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P Christen

Publications and source records attributed to P Christen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Precursor of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase synthesized in Escherichia coli is complexed with heat-shock protein DnaK.

On expression of the cDNA encoding the precursor of chicken mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (pmAspAT) in Escherichia coli, the bulk of pmAspAT was found to be associated with the 70-kDa heat-shock protein DnaK which is closely related to mitochondrial 70-kDa heat-shock protein (HSP70). Purification protocols for the DnaK/pmAspAT complex and its individual components were elaborated. The complex dissociated on treatment with MgATP or at pH 5.5. Like the mature enzyme, pmAspAT is a dimer (2 x 47 kDa) and exhibits about a third of its enzyme activity. In the DnaK/pmAspAT complex, one DnaK molecule is bound to each subunit of pmAspAT; this tetramer may further aggregate to an octamer. The complex is catalytically almost as active as free pmAspAT. It could be reconstituted from isolated DnaK and pmAspAT. No complex was formed with mAspAT. Apparently, DnaK binds to the solvent-exposed presequence of folded pmAspAT without significantly changing the structure and functional properties of its mature moiety.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Mechanism of racemization of amino acids by aspartate aminotransferase.

Aspartate aminotransferase (mitochondrial isoenzyme from chicken) has been found to racemize very slowly dicarboxylic amino acid substrates in the presence of their cognate oxo acids [Kochhar, S. & Christen, P. (1988) Eur. J. Biochem. 175, 433-438]. Tyrosine, phenylalanine and alanine are racemized at the same rate although they undergo the transamination reaction 3-5 orders of magnitude more slowly than the dicarboxylic substrates. Similarly, the truncated enzyme aspartate aminotransferase-(27/32-410) catalyzes the racemization at the same rate as the native enzyme, while its rate of transamination is decreased to 3% of that of the native enzyme. Apparently, the rate-limiting step in racemization is not immediately linked to the transamination cycle. Decreasing the water concentration in the reaction medium by adding methanol at 0 degrees C drastically reduces the rate of racemization without affecting the rate of transamination. On the basis of these and additional kinetic data and the model of the three-dimensional structure of the active site, we conclude that a water molecule is responsible for the protonation of C alpha of the coenzyme-substrate intermediate from the wrong side. The diffusion of the water molecule into the interior of the enzyme appears to be the rate-limiting step in aspartate-aminotransferase-catalyzed racemization.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1991

The open/closed conformational equilibrium of aspartate aminotransferase. Studies in the crystalline state and with a fluorescent probe in solution.

Aspartate aminotransferase undergoes major shifts in the conformational equilibrium of the protein matrix during transamination. The present study defines the two conformational states of the enzyme by crystallographic analysis, examines the conditions under which the enzyme crystallizes in each of these conformations, and correlates these conditions with the conformational behaviour of the enzyme in solution, as monitored by a fluorescent reporter group. Cocrystallization of chicken mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase with inhibitors and covalent coenzymesubstrate adducts yields three different crystal forms. Unliganded enzyme forms triclinic crystals of the open conformation, the structure of which has been solved (space group P1) [Ford, G. C., Eichele, G. & Jansonius, J. N. (1980) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 77, 2559-2563; Kirsch, J. F., Eichele, G., Ford, G. C., Vincent, M. G., Jansonius, J. N., Gehring, H. & Christen, P. (1984) J. Mol. Biol. 174, 487-525]. Complexes of the enzyme with dicarboxylate ligands form monoclinic or orthorhombic crystals of the closed conformation. The results of structure determinations of the latter two crystal forms at 0.44 nm resolution are described here. In the closed conformation, the small domain has undergone a rigid-body rotation of 12-14 which closes the active-site pocket. Shifts in the conformational equilibrium of aspartate aminotransferase in solution, as induced by substrates, substrate analogues and specific dicarboxylic inhibitors, can be monitored by changes in the relative fluoresence yield of the enzyme labelled at Cys166 with monobromotrimethylammoniobimane. The pyridoxal and pyridoxamine forms of the labelled enzyme show the same fluorescence properties, whereas in the apoenzyme the fluorescence intensity is reduced by 30%. All active-site ligands, if added to the labelled pyridoxal enzyme at saturating concentrations, cause a decrease in the fluorescence intensity by 40-70% and a blue shift of maximally 5 nm. Comparison of the fluorescence properties of the enzyme in various functional states with the crystallographic data shows that both techniques probe the same conformational equilibrium. The conformational change that closes the active site seems to be ligand-induced in the reaction of the pyridoxal form of the enzyme and syncatalytic in the reverse reaction with the pyridoxamine enzyme.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

The precursor of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase is imported into mitochondria faster than the homologous cytosolic isoenzyme with the same presequence attached.

Mitochondrial and cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT) are homologous proteins with identically folded polypeptide chains. The cDNAs of the two isoenzymes of chicken were used to express the following proteins in yeast: the precursor of mitochondrial AspAT, mature mitochondrial AspAT, and two chimeric proteins in one of which (pc) the presequence of the precursor was attached to the entire cytosolic isoenzyme and in the other one (pmc) the N-terminal segment (amino acid residues -22 to 23) of the precursor was linked to the slightly truncated cytosolic isoenzyme (residues 34 to 412). All presequence containing proteins were imported into the mitochondria and processed to the mature form whereas mature mitochondrial AspAT remained in the cytosol. The rate of import of the authentic precursor was four times faster than that of the chimeric proteins pc and pmc, t1/2 for importation at 29 degrees C being 3, 13 and 14 min, respectively. Apparently, the mature moiety of the precursor of mitochondrial AspAT promotes importation.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗
PubMed1990

Structure of the genes of two homologous intracellularly heterotopic isoenzymes. Cytosolic and mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase of chicken.

The genes of mitochondrial and cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase of chicken were cloned and sequenced. In both genes nine exons encode the mature enzyme. The additional exon for the N-terminal presequence that directs mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase into the mitochondria is separated by the largest intron from the rest of the gene. A comparison of the two genes of chicken with the aspartate aminotransferase genes of mouse [Tsuzuki, T., Obaru, K., Setoyama, C. & Shimada, K. (1987) J. Mol. Biol. 198, 21-31; Obaru, K., Tsuzuki, T., Setoyama, C. & Shimada, K. (1988) J. Mol. Biol. 200, 13-22] reveals closely similar structures: in the gene of both the mitochondrial and the cytosolic isoenzyme all but one intron positions are conserved in the two species and five introns out of nine are placed at the same positions in all four genes indicating that the introns were in place before the genes of the two isoenzymes diverged. The variant consensus sequence (T/C)11 T(C/T)AG at the 3' splice site of the introns of the genes for nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins, which had been deduced from a total of 34 introns [Juretić, N., Jaussi, R., Mattes, U. & Christen, P. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15, 10,083-10,086], was confirmed by including an additional 22 introns into the comparison. The position -4 at the 3' splice site is occupied by base T in 43% of the total 56 introns and appears to be subject to a special evolutionary constraint in this particular group of genes. The following course of evolution of the aspartate aminotransferase genes is proposed. Originating from a common ancestor, the genes of the two isoenzymes intermediarily evolved in separate lineages, i.e. the ancestor eukaryotic and ancestor endosymbiontic cells. When endosymbiosis was established, part of the endosymbiontic genome, including the aspartate aminotransferase gene, was transferred to the nucleus. This process probably led to the conservation of certain splicing factors specific for nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins. The presequence for the mitochondrial isoenzyme was acquired by DNA rearrangement. In the eukaryotic lineage, the mitochondrial isoenzyme evolved more slowly than its cytosolic counterpart.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Aspartate aminotransferase with the pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-binding lysine residue replaced by histidine retains partial catalytic competence.

The active site residue lysine 258 of chicken mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase was replaced with a histidine residue by means of site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Addition of 2-oxoglutarate to its pyridoxamine form changed the coenzyme absorption spectrum (lambda max = 330 nm) to that of the pyridoxal form (lambda max = 330/392 nm). The rate of this half-reaction of transamination (kcat = 4.0 x 10(-4)s-1) is five orders of magnitude slower than that of the wild-type enzyme. However, the reverse half-reaction, initiated by addition of aspartate or glutamate to the pyridoxal form of the mutant enzyme, is only three orders of magnitude slower than that of the wild-type enzyme, kmax of the observable rate-limiting elementary step, i.e. the conversion of the external aldimine to the pyridoxamine form, being 7.0 x 10(-2)s-1. Aspartate aminotransferase (Lys258----His) thus represents a pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme with significant catalytic competence without an active site lysine residue. Apparently, covalent binding of the coenzyme, i.e. the internal aldimine linkage, is not essential for the enzymic transamination reaction, and a histidine residue can to some extent substitute for lysine 258 which is assumed to act as proton donor/acceptor in the aldimine-ketimine tautomerization.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

[Atypical sciatica].

A 46-year old patient had suffered from progressive nocturnal sciatica and motor weakness of the left lower extremity for three years. The physical examination revealed a discrete neurologic deficit of the left L5 and S1 root. By CT a small presacral mass between the L5 and S1 roots was found. During the CT-guided fine needle puncture the patient felt an electrifying pain radiating into the left lower extremity. The cytomorphological examination showed benign mesenchymal cells, indicative of a neurinoma. Since progredient neurological deficit is to be expected, exstirpation of the compressing tumor is the therapy of choice. Our patient however decided to postpone the operation because of only mild symptoms.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1990

Stability of prednisolone and prednisolone acetate in various vehicles used in semi-solid topical preparations.

The stability of prednisolone and prednisolone acetate has been investigated at 37 degrees C in seven semi-solid vehicles, including almond oil, beeswax, Cremophor RH 40, Lanette N, and hydrogel formulations of hydroxy-propylcellulose, carbomer and bentonite. Extraction methods and a high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure have been developed in order to assay the content of undegraded steroid at time 0 and after 28 days. Prednisolone acetate showed superior stability compared to prednisolone. Bentonite induced considerable degradation of both steroid compounds, whereas the two absorption bases, Cremophor RH 40 and Lanette N, affected mainly the stability of prednisolone. In the carbomer hydrogel, prednisolone acetate hydrolysed to a small extent during the trituration process. The most effective steroid stability was found in the two lipophilic bases and the hydroxypropylcellulose hydrogel.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1990

Evolutionary and biosynthetic aspects of aspartate aminotransferase isoenzymes and other aminotransferases.

The mitochondrial and cytosolic isoenzymes of aspartate aminotransferase are homologous proteins. Both are encoded by nuclear DNA and synthesized on free polysomes. The organization of their genes is very similar, five out of a total of eight introns are located at the same nucleotide position. A variant consensus sequence was observed at the 3' splice site of introns of genes of imported mitochondrial proteins which may reflect the existence of splicing factors specific for the genes of this particular group of nuclear-encoded proteins. To date the amino acid sequences of 22 aminotransferases are known. A rigorous analysis yielded clear evidence that aspartate, tyrosine, and histidinol-phosphate aminotransferases are homologous proteins despite their low degree of sequence identity. The evolutionary relationship among the vitamin B6-dependent enzymes in general appears less clear. Conceivably, their common structural and mechanistic features are dictated by the chemical properties of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate rather than being due to a common ancestor of their protein moieties. In agreement with this notion, the ubiquitous active-site lysine residue that forms a Schiff base with the coenzyme can be replaced in the case of aspartate aminotransferase by a histidine residue without complete loss of catalytic competence.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Evolutionary relationships among aminotransferases. Tyrosine aminotransferase, histidinol-phosphate aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase are homologous proteins.

A data base was compiled containing the amino acid sequences of 12 aspartate aminotransferases and 11 other aminotransferases. A comparison of these sequences by a standard alignment method confirmed the previously reported homology of all aspartate aminotransferases and Escherichia coli tyrosine aminotransferase. However, no significant similarity between these proteins and any of the other aminotransferases was detected. A more rigorous analysis, focusing on short sequence segments rather than the total polypeptide chain, revealed that rat tyrosine aminotransferase and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli histidinol-phosphate aminotransferase share several homologous sequence segments with aspartate aminotransferases. For comparison of the complete sequences, a multiple sequence editor was developed to display the whole set of amino acid sequences in parallel on a single work-sheet. The editor allows gaps in individual sequences or a set of sequences to be introduced and thus facilitates their parallel analysis and alignment. Several clusters of invariant residues at corresponding positions in the amino acid sequences became evident, clearly establishing that the cytosolic and the mitochondrial isoenzyme of vertebrate aspartate aminotransferase, E. coli aspartate aminotransferase, rat and E. coli tyrosine aminotransferase, and S. cerevisiae and E. coli histidinol-phosphate aminotransferase are homologous proteins. Only 12 amino acid residues out of a total of about 400 proved to be invariant in all sequences compared; they are either involved in the binding of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and the substrate, or appear to be essential for the conformation of the enzymes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Assay for aliphatic amino acid decarboxylases by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A sensitive and rapid assay for aliphatic amino acid decarboxylases based on separation of the product from the substrate by ion-pairing reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and subsequent fluorometric detection has been developed. The resolution of substrates and products of seven amino acid decarboxylases, namely, arginine, aspartate, 2,6-diaminopimelate, histidine, glutamate, lysine, and ornithine decarboxylase, is complete within 15 to 35 min of isocratic elution. The limit of detection for the product is 40 pmol. The applicability of the procedure was assessed with glutamate decarboxylase. The formation of the product 4-aminobutyrate proved to be linear with time and protein concentration. The method allows the time course of the reaction to be followed in a single assay and works well with crude extracts of bacteria or tissues.

Carboxy-Lyases↗
PubMed1989

Amino acid analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography after derivatization with 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophenyl-5-L-alanine amide.

Amino acids are quantitatively determined by precolumn derivatization with 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophenyl-5-L-alanine amide and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with photometric detection at 340 nm. Excellent chromatographic resolution of a mixture of the derivatives of 20 amino acids including proline and cystine is achieved within 110 min by linear gradient elution with acetonitrile in 13 mM trifluoroacetate plus 4% (by vol) tetrahydrofuran. The limit of detection is 50 pmol. Amino acid analyses of acid hydrolysates of the several proteins gave results equivalent to those obtained by conventional ion-exchange-based amino acid analysis. The simplicity of the procedure allows its use on any multipurpose high-performance liquid chromatographic system.

Alanine↗
PubMed1989

Structure of cDNA of cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase of chicken and its expression in E. coli.

The structure of the mRNA of chicken cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase has been determined by analysis of cDNA and genomic clones. Two transcripts of different length were found that appear to arise from the alternate use of 2 polyadenylation signals in the 3' untranslated region. The expression product of the full-length construct in E. coli proved to be catalytically active and possessed the expected molecular weight.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

The enantiomeric error frequency of aspartate aminotransferase.

The enantiomeric error frequency of aspartate aminotransferase (mitochondrial isoenzyme from chicken) was assessed by adding the enzyme in high concentration (0.89 mM) to a mixture of L-glutamate and 2-oxoglutarate (12 and 1.2 mM, respectively, at pH 7.5 and 25 degrees C). The substrates continuously undergo the transamination cycle under these conditions. Thereby, L-glutamate is progressively racemized, a 1:1 ratio of two enantiomers being reached within 240 h. The enantiomeric error frequency, i.e. the ratio of the rate of D-glutamate production and the rate of the transamination reaction with glutamate and 2-oxoglutarate as substrates, is 1.5 x 10(-7). D-Glutamate is also converted to a 1:1 racemic mixture. The racemizing activity of a mixture of free pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate is about two orders of magnitude lower than that of aspartate aminotransferase. The error frequency of the enzyme in the case of the C4 substrate pair aspartate and oxalacetate is 3.4 x 10(-8), i.e. 4 times lower than that with the C5 substrate pair.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Degradation of the precursor of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase in chicken embryo fibroblasts.

The precursor of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase accumulates in the cytosol of cultured chicken embryo fibroblasts if its import into mitochondria is inhibited by an uncoupling agent. However, its accumulation is limited by degradation with a half-life of only approximately 5 min (Jaussi, R., Sonderegger, P., Flückiger, J., and Christen, P. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 13334-13340). The aim of the present study was the characterization of the proteolytic system(s) responsible for this very rapid intracellular degradation. On depleting chicken embryo fibroblasts of ATP, the rate of degradation of the precursor was lowered by approximately 70%. Chicken embryo fibroblasts depleted of divalent metal ions showed a degradative activity of 10% of the initial value. Reconstitution of these cells with Mg2+ and Ca2+ increased the degradative activity from 10 to 107 and 24%, respectively. Thiol reagents almost completely prevented the degradation, whereas specific peptide inhibitors of cysteine proteases or inhibitors of intralysosomal proteolysis decreased the rate of degradation by only approximately 30%. Inhibitors of serine proteases had little effect. No rapid degradation of the precursor was observed in crude extracts of chicken embryo fibroblasts. The data indicate that the bulk of the precursor accumulated under conditions of import block is degraded by one or several cytosolic proteases dependent on ATP, Mg2+, and thiol groups of unknown localization, conceivably by proteolytic enzymes identical with or similar to one of the high molecular weight cytosolic proteases (Waxman, L., Fagan, J.M., Tanaka, K., and Goldberg, A. L. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 11994-12000). The rest of the precursor appears to be degraded by lysosomes.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1988

Gamma-vinyl GABA: comparison of neurochemical and anticonvulsant effects in mice.

Biochemical and pharmacological effects of gamma-vinyl GABA (Vigabatrin, GVG), and irreversible enzyme-activated inhibitor of 4-aminobutyrate: 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.19; GABA-T), were measured in mice. This anticonvulsant produced a time- and dose-dependent elevation of the GABA, phenylalanine and lysine contents of cortical tissue and simultaneously decreased glutamate, aspartate and alanine levels. In addition, GVG caused a biphasic change in glutamine concentrations (a decline 1-4 hours after administration, followed 20 hours later by an increase). Moreover, we found a new, as yet unidentified amino acid in the brain eluting with the same retention time as alpha-aminoadipic acid from an HPLC cation-exchange column. The level of this novel chemical entity was greatly increased by GVG 20 hours after injection of the drug. At all tested intervals between 1 and 60 hours after injection, GVG was ineffective against maximal electroshock. The GABA-T inhibitor dose-dependently protected mice against isoniazid-induced seizures, simultaneously causing an increase in brain GABA concentrations. However, this apparent correlation applied only until 4 hours after treatment. To better define the anticonvulsant profile of GVG, groups of mice were treated, 1, 2, 4, and 24 hours prior to challenge with convulsant doses of strychnine, pentetrazole (PTZ), and picrotoxin, and brain amino acid levels, including brain concentrations of GVG, were measured. In all instances, the time dependency of the anticonvulsant effects of GVG and of increases in brain GABA levels differed. Amino acid concentrations in animals treated only with GVG were similar to those in animals given GVG and a chemical convulsant. GVG showed no selectivity for seizures produced by impairment of GABA-ergic neurotransmission. Although GVG is an effective GABA-T inhibitor, it apparently affects several other pyridoxal-phosphate-dependent cerebral enzymes and/or interacts with other neurotransmitter systems as well.

4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase↗