Protein structure of pig liver 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase and comparison with a cDNA-deduced sequence

Is hepatic GABA transaminase a promising target for obesity and epilepsy treatments?

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) transaminase (GABA-T) is a GABA-degrading enzyme that plays an essential role in regulating GABA levels and maintaining supplies of GABA. Although GABA in the mammalian brain was discovered 70 years ago, research on GABA and GABA-T has predominantly focused on the brain. Notwithstanding the high activity and expression of GABA-T in the liver, the exact functions of GABA-T in the liver remain unknown. This article reviews the up-to-date information on GABA-T in the liver. It presents recent findings on the role of liver GABA-T in food intake suppression and appetite regulation. Finally, the potential functions of liver GABA-T in other neurological diseases, natural GABA-T inhibitors, and future perspectives in this research area are discussed.

High-yield synthesis and purification of recombinant human GABA transaminase for high-throughput screening assays

Many studies have focussed on modulating the activity of γ-aminobutyric acid transaminase (GABA-T), a GABA-catabolizing enzyme, for treating neurological diseases, such as epilepsy and drug addiction. Nevertheless, human GABA-T synthesis and purification have not been established. Thus, biochemical and drug design studies on GABA-T have been performed by using porcine GABA-T mostly and even bacterial GABA-T. Here we report an optimised protocol for overexpression of 6xHis-tagged human GABA-T in human cells followed by a two-step protein purification. Then, we established an optimised human GABA-T (0.5 U/mg) activity assay. Finally, we compared the difference between human and bacterial GABA-T in sensitivity to two irreversible GABA-T inhibitors, gabaculine and vigabatrin. Human GABA-T in homodimeric form showed 70-fold higher sensitivity to vigabatrin than bacterial GABA-T in multimeric form, indicating the importance of using human GABA-T. In summary, our newly developed protocol can be an important first step in developing more effective human GABA-T modulators.

Design and Mechanism of GABA Aminotransferase Inactivators. Treatments for Epilepsies and Addictions

When the brain concentration of the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) diminishes below a threshold level, the excess neuronal excitation can lead to convulsions. This imbalance in neurotransmission can be corrected by inhibition of the enzyme γ-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-AT), which catalyzes the conversion of GABA to the excitatory neurotransmitter l-glutamic acid. It also has been found that raising GABA levels can antagonize the rapid elevation and release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, which is responsible for the reward response in addiction. Therefore, the design of new inhibitors of GABA-AT, which increases brain GABA levels, is an important approach to new treatments for epilepsy and addiction. This review summarizes findings over the last 40 or so years of mechanism-based inactivators (unreactive compounds that require the target enzyme to catalyze their conversion to the inactivating species, which inactivate the enzyme prior to their release) of GABA-AT with emphasis on their catalytic mechanisms of inactivation, presented according to organic chemical mechanism, with minimal pharmacology, except where important for activity in epilepsy and addiction. Patents, abstracts, and conference proceedings are not covered in this review. The inactivation mechanisms described here can be applied to the inactivations of a wide variety of unrelated enzymes.

Molecular dynamics simulations of apo, holo, and inactivator bound GABA-at reveal the role of active site residues in PLP dependent enzymes

The pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP) cofactor is a significant organic molecule in medicinal chemistry. It is often found covalently bound to lysine residues in proteins to form PLP dependent enzymes. An example of this family of PLP dependent enzymes is γ-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-AT) which is responsible for the degradation of the neurotransmitter GABA. Its inhibition or inactivation can be used to prevent the reduction of GABA concentration in brain which is the source of several neurological disorders. As a test case for PLP dependent enzymes, we have performed molecular dynamics simulations of GABA-AT to reveal the roles of the protein residues and its cofactor. Three different states have been considered: the apoenzyme, the holoenzyme, and the inactive state obtained after the suicide inhibition by vigabatrin. Different protonation states have also been considered for PLP and two key active site residues: Asp298 and His190. Together, 24 independent molecular dynamics trajectories have been simulated for a cumulative total of 2.88 µs. Our results indicate that, unlike in aqueous solution, the PLP pyridine moiety is protonated in GABA-AT. This is a consequence of a pKa shift triggered by a strong charge-charge interaction with an ionic "diad" formed by Asp298 and His190 that would help the activation of the first half-reaction of the catalytic mechanism in GABA-AT: the conversion of PLP to free pyridoxamine phosphate (PMP). In addition, our MD simulations exhibit additional strong hydrogen bond networks between the protein and PLP: the phosphate group is held in place by the donation of at least three hydrogen bonds while the carbonyl oxygen of the pyridine ring interacts with Gln301; Phe181 forms a π-π stacking interaction with the pyridine ring and works as a gate keeper with the assistance of Val300. All these interactions are hypothesized to help maintain free PMP in place inside the protein active site to facilitate the second half-reaction in GABA-AT: the regeneration of PLP-bound GABA-AT (i.e., the holoenzyme). Proteins 2016; 84:875-891. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Purification and expression of a processing protease on beta-alanine-oxoglutarate aminotransferase from rat liver mitochondria

GABA[arrow beta]AlaAT convertase is an endopeptidase that processes brain-type 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase (GABA AT; EC 2.6.1.19) to liver-type beta-alanine-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (beta-AlaAT I) in rats. Its molecular mass was 180 kDa as determined by gel filtration. A subunit molecular mass of 97652 Da was measured using MALDI-TOF MS. The N-terminal sequence of the purified GABA[arrow beta]AlaAT convertase was SRVEVSKVLILGSGGLSIGQAGEFDYSGSQAV- and was identical to residues 418-449 of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase I (CPS I; EC 1.2.1.27) purified from rat liver. The subunit molecular mass and the N-terminal amino acid sequence suggested that GABA[arrow beta]AlaAT convertase was the 418-1305 peptide of CPS I. An expression vector containing the coding region of the 418-1305 peptide of rat CPS I was transfected into NIH3T3 cells and the extract of the cells showed GABA[arrow beta]AlaAT convertase activity.

Structures of γ-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Aminotransferase, a Pyridoxal 5′-Phosphate, and [2Fe-2S] Cluster-containing Enzyme, Complexed with γ-Ethynyl-GABA and with the Antiepilepsy Drug Vigabatrin

Gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-AT) is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme responsible for the degradation of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. GABA-AT is a validated target for antiepilepsy drugs because its selective inhibition raises GABA concentrations in brain. The antiepilepsy drug, gamma-vinyl-GABA (vigabatrin) has been investigated in the past by various biochemical methods and resulted in several proposals for its mechanisms of inactivation. In this study we solved and compared the crystal structures of pig liver GABA-AT in its native form (to 2.3-A resolution) and in complex with vigabatrin as well as with the close analogue gamma-ethynyl-GABA (to 2.3 and 2.8 A, respectively). Both inactivators form a covalent ternary adduct with the active site Lys-329 and the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) cofactor. The crystal structures provide direct support for specific inactivation mechanisms proposed earlier on the basis of radio-labeling experiments. The reactivity of GABA-AT crystals with the two GABA analogues was also investigated by polarized absorption microspectrophotometry. The spectral data are discussed in relation to the proposed mechanism. Intriguingly, all three structures revealed a [2Fe-2S] cluster of yet unknown function at the center of the dimeric molecule in the vicinity of the PLP cofactors.

The multiple active enzyme species of gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase are not isozymes

Purified gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-AT) from pig brain under certain conditions gave a single band on 12% NaDodSO(4)-PAGE, whereas two or three distinct bands were observed on 7.5% native PAGE. These multiple active species were isolated by 5% preparative gel electrophoresis and characterized by N-terminal sequencing and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The results indicate that these active enzyme species are not GABA-AT isozymes in pig brain, but are the products of proteolysis of the N-terminus of GABA-AT, differing by 3, 7, and 12 residues from the full sequence (as deduced from the cDNA), respectively. Conditions for obtaining the nontruncated GABA-AT were found, and the potential cause for the proteolysis was determined. It was found that Na(2)EDTA inhibits the N-terminal cleavage during GABA-AT preparation from pig brain. The presence of Triton X-100 in the homogenization step is partially responsible for this proteolysis, and Mn(2+) strongly enhances the protease activity, suggesting the presence of a membrane-bound matrix metalloprotease that causes the N-terminal cleavage.

The mature size of rat 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase is different in liver and brain

The amino acid sequence predicted from a rat liver cDNA library indicated that the precursor of beta-AlaAT I (4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase, beta-alanine-oxoglutarate aminotransferase) consists of a mature enzyme of 466 amino acid residues and a 34-amino acid terminal segment, with amino acids attributed to the leader peptide. However, the mass of beta-AlaAT I from rat brain was larger than that from rat liver and kidney, as assessed by Western-blot analysis, mass spectroscopy and N-terminal sequencing. The mature form of beta-AlaAT I from the brain had an ISQAAAK- peptide on the N-terminus of the liver mature beta-AlaAT I. Brain beta-AlaAT I was cleaved to liver beta-AlaAT I when incubated with fresh mitochondrial extract from rat liver. These results imply that mature rat liver beta-AlaAT I is proteolytically cleaved in two steps. The first cleavage of the motif XRX( downward arrow)XS is performed by a mitochondrial processing peptidase, yielding an intermediate-sized protein which is the mature brain beta-AlaAT I. The second cleavage, which generates the mature liver beta-AlaAT I, is also carried out by a mitochondrial endopeptidase. The second peptidase is active in liver but lacking in brain.

4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase (GABA-transaminase) deficiency

4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase (GABA-transaminase, GABA-T, EC 2.6.1.19) deficiency (McKusick 137150), an inborn error of GABA degradation, has until now been documented in only a single Flemish child. Compared to the other defects of GABA degradation, succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH, EC 1.2.1.24) deficiency with > 150 patients (McKusick 271980) and pyridoxine-dependent seizures with > 100 patients ('putative' glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD, EC 4.1.1.15) deficiency; McKusick 266100), GABA-T deficiency is very rare. We present a summary of the clinical, biochemical, enzymatic and molecular findings on the index proband, and a recently identified second patient, with GABA-T deficiency. The phenotype in both included psychomotor retardation, hypotonia, hyperreflexia, lethargy, refractory seizures and electroencephalographic abnormalities. In an effort to elucidate the molecular basis of GABA-T deficiency, we isolated and characterized a 1.5 kb cDNA encoding human GABA-T, in addition to a 41 kb genomic clone which encompassed the GABA-T coding region. Standard methods of cloning and sequencing revealed an A-to-G transition at nucleotide 754 of the coding region in lymphoblast cDNAs derived from the index proband. This mutation resulted in substitution of an invariant arginine at amino acid 220 by lysine. Expression of the mutant in E. coli, followed by isolation and enzymatic characterization of the recombinant protein, revealed an enzyme whose Vmax was reduced to 25% of wild-type activity. The patient and father were heterozygous for this allele; the second allele in the patient remains unidentified. Genomic Southern analysis revealed that the second proband most likely harbours a deletion in the 3' region of the GABA-T gene.

Identification of a familial mutation associated with GABA-transaminase deficiency disease

GABA-transaminase (GABA-T) deficiency disease is a rare recessive disorder characterized by abnormal development, seizures, and high levels of GABA in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. Although some patients are the offspring of consanguineous marriages, most are not. To identify the molecular basis of this disease, we have determined the sequence of human GABA-T cDNA. We have compared the GABA-T cDNA sequences in cultured cells derived from six healthy controls with those from a GABA-T-deficient patient and both parents. Our data indicate that GABA-T deficiency disease may result from an allele that encodes an R220K substitution.

Human brain GABA transaminase is immunologically distinct from those of other mammalian brains

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to bovine brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transaminase were characterized by epitope mapping analysis, and used as probes to compare the epitopes of the enzymes from several mammalian brains including man. From the epitope mapping analysis, three subgroups of mAbs recognizing different peptide fragments were identified. In the immunoblots probed with the mAbs, only one out of the three subgroups of mAbs reacted with a protein band of 50 kDa from human brain; the two other mAbs failed to detect any signal on the blots. In contrast, all of the mAbs did recognize a GABA-T protein band on immunoblots of all other mammalian brains tested. The results suggest that human brain GABA transaminase is immunologically distinct from those of other mammalian brains.

Characterization of the ugatA gene of Ustilago maydis, isolated by homology to the gatA gene of Aspergillus nidulans

A gene encoding a putative GABA aminotransferase (ugatA) was isolated from the basidiomycete Ustilago maydis via heterologous hybridization to the GABA aminotransferase gene (gatA) of Aspergillus nidulans . The derived amino-acid sequence of ugatA shows strong identity throughout the protein to the GABA aminotransferase enzymes from A. nidulans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Northern analysis in U. maydis indicated that the ugatA transcript is inducible by the omega-amino acids GABA and beta-alanine, and is not subject to nitrogen catabolite repression. With the use of ugatA promoter-lacZ fusion constructs, it was demonstrated that the removal of sequences located approximately 250 bp 5' to the translational start site of ugatA (including multiple copies of a 7-bp direct repeat) resulted in the loss of induction by omega-amino acids. While the ugatA gene under the control of the A. nidulans gatA promoter was able to fully complement a gatA- phenotype in A. nidulans, the full-length ugatA gene was not, suggesting a lack of expression from the U. maydis promoter in A. nidulans. A U. maydis strain with a gene disruption at the ugatA locus showed decreased growth on beta-alanine as a sole nitrogen source, but was able to grow on GABA as a sole nitrogen source, indicating an alternative pathway for the utilization of GABA in U. maydis.

gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) metabolism in mammalian neural and nonneural tissues

4-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a major inhibitory neurotransmitter of mammalian central nervous system, is found in a wide range of organisms, from prokaryotes to vertebrates. GABA is widely distributed in nonneural tissue including peripheral nervous and endocrine systems. GABA acts on GABAA and GABAB receptors. GABAA receptors are ligand-gated chloride channels modulated by a variety of drugs. GABAB receptors are essentially presynaptic, usually coupled to potassium or calcium channels, and they function via a GTP binding protein. In neural and nonneural tissues, GABA is metabolized by three enzymes--glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), which produces GABA from glutamic acid, and the catabolic enzymes GABA-transaminase (GABA-T) and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH). Production of succinic acid by SSADH allows entry of the GABA carbon skeleton into the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Alternate sources of GABA include putrescine, spermine, spermidine and ornithine, which produce GABA via deamination and decarboxylation reactions, while L-glutamine is an additional source of glutamic acid via deamination. GAD from mammalian brain occurs in two molecular forms, GAD65 and GAD67 (referring to subunit relative molecular weight (Mr) in kilodaltons). These different forms of GAD are the product of different genes, differing in nucleotide sequence, immunoreactivity and subcellular localization. The presence and characteristics of GAD have been investigated in a wide variety of nonneural tissues including liver, kidney, pancreas, testis, ova, oviduct, adrenal, sympathetic ganglia, gastrointestinal tract and circulating erythrocytes. In some tissues, one form (GAD65 or GAD67) predominates. GABA-T has been located in most of the same tissues, primarily through histochemical and/or immunochemical methods; GABA-T is also present in a variety of circulating cells, including platelets and lymphocytes. SSADH, the final enzyme GABA catabolism, has been detected in some of the tissues in which GAD and GABA-T have been identified, although the presence of this enzyme has not been in mammalian pancreas, ova, oviduct, testis or sympathetic ganglia.

Screening and sequence determination of a cDNA encoding the human brain 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase

A human brain cDNA library constructed in the lambda ZAP II vector was screened using a fragment of pig brain cDNA encoding 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase (pGaba-t). A cDNA that encodes the human brain Gaba-t (hGaba-t) has been isolated from the library and sequenced. Using the GenBank and EMBL databases, comparison of the predicted amino-acid sequence of hGaba-t with the pig enzyme revealed 95.4% homology.

Primary structure and tissue distribution of human 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase

cDNA encoding human 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase (aminobutyrate:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase) was prepared by polymerase chain reaction using mRNA from human neuroblastoma cells as the template and oligonucleotides synthesized on the basis of the information obtained from direct protein sequencing. The cDNA-deduced sequence enabled peptides, sequenced by automated Edman degradation, to be aligned for confirmation of the complete primary structure. The results are compared with the recently published sequence of the rat enzyme deduced entirely from DNA sequencing [Medina-Kauwe, L. K., Tillakaratne, N. J. K., Wu, J.-Y. & Tobin, A. J. (1994) J. Neurochem. 62, 1267-1275]. Although the sequences are almost identical for most of their length, they differ in a segment of 36 residues. Almost complete identity of the two sequences is established if it is assumed that a frame-shift error was introduced into the reported rat cDNA sequence. The human cDNA was used to probe for the presence of 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase mRNA in human tissues and a significant transcript was found in heart, placenta and in tissues usually associated with the expression of this enzyme.

Chemical modification of bacterial 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase by phenylglyoxal

4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.19), obtained from Pseudomonas fluorescens, was irreversibly inhibited by phenylglyoxal, a reagent that specifically modifies arginyl residues. The inactivation appeared to be the result of a simple, bimolecular reaction since no evidence of a reversible complex between inhibitor and enzyme emerged. The second-order rate constant was 0.221 +/- 0.077 M-1 sec-1. The concentration of either substrate had no effect on the inhibition, but an increase in the concentration of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate reduced the rate of inactivation by phenylglyoxal. The data are consistent with the modification of amino acid residues at the cofactor binding site on the enzyme.