Ammonia Ligase Research Articles

Regulation of glutamine synthetase activity by adenylylation in the Gram-positive bacterium Streptomyces cattleya.

The enzymatic activity of glutamine synthetase [GS; L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] from the Gram-positive bacterium Streptomyces cattleya is regulated by covalent modification. In whole cells containing high levels of GS the addition of ammonium chloride leads to a rapid decline in GS activity. Crude extracts prepared from such ammonia-shocked cells had very low levels of GS activity as measured by biosynthetic and gamma-glutamyltransferase assays. Incubation of the crude extracts with snake venom phosphodiesterase restored GS activity. In cell extracts, GS was also inactivated by an ATP- and glutamine-dependent reaction. Radioactive labeling studies demonstrated the incorporation of an AmP moiety into GS protein upon modification. Our results suggest a covalent modification of GS in a Gram-positive bacterium. This modification appears to be adenylylation of the GS subunit similar to that found in the Gram-negative bacteria.

Regulation of expression from the glnA promoter of Escherichia coli in the absence of glutamine synthetase.

One of the suspected regulators of glutamine synthetase [L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] in enteric bacteria is glutamine synthetase itself. We isolated Escherichia coli strains carrying fusions of the beta-galactosidase structural gene to the promoter of the glutamine synthetase gene, with the aid of the Casadaban Mud1 (ApR, lac, cts62) phage. Some aspects of regulation were retained in haploid fusion strains despite the absence of glutamine synthetase, whereas other aspects required glutamine synthetase catalytic or regulatory activity or both. The direction of transcription of the glutamine synthetase gene was also determined.

Anti-AMP antibody precipitation of multiply adenylylated forms of glutamine synthetase from Escherichia coli: a model relating both concentration and density of antigenic sites with the antibody-antigen interaction.

Sheep antibodies directed against an AMP-bovine serum albumin conjugate exhibit highly specific binding toward AMP. These antibodies bind to the AMP moiety of adenylylated glutamine synthetase [L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] from Escherichia coli and to no other antigenic determinant on the protein. E coli glutamine synthetase can exist in variously modified (isomeric) forms that differ with respect to the number (0-12) and the distribution of identically adenylylated subunits [Ciardi, J. E., Cimino, F. & Stadtman, E. R. (1973) biochemistry 12, 4321-4330]. Using this enzyme, together with the AMP-specific antibodies, we have investigated the effects of the total concentration, population density, and topographical distribution of multiple identical antigenic determinants on the antigen-antibody interaction. Stopped flow fluorescence measurements show that the rate and extent of initial binding of the antibodies to the antigen are a function of the total concentration of AMP groups and are independent of the number of AMP groups der dodecamer. However, the rate of lattice formation increases with increasing epitope density, and the maximal amount of glutamine synthetase precipitated is directly proportional to the average number of adenylylated subunits per dodecamer. The data suggest that partially adenylylated enzyme preparations are composed of subpopulations of glutamine synthetase molecules that differ in their tendency to form precipitable aggregates, due presumably to differences in the topographical distribution of antigenic determinants on the surface of the enzyme. The enzyme species that form soluble immune complexes do so possibly due to intramolecular crosslinkage of the bivalent antibodies with adenylylated subunits to the exclusion of intermolecular crosslinkage.

A novel reaction catalyzed by unadenylylated glutamine synthetase from Escherichia coli. AMP-dependent synthesis of pyrophosphate and L-Glutamate from orthophosphate and L-glutamine.

The unadenylylated, manganese form of glutamine synthetase (L-glutamate: ammonia ligase (ADP forming), EC 6.3.1.2 from Escherichia coli catalyzes a novel, AMP-dependent (reversible) synthesis of pyrophosphate and L-glutamate from orthophosphate and L-glutamine: Formula (See Text). The hydrolysis of the L-glutamine amide bond is coupled to the stoichiometric synthesis of pyrophosphate, although as PPi accumulates, additional hydrolysis of L-glutamine occurs in a secondary reaction catalyzed by the [manganese x enzyme x AMP x PPi] complex. The synthesis of PPi probably occurs at the subunit catalytic site in the positions normally occupied by the beta, gamma-phosphates of ATP. To promote PPi synthesis, AMP apparently binds to the subunit catalytic site rather than to the allosteric inhibitor site; equilibrium binding results suggest that Pi directs the binding of AMP to the active site. In this reaction, Mg2+ will not substitute for Mn2+, and adenylylated glutamine synthetase is inactive. Pyrophosphate is synthesized by the unadenylylated, manganese enzyme at approximately 2% of the rate of that of ATP in the reverse biosynthetic reaction. If P1 is replaced by arsenate, the enzymatic rate of the AMP-supported hydrolysis of L-glutamine is 100-fold faster than is PPi synthesis and is one-half the rate of the ADP-supported, irreversible arsenolysis of L-glutamine. This latter activity also is supported by GMP and IMP, suggesting that the catalytic site of glutamine synthetase has a rather broad specificity for the nucleotide base. The reactions supported by AMP directly relate to the mechanism of glutamine synthetase catalysis.

Regulation of Rhizobium nitrogen fixation by the unadenylylated glutamine synthetase I system

Rhizobium sp. 32H1 glutamine auxotrophs have a complex phenotype: a highly adenylylated glutamine synthetase [GS; L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] I and an undetectable GS II (GS II(-)). They are defective in the adenylylation cascade system for GS I. Prototrophic revertants are of two classes: those (3204 type) which retain the adenylylated GS I phenotype but become GS II(+), and those (3205 type) which acquire a constitutive unadenylylated GS I but remain GS II(-). Like the parent auxotroph, 3204 remains incapable of nitrogen fixation both in culture and in root nodules of Macroptileum atropurpureum. In contrast, 3205 is nitrogenase constitutive. This implies that GS I or associated adenylylation proteins are involved in the control of Rhizobium 32H1 nif gene expression and that GS II is not so involved. Normally, rhizobia fix atmospheric N(2) only during symbiosis and, in so doing, only transiently synthesize nitrogenase. Moreover, whereas wild-type strains export ammonium, constitutive strains can assimilate ammonium produced by nitrogenase. This phenotype allows direct selection of nitrogen fixation-defective mutants in Rhizobium.

Regulation of glutamine synthetase in the blue-green alga Anabaena L-31

In N 2-grown cultures of Anabaena L-31, in which protein synthesis was prevented by chloramphenicol, presence of NH 4 + caused a drastic decrease of glutamine synthetase ( l-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2) activity indicating NH 4 +-mediated inactivation or degradation of the enzyme. The half-life of glutamine synthetase was more than 24 h, whereas that of nitrogenase (reduced ferredoxin:dinitrogen oxidoreductase (ATP-hydrolysing), EC 1.18.2.1) was less than 4 h, suggesting that glutamine synthetase may not act as positive regulator of nitrogenase synthesis in Anabaena. Glutamine synthetase purified to homogeneity was subject to cumulative inhibition by alanine, serine and glycine. The amino acids, however, exhibited partial antagonism in this behaviour. Glyoxylate, an intermediate in photorespiration, virtually prevented the amino acid inhibition. Kinetic studies revealed inhibition of the enzyme activity by high Mg 2+ concentration under limiting glutamate level and by high glutamate in limiting Mg 2+. Maximum enzyme activity occurred when the ratio of glutamate to free Mg 2+ was 0.5 to 1.0. The results demonstrate that the enzyme is subject to multiple regulation by various metabolites involved in nitrogen assimilation.

Regulation of the synthesis of glutamine synthetase by the PII protein in Klebsiella aerogenes.

Certain mutations at the glaB locus result in the failure to fully derepress glutamine synthetase [L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] and to convert it to the active nonadenylylated form in response to nitrogen limitation. In these mutants the PII regulatory protein is altered such that it cannot be converted by uridylyltransferase to the form stimulating deadenylylation of glutamine synthetase by adenylyltransferase. Additional mutations as well as insertions of transposon Tn5 at the glnB site result in the loss of PII. The loss of PII does not prevent adenylylation and deadenylylation of glutamine synthetase but reduces the rates of these reactions. Cells lacking PII have a high level of glutamine synthetase even when they are grown with an excess of ammonia and the enzyme is highly adenylylated. The results suggest that the PII protein plays a role, independent of its effect on adenylylation, in the regulation of the level of glutamine synthetase.

Induction of glutamine synthetase in embryonic neural retina: localization in Müller fibers and dependence on cell interactions.

The cellular localization of glutamine synthetase [GSase; L-glutamate:ammonia ligase(ADP)-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] induced by cortisol in the neural retina of chicken embryos was investigated by immunostaining with GSase-specific antiserum and indirect immunofluorescence. In organ cultures of retina tissue, and in the retina in vivo, hormone-induced GSase was found to be confined only to the Müller fibers (retinoglia). Also, in mature chicken retina, which contains a very high level of GSase, the enzyme was detected solely in Müller fibers. In short-term monolayer cultures of dispersed embryonic retina cells, there was no GSase induction and no immunodetectable increase in enzyme level. However, when the dispersed cells were reaggregated and they restituted retinotypic cell associations, GSase could be induced and it was localized in Müller fibers. The results suggest that, in addition to the hormonal stimulus, contact-dependent interactions between Müller glia cells and retina neurons are involved in the mechanism of GSase induction in the retina.

Glutamine synthetase mutations which affect expression of nitrogen fixation genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Previous studies have implicated glutamine synthetase (L-glutamate:ammonia ligase [adenosine diphosphate for-ing], EC 6.6.1.2) as a major controlling element of the nitrogen fixation (nif) genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae. We report here the isolation of a new class of K. pneumoniae mutants which exhibit altered patterns of nif and hut (histidine utlization) regulation. The expression of nif in these mutants, which were isolated as Gln+ (glutamine nonrequiring) revertants of a particular glnA mutation, is extremely sensitive to ammonia repression. These mutants have a Nif- Hut- phenotype at external ammonia concentrations at which wild-type strains are Nif+ Hut+. On the other hand, these mutants can be fully derepressed for nif at very low ammonia concentrations. We adopted the nomenclature "GlnR- (Nif- Hut-)" to facilitate discussion of the phenotype of these mutant strains. The mutations in these strains which confer the GlnR- phenotype map at or near glnA, the structural gene for glutamine synthetase.

Cell-free synthesis and processing of a putative precursor for mitochondrial carbamyl phosphate synthetase I of rat liver

Total RNA or poly(A)(+) RNA of rat liver was translated in a rabbit reticulocyte or wheat germ protein-synthesizing system and the carbamyl phosphate synthetase I [carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase (ammonia); carbon dioxide: ammonia ligase (ADP-forming, carbamate-phosphorylating), EC 6.3.4.16] synthesized was isolated by indirect immunoprecipitation by using antibody purified on enzyme-bound Sepharose and Staphylococcus aureus cells. The in vitro product moved on sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gels as a polypeptide that was about 5000 daltons larger than the subunit of the mature enzyme (160,000 daltons). The same polypeptide was also obtained by direct immunoprecipitation or by a double-antibody precipitation method. The mature enzyme competed effectively with the in vitro product for interaction with anti-carbamyl phosphate synthetase I antibody. Digestion of the in vitro product by S. aureus protease gave a pattern of peptide fragments similar to that of the mature enzyme. A mitochondrial membrane preparation from rat liver converted the in vitro product into a polypeptide that comigrated with the mature subunit on sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Similar proteolytic activity was not detected in either a cytosol or a microsomal fraction of rat liver. These results indicate that the enzyme is synthesized as a larger precursor which is converted to the mature form of enzyme by posttranslational processing.

Nitrogen control in Salmonella: regulation by the glnR and glnF gene products.

The product of the glnR gene is required for nitrogen regulation of the synthesis of glutamine synthesis (Gln synthetase) [L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] and two periplasmic transport proteins that are subject to nitrogen control in Salmonella. Strains with mutations to loss of function of the glnR product [e.g., a strain with a Tn10 insertion or one with an ICR-induced (frameshift) mutation in glnR] have about 3% as much Gln synthetase as a fully derepressed wild-type strain and are unable to increase synthesis of this enzyme or periplasmic transport proteins in response to nitrogen limitation. The structural gene for Gln synthetase, glnA, and those for the periplasmic transport proteins are unlinked on the chromosome; thus, glnR appears to encode a diffusible positive regulatory element. Consistent with this, the mutant glnR allele is recessive to the wild-type allele with regard to expression of glnA (synthesis of Gln synthetase). Although glnR is closely linked to glnA, strains with mutations to complete loss of function of the glnR product can be distinguished from glnA strains by their ability to produce detectable Gln synthetase and to grow in the absence of glutamine. To demonstrate unequivocally that glnR is distinct from glnA, we have purified and characterized Gln synthetase from a strain with a Tn10 insertion in glnR. Because the properties of Gln synthetase from the insertion mutant, most importantly the carboxyl-terminal sequence of amino acids, are the same as those of synthetase from wild type, the Tn10 insertion cannot be in glnA (if it were, the carboxyl terminus of Gln synthetase would have to be altered); therefore we conclude that the Tn10 insertion is in a regulatory gene, glnR, which is distinct from glnA. A model for the function of the glnR product together with the previously defined glnF product in mediating nitrogen control is discussed.

A new glnA-linked regulatory gene for glutamine synthetase in Escherichia coli.

Mutations in the glnA region of the Escherichia coli chromosome due to Mu prophage insertion result in two phenotypic classes. One class is Gln- and does not synthesize glutamine synthetase[L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] under any growth condition. The other class produces a low level of glutamine synthetase under all growth conditions and is uncoupled from the regulatory effects of mutations in the glnF and glnD genes. Complementation analysis demonstrates that these two classes of insertions are in different cistrons. From these data we suggest that a regulatory gene, glnG, tightly linked to glnA, mediates both activation and repression of glutamine synthetase synthesis. An analysis of the evidence accumulated to date makes it unlikely that glnG is the only gene in the glnA region involved in the complex system of nitrogen regulation.

The purification of glutamine synthetase from Azotobacter and other procaryotes by blue sepharose chromatography

We report the facile purification of glutamine synthetase ( l-glutamate: ammonia ligase (adenosine 5′-diphosphate-forming), EC 6.3.1.2) in both the adenylylated and unadenylylated form, from Azotobacter vinelandii ATCC 12837. A general affinity column, which used as an affinity ligand Reactive blue 2 dye (Cibacron blue) covalently linked to Agarose, was employed as an efficient first step of purification. Further purification to electrophoretic homogeneity employed DEAE-cellulose chromatography and an additional Affigel chromatographic step. The method was used successfully to prepare glutamine synthetase from Escherichia coli, Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides and Anabaena sp. strain CA.

Importance of Glutamate Synthase in Glutamate Synthesis by Soybean Cell Suspension Cultures

The specific activities of glutamate synthase|EC 2.6.1.53, l-glutamine: alpha-ketoglutarate amino transferase (NADPH-oxidising)| and glutamine synthetase|EC 6.3.1.2, l-glutamate: ammonia ligase (ADP-forming)| extracted from soybean (Glycine max L.) cells grown in modified B5 medium were found to vary significantly in response to variations in the nitrogen content of the medium. The changes seen in specific activity levels could be correlated with similar patterns seen in the growth of the cells, in response to changes in the nitrogen content of the medium. By contrast, the specific activity of glutamate dehydrogenase|EC 1.4.1.2, l-glutamate: NAD(+) oxidoreductase (deaminating)|, was relatively low and invariant. Glutamate synthase was extracted from cells grown under optimal conditions, partially purified, and shown to have many properties in common with preparations of this enzyme extracted from other plant sources. Glutamate synthase was purified to homogeneity, using affinity chromatography on blue Sepharose.

Studies on glutamine synthetase. Purification of the enzyme from mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) seedlings and modulation of the enzyme-antibody reaction by the substrates

Glutamine synthetase (L-glutamate : ammonia ligase, EC 6.3.1.2) fromPhaseolus aureus (mung bean) seedlings was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulphate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, Sephadex G-200 gel filtration and affinity chromatography on histidine-Sepharose. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 775,000 ± 25,000. The enzyme consisted of identical subunits with an approximate subunit molecular weight of 50,000. Hyperbolic saturation curves were obtained with the substrates, glutamate, ATP and hydroxylamine.

The purine nucleotide cycle inHelix hepatopancreas

The enzymes adenylosuccinate synthetase (EC 6.3.4.4 IMP: L-aspartate ligase [GDP-forming]), adenylosuccinate lyase (EC 4.3.2.2) and AMP deaminase (EC 3.5.4.6 AMP aminohydrolase) were demonstrated inHelix aspersa hepatopancreas tissue. The presence of these enzymes along with high levels of aspartate transaminase is presumptive evidence for the operation in this tissue of the purine nucleotide cycle. In the absence of evidence that glutamate dehydrogenase acts to release ammonia during amino acid catabolism, it is suggested that the purine nucleotide cycle serves this function. Glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2 L-glutamate: ammonia ligase [ADP-forming]) was shown to be present primarily in the cytosolic fraction ofHelix hepatopancreas. Since the operation of the purine nucleotide cycle results in the release of ammonia in the cytosol, the localization of glutamine synthetase in this compartment indicates that it is the primary ammonia-detoxifying enzyme and is consistent with the suggestion that the purine nucleotide cycle serves as the major pathway for amino acid catabolism.

Localization of the site of adenylylation of glutamine synthetase by electron microscopy of an enzyme-antibody complex.

Antibodies to the nucleosidel,N(6)-ethenoadenosine have been used to localize the site of adenylylation of the glutamine synthetase [L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] of Escherichia coli. Antibodies were induced in rabbits by injection of a bovine albumin-ethenoadenosine conjugate. The resulting antisera strongly bound ethenoadenosine, its 5'-nucleotide, or protein conjugates of the nucleoside; little or no crossreaction was seen to adenosine, AMP, or the protein carrier. Ethenoadenylylated glutamine synthetase was prepared by modification of the enzyme by the E. coli adenylyltransferase, using etheno-ATP as a substrate. The ethenoadenylylated glutamine synthetase was precipitated by antibodies to ethenoadenosine in conjunction with goat anti-rabbit gamma globulin. Electron micrographs of reaction mixtures of ethenoadenylylated glutamine synthetase and anti-ethenoadenosine showed individual enzyme molecules complexed with one or more antibodies and pairs of enzyme molecules crosslinked by a single antibody. The approximate site of adenylylation was located from the apparent area of contact between enzyme and antibody. We conclude that the adenylylation sites are on the periphery of the bilayered hexagonal disc, offset by 15 +/- 10 degrees from the 2-fold axis of symmetry through a vertex of the hexagon and 20 +/- 10 A from the plane between the layers of the disc.

Allosteric regulation of monocyclic interconvertible enzyme cascade systems: use of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase as an experimental model.

The interconversion of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase [L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] between its adenylylated and unadenylylated forms has been used to verify the prediction derived from a theoretical analysis of the steady-state functions of a model for a monocyclic interconvertible enzyme cascade system [Stadtman, E. R. & Chock, P. B. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74, 2761-2770]. Because glutamine and alpha-ketoglutarate are multifunctional effectors and because three active enzyme complexes are involved in both adenylylation and deadenylylation of glutamine synthetase, at least 28 constants are required to describe the glutamine synthetase monocyclic cascade. Of these, 22 constants were determined experimentally and 6 were estimated via computer curve fitting. Despite the complexity, when both adenylylation and deadenylylation reactions are functioning, the number of adenylyl groups bound per mole of enzyme, n, assumes a steady-state level as is predicted by the model. This n value is determined by the mole fraction of P(IIA)-given by ([P(IIA)]/([P(IIA)] + [P(IID)])-and the ratio of glutamine to alpha-ketoglutarate (P(IID) and P(IID) are the unmodified and the uridylylated forms of the P(II) regulatory protein). In the presence of 0.5 mM glutamine and 2 mM alpha-ketoglutarate, the value of n increases as a nearly hyperbolic function in response to increasing mole fractions of P(IIA). When the constant level of alpha-ketoglutarate is gradually increased to 40 muM, the hyperbolic function converts slowly to a parabolic function. When the P(IIA) mole fraction was maintained at 0.6 and alpha-ketoglutarate levels were varied from 1 mM to 4 muM, an 800-fold increase in signal amplification was observed with respect to glutamine activation. In addition, because glutamine activates the adenylylation and inhibits the deadenylylation reaction, a sensitivity index of 2.1 (corresponding to a Hill number of 1.5) was obtained for the variation of n values in response to increasing glutamine concentration.

Topographical analysis of regulatory and metal ion binding sites on glutamine synthetase from Escherichia coli: 13C and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance and fluorescence energy transfer study.

The paramagnetic effect of Mn(II) on (13)C and (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance signals from the [2-(13)C]ATP adenylylated glutamine synthetase [L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming); EC 6.3.1.2] from Escherichia coli was measured. This effect permitted the determination of distances from the 2-C position and the phosphorus of covalently bound AMP to the two Mn(II) binding sites, n(1) and n(2). Binding of Mn(II) to the n(1) site converts an inactive apo-enzyme to its active form, while the metal ion bound at n(2) occupies the metal-nucleotide substrate site. The distances from Mn(II) at the n(1) and n(2) sites to phosphorus are approximately 10 and approximately 7 A and to the 2-C position of the adenine ring are approximately 12 and approximately 11 A, respectively. The fluorescence energy transfer method was used to determine distances between Co(II) at n(1) and n(2) and the adenylyl site. For this experiment the enzyme was adenylylated with epsilon-ATP. The distances between epsilon-adenine and Co(II) at n(1) and n(2) are approximately 13 and approximately 11 A, respectively. Quantitation of the paramagnetic effect due to Co(II) on the (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance signal yielded values of 8 and 6 A for the distances between the phosphorus of the covalently bound AMP and the n(1) and n(2) sites, respectively. The results reveal that the covalent modification site is very close to the catalytic center of the enzyme. In this study both nuclear magnetic resonance and fluorescence energy transfer techniques have been used to determine distances between the same set of sites on an enzyme surface.

Regulation of glutamine synthetase in cultured 3T3-L1 cells by insulin, hydrocortisone, and dibutyryl cyclic AMP.

The 3T3-L1 mouse fibroblast cell line develops morphological and biochemical characteristics of adipocytes when maintained at confluence. This conversion to adipocytes is accelerated by addition of insulin to the culture medium [Green, H. & Kehinde, O. (1975) Cell 5, 19-27]. During the course of the insulin-mediated adipocyte conversion, the specific activity (units/mg of protein) of glutamine synthetase [L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] increases more than 100-fold. The specific activities of hexokinase (ATP:D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) and glucose-6-P dehydrogenase (D-glucose-6-phosphate:NADP(+) 1-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.49) also increase but less dramatically (1.5- to 3-fold). In contrast, confluent cells maintained in the absence of insulin for the same time (12-20 days after confluence) display only minimal increases in the activity of these enzymes. Maintenance of confluent cells in culture medium lacking added L-glutamine has little, if any, effect on glutamine synthetase activity in either control or insulin-treated cultures. Treatment of confluent 3T3-L1 cultures with hydrocortisone (1 mug/ml) for 3 days prior to harvesting results in an increase in glutamine synthetase specific activity of 12-fold for control cultures maintained for 13 days in the absence of insulin and 1.4-fold for adipocyte cultures maintained for 13 days in the presence of insulin (10 mug/ml). Treatment of 3T3-L1 control cells and adipocytes with dibutyryl cyclic AMP (1 mM) plus theophylline (1 mM) decreases the glutamine synthetase specific activity and almost completely reverses the insulin- and hydrocortisone-mediated increases in enzyme activity. In contrast, treatment with dibutyryl cyclic AMP plus theophylline has relatively little effect on the specific activities of hexokinase or glucose-6-P dehydrogenase or on the protein content of the cultures. These data indicate that glutamine synthetase activity is hormonally regulated in 3T3-L1 cells.