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The amino acid sequence of cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase from human liver.

1. The cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase was purified from human liver. 2. The isoenzyme contains four cysteine residues, only one of which reacts with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) in the absence of denaturing agents. 3. The amino acid sequence of the isoenzyme is reported, as determined from peptides produced by digestion with trypsin and with CNBr, and from sub-digestion of some of these peptides with Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase. 4. The isoenzyme shares 48% identity of amino acid sequence with the mitochondrial form from human heart. 5. Comparisons of the amino acid sequences of all known mammalian cytosolic aspartate aminotransferases and of the same set of mitochondrial isoenzymes are reported. The results indicate that the cytosolic isoenzymes have evolved at about 1.3 times the rate of the mitochondrial forms. 6. The time elapsed since the cytosolic and mitochondrial isoenzymes diverged from a common ancestral protein is estimated to be 860 x 10(6) years. 7. Experimental details and confirmatory data for the results presented here are given in a supplementary paper that has been deposited as a Supplementary Publication SUP 50158 (25 pages) at the British Library Document Supply Centre, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1990) 265, 5.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Skeletal muscle metabolism in mice bearing adenocarcinoma. III. Activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases.

Activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases in six skeletal muscles demonstrate 114-223% and 86-146% increase respectively, over the normal by the 10th week after adenocarcinoma transplantation in mice. The white (anaerobic) muscles reveal greater increment in these two enzymes than the red (aerobic) ones. The significance of elevated aminotransferase activities in energy metabolism of the host muscles is discussed.

Adenocarcinoma↗

In vivo inhibition of aspartate aminotransferase in mice by L-hydrazinosuccinate.

L-Hydrazinosuccinate, which has been shown to be a slow-, tight-binding inhibitor of aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) in vitro, was tested as an inhibitor in vivo of the enzyme as well as other pyridoxal enzymes. Intraperitoneal administration to mice at a dose of 0.6 mmol/kg rapidly decreased aspartate aminotransferase activities in liver and kidney cytosols to a minimal level lower than 10% of the original, and no appreciable reversal of the inhibition was observed after 24 h; at lower doses the activities were significantly recovered during the same period following an initial marked decrease. Of the other pyridoxal enzymes tested, alanine aminotransferase in liver was the most sensitive to the inhibitor. It was initially inhibited as severely as aspartate aminotransferase, but the inhibition was reversed considerably faster. Aspartate aminotransferase activities in brain and heart were less severely affected than those in liver and kidney; they were less markedly lowered initially and were substantially recovered after 24 h. Consistent with the observed organ specificity, heated extracts from brain and heart in the mice administered with the inhibitor showed relatively weak inhibitory activities in vitro to aspartate aminotransferase purified from pig heart, while the extracts from liver and kidney were strongly inhibitory.

Animals↗

Substitution of apolar residues in the active site of aspartate aminotransferase by histidine. Effects on reaction and substrate specificity.

In an attempt to change the reaction and substrate specificity of aspartate aminotransferase, several apolar active-site residues were substituted in turn with a histidine residue. Aspartate aminotransferase W140H (of Escherichia coli) racemizes alanine seven times faster (Kcat' = 2.2 x 10(-4) s-1) than the wild-type enzyme, while the aminotransferase activity toward L-alanine was sixfold decreased. X-ray crystallographic analysis showed that the structural changes brought about by the mutation are limited to the immediate environment of H140. In contrast to the tryptophan side chain in the wild-type structure, the imidazole ring of H140 does not form a stacking interaction with the coenzyme pyridine ring. The angle between the two ring planes is about 50 degrees. Pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate dissociates 50 times more rapidly from the W140H mutant than from the wild-type enzyme. A model of the structure of the quinonoid enzyme substrate intermediate indicates that H140 might assist in the reprotonation of C alpha of the amino acid substrate from the re side of the deprotonated coenzyme-substrate adduct in competition with si-side reprotonation by K258. In aspartate aminotransferase I17H (of chicken mitochondria), the substituted residue also lies on the re side of the coenzyme. This mutant enzyme slowly decarboxylates L-aspartate to L-alanine (Kcat' = 8 x 10(-5) s-1). No beta-decarboxylase activity is detectable in the wild-type enzyme. In aspartate aminotransferase V37H (of chicken mitochondria), the mutated residue lies besides the coenzyme in the plane of the pyridine ring; no change in reaction specificity was observed. All three mutations, i.e. W140-->H, I17-->H and V37--H, decreased the aminotransferase activity toward aromatic amino acids by 10-100-fold, while decreasing the activity toward dicarboxylic substrates only moderately to 20%, 20% and 60% of the activity of the wild-type enzymes, respectively. In all three mutant enzymes, the decrease in aspartate aminotransferase activity at pH values lower than 6.5 was more pronounced than in the wild-type enzyme, apparently due to the protonation of the newly introduced histidine residues. The study shows that substitutions of single active-site residues may result in altered reaction and substrate specificities of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-dependent enzymes.

Animals↗

[Interaction of aspartate aminotransferase with aminooxyalkylcelluloses].

Interaction of aspartate aminotransferase with various aminooxycelluloses capable of reacting with carbonyl compounds to form oximes has been studied with respect to the distance of the H2NO-groups from the polymer matrix. Aminotransferase does not react with aminooxycelluloses, when the amono-oxygroups are located at small distances from the matrix. When these celluloses interact with the enzyme in the presence of the substrate amino acid, we manage to obtain the amino-form of amino-transferase containing no pyridoxylidine form quantitatively. The cellulose with the H2NO-groups located at considerable distances from the polysaccharide matrix, form the "aminotransferase oxime--aminooxycellulose" complex, which is subsequently split either to a choloenzyme or apoenzyme of PLP and aminooxycellulose, depending on the experimental conditions used. The adsorbents under study may present some interest both in terms of isolation and purfication of pyridoxal enzymes and their effects on enzymatic systems, which contain carbonylic compounds.

Adsorption↗

Simultaneous purification by affinity chromatography of rat liver mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase and malate dehydrogenase and electrophoretic properties.

Mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase and malate dehydrogenase were purified to homogeneity from rat liver by the use of aspartate-coupled Sepharose, ion exchange, and Blue Sepharose chromatography. This procedure permits rapid preparation of these enzymes. The pI of each enzyme was determined and anomalous electrophoretic properties of aspartate aminotransferase were described.

Animals↗

Venous serum, capillary serum, and capillary plasma compared for use in determination of lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase activities.

Lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase activities in capillary serum or plasma were significantly greater than in simultaneously assayed venous serum, the greatest differences being between capillary and venous serum. Although some difference is attributable to tissue fluid contributions, platelets seem to account for most of it, with possible small contributions from leukocytes. Capillary tube size and type appear to be important factors. We recommend that when capillary blood is to be used for enzyme assay, it should be processed as plasma.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗

Overproduction and preliminary X-ray characterization of aspartate aminotransferase from Escherichia coli.

The aspartate aminotransferase of Escherichia coli was overproduced in cells after genetic manipulation, and was crystallized from a polyethylene glycol solution, pH 7.0. The crystals obtained were of good quality and had diffractions extending beyond 2.4 A. The space group and unit cell dimensions were determined with a precession camera and a four-circle diffractometer to be C222(1), and a = 157.1 A, b = 85.5 A, and c = 79.7 A, respectively. Only one protein subunit is contained in an asymmetric unit.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗

Narrowing substrate specificity in a directly evolved enzyme: the A293D mutant of aspartate aminotransferase.

Several mutant Escherichia coli aspartate aminotransferases (eAATases) have been characterized in the attempt to evolve or rationally redesign the substrate specificity of eAATase into that of E. coli tyrosine aminotransferase (eTATase). These include HEX (designed), HEX + A293D (design followed by directed evolution), and SRHEPT (directed evolution). The A293D mutation realized from directed evolution of HEX is here imported into the SRHEPT platform by site-directed mutagenesis, resulting in an enzyme (SRHEPT + A293D) with nearly the same ratio of k(cat)/K(m)(Phe) to k(cat)/K(m)(Asp) as that of wild-type eTATase. The A293D substitution is an important specificity determinant; it selectively disfavors interactions with dicarboxylic substrates and inhibitors compared to aromatic ones. Context dependence analysis is generalized to provide quantitative comparisons of a common substitution in two or more different protein scaffolds. High-resolution crystal structures of ligand complexes of HEX + A293D, SRHEPT, and SRHEPT + A293D were determined. We find that in both SRHEPT + A293D and HEX + A293D, the additional mutation holds the Arg 292 side chain away from the active site to allow increased specificity for phenylalanine over aspartate. The resulting movement of Arg 292 allows greater flexibility of the small domain in HEX + A293D. While HEX is always in the closed conformation, HEX + A293D is observed in both the closed and a novel open conformation, allowing for more rapid product release.

Alanine↗

Effects of replacement of tryptophan-140 by phenylalanine or glycine on the function of Escherichia coli aspartate aminotransferase.

Trp140 of E. coli aspartate aminotransferase has been converted to Phe or Gly by site-directed mutagenesis. As compared to the wild-type enzyme, either of the mutant enzymes showed 10- to 100-fold increase in Km's for natural dicarboxylic substrates, but did not show appreciable changes in Km's for aromatic substrates. Teh kcat values for dicarboxylic and aromatic substrates were greatly decreased by [Trp140----Gly] mutation, but were decreased to lesser extents by [Trp140----Phe] mutation. These findings suggested that N(1) of Trp140 may not be essential for catalysis, but may be partly involved in the binding of the distal carboxylate group of the dicarboxylic substrates.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗

Role of tyrosine residues in cytoplasmic aspartate aminotransferase from beef kidney.

Cytoplasmic aspartate aminotransferase from beef kidney loses 25% of its activity on nitration with tetranitromethane while the apoenzyme about 95%. In the holoenzyme 0.5 tyrosine residue and 1.0 tyrosine residue in the apoenzyme are nitrated per enzyme protomer. In addition 1 cysteine residue per protomer is oxidized in both. The presence of substrates, alpha-ketoglutarate and glutamate, both at ten times their Km values, does not change these results. Mercaptoethanol does not affect the residual activity of either the nitrated holo or apoenzyme. Dithionite abolishes the activity of the nitrated holoenzyme by reducing tha coenzyme moiety. It has no effect on the native holoenzyme or on either the native or nitroapoenzyme.

Animals↗

Further thermal characterization of an aspartate aminotransferase from a halophilic organism.

Aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT, EC 2.6.1.1) from the halophilic archaebacterium Haloferax mediterranei was purified [Muriana, Alvarez-Ossorio and Relimpio (1991) Biochem. J. 278, 149-154] and further characterization of the effects of temperature on the activity and stability of the halophilic AspAT were carried out. The halophilic transaminase is most active at 65 degrees C and stable at high temperatures, under physiological or nearly physiological conditions (3.5 M KCl, pH 7.8). Thermal inactivation (60-85 degrees C) of the halophilic AspAT followed first-order kinetics, 2-oxoglutarate causing a shift of the thermal inactivation curves to higher temperatures. The salt concentration affected the thermal stability of the halophilic transaminase at 60 degrees C, suggesting that disruption of hydrophobic interactions may play an important role in the decreased thermal stability of the enzyme.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗

A reference material for traceability of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) results.

Standardization of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) determination is highly desirable for inter-laboratory comparison. Serum AST mean values for 20 patients suffering from viral hepatitis showed an inter-laboratory (n = 13) variation of 9.4%. Part of this variation was due to two laboratories using procedures without pyridoxal-5'-phosphate. A traceable AST value was assigned to an enzyme calibrator (EC) through the appropriate International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) primary reference procedure. The EC was commutable for seven routine methods. Common calibration using the EC reduced the inter-laboratory coefficient of variation (CV = 5.9% ) and allowed retention of a common reference interval for a set of routine procedures. Calibration made superfluous the expression of results in multiples of the upper reference limit, which increased inter-laboratory variation (CV = 18.5%). Furthermore, for 92% of patients, calibration with the EC allowed the correction of misclassifications when taking into account the reference interval of the reference procedure. Use of this EC could be proposed to complete the AST reference system.

Adult↗

Role of tyrosine residues in mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase from beef kidney.

Mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase from beef kidney is 50% inhibited after 2 hr treatment with 2.5 mM tetranitromethane at pH 8. Two tyrosine residues per enzyme protomer (46,000 daltons) are modified by the reagent either in the holoenzyme or in the apoenzyme. In both cases the five SH groups titratable with p-mercuribenzoate are not modified by the reagent. However, with a tetranitromethane concentration higher than 2.5 mM and 10 mM mercaptoethanol, an additional tyrosine residue is nitrated in both holo- and apoenzymes. These results are not affected by the presence in the incubation mixture of the substrates alpha-ketoglutarate and glutamate both at ten times their Km values. Mercaptoethanol does not impair the recombination of native or nitrated apoenzyme with the coenzyme and does not reduce the coenzyme moiety of native or nitrated holoenzyme, but promotes a conformational change in the nitrated holoenzyme which causes inactivation. Hydrosulfite promotes the reduction of the coenzyme moiety of native and nitro holoenzyme resulting in their inactivation, largely in the nitrated form. The recombination of the coenzyme with native or nitrated apoenzyme is not influenced by hydrosulfite.

Animals↗

Gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase as markers of alcohol consumption in out-patient alcoholics.

Serum activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase were determined in 316 patients attending an out-patients clinic for treatment of alcoholism. The activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase was raised in 34% and that of aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase in 18% and 7%. Neither the activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase nor alkaline phosphatase showed any significant (P greater than 0.05) correlation with the history of alcohol consumption. The activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were raised significantly more often in patients with recent alcohol consumption than in patients who had abstained for more than 9 days. The concentration of alkaline phosphatase was not significantly (P greater than 0.05) different in these groups. The predictive value of raised and normal activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase, in deciding whether a patient had had recent alcohol consumption or not, was not superior to the predictive value of raised and normal activities of aspartate aminotransferase.

Adult↗

Kinetics and equilibria for the reactions of coenzymes with wild type and the Y70F mutant of Escherichia coli aspartate aminotransferase.

The Y70F mutant of aspartate aminotransferase has reduced affinity for coenzymes compared to the wild type. The equilibrium dissociation constants for pyridoxamine phosphate (PMP) holoenzymes, KPMPdiss, were determined from the association and dissociation rate constants to be 1.3 nM and 30 nM for the wild type and mutant, respectively. This increase in KPMPdiss for Y70F is due to a 27-fold increase in the dissociation rate constant. Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) association kinetics are complex, with three kinetic processes detectable for wild type and two for Y70F. A directly determined, accurate value of KPLPdiss for wild type enzyme has been difficult to obtain because of the low value of this constant. The values of KPLPdiss for the holoenzymes were determined indirectly through the measured values for KPMPdiss, glutamate-alpha-ketoglutarate half-reaction equilibrium constants, and the equilibrium constant for the transamination of PLP by glutamate catalyzed by Y70F. The values of KPLPdiss obtained by this procedure are 0.4 pM for wild type and 40 pM for Y70F. The increases in KPMPdiss and KPLPdiss for Y70F correspond to delta delta G values of 1.9 and 2.7 kcal/mol, respectively, and are directly attributed to the loss of the hydrogen bond from the phenolic hydroxyl group of Tyr70 to the coenzyme phosphate. The delta G for association of PLP with wild type enzyme is 4.7 kcal/mol more favorable than that for PMP.

Apoenzymes↗

CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-related proteins bind to the unusual promoter of the aspartate aminotransferase housekeeping gene.

The cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase (cAspAT) gene is ubiquitously expressed but it is regulated by hormones in a tissue-specific manner. In vitro DNase I footprinting studies of a 260-base pair fragment carrying the basal promoter activity revealed that three CCAAT sequences bind liver nuclear proteins (protected regions P2, P3, P4). Competition studies, the heat resistance of these proteins, and identical footprints obtained using a recombinant CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) alpha fragment indicate that they belong to the C/EBP family of transcription factors. A fourth protected region P1, overlapping the P2 region, was observed in the liver in the presence of competing oligonucleotides containing the C/EBP site. In cotransfection experiments, the C/EBP beta protein trans-activated 10-15-fold the cAspAT gene promoter in HepG2 cells. Deletion studies revealed that regions P2 and P4 are critical for promoter activity. In gel retardation experiments, the P4 region bound different C/EBP-related proteins in different tissues: the brain protein is heat sensitive in contrast to the liver protein. The synthetic oligonucleotide OL 1-2, which covers the P1 and P2 regions, binds C/EBP-like proteins as well as NF1 and CP1 (or NFY) transcription factors, but the preferential binding of one of these protein is tissue-specific. In summary, using the cAspAT gene promoter, we have shown that ubiquitously active promoters may be recognized by different proteins in different tissues.

Animals↗

The nature of the rate-limiting steps in the refolding of the cofactor-dependent protein aspartate aminotransferase.

The refolding of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (mAAT; EC 2.6.1.1) has been studied following unfolding in 6 m guanidine hydrochloride for different periods of time. Whereas reactivation of equilibrium-unfolded mAAT is sigmoidal, reactivation of the short term unfolded protein displays a double exponential behavior consistent with the presence of fast and slow refolding species. The amplitude of the fast phase decreases with increasing unfolding times (k approximately 0.75 min(-1) at 20 degrees C) and becomes undetectable at equilibrium unfolding. According to hydrogen exchange and stopped-flow intrinsic fluorescence data, unfolding of mAAT appears to be complete in less than 10 s, but hydrolysis of the Schiff base linking the coenzyme pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) to the polypeptide is much slower (k approximately 0.08 min(-1)). This implies the existence in short term unfolded samples of unfolded species with PLP still attached. However, since the disappearance of the fast refolding phase is about 10-fold faster than the release of PLP, the fast refolding phase does not correspond to folding of the coenzyme-containing molecules. The fast refolding phase disappears more rapidly in the pyridoxamine and apoenzyme forms of mAAT, both of which lack covalently attached cofactor. Thus, bound PLP increases the kinetic stability of the fast refolding unfolding intermediates. Conversion between fast and slow folding forms also takes place in an early folding intermediate. The presence of cyclophilin has no effect on the reactivation of either equilibrium or short term unfolded mAAT. These results suggest that proline isomerization may not be the only factor determining the slow refolding of this cofactor-dependent protein.

Animals↗