Active-site-directed inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase by 3-chloropropionyl coenzyme A

3-Chloropropionyl coenzyme A (3-chloropropionyl-CoA) irreversibly inhibits avian liver 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase (HMG-CoA synthase). Enzyme inactivation follows pseudo-first-order kinetics and is retarded in the presence of substrates, suggesting that covalent labeling occurs at the active site. A typical rate saturation effect is observed when inactivation kinetics are measured as a function of 3-chloropropionyl-CoA concentration. These data indicate a Ki = 15 microM for the inhibitor and a limiting kinact = 0.31 min-1. [1-14C]-3-Chloropropionyl-CoA binds covalently to enzyme with a stoichiometry (0.7 per site) similar to that measured for acetylation of enzyme by acetyl-CoA. While the acetylated enzyme formed upon incubation of HMG-CoA synthase with acetyl-CoA is labile to performic acid oxidation, the adduct formed upon 3-chloropropionyl-CoA inactivation is stable to such treatment. Therefore, such an adduct cannot solely involve a thio ester linkage. Exhaustive Pronase digestion of [14C]-3-chloropropionyl-CoA-labeled enzyme produces a radioactive compound which cochromatographs with authentic carboxyethylcysteine using reverse-phase/ion-pairing high-pressure liquid chromatography and both silica and cellulose thin-layer chromatography systems. This suggests that enzyme inactivation is due to alkylation of an active-site cysteine residue.     

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase from ox liver. Properties of its acetyl derivative.

Ox liver mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase (EC 4.1.3.5) reacts with acetyl-CoA to form a complex in which the acetyl group is covalently bound to the enzyme. This acetyl group can be removed by addition of acetoacetyl-CoA or CoA. The extent of acetylation and release of CoA were found to be highly temperature-dependent. At temperatures above 20 degrees C, a maximum value of 0.85 mol of acetyl group bound/mol of enzyme dimer was observed. Below this temperature the extent of rapid acetylation was significantly lowered. Binding stoichiometries close to 1 mol/mol of enzyme dimer were also observed when the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase activity was titrated with methyl methanethiosulphonate or bromoacetyl-CoA. This is taken as evidence for a 'half-of-the-sites' reaction mechanism for the formation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA by 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase. The Keq. for the acetylation was about 10. Isolated acetyl-enzyme is stable for many hours at 0 degrees C and pH 7, but is hydrolysed at 30 degrees C with a half-life of 7 min. This hydrolysis is stimulated by acetyl-CoA and slightly by succinyl-CoA, but not by desulpho-CoA. The site of acetylation has been identified as the thiol group of a reactive cysteine residue by affinity-labelling with the substrate analogue bromo[1-14C]acetyl-CoA.     

An enzyme-bound intermediate in the biosynthesis of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A

1. Purified 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase from baker's yeast (free from acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase activity) catalysed an exchange of acetyl moiety between 3'-dephospho-CoA and CoA. The exchange rate was comparable with the overall velocity of synthesis of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA. 2. Acetyl-CoA reacted with the synthase, giving a rapid ;burst' release of CoA proportional in amount to the quantity of enzyme present. The ;burst' of CoA was released from acetyl-CoA, propionyl-CoA and succinyl-CoA (3-carboxypropionyl-CoA) but not from acetoacetyl-CoA, hexanoyl-CoA, dl-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA, or other derivatives of glutaryl-CoA. 3. Incubation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase with [1-(14)C]acetyl-CoA yielded protein-bound acetyl groups. The K(eq.) for the acetylation was 1.2 at pH7.0 and 4 degrees C. Acetyl-labelled synthase was isolated free from [1-(14)C]acetyl-CoA by rapid gel filtration at pH6.1. The [1-(14)C]acetyl group was removed from the protein by treatment with hydroxylamine, CoA or acetoacetyl-CoA but not by acid. When CoA or acetoacetyl-CoA was present the radioactive product was [1-(14)C]acetyl-CoA or 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-[(14)C]glutaryl-CoA respectively. 4. The isolated [1-(14)C]acetyl-enzyme was slowly hydrolysed at pH6.1 and 4 degrees C with a first-order rate constant of 0.005min(-1). This rate could be stimulated either by raising the pH to 7.0 or by the addition of desulpho-CoA. 5. These properties are interpreted in terms of a mechanism in which 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA synthase is acetylated by acetyl-CoA to give a stable acetyl-enzyme, which then condenses with acetoacetyl-CoA yielding a covalent derivative between 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA and the enzyme which is then rapidly hydrolysed to free enzyme and product.     

Chemical events in chloropropionyl coenzyme A inactivation of acyl coenzyme A utilizing enzymes

Incubation of 3-chloropropionyl-CoA with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase results in exchange of the C2 proton with solvent as inactivation of enzyme proceeds. This enzyme is also inhibited by S-acrylyl-N-acetylcysteamine; the limiting rate constant for inactivation by the acrylyl derivative (0.36 min-1) slightly exceeds the value measured for chloropropionyl-CoA (0.31 min-1). These observations support the intermediacy of acrylyl-CoA in the chloropropionyl-CoA-dependent inactivation of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase. Inhibition of fatty acid synthase by chloropropionyl-CoA is primarily due to alkylation of a reactive cysteine, although secondary reaction with the enzyme's pantetheinyl sulfhydryl occurs. Modification of fatty acid synthase by S-acrylyl-N-acetylcysteamine occurs at a limiting rate (1.8 min-1) that is comparable to that estimated for chloropropionyl-CoA-dependent inactivation. However, this enzyme lacks the ability to deprotonate C2 of an acyl group such as the chloropropionyl moiety. Since such a step would be required to generate an acrylyl group from chloropropionyl-S-enzyme, it is likely that a typical affinity labeling process accounts for inactivation of fatty acid synthase by chloropropionyl-CoA. HMG-CoA lyase is also inhibited by S-acrylyl-N-acetylcysteamine. In contrast to the ability of this reagent to serve as a mechanism-based inhibitor of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase and an affinity label of fatty acid synthase, it acts as a group-specific reagent in modifying HMG-CoA lyase (kappa 2 = 86.7 M-1 min-1).     

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase. Evidence for an acetyl-S-enzyme intermediate and identification of a cysteinyl sulfhydryl as the site of acetylation.

Homogeneous liver 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase, which catalyzes the condensation of acetyl-CoA with acetoacetyl-CoA to form 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA, also carries out: (a) a rapid transacetylation from acetyl-CoA to 31-dephospho-CoA and (b) a slow hydrolysis of acetyl-CoA to acetate and CoA. Transacetylation and hydrolysis occur at 50 and 1 percent, respectively, the rate of the synthasecatalyzed condensation reaction. It appears that an acetyl-enzyme intermediate is involved in the transacetylase and hydrolase reactions of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase, as well as in the over-all condensation process. Covalent binding to the enzyme of a [14C]acetyl group contributed by [1(-14)C]acetyl-CoA is indicated by migration of the [14C]acetyl group with the dissociated synthase upon electrophoresis in dodecyl sulfate-urea and by precipitation of [14C]acetyl-enzyme with trichloroacetic acid. At 0 degrees and a saturating level of acetyl-CoA, the synthase is rapidly (less than 20 s) acetylated yielding 0.6 acetyl group/enzyme dimer. Performic acid oxidation completely deacetylates the enzyme, suggesting the site of acetylation to be a cysteinyl sulfhydryl group. Proteolytic digestion of [14C]acetyl-S-enzyme under conditions favorable for intramolecular S to N acetyl group transfer quantitatively liberates a labeled derivative with a [14C]acetyl group stable to performic acid oxidation. The labeled oxidation product is identified as N-[14C]acetylcysteic acid, thus demonstrating a cysteinyl sulfhydryl group as the original site of acetylation. The ability of the acetylated enzyme, upon addition of acetoacetyl-CoA, to form 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA indicates that the acetylated cysteine residue is at the catalytic site.     

Affinity labeling of the catalytic and AMP allosteric sites of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase kinase by 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine

The nucleotide analogue 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine (FSBA) reacts irreversibly with rat liver cytosolic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase kinase, causing a rapid loss of the AMP activation capacity and a slower inactivation of the catalytic activity. The rate constant for loss of AMP activation is about 10 times higher (kappa 1 = 0.112 min-1) than the rate constant of inactivation (kappa 2 = 0.0106 min-1). There is a good correspondence between the time-dependent inactivation of reductase kinase and the time-dependent incorporation of 5'-p-sulfonylbenzoyl[14C]adenosine ([14C]SBA). An average of 1.65 mol of reagent/mol of enzyme subunit is bound when reductase kinase is completely inactivated. The time-dependent incorporation is consistent with the postulate that covalent reaction of 1 mol of SBA/mol of subunit causes complete loss of AMP activation, whereas reaction of another mole of SBA/mol of subunit would lead to total inactivation. Protection against inactivation by the reagent is provided by the addition of Mg2+, AMP, Mg-ATP, or Mg-AMP to the incubation mixtures. In contrast, addition of ATP, 2'-AMP, or 3'-AMP has no effect on the rate constants. Mg-ATP protects preferentially the catalytic site against inactivation, whereas Mg-AMP at low concentration protects preferentially the allosteric site. Mg-ADP affords less protection than Mg-AMP to the allosteric site when both nucleotides are present at a concentration of 50 microM with 7.5 mM Mg2+. Experiments done with [14C]FSBA in the presence of some protectants have shown that a close correlation exists between the pattern of protection observed and the binding of [14C]SBA. The postulate is that there exists a catalytic site and an allosteric site in the reductase kinase subunit and that Mg-AMP is the main allosteric activator of the enzyme.     

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase from ox liver. Purification, molecular and catalytic properties.

Mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase (EC 4.1.3.5) was purified to homogeneity from ox liver and obtained essentially free from acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase activity. The purification procedure included substrate elution from cellulose phosphate and chromatofocusing. The relative molecular mas was about 100 000 and S20,w0 was 6.36S. The enzyme appears to be a dimer of identical subunits (Mr 47 900). The Km for acetoacetyl-CoA is extremely low (less than 0.5 microM), and acetoacetyl-CoA (Acac-CoA) gives marked substrate inhibition (KiAcac-CoA = 3.5 microM) that is competitive with respect to acetyl-CoA. Both CoA and DL-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA give mixed product inhibition with respect to acetyl-CoA, which is compatible with a Ping Pong mechanism in which both products can form kinetically significant complexes with two forms of the enzyme. The two forms are most likely to be free enzyme and an acetyl-enzyme intermediate.     

The kinetic mechanism of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase from baker''s yeast

1. The effect of independent variation of both acetyl-CoA and acetoacetyl-CoA on the initial velocity at pH8.0 and pH8.9 gives results compatible with a sequential mechanism involving a modified enzyme tentatively identified as an acetyl-enzyme, resulting from the reaction with acetyl-CoA in the first step of a Ping Pong (Cleland, 1963a) reaction. 2. Acetoacetyl-CoA gives marked substrate inhibition that is competitive with acetyl-CoA. This suggests formation of a dead-end complex with the unacetylated enzyme and is in accord with the inhibition pattern given by 3-oxohexanoyl-CoA, an inactive analogue of acetoacetyl-CoA. 3. The inhibition pattern given by products of the reaction is compatible with the above mechanism. CoA gives mixed inhibition with respect to both substrates, whereas dl-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA competes with acetyl-CoA but gives uncompetitive inhibition with respect to acetoacetyl-CoA. 4. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA analogues lacking the 3-hydroxyl group are found to compete, like 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA, with acetyl-CoA but have K(i) values ninefold higher, indicating the importance of the 3-hydroxyl group in the interaction. 5. A comparison of inhibition by CoA and desulpho-CoA at pH8.0 and pH8.9 shows that at the higher pH value a kinetically significant reversal of the formation of acetyl-enzyme can occur. 6. Acetyl-CoA homologues do not act as substrates and compete only with acetyl-CoA. A study of the variation of K(i) with acyl-chain length suggests the presence near the active centre of a hydrophobic region. 7. These results are discussed in terms of a kinetic mechanism in which there is only one CoA-binding site the specificity of which is altered by acetylation of the enzyme. 8. The rate of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthesis in yeast is calculated from the kinetic constants determined for purified 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase and from estimates of the physiological substrate concentrations. The rate of synthesis of 12nmol of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA/min per g wet wt. of yeast is still greater than the rate of utilization in spite of the extremely low (calculated) acetoacetyl-CoA concentration (1.8nm).     

The purification and some properties of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase from baker''s yeast

1. A purification of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase from baker's yeast is described. This yields a preparation of average specific activity 2.1 units (mumol/min)/mg in which contamination by acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase is less than 0.2%. 2. The molecular weights of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase and acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase from baker's yeast were determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The values obtained were 130000 and 190000 respectively. 3. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase is susceptible to irreversible inhibition by a wide variety of alkylating and acylating agents. The time-course of inhibition of the enzyme by some of these, including the active-site-directed inhibitor bromoacetyl-CoA, was studied in the presence and absence of substrates, products and product analogues. Acetyl-CoA, even when present at concentrations as low as 5mum, gives almost complete protection. Other acyl-CoA derivatives give some protection, but only at concentrations 10-30-fold higher. 4. These results are discussed with reference to an ordered reaction pathway in which acetyl-CoA reacts to give a covalent acetyl-enzyme intermediate.     

Control of hepatic mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase during the foetal/neonatal transition, suckling and weaning in the rat.

(1) We assayed active and total (i.e. active plus succinylated) 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) synthase in mitochondria isolated from foetal, neonatal, suckling or weaned rats. (2) HMG-CoA synthase was substantially succinylated and inactivated in mitochondria isolated from term-foetal, (1-h-old, 6-h-old, 1-day-old) neonatal, suckling and high carbohydrate/low-fat (hc)-weaned rats. Succinylation of HMG-CoA synthase was very low in mitochondria isolated from the livers of foetal, 30-min-old neonatal and high-fat/carbohydrate-free (hf)-weaned rats. (3) There was a negative correlation between active HMG-CoA synthase and succinyl-CoA content in mitochondria isolated from term-foetal, suckling and hc-weaned rats. (4) Differences in active enzyme could not be entirely accounted for by differences in succinylation and inactivation of the synthase. Immunoassay confirmed that the absolute amounts of mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase increased during the foetal/neonatal transition and decreased with hc weaning. The levels remained elevated with hf weaning. (5) From these data we propose that mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase is controlled by two different mechanisms in young rats. Regulation by succinylation provides a mechanism for rapid modification of existing enzyme in response to changing metabolic states. Changes in the absolute amounts of HMG-CoA synthase provide a more long-term control in response to nutritional changes.     

Treatment of rats with glucagon or mannoheptulose increases mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase activity and decreases succinyl-CoA content in liver.

1. The activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) synthase (EC 4.1.3.5) in extracts of rapidly frozen rat livers was doubled in animals treated in various ways to increase ketogenic flux. 2. Some 90% of the activity measured was mitochondrial, and changes in mitochondrial activity dominated changes in total enzyme activity. 3. The elevated HMG-CoA synthase activities persisted throughout the isolation of liver mitochondria. 4. Intramitochondrial succinyl-CoA content was lower in whole liver homogenates and in mitochondria isolated from animals treated with glucagon or mannoheptulose. 5. HMG-CoA synthase activity in mitochondria from both ox and rat liver was negatively correlated with intramitochondrial succinyl-CoA levels when these were manipulated artificially. Under these conditions, the differences between mitochondria from control and hormone-treated rats were abolished. 6. These findings show that glucagon can decrease intramitochondrial succinyl-CoA concentration, and that this in turn can regulate mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase. They support the hypothesis that the formation of ketone bodies from acetyl-CoA may be regulated by the extent of succinylation of mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase.     

Preparation of bromo[1-14C]acetyl-coenzyme A as an affinity label for acetyl-coenzyme A binding sites

Bromo[1-14C]acetyl-CoA has been prepared from CoASH and the N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of bromo[1-14C]acetic acid, and unlabeled bromoacetyl-CoA by reaction of CoASH with bromoacetyl bromide. The products were purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Purified bromoacetyl-CoA was characterized, and found to be a potent alkylating agent with a substantial stability in aqueous solution: it decomposed at 30 degrees C and pH 6.6 and 8.0 with halftimes of 3.3 and 2.5 h, respectively. The major breakdown products were CoASH and CoAS X CO X CH2 X SCoA. Bromo[1-14C]acetyl-CoA has been used to affinity label the acetyl-CoA binding site of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase from ox liver. It was found to irreversibly inhibit the enzyme activity and bind covalently with a stoichiometry for complete inhibition of about 0.8 mol/mol enzyme dimer.     

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryldithio-coenzyme A: a potent inhibitor of Pseudomonas mevalonii HMG-CoA reductase.

3-Hydroxy-3-methyl-1-thionoglutaryl-coenzyme A, a dithioester analog of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA, has been enzymatically synthesized using the HMG-CoA synthase catalyzed condensation of acetyl-CoA with 3-oxo-1-thionobutyryl-CoA. HMGdithio-CoA is a potent inhibitor of Pseudomonas mevalonii HMG-CoA reductase. Inhibition was mainly competitive with respect to HMG-CoA with a Kis of 0.086 +/- .01 microM and noncompetitive with respect to NADH with a Kis of 3.7 +/- 1.5 microM and a Kii of 0.65 +/- .05 microM in the presence of 110 microM (R.S)-HMG-CoA.     

Intracellular localization of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzme A cycle enzymes in liver. Separate cytoplasmic and mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A generating systems for cholesterogenesis and ketogenesis.

Acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme synthase which comprise the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA-generating system(s) for hepatic cholesterogenesis and ketogenesis exhibit dual mitochondrial and cytoplasmic localization. Twenty to forty per cent of the thiolase and synthase of avian and rat liver are localized in the cytoplasmic compartment, the remainder residing in the mitochondria. In contrast, 3-hydroxy-3 methylglutaryl-CoA lyase, an enzyme unique to the "3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA cycle" of ketogenesis, appears to be localized in the mitochondrion. The small proportion, 4 to 8 percent, of this enzyme found in the cytoplasmic fraction appears to arise via leakage from the mitochondria during cell fractionation in that its properties, pI and stability, are identical to those of the mitochondrial lyase. These results are consistent with the view that ketogenesis which involves all three enzymes, acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase, occurs exclusively in the mitochondrion, whereas cholesterogenesis, a pathway which involves only the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthesizing enzymes, is restricted to the cytoplasm. Further fractionation of isolated mitochondria from chicken and rat liver showed that all three of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA cycle enzymes are soluble and are localized within the matrix compartment of the mitochondrion. Likewise, cytoplasmic acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase are soluble cytosolic enzymes, no thiolase or synthase activity being detectable in the microsomal fraction. Chicken liver mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3methylglutaryl-CoA synthase activity consists of a single enzymic species with a pI of 7.2, whereas the cytoplasmic activity is composed of at least two species with pI values of 4.8 and 6.7. Thus it is evident that the mitochondrial and cytoplasmic species are molecularly distinct as has been shown to be the case for the mitochondrial and cytoplasmic acetoacetyl-CoA thiolases from avian liver (Clinkenbeard, K. D., Sugiyama, T., Moss, J., Reed, W. D., and Lane, M. D. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 2275). Substantial mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase activity is present in all tissues surveyed, while only liver and kidney possess significant mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase activity. Therefore, it is proposed that tissues other than liver and kidney are unable to generate acetoacetate because they lack the mitochondrial synthase.     

The effects of mevinolin on the thiol/disulfide exchange between 3-hydroxy-3-methyglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase and glutathione

The feeding of mevinolin plus cholestyramine to rats results in the production of a form of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR-CM) having thiol/disulfide redox properties different from those of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase isolated from animals which had been given only cholestyramine (HMGR-C). The second-order rate constant for the inactivation of HMGR-CM by GSSG is 7-fold slower than for HMGR-C, while the second-order rate constant for the reactivation of oxidized enzyme by GSH is 100-fold slower. However, in the presence of saturating concentrations of both substrates, the rate constants for thiol/disulfide exchange are similar for both forms of the enzyme. HMGR-CM behaves as if a protein-glutathione mixed disulfide having a Kox of 27 +/- 4 is formed at equilibrium. In contrast, HMGR-C has previously been shown to form a protein-protein disulfide (Cappel, R. E., and Gilbert, H. F. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 12204-12212). Both forms of the enzyme are more difficult to oxidize thermodynamically in the presence of saturating levels of both substrates. For HMGR-CM, NADPH alone has no effect on the equilibrium constant for oxidation, but hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA alone makes the enzyme approximately twice as difficult to oxidize. Under physiological conditions, HMGR-CM is thermodynamically more difficult to oxidize than HMGR-C. HMGR-C can be converted to HMGR-CM by in vitro treatment with mevinolinate. A direct or indirect interaction of mevinolin with HMGR-C results in some persistent, as yet undefined, structural alteration which inhibits the formation of a protein-SS-protein disulfide upon oxidation by glutathione disulfide.     

Diurnal rhythm of phosphorylation of rat liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase by the AMP-activated protein kinase, demonstrated using freeze-clamping. Effects of high fat diets.

1. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase was purified to homogeneity, in the presence of protein phosphatase inhibitors, from rat liver sampled without freeze-clamping. The enzyme was in a highly phosphorylated state (4.8 mol/subunit) of low specific activity, and could be dramatically reactivated by treatment with protein phosphatase-2A. Amino acid sequencing and fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry showed that the enzyme was phosphorylated in Ser79, Ser1200 and Ser1215, the three sites known to be phosphorylated in cell-free assays by the AMP-activated protein kinase. 2. The inactive enzyme could also be completely reactivated using a limited treatment with trypsin, which removes the N-terminal segment containing Ser79 and reduces the phosphate content to 3.5 mol/subunit. These results strengthen previous findings that it is phosphorylation at Ser79 by the AMP-activated protein kinase that is responsible for the inactivation, and not the phosphorylation of the 220-kDa core fragment (which contains Ser1200 and Ser1215). 3. Analysis of the phosphorylation state of Ser79 in acetyl-CoA carboxylase from rat liver showed that phosphorylation occurs post mortem if freeze-clamping is not used. The higher phosphorylation observed in extracts made without freeze-clamping correlates with a large increase in AMP and decrease in ATP (presumably caused by hypoxia during removal of the liver), and with increased activity of the AMP-activated protein kinase. These results provide a rational explanation for the post mortem phosphorylation events, and re-emphasize the point that rapid cooling of cells and tissues is essential when measuring the expressed activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (as well as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase). 4. Using the freeze-clamping procedure, the ratio of 'expressed' activity (measured in the presence of protein phosphatase inhibitors) to 'total' activity (measured after complete dephosphorylation) of rat liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase showed a marked diurnal rhythm, changing from 50% in the active form in the middle of the dark period to less than 10% active in the middle of the light period. The very low activity in the light period was associated with a high level of phosphorylation in Ser79. This diurnal rhythm is very similar to that previously described for the phosphorylation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, another substrate for the AMP-activated protein kinase. Neither the activity of the AMP-activated protein kinase nor the content of AMP, ADP or ATP changed between the dark or light periods.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Reaction of 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine with the catalytic and AMP allosteric sites of microsomal HMG-CoA reductase kinase

The nucleotide analogue 5-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine reacts with rat liver microsomal 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase kinase, causing a rapid loss of the AMP activation capacity and a slower inactivation of the catalytic activity. The rate constant for loss of AMP activation is eleven times higher (K1 = 0.107 min-1) than the rate constant for inactivation (K2 = 0.0094 min-1). Mg-ATP protects preferentially against inactivation, while Mg-AMP at a low concentration (7.5/0.05 mM) protects preferentially against loss of the AMP activation capacity. Oppositely, Mg-ADP at a low concentration (7.5/0.05 mM) hardly protects against loss of AMP activation capacity. We conclude that microsomal reductase kinase has distinct sites for activation and catalysis.     

Glucagon activates mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase in vivo by decreasing the extent of succinylation of the enzyme

1. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) synthase (EC 4.1.3.5) in extracts of rat liver mitochondria can be inactivated by succinyl-CoA and activated by incubation in a medium designed to cause desuccinylation ('desuccinylation medium'). 2. The enzyme is less active in extracts of whole liver from control rats than from rats treated with glucagon or mannoheptulose. Incubation in desuccinylation medium raises the activity in extracts from control rats to the same value as treated rats, suggesting that the extent of succinylation in vivo is greater in controls than in hormone-treated animals. 3. This result is also obtained in liver homogenates and in isolated mitochondria. 4. Increasing the succinyl-CoA content of mitochondria to the same high level lowers the enzyme activity to the same value in mitochondria isolated from control or treated rats. In each case subsequent incubation of the lysates in desuccinylation medium raises the enzyme activity by the same extent. 5. Measurement of the incorporation of radiolabel from 2-oxo[5-14C]glutarate into protein is consistent with the proposal that all these changes in activity in isolated mitochondria may be explained by changes in the extent of succinylation of the enzyme. 6. From these data and our earlier work we conclude that, in vivo, mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase in fed rats is normally substantially succinylated (about 40%) and inactivated, and that glucagon increases the activity of HMG-CoA synthase by lowering the concentration of succinyl-CoA and thus decreasing the extent of succinylation of the enzyme (to less than 10%). This may be an important control mechanism in ketogenesis.     

The effects of NADPH and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA on the thiol/disulfide redox behavior of rat liver microsomal 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase

Microsomal 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase isolated from the livers of rats fed a diet containing cholestyramine (HMGR-C) is oxidized to a protein-SS-protein disulfide via a thermodynamically favorable thiol/disulfide exchange in glutathione redox buffers which approach the normal in vivo redox poise. In the presence of either substrate (NADPH or 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA), the equilibrium thiol/disulfide redox behavior of HMGR-C is substantially different than that observed in the absence of substrates or in the presence of both substrates. NADPH present during redox equilibrium in a glutathione redox buffer decreases the equilibrium constant for formation of the protein-SS-protein disulfide (Kox,i) from 0.55 +/- 0.07 M to 0.18 +/- 0.02 M and increases the Kox,m for formation of an inactive protein-SS-glutathione mixed disulfide from less than 1 to 6 +/- 1. The presence of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA during redox equilibrium has a similar effect, decreasing the Kox,i for protein-SS-protein disulfide formation to 0.10 +/- 0.02 M and increasing the Kox,m for protein-SS-glutathione mixed disulfide formation to 3.8 +/- 0.9. A three-state model is developed which describes the simultaneous accumulation of protein-SS-protein and protein-SS-glutathione mixed disulfides at redox equilibrium with glutathione redox buffers. Because of the different redox behavior of the free and substrate-liganded forms of the enzyme, addition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA or NADPH to HMGR-C at redox equilibrium results in increased reduction and activation of the enzyme.     

Substrate-inhibiton by acetyl-CoA in the condensation reaction between oxaloacetate and acetyl-CoA catalyzed by citrate synthase from pig heart

Deviations from Michealis-Menten kinetics in the pig-heart citrate synthase (citrate-oxaloacetate-lyase(pro-3S-CH2-COO-leads to acetyl-CoA), EC 4.1.3.7) system have been characterized and analyzed in view of the kinetic theory described in the preceding paper. The enzymic condensation reaction between acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate is subject to substrate-inhibition by acetyl-CoA. This can be attributed to the formation of a productive enzyme-acetyl-CoA complex with a dissociation constant of 110 uM. The binding of acetyl-CoA to the enzyme decreases the on-velocity constant for oxaloacetate-binding from 4000 min-1- micrometer-1 to 1700 min-1-micrometer-1. The affinity of citrate synthase for oxaloacetate increase at least 20-fold on the binding of acetyl-CoA. The latter cooperativity effect can be attributed to a more than 45-fold decrease of the off-velocity constant for oxaloacetate-binding.