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Proteolysis of the bifunctional methionine-repressible aspartokinase II-homoserine dehydrogenase II of Escherichia coli K12. Production of an active homoserine dehydrogenase fragment.

The dimeric bifunctional enzyme aspartokinase II-homoserine dehydrogenase II (Mr = 2 X 88,000) of Escherichia coli K12 can be cleaved into two nonoverlapping fragments by limited proteolysis with subtilisin. These two fragments can be separated under nondenaturing conditions as dimeric species, which indicates that each fragment has retained some of the association areas involved in the conformation of the native protein. The smaller fragment (Mr = 2 X 24,000) is devoid of aspartokinase and homoserine dehydrogenase activity. The larger fragment (Mr = 2 X 37,000) is endowed with full homoserine dehydrogenase activity. These results show that the polypeptide chains of the native enzyme are organized in two different domains, that both domains participate in building up the native dimeric structure, and that one of these domains only is responsible for homoserine dehydrogenase activity. A model of aspartokinase II-homoserine dehydrogenase II is proposed, which accounts for the present results.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases

The threonine-sensitive homoserine dehydrogenase and aspartokinase activities of Escherichia coli K12. Specific inactivation of the homoserine dehydrogenase activity by the affinity label, 2-amino-4-oxo-5-chloropentanoic acid.

2-Amino-4-oxo-5-chloropentanoic acid inactivates specifically the homoserine dehydrogenase activity of the bifunctional enzyme, aspartokinase I--homoserine dehydrogenase I. The aspartokinase activity remains essentially untouched and retains its threonine sensitivity. The inactivation of the dehydrogenase requires the covalent binding of one equivalent of the analogue per subunit. Alkylation does not affect the tetrameric state of the protein. The alkylating agent, a substrate analogue, meets the qualitative and quantitative requirements of an affinity label.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases

Expression of Escherichia coli homoserine kinase in mouse 3T3 cells.

The Escherichia coli gene for homoserine kinase (thrB) has been cloned into a simian-virus-40-based eukaryotic expression vector which also includes a neomycin-resistance gene. Mouse 3T3 cells transfected with this plasmid were selected for resistance and screened for homoserine kinase activity. It has thus been possible to isolate clones which are capable of accumulating homoserine O-phosphate when supplied with homoserine. In broken-cell preparations the kinetic constants for the production of homoserine O-phosphate were similar to those of the wild-type E. coli enzyme. These experiments demonstrate that E. coli homoserine kinase can be expressed in an animal cell and that it can successfully phosphorylate L-homoserine in the intact cell utilizing endogenous ATP.

3T3 Cells

Purification and properties of homoserine transacetylase from Bacillus polymyxa.

Homoserine transacetylase (EC 2.3.1.31), the first enzyme of methionine biosynthesis, has been purified to near homogeneity from extracts of a methionine auxotroph of Bacillus polymyxa. The enzyme is subject to rapid irreversible inactivation. Its half-life at 0 degrees is 15 min and much less at higher temperatures, but ethylene glycol affords some protection. In addition, Zn2+ reversibly inhibits the enzyme with a K-I of 3 muM. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 40,000 and consists of a single polypeptide chain. Besides catalyzing the acetyl transfer from acetyl-CoA to L-homoserine, homoserine transacetylase promotes a homoserine-O-acetylhomoserine exchange reaction in the absence of CoA, suggesting the formation of an acetyl-enzyme intermediate. The results of kinetic studies are consistent with a ping-pong mechanism. Homoserine transacetylase is subject to multivalent feedback inhibition by L-methionine and S-adenosylmethionine. Analysis of the inhibition data and specificity studies suggest that the inhibitors bind to separate sites on the enzyme which are distinct from the active site. Inhibition is competitive with respect to both substrates, and the saturation curves for the inhibitors, as well as substrate saturation curves in the absence or presence of the inhibitors, are hyperbolic. The absence of cooperativity is, in fact, a property which would be expected in a monomeric allosteric enzyme such as homoserine transacetylase.

Acetyl Coenzyme A

Aspartokinase I-homoserine dehydrogenase I of Escherichia coli K12 (lambda). Activation by monovalent cations and an analysis of the effect of the adenosine triphosphate-magnesium ion complex on this activation process.

The dehydrogenase activity of the aspartokinase I-homoserine dehydrogenase I complex isolated from Escherichia coli K12 is subject to a cooperative activation by K+ or Rb+, which is characterized by a Hill coefficient of approximately 2. Ionic strength has little effect on the Hill coefficient for this activation process; however, high ionic strength appears to increase the enzyme's affinity for K+ and decrease its affinity for Rb+. The Vmax of the K+-activated dehydrogenase is greater than that of the Rb+-activated dehydrogenase. The results of a study of the competition between K+ and Rb+ in the activation process suggest the presence of an activated species containing both K+ and Rb+. The cooperative activation by K+ is antagonized by Na+ via a process that is noncooperative with respect to Na+. The MgATP-2- complex, a substrate for the kinase activity of aspartokinase I-homoserine dehydrogenase I, has a marked effect on the K+ activation of the dehydrogenase activity. Kinetic studies of this effect of MgATP-2- on the K+ requirement of the dehydrogenase at pH 8.9 indicate that: (a) activation by a monovalent cation is essential in the presence as well as in the absence of MgATP-2-; (b) the concentration of K+ required to activate fully the dehydrogenase is reduced in the presence of MgATP-2-; (c) activation of the dehydrogenase by K+ is noncooperative in the presence of MgATP-2-; and (d) the maximum velocity for the dehydrogenase catalyzed oxidation of homoserine is greater in the presence of MgATP-2- than in its absence. Based on these results, a simple model consistent with these data is proposed. Destruction of the kinase activity and the threonine sensitivity of the aspartokinase-homoserine dehydrogenase complex by treatment with 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) or by incubation at pH 9 also converts the K+ activation of the dehydrogenase from a cooperative to a noncooperative process. Marked protection of the enzyme against loss of threonine sensitivity at pH 9 is afforded by MgATP-2- plus K+ and homoserine. The apparent molecular radius of the enzyme complex as determined by gel filtration at pH 8.85 in the presence of threonine or MgATP-2- plus K+ and homoserine is dependent on the enzyme concentration. The observed apparent molecular radii of 70 A at high enzyme concentrations and 61 A at low enzyme concentrations are consistent with the enzyme's undergoing a concentration-dependent dissociation from a tetrameric to a dimeri

Adenosine Triphosphate

Cobalt(III) labeled aspartokinase-homoserine dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli.

The kinase activity of the threonine-sensitive aspartokinase-homoserine dehydrogenase enzyme complex of Escherichia coli was selectively inactivated by Co(III) incorporation. Incubation of the enzyme with Co(II) in the presence of oxygen or H2O2 resulted in incorporation of one Co(III) per subunit. The cobalt(III) bound to the enzyme was not removable by dialysis and presumably results from formation of "inert" coordination complexes with ligands contributed by the enzyme. Cobalt was released from the enzyme by incubation with dithiothreitol but not by metal chelating agents. The Co(III)-labeled enzyme was aspartokinase inactive but still retained 60% of its original homoserine dehydrogenase activity. Studies of the time course of inactivation showed aspartokinase inactivation paralleled Co(III) incorporation. The residual dehydrogenase activity of aspartokinase inactive enzyme was still inhibited by threonine Thus, Co(III) incorporation seems to result in a specific inactivation of kinase activity which permits enumeration of the number of aspartokinase sites. Limited alpha-chymotrypsin digestion of Co(III)-enzyme produced homoserine dehydrogenase-active fragments devoid of Co(III), further confirming the specificity of the labeling procedure. Aspartokinase inactivation obtained without concomitant desensitization of homoserine dehydrogenase to threonine inhibition suggests that kinase active site integrity is not required for threonine binding and inhibition of homoserine dehydrogenase.

Aspartokinase Homoserine Dehydrogenase

Regulation of homoserine transacetylase in whole cells of Bacillus polymyxa.

The levels of homoserine transacetylase (EC 2.3.1.31) in Bacillus polymyxa grown in minimal medium can vary over a 40-fold range, depending on whether methionine limits growth or is present in excess. This suggests that the synthesis of the enzyme is under control by methionine or one of its metabolites. The stability of homoserine transacetylase in growing cells was measured after repression of further synthesis by the addition of methionine. At 30 degrees, the enzyme was stable for 2 hours, whereas at 37 degrees it decayed with a half-life of 40 min. This contrasts with the striking instability in cell-free extracts described in the preceding paper (Wyman, A., and Paulus, H. (1975) J. Biol. Chem. 250, 3897-3903). The properties of homoserine transacetylase were also studied in cells of B. polymyxa that had been made permeable to small molecules by treatment with toluene. They differed in two important respects from those of the enzyme in cell-free extracts described in the preceding paper: the enzyme was relatively stable, with a half-life of 15 min at 37 degrees, and responded in a sigmoid manner to increasing concentrations of the inhibitors L-methionine and S-adenosylmethionine. These observations suggest that homoserine transacetylase is an oligomeric protein within the bacterial cell but dissociates into monomers in cell-free extracts. When B. polymyxa was transferred at 39 degrees from a rich medium to one without amino acids, growth resumed only very slowly. The growth lag after shift-down was not observed at 37 degrees or in the presence of methionine or cystathionine. This phenomenon appears to be due to a need for derepression of homoserine transacetylase upon shift-down which is thwarted at 39 degrees by the rapid thermal inactivation of the enzyme. A possible physiological function of the striking thermolability of the first enzyme in methionine biosynthesis is discussed.

Acetyltransferases

The threonine-sensitive homoserine dehydrogenase and aspartokinase activities of Escherichia coli K-12. Incubation of the enzyme in alkaline conditions: dissociation and disulfide-bridge formation.

Aspartokinase I - homoserine dehydrogenase I from Escherichia coli K-12, a homotetrameric enzyme, dissociates into dimers upon alkaline treatment. Both aspartokinase and homoserine dehydrogenase inactivation, as well as desensitazion towards L-threonine, occur in a multi-step process. Dithiothreitol stabilizes a dimeric form retaining full activity and sensitivity; L-homoserine stabilizing another dimeric form devoid of aspartokinase activity and retaining a substantial dehydrogenase activity insensitive toward L-threonine. A model is proposed showing that dissociation into dimers occurs in a first step, the resulting dimer losing both aspartokinase and homoserine dehydrogenase sensitivity in two subsequent steps involving the formation of intrachain disulfide bonds.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases

Detection of the homology among proteins by immunochemical cross-reactivity between denatured antigens. Application to the threonine and methionine regulated aspartokinases-homoserine dehydrogenases from Escherichia coli K 12.

The two isofunctional enzymes aspartokinases-homoserine dehydrogenases I and II from Escherichia coli K 12 are compared using immunochemical techniques. The antibodies raised against one of these two proteins when in its native state can only recognize the homologous antigen, whether it is native or denatured. Contrarily, the antibodies raised against one of these two proteins when in its denatured state can recognize both the homologous and heterologous denatured antigens. The existence of this cross-reaction only between the two denatured aspartokinases-homoserine dehydrogenases suggests that these two enzymes have some similarity since such a reaction is not detected with several other denatured proteins. The regions involved in this similarity are buried inside the native proteins, and become exposed only upon denaturation. The same results, the existence of a cross-reaction between denatured species and none between the native ones, is obtained with proteolytic fragments derived from these two proteins and endowed with homoserine dehydrogenase activity. This resemblance between the two aspartokinases-homoserine dehydrogenases suggests that these proteins derive from a common ancestor. It is also proposed that such a cross-reaction between two denatured proteins is evidence for an homology between their amino acid sequences, and that the use of denatured proteins as both immunogens and antigens could be useful in detecting sequence homologies.

Alkylation

Homoserine kinase from Escherichia coli K12.

Homoserine kinase was purified to apparent homogeneity from a derepressed strain of Escherichia coli K12, using standard fractionation techniques. It is a dimer (Mr = 60000) composed of apparently identical polypeptide chains (Mr = 29000). Its amino acid composition and N-terminal sequence have been determined. L-Threonine is a competitive inhibitor of the substrate L-homoserine; this inhibition is straighforward and shows no sign of co-operativity. Evidence is presented that homoserine and threonine bind to the same site of this non-allosteric enzyme. The binding of homoserine and threonine can also be studied by difference spectroscopy; the latter studies reveal an unexpected effect of magnesium ions, which might be the basis for the unusual high Mg2+ requirement for optimal enzyme reaction.

Amino Acid Sequence

Mechanism of action of an antifungal antibiotic, RI-331, (S) 2-amino-4-oxo-5-hydroxypentanoic acid; kinetics of inactivation of homoserine dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

An antifungal antibiotic (S) 2-amino-4-oxo-5-hydroxypentanoic acid, inhibited the biosynthesis of the aspartate family of amino acids (methionine, isoleucine and threonine) followed by the inhibition of protein biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This inhibition was effected by impeding the biosynthesis of their common intermediate precursor, homoserine. The inhibition of biosynthesis of homoserine by the antibiotic was attributable to inactivation of homoserine dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.3], which is involved in the conversion of aspartate semialdehyde to homoserine in the metabolic pathway leading to threonine, methionine and isoleucine. Since such enzymic activity is not present in animal cells, the selective antifungal activity of the antibiotic is thus explained.

Aminolevulinic Acid

Threonine-sensitive homoserine dehydrogenase and aspartokinase activities of Escherichia coli K12. Kinetic and spectroscopic effects upon binding of serine and threonine.

The two threonine-sensitive activities aspartokinase and homoserine dehydrogenase are inhibited by L-serine. The inhibition of the aspartokinase by L-serine displays homotropic cooperative effects and is competitive versus aspartate. The inhibition by L-serine of the homoserine dehydrogenase displays Michaelis-Menten kinetics which are of a competitive nature versus homoserine. Characteristic effects of L-serine on the protein include a perturbation of its absorption and fluorescence spectra, with an increase in the fluorescence of the protein-NADPH complex. L-serine shifts the allosteric equilibrium of the protein to a "T-like" conformation to which L-threonine binds noncooperatively. L-Serine, a threonine analog, is not capable, as the physiological effector, of inducing a complete R to T transition of the enzyme; the aspartokinase globules show a cooperative conformation change upon serine binding, but this conformation change is not found in the homoserine dehydrogenase globules.

Aspartokinase Homoserine Dehydrogenase

Isolation and characterization of two homoserine dehydrogenases from maize suspension cultures.

Homoserine dehydrogenase in unpurified extracts of maize (Zea mays L.) cell suspensions is inhibited 73% by the feedback regulator threonine; the remaining 27% of the total activity is not affected even by high concentrations of threonine. The threonine-resistant and threonine-sensitive homoserine dehydrogenase activities were separated by affinity chromatography on Blue Sepharose columns, and the two distinct homoserine dehydrogenases were purified. The threonine-resistant enzyme is an Mr = 70,000 dimer of two Mr = 38,000 subunits and the threonine-sensitive enzyme is an Mr = 190,000 dimer containing two apparently different subunits with molecular weights of 89,000 and 93,000. The threonine-resistant enzyme exhibits normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics and its activity is not affected by any of the amino acid end products of the aspartate pathway. The threonine-sensitive enzyme exhibits positive cooperative kinetics with respect to NADPH and is inhibited by threonine and stimulated by isoleucine. All attempts to affect interconversion of the two purified enzymes have been unsuccessful. Because the purified enzymes correspond to activities present in crude extracts of various maize tissues, it is concluded that the two types of homoserine dehydrogenase are natural in vivo constituents of maize.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases

Methionine-repressible homoserine dehydrogenase of Serratia marcescens: purification and properties.

Serratia marcescens Sa-3 possesses two homoserine dehydrogenases and neither has any aspartokinase activity unlike the case of Escherichia coli enzymes. The two enzymes have been separated. One of them is active with either NAD+ or NADP+ and has been purified about 180-fold to homogeneity. This enzyme is completely repressed by the presence of 1 mM methionine or homoserine in the growth medium, but its activity is unaffected by any amino acid of the aspartate family either singly or together. In many of its properties (such as pH optimum, Km for substrate and cofactors), it resembles its counterpart in E. coli K12. Potassium ions stabilize the enzyme but are not essential for activity. Its molecular weight is around 155,000 as determined by gel filtration and approximately 76,000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This suggests that the enzyme has two subunits (polypeptide chains) in the molecule: 8 M urea has no effect on enzyme activity. This enzyme represents approximately 30% of the total homoserine dehydrogenase activity of S. marcescens unlike in Salmonella typhimurium and E. coli K12 where it is a minor or a negligible component.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases

Interaction of substrates and inhibitors with the homoserine dehydrogenase of kinase-inactivated aspartokinase I.

The aspartokinase activity of the aspartokinase-homoserine dehydrogenase complex of Escherichia coli was affinity labeled with substrates ATP, aspartate, and feedback inhibitor threonine. Exchange-inert ternary adducts of Co(III)-aspartokinase and either ATP, aspartate or threonine were formed by oxidation of corresponding Co(II) ternary complexes with H2O2. The ternary enzyme-Co(III)-threonine adduct (I) had 3.8 threonine binding sites per tetramer, one-half that of the native enzyme. The binding of threonine to I was still cooperative as determined by equilibrium dialysis (nH = 2.2) or by studying inhibition of residual dehydrogenase activity (nH = 2.7). Threonine still protected the SH groups of I against 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) (DTNB) reaction but the number of SH groups reacting with thiol reagents (DTNB) was reduced by 1-2 per subunit in the absence of threonine. This suggests either that Co(III) is bound to the enzyme via sulfhydryl groups or that 1-2SH groups are buried or rendered inaccessible in I. The binding of threonine to sites not blocked by the affinity labeling produced changes in the circular dichroism of the complex comparable to changes produced by threonine binding to native enzyme and also protected against proteolytic digestion. The major conformational changes produced by threonine are thus ascribable to binding at this one class of regulatory sites. The interactions of kinase substrates with various aspartokinase-Co(III) complexes containing ATP, aspartate, or threonine and a threonine-insensitive homoserine dehydrogenase produced by mild proteolysis were studied. The inhibition of homoserine dehydrogenase by kinase substrates is not due to binding of these inhibitors at the kinase active site but was shown to be due to binding to sites within the dehydrogenase domain of the enzyme. L-alpha-Aminobutyrate, a presumed threonine analogue, also inhibits the dehydrogenase by binding at the same or similar sites in the dehydrogenase domain and not at threonine regulatory site.

Adenosine Diphosphate

Subunit structure of the methionine-repressible aspartokinase II--homoserine dehydrogenase II from Escherichia coli K12.

The quaternary structure of Escherichia coli K12 aspartokinase II--homoserine dehydrogenase II has been examined. This multifunctional protein has a molecular weight Mr = 176000. It is composed of two subunits having the same molecular weight and the same charge. The results obtained from the examination of tryptic maps, the number and amino acid composition of cysteine-containing peptides and the uniqueness of the N-terminal sequence, strongly suggest that the 2 subunits are identical. The properties of aspartokinase II--homoserine dehydrogenase II can be compared to those of the much better known protein aspartokinase I--homoserine dehydrogenase I.

Amino Acid Sequence

Expression of aspartokinase, dihydrodipicolinic acid synthase and homoserine dehydrogenase during growth of carrot cell suspension cultures on lysine- and threonine-supplemented media.

Reduction in the amounts of activity of the first enzyme, aspartokinase (EC 2.7.2.4) and two branch-point enzymes, dihydrodipicolinic acid synthase (EC 4.2.1.52) and homoserine dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.3), located in the pathway for the synthesis of aspartate-family amino acids, occurred when cell suspension cultures of Daucus carota L. var. Danvers were grown in media containing 2 mM threonine or 2 mM lysine, endproducts of the pathway. Activity of the lysine-sensitive form of aspartokinase was decreased when cells were grown in medium containing lysine and the activity of the threonine-sensitive form was decreased when cells were grown in medium containing threonine. Activity of the branch-point enzyme leading to threonine synthesis, homoserine dehydrogenase, was decreased up to 70% in specific activity (units/mg protein) and relative activity (units/g fresh weight) when cells were grown in media containing lysine or threonine. Threonine had no effect on the relative activity of dihydrodipicolinic acid synthase, but decreased its specific activity. Lysine decreased the relative activity of the synthase by up to 40%, but had little effect on its specific activity. The decreased activities of the enzymes were apparently not due to binding of the inhibitory amino acids to the enzymes since homogenization of cells in buffer with 2 mM lysine and threonine did not decrease the measurable enzyme activities. These and other results presented suggest that both forms of the aspartokinase activity and homoserine dehydrogenase activity can be altered by supplementing the growth medium with lysine or threonine.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases