These results show that mature erythrocytes fail to concentrate ascorbate due to the loss of SVCT2 during maturation in the bone marrow. 相似文献
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l-Galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GALDH; ferricytochrome c oxidoreductase; EC 1.3.2.3) is a mitochondrial flavoenzyme that catalyzes the final step in the biosynthesis of vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) in plants. In the present study, we report on the biochemical properties of recombinant Arabidopsis thaliana GALDH (AtGALDH). AtGALDH oxidizes, in addition to l-galactono-1,4-lactone (K(m) = 0.17 mm, k(cat) = 134 s(-1)), l-gulono-1,4-lactone (K(m) = 13.1 mm, k(cat) = 4.0 s(-1)) using cytochrome c as an electron acceptor. Aerobic reduction of AtGALDH with the lactone substrate generates the flavin hydroquinone. The two-electron reduced enzyme reacts poorly with molecular oxygen (k(ox) = 6 x 10(2) m(-1).s(-1)). Unlike most flavoprotein dehydrogenases, AtGALDH forms a flavin N5 sulfite adduct. Anaerobic photoreduction involves the transient stabilization of the anionic flavin semiquinone. Most aldonolactone oxidoreductases contain a histidyl-FAD as a covalently bound prosthetic group. AtGALDH lacks the histidine involved in covalent FAD binding, but contains a leucine instead (Leu56). Leu56 replacements did not result in covalent flavinylation but revealed the importance of Leu56 for both FAD-binding and catalysis. The Leu56 variants showed remarkable differences in Michaelis constants for both l-galactono-1,4-lactone and l-gulono-1,4-lactone and released their FAD cofactor more easily than wild-type AtGALDH. The present study provides the first biochemical characterization of AtGALDH and some active site variants. The role of GALDH and the possible involvement of other aldonolactone oxidoreductases in the biosynthesis of vitamin C in A. thaliana are also discussed. 相似文献
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Recent advances in chlorophyll biosynthesis 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
Bollivar DW 《Photosynthesis research》2006,90(2):173-194
The importance of chlorophyll (Chl) to the process of photosynthesis is obvious, and there is clear evidence that the regulation
of Chl biosynthesis has a significant role in the regulation of assembly of the photosynthetic apparatus. The understanding
of Chl biosynthesis has rapidly advanced in recent years. The identification of genetic loci associated with each of the biochemical
steps has been accompanied by a greater appreciation of the role of Chl biosynthesis intermediates in intracellular signaling.
The purpose of this review is to provide a source of information for all the steps in Chl and bacteriochlorophyll a biosynthesis, with an emphasis on steps that are believed to be key regulation points. 相似文献
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David W. Bollivar 《Photosynthesis research》2006,89(3):1-22
The importance of chlorophyll (Chl) to the process of photosynthesis is obvious, and there is clear evidence that the regulation of Chl biosynthesis has a significant role in the regulation of assembly of the photosynthetic apparatus. The understanding of Chl biosynthesis has rapidly advanced in recent years. The identification of genetic loci associated with each of the biochemical steps has been accompanied by a greater appreciation of the role of Chl biosynthesis intermediates in intracellular signaling. The purpose of this review is to provide a source of information for all the steps in Chl and bacteriochlorophyll a biosynthesis, with an emphasis on steps that are believed to be key regulation points. 相似文献
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Recent progress in cellulose biosynthesis 总被引:4,自引:0,他引:4
Cellulose comprises the major polymer of the plant cell wall. It consists of a set of parallel chains composed of glucans
and these chains are highly oriented to form a structure known as a microfibril. The orientation of the microfibrils controls
the extension of the direction of the plant cell. Extensive studies on the cellulose biosynthesis have been carried out for
over three decades, and recently (1996) genes for cellulose biosynthesis in plants (CesA) were isolated. In the year 2002, a specific primer for cellulose biosynthesis reaction has been discovered and cellulose
synthetic activity has been also confirmed by recombinant protein derived from the plant CesA gene. Furthermore, other proteins involved in cellulose biosynthesis besides CesA proteins were also proposed at the same
time. One of these proteins, Korrigan cellulase, was suggested to act by removing sitosterol from the primer for biosynthesis
reaction of cellulose. A membrane-bound sucrose synthase was also suggested to provide UDP-glucose as a substrate for cellulose
biosynthesis. On the basis of these results, a new pathway for cellulose biosynthesis was proposed. Now, the research field
of cellulose biosynthesis is facing a major turning point.
Electronic Publication 相似文献
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二酮哌嗪类化合物生物合成研究进展 总被引:6,自引:0,他引:6
二酮哌嗪类化合物(Diketopiperazines,DKPs)的特征结构是由两个氨基酸通过肽键缩合而成的环二肽(Cyclic dipeptides),稳定的六元环骨架结构使DKPs在药物化学中成为一个重要的药效团,表现出多种生物活性与药理活性,日益引起人们的极大关注。随着现代生物技术和高通量测序技术的飞速发展,人们对DKPs生物合成的分子机制与酶学机理的认识不断深入,DKPs中氨基酸缩合的分子机制主要有两种:非核糖体肽合成酶(Non-ribosomal peptide synthases,NRPSs)途径和环二肽合成酶(Cycliodipeptide synthases,CDPSs)途径。本文就近年来DKPs的生物合成相关研究进展进行了综述。 相似文献
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K N Geluso 《Journal of mammalogy》1978,59(2):312-323
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对羟基苯甲酸(4-Hydroxybenzoate,4HBA)是用途广泛的有机原料,现行的生产工艺是以石油成分合成而得,在环境污染不断恶化、人类生存已经面临威胁之际,开发利用可再生资源的生产工艺已成为全球当务之急。本综述在简要介绍从石油成分合成4HBA之后,主要阐述利用植物和微生物从可再生资源合成4HBA的研究进展。莽草酸途径是生物合成芳香族化合物的重要途径,从该途径的最终产物分支酸到4HBA有两条途径。一条是分支酸裂解酶直接催化分支酸生成4HBA(莽草酸-分支酸路线)。另外一条途径是在植物细胞内引入荧光假单胞菌Pseudomonas fluorescens的对羟基肉桂酸-Co A裂解酶打通从苯丙素合成4HBA的通路(植物苯丙素路线)。最后介绍了一个天然合成积累4HBA的微泡菌Microbulbifer,并对其深入研究进行了展望。 相似文献
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M S Duffield J I Phillips E Vieira-Makings J Van der Westhuyzen J Metz 《Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C, Comp. Pharmacol. Toxicol.》1990,96(2):291-297
1. Vitamin B12 deficiency induced in the fruit bat by a combination of dietary deprivation and exposure to nitrous oxide (N2O) is accompanied by profound neurological impairment, thus providing an experimental model for the study of vitamin B12 neuropathy. 2. Electron microscopy of the spinal cord of vitamin B12 deficient bats shows marked changes in the myelin of the posterior columns in the form of distension, separation and vacuolation of myelin lamellae similar to the changes described in the dietary induced B12 deficient monkey model. 3. No equivalent change occurred in bats exposed to N2O and supplemented with vitamin B12. 相似文献
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Almeida J Quadrana L Asís R Setta N de Godoy F Bermúdez L Otaiza SN Corrêa da Silva JV Fernie AR Carrari F Rossi M 《Journal of experimental botany》2011,62(11):3781-3798
Vegetables are critical for human health as they are a source of multiple vitamins including vitamin E (VTE). In plants, the synthesis of VTE compounds, tocopherol and tocotrienol, derives from precursors of the shikimate and methylerythritol phosphate pathways. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for α-tocopherol content in ripe fruit have previously been determined in an Solanum pennellii tomato introgression line population. In this work, variations of tocopherol isoforms (α, β, γ, and δ) in ripe fruits of these lines were studied. In parallel all tomato genes structurally associated with VTE biosynthesis were identified and mapped. Previously identified VTE QTL on chromosomes 6 and 9 were confirmed whilst novel ones were identified on chromosomes 7 and 8. Integrated analysis at the metabolic, genetic and genomic levels allowed us to propose 16 candidate loci putatively affecting tocopherol content in tomato. A comparative analysis revealed polymorphisms at nucleotide and amino acid levels between Solanum lycopersicum and S. pennellii candidate alleles. Moreover, evolutionary analyses showed the presence of codons evolving under both neutral and positive selection, which may explain the phenotypic differences between species. These data represent an important step in understanding the genetic determinants of VTE natural variation in tomato fruit and as such in the ability to improve the content of this important nutriceutical. 相似文献
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Habitat loss and fragmentation are the most important causes of biological diversity loss, changing the properties of the remaining environment. The Neotropical Region is one of the most affected areas due to the conversion of natural habitats into agricultural activities and deforestation. In this region, bats represent almost 50% of all mammal species, reaching the highest taxonomic and functional diversity. Bats are valuable indicators of biodiversity and ecosystem health, but their response to habitat loss and fragmentation was poorly studied in Argentina. The aim of this study was to analyze the response of bat assemblages to habitat alteration in Northwestern Argentina. The specimens were collected in eight different localities, four well-preserved and four disturbed sites of the Yungas Forests. To describe the structure of bat assemblages, rank-abundance curves, species richness and Shannon (H’) and Simpson (D’) diversity indexes were calculated. To test the assemblage variations among sites, PCA and NPMANOVA analysis were performed. After 96 sampling nights, a total of 565 bats from 23 species were captured. A great variation in the assemblage structure was registered, regardless the disturbance level of the sites. These variations were not significantly different according to statistical analysis. The results support the hypothesis that areas with moderate fragmentation can sustain a high diversity of bat species. Moreover, these results showed that consistent responses to landscape composition at the assemblage level are harder to identify in fragmented Neotropical Forests. The responses of bats to habitat alteration tend to be highly species-specific. 相似文献
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Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is a cobalt-containing modified tetrapyrrole that is an essential nutrient for higher animals. Its biosynthesis is restricted to certain bacteria and requires approximately 30 enzymatic steps for its complete de novo construction. Remarkably, two distinct biosynthetic pathways exist, which are termed the aerobic and anaerobic routes. The anaerobic pathway has yet to be fully characterized due to the inherent instability of its oxygen-sensitive intermediates. Bacillus megaterium, a bacterium previously used for the commercial production of cobalamin, has a complete anaerobic pathway and this organism is now being used to investigate the anaerobic B12 pathway through the application of recent advances in recombinant protein production. The present paper provides a summary of recent findings in the anaerobic pathway and future perspectives. 相似文献