Presence Of Alpha-ketoglutarate Research Articles

Alpha-ketoglutarate enhances freeze-thaw tolerance and prevents carbohydrate-induced cell death of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Stress resistance and fermentative capability are important quality characteristics of baker's yeast. In the present study, we examined protective effects of exogenous alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), an intermediate of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and amino acid metabolism, against freeze-thaw and carbohydrate-induced stresses in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Growth on AKG-supplemented medium prevented a loss of viability and improved fermentative capacity of yeast cells after freeze-thaw treatment. The cells grown in the presence of AKG had higher levels of amino acids (e.g., proline), higher metabolic activity and total antioxidant capacity, and higher activities of catalase, NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamine synthase compared to control ones. Both synthesis of amino acids and enhancement of antioxidant system capacity could be involved in AKG-improved freeze-thaw tolerance in S. cerevisiae. Cell viability dramatically decreased under incubation of stationary-phase yeast cells in 2% glucose or fructose solutions (in the absence of the other nutrients) as compared with incubation in distilled water or in 10mM AKG solution. The decrease in cell viability was accompanied by acidification of the medium, and decrease in cellular respiration, aconitase activity, and levels of total protein and free amino acids. The supplementation with 10mM AKG effectively prevented carbohydrate-induced yeast death. Protective mechanisms of AKG could be associated with the intensification of respiration and prevention of decreasing protein level as well as with direct antioxidant AKG action.

Coupling of Na+/α-ketoglutarate symport and PAH/α-ketoglutarate antiport in epithelial cells. Estimation of probability of the anion exchanger spontaneous re-orientation

In this work, dynamics of uptake ofp-aminohippurate (PAH) by basolateral membrane vesicles isolated from rat kidney proximal tubules was studied. The uphill PAH transport into the basolateral membrane vesicles in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate and Na+-gradient was shown. Based on mathematical model of symport and antiport cooperation the mechanism of energy coupling of PAH transport by the way of exchanger with Na+-dicarboxylate symport is discussed. Based on comparison of our own and literature data, the data analysis shows adequacy of the proposed mathematical model to describe the symport and antiport cooperation. This model was demonstrated to enable estimation of re-orientation probability of the empty anion exchanger (without substrate) from one membrane side to the other.

Cloning, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the biosyntheticN-acetylornithine aminotransferases fromSalmonella typhimuriumandEscherichia coli

Acetylornithine aminotransferase (AcOAT) is a type I pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme catalyzing the conversion of N-acetylglutamic semialdehyde to N-acetylornithine in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate, a step involved in arginine metabolism. In Escherichia coli, the biosynthetic AcOAT also catalyzes the conversion of N-succinyl-L-2-amino-6-oxopimelate to N-succinyl-L,L-diaminopimelate, one of the steps in lysine biosynthesis. It is closely related to ornithine aminotransferase. AcOAT was cloned from Salmonella typhimurium and E. coli, overexpressed in E. coli and purified using Ni-NTA affinity column chromatography. The enzymes crystallized in the presence of gabaculine. Crystals of E. coli AcOAT (eAcOAT) only diffracted X-rays to 3.5 A and were twinned. The crystals of S. typhimurium AcOAT (sAcOAT) diffracted to 1.9 A and had a dimer in the asymmetric unit. The structure of sAcOAT was solved by the molecular-replacement method.

Poly- β-hydroxybutyrate accumulation in Nostoc muscorum: Effects of metabolic inhibitors

Poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation in Nostoc muscorum was studied in presence of various metabolic inhibitors. Supplementation of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) was found to suppress PHB accumulation in phosphate-limited N. muscorum under photoautotrophic growth condition. PHB accumulation increased up to 21% and 17% from an initial PHB content of 8.5% of dry weight, respectively, under carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) treatment, whereas 2,4 -dinitrophenol (DNP) supplementation depicted insignificant effect on PHB pool of the test cyanobacterium. Supplementation of l-methionine-dl-sulfoximine (MSX) and azaserine was also found to increase PHB accumulation in N(2) -fixing and NH(4)(+) -grown N. muscorum, but not in NO(3)(-) -grown cells. The stimulatory action of monofluoroacetate on PHB accumulation was suppressed in presence of alpha-ketoglutarate and DCMU. Interestingly, 2,3 -butanedione supplementation was not only found inhibitory for accumulation of PHB in P-deficient, N-deficient and chemoheterotrophically grown N. muscorum but suppression of PHB synthesis was also evident in control cultures in presence of 2,3 -butanedione. The possible mechanisms are discussed.

The effect of alpha-ketoglutaric acid on amino acid utilization by nonstarter Lactobacillus spp. isolated from Cheddar cheese.

To examine the effect of alpha-ketoglutaric acid (alpha-KG) on the utilization and catabolism of amino acids by strains of nonstarter lactobacilli isolated from Cheddar cheese. The effect of alpha-KG in the growth medium of nonstarter lactobacilli on amino acid metabolism, catabolite levels, peptide hydrolase and aminotransferase activities was examined. The pattern of amino acid utilization, catabolite formation and aminotransferase activity was affected by keto acid. Amino acid conversion into cheese aroma and flavour compounds by nonstarter lactobacilli is enhanced in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate. Increasing the availability of alpha-ketoglutarate in cheese offers a possible method of reducing the maturation period by accelerating the rate of character compound formation from amino acids by the nonstarter lactobacilli.

Urate/alpha-ketoglutarate exchange in avian basolateral membrane vesicles.

Membrane transport pathways for transcellular secretion of urate across the proximal tubule were investigated in avian kidney. The presence of coupled urate/alpha-ketoglutarate exchange was investigated in basolateral membrane vesicles (BLMV) by [(14)C]urate and [alpha-(3)H]ketoglutarate flux measurements. An inward Na gradient induced accumulation of alpha-ketoglutarate of sufficient magnitude to suggest a Na-dicarboxylate cotransporter. An inward Na gradient also induced concentrative accumulation of urate in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate but not in its absence, suggesting urate/alpha-ketoglutarate exchange. alpha-Ketoglutarate-dependent stimulation of urate uptake was not observed in brush-border membrane vesicles. An outward urate gradient induced concentrative accumulation of alpha-ketoglutarate. alpha-Ketoglutarate-coupled urate uptake was specific for alpha-ketoglutarate, Cl dependent, and insensitive to membrane potential. alpha-Ketoglutarate-coupled urate uptake was inhibited by increasing p-aminohippurate (PAH) concentrations, and alpha-ketoglutarate-coupled PAH uptake was observed. alpha-Ketoglutarate-coupled PAH uptake was inhibited by increasing urate concentrations, and an outward urate gradient induced concentrative accumulation of PAH. These results suggest a Cl-dependent, alpha-ketoglutarate-coupled anion exchange mechanism as a pathway for active urate uptake across the basolateral membrane of urate-secreting proximal tubule cells.

Irreversible inactivation of aspartate aminotransferase by 2-oxoglutaconic acid and its dimethyl ester.

Incubation of pig heart cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase (pyridoxal 5'-phosphate form) with 10 mM 2-oxoglutaconic acid dimethyl ester for 2 h at 25 degrees C (pH 7.0) results in slight inactivation (approximately 15%). However, incubation of the enzyme with glutamate, or prior conversion of the enzyme to the pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate form, results in more extensive inactivation. The inactivation of the enzyme by 2-oxoglutaconic acid dimethyl ester is most pronounced in the presence of both glutamate and alpha-ketoglutarate. N-Ethylmaleimide was previously shown to alkylate two surface cysteine residues (I and II) and to react syncatalytically with a third cysteine residue (III) of cytosolic pig heart aspartate aminotransferase [Birchmeier et al. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 1751-1759]. Alkylation of cysteine III results in inactivation of the enzyme, despite the fact that this residue is not essential for catalysis. The present results suggest that 2-oxoglutaconic acid dimethyl ester reacts with the enzyme in a similar fashion to that exhibited by N-ethylmaleimide. Some inactivation by alkylation of a susceptible group at the active site cannot be ruled out. However, the rate of inactivation of cytosolic pig heart aspartate aminotransferase is proportional to the concentration of 2-oxoglutaconic acid dimethyl ester up to a concentration of at least 40 mM, suggesting that the compound binds very poorly to the active site or that alkylation at the active site is slow compared with syncatalytic alkylation of cysteine III. The t 1/2 for inactivation of pig heart cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase by 40 mM 2-oxoglutaconic acid dimethyl ester (in the presence of 10 mM L-glutamate, pH 7.2, 25 degrees C) is 9 min. Incubation of cytosolic pig heart aspartate aminotransferase with 10 mM 2-oxoglutaconate for 2 h (25 degrees C, pH 7.2) results in significant inactivation (approximately 30%). The enzyme is protected against inactivation by the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate, but glutamate enhances the inactivation. These findings suggest that 2-oxoglutaconate is an active site-directed inhibitor. The binding of 2-oxoglutaconate to the enzyme exhibits saturation kinetics (K1 approximately 2 mM), but the rate of inactivation is slow (limiting rate constant for inactivation in the presence of L-glutamate approximately 0.01 min-1; pH 6.0, 25 degrees C; t 1/2 max approximately 70 min). This finding suggests that 2-oxoglutaconate does not readily react in a syncatalytic fashion with cysteine III. Possibly, the two negative charges of 2-oxoglutaconate do not allow ready approach to cysteine III. Rather, the findings suggest that 2-oxoglutaconate binds at the active site of the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate form of the enzyme as an affinity labeling reagent. However, the increased rate of 2-oxoglutaconate-induced inactivation in the presence of glutamate suggests that this unsaturated alpha-keto acid also exhibits the properties of a kcat inhibitor. 2-Oxoglutaconate inactivates aspartate aminotransferase in cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions of rat kidney and purified pig heart alanine aminotransferase. Injection of 2-oxoglutaconate into mice results in inhibition of kidney aspartate aminotransferase. 2-Oxoglutaconate is a substrate of glutamate dehydrogenase. The kinetic constants are similar to those obtained with alpha-ketoglutarate. The results suggest that unsaturated alpha-keto acids and their esters may be useful probes for the study of alpha-keto acid-utilizing enzymes.

Neuronal metabolism of branched-chain amino acids: flux through the aminotransferase pathway in synaptosomes.

The metabolism of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) was studied in cortical synaptosomes. With [15N]leucine (1 mM) as precursor, the cumulative appearance of 15N in [15N]glutamate and [15N]aspartate was 0.2 nmol/min/mg of protein without supplemental alpha-ketoglutarate and 0.3 nmol/min/mg of protein in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate (0.5 mM). The BCAA amino-transferase reaction also proceeded in the "reverse" direction [alpha-ketoisocaproate (KIC) + glutamate-->leucine + alpha-ketoglutarate]. This was documented by incubating synaptosomes with [15N]glutamate and measuring the formation of [15N]leucine. Without KIC in the medium, the rate of [15N]leucine production was 0.13 nmol/min/mg of protein. In the presence of 25 microM KIC the rate was 0.79 nmol/min/mg of protein and even greater (1.0 nmol/ min/mg of protein) in the presence of 500 microM KIC. The reamination of KIC was two- to threefold faster with [2-15N]glutamine as precursor compared with [15N]-glutamate. The ketoacid of valine, alpha-ketoisovalerate (KIV), was reaminated to [15N]valine at a rate comparable to that observed with respect to KIC. The BCAA transaminase mediated not only the bidrectional transfer of amino groups between leucine or valine and glutamate, but also the direct transfer of nitrogen between leucine and valine. This was ascertained in studies in which the incubation medium was supplemented with either [15N]leucine and KIV or [15N]valine and KIC (amino acids at 1 mM and ketoacids at 25 or 500 microM). The rate was faster in the direction of leucine formation at both the lower (6.1-fold) and higher (1.7-fold) KIC concentration. It is suggested that in synaptosomes the BCAA transaminase (a) functions predominantly in the direction of leucine formation and (b) maintains a constant ratio of BCAAs and ketoacids to one other.

Regulation of insulin release by factors that also modify glutamate dehydrogenase.

Leucine and monomethyl succinate initiate insulin release, and glutamine potentiates leucine-induced insulin release. Alanine enhances and malate inhibits leucine plus glutamine-induced insulin release. The insulinotropic effect of leucine is at least in part secondary to its ability to activate glutamate oxidation by glutamate dehydrogenase (Sener, A., Malaisse-Lagae, F., and Malaisse, W. J. (1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 78, 5460-5464). The effect of these other amino acids or Krebs cycle intermediates on insulin release also correlates with their effects on glutamate dehydrogenase and their ability to regulate inhibition of this enzyme by alpha-ketoglutarate. For example, glutamine enhances insulin release and islet glutamate dehydrogenase activity only in the presence of leucine. This could be because leucine, especially in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate, increases the Km of glutamate and converts alpha-ketoglutarate from a noncompetitive to a competitive inhibitor of glutamate. Thus, in the presence of leucine, this enzyme is more responsive to high levels of glutamate and less responsive to inhibition by alpha-ketoglutarate. Malate could decrease and alanine could increase insulin release because malate increases the generation of alpha-ketoglutarate in islet mitochondria via the combined malate dehydrogenase-aspartate aminotransferase reaction, and alanine could decrease the level of alpha-ketoglutarate via the alanine transaminase reaction. Monomethyl succinate alone is as stimulatory of insulin release as leucine alone, and glutamine enhances the action of both. Succinyl coenzyme A, leucine, and GTP are all bound in the same region on glutamate dehydrogenase, where GTP is a potent inhibitor and succinyl coenzyme A and leucine are comparable activators. Thus, the insulinotropic properties of monomethyl succinate could result from it increasing the level of succinyl coenzyme A and decreasing the level of GTP via the succinate thiokinase reaction.

Effect of ammonia on glucagon secretion from the perfused pancreas of cirrhotic rats

Effects of ammonia on glucagon and insulin secretion from the perfused pancreas of cirrhotic rats were investigated to clarify the occurring mechanism of hypersecretion of pancreatic glucagon in liver cirrhotics. The results were as follows: During ammonia loading, insulin secretion was inhibited in a dose-related manner, whereas glucagon secretion was gradually increased at high concentrations of ammonia (2 mM) in control rats; this tendency was augmented in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate in cirrhotic rats. On cessation of ammonia loading, a transient but definite increase in glucagon and insulin secretion was observed. Basal plasma glucagon and ammonia levels as well as basal glucagon secretion from the perfused pancreas of cirrhotic rats were significantly higher than in control rats. Basal insulin secretion from the perfused pancreas of cirrhotic rats was not different in spite of high levels of plasma insulin. Glucagon secretory response to glucose and arginine from the perfused pancreas of cirrhotic rats was higher than in the control pancreas, whereas insulin secretion was lower. In these cirrhotic rats, an increase in the number of islet cells, particularly A cells, was observed. These data suggested that hypersecretion of pancreatic glucagon which was responsible for hyperglucagonemia in cirrhotic rats might be attributed to high levels of ammonia and alpha-ketoglutarate in blood as well as to the fluctuation of abnormal ammonia concentration in blood and to the hypertrophy of islets, particularly of the A cell group due to hypersecretion.

Identification of messenger RNA for glutamate dehydrogenase using a spectrophotometric probe.

Specific messenger RNA for glutamate dehydrogenase was partially purified from a calf liver polysomal poly(A)-mRNA fraction by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Enzyme activity in the translational incubation mixture was detected by measuring NADH oxidation in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate and ammonia as a decrease in absorbency 340-442 nm in a dual wavelength Aminco DW-2 spectrophotometer.

Glutamine synthetase adenylylation in permeabilized cells of Escherichia coli.

Following a freeze-thaw cycle, treatment of Escherichia coli with the nonionic detergent, Lubrol WX, renders the cells permeable to small molecules but not to cytosolic proteins. After such treatment, the permeabilized cell suspensions can be assayed directly by standard procedures both for intracellular levels of glutamine synthetase and the state of adenylylation (i.e. the average number, n, of adenylylated subunits/dodecameric molecule). Permeabilization of cells from cultures containing an adequate supply of glutamine as the sole nitrogen source led to complete retention of all protein components of the bicyclic cascade that regulates the interconversion of glutamine synthetase between adenylylated and unadenylylated forms; similar treatment of glutamine-starved cells leads to selective inactivation, only, of the uridylyltransferase. When suspended in buffers containing ATP and glutamine, the value of n in permeabilized cells increased to high values (n = 11), whereas in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate, Pi, and ATP, the value of n decreased to approximately 2.0. Time-dependent changes in n that occur during incubations of permeabilized cells in buffers containing these effectors can be arrested either by sonication at 0-4 degrees C or by the addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (to inactivate adenylyltransferase). It is thus evident that Lubrol-treated cells may be used to investigate the regulation of glutamine synthetase adenylylation in situ.

The inactivation of saccharopine dehydrogenase (L-lysine-forming) by diethyl pyrocarbonate.

Saccharopine dehydrogenase (epsilon-N-(L-glutaryl-2)-L-lysine: NAD oxidoreductase (L-lysine-forming) EC 1.5.1.7) from baker's yeast is inactivated by diethyl pyrocarbonate. Spectrophotometric studies show that the inactivation results from the modification of 3 histidyl residues/molecule of enzyme. The sulfhydryl content of the enzyme is unchanged by modification. The reversibility of inactivation by hydroxylamine and the pH dependence of inactivation are also consistent with the inactivation being due to modification of the histidyl residue. Although the coenzyme and substrates are without effect when added singly, the inactivation is completely protected by alpha-ketoglutarate in the presence of a saturating concentration of NADH. Since alpha-ketoglutarate binds only to the enzyme . NADH complex, the results suggest that the inactivation is due to modification of the residue at or near the substrate-binding site. Under the conditions where the inactivation is largely protected by NADH plus alpha-ketoglutarate, 2 histidyl residues appear to be modified suggesting that only 1 residue involved in the catalytic activity. The modification appears to prevent the binding of alpha-ketoglutarate, but not of the coenzyme, to the enzyme. The protein fluorescence of the native and modified enzymes is quenched by NAD+ and NADH. However, the NADH titration curve of the modified enzyme is not affected by alpha-ketoglutarate, in contrast to the native enzyme which shows an increase in the apparent affinity for the coenzyme in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate.

Biosynthesis of chloramphenicol in Streptomyces sp. 3022a. Properties of an aminotransferase accepting p-aminophenylalanine as a substrate

In the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate, cell-free extracts of Streptomyces species 3022a catalysed transfer of the amino group from p-aminophenylalanine, yielding an unstable product similar to that obtained by the action of D- and L-amino acid oxidases on the amino acid. The enzyme, purified 16-fold from cell homogenates by chromatography on ion-exchange celluloses, hydroxyapatite, and cross-linked dextran gel, has a molecular weight of 90 000 and a broad pH optimum at 8.0. It is active with L-phenylalanine and L-tyrosine as well as p-amino-DL-phenylalanine as amino donors, and its relative activity towards these substrates did not change during purification. Polyacrylamide disc-gel electrophoresis of the partially purified enzyme gave single zones with identical mobility when the gels were assayed for activity with p-aminophenylalanine and tyrosine as amino donors. The results indicate that synthesis of p-aminophenylalanine en route to chloramphenicol uses a multispecific aminotransferase for aromatic amino acids. With L-phenylalanine as substrate, the preferred amino-accepting co-substrate was alpha-ketoglutarate. Some kinetic constants for the enzyme were determined, and its requirement for pyridoxal phosphate was demonstrated.

Transient-state kinetics of L-glutamate dehydrogenase: mechanism of alpha-ketoglutarate inhibition in the burst phase.

Stopped-flow studies of the initial burst of NADPH production accompanying the oxidative deamination of L-glutamate by L-glutamate dehydrogenase and NADP+ were performed in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate, a product of the reaction. Both binary enzyme-alpha-ketoglutarate and ternary enzyme--NADP+-alpha-ketoglutarate complexes are inhibitory in the burst presence of the enzyme-catalyzed reaction. Order-of-addition experiments show the binary complex to form rapidly, in the 3 ms dead time of the stopped-flow instrument. There is a distinct lag, however, in the achievement of the full ternary complex inhibitory effect unless the enzyme is preincubated with both NADP+ and alpha-ketoglutarate prior to initiation of the catalytic reaction with L-glutamate. The formation of an inhibitory enzyme--NADP+-alpha-ketoglutarate complex appears to be sufficiently slow to give a delayed kinetic response when alpha-ketoglutarate is added to the reaction system.

Effect of aspartate on complexes between glutamate dehydrogenase and various aminotransferases.

In previous studies it was found that: (a) aspartate aminotransferase increases the aspartate dehydrogenase activity of glutamate dehydrogenase; (b) the pyridoxamine-P form of this aminotransferase can form an enzyme-enzyme complex with glutamate dehydrogenase; and (c) the pyridoxamine-P form can be dehydrogenated to the pyridoxal-P form by glutamate dehydrogenase. It was therefore concluded (Fahien, L.A., and Smith, S.E. (1974) J. Biol. Chem 249, 2696-2703) that in the aspartate dehydrogenase reaction, aspartate converts the aminotransferase into the pyridoxamine-P form which is then dehydrogenated by glutamate dehydrogenase. The present results support this mechanism and essentially exclude the possibility that aspartate actually reacts with glutamate dehydrogenase and the aminotransferase is an allosteric activator. Indeed, it was found that aspartate is actually an activator of the reaction between glutamate dehydrogenase and the pyridoxamine-P form of the aminotransferase. Aspartate also markedly activated the alanine dehydrogenase reaction catalyzed by glutamate dehydrogenase plus alanine aminotransferase and the ornithine dehydrogenase reaction catalyzed by ornithine aminotransferase plus glutamate dehydrogenase. In these latter two reactions, there is no significant conversion of aspartate to oxalecetate and other compounds tested (including oxalacetate) would not substitute for aspartate. Thus aspartate is apparently bound to glutamate dehydrogenase and this increases the reactivity of this enzyme with the pyridoxamine-P form of aminotransferases. This could be of physiological importance because aspartate enables the aspartate and ornithine dehydrogenase reactions to be catalyzed almost as rapidly by complexes between glutamate dehydrogenase and the appropriate mitochondrial aminotransferase in the absence of alpha-ketoglutarate as they are in the presence of this substrate. Furthermore, in the presence of aspartate, alpha-ketoglutarate can have little or no affect on these reactions. Consequently, in the mitochondria of some organs these reactions could be catalyzed exclusively by enzyme-enzyme complexes even in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate. Rat liver glutamate dehydrogenase is essentially as active as thebovine liver enzyme with aminotransferases. Since the rat liver enzyme does not polymerize, this unambiguously demonstrates that monomeric forms of glutamate dehydrogenase can react with aminotransferases.

Purification and properties of two aromatic aminotransferases in Bacillus subtilis.

Two enzymes which transaminate tyrosine and phenylalanine in Bacillus subtilis were each purified over 200-fold and partially characterized. One of the enzymes, termed histidinol phosphate aminotransferase, is also active with imidazole acetyl phosphate as the amino group recipient. Previous studies have shown that mutants lacking this enzyme require histidine for growth. Mutants in the other enzyme termed aromatic aminotransferase are prototrophs. Neither enzyme is active on any other substrate involved in amino acid synthesis. The two enzymes can be distinguished by a number of criteria. Gel filtration analysis indicate the aromatic and histidinol phosphate aminotransferases have molecular weights of 63,500 and 33,000, respectively. Histidinol phosphate aminotransferase is heat-sensitive, whereas aromatic aminotransferase is relatively heat-stable, particularly in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate. Both enzymes display typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics in their rates of reaction. The two enzymes have similar pH optima and employ a ping-pong mechanism of action. The Km values for various substrates suggest that histidinol phosphate aminotransferase is the predominant enzyme responsible for the transamaination reactions in the synthesis of tyrosine and phenylalanine. This enzyme has a 4-fold higher affinity for tyrosine and phenylalanine than does the aromatic aminotransferase. Competitive substrate inhibition was observed between tyrosine, phenylalanine, and histidinol phosphate for histidinol phosphate aminotransferase. The significance of the fact that an enzyme of histidine synthesis plays an important role in aromatic amino acid synthesis is discussed.

Active transport of potassium by heart mitochondria.

Rabbit heart mitochondria contained potassium which could not be removed with four washings of isotonic sucrose or sodium chloride at 0–4°C. Aging, increasing concentrations of potassium, and a number of metabolic poisons either partially or completely inhibited the active transport of potassium into heart mitochondria when these particles were incubated for 15 minutes in air at 37.4° in a medium to which alpha-ketoglutarate and AMP or ATP had been added. Compounds uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation—such as arsenite, 2,4-dinitrophenol, l-thyroxine, calcium chloride, dicumarol, pentachlorophenol and methylene blue—inhibited potassium transport but usually only at relatively high concentrations (10–3 m). With the exception of p-chloromercuribenzoate, neither aging nor metabolic inhibitors prevented the extrusion of water by the mitochondria in the presence of alpha-ketoglutarate and AMP or ATP. Although addition of either ATP or substrate alone to the mitochondrial suspension resulted in a significant increase in the potassium gradient, the latter was much greater when both substrate and ATP (or ADP or AMP) were added together. ADP or AMP alone caused a very slight but probably not significant increase in the potassium gradient and creatine phosphate had no effect.

An unknown acid from brain extracts chromatographed on silica gel.

SINCE partition chromatography on silica gel allows the simultaneous quantitative determination of the individual acids of the polycarboxylic acid cycle1,2, it became of interest to apply this technique to the measurement of the organic acids in brain tissues. Fig. 1 shows the chromatographic pattern of the tertiary amyl alcohol – chloroform (50 per cent v/v) extract of human brain. (Identical patterns were found for these extracts from guinea pigs, mice, rabbits, turtles and chickens.) The first peak of the chromatogram (fractions 15–25), composed of a mixture of free and esterified fatty acids3, was followed by a smaller peak (fractions 40–50) for fumaric acid. Then, there is a large peak (fractions 60–80) representing mainly lactic acid but also small amounts of succinic acid. The lactic acid was identified by measuring the colour produced when concentrated sulphuric acid and P-hydroxydiphenyl were added4. The presence of alpha ketoglutarate is often indicated by the presence of a shoulder to the right of this curve.