Studies on the biosynthesis of bialaphos (SF-1293). 8. Purification and characterization of 2-phosphinomethylmalic acid synthase from Streptomyces hygroscopicus SF-1293.

2-Phosphinomethylmalic acid (PMM) synthase catalyzes the condensation of phosphinopyruvic acid (PPA), an analog of oxalacetic acid, and acetyl-CoA to form PMM. The enzyme was purified approximately 700-fold from a cell-free extract of Streptomyces hygroscopicus SF-1293, a bialaphos producing organism, to an electrophoretically homogeneous state. The purified PMM synthase has a subunit molecular weight of 48,000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a native molecular weight of 90,000 approximately 98,000 by gel filtration. PMM synthase was relatively unstable, showed maximum activity at pH 8.0 and 30 degrees C, and was inhibited strongly by p-chloromercuribenzoate, iodoacetamide and EDTA. Enzyme activity suppressed by EDTA was completely restored by adding Co++ or Mn++ and partially restored by addition of Ca++, Fe++ or Mg++. The specific substrates of this enzyme are PPA or oxalacetic acid in addition to acetyl-CoA. The enzyme does not catalyze the liberation of CoA from acetyl-CoA in the presence of alpha-keto acids, such as pyruvate, alpha-ketoglutarate, deamino-alpha-ketodemethylphosphinothricin or phosphonopyruvate. The condensation reaction did not take place when propionyl-CoA or butyryl-CoA was used as a substrate in place of acetyl-CoA. The Km values of the enzyme were 0.05 mM for acetyl-CoA, 0.39 mM for PPA and 0.13 mM for oxalacetate. PMM synthase is very similar to (R)-citrate synthase of Clostridium in the inhibition pattern by sulfhydryl compounds, its metal ion requirement and stereospecificity; unlike (R)-citrate synthase PMM synthase was not inhibited by oxygen.

Control of pyruvate carboxylase activity by the pyridine-nucleotide redox state in mitochondria from rat liver.

Pyruvate carboxylation by isolated mitochondria from rat liver is inhibited by t-butylhydroperoxide in a fully reversible manner. The rate of malate formation at 10 mM pyruvate was decreased by some 80% by 30 microM t-butylhydroperoxide. The effective peroxide concentration was dependent on the mitochondrial hydrogen supply, being increased to about 120 microM in the presence of 50 microM palmitoylcarnitine. Regarding the mechanism(s) of the t-butylhydroperoxide action, pyruvate transport and intramitochondrial energy or activator supply are unlikely involved, because the effect also took place with alanine as the substrate and was not accompanied by a change in the intramitochondrial levels of adenine nucleotides and acetyl-CoA respectively. However, t-butylhydroperoxide caused a rapid fall in the 3-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio and a marked increase in the oxidized glutathione content. Therefore, experiments were designed to disclose the participation of the respective redox couples in the expression of pyruvate carboxylase activity. From measurements of NADPH, NADH, oxidized and reduced glutathione contents of mitochondria incubated under a variety of conditions, evidence has been obtained indicating that the mitochondrial NADH supply represents an important factor in the regulation of pyruvate carboxylase activity. The results presented seemingly provide a new basis for the understanding of the functional relationship between beta-oxidation and pyruvate carboxylation.

[Enzymatic synthesis of L-malic acid from fumaric acid using immobilized Escherichia coli cells]. / Enzimaticheskii sintez L-iablochnoi kisloty iz fumarovoi s pomoshch'iu immobilizovannykh kletok Escherichia coli.

Optimal conditions were chosen for cultivation of Escherichia coli 85 cells with a rather high fumarate-hydratase activity on a cheap medium containing no edible raw material. An active biocatalyst for the synthesis of L-malic acid from fumaric acid was obtained based on E. coli 85 cells immobilized in carrageenan. The enzymatic synthesis of L-malic acid from potassium fumarate was kinetically studied and optimized. Some thermodynamic parameters of fumaric acid hydration into malic acid were determined. A technique for assaying the reaction mixture was developed that involved high performance liquid chromatography.

Stimulation by 3-hydroxybutyrate of pyruvate carboxylation in mitochondria from rat liver.

Isolated rat liver mitochondria incubated in the presence of 3-hydroxybutyrate display a markedly increased rate of pyruvate carboxylation as measured by malate and citrate production from pyruvate. The stimulation was demonstrable both with exogenously added pyruvate, even at saturating concentration, and with pyruvate intramitochondrially generated from alanine. The concentration of DL-3-hydroxybutyrate required for half-maximal stimulation amounted to about 1.5 mM. The intramitochondrial ATP/ADP ratio as well as the matrix acetyl-CoA level was found to remain unchanged by 3-hydroxybutyrate exposure, which, however, lowered the absolute intramitochondrial contents of the respective adenine nucleotides. The effects of 3-hydroxybutyrate were diminished by the concomitant addition of acetoacetate. Moreover, a direct relationship between mitochondrial reduction by proline and the rate of pyruvate carboxylation was observed. The results seem to indicate that the mitochondrial oxidation--reduction state might be involved in the expression of the 3-hydroxybutyrate effect. As to the physiological relevance of the findings, 3-hydroxybutyrate could be shown to activate pyruvate carboxylation in isolated hepatocytes.

[Fumarate hydratase activity of various Escherichia coli strains]. / Fumarat-gidrataznaia aktivnost' razlichnykh shtammov Escherichia coli.

The fumarate hydratase activity of intact cells was determined for 36 strains of Escherichia coli, receiver from the All-Union Collection of Microorganisms, to reveal a producer of L-malic acid. A research was made to find optimal media for cultivating microorganisms possessing the fumarate hydratase activity. Spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods were chosen to detect malic acid in the complete reaction mixture, which are available for kinetic study of the malic acid synthesis from potassium fumarate.

Influence of heme and vitamin B12 on growth and fermentations of Bacteroides species.

We examined the effects of heme on the growth and fermentations of Bacteroides species. Bacteroides fragilis ATCC 25285 required heme for growth and produced malate and lactate as major products of glucose fermentation when the concentration of heme was 1 ng/ml. With 1 microgram of heme per ml, malate was not formed, lactate production decreased, and succinate and acetate were the major fermentation products. B. eggerthii ATCC 27754 grew without heme, with the production of mainly malate and lactate from glucose. Its fermentation with 1 microgram of heme per ml was similar to that of B. fragilis grown with the same concentration of heme. B. splanchicus VPI 6842 grew without heme, with the production of mainly malate, acetate, and H2 from glucose. With 1 microgram of heme per ml, malate disappeared, H2 decreased significantly, and succinate, acetate, and butyrate were the major products. The addition of vitamin B12 to media containing 1 microgram of heme per ml caused all species to produce propionate at the expense of succinate and, with B. splanchnicus, also at the expense of butyrate. Thus, the concentration of heme and the presence of vitamin B12 significantly influenced the course of glucose fermentation by these bacteria.

A novel pathway for L-citramalate synthesis in Rhodospirillum rubrum.

When [14C]propionate was incubated with a cell-free extract of Rhodospirillum rubrum in the presence of glyoxylate, ATP, CoA, Mg2+, and Mn2+, radioactivity was incorporated into mesaconate (MSA) as well as into beta-methylmalate (MMA) and citramalate (CMA). MSA was suggested to be an intermediate of the conversion of MMA to CMA based on the following observations. (i) When non-labeled MSA was added to the CMA-forming reaction system, radioactivity was trapped in MSA. (ii) When MSA was incubated with the cell-free extract, CMA was formed. (iii) The alpha-carboxyl group of CMA was shown to be derived from the beta-carboxyl group of MMA, implying that CMA was formed from MMA via MSA through successive dehydration and hydration. From the results of Sephadex G-10 column chromatography of the reaction products, beta-methylmalyl-CoA and mesaconyl-CoA were presumed to be involved in the reaction. A new CMA-forming metabolic pathway is proposed as follows: erythro-beta-methylamalyl-CoA leads to mesaconyl-CoA leads to MSA leads to L-CMA.

Biochemical synthesis of stereospecifically hydrogen labeled compounds on a preparative scale, VI1-3 Synthesis of further substrates of NAD(P)-linked dehydrogenases of high specific tritium content.

The preparation of (R) and (S) [2(-3)H]lactate as well as (S) [2(-3)H] glutamate via the coupled exchange reaction catalyzed by NAD linked dehydrogenases and NADH: lipoamide oxidoreductase (diaphorase) is described. The specific radioactivity of the hydrogen ions of the 3HOH/H2O can be obtained in the substrates (100% exchange) if equilibrium isotope effects are disregarded. By the exchange procedure substrates with higher specific radioactivity are obtained from positionally [3H]labeled racemic mixtures prepared by chemical reductions with [3H]labeled hydrides. The tritium content of one of the enantiomeres is "washed out" into water. As examples are presented the preparation of (R) [2-3H] (S) [2-H]malate as well as the corresponding carnitine, glutamate and (R) and (S) lactate.