Dehydroascorbic acid irreversibly inhibits hexokinase activity

The oxidized form of vitamin C (dehydroascorbic acid, DHA) completely and irreversibly inactivates recombinant human hexokinase type I, in a pseudo-first order fashion. The inactivation reaction occurs without saturation, indicating that DHA does not form a reversible complex with hexokinase. Further characterization of this response revealed that the inactivation does not require oxygen and that dithiothreitol, while able to prevent the DHA-mediated loss of enzyme activity, failed to restore the activity of the DHA-inhibited enzyme. Inactivation was not associated with cleavage of the peptide chain or cross-linking. The decay in enzymatic activity was however both dependent on deprotonation of a residue with an alkaline pKa and associated with covalent binding of DHA to the protein. In addition, inactivation of hexokinase decreased or increased, respectively, in the presence of the substrates glucose or MgATP. Finally, amino acid analysis of the DHA-modified hexokinase revealed a decrease of cysteine residues. Taken together, the above results are consistent with the possibility that covalent binding of the reagent with a thiol group of cysteine is a critical event for the DHA-mediated loss of hexokinase activity.

A new pair of primers designed for amplification of the ITS region in Tuber species

The alignment of the 28S gene of several species of Pezizales allowed to select two pairs of primers able to amplify the internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA in mycorrhizal fungi, such as truffles. The higher yield of the amplification product demonstrates a better annealing of the new primers to the rDNA, as compared to the universal primers internal transcribed spacer 1 and internal transcribed spacer 4. Therefore, the new primers can be used as an easier and more sensitive tool for the identification of truffle species in any stage of their life cycle, including the mycorrhizal phase.

Three different forms of hexokinase are identified during Tuber borchii mycelium growth

Truffles are ectomycorrhizal fungi which have a great dependence on carbohydrates supplied by their host plants. The catabolism of hexoses in the mycobiont is important for the production of energy, and the first enzyme in the hexose assimilation pathways is hexokinase. This study reports differences in the expression of this enzyme during the growth of Tuber borchii Vittad. mycelium (strain ATCC 96540). Three hexokinase activities (HKM1, HKM2 and HKM3) were isolated by anion-exchange chromatography and partially purified. HKM1 and HKM2 were present in the linear phase at 15-50 days of growth. Two remarkable differences were found in the sugar-phosphorylating activity and stability of HKM1 and HKM2. HKM2 did not phosphorylate the fructose and it was present in the chromatographic profile only when substrates such as glucose, glucosamine or mannose were added to the extraction buffer. On the contrary, HKM1 utilized also fructose and was detected under all the experimental conditions used. HKM3 was the only molecular form observed after 70 days, when the fungus growth had reached a plateau. To our knowledge these results represent the first evidence for the presence in T. borchii mycelium of three distinct enzymatic forms of hexokinase which are differently expressed during growth of the fungus.

Domain organization and functional properties of yeast transcription factor IIIA species with different zinc stoichiometries

Transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA) binds to the 5 S rRNA gene through its zinc finger domain and directs the assembly of a multiprotein complex that promotes transcription initiation by RNA polymerase III. Limited proteolysis of TFIIIA forms with different zinc stoichiometries, in combination with DNA binding and in vitro transcription analyses, have been used herein to investigate the domain organization and zinc requirements of Saccharomyces cerevisiae TFIIIA. Species containing either nine, six, or three zinc equivalents were produced by reductive resaturation and controlled metal depletion of recombinant TFIIIA. Partial digestion of the metal-saturated, 9 Zn2+-liganded factor yields a stable intermediate comprising the eight N-terminal zinc fingers, and a less stable fragment corresponding to a C-terminal portion including the ninth finger. Proteolyzed TFIIIA has the same 5 S DNA binding ability of the intact protein yet no longer supports in vitro 5 S rRNA synthesis. Both the structural compactness and the 5 S DNA binding ability of the TFIIIA form only containing 3 zinc ions are severely compromised. In contrast, the 6 Zn2+-liganded species was found to be indistinguishable from metal-saturated TFIIIA. By demonstrating the existence of three classes of zinc-binding sites contributing differently to yeast TFIIIA structure and function, the present study provides new evidence for the remarkable flexibility built into this complex transcription factor.

The tbf-1 gene from the white truffle Tuber borchii codes for a structural cell wall protein specifically expressed in fruitbody

This paper reports the purification and localization of a Tuber borchii Vittad, fruitbody protein (TBF-1) and the cloning of the encoding gene. TBF-1 is detectable by SDS-PAGE analyses only in this white truffle species and presents a molecular mass of 11,994 Da. TBF-1 was purified by one-step Reversed-Phase HPLC and its complete amino acid sequence was determined after digestion with trypsin and N-Asp endoproteinase. Polyclonal antibodies were produced and tested in immunofluorescence and immunogold experiments, providing information about the protein localization. It was detected mostly on the hyphal walls, where it was colocalized with beta-1,3-glucans and chitin. The sporal wall was not labeled. The encoding gene (tbf-1) was cloned using several techniques involving PCR. The coding region consists of a 360-bp open reading frame interrupted by an intron, with another intron following the stop codon. A putative signal peptide of 12 amino acids was found at the N-terminal. Northern blot analysis revealed that tbf-1 is highly expressed in unripe and ripe fruitbodies and was not detectable in culture mycelium or ectomycorrhizal roots.

Substrates of hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase prevent the inhibitory response induced by ascorbic acid/iron and dehydroascorbic acid in rabbit erythrocytes

Exposure of intact rabbit erythrocytes or erythrocyte lysates to ascorbic acid/FeCl3 in a glucose-free saline promoted a rapid decline in reduced glutathione and this response was paralleled by inactivation of hexokinase. Under the same conditions, the activity of the enzymes glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase did not show appreciablevariations in intact cells, but was severely inhibited in the cell-free system. Similar results were obtained by replacing ascorbic acid/FeCl3 with dehydroascorbic acid. In addition, both treatments effectively inhibited the activity of purified hexokinase as well as those of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Further studies using the cell-free system indicated that the inhibition of enzyme activities elicited by either of the two treatments was effectively counteracted by the specific substrates of these enzymes. The fact that the hexokinase substrate glucose freely permeates the plasma membrane, unlike the substrates of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphatedehydrogenase, explains the selective inhibition of hexokinase observed in intact cells. The above results also indicate that dehydroascorbic acid is an inhibitor of these enzymes and strongly suggest that it is at least in part responsible for the effects mediated by the cocktail ascorbic acid/FeCl3.

In vitro and in vivo effects of heavy metals on mussel digestive gland hexokinase activity: the role of glutathione

Hexokinase (E.C. 2.7.1.1), the enzyme responsible for glucose phosphorylation to G-6P, is inactivated by SH reagents and oxyradicals, and its inhibition has been involved in heavy metal toxicity in mammalian systems. In this work, the possibility that hexokinase activity could be affected by both heavy metal binding and oxidative stress conditions also in mussel tissues (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam.) was investigated. The results obtained in vitro demonstrate that heavy metals inhibited digestive gland hexokinase (with Cd2+ > Cu2+ > Hg2+ > Zn2+ > Pb2+) and suggest a role for GSH in the protection against the heavy metal effects. Hexokinase activity was also reduced by addition of iron/ascorbate, indicating a susceptibility of the enzyme to metal-mediated oxyradical production. The effects of Cu2+ treatment (3 days, 40 micrograms l-1 per animal) on hexokinase activity and on the GSH/GSSG status were then evaluated in mussels exposed to a cycle of air exposure/reimmersion. In Cu-exposed mussels, a significant decrease in hexokinase activity and a parallel reduction in tissue GSH levels were observed, suggesting that the two effects of metal treatment could be related; however, hexokinase activity progressively recovered during air exposure and reimmersion, whereas the level of GSH showed a further decrease during air exposure followed by recovery after reimmersion. The in vitro results therefore indicate that mussel digestive gland hexokinase is susceptible to inactivation by heavy metal binding and suggest a role for GSH in the protection against the effects of heavy metals. The effects of copper were confirmed by the results obtained in vivo. The possible relationship between hexokinase activity and the level of GSH in the digestive gland of control and Cu-exposed mussels during air exposure and reimmersion are discussed, taking into account the balance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant processes at different stages of exposure.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism species-specific patterns in the identification of white truffles

A molecular method for the identification of ectomycorrhizae belonging to five species of white truffle is described. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and universal primers were used to amplify internal transcribed spacers and 5.8S rDNA, target sequences present in a high number of copies. The amplified products were digested with restriction enzymes in order to detect interspecific polymorphisms. Species-specific restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns were determined for all five species. The use of PCR in conjunction with restriction enzymes provides a sensitive and efficient tool for use in distinguishing ectomycorrhizal species and monitoring inoculated seedlings or field mycorrhizal populations.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism species-specific patterns in the identification of white truffles

A molecular method for the identification of ectomycorrhizae belonging to five species of white truffle is described. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and universal primers were used to amplify internal transcribed spacers and 5.8S rDNA, target sequences present in a high number of copies. The amplified products were digested with restriction enzymes in order to detect interspecific polymorphisms. Species-specific restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns were determined for all five species. The use of PCR in conjunction with restriction enzymes provides a sensitive and efficient tool for use in distinguishing ectomycorrhizal species and monitoring inoculated seedlings or field mycorrhizal populations.

Separation of hexokinase activity using different hydrophobic interaction supports

Hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) has been used extensively for the separation of proteins and peptides by elution using a descending salt gradient, with and without the use of detergents or denaturing agents. In this paper we compare different hydrophobic interaction chromatographic media for the separation of multiple forms of hexokinase from rabbit reticulocytes. Among the different hydrophobic chromatographic media tested (Toyopearl Phenyl 650S, Ether 650S and Butyl 650S) Toyopearl Phenyl 650S offered the best separation of multiple forms of hexokinase, probably due to its intermediate hydrophobicity. In order to establish the optimal experimental conditions, we evaluated the effects of different salts, and the results obtained demonstrated that among the antichaotropic salts, ammonium sulphate is the most suitable for the separation of hexokinase sub-types. The sample loading capacity of the three Toyopearl supports was investigated and the recovery of enzymatic activity obtained ranged from 60% to 90%, depending on the different salts and hydrophobic media used. The chromatographic profiles of hexokinase activity from various mammalian and fungal tissues also demonstrate that Toyopearl Phenyl 650S can be successfully employed for the separation of multiple forms of enzymes from different biological sources.

Hexokinase inactivation induced by ascorbic acid/Fe(II) in rabbit erythrocytes is independent of glutathione-reductive processes and appears to be mediated by dehydroascorbic acid

Recent studies performed in our laboratory demonstrated that rabbit red blood cell hexokinase was remarkably inhibited by the cocktail ascorbic acid/Fe(II) (Stocchi et al., 1994, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 311, 160-167) and that the formation of dehydroascorbic acid was a key event in this process (Fiorani et al., 1996, Arch. Biochem. Biophys, 334, 357-361). The present study was undertaken to determine the final hexokinase-inactivating species using cell-free extract as a model. Our results demonstrate superimposable kinetics of hexokinase decay promoted by either ascorbic acid/Fe(II) or dehydroascorbic acid in erythrocyte lysates in which the reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were variously manipulated. In particular, neither removal nor addition of this tripeptide was able to significantly alter the rate or extent of hexokinase inhibition. Thus, GSH-reductive processes are dispensable events in the process of hexokinase inhibition promoted by ascorbic acid/Fe(II) in red blood cells. As a consequence, dehydroascorbic acid appears to be the species which directly inhibits hexokinase. This inference is further supported by the observation that addition of dehydroascorbic acid to the purified enzyme leads to a remarkable inhibition in its activity.

Protein oxidation of a hair sample kept in Alaskan ice for 800-1000 years

Ancient finds of organic matter are not only of the highest value for palaeochemists and palaeobiologists but can be used to determine basic chemical reactions, such as protein oxidation, over long time periods. We studied oxidation of human hair protein about one thousand years old of an Alaskan child buried in ice, ten hair samples of copts of comparable age buried in graves of hot dry sand and compared the results to ten recent hair samples. Protein oxidation parameters o-tyrosine and cysteic acid of the Alaskan child were comparable to recent samples whereas they were higher in the coptic specimen. N-epsilon-carboxymethyllysine, a parameter for glycoxidation, however, was as high in coptic specimen. We conclude that ice in contrast to soil prevented protein oxidation but failed to inhibit glycoxidation, a reaction initiated by autooxidation of glucose. This study therefore has implications for the interpretation of oxidation and glycoxidation as well as preservation mechanisms of proteins.

Role of dehydroascorbate in rabbit erythrocyte hexokinase inactivation induced by ascorbic acid/Fe(II)

In this study we investigated the species involved in the process of hexokinase inactivation induced by ascorbic acid/Fe(II) in rabbit erythrocytes. Our results suggest a model in which divalent iron is first oxidized to the trivalent state and then triggers the oxidation of ascorbic acid. The H202 formed during this process accelerates the formation of dehydroascorbic acid, which appears to be necessary and sufficient to induce hexokinase inactivation. This model was validated by showing that: (a) H202-decomposing enzymes, unlike scavengers of the hydroxyl radicals, reduced the extent of hexokinase inactivation; (b) when H202 was used instead of ascorbate/Fe(II), it was unable, even at very high concentrations, to inhibit hexokinase activity; (c) replacing Fe(II) with either Fe(III) or H202 resulted in comparable levels of ascorbic acid-induced hexokinase inactivation; (d) expression of maximal hexokinase inhibiting activity was also triggered via enzyme-catalyzed oxidation of ascorbic acid or direct addition of dehydroascorbic acid; (e) the level of dehydroascorbic acid, which was actively generated in the external medium upon addition of ascorbic acid/Fe(II), increased as a function of time. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the process of hexokinase inactivation induced by ascorbic acid/Fe(II) is mediated by dehydroascorbate and that iron and H202 have the sole function of accelerating its formation.

Purification and characterization of the carboxyl-domain of human hexokinase type III expressed as fusion protein

In mammalian tissues hexokinase (ATP:D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) exists as four isoenzymes encoded by distinct genes. These proteins are homologous and are organized in two homologous domains, with the exception of hexokinase type IV which has only one. This organization is believed to be the result of a duplication and tandem fusion event involving the gene encoding for the ancestral hexokinase. In this study, we cloned the carboxyl-domain of human hexokinase type III and expressed it in Escherichia coli as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein, using the pGEX-2T expression vector. The recombinant protein showed catalytic activity. A comparative study of the kinetic properties of the expressed carboxyl-domain and the enzyme partially purified from human lymphocytes is also shown. The results now allow a better understanding of the role of the carboxyl-domain in determining the catalytic properties of the enzyme.

Rabbit brain hexokinase: evidence for the presence of two distinct molecular forms

In mammalian brain tissue, most hexokinase is bound to the mitochondria and only a small amount of the enzyme is present in soluble form. In this study we report that, in rabbit brain, hexokinase is present in two distinct molecular forms, which we designated HKH and HKL, both of which are separable using hydrophobic interaction or anion-exchange chromatography. These two molecular forms can be detected when hexokinase is prepared at pH 7.4, whereas at pH 10.0 only the more hydrophobic form, HKH, is present. The two subtypes of hexokinase do not show significant differences in Km values for glucose and ATP, in Ki values for glucose-6-phosphate or in their molecular weights. HKH is able to rebind mitochondrial membranes, while HKL has lost this ability, suggesting that the hydrophobic peptide at the N-terminal has been removed. The susceptibility of the N-terminal peptide to proteolysis is completely inhibited by using antiproteolytic compounds, such as leupeptin or E-64. The results reported in this paper suggest that a cysteine protease, probably belonging to a the class of cathepsins, may be involved in the processing of bindable hexokinase to the non-bindable form in rabbit brain, and that the activity of this protease is pH-dependent.

High-performance capillary electrophoretic separation of proteins and peptides using a bonded hydrophilic phase capillary

High performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) was applied to the separation of protein and peptide mixtures with molecular masses ranging from 1300 to 96000 Da using a new bonded hydrophilic phase capillary, CElect-P150. This coated capillary reduces the interaction between proteins and silanol groups in capillary walls, allowing a complete recovery of the proteins and peptides of interest. HPCE was also used for the analysis of a complex mixture of tryptic fragments and to monitor the process of enzymatic digestion. Moreover, using a CElect-P150 capillary, highly reproducible analysis was possible without preconditioning the capillary with acid or basic solutions before each new analysis.

Mitochondria-bound hexokinase from rabbit reticulocytes is resistant to the inactivation induced by Fe(II)/ascorbate

Exposure of rabbit reticulocytes to Fe(II)/ascorbate induced a pronounced decay in hexokinase activity. In reticulocytes, this enzyme is present in at least three different molecular forms, Ia, Ia* and Ib, sub-types of hexokinase type I, which show different intracellular distribution. Hexokinase Ia and Ib are soluble, whereas hexokinase Ia* is almost entirely bound to the mitochondria. Anion exchange chromatography of hexokinase from intact reticulocytes exposed to Fe(II)/ascorbate revealed a selective inactivation of forms Ia and Ib, whereas the form Ia* did not show any decay. Binding to the mitochondrial membrane seems to be responsible for the observed resistance of the form Ia* to the inactivation elicited by Fe(II)/ascorbate. Indeed, by using a cell-free system in which hexokinase Ia* was solubilized using Triton X-100, the decay in hexokinase activity induced by iron/ascorbate involved all three enzymatic forms.

High resolution of multiple forms of rabbit reticulocyte hexokinase type I by hydrophobic interaction chromatography

Hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) has been employed extensively in the separation of proteins by elution using a descending salt gradient, with and without the use of detergents or denaturing agents. In this study, a new hydrophobic interaction chromatographic support, Toyopearl Phenyl 650 S, was investigated in order to examine the distribution of multiple forms of rabbit reticulocyte hexokinase type I. These distinct forms of the enzyme, designated hexokinase Ia, Ia* and Ib, show similar kinetic and physical properties, similar molecular masses (ca. 100,000) and a different intracellular distribution. The results obtained using Toyopearl Phenyl 650 S of 20-50-microns particle diameter show that this HIC support allows very high resolution, comparable to that obtainable with HIC-HPLC columns but with the advantage of charging a higher amount of starting material even with a high protein concentration. These characteristics render Toyopearl Phenyl 650 S suitable for analytical and preparative purposes. Further, in the separation of multiple forms of rabbit reticulocyte hexokinase, the HIC method was shown to be superior to RP-HPLC, making possible the efficient separation of proteins with high molecular mass and their recovery in active forms. The Toyopearl Phenyl 650 S column was also shown to be more efficient than the ion-exchange chromatographic media previously used, allowing a quicker analysis of the multiple forms of rabbit reticulocyte hexokinase under different biological conditions.

Simultaneous high-performance capillary electrophoretic determination of reduced and oxidized glutathione in red blood cells in the femtomole range

This paper describes a high-performance capillary electrophoretic (HPCE) method which allows a quick, simultaneous and quantitative determination of reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione in mammalian red blood cells using a Supelco-bonded hydrophilic phase capillary CElect-P150. The extraction procedure of GSH and GSSG from erythrocytes using Microcon-10 membranes is very simple and allows a correct evaluation of these compounds present in the red blood cells. Furthermore, the HPCE method does not require removal of the excess N-ethylmaleimide used to block the glutathione in its reduced state, making the simultaneous evaluation of GSH and GSSG possible in a very short time (ca. 4 min), with a sensitivity at femtomole level.

Inactivation of rabbit red blood cell hexokinase activity promoted in vitro by an oxygen-radical-generating system

Rabbit red blood cell hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.1) has been shown to be inactivated in vitro by incubating intact erythrocytes in the presence of an oxygen-radical-generating system represented by ascorbate and iron. It was interesting to note that among the glycolytic enzymes, only hexokinase was found to be susceptible to the action of oxygen radicals, suggesting that the loss of activity of this enzyme may be one of the first signals of cellular damage in rabbit red blood cells. This statement is supported by the fact that, under the experimental conditions used, we did not observe any significant plasma membrane lipid peroxidation nor intracellular proteolysis. Furthermore, mature erythrocytes are unable to synthesize hexokinase as well as other proteins de novo; therefore, the inactivation of this enzyme, which is both the first and one of the rate-limiting enzymes of the glycolytic pathway, could play an important role in determining metabolic impairment of red blood cells, with possible physiological implications. We also investigated the effect of various radical scavengers and antioxidants (glucose, vitamin E, dithiothreitol, flavonoids) which are able to influence the inactivation of hexokinase activity to different extents. Finally, under the experimental conditions used (90 min of incubation at 37 degrees C), we did not observe any difference in the hemolysis of rabbit red blood cells incubated in the presence or absence of ascorbate and iron (hemolysis was about 1% after 90 min of incubation), suggesting that the system used was able to furnish information about the cellular damage produced by oxygen radicals without provoking cell lysis.

Cell density-dependent regulation of ATP levels during the growth cycle of cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells show a cell density-dependent modification of ATP levels during the growth cycle. Cells were seeded at a density of 500,000 cells/75 cm2 flask in 10 ml of growth medium and at various time intervals, samples were taken and assayed for cell number, for adenine (ATP, ADP, AMP) and pyridine (NAD+, NADP+) nucleotide levels and for the activity of some glycolytic enzymes. Glucose consumption was also evaluated. Experimental results indicated that the rate of cell growth was exponential for up to the 4th day of culture after which the cell number remained pratically unchanged up to the 9th day. Under these experimental conditions we found that, whereas the intracellular levels of NAD+ and some glycolytic enzymes were not significantly affected, a drop in ATP content was apparent after 48 hr of culture. The decline in ATP levels progressively increased, reaching a maximum after 4 days of culture, and then remained unchanged. In order to evaluate whether this effect on ATP was determined by a reduced availability of nutritional factors or was really a function of cell density, we also performed experiments similar to those reported above, with the exception that the cells were grown in 40 ml of culture medium. Under these experimental conditions, the exponential growth was longer (in comparison with the cell growth in 10 ml of medium) and a plateau was reached after 6 days of culture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A recombinant human 'mini'-hexokinase is catalytically active and regulated by hexose 6-phosphates

Mammalian hexokinase type I is a 100 kDa enzyme that has been considered to be evolved from an ancestral 50 kDa yeast-type hexokinase, insensitive to product inhibition, by gene duplication and fusion. According to this model, and based on many experimental data, the catalytic site is associated with the C-terminal half of the enzyme, although an allosteric site for the binding of glucose 6-phosphate could be present on the N-terminal half of the molecule. We have isolated a cDNA clone of hexokinase from a lambda gt11 human placenta library comprising 2658 bp, containing a single open reading frame of 1893 nucleotides, which encodes a truncate form of hexokinase starting from asparagine-287 to the terminal serine-917. This clone was further digested with restriction enzyme NcoI to obtain almost only the C-terminal half of human hexokinase starting from methionine-455 to the terminal amino acid and was overexpressed in active form in Escherichia coli and purified by ion-exchange h.p.l.c. The overexpressed 'mini'-hexokinase was found not only to catalyse glucose phosphorylation, but also to be inhibited by glucose 6-phosphate and other mono- and bis-phosphate sugars exactly like the complete mammalian enzyme. These results suggest that the C-terminal half of human hexokinase, in addition to the catalytic site, also contains the regulatory site and that the evolutionary relationship between the hexokinases should be reconsidered by including the appearance of a regulatory site before the gene duplication.