Carboxy-terminal mutations of bile acid CoA:N-acyltransferase alter activity and substrate specificity

Bile acid CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase (BAAT) is the terminal enzyme in the synthesis of bile salts from cholesterol and catalyzes the conjugation of taurine or glycine to bile acid CoA thioesters to form bile acid N-acylamidates. BAAT has a dual localization to the cytosol and peroxisomes, possibly due to an inefficient carboxy-terminal peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS), -serine-glutamine-leucine (-SQL). Mutational analysis was used to define the role of the carboxy terminus in peroxisomal localization and kinetic activity. Amidation activity of BAAT and BAAT lacking the final two amino acids (AAs) (BAAT-S) were similar, whereas the activity of BAAT with a canonical PTS sequence (BAAT-SKL) was increased >2.5-fold. Kinetic analysis of BAAT and BAAT-SKL showed that BAAT-SKL had a lower Km for taurine and glycine as well as a greater Vmax There was no difference in the affinity for cholyl-CoA. In contrast to BAAT, BAAT-SKL forms bile acid N-acylamidates with β-alanine. BAAT-S immunoprecipitated when incubated with peroxisomal biogenesis factor 5 (Pex5) and rabbit anti-Pex5 antibodies; however, deleting the final 12 AAs prevented coimmunoprecipitation with Pex5, indicating the Pex5 interaction involves more than the -SQL sequence. These results indicate that even small changes in the carboxy terminus of BAAT can have significant effects on activity and substrate specificity.

active site modifications of the brain isoform of creatine kinase by 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal correlate with reduced enzyme activity: mapping of modified sites by Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Creatine kinase reversibly catalyzes the transfer of the high-energy phosphoryl group from phosphocreatine to MgADP for rapid regeneration of ATP. It is hypothesized that factors which perturb creatine kinase activity, such as reactive oxygen species resulting from oxidative stress, could have a major role in the pathogenesis of diseases, particularly in the brain, where the level of ATP utilization is high. The reactive aldehyde 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal is a major secondary product of lipid peroxidation caused by oxidative stress; the levels of both free and protein-bound 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal are increased in Alzheimer's disease brain. Preliminary reports indicated that creatine kinase had lower activity in Alzheimer's disease brain. In this study, we investigated the structural and functional consequences of reacting the cytosolic brain isoform of creatine kinase with 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal at pathophysiologically relevant concentrations of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (10-300 microM). Dose-dependent reduction of enzyme activity was observed and, for the first time, correlated with 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal adduct formation on specific amino acid residues, including the active site residues His66, His191, Cys283, and His296 as determined by Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.

Synthesis of bile acid coenzyme a thioesters in the amino acid conjugation of bile acids

Bile acids are converted to their glycine and taurine N-acyl amidates by enzymes in the liver in a two-step process. This conjugation reaction increases the aqueous solubility of bile acids, particularly in the acidic environment of the initial portion of the small intestine. In the first step, bile acid coenzyme A (CoA) thioesters are formed by a bile acid CoA ligase (BAL). This chapter describes the methods used to purify BAL from rat liver microsomes and to isolate and clone the cDNAs encoding BAL from a rat liver cDNA library, the expression of BAL, the assays used to measure its activities, and the chemical synthesis of bile acid CoA thioesters.

Bile Acid Coenzyme A: Amino Acid N‐Acyltransferase in the Amino Acid Conjugation of Bile Acids

Bile acids are converted to their glycine and taurine N-acyl amidates by enzymes in the liver in a two-step process. This increases their aqueous solubility, particularly in the acidic environment of the upper part of the small intestine. Bile acid coenzyme A (CoA) thioesters synthesized by bile acid CoA ligase (see Shonsey et al., 2005) are substrates of bile acid CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferases (BAT) in the formation of bile acid N-acyl amidates. This chapter describes the methods used to purify BAT from human liver, to isolate and clone cDNAs encoding BAT from human, mouse, and rat liver cDNA libraries, the expression of BAT, the assays used to measure BAT activity, and the chemical syntheses of bile acid N-acylamidates. In addition, an enzyme that catalyzes further metabolism of glycine-conjugated bile acids is described.