scholarly journals Structure-Based in Vitro Engineering of the Anthranilate Synthase, a Metabolic Key Enzyme in the Plant Tryptophan Pathway

2005 ◽  
Vol 138 (4) ◽  
pp. 2260-2268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Kanno ◽  
Akira Komatsu ◽  
Koji Kasai ◽  
Joseph G. Dubouzet ◽  
Minako Sakurai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anthranilate Synthase ◽  
Tryptophan Pathway ◽  
Key Enzyme

Trans-sialidase Associated with Atherosclerosis: Defining the Identity of a Key Enzyme Involved in the Pathology

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 938-941
Author(s):  
Victor Y. Glanz ◽  
Veronika A. Myasoedova ◽  
Andrey V. Grechko ◽  
Alexander N. Orekhov
Keyword(s):  
Acid Metabolism ◽  
Research Subject ◽  
Disease Pathogenesis ◽  
Sialidase Activity ◽  
Ph Values ◽  
Ldl Particles ◽  
Optimum Ph ◽  
Key Enzyme ◽  
St6gal I

Atherosclerosis is associated with the increased trans-sialidase activity, which can be detected in the blood plasma of atherosclerosis patients. The likely involvement in the disease pathogenesis made this activity an interesting research subject and the enzyme that may perform such activity was isolated and characterized in terms of substrate specificity and enzymatic properties. It was found that the enzyme has distinct optimum pH values, and its activity was enhanced by the presence of Ca2+ ions. Most importantly, the enzyme was able to cause atherogenic modification of lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) particles in vitro. However, the identity of the discovered enzyme remained to be defined. Currently, sialyltransferases, mainly ST6Gal I, are regarded as major contributors to sialic acid metabolism in human blood. In this mini-review, we discuss the possibility that atherosclerosis- associated trans-sialidase does, in fact, belong to the sialyltransferases family.

scholarly journals USP29-mediated HIF1α stabilization is associated with Sorafenib resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by upregulating glycolysis

Oncogenesis ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruize Gao ◽  
David Buechel ◽  
Ravi K. R. Kalathur ◽  
Marco F. Morini ◽  
Mairene Coto-Llerena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Transcriptional Activity ◽  
Kinase Inhibitor ◽  
Aerobic Glycolysis ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Aberrant Expression ◽  
Key Enzyme ◽  
Hcc Cells

AbstractUnderstanding the mechanisms underlying evasive resistance in cancer is an unmet medical need to improve the efficacy of current therapies. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), aberrant expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 α (HIF1α) and increased aerobic glycolysis metabolism are drivers of resistance to therapy with the multi-kinase inhibitor Sorafenib. However, it has remained unknown how HIF1α is activated and how its activity and the subsequent induction of aerobic glycolysis promote Sorafenib resistance in HCC. Here, we report the ubiquitin-specific peptidase USP29 as a new regulator of HIF1α and of aerobic glycolysis during the development of Sorafenib resistance in HCC. In particular, we identified USP29 as a critical deubiquitylase (DUB) of HIF1α, which directly deubiquitylates and stabilizes HIF1α and, thus, promotes its transcriptional activity. Among the transcriptional targets of HIF1α is the gene encoding hexokinase 2 (HK2), a key enzyme of the glycolytic pathway. The absence of USP29, and thus of HIF1α transcriptional activity, reduces the levels of aerobic glycolysis and restores sensitivity to Sorafenib in Sorafenib-resistant HCC cells in vitro and in xenograft transplantation mouse models in vivo. Notably, the absence of USP29 and high HK2 expression levels correlate with the response of HCC patients to Sorafenib therapy. Together, the data demonstrate that, as a DUB of HIF1α, USP29 promotes Sorafenib resistance in HCC cells, in parts by upregulating glycolysis, thereby opening new avenues for therapeutically targeting Sorafenib-resistant HCC in patients.

scholarly journals Bornyl Diphosphate Synthase From Cinnamomum burmanni and Its Application for (+)-Borneol Biosynthesis in Yeast

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Ma ◽  
Ping Su ◽  
Juan Guo ◽  
Baolong Jin ◽  
Qing Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Main Product ◽  
Microbial Fermentation ◽  
Biosynthesis Pathway ◽  
Analgesic Effects ◽  
Pathway Reconstruction ◽  
Key Enzyme ◽  
Shake Flasks

(+)-Borneol is a desirable monoterpenoid with effective anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects that is known as soft gold. (+)-bornyl diphosphate synthase is the key enzyme in the (+)-borneol biosynthesis pathway. Despite several reported (+)-bornyl diphosphate synthase genes, relatively low (+)-borneol production hinders the attempts to synthesize it using microbial fermentation. Here, we identified the highly specific (+)-bornyl diphosphate synthase CbTPS1 from Cinnamomum burmanni. An in vitro assay showed that (+)-borneol was the main product of CbTPS1 (88.70% of the total products), and the Km value was 5.11 ± 1.70 μM with a kcat value of 0.01 s–1. Further, we reconstituted the (+)-borneol biosynthetic pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. After tailored truncation and adding Kozak sequences, the (+)-borneol yield was improved by 96.33-fold to 2.89 mg⋅L–1 compared with the initial strain in shake flasks. This work is the first reported attempt to produce (+)-borneol by microbial fermentation. It lays a foundation for further pathway reconstruction and metabolic engineering production of this valuable natural monoterpenoid.

scholarly journals Overcoming Chemoresistance to Vemurafenib in Melanoma via Targeted Inhibition of PCK1 Using 3-mercaptopropionic Acid

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Ren ◽  
Lu Wang ◽  
Xin-Yi Deng ◽  
Zi-Xu Gao ◽  
Qiang Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase ◽  
Acquired Resistance ◽  
Xenograft Model ◽  
Metabolic Reprogramming ◽  
Mercaptopropionic Acid ◽  
Subcutaneous Xenograft ◽  
Key Enzyme ◽  
Targeted Inhibition ◽  
Sphere Formation

Abstract Background:BRAF inhibitors are the mainstay treatment for melanoma with the V600E mutation, but its resistance to BRAFi remains a clinical challenge. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the mechanism of BRAFi resistance and develop new therapeutic targets. Methods:We established an A2058 melanoma cell line with acquired resistance to vemurafenib in vitro. RNA sequencing was used to identify the target gene and signaling pathway which were related to the resistance.A series of in vitro assays were applied to confirm the function of PCK1, including test of scratch,transwell,cell viability,flow cytometry,sphere formation,western blot and ROS detection.Western blot was taken to identify the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway.We constructed the subcutaneous xenograft model of melanoma,and the mice were randomly injected with DMSO,vemurafenib,and combination of vemurafenib and 3-mercaptopropionic acid.Finally, tumor size,ROS in tissue,and immunohistochemistry were analyzed to validate the findings.Results:We identified that the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway led to the overexpression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1, a key enzyme of gluconeogenesis. An elevated PCK1 level induced intracellular metabolic reprogramming, thereby lowering oxidative stress contributed to the chemoresistance to vemurafenib. 3-mercaptopropionic acid , an antihyperglycemic agent, could inhibit the viability of PCK1 then bring oxidative damage to drug-resistant cells. As a result, 3-mercaptopropionic acid sensitized the cells to the killing effect of vemurafenib, exerting a synergistic anti-tumor effect in combination with vemurafenib. Conclusions:Our study demonstrates that the PI3K/Akt-PCK1-ROS axis plays an important role in BRAFi-resistant melanoma and that using the antihyperglycemic agent 3-MPA is a feasible strategy to restore its therapeutic sensitivity.

scholarly journals Mechanistic insight into DsyB/DSYB, key enzymes in marine dimethylsulfoniopropionate synthesis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Todd ◽  
Chun-Yang Li ◽  
Jason Crack ◽  
Simone Newton-Payne ◽  
Andrew Murphy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Algae ◽  
Nucleophilic Attack ◽  
Mechanistic Insight ◽  
Signalling Molecule ◽  
Major Nutrient ◽  
Methyltransferase Gene ◽  
Key Enzyme ◽  
Algae And Bacteria ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract Marine algae and bacteria produce eight billion tonnes of the organosulfur molecule dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in Earth’s surface oceans every year. DMSP is an anti-stress compound and, once released into the environment, a major nutrient, signalling molecule and source of climate-active gases. The methionine transamination pathway for DMSP synthesis is used by most known DMSP-producing algae and bacteria. The S-directed S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase (SAM-MT) 4-methylthio-2-hydroxybutyrate (MTHB) S-methyltransferase, encoded by the dsyB/DSYB gene, is the key enzyme of this pathway, generating S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) and 4-dimethylsulfonio-2-hydroxybutyrate (DMSHB). dsyB/DSYB, present in most DMSP-producing bacteria and haptophyte and dinoflagellate algae with the highest known DMSP concentrations, is shown to be far more abundant and transcribed in marine environments than any other known DMSP synthesis pathway S-methyltransferase gene. Furthermore, we demonstrate in vitro activity of the bacterial DsyB enzyme from Nisaea denitrificans, and provide its crystal structure in complex with SAM and SAH-MTHB, which together provide the first mechanistic insights into a DMSP synthesis enzyme. Structural and mutational analyses imply that DsyB adopts a novel mechanism, distinct from any previously reported SAM-MT, in which the DsyB residue Tyr142 activates the sulfur atom of MTHB for nucleophilic attack on the SAM methyl group. Sequence analysis suggests that this mechanism is common to all bacterial DsyB enzymes and also, importantly, eukaryotic DSYB enzymes from e.g., algae that are the major DMSP producers in Earth’s surface oceans.

Molecular mechanisms regulating hormone-sensitive lipase and lipolysis

2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1120-1124 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Holm
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Droplet ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Hormone Sensitive Lipase ◽  
Glucose Disposal ◽  
Triacylglycerol Lipase ◽  
Insulin Resistant ◽  
Lipolytic Action ◽  
Key Enzyme ◽  
Hormone Sensitive

HSL (hormone-sensitive lipase) is a key enzyme in the mobilization of fatty acids from acylglycerols in adipocytes as well as non-adipocytes. In adipocytes, catecholamines stimulate lipolysis mainly through PKA (protein kinase A)-mediated phosphorylation of HSL and perilipin, a protein coating the lipid droplet. The anti-lipolytic action of insulin is mediated mainly via lowered cAMP levels, accomplished through activation of phosphodiesterase 3B. Phosphorylation of HSL by PKA occurs at three sites, the serines 563, 659 and 660, both in vitro and in primary rat adipocytes. Phosphorylation of Ser-659 and -660 is required for in vitro activation as well as translocation from the cytosol to the lipid droplet, whereas the role of the third PKA site remains elusive. Adipocytes isolated from homozygous HSL-null mice, generated in our laboratory, exhibit completely blunted catecholamine-induced glycerol release and reduced fatty acid release, suggesting the presence of additional, although not necessarily hormone-activatable, triacylglycerol lipase(s). Basal hyperinsulinaemia, release of exaggerated amounts of insulin during glucose challenges and retarded glucose disposal during insulin tolerance tests suggest that HSL-null mice are insulin resistant. Liver, adipose tissue and skeletal muscle appear all to be sites of impaired insulin sensitivity in HSL-null mice.

Anthranilate Synthase and Chorismate Mutase Activities in Stem Rust-Inoculated and Elicitor-Treated Resistant, Moderately Resistant, and Susceptible Near-Isogenic Wheat Lines

1995 ◽  
Vol 50 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 54-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Bücker ◽  
Barbara Witte ◽  
Ursula Windmüller ◽  
Hans J. Grambow
Keyword(s):  
Stem Rust ◽  
Rust Fungus ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Enzyme Activation ◽  
Chorismate Mutase ◽  
Anthranilate Synthase ◽  
Resistance Response ◽  
Tryptophan Pathway ◽  
Wheat Lines ◽  
Moderately Resistant

Abstract Anthranilate synthase and chorismate mutase activities which control the flow of substrate from chorismate into the tryptophan pathway and into the phenylalanine/tyrosine pathway, respectively, were examined in three near isogenic wheat lines of Triticum aestivum L. (cv. Prelude Sr 5, highly resistant to stem rust infection; cv. Prelude Sr 24, moderately resistant; cv. Prelude srx, susceptible). The activities of both enzymes were found to increase in re­sponse to inoculation with the stem rust fungus Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici or treatment with Pgt elicitor. Thus, both the tryptophan branch and the phenylalanine branch appear to contribute to the resistance response in wheat leaves. Only the cytosolic but not the plastidic fraction of the enzyme activities appears to be affected by fungal infection or elicitor treat­ment. Some differences with respect to degree and time dependency of enzyme activation were noticed between the three wheat lines following inoculation but not after treatment with the Pgt elicitor.

scholarly journals Psoromic Acid, a Lichen-Derived Molecule, Inhibits the Replication of HSV-1 and HSV-2, and Inactivates HSV-1 DNA Polymerase: Shedding Light on Antiherpetic Properties

Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (16) ◽  
pp. 2912 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherif T. S. Hassan ◽  
Miroslava Šudomová ◽  
Kateřina Berchová-Bímová ◽  
Karel Šmejkal ◽  
Javier Echeverría
Keyword(s):  
Dna Polymerase ◽  
Active Sites ◽  
Inhibitory Action ◽  
Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Competitive Inhibition ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Standard Drug ◽  
Key Enzyme ◽  
Hsv 1

Psoromic acid (PA), a bioactive lichen-derived compound, was investigated for its inhibitory properties against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2), along with the inhibitory effect on HSV-1 DNA polymerase, which is a key enzyme that plays an essential role in HSV-1 replication cycle. PA was found to notably inhibit HSV-1 replication (50% inhibitory concentration (IC50): 1.9 μM; selectivity index (SI): 163.2) compared with the standard drug acyclovir (ACV) (IC50: 2.6 μM; SI: 119.2). The combination of PA with ACV has led to potent inhibitory activity against HSV-1 replication (IC50: 1.1 µM; SI: 281.8) compared with that of ACV. Moreover, PA displayed equivalent inhibitory action against HSV-2 replication (50% effective concentration (EC50): 2.7 μM; SI: 114.8) compared with that of ACV (EC50: 2.8 μM; SI: 110.7). The inhibition potency of PA in combination with ACV against HSV-2 replication was also detected (EC50: 1.8 µM; SI: 172.2). Further, PA was observed to effectively inhibit HSV-1 DNA polymerase (as a non-nucleoside inhibitor) with respect to dTTP incorporation in a competitive inhibition mode (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50): 0.7 μM; inhibition constant (Ki): 0.3 μM) compared with reference drugs aphidicolin (IC50: 0.8 μM; Ki: 0.4 μM) and ACV triphosphate (ACV-TP) (IC50: 0.9 μM; Ki: 0.5 μM). It is noteworthy that the mechanism by which PA-induced anti-HSV-1 activity was related to its inhibitory action against HSV-1 DNA polymerase. Furthermore, the outcomes of in vitro experiments were authenticated using molecular docking analyses, as the molecular interactions of PA with the active sites of HSV-1 DNA polymerase and HSV-2 protease (an essential enzyme required for HSV-2 replication) were revealed. Since this is a first report on the above-mentioned properties, we can conclude that PA might be a future drug for the treatment of HSV infections as well as a promising lead molecule for further anti-HSV drug design.

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