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PubMed1995

Structural features of the precursor to mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase responsible for binding to hsp70.

The precursor (pmAspAT) and mature (mAspAT) forms of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase interact with hsp70 very early during translation when synthesized in either rabbit reticulocyte lysate or wheat germ extract (Lain, B., Iriarte, A., and Martinez-Carrion. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 15588-15596). The nature of the structural elements responsible for recognition and binding of this protein to hsp70 has been studied by examining the folding and potential association with the chaperone of several engineered forms of this enzyme. Whereas pmAspAT and mAspAT bind hsp70 very early during translation, the cytosolic form of this enzyme (cAspAT) does not interact with hsp70. A fusion protein consisting of the mitochondrial presequence peptide attached to the amino terminus of cAspAT associates with hsp70 only after the protein has acquired its native-like conformation, apparently through binding to the presequence exposed on the surface of the folded protein. Deletion of the amino-terminal segment of mAspAT or its replacement with the corresponding domain from the cytosolic isozyme eliminates the cotranslational binding of hsp70 to the mitochondrial protein. We conclude that both the presequence and NH2-terminal region of pmAspAT represent recognition signals for binding of hsp70 to the newly synthesized mitochondrial precursor. Results from competition studies with synthetic peptides support this conclusion. The ability of hsp70 to discriminate between these two highly homologous proteins probably involves the recognition of specific sequence elements in the NH2-terminal portion of the mitochondrial protein and may relate to their separate localization in the cell. A slower folding rate and higher affinity for cytosolic chaperones may represent evolutionary adaptations of translocated mitochondrial proteins to ensure their efficient importation into the organelle.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1995

Structural basis for the catalytic activity of aspartate aminotransferase K258H lacking the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-binding lysine residue.

Chicken mitochondrial and Escherichia coli aspartate aminotransferases K258H, in which the active site lysine residue has been exchanged for a histidine residue, retain partial catalytic competence [Ziak et al. (1993) Eur. J. Biochem. 211, 475-484]. Mutant PLP and PMP holoenzymes and the complexes of the latter (E. coli enzyme) with sulfate and 2-oxoglutarate, as well as complexes of the mitochondrial apoenzyme with N-(5'-phosphopyridoxyl)-L-aspartate or N-(5'-phosphopyridoxyl)-L-glutamate, were crystallized and analyzed by means of X-ray crystallography in order to examine how the side chain of histidine 258 can substitute as a general acid/base catalyst of the aldimine-ketimine tautomerization in enzymic transamination. The structures have been solved and refined at resolutions between 2.1 and 2.8 A. Both the closed and the open conformations, identical to those of the wild-type enzyme, were observed, indicating that the mutant enzymes of both species exhibit the same conformational flexibility as the wild-type enzymes, although in AspAT K258H the equilibrium is somewhat shifted toward the open conformation. The replacement of the active site K258 by a histidine residue resulted only in local structural adaptations necessary to accommodate the imidazole ring. The catalytic competence of the mutant enzyme, which in the forward half-reaction is 0.1% of that of the wild-type enzyme, suggests that the imidazole group is involved in the aldimine-ketimine tautomerization. However, the imidazole ring of H258 is too far away from C alpha and C4' of the coenzyme-substrate adduct for direct proton transfer, suggesting that the 1,3-prototropic shift is mediated by a water molecule. Although there is enough space for a water molecule in this area, it has not been detected. Dynamic fluctuations of the protein matrix might transiently open a channel, giving a water molecule fleeting access to the active site.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase determined by "Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography".

We describe an improved separation of the isoenzymes of aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1), based on ion-exchange chromatography. Involving the "Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography" system (Pharmacia) with a MonoQ column, this rapid, reproducible method for quantifying the mitochondrial enzyme shows good resolution and sensitivity, and results correlate well with those by an established immunochemical method.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗

PubMed1991

Reengineering the catalytic lysine of aspartate aminotransferase by chemical elaboration of a genetically introduced cysteine.

The active-site essential catalytic residue of aspartate aminotransferase, Lys 258, has been converted to Cys (K258C) by site-directed mutagenesis. This mutant retains less than 10(-6) of the wild-type activity with L-aspartate. The deleted general base was functionally replaced by selective (with respect to the other five cysteines in wild type) aminoethylation of the introduced Cys 258 with (2-bromoethyl)amine following reversible protection of the nontarget sulfhydryl groups at different stages of unfolding. The chemically elaborated mutant (K258C-EA) is 10(5) times more reactive than is K258C and has a kcat value of approximately 7% of that of wild type (WT). Km and KI values are similar to those for WT. The acidic pKa controlling V/KAsp is shifted from 7.3 (WT) to 6.0 (mutant). V/K values for amino acids are approximately 3% of those found for WT, whereas they are approximately 20% for keto acids. The value of DV increases from 1.6 for WT to 3.4 for the mutant, indicating that C alpha proton abstraction constitutes a more significant kinetic barrier for the latter enzyme. A smaller, but still significant, increase in D(V/KAsp) from 1.9 in WT to 3.0 in the mutant shows that the forward and reverse commitment factors are inverted by the mutation. The acidic limb of the V/KAsp versus pH profile, is lowered by 1.3 pH units, probably reflecting the similar difference in the basicity of the epsilon-NH2 group in gamma-thialysine versus that in lysine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alkylation↗

PubMed1985

Conformational changes in aspartate aminotransferase. Effect of active site ligands on peptide hydrogen-deuterium exchange.

The conformational responses of aspartate aminotransferase (cytosolic isoenzyme from pig) to the binding of the coenzyme and competitive inhibitors and to the bond rearrangement steps during the transamination reaction were probed by the method of peptide hydrogen deuterium exchange. Binding of the coenzyme to the apoenzyme results in a marked retardation of hydrogen exchange; binding of the competitive inhibitor maleate to the pyridoxal enzyme induces a retardation of exchange somewhat exceeding that observed in the presence of the transaminating substrate pair glutamate and 2-oxoglutarate (Pfister, K., Kägi, J.H.R., and Christen, P. (1978) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 145-148). On formation of the complex of apoenzyme with N-(5'-phosphopyridoxyl)-L-glutamate or-L-aspartate, analogs of the covalent coenzyme substrate intermediates, a similar exchange retardation occurs. The extent of the exchange retardation in these different functional states of the enzyme correlates with previous results of differential chemical and proteolytic modifications. Apparently, the diverse methods register shifts in one and the same conformational equilibrium. Moreover, the conditions under which peptide hydrogen exchange indicates a pronounced tightening of the protein matrix correspond with those inducing crystallization of the enzyme in the "closed" form. Thus, the transition between the "open" and "closed" form of the enzyme, i.e. the bulk movement of the small domain, as observed and defined by x-ray crystallography (Kirsch, J. F., Eichele, G., Ford, G. C., Vincent, M. G., Jansonius, J. N., Gehring, H., and Christen, P. (1984) J. Mol. Biol. 174, 497-525) is the major structural correlate of the conformational changes undergone by the enzyme in solution.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Serum aspartate aminotransferase storage and the effect of pyridoxal phosphate.

The storage stability of the catalytic activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) remains the subject of conflicting reports. We reevaluated this issue for total AST activity and for the cytosolic and mitochondrial isoenzymes from human sera stored at room, refrigerator, and freezer temperatures for up to 28 days. We found that these enzymes were stable for catalytic activity and immunologic (mass) measurements up to 24 hours at ambient temperatures and for at least 28 days at 4 degrees, -20 degrees, and -80 degrees C. The addition of exogenous pyridoxal phosphate (0.1 mmol/L) to serum improved stability of AST storage at ambient temperature (22 degrees C) from 1 day to 7 days.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed1980

Mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase 27/32-410. Partially active enzyme derivative produced by limited proteolytic cleavage of native enzyme.

Native mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (AATase) is cleaved selectively by trypsin at the peptide bonds after Arg 26 or after Lys 31 yielding two shortened enzyme derivatives, AATase 27-410, and AATase 32-410. Recent x-ray crystallographic determination of the spatial structure of AATase has shown that the NH2-terminal segments of the two polypeptide chains of this dimeric enzyme pass in front of the active site clefts and form two separate junctions with the neighboring subunit which are not contiguous with the main subunit interface (Eichele, G., Ford, G. C., Glor, M., Jansonius, J. N., Mavrides, C., and Christen, P. (1979) J. Mol. Biol. 133, 161-180). The peptide bonds cleaved by trypsin are situated in the following stretch of the polypeptide chain which runs in exposed position on the surface of the subunit. The split-off peptide is lost during gel filtration. The molecular activity of AATase 27/32-410 (a mixture of about equal amounts of the two not readily separable derivatives) is about 3% of that of the native enzyme. In contrast, the K'm values for aspartate and 2-oxoglutarate are unchanged, indicating an unaltered geometry of the substrate binding site. A substantially diminished syncatalytic response of the reactivity of Cys 166 toward 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) suggests that the decrease in catalytic activity is due to an interference with the syncatalytic conformational dynamics observed previously in AATase (Gehring, H., and Christen, P. (1978) J. Biol. Chem. 253, 3158-3163). Consonant with a role of the NH2-terminal segment in propagating the syncatalytic conformational rearrangements the rate of the tryptic cleavage is retarded 4-fold in the presence of the transaminating substrate pair aspartate and oxalacetate.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1992

Immunoglobulin-complexed aspartate aminotransferase with a possible association with ulcerative colitis and its activity.

We demonstrate immunoglobulin-complexed aspartate aminotransferase (macro-AST) in a 14-year-old boy with rectitis-type ulcerative colitis by using both gel filtration and electrophoresis methods. The immunoglobulin complexed with AST in this case was identified as an IgG kappa both by electrosyneresis and immunoprecipitation reactions. The present case was noted to have a concomitant elevation of macro-AST associated with deterioration of ulcerative colitis. However, macro-AST has continued to exist when the activity of ulcerative colitis subsided, and the serum level of AST became normal. Thus, macro-AST might be related to an immunological component of ulcerative colitis as well as to the activity of the disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Chromosomal localization of human aspartate aminotransferase genes by in situ hybridization.

The localization of the human genes for cytosolic and mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT) has been determined by chromosomal in situ hybridization with specific human cDNA probes previously characterized in our laboratory. The cytosolic AspAT gene is localized on chromosome 10 at the interface of bands q241-q251. Mitochondrial AspAT is characterized by a multigene family located on chromosomes 12 (p131-p132), 16 (q21), and 1 (p32-p33 and q25-q31). Genomic DNA from ten blood donors was digested by ten restriction enzymes, and Southern blots were hybridized with the two specific probes. Restriction fragment length polymorphism was revealed in only one case for cytosolic AspAT, with PvuII, while no polymorphism for mitochondrial AspAT was found.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗

PubMed2005

Molecular characterization and expression of the gene encoding aspartate aminotransferase from the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas exposed to environmental stressors.

A partial cDNA encoding cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (EC 2.6.1.1) was isolated from a Crassostrea gigas digestive gland library. This sequence was used to design specific primers to amplify the AST genomic sequence. We obtained a complete gene, 5054 bp in length, encoding cytosolic AST and containing a 404 amino acid open reading frame. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. gigas AST sequence constitutes a branch distinct from homologous sequences from other invertebrate groups. We also investigated AST mRNA expression in different tissues of oysters exposed to hydrocarbons, pesticides, hypoxia and hypo-salinity stress. The results showed that AST expression responds to hydrocarbon exposure, hypoxia and salinity stress, but not to pesticide exposure in an organ and time-specific manner. Use of AST as a potential molecular biomarker for monitoring of disturbed ecosystems is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

Testosterone regulates mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase gene expression and mRNA stability in prostate.

The effect of testosterone on the precursor mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (pmAAT) gene and on pmAAT-mRNA was studied in rat ventral prostate (VP) and pig prostate epithelial cells. Castration significantly decreased the level of nuclear pmAAT transcripts in VP; whereas testosterone treatment of castrated animals restored the level of pmAAT transcripts. Correspondingly, castration resulted in a marked decrease in the transcription rate of the pmAAT gene; whereas testosterone treatment markedly increased the transcription rate. In vitro studies with isolated pig prostate epithelial cells demonstrated that testosterone directly and rapidly induced a transient increase in the transcription rate of the pmAAT gene. The increase in transcription was associated with an increase in the steady-state level of pmAAT-mRNA. Similar in vitro effects were observed with isolated VP epithelial cells. In addition to its stimulatory effect on transcription of the pmAAT gene, testosterone also increased the half-life of pmAAT-mRNA from 2 h in the absence of hormone to 16 h in its presence. Consequently, testosterone appears to stabilize the pmAAT-mRNA. The combination of its immediate effect on stimulating the transcription of the pmAAT gene and its stabilizing effect on pmAAT-mRNA would account for the increase in the steady-state level of pmAAT-mRNA by testosterone. These studies support our proposal that, through these effects, testosterone increases the biosynthesis of mAAT thereby increasing the transamination of aspartate to oxaloacetate and ultimately increasing the synthesis of citrate. This appears to provide at least one of the mechanisms by which testosterone regulates prostate citrate production.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Role of adrenergic mechanisms in the regulation of aspartate aminotransferase isoenzyme activity in the liver of white rats].

Cytoplasmic (c) and mitochondrial (m) isozymes of aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) (EC 2.6.1.1) were isolated from white rat liver tissue by means of electrophoresis in agar gel. For the enzymes Km values, pH optima were estimated and conditions, suitable for the reaction, were studied. On the basis of activating effectiveness on c-AAT the catecholamines were arranged in decreasing order as follows: adrenaline, isadrine, noradrenaline. Towards the m-AAT the series was: noradrenaline, isadrine, adrenaline. Obsidane decreased the action of adrenaline more effectively than it did isadrine. Phentholamine did not alter the effect of noradrenalin on c-AAT, but distinctly decreased the m-AAT activity. Beta-adrenergic receptor, but not alpha-receptor, participated in regulation of the AAT isozymes activity. Adrenaline promoted and isadrine inhibited the penetration of m-AAT into cytoplasma. Obsidane increased the effect of these catecholamines. After administration of phentholamine an increase in the AAT activity was caused by an increase in content of catecholamines in the organism.

Amination↗

PubMed1981

Loss of duplicate gene expression in salmonids: evidence for a null allele polymorphism at the duplicate aspartate aminotransferase loci in brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis).

Unusual phenotypic distributions at the muscle-specific, duplicate aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) loci were found in wild populations of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), a species of the tetraploid-derivative Salmonidae. Analysis of these phenotypic distributions ruled out disparate gene frequencies, nonrandom association between the two loci, and inbreeding as possible explanations; however, models incorporating a null allele fit the data. Inheritance data from hatchery populations of brook trout also indicated a null allele polymorphism. This proposed AAT null allele, along with other null allele polymorphisms in salmonids, is evidence that loss of duplicate gene expression is still occurring. In contrast, there is no such evidence of ongoing loss of duplicate gene expression in the Catostomidae, another tetraploid-derivative lineage. We interpret this and other differences between salmonids an catostomids as reflecting an autotetraploid origin for salmonids and an allotetraploid origin for catostomids. The significance of these findings is also considered with respect to current models of the rate of loss of duplicate gene expression in tetraploid-derivative organisms.

Alleles↗

PubMed1987

Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against porcine mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase: their inhibition modes and application to enzyme immunoassay.

Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against porcine mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (m-AST) were prepared in order to study their effect on the kinetics of the enzyme and their possible use as diagnostic reagents. The most stable hybridoma clone, designated MH-1, was selected and cultured for mass production of the monoclonal antibody MA-1. MA-1 was purified by affinity chromatography with m-AST as a ligand. The m-AST activity was inhibited uncompetitively by preincubation with MA-1, but preincubation with the polyclonal antibody uncompetitively by preincubation with MA-1, but preincubation with the polyclonal antibody raised in a rabbit resulted in noncompetitive inhibition of the enzyme. These results suggest the usefulness of a monoclonal antibody for studying the mechanism of catalysis. Sandwich enzyme immunoassay methods for m-AST using both polyclonal and monoclonal antibody-coated polystyrene balls were established and permitted the determination of porcine m-AST on the order of 10(-11) and 10(-10)M, respectively.

Animals↗

PubMed1978

Column-chromatographic separation of isoenzymes of aspartate aminotransferase.

We describe a column-chromatographic method for separating the mitochondrial and cytoplasmic isoenzymes of aspartate aminotransferase in human serum. Bed height of the ion exchanger, pH, and salt concentrations in the eluting buffers are shown to be variables affecting the separation of the isoenzymes. Under the optimized conditions selected for this study, a 30% increase in volume was observed in one fraction, associated with changing the salt concentration of the eluting buffer and attributed to a contraction of the DEAE-Sephadex A-50. Elution profiles (enzyme activity vs. fraction number) were examined with highly purified mitochondrial and cytoplasmic isoenzymes of human origin in bovine serum albumin and human serum. Recovery of the enzyme in the eluted fractions averaged 102% (SD, 2.0%) for specimens prepared from the purified isoenzymes and 104% (SD, 10.7%) for 38 human serum specimens. The separation technique showed linearity to catalytic concentrations in excess of 200 U/liter (reaction temperature 30 degrees C) for each isoenzyme. Additional information is presented regarding among-day precision and the effect of specimen dilution.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗

PubMed1978

Chemical structure of the active site of pig heart mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase labeled with beta-chloro-l-alanine.

Formate-induced inactivation of pig heart mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase by beta-chloro-L-alanine resulted in the modification of the epsilon-amino group of the lysyl residue which is involved in the formation of an aldimine bond with 4-formyl group of the coenzyme, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. The tryptic peptide isolated from the labeled site of the enzyme was composed of 25 residues and exhibited positive circular dichroism at 325 and 254 nm where the pyridoxyl chromophore of the labeled site peptide absorbs, while the phosphopyridoxyl peptide isolated from the boro-hydride-reduced enzyme did not show any ellipticity in this spectral region. Its comparison with the analogous tryptic peptide from the labeled site of the cytosolic isoenzyme revealed a high degree of homology in their primary structures as well as in spectral properties. Structural analysis of the labeled site peptide and mechanistic consideration of the labeling process indicated that with both isoenzymes the phosphopyridoxyl group is covalently bound to the alpha amino group of the alanyl moiety derived from beta-chloro-L-alanine, the beta carbon of which is covalently linked to the epsilon-amino group of the lysyl residue.

Alanine↗

PubMed1988

Generation process of cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase molecular forms by several treatments.

Alpha-, beta-, and gamma-forms of chicken liver cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase generate variants on storage (4 degrees C, 25 days). The variants developed from each isolated form appeared as evenly spaced bands with increasing anodic mobilities after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), pH 8.8, and specific staining. Their mobilities coincided with those of the more negatively charged forms present in fresh tissue. Development of faster-running variants on storage was avoided by addition of thiol reagents to the freshly isolated forms. In their presence, beta- and gamma-forms were partially transformed into one and two variants with lower anodic mobilities analogous to those of native alpha- and beta-forms. Short pH and heat treatments did not modify the electrophoretic patterns of the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-forms, but the incubation with 5 mM L-ascorbic acid (37 degrees C, 7 h) produced more anodic active bands. The formation of these variants was inhibited by the presence, in the incubation mixture, of superoxide dismutase and catalase. The kinetic parameters of the forms submitted to the different treatments were similar to those of the freshly isolated subforms. The results obtained suggest that minor subforms of the enzyme could be generated in vivo by a mechanism in which the oxidation of particular amino acid groups is involved.

Animals↗

PubMed1975

Conformational properties of pig-heart cytoplasmic aspartate aminotransferase. Circular-dichroism and absorption-spectroscopic study of dicarboxylate binding.

1. The interaction between aspartate aminotransferase and dicarboxylates of various chain lengths and geometries has been studied from pH 6.5 TO 8.5 by circular dichroism (CD) and absorption spectroscopy. Liganding causes protonation of the pyridoxal phosphate-enzyme Schiff's base complex; the consequent changes in optical properties deltaAlambda, deltaCDlambda at the coenzyme maxima (lambda = 363 or 430 nm) are analysed for binding constants and the degree of perturbation of the coenzyme protonic dissociation constant, pKa. 2. Aliphate dicarboxylates follow linear binding functions for all optical parameters; in contrast, m and p-phthalates follow non-linear binding functions for both deltaAlambda and deltaCDlambda, implying that successive phthalate ligands bind with decreasing affinity. The ratio detlaCDlambda is effectively constant for a given ligand and the characteristic values for aromatic ligands indicate a changed environment for the coenzyme. 3. Inspection of the non-linear process for phthalates suggests that initially, binding occurs with high affinity, but with characteristically small effects on pKa. It is inferred that alipathic and aromatic dicarboxylates bind at different subsites in the active site region, perturbing the coenzyme pKa by an indirect protein-mediated mechanism. 4. Non-linearity of binding could derive from multiple binding to an individual subunit. Alternatively, different single sites may exist on adjacent subunits of the dimer, implying non-equivalence between otherwise identical subunits, expressed in properties involving groups close to the active site.

Animals↗