Biosynthesis of guanidinoacetic acid. I. Purification and properties of transamidinase

Mechanistic similarity and diversity among the guanidine-modifying members of the pentein superfamily

The pentein superfamily is a mechanistically diverse superfamily encompassing both noncatalytic proteins and enzymes that catalyze hydrolase, dihydrolase and amidinotransfer reactions on guanidine substrates. Despite generally low sequence identity, they possess a conserved structural fold and display common mechanistic themes in catalysis. The structurally characterized catalytic penteins possess a conserved core of residues that include a Cys, His and two polar, guanidine-binding residues. All known catalytic penteins use the core Cys to attack the substrate's guanidine moiety to form a covalent thiouronium adduct and all cleave one or more of the guanidine C--N bonds. The mechanistic information compiled to date supports the hypothesis that this superfamily may have evolved divergently from a catalytically promiscuous ancestor.

L-canaline: a potent antimetabolite and anti-cancer agent from leguminous plants

L-Canaline, the L-2-amino-4-(aminooxy)butyric acid structural analog of L-ornithine' is a powerful antimetabolite stored in many leguminous plants. This nonprotein amino acid reacts vigorously with the pyridoxal phosphate moiety of vitamin B6-containing enzymes to form a covalently-bound oxime that inactivates, often irreversibly, the enzyme. Canaline is not only capable of inhibiting ornithine-dependent enzymic activity, but it also can function as a lysine antagonist. Recently, this natural product was found to possess significant antineoplastic in vitro activity against human pancreatic cancer cells.

Biosynthesis of guanidinoacetic acid in isolated renal tubules

Guanidinoacetic acid, a precursor of creatine, is an essential substrate for muscle energy metabolism. Since guanidinoacetic acid has been reported to be synthesized from arginine and glycine by glycine amidinotransferase (transamidinase) in kidney homogenates or slices, the purpose of this study was to provide evidence of guanidinoacetic acid synthesis in isolated tubules from rat kidneys, and to clarify the mechanism regulating it. Isolated rat tubules were incubated with various substrates. Guanidinoacetic acid was separated by high performance liquid chromatography and measured fluorometrically. Results obtained were as follows: (1) Guanidinoacetic acid was synthesized from arginine or canavanine and glycine in isolated rat tubules. (2) D,L-Norvaline, ornithine and methionine suppressed guanidinoacetic acid synthesis. (3) Creatine suppressed guanidinoacetic acid synthesis, i.e. creatine was a negative feedback inhibitor of guanidinoacetic acid synthesis in this in vitro system. (4) Guanidinoacetic acid was not synthesized from hydroxyurea, citrulline, argininosuccinic acid or canaline. These data demonstrate that guanidinoacetic acid is synthesized only from arginine or canavanine and glycine, and that the guanidine cycle may not function fully in the rat renal tubule.

Conversion of canavanine to alpha-keto-gamma-guanidinooxybutyrate and to vinylglyoxylate and 2-hydroxyguanidine

It was observed previously that hydroxyguanidine is formed in the reaction of canavanine(2-amino-4-guanidinooxybutanoate) with amino acid oxidases. The present work shows that hydroxyguanidine is formed by a nonenzymatic beta,gamma-elimination reaction following enzymatic oxidation at the alpha-C and that the abstraction of the beta-H is general-base catalyzed. The elimination reaction requires the presence in the alpha-position of an anion-stabilizing group--the protonated imino group (iminium ion group) or the carbonyl group. The iminium ion group is more activating than the carbonyl group. Elimination is further facilitated by protonation of the guanidinooxy group. The other product formed in the elimination reaction was identified as vinylglyoxylate (2-oxo-3-butenoate), a very highly electrophilic substance. The product resulting from hydrolysis following oxidation was identified as alpha-keto-gamma-guanidinooxybutyrate (ketocanavanine). The ratio of hydroxyguanidine to ketocanavanine depended upon the concentration and degree of basicity of the basic catalyst and on pH. In the presence of semicarbazide, the elimination reaction was prevented because the imino group in the semicarbazone derivative of ketocanavanine is not significantly protonated. Incubation of canavanine with 5'-deoxypyridoxal also yielded hydroxyguanidine. Since the elimination reactions take place under mild conditions, they may occur in vivo following oxidation at the alpha-C of L-canavanine (ingested or formed endogenously) or of other amino acids with a good leaving group in the gamma-position (e.g., S-adenosylmethionine, methionine sulfoximine, homocyst(e)ine, or cysteine-homocysteine mixed disulfide) by an L-amino acid oxidase, a transaminase, or a dehydrogenase. Therefore, vinylglyoxylate may be a normal metabolite in mammals which at elevated concentrations may contribute to the in vivo toxicity of canavanine and of some of the other above-mentioned amino acids.

The biosynthesis of 2-guanidinoethanol in intact mice and isolated perfused rabbit kidneys

The metabolic pathway for the synthesis of 2-guanidinoethanol (GEt) was studied in intact mice and isolated perfused rabbit kidneys. GEt excretions in 24-hr urine increased after the intraperitoneal injection of ethanolamine (EA) into mice. Perfusion of isolated rabbit kidneys with EA and L-arginine (Arg) enhanced the GEt excretion from the ureter. This enhancement was observed in an EA concentration-dependent manner under the presence of Arg. When glycine (Gly) was added to the perfusion medium together with EA and Arg, the enhancement of GEt excretion was inhibited, whereas, guanidinoacetic acid excretion was increased to the same extent as during the perfusion with Gly and Arg. These results indicate that GEt is synthesized from Arg and EA in the kidney and that this synthesis is catalyzed by Arg:Gly amidinotransferase (EC 2.1.4.1.). We also described the guanidino compound excretion levels, including levels of GEt, in the rabbit, mouse, rat, and cat. The levels varied considerably with mammalian species.

Arginine:glycine amidinotransferase. A comparative study in lizard and mouse tissues

Kidney transamidinase activity in the lizard (Calotes versicolor), like that in the mouse, showed the pH optimum at 7.4. The lizard enzyme was inhibited to a greater degree than the mouse enzyme at high concentrations (greater than 20 mM) of L-arginine and glycine. Kidney and liver in the lizard and kidney and pancreas in the mouse were the tissues with high transamidinase activity. While transamidinase activity was widely distributed in mouse tissues, the enzyme was found to be restricted only to a few tissues in the lizard. Hydrocortisone administration into male lizards did not significantly alter the transamidinase levels in kidney and liver.

On the control of arginine metabolism in chicken kidney and liver

Arginases have been found to be located on the external side of the inner mitochondrial membrane of chicken kidney and liver. Transamidinase has been detected within the liver mitochondrial matrix space. Arginases and transamidinase act upon two different intracellular arginine pools. Penetration of arginine into the matrix space occurs only in respring mitochondria and in the presence of anions such as acetate and phosphate; D-arginine, L-ornithine, D-'ornithine and L-lysine penetrate with the same modalities. L-Histidine penetrates only kidney mitochondria. Because of transamidinase compartmentation, the rate of creatine synthesis is influenced by the rate of penetration of arginine into the mitochondria.

Creatine regulation in the embryo and growing chick

1. The absence of creatine was demonstrated enzymically in the hen's-egg yolk and in the albumin contrary to former reports. 2. A comparison of the results obtained by enzymic and colorimetric methods to measure creatine is presented. 3. Creatine phosphate was not detected in the yolk extracts. 4. The content of free arginine enzymically assayed was 15.7mumol in the yolk and 3.38mumol in the albumin. Arginine amounts to practically all of the guanidine compounds in the yolk and one-half of those in the albumin. 5. No glycine amidinotransferase activity was found in the egg-yolk homogenates. 6. The heart of the chick embryo does not receive creatine from the egg and the creatine kinase activity present in this organ starting from the 27th hour of incubation suggests that the enzyme is a constitutive one working probably as an adenosine triphosphatase in a way similar to the kinase isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle. 7. Liver glycine amidinotransferase activity appeared clearly after day 5 of incubation. The specific activity reached a maximum at day 12 and then declined; however, the activity per total mass of liver increased steadily during all the prenatal period. Concomitantly with this steady increase a rise in the creatine content of the whole embryo was observed. An analogous increasing relationship between total liver amidinotransferase activity and liver creatine content was also detected during the postnatal period. 8. Repression of amidinotransferase by creatine cannot be accepted as occurring under physiological conditions since an inverse relationship between the two parameters was not observed. 9. Repression of liver amidinotransferase is observed only when pharmacological concentrations of the exogenous creatine are present in the chick liver.

The relationship between nutritive value of dietary protein and activity of liver arginae and kidney transamidinase enzymes

1. The protein efficiency ratio of three protein sources was determined with rats by a depletion-repletion method. The sources were: a groundnut product, a methionine-supplemented groundnut product and lactalbumin.

2. Livers obtained from the test animals were assayed for arginase activity, and kidneys for transamidinase activity (glycine amidinotransferase).

3. The measurements indicated that there was an inverse relationship between arginase activity and the nutritive value of the dietary protein.

4. Transamidinase activity was also influenced by nutritive value. Only the unsupplemented groundnut product, which had the lowest nutritive value, failed to produce a significant increase of transamidinase activity over basal levels.

5. The findings are discussed from the standpoint of physiological function and needs. It is suggested that observed levels of arginase activity are not necessarily related to amounts of urea excreted; similarly, transamidinase activity may be well in excess of physiological requirements.

Arginine metabolism in Halobacterium salinarium, an obligately halophilic bacterium

Dundas, Ian E. D. (University of Illinois, Urbana), and H. Orin Halvorson. Arginine metabolism in Halobacterium salinarium, an obligately halophilic bacterium. J. Bacteriol. 91:113-119. 1966.-Arginine was shown to be essential for growth of Halobacterium salinarium strain 1 in a chemically defined medium. Citrulline was the only compound which could substitute for arginine without affecting growth. Resting cells of H. salinarium converted arginine to citrulline and citrulline to ornithine. Cells grown in an arginine-free medium with C(14)-ureido-labeled citrulline incorporated the isotope mainly into the arginine of their proteins. The enzymes arginine desimidase and ornithine transcarbamylase were found and studied in cell-free extracts of H. salinarium. Experiments indicated that arginine was degraded in H. salinarium by arginine desimidase to citrulline, and that citrulline was further degraded by ornithine transcarbamylase to carbamyl phosphate and ornithine. Synthesis of arginine from citrulline seems to occur via the formation of argininosuccinic acid.