An ATP and Oxalate Generating Variant Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Counters Aluminum Toxicity in Pseudomonas fluorescens

Although the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is essential in almost all aerobic organisms, its precise modulation and integration in global cellular metabolism is not fully understood. Here, we report on an alternative TCA cycle uniquely aimed at generating ATP and oxalate, two metabolites critical for the survival of Pseudomonas fluorescens. The upregulation of isocitrate lyase (ICL) and acylating glyoxylate dehydrogenase (AGODH) led to the enhanced synthesis of oxalate, a dicarboxylic acid involved in the immobilization of aluminum (Al). The increased activity of succinyl-CoA synthetase (SCS) and oxalate CoA-transferase (OCT) in the Al-stressed cells afforded an effective route to ATP synthesis from oxalyl-CoA via substrate level phosphorylation. This modified TCA cycle with diminished efficacy in NADH production and decreased CO₂-evolving capacity, orchestrates the synthesis of oxalate, NADPH, and ATP, ingredients pivotal to the survival of P. fluorescens in an Al environment. The channeling of succinyl-CoA towards ATP formation may be an important function of the TCA cycle during anaerobiosis, Fe starvation and O₂-limited conditions.     

Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Enzymes and Morphogenesis in Blastocladiella emersonii

During exponential growth, ordinary colorless (OC) plants of Blastocladiella emersonii consumed little glucose and produced no lactic acid. Similarly, resistant sporangial (RS) plants did not utilize glucose or produce lactic acid during the first 24 hr of exponential growth. During the next 24 hr of RS development, glucose was consumed with the concomitant production of lactic acid which was then reutilized. Lactic acid gradually accumulated again at maturity. Enzyme studies on cell-free extracts indicated the presence of all tricarboxylic cycle enzymes except α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase at all stages of development of both RS and OC plants. Included among the enzymes detected were an adenosine monophosphate-stimulated, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-isocitric dehydrogenase, and citrate-condensing enzyme. When measured on a per plant basis, tricarboxylic cycle enzyme levels increased during the exponential growth of both kinds of plants. Only after the bicarbonate ceased to have effect on RS plant morphogenesis was there a decrease in the levels of the tricarboxylic cycle enzymes when measured on a per plant basis. Specific activity measurements indicated some differences in the differential rates of synthesis among the enzymes studied previous to 36 hr. Preliminary studies utilizing short periods of ¹⁴C-bicarbonate fixation in young RS plants indicated that during the first 4 min most of the label was located in aspartic acid. These results are discussed in terms of previous results and particularly Cantino's hypothesis concerning the relationship between bicarbonate induction and tricarboxylic-cycle enzymes in the morphogenesis of B. emersonii.     

Sporulation of Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Mutants of Bacillus subtilis

A mutant of Bacillus subtilis 168 lacking aconitase (EC 4.2.1.3) was found to be blocked at stage 0 or I of sporulation. Although adenosine triphosphate levels, which normally decrease in tricarboxylic acid cycle mutants at the completion of exponential growth, could be maintained at higher levels by feeding metabolizable carbon sources, this did not permit the cells to progress further into the sporulation sequence. When post-exponential-phase cells of mutants blocked in the first half of the tricarboxylic acid cycle were resuspended with an energy source in culture fluid from post-exponential-phase wild-type B. subtilis or Escherichia coli, good sporulation occurred. The spores produced retained the mutant genotype and were heat stable but lost refractility and heat stability several hours after their production.     

Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Activity in Mitochondria from Soybean Nodules and Cotyledons

Infected cells of soybean (Glycine max) nodules require NADH,ATP, and 2-oxoglutarate for ammonia assimilation. The role ofmitochondria in nodule metabolism was investigated by determiningtheir respiratory properties and comparing them with cotyledonmitochondria. Nodule mitochondria oxidized malate at a ratetwice that of any other NAD-linked substrate although theirmalic enzyme activity was very low, accounting for only 12%of malate oxidation at pH 6.4 compared to 56% for cotyledonmitochondria. The reduction of NAD⁺ in mitochondria of noduleson adding malate (determined by fluorescence) was rapid andreached a stable level, whereas in cotyledon mitochondria theNADH level declined rapidly as oxaloacetate accumulated. Anoxaloacetate scavenging system in the mitochondrial reactionmedium increased malate oxidation by cotyledon mitochondria4-fold, but increased that of nodule mitochondria by less than50%. This demonstrates that the efflux of oxaloacetate by theoxaloacetate carrier is highly regulated by the extra-mitochondrialoxaloacetate concentration in cotyledon mitochondria comparedto nodule mitochondria. The activity of TCA cycle enzymes, exceptmalate and succinate dehydrogenases, was low in nodule mitochondria.Their oxaloacetate export during malate oxidation was rapid.The aspartate amino transferase activity associated with nodulemitochondria was sufficient to account for significant formationof 2-oxoglutarate from oxaloacetate and glutamate. These resultssuggest that nodule mitochondria operate a truncated form ofthe TCA cycle and primarily oxidize malate to provide oxaloacetateand ATP for NH₃ assimilation. Key words: Glycine max (L.), nitrogen fixation, gluconeogenesis, respiration     

Isolation and Characterization of Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Mutants of Bacillus subtilis

A technique was developed for the detection, on agar, of mutants of Bacillus subtilis that lacked a functional tricarboxylic acid cycle. Mutants devoid of detectable levels of aconitase, isocitric dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, succinic dehydrogenase, fumarase, and malate dehydrogenase have been isolated and characterized. Several mutants with conditionally expressible lesions, including a mutant with a heat-sensitive citrate synthase, have also been isolated. All of the mutants examined express all the biochemical markers normally absent in early-stage sporulation mutants except elastase, and some of these mutants sporulated nearly as well as the prototroph.     

Sporulation of Bacillus thuringiensis Without Concurrent Derepression of the Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle

Bacillus thuringiensis sporulates in a glucose-glutamate medium without concurrent derepression of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Glutamate appears to regulate tricarboxylic acid cycle activity as well as to influence spore heat resistance and production of dipicolinic acid.     

The Effect of Anaerobiosis on Acids of the Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle in Peas

Maturing seeds of the pea (Pisum sativum) were subjected to24 hours' anaerobiosis and then returned to air. Carbon-dioxideevolution was estimated. At intervals samples were analysedfor their content of organic acids by silica gel and paper chromatographyand for bound carbon dioxide. During the anaerobic period there was a large accumulation oflactate, an initial increase of succinate, and a slow, continuingdecrease of malate and citrate. On return to air the main changes were a fall in the concentrationof lactate and succinate, a rise in malate and acetate, anda rapid rise followed by a fall of pyruvate and -oxo-glutarate. Comparison of these changes with each other and with the rateof production of carbon dioxide shows that they do not fit apattern based on the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The possibilitythat this was the result of a system of ‘pools’of these acids is considered.     

Estimated Drainage of Carbon from the Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle for Protein Synthesis in Suspension Cultures of Paul's Scarlet Rose Cells

The amount of carbon (μmoles of carbon atoms) drained from the tricarboxylic acid cycle for protein synthesis was compared with μmoles of CO₂ released from the cycle at 2-day intervals during the growth of suspension cultures of Paul's Scarlet rose. We concluded that during the period of most rapid protein synthesis (day 0-4) one-sixth as much carbon was drained from the tricarboxylic acid cycle for protein synthesis as was released as CO₂. By day 8, one-thirtieth of the amount of carbon released as CO₂ was incorporated into protein. Net protein synthesis stopped on day 8, but the evolution of CO₂/culture continued at its maximum rate until day 10.     

Nonfunctional Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle and the Mechanism of Glutamate Biosynthesis in Acetobacter suboxydans

Acetobacter suboxydans does not contain an active tricarboxylic acid cycle, yet two pathways have been suggested for glutamate synthesis from acetate catalyzed by cell extracts: a partial tricarboxylic acid cycle following an initial condensation of oxalacetate and acetyl coenzyme A. and the citramalate-mesaconate pathway following an initial condensation of pyruvate and acetyl coenzyme A. To determine which pathway functions in growing cells, acetate-1-(14)C was added to a culture growing in minimal medium. After growth had ceased, cells were recovered and fractionated. Radioactive glutamate was isolated from the cellular protein fraction, and the position of the radioactive label was determined. Decarboxylation of the C5 carbon removed 100% of the radioactivity found in the purified glutamate fraction. These experiments establish that growing cells synthesize glutamate via a partial tricarboxylic acid cycle. Aspartate isolated from these hydrolysates was not radioactive, thus providing further evidence for the lack of a complete tricarboxylic acid cycle. When cell extracts were analyzed, activity of all tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes, except succinate dehydrogenase, was demonstrated.     

Biosynthesis of Glutamic Acid in Saccharomyces: Accumulation of Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Intermediates in a Glutamate Auxotroph

Aconitaseless glutamic acid auxotroph MO-1-9B of Saccharomyces grew in glutamic acid-supplemented minimal medium, but failed to grow when glutamic acid was substituted by proline, arginine, ornithine, or glutamine. This mutant was also unable to utilize lactate or glycerol as a carbon source. Under a glutamic acid-limiting condition, by using acetate-1-(14)C as tracer, the mutant accumulated rather large amounts of (14)C-citric acid and (14)C-succinic acid when compared with the wild-type strain. Under excess glutamic acid supplementation, accumulation of citric acid and succinic acid was considerably reduced. When (14)C-glutamic acid-(U) was used as tracer, (14)C-alpha-ketoglutaric acid, (14)C-citric acid, and (14)C-succinic acid were accumulated in the mutant. The citric acid peak was the largest, followed by alpha-ketoglutaric acid and succinic acid. In the wild-type strain under similar conditions, only small amounts of (14)C-citric acid and (14)C-succinic acid and no (14)C-alpha-ketoglutaric acid were accumulated.     

Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle and One-Carbon Metabolism Pathways Are Important in Edwardsiella ictaluri Virulence

Edwardsiella ictaluri is a Gram-negative facultative intracellular pathogen causing enteric septicemia of channel catfish (ESC). The disease causes considerable economic losses in the commercial catfish industry in the United States. Although antibiotics are used as feed additive, vaccination is a better alternative for prevention of the disease. Here we report the development and characterization of novel live attenuated E. ictaluri mutants. To accomplish this, several tricarboxylic acid cycle (sdhC, mdh, and frdA) and one-carbon metabolism genes (gcvP and glyA) were deleted in wild type E. ictaluri strain 93-146 by allelic exchange. Following bioluminescence tagging of the E. ictaluri ΔsdhC, Δmdh, ΔfrdA, ΔgcvP, and ΔglyA mutants, their dissemination, attenuation, and vaccine efficacy were determined in catfish fingerlings by in vivo imaging technology. Immunogenicity of each mutant was also determined in catfish fingerlings. Results indicated that all of the E. ictaluri mutants were attenuated significantly in catfish compared to the parent strain as evidenced by 2,265-fold average reduction in bioluminescence signal from all the mutants at 144 h post-infection. Catfish immunized with the E. ictaluri ΔsdhC, Δmdh, ΔfrdA, and ΔglyA mutants had 100% relative percent survival (RPS), while E. ictaluri ΔgcvP vaccinated catfish had 31.23% RPS after re-challenge with the wild type E. ictaluri.     

Effect of Different Nutritional Conditions on the Synthesis of Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Enzymes

The effect of various nutritional conditions on the levels of Krebs cycle enzymes in Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis, and Escherichia coli was determined. The addition of glutamate, alpha-ketoglutarate, or compounds capable of being catabolized to glutamate, to a minimal glucose medium resulted in complete repression of aconitase in B. subtilis and B. licheniformis. The synthesis of fumarase, succinic dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase, and isocitric dehydrogenase was not repressed by these compounds. It is postulated that glutamate or alpha-ketoglutarate is the true corepressor for the repression of aconitase. A rapidly catabolizable carbon source and alpha-ketoglutarate or glutamate must be simultaneously present for complete repression of the formation of aconitase. Conditions which repress the synthesis of aconitase in B. subtilis restrict the flow of carbon in the sequence of reactions leading to alpha-ketoglutarate but do not prevent glutamate oxidation in vivo. The data indicate that separate and independent mechanisms regulate the activity of the anabolic and catabolic reactions of the Krebs cycle in B. subtilis and B. licheniformis. The addition of glutamate to the minimal glucose medium results in the repression of aconitase, isocitric dehydrogenase, and fumarase, but not malic dehydrogenase in E. coli K-38.     

Selective Inhibition of the Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle of GABAergic Neurons with 3-Nitropropionic Acid In Vivo

Abstract: The effects of 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA), an inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase, on cerebral metabolism were investigated in mice by NMR spectroscopy. 3-NPA, 180 mg/kg, caused a dramatic buildup of succinate. Succinate was labeled 5.5 times better from [1-¹³C]glucose than from [2-¹³C]acetate, showing a predominantly neuronal accumulation. [1-¹³C]Glucose labeled GABA in the C-2 position only, compatible with inhibition of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle associated with GABA formation, at the level of succinate dehydrogenase. Aspartate was not labeled by [1-¹³C]glucose in 3-NPA-intoxicated animals. In contrast, [1-¹³C]glucose labeled glutamate in the C-2, C-3, and C-4 positions showing uninhibited cycling of label in the TCA cycle associated with the large, neuronal pool of glutamate. The labeling of glutamine, and hence GABA, from [2-¹³C]acetate showed that the TCA cycle of glial cells was unaffected by 3-NPA and that transfer of glutamine from glia to neurons took place during 3-NPA intoxication. The high ¹³C enrichment of the C-2 position of glutamine from [1-¹³C]glucose showed that pyruvate carboxylation was active in glia during 3-NPA intoxication. These findings suggest that 3-NPA in the initial phase of intoxication fairly selectively inhibited the TCA cycle of GABAergic neurons; whereas the TCA cycle of glia remained uninhibited as did the TCA cycle associated with the large neuronal pool of glutamate, which includes glutamatergic neurons. This may help explain why the caudoputamen, which is especially rich in GABAergic neurons, selectively undergoes degeneration both in humans and animals intoxicated with 3-NPA. Further, the present results may be of relevance for the study of basal ganglia disorders such as Huntington's disease.     

Abundance of Reverse Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Genes in Free-Living Microorganisms at Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents

Since the discovery of hydrothermal vents more than 25 years ago, the Calvin-Bassham-Benson (Calvin) cycle has been considered the principal carbon fixation pathway in this microbe-based ecosystem. However, on the basis of recent molecular data of cultured free-living and noncultured episymbiotic members of the epsilon subdivision of Proteobacteria and earlier carbon isotope data of primary consumers, an alternative autotrophic pathway may predominate. Here, genetic and culture-based approaches demonstrated the abundance of reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle genes compared to the abundance of Calvin cycle genes in microbial communities from two geographically distinct deep-sea hydrothermal vents. PCR with degenerate primers for three key genes in the reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle and form I and form II of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Calvin cycle marker gene) were utilized to demonstrate the abundance of the reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle genes in diverse vent samples. These genes were also expressed in at least one chimney sample. Diversity, similarity matrix, and phylogenetic analyses of cloned samples and amplified gene products from autotrophic enrichment cultures suggest that the majority of autotrophs that utilize the reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle are members of the epsilon subdivision of Proteobacteria. These results parallel the results of previously published molecular surveys of 16S rRNA genes, demonstrating the dominance of members of the epsilon subdivision of Proteobacteria in free-living hydrothermal vent communities. Members of the epsilon subdivision of Proteobacteria are also ubiquitous in many other microaerophilic to anaerobic sulfidic environments, such as the deep subsurface. Therefore, the reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle may be a major autotrophic pathway in these environments and significantly contribute to global autotrophic processes.     

γ-Aminobutyric Acid Pathway and Modified Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Activity During Growth and Sporulation of Bacillus thuringiensis

Enzymatic analyses of Bacillus thuringiensis extracts suggest that a modified Krebs tricarboxylic acid cycle (without alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase) can operate during sporulation in conjunction with the glyoxylic acid cycle and the gamma-aminobutyric acid pathway.     

Factors Affecting the Pathways of Glucose Catabolism and the Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle in Pseudomonas natriegens

Less than 50% of theoretical oxygen uptake was observed when glucose was dissimilated by resting cells of Pseudomonas natriegens. Low oxygen uptakes were also observed when a variety of other substrates were dissimilated. When uniformly labeled glucose-(14)C was used as substrate, 56% of the label was shown to accumulate in these resting cells. This material consisted, in part, of a polysaccharide which, although it did not give typical glycogen reactions, yielded glucose after its hydrolysis. Resting cells previously cultivated on media containing glucose completely catabolized glucose and formed a large amount of pyruvate within 30 min. Resting cells cultivated in the absence of glucose catabolized glucose more slowly and produced little pyruvate. Pyruvate disappeared after further incubation. In this latter case, experimental results suggested (i) that pyruvate was converted to other acidic products (e.g., acetate and lactate) and (ii) that pyruvate was further catabolized via the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Growth on glucose repressed the level of key enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and of lactic dehydrogenase. Growth on glycerol stimulated the level of these enzymes. A low level of isocitratase, but not malate synthetase, was noted in extracts of glucose-grown cells. Isocitric dehydrogenase was shown to require nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) as cofactor. Previous experiments have shown that reduced NADP (NADPH(2)) cannot be readily oxidized and that pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase could not be detected in extracts. It was concluded that acetate, lactate, and pyruvate accumulate under growing conditions when P. natriegens is cultivated on glucose (i) because of a rapid initial catabolism of glucose via an aerobic glycolytic pathway and (ii) because of a sluggishly functioning tricarboxylic acid cycle due to the accumulation of NADPH(2) and to repressed levels of key enzymes.     

Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Enzymes in Tetrahymena pyriformis after Infection of the Cockroach Periplaneta americana1

SYNOPSIS. Activities of enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in extracts of Tetrahymena pyriformis S, axenically recovered after living in the hemocoel of female cockroaches Periplaneta americana for 48 hr, were compared with activities in ciliates not exposed to the cockroach. Malic dehydrogenase activity was depressed after recovery from the cockroach; isocitric and succinic dehydrogenases and α-ketoglutaric oxidase activities were unchanged. Citrate synthetase activity was increased, and pyruvi oxidase activity decreased, after ciliates had been in the cockroach. These alterations persisted for several hundred generations after recovery from the insect.