Properties of phosphorylated NADP+-specific glutamate dehydrogenase fromEscherichia coli

Nitrogen assimilation in Escherichia coli: putting molecular data into a systems perspective

We present a comprehensive overview of the hierarchical network of intracellular processes revolving around central nitrogen metabolism in Escherichia coli. The hierarchy intertwines transport, metabolism, signaling leading to posttranslational modification, and transcription. The protein components of the network include an ammonium transporter (AmtB), a glutamine transporter (GlnHPQ), two ammonium assimilation pathways (glutamine synthetase [GS]-glutamate synthase [glutamine 2-oxoglutarate amidotransferase {GOGAT}] and glutamate dehydrogenase [GDH]), the two bifunctional enzymes adenylyl transferase/adenylyl-removing enzyme (ATase) and uridylyl transferase/uridylyl-removing enzyme (UTase), the two trimeric signal transduction proteins (GlnB and GlnK), the two-component regulatory system composed of the histidine protein kinase nitrogen regulator II (NRII) and the response nitrogen regulator I (NRI), three global transcriptional regulators called nitrogen assimilation control (Nac) protein, leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp), and cyclic AMP (cAMP) receptor protein (Crp), the glutaminases, and the nitrogen-phosphotransferase system. First, the structural and molecular knowledge on these proteins is reviewed. Thereafter, the activities of the components as they engage together in transport, metabolism, signal transduction, and transcription and their regulation are discussed. Next, old and new molecular data and physiological data are put into a common perspective on integral cellular functioning, especially with the aim of resolving counterintuitive or paradoxical processes featured in nitrogen assimilation. Finally, we articulate what still remains to be discovered and what general lessons can be learned from the vast amounts of data that are available now.

A biochemical correlate of dimorphism in a zygomycete Benjaminiella poitrasii: characterization of purified NAD-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase, a target for antifungal agents

The fungal organisms, especially pathogens, change their vegetative (Y, unicellular yeast and H, hypha) morphology reversibly for survival and proliferation in the host environment. NAD-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD-GDH, EC 1.4.1.2) from a non-pathogenic dimorphic zygomycete Benjaminiella poitrasii was previously reported to be an important biochemical correlate of the transition process. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity and characterized. It is a 371 kDa native molecular weight protein made up of four identical subunits. Kinetic studies showed that unlike other NAD-GDHs, it may act as an anabolic enzyme and has more affinity towards 2-oxoglutarate than L-glutamate. Chemical modifications revealed the involvement of single histidine and lysine residues in the catalytic activity of the enzyme. The phosphorylation and dephosphorylation study showed that the NAD-GDH is present in active phosphorylated form in hyphal cells of B. poitrasii. Two of the 1,2,3 triazole linked β-lactam-bile acid conjugates synthesized in the laboratory (B18, B20) were found to be potent inhibitors of purified NAD-GDH which also significantly affected Y-H transition in B. poitrasii. Furthermore, the compound B20 inhibited germ tube formation during Y-H transition in Candida albicans strains and Yarrowia lipolytica. The possible use of NAD-GDH as a target for antifungal agents is discussed.

Biochemical and genetical studies of NADP-specific glutamate dehydrogenase in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

The initial velocity, pH and temperature optima, and Km values of Schizosaccharomyces pombe NADP-glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP-GDH:EC 1.4.1.4) have been determined. NADP-GDH was found to be specific for the substrates used in the reaction mixtures. NADP-GDH activity showed a sigmoidal response to changes in alpha-ketoglutarate concentrations, following Hill kinetics with a coefficient nH = 2. A two-fold and a three-fold increase in activity was found in extracts of cells grown on a medium containing cytosine or histidine as a sole nitrogen source, respectively, relative to the activity found in cells grown on other sole nitrogen sources including ammonium, adenine, arginine, aspartate, asparagine, glutamate, glutamine, leucine, lysine, proline, uridine and urea. Five NADP-GDH-defective mutants were isolated on the basis of no growth on ammonium plus allantoin as sole nitrogen sources. The mutants also failed to grow on allantoin alone but, in contrast, they were phenotypically indistinguishable from the wild-type growing on solid minimal medium with ammonium. Additionally, the mutants were found to grow as wild-type on minimal medium with alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartate, glutamate, glutamine, leucine, ornithine and proline in the absence or presence of allantoin. In liquid minimal medium with ammonium as sole nitrogen source they had a slower growth than the wild-type. Normal growth was observed in cells grown on alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartate, glutamate, glutamine, leucine, ornithine and proline. The mutants had undetectable levels of NADP-GDH activity, but retained wild-type levels of NAD-GDH, glutame synthase (GOGAT) and glutamine synthetase (GS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)