Regulation of the Amount of Starch in Plant Tissues by ADP Glucose Pyrophosphorylase

Starch, a major storage metabolite in plants, positively affects the agricultural yield of a number of crops. Its biosynthetic reactions use adenosine diphosphate glucose (ADPGlc) as a substrate; ADPGlc pyrophosphorylase, the enzyme involved in ADPGlc formation, is regulated by allosteric effectors. Evidence that this plastidial enzyme catalyzes a rate-limiting reaction in starch biosynthesis was derived by expression in plants of a gene that encodes a regulatory variant of this enzyme. Allosteric regulation was demonstrated to be the major physiological mechanism that controls starch biosynthesis. Thus, plant and bacterial systems for starch and glycogen biosynthesis are similar and distinct from yeast and mammalian systems, wherein glycogen synthase has been demonstrated to be the rate-limiting regulatory step.

Engineering herbicide tolerance in transgenic plants

The herbicide glyphosate is a potent inhibitor of the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate- 3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase in higher plants. A complementary DNA (cDNA) clone encoding EPSP synthase was isolated from a complementary DNA library of a glyphosate-tolerant Petunia hybrida cell line (MP4-G) that overproduces the enzyme. This cell line was shown to overproduce EPSP synthase messenger RNA as a result of a 20-fold amplification of the gene. A chimeric EPSP synthase gene was constructed with the use of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter to attain high level expression of EPSP synthase and introduced into petunia cells. Transformed petunia cells as well as regenerated transgenic plants were tolerant to glyphosate.

Translocation of the precursor of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase into chloroplasts of higher plants in vitro

5-enolPyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSP synthase; 3-phosphoshikimate 1-carboxyvinyl-transferase; EC 2.5.1.19) is a chloroplast-localized enzyme of the shikimate pathway in plants. This enzyme is the target for the nonselective herbicide glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine). We have previously isolated a full-length cDNA clone of EPSP synthase from Petunia hybrida. DNA sequence analysis suggested that the enzyme is synthesized as a cytosolic precursor (pre-EPSP synthase) with an amino-terminal transit peptide. Based on the known amino terminus of the mature enzyme, and the 5' open reading frame of the cDNA, the transit peptide of pre-EPSP synthase would be maximally 72 amino acids long. To confirm this prediction and to assay directly for translocation of pre-EPSP synthase into chloroplasts in vitro, we cloned the full-length cDNA into an SP6 transcription system to produce large amounts of mRNA for in vitro translation. The translation products, when analyzed by NaDodSO(4)/PAGE autoradiography, indicate a relative molecular mass for pre-EPSP synthase of approximately 55 kDa. Uptake studies with intact chloroplasts, in vitro, indicate that pre-EPSP synthase was rapidly taken up into chloroplasts and proteolytically cleaved to the mature approximately 48-kDa enzyme. The transit peptide was shown to be essential for import of the precursor enzyme into the chloroplast. To our knowledge, post-translational import into chloroplasts of a precursor enzyme involved in amino acid biosynthesis has not been reported previously. Furthermore, enzymatic analysis of translation products indicates that pre-EPSP synthase is catalytically active and has a similar sensitivity to the herbicide glyphosate as the mature enzyme. To our knowledge, pre-EPSP synthase represents the only example of a catalytically competent chloroplast-precursor enzyme.

Epidemiology of acute hepatitis in the Stann Creek District of Belize, Central America

Hepatitis is common in the Stann Creek District of southern Belize. To determine the etiologies, incidence, and potential risk factors for acute jaundice, we conducted active surveillance for cases. Cases of jaundice diagnosed by a physician within the previous 6 weeks were enrolled. Evaluation included a questionnaire and laboratory tests for hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E, a blood film for malaria, and a serologic test for syphilis. Etiologies of jaundice among 62 evaluable patients included acute hepatitis A, 6 (9.7%), acute hepatitis B, 49 (79.0%), hepatitis non-A-E, 2 (3.2%), and malaria, 5 (8.1%). There were no cases of acute hepatitis E. One patient each with antibody to hepatitis C and D were detected. The annualized incidence of hepatitis A was 0.26 per 1,000. All cases of hepatitis A were in children 4-16 years of age. The annualized incidence of hepatitis B, 2.17 per 1,000, was highest in adults aged 15-44 years (4.4 per 1,000) and was higher in men (36 cases; 3.09 per 1,000) than women (13 cases; 1.19 per 1,000). Four (31%) of the women with hepatitis B were pregnant. The annualized incidence was significantly higher in Mestizo (6.18 per 1000) and Maya (6.79 per 1,000) than Garifuna (0.38 per 1,000) or Creole (0.36 per 1,000). Persons with hepatitis B were significantly more likely to be born outside of Belize (82%), had been in Belize < 5 years (73%), and lived and worked in rural areas (96%) than was the general population. Of those > or = 14 years of age with hepatitis B, only 36% were married. Few persons admitted to transfusions, tattoos, IV drug use, multiple sexual partners, visiting prostitutes, or sexually transmitted diseases. Only 1 of 49 had a reactive test for syphilis. Six patients were hospitalized (including 3 with acute hepatitis B and one with hepatitis A), and none to our knowledge died. Acute hepatitis B is the most common cause of viral hepatitis in the Stann Creek District, but the modes of transmission remain obscure. Infants, women attending prenatal clinics, and new workers are potential targets for immunization with hepatitis B vaccine.

Exploiting the full potential of disease-resistance genes for agricultural use

Effective and sustained control of fungal pathogens and nematodes is an important issue for all agricultural systems. Global losses caused by pathogens are estimated to be 12% of the potential crop production [1], despite the continued release of new resistant cultivars and pesticides. Furthermore, fungi are continually becoming resistant to existing resistance genes and fungicides, and a few of the pesticides are being withdrawn from the market for environmental reasons. In addition to reducing crop yield, fungal diseases often lower crop quality by producing toxins that affect humans and human health. Additional methods of disease control are therefore highly desirable. Breeding programs based on plant disease-resistance genes are being optimized by incorporating molecular marker techniques and biotechnology. These efforts can be expected to result in the first launches of new disease-resistant crops within the next five years.

Biotechnology: enhancing human nutrition in developing and developed worlds

While the last 50 years of agriculture have focused on meeting the food, feed, and fiber needs of humans, the challenges for the next 50 years go far beyond simply addressing the needs of an ever-growing global population. In addition to producing more food, agriculture will have to deal with declining resources like water and arable land, need to enhance nutrient density of crops, and achieve these and other goals in a way that does not degrade the environment. Biotechnology and other emerging life sciences technologies offer valuable tools to help meet these multidimensional challenges. This paper explores the possibilities afforded through biotechnology in providing improved agronomic "input" traits, differentiated crops that impart more desirable "output" traits, and using plants as green factories to fortify foods with valuable nutrients naturally rather than externally during food processing. The concept of leveraging agriculture as green factories is expected to have tremendous positive implications for harnessing solar energy to meet fiber and fuel needs as well. Widespread adaptation of biotech-derived products of agriculture should lay the foundation for transformation of our society from a production-driven system to a quality and utility-enhanced system.

An isoamylase with neutral pH optimum from a Flavobacterium species: cloning, characterization and expression of the iam gene

The gene encoding an isoamylase with neutral pH optimum (iam) from a Flavobacterium species was cloned using a PCR probe generated from highly conserved regions of amylolytic enzymes. Active isoamylase was expressed from a 4.9-kb Pst I fragment in Escherichia coli, and was detected in the extracellular medium by a plate assay. The iam nucleotide sequence has an open reading frame of 2334 nucleotides (778 amino acids) with a GC content of 69%. Sequence analysis suggests that transcriptional control of the Flavobacterium sp. iam gene is mediated through the product of a malT regulatory gene. The deduced amino acid sequence of iam contained an N-terminal signal peptide of 32 amino acids, and was 61% homologous with Pseudomonas amyloderamosa isoamylase. The mature enzyme, which was engineered for overexpression in E. coli and purified to homogeneity, has a relative molecular mass of 83 kDa, a pH optimum of 6-7, and a highest rate of hydrolysis for glycogen (but did not cleave pullulan). Polyclonal antiserum generated from purified donor isoamylase cross-reacted with crude and purified recombinant isoamylase from E. coli. This is the first report of the cloning, characterization, and sequence of an novel isoamylase that has a neutral pH optimum. A comparison of the sequence of Flavobacterium sp. iam with acidic isoamylase from Pseudomonas sp. identified putative residues which may be associated with the pH for optimal activity of isoamylases.

Identification, characterization, and cloning of a phosphonate monoester hydrolase from Burkholderia caryophilli PG2982

The glyphosate-degrading bacterium, Burkholderia caryophilli PG2982, was observed to utilize glyceryl glyphosate as a sole phosphorus source. The hydrolysis of glyceryl glyphosate to glyphosate by a phosphonate ester hydrolase (PEH) was identified as the first metabolic step in the mineralization pathway. This observation provides the first biological role for a phosphonate ester hydrolase activity. Purified PEH enzyme hydrolyzed several phosphonate esters including p-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonate, beta-naphthyl phenylphosphonate, and 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phenylphosphonate. The purified PEH also hydrolyzed some phosphodiesters including p-nitrophenyl 5'-thymidine monophosphate and p-nitrophenyl phosphorylcholine. The most catalytically efficient substrate identified was bis-(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate with a Km of 0.9 mM and a kcat of 6.2 x 10(2) min-1, suggesting that the enzyme may also function in vivo as a phosphodiesterase. The native enzyme was a homotetramer of 58-kDa subunits and exhibited a pI of 4.2. The enzyme activity had a pH activity optimum of 9.0 and was stimulated 14-fold by Mn2+ ions, but a metal cofactor was not essential for activity. N-terminal and tryptic fragment amino acid sequences were obtained from the purified PEH protein and used to clone the B. caryophilli PG2982 gene, designated pehA. The unique substrate specificity of the enzyme and potential use as a novel conditional lethal gene in plants are discussed.

A phosphonate monoester hydrolase from Burkholderia caryophilli PG2982 is useful as a conditional lethal gene in plants

A bacterial phosphonate monoester hydrolase was evaluated in plants as a conditional lethal gene useful for cell ablation and negative selection. Glyphosate is a potent herbicide whereas its phosphonate monoester derivative, glyceryl glyphosate, is approximately 50-fold less active. A phosphonate monoesterase gene (pehA) encoding an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphonate esters including glyceryl glyphosate to glyphosate and glycerol was cloned from the glyphosate metabolizing bacterium, Burkholderia caryophilli PG2982. Constitutive expression of the pehA gene in Escherichia coli and Arabidopsis thaliana RLD had no observable phenotypic effects on growth and development. However, cells and plants expressing the pehA gene were killed when treated with glyceryl glyphosate. The phytotoxicity resulted from the hydrolysis of glyceryl glyphosate to glyphosate and subsequent inhibition of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis. As an example of tissue-specific cell ablation, floral sterility without vegetative toxicity was demonstrated by expressing the pehA gene using a tapetal-specific promoter and treating the mature plants with glyceryl glyphosate. A chromogenic phosphonate ester substrate, 5-bromo-4-chloro-indolyl phenylphosphonate, was used to monitor in situ expression of the pehA gene. The general utility of the pehA gene as a heterologous conditional lethal gene in plants is discussed.

Genetic engineering of commercially useful biosynthetic pathways in transgenic plants

In many economically important plant species, the chemical composition of one or more non-protein compounds determines the value of the plant and may have an important role in protecting the plant from environmental stress, including pests, drought, salt, temperature and light. A number of potential opportunities exist whereby the range or amount of such valuable compounds can be increased by genetic engineering.

Expression of the potato tuber ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase in Escherichia coli

cDNA clones encoding the putative mature forms of the large and small subunits of the potato tuber ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase have been expressed separately and together in an Escherichia coli B mutant deficient in ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase activity. Expression of both subunits from compatible vectors resulted in restoration of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase activity. Maximal enzyme activity required both subunits. The expressed ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase was purified and characterized. The recombinant enzyme exhibited catalytic and allosteric kinetic properties very similar to the enzyme purified from potato tuber. The expressed enzyme activity was neutralized by incubation with antibodies raised against potato tuber and spinach leaf ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylases but not with anti-Escherichia coli enzyme serum. 3-Phosphoglycerate was the most efficient activator and its effect was increased by dithiothreitol. In the ADP-glucose synthesis direction, 3-phosphoglycerate activated the recombinant enzyme nearly 100-fold in the presence of dithiothreitol, with an A0.5 value of 57 microM. The recombinant ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase was less sensitive to P(i) inhibition and more sensitive to heat denaturation than the potato tuber enzyme. Results suggest that bacterial expression of potato tuber cDNAs could be used to study the role and interaction of the subunits of the native ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase.

Site-directed mutagenesis of a conserved region of the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase active site

The active site of the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) has been probed using site-directed mutagenesis and inhibitor binding techniques. Replacement of a specific glycyl with an alanyl or a prolyl with a seryl residue in a highly conserved region confers glyphosate tolerance to several bacterial and plant EPSPS enzymes, suggesting a high degree of structural conservation between these enzymes. The glycine to alanine substitution corresponding to Escherichia coli EPSPS G96A increases the Ki(app) (glyphosate) of petunia EPSPS 5000-fold while increasing the Km(app)(phosphoenolpyruvate) about 40-fold. Substitution of this glycine with serine, however, abolishes EPSPS activity but results in the elicitation of a novel EPSP hydrolase activity whereby EPSP is converted to shikimate 3-phosphate and pyruvate. This highly conserved region is critical for the interaction of the phosphate moiety of phosphoenolpyruvate with EPSPS.

Control of ethylene synthesis by expression of a bacterial enzyme in transgenic tomato plants

Synthesis of the phytohormone ethylene is believed to be essential for many plant developmental processes. The control of ripening in climacteric fruits and vegetables is among the best characterized of these processes. One approach to reduce ethylene synthesis in plants is metabolism of its immediate precursor, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC). Soil bacteria containing an enzyme, ACC deaminase, were identified by their ability to grow on ACC as a sole nitrogen source. The gene encoding ACC deaminase was cloned and introduced into tomato plants. Reduction in ethylene synthesis in transgenic plants did not cause any apparent vegetative phenotypic abnormalities. However, fruits from these plants exhibited significant delays in ripening, and the mature fruits remained firm for at least 6 weeks longer than the nontransgenic control fruit. These results indicated that ACC deaminase is useful for examining the role of ethylene in many developmental and stress-related processes in plants as well as for extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables whose ripening is mediated by ethylene.

Structure and topological symmetry of the glyphosate target 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase: a distinctive protein fold

5-enol-Pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSP synthase; phosphoenolpyruvate:3-phosphoshikimate 1-carboxyvinyltransferase, EC 2.5.1.19) is an enzyme on the pathway toward the synthesis of aromatic amino acids in plants, fungi, and bacteria and is the target of the broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate. The three-dimensional structure of the enzyme from Escherichia coli has been determined by crystallographic techniques. The polypeptide backbone chain was traced by examination of an electron density map calculated at 3-A resolution. The two-domain structure has a distinctive fold and appears to be formed by 6-fold replication of a protein folding unit comprising two parallel helices and a four-stranded sheet. Each domain is formed from three of these units, which are related by an approximate threefold symmetry axis; in each domain three of the helices are completely buried by a surface formed from the three beta-sheets and solvent-accessible faces of the other three helices. The domains are related by an approximate dyad, but in the present crystals the molecule does not display pseudo-symmetry related to the symmetry of point group 32 because its approximate threefold axes are almost normal. A possible relation between the three-dimensional structure of the protein and the linear sequence of its gene will be described. The topological threefold symmetry and orientation of each of the two observed globular domains may direct the binding of substrates and inhibitors by a helix macrodipole effect and implies that the active site is located near the interdomain crossover segments. The structure also suggests a rationale for the glyphosate tolerance conferred by sequence alterations.

Metabolism of glyphosate in Pseudomonas sp. strain LBr

Metabolism of glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine) by Pseudomonas sp. strain LBr, a bacterium isolated from a glyphosate process waste stream, was examined by a combination of solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance experiments and analysis of the phosphonate composition of the growth medium. Pseudomonas sp. strain LBr was capable of eliminating 20 mM glyphosate from the growth medium, an amount approximately 20-fold greater than that reported for any other microorganism to date. The bacterium degraded high levels of glyphosate, primarily by converting it to aminomethylphosphonate, followed by release into the growth medium. Only a small amount of aminomethylphosphonate (about 0.5 to 0.7 mM), which is needed to supply phosphorus for growth, could be metabolized by the microorganism. Solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of strain LBr grown on 1 mM [2-13C,15N]glyphosate showed that about 5% of the glyphosate was degraded by a separate pathway involving breakdown of glyphosate to glycine, a pathway first observed in Pseudomonas sp. strain PG2982. Thus, Pseudomonas sp. strain LBr appears to possess two distinct routes for glyphosate detoxification.

Arginine chemical modification of Petunia hybrida 5-enol-pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase

Reaction of Petunia hybrida 5-enol-pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) with the arginine reagents phenylglyoxal (PGO) and p-hydroxyphenylglyoxal (HPGO) leads to inactivation of the enzyme. Inactivation with HPGO leads to modification of approximately 3 mol of arginine per mole of enzyme. The modification reaction follows pseudo-first-order kinetics with a t1/2 of 1 min at 5 mM p-hydroxyphenylglyoxal in 0.1 M triethanolamine HCl, pH 7.8. By titration of HPGO-modified enzyme with 5,5'-bis(dithio-2-nitrobenzoic acid), the possibility of cysteine modification by the arginine reagent was ruled out. While shikimate 3-phosphate (S3P) afforded partial protection to the enzyme against inactivation by HPGO, complete protection could be obtained by using a mixture of S3P and glyphosate. Under the latter conditions, only 1 mol arginine was modified per mole of enzyme. This pattern of reactivity suggests that two arginines may be involved in the binding of S3P and glyphosate to EPSP synthase. A third reactive arginine appears to be nonessential for EPSPS activity. Labeling of EPSP synthase with [14C]phenylglyoxal, peptic digestion, HPLC mapping, and amino acid sequencing indicate that Arg-28 and Arg-131 are two of the reactive arginines labeled with [14C]PGO.

Site-directed mutagenesis of Petunia hybrida 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase: Lys-23 is essential for substrate binding

Chemical modification of Escherichia coli 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, a target for the nonselective herbicide glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine), with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate suggested that Lys-22 (equivalent to Lys-23 of the Petunia hybrida enzyme) is a potential active site residue (Huynh, Q. K., Kishore, G. M., and Bild, G. S. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 735-739). To investigate the possible role of this residue in the reaction mechanism, we have used site-directed mutagenesis to replace Lys-23 of the P. hybrida enzyme with 3 other amino acid residues: Ala, Glu, and Arg. Analysis of these mutant enzymes indicates that of these only the Lys-23 to Arg mutant enzyme is active; the other two replacements (Ala and Glu) result in inactivation of the enzyme. Two of the mutant enzymes (Lys-23 to Arg and Ala) were purified to homogeneity and characterized. The purified Lys-23 to Arg mutant enzyme is less sensitive than the wild type enzyme to pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. It showed identical Km values for substrates and a 5-fold higher I50 value for glyphosate in comparison with those from the wild type enzyme. Binding studies using fluorescence measurements revealed that the substrate shikimate 3-phosphate and glyphosate were able to bind the purified Lys-23 to Arg mutant enzyme but not to the purified catalytically inactive Lys-23 to Ala mutant enzyme. The above results suggest that the cationic group at position 23 of the enzyme may play an important role in substrate binding.

Mechanism of the EPSP synthase catalyzed reaction: evidence for the lack of a covalent carboxyvinyl intermediate in catalysis

In order to detect covalent reaction intermediates in the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase reaction, we have investigated the interaction of EPSP synthase with the reaction product EPSP. An exchange of EPSP-methylene protons could be demonstrated by incubating EPSPS with EPSP in D2O. Since trace amounts of contaminating Pi would lead to reversal of EPSPS reaction and hence methylene proton exchange, we added pyruvate kinase, ADP, Mg++ and K+. Under these conditions, any contaminating Pi that is converted to PEP is trapped as ATP. No exchange of EPSP protons with those of the solvent could be detected in the presence of this trap system, suggesting that enzyme-bound EPSP is unable to form a covalent tetrahedral complex. Incorporation of [14C] from [14C]-S3P and [14C]-PEP into EPSP could be detected, but only in the absence of a PEP (or Pi) trap system. This indicates that for the exchange reaction, Pi is required, and also indicates the absence of a covalent intermediate, unless the carboxyvinyl-enzyme-bound S3P is completely restricted from exchange.

Import of a precursor protein into chloroplasts is inhibited by the herbicide glyphosate

Import of the precursor to 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (pEPSPS) into chloroplasts is inhibited by the herbicide glyphosate. Inhibition of import is maximal at glyphosate concentrations of >/=10 mum and occurs only when pEPSPS is present as a ternary complex of enzyme-shikimate-3-phosphate-glyphosate. Glyphosate alone had no effect on the import of pEPSPS since it is not known to interact with the enzyme in the absence of shikimate-3-phosphate. Experiments with wild-type and glyphosate-resistant mutant forms of pEPSPS show that inhibition of import is directly proportional to the binding constants for glyphosate. Inhibition of import is thus a direct consequence of glyphosate binding to the enzyme-shikimate-3-phosphate complex. The potential for non-specific effects of glyphosate on the chloroplast transport mechanism has been discounted by showing that import of another chloroplast-designated protein was unaffected by high concentrations of glyphosate and shikimate-3-phosphate. The mechanism of import inhibition by glyphosate is consistent with a precursor unfolding/refolding model.

Identification of the reactive cysteines of Escherichia coli 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase and their nonessentiality for enzymatic catalysis

Reaction of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase of Escherichia coli with the thiol reagent 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) leads to a modification of only 2 of the 6 cysteines of the enzyme, with a significant loss of its enzymatic activity. Under denaturing conditions, however, all 6 cysteines of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase react with DTNB, indicating the absence of disulfide bridges in the native protein. In the presence of shikimate 3-phosphate and glyphosate, only 1 of the 2 cysteines reacts with the reagent, with no loss of activity, suggesting that only 1 of these cysteines is at or near the active site of the enzyme. Cyanolysis of the DTNB-inactivated enzyme with KCN leads to elimination of 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoate, with formation of the thiocyano-enzyme. The thiocyano-enzyme is fully active; it exhibits a small increase in its I50 for glyphosate (6-fold) and apparent Km for phosphoenolpyruvate (4-fold) compared to the unmodified enzyme. Its apparent Km for shikimate 3-phosphate is, however, unaltered. These results clearly establish the nonessentiality of the active site-reactive cysteine of E. coli 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase for either catalysis or substrate binding. Perturbations in the kinetic constants for phosphoenolpyruvate and glyphosate suggest that the cysteine thiol is proximal to the binding site for these ligands. By N-[14C]ethylmaleimide labeling, tryptic mapping, and N-terminal sequencing, the 2 reactive cysteines have been identified as Cys408 and Cys288. The cysteine residue protected by glyphosate and shikimate 3-phosphate from its reaction with DTNB was found to be Cys408.

5-Enolpyruvyl shikimate 3-phosphate synthase from Escherichia coli. Identification of Lys-22 as a potential active site residue

5-Enolpyruvyl shikimate 3-phosphate synthase catalyzes the reversible condensation of phosphoenolpyruvate and shikimate 3-phosphate to yield 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate 3-phosphate and inorganic phosphate. The enzyme is a target for the nonselective herbicide glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine). In order to determine the role of lysine residues in the mechanism of action of this enzyme as well as in its inhibition by glyphosate, chemical modification studies with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate were undertaken. Incubation of the enzyme with the reagent in the absence of light resulted in a time-dependent loss of enzyme activity. The inactivation followed pseudo first-order and saturation kinetics with Kinact of 45 microM and a maximum rate constant of 1.1 min-1. The inactivation rate increased with increase in pH, with a titratable pK of 7.6. Activity of the inactive enzyme was restored by addition of amino thiol compounds. Reaction of enzyme with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate was prevented in the presence of substrates or substrate plus glyphosate, an inhibitor of the enzyme. Upon 90% inactivation, approximately 1 mol of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate was incorporated per mol of enzyme. The azomethine linkage between pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and the enzyme was reduced by NaB3H4. Tryptic digestion followed by reverse phase chromatographic separation resulted in the isolation of a peptide which contained the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate moiety as well as 3H label. By amino acid sequencing of this peptide, the modified residue was identified as Lys-22. The amino acid sequence around Lys-22 is conserved in bacterial, fungal, as well as plant enzymes suggesting that this region may constitute a part of the enzyme's active site.

Bacterial expression and isolation of Petunia hybrida 5-enol-pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase

5-enol-Pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSP synthase, EPSPS), an in vivo enzyme target of the herbicide glyphosate (N-phosphonomethyl glycine), was purified from a Petunia hybrida suspension culture line, MP4-G, by a small-scale high-performance chromatographic purification procedure. The cDNA encoding the mature petunia EPSPS (lacking the chloroplast transit sequence) was cloned into a plasmid, pMON342, for expression in Escherichia coli. This clone complemented the EPSPS deficiency of an E. coli aroA- mutant, and the plant enzyme constituted approximately 1% of the total extractable protein. Large-scale purification of the enzyme from E. coli cells resulted in a highly active protein which was homogeneous as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and amino terminal sequencing. Antibodies raised against the purified enzyme also reacted with the E. coli EPSPS in Western analyses. The availability of large quantities of the plant enzyme will significantly facilitate mechanistic investigations as well as a comparative study with EPSPS from bacteria and fungi.

Degradation of glyphosate by Pseudomonas sp. PG2982 via a sarcosine intermediate

The bacterium Pseudomonas PG2982 metabolizes glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine) by converting it to glycine, a one-carbon unit, and phosphate. Here we show that this conversion involves the intermediate formation of sarcosine. When cells are incubated with [14C]glyphosate, the 14C can be entrapped in glycine or sarcosine. With added sarcosine, 14C from all three carbons of glyphosate is recovered solely in sarcosine. In experiments with glycine, radioactivity from the carboxymethyl moiety of glyphosate is trapped in glycine as well as serine, whereas radioactivity from the phosphonomethyl carbon is only incorporated into serine. These results are consistent with a pathway involving the conversion of glyphosate to sarcosine by cleavage of its carbon-phosphorus (C-P) bond, followed by the oxidation of sarcosine to glycine and formaldehyde.

Protein trafficking in plant cells

The cells of higher plants contain distinct subcellular compartments (organelles) that perform specialized functions such as photosynthesis, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and so forth. The majority of the protein constituents of plant organelles are formed as cytosolic precursors with N-terminal extensions that direct transport across one or more membrane bilayers in a post- or co-translational fashion. Since the majority of proteins in plant cells are products of nuclear gene expression, there must be precise sorting mechanisms in the cytoplasm that direct proteins to their correct cellular locations. Based on recent studies of protein targeting to chloroplasts and vacuoles, the details of these intracellular sorting mechanisms are becoming clear. The ability to direct proteins to specific compartments within cells provides new opportunities for improvement of plants by genetic manipulation.

Metabolism of glyphosate in an Arthrobacter sp. GLP-1

The metabolism of glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] in a bacterium tentatively identified as an Arthrobacter sp., capable of growth on this herbicide as its sole phosphorus source, has been investigated using solid-state NMR techniques as well as radiotracer analysis. The pathway involves the conversion of glyphosate to glycine, a C1 unit and phosphate. The phosphonomethyl carbon is specifically incorporated into the amino acids serine, cysteine, methionine, and histidine, as well as into purine bases and thymine, indicating the involvement of tetrahydrofolate in single-carbon transfer reactions. Glycine derived from glyphosate is utilized in purine and protein biosynthesis. This pathway for glyphosate degradation in a gram-positive bacterium is similar to that previously reported for Pseudomonas sp. PG2982 [Jacob et al. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 5899-5905] and is distinct from that reported for soil metabolism of glyphosate where aminomethylphosphonic acid has been shown to be a major metabolite. Preliminary evidence is presented which indicates that the conversion of glyphosate to glycine and the C1 unit involves the intermediate formation of sarcosine. Thus, the primary event in glyphosate degradation by Arthrobacter sp. GLP-1 is the cleavage of its C-P bound. This report constitutes the first demonstration of the metabolism of glyphosate in a gram-positive bacterium.

Solid-state NMR studies of regulation of N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine and glycine metabolism in Pseudomonas sp. strain PG2982

Lyophilized samples of Pseudomonas sp. PG2982 grown on 13C- and 15N-labeled glyphosate have been analyzed by single and double cross-polarization 13C NMR. Both the carbon and nitrogen metabolism of glyphosate are significantly influenced by the nitrogen source used for the growth of the organism. When ammonium sulfate is the source of nitrogen, the glycyl moiety of glyphosate is utilized intact for the biosynthesis of purines and proteins. But when the organism is grown on glycine as the source of nitrogen, the carbons and nitrogen of glyphosate are scrambled, consistent with incorporation into serine and pyruvate, and hence participation in general metabolism. When both ammonium and glycine are present in the growth medium, regulation of the metabolic fluxes along each of the two major pathways appears to be determined by the intracellular glycine concentration.

Mechanism-based inactivation of bacterial kynureninase by beta-substituted amino acids

Kynureninase from Pseudomonas marginalis has been shown to catalyze the elimination of beta-functionalities of beta-substituted amino acids such as beta-chloro-L-alanine, resulting in the formation of aminoacrylate-pyridoxal phosphate-enzyme complex. This intermediate can be processed further to produce either pyruvate, ammonia, and active enzyme or an inactive enzyme complex. Approximately 1 in 500 turnovers leads to inactivation of the enzyme. The mechanism of inactivation appears to involve nucleophilic addition of a carboxylate group at the active site to the beta-carbon of the aminoacrylate complex. Both subunits of kynureninase have been shown to be catalytically competent although the native enzyme contains only one pyridoxal phosphate per dimer. Since both aspartate beta-decarboxylase and kynureninase catalyze mechanistically similar reactions, these results further support the notion that the two active sites may have several common features.

The bacterial oxidation of vitamin B6. 4-Pyridoxic acid dehydrogenase: a membrane-bound enzyme from Pseudomonas MA-1

A highly specific inducible membrane-bound 4-pyridoxic acid dehydrogenase has been solubilized and purified to apparent homogeneity from Pseudomonas MA-1 grown with pyridoxine as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen. The undenatured enzyme migrates as a single band on gel electrophoresis; denatured preparations show two barely resolved bands (Mr = 63,000 and 61,000). Undenatured preparations aggregate readily, as evidenced by Mr values of 148,000, 470,000, and greater than 670,000 obtained by density gradient centrifugation or by gel filtration under various conditions. The enzyme contains FAD but no Fe or acid-labile S; an average minimum molecular weight of 131,000 was calculated from the FAD content. In the presence of 2,6-dichloroindophenol, the enzyme dehydrogenates 4-pyridoxic acid to the corresponding aldehyde; this reaction is not inhibited by CN-. At the pH optimum of 8.0, a Vm of approximately 7.0 mumol min-1 mg-1 and a Km of 9 microM were obtained. 2,6-Dichloroindophenol, phenazine methosulfate, and menadione are effective electron acceptors; ubiquinones are less active, while NAD, FAD, and O2 are inactive. However, in membrane fractions, oxygen supports 4-pyridoxic acid oxidation via a CN--sensitive electron transport chain, indicating that the dehydrogenase probably is coupled to ATP generation in such preparations.

Kinetic investigations on a flavoprotein oxygenase, 2-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine-5-carboxylic acid oxygenase

In the presence of NADH and O2, 2-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine-5-carboxylate oxygenase (EC 1.14.12.4) from Pseudomonas sp. MA-1 catalyzes reductive oxygenation of 2-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine-5-carboxylate (Cpd I) to yield alpha-N-(acetylaminomethylene)succinic acid (Cpd A). Steady state kinetic data and studies with alternate substrates are consistent only with an ordered mechanism in which Cpd I binds first, followed by NADH; the first product, NAD+, is then released. This event is followed by oxygen binding, and finally release of the oxygenated and reduced cleavage product, Cpd A. This kinetic mechanism was confirmed by studying inhibition by NAD+, which binds competitively with oxygen, but not with NADH. The kinetic mechanism of this reaction resembles that proposed for bacterial flavin monooxygenases that catalyze hydroxylation of aromatic homocyclic compounds.