Analysis of the key enzymes of butyric and acetic acid fermentation in biogas reactors.

This study aimed at the investigation of the mechanisms of acidogenesis, which is a key process during anaerobic digestion. To expose possible bottlenecks, specific activities of the key enzymes of acidification, such as acetate kinase (Ack, 0.23-0.99 U mg(-1) protein), butyrate kinase (Buk, < 0.03 U mg(-1) protein) and butyryl-CoA:acetate-CoA transferase (But, 3.24-7.64 U mg(-1) protein), were determined in cell free extracts of biogas reactor content from three different biogas reactors. Furthermore, the detection of Ack was successful via Western blot analysis. Quantification of corresponding functional genes encoding Buk (buk) and But (but) was not feasible, although an amplification was possible. Thus, phylogenetic trees were constructed based on respective gene fragments. Four new clades of possible butyrate-producing bacteria were postulated, as well as bacteria of the genera Roseburia or Clostridium identified. The low Buk activity was in contrast to the high specific But activity in the analysed samples. Butyrate formation via Buk activity does barely occur in the investigated biogas reactor. Specific enzyme activities (Ack, Buk and But) in samples drawn from three different biogas reactors correlated with ammonia and ammonium concentrations (NH3 and NH4(+)-N), and a negative dependency can be postulated. Thus, high concentrations of NH3 and NH4(+)-N may lead to a bottleneck in acidogenesis due to decreased specific acidogenic enzyme activities.

Direct detection of the acetate-forming activity of the enzyme acetate kinase.

Acetate kinase, a member of the acetate and sugar kinase-Hsp70-actin (ASKHA) enzyme superfamily, is responsible for the reversible phosphorylation of acetate to acetyl phosphate utilizing ATP as a substrate. Acetate kinases are ubiquitous in the Bacteria, found in one genus of Archaea, and are also present in microbes of the Eukarya. The most well characterized acetate kinase is that from the methane-producing archaeon Methanosarcina thermophila. An acetate kinase which can only utilize PP(i) but not ATP in the acetyl phosphate-forming direction has been isolated from Entamoeba histolytica, the causative agent of amoebic dysentery, and has thus far only been found in this genus. In the direction of acetyl phosphate formation, acetate kinase activity is typically measured using the hydroxamate assay, first described by Lipmann, a coupled assay in which conversion of ATP to ADP is coupled to oxidation of NADH to NAD(+) by the enzymes pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, or an assay measuring release of inorganic phosphate after reaction of the acetyl phosphate product with hydroxylamine. Activity in the opposite, acetate-forming direction is measured by coupling ATP formation from ADP to the reduction of NADP(+) to NADPH by the enzymes hexokinase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Here we describe a method for the detection of acetate kinase activity in the direction of acetate formation that does not require coupling enzymes, but is instead based on direct determination of acetyl phosphate consumption. After the enzymatic reaction, remaining acetyl phosphate is converted to a ferric hydroxamate complex that can be measured spectrophotometrically, as for the hydroxamate assay. Thus, unlike the standard coupled assay for this direction that is dependent on the production of ATP from ADP, this direct assay can be used for acetate kinases that produce ATP or PP(i).

A continuous assay of acetate kinase activity: measurement of inorganic phosphate release generated by hydroxylaminolysis of acetyl phosphate.

Acetate kinase, a member of the ASKHA (Acetate and Sugar Kinases, Hsp70, Actin) phosphotransferase superfamily is a central enzyme in prokaryotic carbon and energy metabolism. Recently extensive structural and biochemical studies of acetate kinase and related carboxylate kinases have been conducted. Analysis of the kinetic properties of wild-type and mutant enzymes has been impeded by the nature of the current assays for acetate kinase activity. These assays have the disadvantages of being either discontinuous or insensitive or of utilizing compounds that interfere with activity measurements. We have developed a novel continuous assay that depends on the purine nucleoside phosphorylase-based spectroscopic measurement of the inorganic phosphate generated by hydroxylaminolysis of one of the products of the acetate kinase reaction, acetyl phosphate. This assay has enabled a determination of the kinetic parameters of the Thermotoga maritima acetate kinase that indicates a lower K(m) for acetate than previously published.

The amrG1 gene is involved in the activation of acetate in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

During growth of Corynebacterium glutamicum on acetate as its carbon and energy source, the expression of the pta-ack operon is induced, coding for the acetate-activating enzymes, which are phosphotransacetylase (PTA) and acetate kinase (AK). By transposon rescue, we identified the two genes amrG1 and amrG2 found in the deregulated transposon mutant C. glutamicum G25. The amrG1 gene (NCBI-accession: AF532964) has a size of 732 bp, encoding a polypeptide of 243 amino acids and apparently is partially responsible for the regulation of acetate metabolism in C. glutamicum. We constructed an in-frame deletion mutant and an over-expressing strain of amrG1 in the C. glutamicum ATCC13032 wildtype. The strains were then analyzed with respect to their enzyme activities of PTA and AK during growth on glucose, acetate and glucose or acetate alone as carbon sources. Compared to the parental strain, the amrG1 deletion mutant showed higher specific AK and PTA activities during growth on glucose but showed the same high specific activities of AK and PTA on medium containing acetate plus glucose and on medium containing acetate. In contrast to the gene deletion, overexpression of the amrG1 gene in C. glutamicum 13032 had the adverse regulatory effect. These results indicate that the amrG1 gene encodes a repressor or co-repressor of the pta-ack operon.

[Determination of biological substances using bioluminescent reaction based on luciferin-luciferase].

Firefly luciferase catalyzes the oxidation of luciferin in the presence of ATP, magnesium ions and molecular oxygen, with a high quantum yield. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity for ATP, luciferase has been used for bioluminescent detection of ATP in various biological samples. However, it has not been well determined how to apply it in immunoassay. In this article, the use of various enzymes as labels in the design and development of immunoassays, and the combination of PCR/novel bioluminescent pyrophosphate assay, for detecting biomolecules is reviewed.

Relationship between valine, fatty acids, and spiramycin biosynthesis in Streptomyces ambofaciens.

Spiramycin biosynthesis in Streptomyces ambofaciens was stimulated in the presence of valine or by sequential addition of some short-chain fatty acids to a culture medium containing an ammonium salt as source of nitrogen. Acetate kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase, enzymes that catalysed the formation of precursors of spiramycin biosynthesis (acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA), were detected during the active growth and antibiotic production phases. In this latter phase a higher level of acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity was observed with valine (1.02 mumol.min-1.mg protein-1) than with ammonium (0.05 mumol.min-1.mg protein-1) as nitrogen source, while the evolution and the level of acetate kinase activity were the same in both media. Successive addition of acetate and isobutyrate stimulated highly and weakly the acetyl-CoA carboxylase and acetate kinase activity, respectively.

Acetate catabolism in the dissimilatory iron-reducing isolate GS-15.

Acetate-grown GS-15 whole-cell suspensions were disrupted with detergent and assayed for enzymes associated with acetate catabolism. Carbon monoxide dehydrogenase and formate dehydrogenase were not observed in GS-15. Catabolic levels of acetokinase and phosphotransacetylase were observed. Enzyme activities of the citric acid cycle, i.e., isocitrate dehydrogenase, 2-oxoglutarate sythase, succinate dehydrogenase, fumarase, and malate dehydrogenase, were observed.

Isolation and characterization of ack and pta mutations in Azotobacter vinelandii affecting acetate-glucose diauxie.

Azotobacter vinelandii mutants defective for acetate utilization that were resistant to fluoroacetate (FA) were isolated. FA-resistant mutant AM6 failed to transport [14C]acetate and lacked enzymatic activity for both acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase. Growth of wild-type A. vinelandii was sensitive to 10 mM glycine; however, all FA-resistant strains were resistant to glycine toxicity. Isolated mutants that were spontaneously resistant to glycine were also resistant to FA and lacked both acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase activity. The glycine-resistant mutant AM3, unlike mutant AM6, was capable of growth on acetate. The mutant strain AM6 was unable to growth under acetate-glucose diauxie conditions. Glucose utilization in this mutant, unlike that in wild-type A. vinelandii, was permanently arrested in the presence of acetate. Revertants of strain AM6 were selected on plates with acetate or acetate-glucose. Two classes of revertants were isolated. Class I revertant mutants AM31 and AM35 were positive for both acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase activities. These revertants were also sensitive to both FA and glycine. Class II revertant strains AM32 and AM34 still lacked acetate kinase and phophotransacetylase activity. Both of these revertants remained resistant to FA and glycine.

[Determination of kinase activity by using an enzyme electrode]. / Opredelenie aktivnosti kinaz pri pomoshchi fermentnogo élektroda.

A method for determining the enzymatic activity of hexokinases, acetate kinase and pyruvate kinase using an enzyme electrode was developed. The assay time is 2-3 min. The lower limit of the activity determining is 0,054 U/ml. The proposed method was applied to investigation of pyruvate kinase and acetate kinase reactivation under the action of mercaptoethanol.