E1 Beta Subunit Research Articles

Regulation of gene expression of branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase complex in primary cultured hepatocytes by dexamethasone and a cAMP analog.

The present study demonstrates that dexamethasone and 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (CPT-cAMP), a cAMP analog, increase the substrate flux through branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) in primary rat hepatocytes cultured in defined medium. Maximum response (2.7-fold increase in flux) was observed when hepatocytes were cultured with 1 microM dexamethasone plus 50 microM CPT-cAMP for 24 h. This increase in the flux rate was accompanied by significant increases in both the basal and total activities of BCKDH (2.2- and 2.0-fold, respectively), without any significant change in the activity state of this enzyme. The increase in BCKDH activity was the result of increased protein mass of E1 alpha (3.2-fold), E1 beta (2.9-fold), and E2 (1.6-fold) subunits of BCKDH, indicating that E2 is the limiting subunit for the expression of BCKDH. The relative abundance of mRNAs encoding the E1 alpha, E1 beta, and E2 subunits of BCKDH increased by 7.4-, 21.7-, and 4.8-fold, respectively. We conclude that increased flux through BCKDH in hepatocytes cultured with dexamethasone and CPT-cAMP is due to increased expression of BCKDH subunit genes. However, nonstoichiometric expression of individual subunits and the corresponding mRNAs suggests regulation of BCKDH also at translational and post-translational steps.

Expression in Escherichia coli of genes encoding the E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus and assembly of a functional E1 component (alpha 2 beta 2) in vitro.

The E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits of the pyruvate decarboxylase (E1) component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus were produced from two genes overexpressed separately in Escherichia coli. A functional E1 enzyme was generated from disrupted mixtures of cells containing the separately overexpressed E1 alpha and E1 beta genes. The purified E1 enzyme exhibited an apparent molecular mass of 150,000 Da, consistent with an alpha 2 beta 2 structure. The Km for pyruvate and kcat (30 degrees C) were found to be 0.9 +/- 0.2 microM and 0.47 +/- 0.03 s-1, respectively. The purified E1 alpha subunit existed as a monomer (42,000 Da), whereas the E1 beta subunit existed mainly (95%) in a tetrameric form (145,000 Da). Mixing equimolar amounts of the pure recombinant E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits in vitro generated a functional E1 enzyme with a molecular mass and an E1 activity similar to those of the E1(alpha 2 beta 2) enzyme purified from disrupted mixtures of cells containing individually expressed subunits. Mixing individual subunits in vitro with one of the subunits in excess resulted in complete assembly of the lesser subunit into the intact E1 (alpha 2 beta 2) enzyme. Thus, no chaperonin is needed in vitro to promote the assembly of the separate subunits to form the E1 component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of B. stearothermophilus.

Stable correction of maple syrup urine disease in cells from a Mennonite patient by retroviral-mediated gene transfer.

We have successfully used retroviral gene transfer to correct the deficiency of the branched-chain alpha-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex in lymphoblasts from a homozygous Mennonite maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) patient. The mutation in Mennonites is a Tyr-393 to Asn substitution in the branched-chain alpha-oxo acid decarboxylase (E1)alpha subunit of the enzyme complex. This promotes improper assembly of mutant E1 alpha with E1 beta subunits, leading to degradation of both polypeptides. For transduction studies, a full-length human E1 alpha CDNA was inserted into the retroviral vector LXSN to produce the recombinant LSN-E1 alpha. High-titre [6 x 10(5) colony-forming units/ml] amphotropic retroviral preparations free of helper viruses were obtained by co-cultivation of infected GP+E86 with PA317 cells. Transduction of MSUD lymphoblasts from the Mennonite patient with LSN-E1 alpha viruses restored the decarboxylation of alpha-oxo[1-14C]isovalerate to the normal level. The normal decarboxylation activity in transduced MSUD cells remained stable without G418 selection during the 14 weeks studied. Southern-blot analysis indicated that the recombinant E1 alpha cDNA was integrated into the host genome. Northern and Western blotting showed that both the normal E1 alpha mRNA and the subunit were properly expressed in transduced MSUD cells. However, the level of E1 beta subunits is lower than that of normal cells, suggesting competition of the recombinant E1 alpha with the mutant form for assembly with E1 beta. The results provide a paradigm for the development of somatic gene therapy for disorders involving mitochondrial multienzyme complexes.

Developmental pattern of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex in rat liver and heart.

The developmental pattern of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex was examined in the liver and heart of the rat throughout the suckling period. Basal activity and total activity of the complex were measured as a function of age. The hepatic enzyme activity increased dramatically and was 100% active (dephosphorylated) during the suckling period. The level of protein kinase associated with the complex was particularly low at birth, but like the complex increased throughout the suckling period. The level of heart enzyme also increased as a function of age, but only about 30-45% of the enzyme was active throughout the suckling period. Very low protein levels of liver and heart branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase were detected by immunoblot analysis in newborn rats. The mRNA levels for the liver E1 alpha, E1 beta, and E2 subunits in newborn rat were 30%, 19%, and 4% of adult levels respectively. The capacity of the neonatal rat for oxidizing leucine in vivo was low at birth and increased with age. 4-Methyl-2-oxopentanoate was more toxic when given to newborn and 3-day-old pups than 21-day-old pups, as expected from the relative capacities of their tissues to dispose of branched-chain 2-oxo acids by oxidation. Force-feeding suckling rats a protein-free artificial milk formula resulted in partial inactivation of the hepatic branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex, indicating that the liver of the suckling rat can adapt to conserve branched-chain amino acid residues during periods of protein deficiency.

Characterization of PDH beta 1, the structural gene for the pyruvate dehydrogenase beta subunit from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The gene encoding the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) beta subunit (E1 beta) of the PDH complex from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been cloned, sequenced, disrupted, and expressed. Two overlapping DNA fragments were generated from a yeast genomic DNA library by the polymerase chain reaction with synthetic oligonucleotide primers based on amino acid sequences of the yeast and human E1 beta subunits. The DNA fragments were subcloned and sequenced. The composite sequence has an open reading frame of 1098 nucleotides encoding a putative presequence of 33 amino acid residues and a mature protein of 333 residues with a calculated M(r) = 36,486. Yeast and human E1 beta exhibit 62% sequence identity. The size of the mRNA is approximately 1.5 kilobases. Hybridization analysis showed that the E1 beta gene (PDH beta 1) is localized to chromosome II. Disruption of PDH beta 1 is not lethal under vegetative growth conditions. The null mutant transformed with PDH beta 1 on a unit-copy plasmid produced mature E1 beta and a functional PDH complex.

Expression and assembly of a functional E1 component (alpha 2 beta 2) of mammalian branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex in Escherichia coli.

We have expressed an active recombinant E1 decarboxylase component of the mammalian branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex in Escherichia coli by subcloning mature E1 alpha and E1 beta subunit cDNA sequences into a bacterial expression vector. To permit affinity purification under native conditions, the mature E1 alpha subunit was fused with the affinity ligand E. coli maltose-binding protein (MBP) through an endoprotease Factor Xa-specific linker peptide. When co-expressed, the MBP-E1 alpha fusion and E1 beta subunits were shown to co-purify as a MBP-E1 component that exhibited both E1 activity and binding competence for recombinant branched-chain E2 component. In contrast, in vitro mixing of individually expressed MBP-E1 alpha and E1 beta did not result in assembly or produce E1 activity. Following proteolytic removal of the affinity ligand and linker peptide with Factor Xa, a recombinant E1 species was eluted from a Sephacryl S-300HR sizing column as an enzymatically active 160-kDa species. The latter showed 1:1 subunit stoichiometry, which was consistent with an alpha 2 beta 2 structure. The recovery of this 160-kDa recombinant E1 species (estimated at 0.07% of total lysate protein) was low, with the majority of the recombinant protein lost as insoluble aggregates. Our findings suggest that the concurrent expression of both E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits in the same cellular compartment is important for assembly of both subunits into a functional E1 alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetramer. By using this co-expression system, we also find that the E1 alpha missense mutation (Tyr-393----Asn) characterized in Mennonites with maple syrup urine disease prevents the assembly of soluble E1 heterotetramers.

Effects of clofibric acid on the activity and activity state of the hepatic branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex.

Feeding clofibric acid to rats caused little or no change in total activity of the liver branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex (BCODC). No change in mass of liver BCODC was detected by immunoblot analysis in response to dietary clofibric acid. No changes in abundance of mRNAs for the BCODC E1 alpha, E1 beta and E2 subunits were detected by Northern-blot analysis. Likewise, dietary clofibric acid had no effect on the activity state of liver BCODC (percentage of enzyme in the dephosphorylated, active, form) of rats fed on a chow diet. However, dietary clofibric acid greatly increased the activity state of liver BCODC of rats fed on a diet deficient in protein. No stable change in liver BCODC kinase activity was found in response to clofibric acid in either chow-fed or low-protein-fed rats. Clofibric acid had a biphasic effect on flux through BCODC in hepatocytes prepared from low-protein-fed rats. Stimulation of BCODC flux at low concentrations was due to clofibric acid inhibition of BCODC kinase, which in turn allowed activation of BCODC by BCODC phosphatase. Inhibition of BCODC flux at high concentrations was due to direct inhibition of BCODC by clofibric acid. The results suggest that the effects of clofibric acid in vivo on branched-chain amino acid metabolism can be explained by the inhibitory effects of this drug on BCODC kinase.

Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of mature E1 beta subunit of bovine mitochondrial branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex. Mapping of the E1 beta-binding region on E2.

A cDNA encoding the mature E1 beta subunit of the bovine branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex was isolated from a lambda ZAP expression library. The bovine E1 beta cDNA is 1,393 base pairs in length. It encodes the entire mature E1 beta subunit consisting of 342 amino acid residues and a partial mitochondrial targeting presequence of 26 residues. The calculated molecular mass of the mature bovine E1 beta subunit is 37,776 daltons, and the calculated isoelectric point is pI 5.04. The mature bovine E1 beta subunit was expressed in Escherichia coli via the pKK233-2 vector in the presence of isopropyl beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). When expression was induced by IPTG at 37 degrees C, the soluble recombinant E1 beta subunit existed as a single high molecular weight form (Mr congruent to 3.5 x 10(5)), which sedimented during sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation at 2 x 10(5) x g. However, lowering the induction temperature to 25 degrees C resulted in the occurrence of both high and low molecular weight forms of the recombinant E1 beta protein. The low molecular weight form (Mr congruent to 9.1 x 10(4)) remained soluble after sucrose gradient centrifugation and was utilized in binding studies with a series of truncated recombinant E2 proteins. The results showed that the E1 beta subunit bound to the region between Ala-115 and Lys-150 of the E2 chain, which lay within the putative E3-binding domain. In contrast, the recombinant E1 alpha subunit did not bind the E2 component. The data suggest an apparent binding order of E2-E1 beta-E1 alpha, which supports and extends the model of E2 inner core deduced previously from the data of scanning transmission electron microscopy (Hackert, M.L., Xu, W.-X., Oliver, R.M., Wall, J.S., Hainfeld, J.F., Mullinax, T.R., and Reed, L.J. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 6816-6821). The relatively inaccessible topology of E1 beta may explain the lack of antigenicity and resistance to limited proteolysis of this subunit as it exists in the complex.

Maple syrup urine disease in Mennonites. Evidence that the Y393N mutation in E1 alpha impedes assembly of the E1 component of branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex.

Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) in Mennonites is associated with homozygosity for a T to A transversion in the E1 alpha gene of the branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex. This causes a tyrosine to asparagine substitution at position 393 (Y393N). To assess the functional significance of this missense mutation, we have carried out transfection studies using E1 alpha-deficient MSUD lymphoblasts (Lo) as a host. The level of E1 beta subunit is also greatly reduced in Lo cells. Efficient episomal expression in lymphoblasts was achieved using the EBO vector. The inserts employed were chimeric bovine-human cDNAs which encode mitochondrial import competent E1 alpha subunit precursors. Transfection with normal E1 alpha cDNA into Lo cells restored decarboxylation activity of intact cells. Western blotting showed that both E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits were markedly increased. Introduction of Y393N mutant E1 alpha cDNA failed to produce any measurable decarboxylation activity. Mutant E1 alpha subunit was expressed at a normal level, however, the E1 beta subunit was undetectable. These results provide the first evidence that Y393N mutation is the cause of MSUD. Moreover, this mutation impedes the assembly of E1 alpha with E1 beta into a stable alpha 2 beta 2 structure, resulting in the degradation of the free E1 beta subunit.

Structural organization and chromosomal localization of the gene for the E1 beta subunit of human branched chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase

A defect in the E1 beta subunit of the branched chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex is one cause of maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). In an attempt to elucidate the molecular basis of MSUD, we isolated and characterized the cDNA of the E1 beta subunit of BCKDH. Using the cDNA as a probe, a chromosomal gene related to E1 beta subunit of human BCKDH was isolated from human gene libraries. The gene of E1 beta subunit is over 100 kilobases long and is split into 10 exons. All of the splice donor and acceptor sites conform to the GT/AG rule. The transcription initiation site was determined by nuclease S1 mapping and primer extension and was located 47 bases upstream from the initiation codon. A "CAAT" box and its reverse complement sequences were present at 39 bases and 75 bases upstream from the cap site, but there was no "TATA" box-like sequence. There were three sets of sequences resembling the transcription factor Sp1-binding sites and two sets of sequences resembling the enhancer core sequence. We also analyzed the chromosomal localization of the gene for the E1 beta subunit of BCKDH. The gene was mapped to chromosome 6. Knowledge of the gene structure of human BCKDH E1 beta subunit will facilitate further studies on the expression and regulation of this gene and provide necessary information for analyses of mutations in patients with MSUD.

Maple syrup urine disease. Complete defect of the E1 beta subunit of the branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex due to a deletion of an 11-bp repeat sequence which encodes a mitochondrial targeting leader peptide in a family with the disease.

Branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) deficiency results in maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). We examined the molecular basis of familial cases of MSUD by analyzing the activity, subunit structure, mRNA sequence, and genome structure of the affected enzyme. The BCKDH activity in the proband with MSUD was approximately 6% of the normal control level. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the E1 beta subunit of BCKDH was absent and that the E1 alpha subunit of BCKDH was markedly reduced. We amplified the cDNAs of the E1 alpha subunit and the E1 beta subunit of the BCKDH complex obtained from cells of the patient, using the polymerase chain reaction method, then sequenced the amplified cDNAs. The deduced amino acid sequence for the E1 alpha subunit of the patient's cell was normal. An 11-bp deletion was identified in the region that encoded the mitochondrial targeting leader peptide in the E1 beta cDNA. This 11-bp sequence is found in the first exon of the BCKDH-E1 beta gene, as a direct tandem repeat. Amplification of genomic DNA revealed that the consanguineous parents were heterozygous for this mutant allele, and sister and brother of the patient with the disease were homozygous for this mutant allele. This 11-bp deletion mutation caused a change in the reading frame and the mature E1 beta protein was defective. These observations show the biological importance of the E1 beta subunit of BCKDH to maintain normal function of the enzyme activity. The absence of the E1 beta subunit results in instability of the E1 alpha subunit.

Clarification of the identity of the major M2 autoantigen in primary biliary cirrhosis

1. In primary biliary cirrhosis, the major M2 autoantigen, reacting with antimitochondrial antibodies in sera from greater than 90% of patients, has been identified as the E2 component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. However, two recent reports suggest that alternative polypeptides may be major autoantigens. 2. The evidence that a 75 kDa subunit of complex I of the respiratory chain is a major autoantigen (Frostell, Mendel-Hartvig, Nelson, Totterman, Bjorkland & Ragan, Scand. J. Immunol. 1988; 28, 157-65) is refuted. The findings of Frostell et al. can be explained by contamination of complex I with the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, evidence for which is presented here. 3. Inspection of the partial amino acid sequence of an unidentified mitochondrial autoantigen (Muno, Kominami, Ishii, Usui, Saituku, Sakakibara & Namihisa, Hepatology 1990; 11, 16-23) shows that it is the E1 beta-subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, previously identified as a major autoantigen, and not a 'new' alternative major autoantigen. 4. These findings substantiate previous work showing that the mitochondrial M2 autoantigens identified so far in primary biliary cirrhosis are all polypeptide components of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex or the other related 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complexes.

Immunology, biosynthesis and in vivo assembly of the branched‐chain 2‐oxoacid dehydrogenase complex from bovine kidney

Specific, polyclonal antisera have been raised to the native branched-chain 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase complex (BCOADC) from bovine kidney and each of its three constituent enzymes: E1, the substrate-specific 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase; E2, the multimeric dihydrolipoamide acyltransferase 'core' enzyme and E3, dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase. Purified BCOADC, isolated by selective poly(ethyleneglycol) precipitation and hydroxyapatite chromatography, contains only traces of endogenous E3 as detected by a requirement for this enzyme in assaying overall complex activity and by immunoblotting criteria. A weak antibody response was elicited by the E1 beta subunit relative to the E2 and E1 alpha polypeptides employing either purified E1 or BCOADC as antigens. Anti-BCOADC serum showed no cross-reaction with high levels of pig heart E3 indicating the absence of antibody directed against this component. However, immunoprecipitates of mature BCOADC from detergent extracts of NBL-1 (bovine kidney) or PK-15 (porcine kidney) cell lines incubated for 3-4 h in the presence of [35S]methionine contained an additional 55,000-Mr species which was identified as E3 on the basis of immunocompetition studies. Accumulation of newly synthesised [35S]methionine-labelled precursors for E2, E1 alpha and E3 was achieved by incubation of PK-15 cells for 4 h in the presence of uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation. Pre-E2 exhibited an apparent Mr value of 56,500, pre-E1 alpha, 49,000 and pre-E3, 57,000 compared to subunit Mr values of 50,000, 46,000 and 55,000, respectively, for the mature polypeptides. Thus, like the equivalent lipoate acyltransferases of the mammalian pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDC) and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDC) complexes, pre-E2 of BCOADC characteristically contains an extended presequence. In NBL-1 cells, pre-E2 was found to be unstable since no cytoplasmic pool of this precursor could be detected; moreover, processed E1 alpha was not assembled into intact BCOADC as evidenced by the absence of E2 or E3 in immunoprecipitates with anti-(BCOADC) serum after a 45-min 'chase' period in the absence of uncoupler. Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (E3), in its precursor state, was not present in immune complexes with anti-(BCOADC) serum, indicating that its co-precipitation with mature complex is by virtue of its high affinity for assembled complex in vivo whereas no equivalent interaction of pre-E3 with its companion precursors occurs prior to mitochondrial import.

Isolation, characterization and chromosomal localization of cDNA clones for the E1beta subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

A full-length cDNA clone for the E1 beta subunit of the human pyruvate dehydrogenase (PyrDH) complex was isolated from a human skin fibroblast cDNA library. When sequenced, it showed differences from the nucleotide sequence already published [Koike, K., Ohta, S., Urata, Y., Kagawa, Y. & Koike, M. (1988) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 85, 41-45], such that 19 amino acids were different in the translated open reading frame. Northern blotting of human fibroblast cell lines revealed a major mRNA species of 1.6 kb and a weaker band of 5.5 kb. In a series of nine PyrDH-complex-deficient cell lines from patients with this deficiency, no patients had severely reduced amounts of mRNA, but there was one patient cell line with an increased amount of abnormal-size mRNA. Chromosome localization carried out with DNA blots from man-mouse hybrid cell lines indicated that the E1 beta subunit of pyruvate dehydrogenase is located on chromosome 3. A motif AXGXXXXGL(R/K)X15(D/E)Q was found in common with a variety of other oxo-acid oxidoreductases, but its function is not known.

Characterization of two cDNA clones for pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 beta subunit and its regulation in tricarboxylic acid cycle-deficient fibroblast.

Two distinct types of cDNA clones encoding for the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) E1 beta subunit were isolated from a human liver lambda gt11 cDNA library and characterized. These cDNA clones have identical nucleotide sequences for PDH E1 beta protein coding region but differ in their lengths and in the sequences of their 3'-untranslated regions. The smaller cDNA had an unusual polyadenylation signal within its protein coding region. The cDNA-deduced protein of PDH E1 beta subunit revealed a precursor protein of 359 amino acid residues (Mr 39,223) and a mature protein of 329 residues (Mr 35,894), respectively. Both cDNAs shared high amino acid sequence similarity with that isolated from human foreskin (Koike, K.K., Ohta, S., Urata, Y., Kagawa, Y., and Koike, M. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85, 41-45) except for three regions of frameshift mutation. These changes led to dramatic alterations in the local net charges and predicted protein conformation. One of the different sequences in the protein coding region of liver cDNA (nucleotide position 452-752) reported here was confirmed by sequencing the region after amplification of cDNA prepared from human skin fibroblasts by the polymerase chain reaction. Southern blot analysis verified simple patterns of hybridization with E1 beta cDNA, indicating that the PDH E1 beta subunit gene is not a member of a multigene family. The mechanisms of differential expression of the PDH E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits were also studied in established fibroblast cell lines obtained from patients with Leigh's syndrome and other forms of congenital lactic acidosis. In Northern blot analyses for PDH E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits, no apparent differences were observed between two Leigh's syndrome and the control fibroblasts studied: one species of PDH E1 alpha mRNA and three species of E1 beta mRNA were observed in all the cell lines examined. However, in one tricarboxylic acid cycle deficient fibroblast cell line, which has one-tenth of the normal enzyme activity, the levels of immunoreactive PDH E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits were markedly decreased as assessed by immunoblot analyses. These data indicated a regulatory mutation caused by either inefficient translation of E1 alpha and E1 beta mRNAs into protein or rapid degradation of both subunits upon translation. In contrast, the PDH E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits in two fibroblast cell lines from Leigh's syndrome patients appeared to be normal as judged by 1) enzyme activity, 2) mRNA Northern blot, 3) genomic DNA Southern blot, and 4) immunoblot analyses indicating that the lactic acidosis seen in these patients did not result from a single defect in either of these E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits of the PDH complex.

Molecular cloning of the gene for the E1α subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were purified. Antibodies raised against these subunits were used to clone the corresponding genes from a genomic yeast DNA library in the expression vector lambda gt11. The gene encoding the E1 alpha subunit was unique and localized on a 1.7-kb HindIII fragment from chromosome V. The identify of the gene was confirmed in two ways. (a) Expression of the gene in Escherichia coli produced a protein that reacted with the anti-E1 alpha serum. (b) Gene replacement at the 1.7-kb HindIII fragment abolished both pyruvate dehydrogenase activity and the production of proteins reacting with anti-E1 alpha serum in haploid cells. In addition, the 1.7-kb HindIII fragment hybridized to a set of oligonucleotides derived from amino acid sequences from the N-terminal and central regions of the human E1 alpha peptide. We propose to call the gene encoding the E1 alpha subunit of the yeast pyruvate dehydrogenase complex PDA1. Screening of the lambda gt11 library using the anti-E1 beta serum resulted in the reisolation of the RAP1 gene, which was located on chromosome XIV.

Cloning and sequence analysis of the genes encoding the α and β subunits of the E1 component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus

A 4175-bp EcoRI fragment of DNA that encodes the alpha and beta chains of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (lipoamide) component (E1) of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus has been cloned in Escherichia coli. Its nucleotide sequence was determined. Open reading frames (pdhA, pdhB) corresponding to the E1 alpha subunit (368 amino acids, Mr 41,312, without the initiating methionine residue) and E1 beta subunit (324 amino acids, Mr 35,306, without the initiating methionine residue) were identified and confirmed with the aid of amino acid sequences determined directly from the purified polypeptide chains. The E1 beta gene begins just 3 bp downstream from the E1 alpha stop codon. It is followed, after a longer gap of 73 bp, by the start of another but incomplete open reading frame that, on the basis of its known amino acid sequence, encodes the dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2) component of the complex. All three genes are preceded by potential ribosome-binding sites and the gene cluster is located immediately downstream from a region of DNA showing numerous possible promoter sequences. The E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits of the B. stearothermophilus pyruvate dehydrogenase complex exhibit substantial sequence similarity with the E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits of pyruvate and branched-chain 2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase complexes from mammalian mitochondria and Pseudomonas putida. In particular, the E1 alpha chain contains the highly conserved sequence motif that has been found in all enzymes utilizing thiamin diphosphate as cofactor.

Maple syrup urine disease. Complete primary structure of the E1 beta subunit of human branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex deduced from the nucleotide sequence and a gene analysis of patients with this disease.

A defect in the E1 beta subunit of the branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex is one cause of maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). In an attempt to elucidate the molecular basis of MSUD, we isolated and characterized a 1.35 kbp cDNA clone encoding the entire precursor of the E1 beta subunit of BCKDH complex from a human placental cDNA library. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the isolated cDNA clone (lambda hBE1 beta-1) contained a 5'-untranslated sequence of four nucleotides, the translated sequence of 1,176 nucleotides and the 3'-untranslated sequence of 169 nucleotides. Comparison of the amino acid sequence predicted from the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of the clone with the NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified mature bovine BCKDH-E1 beta subunit showed that the cDNA insert encodes for a 342-amino acid subunit with a Mr = 37,585. The subunit is synthesized as the precursor with a leader sequence of 50 amino acids and is processed at the NH2 terminus. A search for protein homology revealed that the primary structure of human BCKDH-E1 beta was similar to the bovine BCKDH-E1 beta and to the E1 beta subunit of human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, in all regions. The structures and functions of mammalian alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complexes are apparently highly conserved. Genomic DNA from lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from normal and five MSUD patients, in whom E1 beta was not detected by immunoblot analysis, gave the same restriction maps on Southern blot analysis. The gene has at least 80 kbp.

Isolation and characterization of a complementary DNA clone coding for the E1.beta. subunit of the bovine branched-chain .alpha.-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex: complete amino acid sequence of the precursor protein and its proteolytic processing

A 1.7-kb cDNA clone encoding the entire precursor of the E1 beta subunit of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex was isolated from a bovine liver cDNA library by screening with a mixture of synthetic oligonucleotide probes corresponding to the C-terminal five-residue sequence of the mature E1 beta subunit. A partial amino acid sequence was determined by Edman degradation of the intact subunit and the peptides generated by cleavage at the lysyl bonds. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the isolated cDNA clone contained the 5'-untranslated sequence of 186 nucleotides, the translated sequence of 1176 nucleotides, and the 3'-untranslated sequence of 306 nucleotides with a poly(A) tail. A type AATAAA polyadenylation signal was located 17 nucleotides upstream of the start of a poly(A) tail. Comparison of the amino acid sequence predicted from the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of the clone with the partial amino acid sequence of the mature BCKDH E1 beta subunit showed that the cDNA insert encodes for a 342 amino acid subunit with Mr 37,745 and that the subunit is synthesized as the precursor with a leader sequence of 50 amino acids and processed at the N-terminus. Northern blot analysis using the cDNA insert as a probe showed the presence of a 1.8-1.9-kb mRNA in bovine liver, suggesting that the insert covers nearly a full length of mRNA. Alignment of the deduced amino acid sequence of bovine BCKDH E1 beta with that of the human pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex E1 beta subunit revealed a high degree of sequence homology throughout the two enzymes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Maple syrup urine disease: a possible biochemical basis for the clinical heterogeneity

Nine patients with maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), of whom eight were detected by mass-screening of neonates for inherited metabolic disease, were studied to determine possible relationships between clinical features and properties of the branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDH) in cultured lymphoblastoid cells. Based on their tolerance for leucine and on the clinical manifestations observed after 2 years of age, most could be classified into three types; classical (tolerate less than 600 mg of leucine per day, N = 2), intermediate (N = 3) and intermittent (N = 3) types. In the other patient two of these three phenotypes were present. The BCKDH activities measured at a lower alpha-ketoisovaleric acid concentration (0.054 mM) were 0.026 +/- 0.015 in classical, 0.118 +/- 0.016 in intermediate and 0.625 +/- 0.139 in intermittent types and 7.052 +/- 0.779 (nmol/h per milligram of protein) in two controls, respectively; the differences being statistically significant (P less than 0.01, classical vs intermediate types; P less than 0.01, intermediate vs intermittent types; P less than 0.01, intermittent vs control). Kinetic and immunochemical analyses of the BCKDH revealed that, although there are a few exceptions, classical, intermediate and intermittent types correspond to the enzyme properties of sigmoidal kinetics with E1 beta subunit deficiency, near-sigmoidal kinetics with E1 beta subunit deficiency and hyperbolic kinetics with E2 subunit deficiency of the BCKDH, respectively.