Irreversible inhibition of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase. Further studies on the specificity of periodate-oxidized GMP

Differential inhibitory effects of GMP-2',3'-dialdehyde on human and schistosomal hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferases

The hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRTase) of human and the parasitic trematode, Schistosoma mansoni, were expressed at high levels in transformed Escherichia coli in their native forms. Guanosine 2',3'-dialdehyde 5'-phosphate (ox-GMP) was shown to bind irreversibly to both enzymes in a time-dependent manner. This binding was stabilized by sodium borohydride reduction, suggesting that a Schiff's base is formed between the dialdehyde groups of ox-GMP and the amino group of a lysine residue in the enzymes. This linkage formation applies also to inosine 2',3'-dialdehyde 5'-phosphate but not to adenosine 2',3'-dialdehyde 5'-phosphate. GMP was found to be protective against ox-GMP inactivation and [3H]ox-GMP labeling of both HGPRTases. 5-Phosphoribosyl-1-diphosphate (PRibPP) also protects human HGPRTase against the ox-GMP inactivation and [3H]ox-GMP labeling but provides virtually no protection against the ox-GMP inactivation and labeling of the schistosomal enzyme, even though PRibPP binds to the latter with a threefold higher affinity. These results imply that PRibPP and ox-GMP compete with each other for binding to the human HGPRTase but not for binding to the schistosomal enzyme. This discrepancy could be exploited for the purpose of designing selective inhibitors of the schistosomal HGPRTase. Guanosine 2',3'-dialdehyde (ox-guanosine) is nearly as active as ox-GMP in inhibiting schistosomal HGPRTase but much less potent in inhibiting human HGPRTase, suggesting that ox-guanosine and ox-GMP may bind equally well to the parasite enzyme. PRibPP can protect human but not schistosomal HGPRTase against the inactivation by ox-guanosine. Therefore, ox-GMP and ox-guanosine must be forming Schiff's bases with the same amino acid residues in each of the two HGPRTases.

Structural features of the phosphoribosyltransferases and their relationship to the human deficiency disorders of purine and pyrimidine metabolism

Similarities in the physical and chemical properties of the phosphoribosyltransferase family of enzymes suggest that they may share common structural features as observed in other functionally related proteins. The unusually high incidence of structural gene mutations of these enzymes in man are associated with several metabolic diseases of purine and pyrimidine metabolism. It is proposed that these disorders are the consequence of structural mutations to an architectural domain common to all of the phosphoribosyltransferases.

Partial deficiency of hypoxanthine-phosphoribosyltransferase:evidence for a structural mutation in a patient with gout

A mutant hypoxanthine-phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.8.) from a patient with gout is examined. The activity of the erythrocyte enzyme is about 5% of normal in this case. Immunoprecipitation studies using antiserum against highly purified human hypoxanthine-phosphoribosyltransferase reveal that the patient's erythrocytes contain a normal amount of cross-reacting material. The mutant enzyme has an altered net charge as shown by preparative isoelectric focusing (pI values of 5.75 and 4.55). The influence of chemical modification on enzymic activity was studied using a number of different reagents directed against sulfhydryl-, amino-, and guanidino-groups. Compared with normal hypoxanthine-phosphoribosyltransferase the mutant enzyme shows a generally lowered susceptibility to active site-directed inhibition. It is concluded that the patient's enzyme is the product of a structural mutation.