scholarly journals The proximal pathway of metabolism of the chlorinated signal molecule differentiation-inducing factor-1 (DIF-1) in the cellular slime mould Dictyostelium

1995 ◽  
Vol 306 (3) ◽  
pp. 735-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Morandini ◽  
J Offer ◽  
D Traynor ◽  
O Nayler ◽  
D Neuhaus ◽  
...  

Stalk cell differentiation during development of the slime mould Dictyostelium is induced by a chlorinated alkyl phenone called differentiation-inducing factor-1 (DIF-1). Inactivation of DIF-1 is likely to be a key element in the DIF-1 signalling system, and we have shown previously that this is accomplished by a dedicated metabolic pathway involving up to 12 unidentified metabolites. We report here the structure of the first four metabolites produced from DIF-1, as deduced by m.s., n.m.r. and chemical synthesis. The structures of these compounds show that the first step in metabolism is a dechlorination of the phenolic ring, producing DIF metabolite 1 (DM1). DM1 is identical with the previously known minor DIF activity, DIF-3. DIF-3 is then metabolized by three successive oxidations of its aliphatic side chain: a hydroxylation at omega-2 to produce DM2, oxidation of the hydroxy group to a ketone group to produce DM3 and a further hydroxylation at omega-1 to produce DM4, a hydroxyketone of DIF-3. We have investigated the enzymology of DIF-1 metabolism. It is already known that the first step, to produce DIF-3, is catalysed by a novel dechlorinase. The enzyme activity responsible for the first side-chain oxidation (DIF-3 hydroxylase) was detected by incubating [3H]DIF-3 with cell-free extracts and resolving the reaction products by t.l.c. DIF-3 hydroxylase has many of the properties of a cytochrome P-450. It is membrane-bound and uses NADPH as co-substrate. It is also inhibited by CO, the classic cytochrome P-450 inhibitor, and by several other cytochrome P-450 inhibitors, as well as by diphenyliodonium chloride, an inhibitor of cytochrome P-450 reductase. DIF-3 hydroxylase is highly specific for DIF-3: other closely related compounds do not compete for the activity at 100-fold molar excess, with the exception of the DIF-3 analogue lacking the chlorine atom. The Km for DIF-3 of 47 nM is consistent with this enzyme being responsible for DIF-3 metabolism in vivo. The two further oxidations necessary to produce DM4 are also performed in vitro by similar enzyme activities. One of the inhibitors of DIF-3 hydroxylase, ancymidol (IC50 67 nM) is likely to be particularly suitable for probing the function of DIF metabolism during development.

Development ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 104 (4) ◽  
pp. 669-681
Author(s):  
K. Inouye

During the process of fruiting body construction in the cellular slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum, prestalk cells become mature stalk cells in a well-controlled manner. To identify the natural inducer of stalk cell maturation, substances known to induce stalk cell differentiation under in vitro conditions, and some other related compounds, were examined for their effects in vivo on migrating slugs, the precursor structures of the fruiting bodies. Among these substances, addition of weak acids such as CO2, and addition followed by removal of weak bases such as NH3, strikingly induced the maturation of prestalk cells in situ in slugs. On the other hand, inhibitors of the plasma membrane proton pump did not efficiently induce the maturation of prestalk cells in intact slugs. Differentiation inducing factor (DIF), an endogenous inducer of prestalk differentiation, seemed to be an even poorer inducer of stalk cell maturation when applied to intact slugs. The activities of these substances in inducing stalk cell maturation showed a good correlation with their effects on the cytoplasmic pH (pHi) of prestalk cells; the larger the pHi drop, the stronger the induction of stalk cell maturation, suggesting a requirement for a pHi decrease for the maturation of prestalk cells. Based on these results, it was proposed that stalk cell differentiation, which is induced by DIF, is blocked halfway during normal development by (an) agent(s) that prevent(s) the decrease in pHi.


2015 ◽  
Vol 198 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-hui Chen ◽  
Pauline Schaap

Cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) is currently recognized as the most widely used intracellular signal molecule in prokaryotes, but roles in eukaryotes were only recently discovered. In the social amoebaDictyostelium discoideum, c-di-GMP, produced by a prokaryote-type diguanylate cyclase, induces the differentiation of stalk cells, thereby enabling the formation of spore-bearing fruiting bodies. In this review, we summarize the currently known mechanisms that control the major life cycle transitions ofDictyosteliumand focus particularly on the role of c-di-GMP in stalk formation. Stalk cell differentiation has characteristics of autophagic cell death, a process that also occurs in higher eukaryotes. We discuss the respective roles of c-di-GMP and of another signal molecule, differentiation-inducing factor 1, in autophagic cell deathin vitroand in stalk formationin vivo.


1990 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Imai ◽  
H. Seo ◽  
Y. Murata ◽  
M. Ohno ◽  
Y. Satoh ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The changes in steady-state levels of mRNA for cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P-450 (P-450scc) and steroid 21-hydroxylase cytochrome P-450 (P-450c21) caused by hypophysectomy and ACTH treatment were determined in rat adrenals. Hypophysectomy caused marked decreases in adrenal weight and total RNA per gland. Administration of ACTH resulted in increases in adrenal weight and total RNA. A significant correlation between the amount of RNA and adrenal weight was observed. Both P-450scc and P-450c21 mRNAs were decreased by hypophysectomy and increased by ACTH treatment. P-450scc mRNA decreased to 20% and P-450c21 mRNA to 76% of control values 1 day after hypophysectomy. ACTH caused a significant increase in P-450scc mRNA after 3 h. However, a significant increase in P-450c21 mRNA was observed 12 h after administration of ACTH. These results are concordant with previous studies in vitro utilizing cultured adrenocortical cells. Moreover, the induction of steady-state levels of P-450scc mRNA was faster than that observed by other investigators in studies in vitro. These results may indicate that integrity of the adrenal gland in vivo is important for the action of ACTH.


Author(s):  
T. O. PHILIPPOVA ◽  
B. N. GALKIN ◽  
N. YA. GOLOVENKO ◽  
Z. I. ZHILINA ◽  
S. V. VODZINSKII

Tin complexes of meso-substituted synthetic porphyrins, namely Sn 4+-meso-tetraphenyl- porphyrin ( Sn - TPP ) and Sn 4+-meso-tetrakis(N-methyl-3-pyridyl)porphyrin tetratosylate ( Sn - TMe -3- PyP ), efficiently decrease the serum bilirubin level when injected subcutaneously at a dose of 100 μM kg−1 body weight into mice. These compounds are active during hyperbilirubinemia, induced by phenylhydrazine, hemin and tetrachloromethane, and also during autoimmune hemolytic anemia. In the latter case a decrease in serum bilirubin content was observed, as well as a decrease in the amount of blood reticulocytes which reflects a milder course of the disease. The Sn complexes under study induce, in vivo, cytochrome P-450, inhibit microsomal heme oxygenase and decrease the intensity of lipid peroxidation. At the same time, in vitro the hepatic and splenic heme oxygenase activity is blocked only when a 0.1 μM concentration of Sn - TMe -3- PyP or Sn -protoporphyrin IX is added to the incubation mixture. Sn - TPP does not affect the activity of this enzyme in vitro.


1991 ◽  
Vol 46 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 906-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald E. Moreland ◽  
Frederick T. Corbin

Abstract Metabolism of bentazon and metolachlor by excised shoots and a microsomal fraction iso­lated from the shoots, of 3-day-old, dark-grown, grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor cv. Funk G 522 DR) seedlings was studied. The effects of seed treatments, on the subsequent metabo­lism of the herbicides, with the safeners naphthalic anhydride, oxabetrinil, and CGA 133205 were compared against surface-sterilization and Captan-treatments. Bentazon was aryl hydroxylated in both in vivo and in vitro studies with the hydroxylated derivative undergoing glycosylation only under in vivo conditions. Both shoots and microsomes isolated from shoots of safener-treated seed showed enhanced metabolism of bentazon relative to the controls. In­ hibition by tetcyclacis, a potent inhibitor of plant cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases, in both the in vivo and in vitro studies, and a requirement for NADPH in the in vitro studies suggested that the formation of hydroxybentazon was mediated by a cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase. Metolachlor was metabolized to polar material and O-desmethylmetolachlor under in vivo conditions. Only the demethylated product was formed in vitro. Shoots isolated from safener-treated seed showed enhanced formation of polar com pounds which were assumed to have arisen from conjugation with glutathione. Tetcyclacis did not affect the formation of the polar components. However, the formation of O-desmethylmetolachlor was depressed in the shoots excised from safener-treated seed under both in vivo and in vitro conditions. Tetcyclacis completely prevented formation of the demethylated metabolite. Hence, formation of this meta­bolite is considered to be P-450 mediated. The differential response obtained with the safeners, i.e., stimulation of aryl hydroxylation of bentazon and depression of metolachlor demethylation, suggests that the reactions are probably catalyzed by different cytochrome P-450 mono­oxygenases.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (11) ◽  
pp. 2818-2823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Tang ◽  
Zhengyan Guo ◽  
Zhenju Cao ◽  
Min Wang ◽  
Pengwei Li ◽  
...  

Seven-carbon-chain–containing sugars exist in several groups of important bacterial natural products. Septacidin represents a group of l-heptopyranoses containing nucleoside antibiotics with antitumor, antifungal, and pain-relief activities. Hygromycin B, an aminoglycoside anthelmintic agent used in swine and poultry farming, represents a group of d-heptopyranoses–containing antibiotics. To date, very little is known about the biosynthesis of these compounds. Here we sequenced the genome of the septacidin producer and identified the septacidin gene cluster by heterologous expression. After determining the boundaries of the septacidin gene cluster, we studied septacidin biosynthesis by in vivo and in vitro experiments and discovered that SepB, SepL, and SepC can convert d-sedoheptulose-7-phosphate (S-7-P) to ADP-l-glycero-β-d-manno-heptose, exemplifying the involvement of ADP-sugar in microbial natural product biosynthesis. Interestingly, septacidin, a secondary metabolite from a gram-positive bacterium, shares the same ADP-heptose biosynthesis pathway with the gram-negative bacterium LPS. In addition, two acyltransferase-encoding genes sepD and sepH, were proposed to be involved in septacidin side-chain formation according to the intermediates accumulated in their mutants. In hygromycin B biosynthesis, an isomerase HygP can recognize S-7-P and convert it to ADP-d-glycero-β-d-altro-heptose together with GmhA and HldE, two enzymes from the Escherichia coli LPS heptose biosynthetic pathway, suggesting that the d-heptopyranose moiety of hygromycin B is also derived from S-7-P. Unlike the other S-7-P isomerases, HygP catalyzes consecutive isomerizations and controls the stereochemistry of both C2 and C3 positions.


2003 ◽  
Vol 59 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 429-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue-Qing Li ◽  
Anders Bj�rkman ◽  
Tommy B. Andersson ◽  
Lars L. Gustafsson ◽  
Collen M. Masimirembwa

1963 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roversi G. D. ◽  
Polvani F. ◽  
Bompiani A. ◽  
Neher R.

ABSTRACT A case of virilizing adrenal adenoma is described. The tumour was incubated with progesterone-4-14C. In the extract the following steroids were identified chromatographically, in order of decreasing quantity and radioactivity: 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, androst-4-ene-3,17-dione, corticosterone (11β,21 -dihydroxy-pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione), cortisol (11β,17,21-trihydroxy-pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione) and 11-deoxycortisol. This indicates either an increase in 17α-hydroxylation and side chain split, or a partial blockage of 21-hydroxylation, or a combination of both in the tumour tissue. The absence of the 3β-hydroxy-dehydrogenase demonstrated histochemically in the tumour and the examination of the urinary 17-ketosteroids before and after removal of the neoplasm, suggested the same abnormal biosynthetic pattern in vivo with regard to the level of the endogenous Δ5-precursors.


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