Presence Of UMP Research Articles

Zinc-cyclen coordination to UTP, TTP or pyrophosphate induces pyrene excimer emission

Pyrene labelled Zn(2+)-cyclen 1 and bis-Zn(2+)-bis-cyclen 2 complexes were synthesized. The reversible coordination at physiological pH of Zn(2+)-cyclens to phosphate anions and to imide moieties, as present in thymine and uracil nucleotides, is well known. In the presence of analytes bearing a phosphate and an imide or two phosphate groups the formation of a ternary complex consisting of two pyrene-labelled metal complexes and the analyte molecule, is observed. The close proximity of the pyrene labels in the complex induces pyrene excimer emission, which is observable by the unarmed eye. By this, the presence of UMP, UDP, UTP and TTP in buffered aqueous solution is signalled, while other nucleotides are not able to induce excimer emission. In the same way, Zn(2+)-cyclen-pyrene acts as luminescent chemosensor for PP(i) and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate in aqueous buffer.

First molecular characterization of a uridine diphosphate galacturonate 4-epimerase: an enzyme required for capsular biosynthesis in Streptococcus pneumoniae type 1.

Uridine diphosphate galacturonate 4-epimerases (UDPGLEs) are enzymes that convert UDP-glucuronate into UDP-galacturonate. Although the presence of UDPGLEs has been reported in prokaryoic and eukaryotic organisms, the genes coding for these enzymes are completely unknown. The galacturonic acid-containing capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 1 is synthesized through the action of a specific UDPGLE. We have constructed a defined deletion mutant in the cap1J gene (one of the 15 cap1 genes responsible for the synthesis of the type 1 capsule) that exhibited an unencapsulated phenotype. This mutant was unable to synthesize UDPGLE, suggesting that Cap1J was the type 1-specific UDPGLE of S. pneumoniae. Escherichia coli cells harbouring the recombinant plasmid pRMM38 (cap1J) overproduced a 40 kDa protein, characterized as Cap1J on the basis of the N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis, and expressed high levels of enzymatically active Cap1J epimerase. Cap1J was partially purified, although purification to electrophoretic homogeneity inactivated the enzyme irreversibly. The enzyme has the following characteristics: K(m) for UDP-glucuronate, 0.24 mM; pH optimum, 7.5; equilibrium constant (in the direction of UDP-galacturonate formation), 1.3; and an approximate M(r) of 80,000 for the active form. The Cap1J protein exhibited a fluorescence emission spectrum similar to that of NADH. Upon inactivation with p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, the addition of NAD+ and 2-mercaptoethanol were sufficient to reactivate the enzyme. Among several compounds tested, UDP-galactose and UDP-xylose exhibited the highest inhibition of the UDPGLE activity. Inactivation of UDPGLE activity was also observed in the presence of UMP and several reducing sugars. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a thoroughly molecular characterization of a UDPGLE.

A Novel Three-Enzyme Reaction Cycle for the Synthesis of N-Acetyllactosamine with in Situ Regeneration of Uridine 5‘-Diphosphate Glucose and Uridine 5‘-Diphosphate Galactose

A new three-enzyme reaction cycle consisting of sucrose synthase, UDP glucose 4‘-epimerase, and human β-1,4-galactosyltransferase was established for the synthesis of N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) with in situ regeneration of UDP galactose. We found that UDP glucose 4‘-epimerase is reductively inactivated in the presence of UMP and acceptor substrates of β-1,4-galactosyltransferase. Reactivation of UDP glucose 4‘-epimerase by the transition state analogues dUDP or dTDP 6-deoxy-d-xylo-4-hexulose in combination with the repetitive batch technique enabled us to use the native enzymes for 11 days in this cycle. With 10 U of sucrose synthase, 5 U of UDP glucose 4‘-epimerase, and 1.25 U of β-1,4-galactosyltransferase, 594 mg of LacNAc could be synthesized. N-Acetyllactosamine was also subsequently converted to Neu5Acα2,6Galβl,4GlcNAc with α-2,6-sialyltransferase and CMP-Neu5Ac.

Hepatocyte heterogeneity in response to extracellular ATP.

1. The metabolic and hemodynamic effects of extracellular ATP in perfused rat liver were compared during physiologically antegrade (portal to hepatic vein) and retrograde (hepatic to portal vein) perfusion. ATP in concentrations up to 100 microM was completely hydrolyzed during a single liver passage regardless of the perfusion direction. 2. The ATP(20 microM)-induced increases of glucose output, perfusion pressure and ammonium ion release seen during antegrade perfusions were diminished by 85-95% when the perfusion was in the retrograde direction, whereas the amount of Ca2+ mobilized from the liver was decreased by only 60%. The maximal rate of initial K+ uptake following ATP was dependent on the amount of Ca2+ mobilized regardless of the direction of perfusion. In the presence of UMP (1 mM), an inhibitor of ATP hydrolysis by membrane-bound nucleotide pyrophosphatase, the effect of the direction of perfusion on the glycogenolytic response to ATP (20 microM) was largely diminished. 3. For a maximal response of glucose output, Ca2+ release and perfusion pressure to extracellular ATP, concentrations of about 20 microM, 50 microM and 100 microM were required during antegrade perfusion, respectively. These maximal responses could also be obtained during retrograde perfusion, but higher ATP concentrations were required (120 microM, 80 microM, above 200 microM, respectively). 4. 14CO2 production from [1-14C]glutamate which occurs predominantly in the perivenous hepatocytes capable of glutamine synthesis was stimulated by extracellular ATP (20 microM); it was only slightly affected by the direction of perfusion. In antegrade perfusions, ATP (20 microM) increased 14CO2 production from 88 to 162 nmol g-1 min-1, compared to an increase from 91 to 148 nmol g-1 min-1 in retrograde perfusion. 5. The data are interpreted to suggest that (a) extracellular ATP is predominantly hydrolyzed by a small hepatocyte population located at the perivenous outflow of the acinus; (b) glycogenolysis to glucose is predominantly localized in the periportal area; (c) contractile elements (sphincters) exist near the inflow of the sinusoidal bed; (d) a considerable portion of the Ca2+ mobilized by ATP is derived from liver cells that do not contribute to hepatic glucose output.

UDP-glucose 4-epimerase from Saccharomyces fragilis. Presence of an essential arginine residue at the substrate-binding site of the enzyme.

UDP-glucose 4-epimerase from Saccharomyces fragilis was inactivated by the arginine-specific reagents phenylglyoxal, 1,2-cyclohexanedione, and 2,3-butanedione following pseudo first order reaction kinetics. The reaction order with respect to phenylglyoxal was 1.8 and that with respect to the other two diones was close to unity. Protection afforded by substrate and competitive inhibitors against inactivation by phenylglyoxal and the reduced interaction of 1-anilinonaphthalene 8-sulfonic acid, a fluorescent probe for the substrate-binding region after phenylglyoxal modification, suggested the presence of an essential arginine residue at the substrate-binding region. Experiments with [7-14C]phenylglyoxal in the presence of UMP, a ligand known to interact at the substrate-binding region, showed that only the arginine residue at the active site could be modified by phenylglyoxal. The characteristic coenzyme fluorescence of the yeast enzyme was found to be enhanced three times in phenylglyoxal-inactivated enzyme suggesting the incorporation of the phenyl ring near the pyridine moiety of NAD.

UMP-dependent reduction of UDP-galactose 4-epimerase-NAD + complex by sodium cyanoborohydride

The reported spontaneous reoxidation of the UDPgalactose 4-epimerase (EC 5.1.3.2)-NADH complex prepared by NaBH 4 reduction of the native enzyme is oxygen dependent. Therefore, the ultimate electron acceptor in autoxidation is molecular oxygen rather than any functional or prosthetic group endogenous to the enzyme. The epimerase-NAD + complex can be reduced by NaBH 3CN in a reaction that is absolutely dependent upon the presence of UMP under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Therefore, the function of UMP in promoting this reaction is to increase the rate at which NAD + is reduced, rather than to stabilize the epimerase-NADH complex toward autoxidation. The rate at which NaBH 3CN reacts with the UMP-activated epimerase-NAD + complex is substantially faster under most conditions than the rate at which it reacts with NAD + itself under identical conditions.

Wheat-germ aspartate transcarbamoylase. The effects of ligands on the inactivation of the enzyme by trypsin and denaturing agents.

In the absence of added ligands aspartate transcarbamoylase (EC 2.1.3.2) from wheat germ is inactivated fairly rapidly by trypsin, by heat (60 degrees C), by highly alkaline conditions (pH11.3) and by sodium dodecyl sulphate. Addition of UMP alone, at low concentrations, decreases the rate of inactivation by each of these agents significantly. Carbamoyl phosphate alone does not alter the rate of inactivation by trypsin and by the detergent, but it antagonizes the effect of UMP in protecting the enzyme against these agents. These results have been interpreted to mean that two conformational states are reversibly accessible to the enzyme, namely an easily inactivated state favoured in the presence of carbamoyl phosphate and a more resistant state favoured in the presence of UMP. In the absence of ligands the enzyme is in the easily inactivated conformation. At very high concentrations l-aspartate also protects the enzyme but to a smaller extent than UMP. Some implications of these results are discussed.

Nucleotide interconversions. VI. The enzymic formation of 5-methyluridylic acid

A heat-labile, nondialyzable component of rat embryo extracts is responsible for the formation of 5-MeUMP in the presence of UMP and HM-THFA. Both formaldehyde and serine can serve as methyl donors. The isolation and characterization of the product are described. The rate of methylation in most cases was only about 5–15% that of dUMP and, though both reactions are inhibited by F-dUMP, it is not possible to conclude, as yet, that thymidylate synthetase is responsible for both reactions. Inhibition studies have revealed that UMP only slightly inhibits the methylation of dUMP. HM-dUMP was much more effective; at a ratio of HM-dUMP to dUMP of 1:1, about 80% inhibition was encountered. HM-UMP at the same concentration did not inhibit. Procedures for the preparation and isolation of HM-UMP and HM-dUMP are described. The biochemical implications of the methylation are briefly discussed.