Chemistry of the inactivation of cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase by serine O-sulfate

The reaction of serine O-sulfate with cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase [John, R.A., & Fasella, P. (1969) Biochemistry 8, 4477] has been reinvestigated. As in the corresponding reaction with beta-chloroalanine [Morino, Y., Osman, A.M., & Okamoto, M. (1974) J. Biol. Chem. 249, 6684], the enzyme is inactivated over a 10-min period, and the absorption maximum at pH 5.4 shifts from 430 to 336 nm. Upon prolonged standing the peak shifts again over a period of 20 h to 455 nm, a behavior entirely similar to that reported by Morino et al. for beta-chloroalanine in the presence of 3 M formate. When the pH of either the 10-min product (1a) or the 20-h product (1b) is raised to 11 or above, a yellow, diffusible compound (2) is released from the protein. This compound as well as its dephosphorylation and reduction products has been isolated and studied by NMR spectroscopy. Compound 2 is identical with a compound formed from serine sulfate and glutamate decarboxylase by a similar reaction sequence [Likos, J.J., Ueno, H., Feldhaus, R.W., & Metzler, D.E. (1982) Biochemistry (preceding paper in this issue)] and is the product of an aldol condensation of pyruvate with pyridoxal phosphate. When the 20-h product 1b is reduced with sodium borohydride and then heated in a boiling water bath, a material identical with the reduction product of 2 is released. We propose that the 20-h product 1b consists of 2 bound to the enzyme. Pathways for the formation of the various compounds are proposed. These findings require a reevaluation of the mechanisms of action of many enzyme-activated inhibitors of pyridoxal phosphate dependent enzymes.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of Tc-99m N,N'-bis(mercaptoacetyl)-2,3-diaminopropanoate: a potential replacement for [131I]o-iodohippurate

A new technetium-chelating agent based on amide and mercaptide donor groups, N,N'-bis(mercaptoacetyl)-2,3-diaminopropanoate, was synthesized as an analog of previously described N,N'-bis(mercaptoacetyl)ethylenediamine (DADS). Complexation of Tc-99m with the new chelating group resulted in two components that were separable by high-performance liquid chromatography. The component that eluted first demonstrated high specificity for renal excretion, with over 90% in the urine of rabbits at 35 min, 87% in the urine of mice at 2 hr, and 1.6% or less in the intestines of mice. Excretion was rapid, with the first component equaling or exceeding [131I]o-iodohippurate in the urine of rabbits at all times. The second or latter component demonstrated comparable specificity but slightly slower renal excretion kinetics. Clinical trials with the first component are probably warranted.

Inhibition of uridine 5'-diphosphate-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine synthetase by beta-chloro-L-alanine in Escherichia coli

The synthesis of the nucleotide precursors for peptidoglycan is regulated by the relA gene in Escherichia coli. Thus, nucleotide precursors labeled with [3H]diaminopimelic acid accumulated in a relA strain but not in an isogenic relA+ strain during amino acid deprivation. Furthermore, nucleotide precursor synthesis was relaxed in the amino acid deprived relA+ strain by treatment with chloramphenicol. Uridine diphosphate-N-acetylmuramyl-pentapeptide (UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide) was the major component accumulated during the relaxed synthesis of nucleotide precursors in both relA+ and relA strains. The effect of beta-chloro-L-alanine (CLA) on the relaxed synthesis of nucleotide precursors for peptidoglycan was determined. At a low concentration (0.0625 mM) CLA inhibited the synthesis of UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide and caused the accumulation of UDP-MurNAc-tripeptide. Thus, low concentrations of CLA probably inhibited alanine racemase, as reported previously. Higher concentrations of CLA also inhibited an earlier step in nucleotide precursor synthesis. This was shown to be due to the inhibition of UDP-MurNAc-L-alanine synthetase by CLA. CLA inhibited the activity of this enzyme in cell-free extracts as well as in intact cells.

Carnosine-synthetase inhibition of beta-alanine analogues

A number of beta-alanine analogues were tested for their ability to inhibit carnosine-synthetase from rat and chick skeletal muscle. Of the analogues tested, 3-aminopropane-sulfonic acid (APS) was the most effective inhibitor of enzyme from either source. 5-Aminovaleric acid (5-AV) also inhibited the enzyme from rat, but did not inhibit the enzyme from chick. 2-Aminoethylphosphonic acid and o-phosphoethanolamine had a small amount of inhibitory activity on both rat and chick enzymes, while 3-aminopropanephosphonic acid, aminooxyacetic acid and nipecotic acid had a small amount of inhibitory activity on the rat enzyme only. None of the analogues tested acted as substrates for either enzyme under our conditions. Kinetic data indicated that the inhibition by APS was competitive with respect to beta-alanine for both rat and chick enzymes. Inhibition of the rat enzyme by 5-AV was non-competitive with respect to beta-alanine for both rat and chick enzymes. Inhibition of the rat enzyme by 5-AV was noncompetitive with respect to beta-alanine. APS and 5-AV were also shown to inhibit carnosine-synthetase from rat brain and heart. Chronic injections of either APS or 5-AV failed to produce significant changes in carnosine levels in rat skeletal muscle or brain; however preliminary results indicate that APS injections may produce a lowering of carnosine levels in rat heart.

omega-Fluoromethyl analogues of omega-amino acids as irreversible inhibitors of 4-aminobutyrate:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase

omega-Monofluoromethyl and omega-difluoromethyl analogues of the known substrates of GABA-T, beta-alanine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and 5-aminopentanoic acid, are time-dependent inhibitors of purified 4-aminobutyrate: 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (GABA-T). The inhibitory activity decreases with increasing chain length. In vitro, inhibitory activity decreases with increasing fluorine substitution of the methyl group. In vivo, beta-difluoromethyl-beta-alanine and 2,4-difluoro-3-aminobutyric acid are the most potent GABA-T inhibitors ever reported. Trifluoromethyl derivatives are devoid of GABA-T inhibitory activity in vitro or in vivo.

Excretion of 1-hexylcarbamoyl-5-fluorouracil in urine of mice

Excretion and metabolites in urine and feces of mice after oral administration of l-hexylcarbamoyl-5-fluorouracil-6-14C (14C-HCFU) or 5-fluorouracil-6-14C (14C-FU) were examined. After oral administration, about 90% of 14C-HCFU was excreted in urine within 48 h but not in feces. Major radioactive compounds in urine were 1-(3-carboxypropylcarbamoyl)-5-fluorouracil (CPRFU), FU, 5, 6-dihydro-5-fluorouracil (DHFU) and alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine (FBAL). Excretion ratio of these metabolites within 48 h was 13.5, 32.5, 20.2 and 23.9%, respectively, CPRFU and FU were rapidly excreted in urine after 14C-HCFU administration followed by DHFU and FBAL. Excretion of the latter two degradation products of FU was slower. On the other hand, major metabolites in urine after 14C-FU administration were DHFU and FBAL, but intact FU was slightly excreted. Excretion ratio of FU, DHFU and FBAL within 48 h was 4.8, 58.1 and 28.2%, respectively.

Potential inhibitors of L-asparagine biosynthesis. 5. Electrophilic amide analogues of (S)-2,3-diaminopropionic acid

Three electrophilic amide analogues of (S)-2,3-diaminopropionic acid (1, DAP) have been prepared as potential inhibitors of L-asparagine synthetase (ASase, from Novikoff hepatoma, EC 6.3.5.4). DAP was selectively blocked by the carbobenzoxy (Cbz) group to give 3-N-Cbz-DAP (2a). Esterification of 2a with isobutylene afforded tert-butyl 3-N-carbobenzoxy-(S)-2,3-diaminopropionate (3a), which was then blocked at the 2 position with the tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) group to give tert-butyl 2-[(S)-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-3-[(carbobenzoxy)amino]propionate (4). Selective cleavage of the Cbz group by H2/Pd gave the key intermediate tert-butyl 2-N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-(S)-2,3-diaminopropionate (5), which was acylated, via the N-hydroxysuccinimide esters, with bromoacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, and fumaric acid monoethyl ester to give tert-butyl 2-[(S)-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-amino]-3-(2-bromoacetamido)propionate (6a), tert-butyl 2-[(S)-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-3-(2,2-dichloroacetamido)propionate (6b), and tert-butyl 2-[(S)-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-3-(ethoxycarbonyl)acrylamido]-propionate (6c), respectively. Deblocking of 6a-c gave the corresponding amino acids (S)-2-amino-3-(2-bromoacetamido)propionic acid hydrobromide (7a), (S)-2-amino-3-(2,2-dichloroacetamido)propionic acid (7b), and ethyl N-[(S)-2-amino-2-carboxyethyl]fumarate (7c). By a slightly different procedure, 5 was converted in two steps to (S)-2-amino-3-acetamidopropionic acid hydrobromide (7d). The inhibition of ASase by 7a-c at 1 mM was 93, 19, and 37%, respectively, while 7d was without inhibition at 2 mM. Compounds 7a-c failed to increase the life span of mice infected with B16 melanoma.

[Physico-chemical study of the reaction between transition metal ions and Schiff bases. Polarographic study of complexes of copper(II) with salicylidene-beta-alanine]

Copper complexes of salicylidene-alanine have been studied by polarographic method of analysis in aqueous medium and at constant ionic strength. The reduction of copper in different concentrations of schiff base at the dropping mercury electrode was found to be diffusion controlled but irreversible. The kinetic parameters (alpha and ks) were evaluated by the method of Ayabe and Matsuda. The composition and stability constants of the complex were determined by DeFord and Hume's method as modified by Vleck.

Pyrimidine-degrading enzymes. Purification and properties of beta-ureidopropionase of Euglena gracilis

In photoorganotrophically grown, mid-log phase cells of Euglena gracilis, enzymes of pyrimidine degradation including uracil reductase, dihydrouracil dehydrogenase, dihydropyrimidinase, and beta-ureidopropionase, were detected in a crude extract. beta-Ureidopropionase (N-carbamoyl-beta-alanine amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.1.6) was purified 100-fold by heat treatment, ammonium sulphate fractionation and chromatography using Sepharose 6B and DEAE-Sephadex A-25. The enzyme follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics (Km of beta-ureidopropionase for beta-ureidopropionate 3.8 . 10(-5) M, Hill coefficient n = 1). Other enzyme properties are: pH optimum 6.25, temperature optimum 60 degrees C, stimulation by Mg2+, inhibition by Cu2+, Mr approximately 1.5--2 . 10(6). beta-Ureidoisobutyrate, the intermediate of thymine degradation, and beta-ureidopropionate are competing substrates of beta-ureidopropionase (Ki = Km of beta-ureidopropionase for beta-ureidoisobutyrate 1.8 . 10(-5) M). Structural analogues of beta-ureidopropionate, isobutyrate and propionate are competitive inhibitors (Ki of beta-ureidopropionase 0.3 and 0.16 mM, respectively). There were no indications of regulatory function of beta-ureidopropionase in pyrimidine degradation.

[In vitro antibacterial activity of a halogenated derivative of D-alanine]

The "in vitro" effect of beta-chloro-D-alanine, a drug that inhibits cell-wall synthesis, was studied. We used some strains of microorganisms, mainly Gram-negative and resistant to antibiotics with the same mechanism of action. MIC and MBC values obtained show a poor efficacy of this drug. Therefore we studied the association of beta-chloro-D-alanine with ampicillin and fosfomycin. The evaluation of the results, determined by means of a graphic and a mathematical method, shows a good synergistic effect with both associations. Synergism is more marked with ampicillin.

[Reactions of nascent quinones with methyl beta-alanate in glacial acetic acid and in aqueous solution (author's transl)]

In order to generate a model for the reaction of proteins with nascent quinones, catechol and 4-methylcatechol were oxidized with silver-I-oxide in glacial acetic acid or with mushroom tyrosinase (EC 1.10.3.1) in phosphate buffer, respectively. The structures identified indicate that not only the amine reacts with the quinone by the well known addition-oxidation-mechanism, but also that solvent molecules may participate in product formation. The main product of the oxidation of catechol in glacial acid is N-(2-carbomethoxyethyl)-phenoxaz-2,3-dione.

The in vivo inactivation of GABA and other inhibitory amino acids in the cat nervous system

In cats anaesthetised with pentobarbitone, the effect of inhibitors of the in vitro cellular uptake of GABA were tested on the responses of single central neurones to GABA and other depressant amino acids. (4)- AND (-)-nepecotic acid, (4)-2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DABA) and 2,2-dimethyl-beta-alanine, enhanced the action of GABA on spinal, cerebellar and cerebral cortical neurones. In the spinal cord DABA, and to a less estent (-)-nipecotic acid, enhanced the action of beta-alanine, whereas the actions of glycine and taurine were unaffected by DABA and reduced by (-)-nipecotic acid. In the cerebellum and cerebral cortex, these two substances enhanced the action of GABA, usually to a greater extent than that of beta-alanine and taurine, although this specificity was not marked. The GABA-mediated basket cell inhibition of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum was unaffected by DABA and (-)-nipecotic acid, and neither substance appears suitable for determining the role of uptake processes in the inactivation of synapitcally released GABA. Quantitatively these in vivo results agree more closely with recent vitro uptake studies in cat tissue than the previously published data on rat cerebral cortex and dorsal root ganglia, and the observations provide further evidence for the importance of cellular uptake in maintaining low extraneuronal concentrations of inhibitory amino acid transmitters.

Inhibition of bacterial growth by beta-chloro-D-alanine

The D- and L-isomers of beta-chloroalanine inhibit the growth of Diplococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli. With pneumococcus the inhibition by beta-chloro-D-alanine is completely prevented by either D-alanine or D-alanyl-D-alanine, while L-alanine is not effective in preventing the inhibition. The inhibition of growth by beta-chloro-L-alanine is not affected by D-alanine and is only partially prevented by high concentrations of L-alanine. The intracellular free alanine in untreated E. coli and B. subtilis is about 95% in the D-configuration while the free intracellular alanine in both organisms after treatment with beta-chloro-D-alanine is predominantly the L-isomer. These results suggested that the beta-chloroamino acid inactivates alanine racemase (EC 5.1.1.1). Indeed, when extracts of E. coli or B. subtilis were treated with beta-chloro-D-alanine, the activities of alanine racemase and of D-glutamate-D-alanine transaminase were found to be 90-95% inhibited. Studies with mice have shown that beta-chloro-D-alanine is an effective antibacterial agent in vivo againt D. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes, and E. coli.