scholarly journals Pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis in Phaseolus aureus. Enzymic aspects of the control of carbamoyl phosphate synthesis and utilization

1972 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 583-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. L. Ong ◽  
J. F. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Aspartate Transcarbamoylase ◽  
Synthetase Activity ◽  
Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase ◽  
Phaseolus Aureus ◽  
Carbamoyl Phosphate ◽  
Purine Nucleotides ◽  
Nucleotide Biosynthesis ◽  
Pyrimidine Nucleotide ◽  
Ornithine Transcarbamoylase

1. Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase activity of Phaseolus aureus extracts was assayed by coupling it to the catalytic subunit of Escherichia coli aspartate transcarbamoylase and determining the [14C]carbamoylaspartate so formed. The stability of the activity was improved by the addition of ornithine and dimethyl sulphoxide to the extraction medium. 2. The synthetase activity was found to utilize either glutamine or ammonia as amino donor, the Michaelis constants being 0.17±0.03mm and 6.1±1.0mm respectively. N-Acetylglutamate did not significantly alter the rate with either substrate, and azaserine inhibited the reaction with both amino donors to the same extent. 3. Ornithine was shown to stimulate the activity, and to counteract inhibition by UMP. The purine nucleotides IMP and GMP enhanced carbamoyl phosphate formation, whereas AMP had an inhibitory effect. 4. The Michaelis constant for carbamoyl phosphate was determined in concentrated extracts for both aspartate transcarbamoylase and ornithine transcarbamoylase activities, and was 0.13±0.03mm and 1.58±0.16mm respectively. The ratio of the activities of these two enzymes, determined at near-saturating substrate concentrations, was 1:3 (aspartate transcarbamoylase/ornithine transcarbamoylase). 5. It is concluded that in this plant tissue there is one enzyme, carbamoyl phosphate synthetase, supplying carbamoyl phosphate to both the pyrimidine and arginine pathways, that the pyrimidine pathway claims most of the available carbamoyl phosphate (depending on the concentration of the nucleotide effectors) when this intermediate is present at low concentrations; and that when the carbamoyl phosphate concentration is increased, possibly by ornithine stimulation, a larger proportion can be taken up by the arginine pathway.

Arginine synthesis by hepatomas in vitro. I. The requirements for cell growth in medium containing ornithine in place of arginine and the isolation and characterization of variant hepatomas auxotrophic for arginine

1984 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 285-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.J. Goss
Keyword(s):  
Cell Growth ◽  
The Other ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase ◽  
Arginine Biosynthesis ◽  
Carbamoyl Phosphate ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Ornithine Transcarbamoylase

Cell growth in ‘ornithine-medium’ requires the expression of two liver-specific genes, those for ornithine transcarbamoylase (OTC) and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I (CPS-I). CPS-II appears unable to replace CPS-I in this system. The need for N-acetylglutamate (to activate CPS-I) can be met, at least in part, by providing it in the medium. The other gene products involved in arginine biosynthesis are probably all ubiquitous (i.e. not tissue-specific). In an attempt to study the factors responsible for the expression of liver-specific genes, variant hepatomas are isolated that have lost the ability to grow in ornithine-medium. Two classes of ‘orn-’ variants are identified: unstable variants that require dexamethasone for adequate CPS-I production, and ‘stable’ variants that have lost many liver-specific traits. Studies on one stable variant show that it can revert (though rarely), and that it regains its various liver-specific traits in a non-coordinate fashion.

scholarly journals Inhibition of ureagenesis by valproate in rat hepatocytes. Role of N-acetylglutamate and acetyl-CoA

1983 ◽  
Vol 216 (1) ◽  
pp. 233-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
F X Coude ◽  
G Grimber ◽  
P Parvy ◽  
D Rabier ◽  
F Petit
Keyword(s):  
Rat Hepatocytes ◽  
Urea Synthesis ◽  
Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase ◽  
Carbamoyl Phosphate ◽  
Acetyl Coa ◽  
Isolated Rat Hepatocytes ◽  
Cellular Concentration ◽  
Acetylglutamate Synthase ◽  
Ornithine Transcarbamoylase

Valproate (0.5-5 mM) strongly inhibited urea synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes incubated with 10 mM-alanine and 3 mM-ornithine. Valproate at the same concentrations markedly decreased concentrations of N-acetylglutamate, an essential activator of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase I (EC 6.3.4.16), in parallel with the inhibition of urea synthesis by valproate. This compound also lowered the cellular concentration of acetyl-CoA, a substrate of N-acetylglutamate synthase (EC 2.3.1.1); glutamate, aspartate and citrulline were similarly decreased. Valproate in a dose up to 2 mM did not significantly affect the cellular concentration of ATP and had no direct effect on N-acetylglutamate synthesis, carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase I and ornithine transcarbamoylase (EC 2.1.3.3) activities.

scholarly journals Aspartate transcarbamoylase from Phaseolus aureus. Partial purification and properties

1972 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 571-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. L. Ong ◽  
J. F. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Gel Filtration ◽  
Deae Cellulose ◽  
Aspartate Transcarbamoylase ◽  
Partial Purification ◽  
Saturation Curve ◽  
Phaseolus Aureus ◽  
Phosphate Binding ◽  
Carbamoyl Phosphate ◽  
Sequential Reaction ◽  
Substrate Saturation

1. Aspartate transcarbamoylase from 4-day-old radicles of Phaseolus aureus was purified 190-fold by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, DEAE-cellulose and DEAE-Sephadex chromatography and Sephadex-gel filtration. The partially purified enzyme, which required Pi for maximum stability, had an apparent molecular weight of 83000±5000. 2. Uridine nucleotides were found to inhibit the activity; UMP was the most potent inhibitor, followed by UDP and UTP. No other nucleotide was found to affect the enzyme, nor could UMP inhibition be overcome by adding another nucleotide. Aspartate gives a hyperbolic substrate-saturation curve, both with and without UMP. The nucleotide inhibitor is non-competitive with respect to this substrate. Carbamoyl phosphate also yields a hyperbolic substrate-saturation curve in the absence of feedback inhibitor, but when UMP is added a sigmoidal pattern results, and the inhibition is competitive with carbamoyl phosphate. 3. The degree of inhibition by UMP is not affected by p-chloromercuribenzoate, urea, mild heat pretreatment or change in pH over the range 8.5–10.5, but is affected by temperature. 4. The aspartate analogue, succinate, both activates and inhibits the reaction, depending on the concentrations of aspartate and succinate used. 5. Kinetic studies with the partially purified enzyme showed that the Km for carbamoyl phosphate (0.091 mm) is much lower than that for aspartate (1.7mm). A sequential reaction mechanism was inferred from product-inhibition kinetics, with carbamoyl phosphate binding to the enzyme before aspartate, and the product, carbamoylaspartate, being released ahead of Pi. Initial-velocity studies gave a set of parallel reciprocal plots, compatible with an essentially irreversible step occurring before the binding of aspartate.

scholarly journals Altered Nitrogen Balance and Decreased Urea Excretion in Male Rats Fed Cafeteria Diet Are Related to Arginine Availability

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Sabater ◽  
Silvia Agnelli ◽  
Sofía Arriarán ◽  
José-Antonio Fernández-López ◽  
María del Mar Romero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Urea Cycle ◽  
Cafeteria Diet ◽  
Nitrogen Excretion ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Synthetase Activity ◽  
Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase ◽  
Carbamoyl Phosphate ◽  
Urea Excretion ◽  
Dietary Nitrogen

Hyperlipidic diets limit glucose oxidation and favor amino acid preservation, hampering the elimination of excess dietary nitrogen and the catabolic utilization of amino acids. We analyzed whether reduced urea excretion was a consequence of higherNOx; (nitrite, nitrate, and other derivatives) availability caused by increased nitric oxide production in metabolic syndrome. Rats fed a cafeteria diet for 30 days had a higher intake and accumulation of amino acid nitrogen and lower urea excretion. There were no differences in plasma nitrate or nitrite.NOxand creatinine excretion accounted for only a small part of total nitrogen excretion. Rats fed a cafeteria diet had higher plasma levels of glutamine, serine, threonine, glycine, and ornithine when compared with controls, whereas arginine was lower. Liver carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase I activity was higher in cafeteria diet-fed rats, but arginase I was lower. The high carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase activity and ornithine levels suggest activation of the urea cycle in cafeteria diet-fed rats, but low arginine levels point to a block in the urea cycle between ornithine and arginine, thereby preventing the elimination of excess nitrogen as urea. The ultimate consequence of this paradoxical block in the urea cycle seems to be the limitation of arginine production and/or availability.

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