Biosynthesis of amino acids byOxalobacter formigenes: analysis using13C-NMR

1996 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 1219-1224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy A. Cornick ◽  
Bin Yan ◽  
Shelton Bank ◽  
Milton J. Allison

The gram-negative anaerobe Oxalobacter formigenes, grows on oxalate as the principal carbon and energy source, but a small amount of acetate is also required for growth. Experiments were conducted to determine the distribution and the position of label in cellular amino acids from cells grown on [13C]oxalate, [13C]acetate (1-13C, 2-13C, and U-13C), and13CCO3. The labeling pattern (determined with NMR spectroscopy) of amino acids was consistent with their formation through common biosynthetic pathways. The majority of the carbons in the amino acids that are usually derived from pyruvate, oxaloacetate, α-ketoglutarate, 3-phosphoglycerate, and carbon in the aromatic amino acids were labeled by oxalate. Carbon from13CO3was assimilated primarily into amino acids expected to be derived from oxaloacetate and α-ketoglutarate. Approximately 60% of the acetate that was assimilated into amino acids was incorporated as a C2unit into proline, arginine, glutamate, and leucine. The pattern of labeling from acetate in glutamate, arginine, and proline was consistent with acetate incorporation via citrate (si)-synthase and subsequent formation of α-ketoglutarate via the first third of the tricarboxylic acid pathway. Acetate was also assimilated into amino acids derived from pyruvate and oxaloacetate, but results indicated that this incorporation was as single carbon atoms. Based on these findings, cell-free extracts were assayed for several key biosynthetic enzymes. Enzymatic activities found included glutamate dehydrogenase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, and pyruvate carboxylase. These findings are consistent with proposed biosynthetic mechanisms.Key words: oxalate, carbon flow, carbon assimilation.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 838
Author(s):  
Macarena Larroude ◽  
Djamila Onésime ◽  
Olivier Rué ◽  
Jean-Marc Nicaud ◽  
Tristan Rossignol

The yeast Yarrowia lipolytica naturally produces pyomelanin. This pigment accumulates in the extracellular environment following the autoxidation and polymerization of homogentisic acid, a metabolite derived from aromatic amino acids. In this study, we used a chassis strain optimized to produce aromatic amino acids for the de novo overproduction of pyomelanin. The gene 4HPPD, which encodes an enzyme involved in homogentisic acid synthesis (4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid dioxygenase), was characterized and overexpressed in the chassis strain with up to three copies, leading to pyomelanin yields of 4.5 g/L. Homogentisic acid is derived from tyrosine. When engineered strains were grown in a phenylalanine-supplemented medium, pyomelanin production increased, revealing that the yeast could convert phenylalanine to tyrosine, or that the homogentisic acid pathway is strongly induced by phenylalanine.


Author(s):  
Gary W. Morrow

Like other amino acids, the aromatic amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan are vitally important for protein synthesis in all organisms. However, while animals can synthesize tyrosine via oxidation of phenylalanine, they can synthesize neither phenylalanine itself nor tryptophan and so these essential amino acids must be obtained in the diet, usually from plant material. Though many other investigators made significant contributions in this area over the years, it was Bernhard Davis in the early 1950s whose use of mutant stains of Escherichia coli led to a full understanding of the so-called shikimic acid pathway that is used by plants and also by some microorganisms for the biosynthesis of these essential amino acids. The pathway is almost completely devoted to their synthesis for protein production in bacteria, while in plants the pathway extends their use to the construction of a wide array of secondary metabolites, many of which are valuable medicinal agents. These secondary metabolites range from simple and familiar compounds such as vanillin (vanilla flavor and fragrance) and eugenol (oil of clove, a useful dental anesthetic) to more complex structures such as pinoresinol, a common plant biochemical, and podophyllotoxin, a powerful cancer chemotherapy agent. Earlier in Chapter 3, we encountered two important intermediates, erythrose-4-phosphate and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), each of which was derived from a different pathway utilized in carbohydrate metabolism. Erythrose-4-P was an intermediate in one of the steps of the pentose phosphate pathway while hydrolysis of PEP to pyruvic acid was the final step in glycolysis. These two simple intermediates provide the seven carbon atoms required for construction of shikimic acid itself. The two are linked to one another via a sequence of enzyme-mediated aldol-type reactions, the first being a bimolecular reaction and the second an intramolecular variant that ultimately leads to a cyclic precursor of shikimic acid known as 3-dehydroquinic acid as shown in Fig. 6.3. Subsequent dehydration of 3-dehydroquinic acid leads to 3-dehydroshikimic acid which then leads directly to shikimic acid via NADPH reduction.


1968 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. J. Somerville

Cell-free extracts of Peptostreptococcus elsdenii, a strict anaerobe from the rumen, were examined for enzymes catalysing the steps in the biosynthesis from lactate of alanine, serine, aspartate and glutamate. Extracts contain the enzymes necessary for the formation of alanine from lactate via pyruvate. The presence of enzymes catalysing the interconversion of phosphoglycerate and phosphohydroxypyruvate, the transamination of the latter to phosphoserine and the cleavage of phosphoserine to serine and inorganic phosphate was demonstrated, suggesting that serine is formed via these intermediates. ‘Malic’ enzyme, malate dehydrogenase and glutamate–oxaloacetate transaminase are present in extracts and could account for aspartate formation. The extracts catalyse all of the steps of the tricarboxylic acid pathway leading from oxaloacetate plus acetate to glutamate. Together with substantive data from previous radioactive tracer studies the results provide strong evidence that these four amino acids are synthesized in this strict anaerobe by pathways closely similar to those operating in aerobic and facultatively aerobic organisms.


1996 ◽  
Vol 42 (11) ◽  
pp. 1081-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. Cornick ◽  
M. J. Allison

Oxalobacterformigenes is the only well-documented oxalate-degrading bacterium isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of animals. The production of ATP by Oxalobacter formigenes is centered around oxalate metabolism and oxalate is required for growth. A small amount of acetate (0.5 mM) is also required. Oxalate is decarboxylated to formate plus CO2in nearly equimolar amounts. Experiments were conducted to determine which potential carbon sources (oxalate, acetate, formate, CO2) were assimilated by Oxalobacter formigenes and which metabolic pathways were operative in carbon assimilation. Measurements of the specific activities of total cell carbon after growth with different14C-labeled precursors indicated that at least 54% of the total cell carbon was derived from oxalate and at least 7% was derived from acetate. Carbonate was also assimilated, but formate was not a significant source of cell carbon. Labeling patterns in amino acids from cells grown in [14C]oxalate or14CO3were different; however, in both cases14C was widely distributed into most cellular amino acids. Carbon from [14C]acetate was less widely distributed and detected mainly in those amino acids known to be derived from α-ketoglutarate, oxaloacetate, and pyruvate. Cell-free extracts contained citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase activities. The labeling observed in amino acids derived from acetate is in agreement with the function of these enzymes in biosynthesis and indicates that the majority of acetate carbon entered into amino acid biosynthesis via well-known pathways.Key words: biosynthesis, carbon assimilation, metabolism.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Craig ◽  
N Kolks ◽  
E Urusova ◽  
BD Zlatopolskiy ◽  
B Neumaier

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Golaleh Asghari ◽  
Emad Yuzbashian ◽  
Maryam Zarkesh ◽  
Parvin Mirmiran ◽  
Mehdi Hedayati ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nidhi Gour ◽  
Bharti Koshti ◽  
Chandra Kanth P. ◽  
Dhruvi Shah ◽  
Vivek Shinh Kshatriya ◽  
...  

We report for the very first time self-assembly of Cysteine and Methionine to discrenible strucutres under neutral condition. To get insights into the structure formation, thioflavin T and Congo red binding assays were done which revealed that aggregates may not have amyloid like characteristics. The nature of interactions which lead to such self-assemblies was purported by coincubating assemblies in urea and mercaptoethanol. Further interaction of aggregates with short amyloidogenic dipeptide diphenylalanine (FF) was assessed. While cysteine aggregates completely disrupted FF fibres, methionine albeit triggered fibrillation. The cytotoxicity assays of cysteine and methionine structures were performed on Human Neuroblastoma IMR-32 cells which suggested that aggregates are not cytotoxic in nature and thus, may not have amyloid like etiology. The results presented in the manuscript are striking, since to the best of our knowledge,this is the first report which demonstrates that even non-aromatic amino acids (cysteine and methionine) can undergo spontaneous self-assembly to form ordered aggregates.


1983 ◽  
Vol 245 (4) ◽  
pp. R556-R563 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. K. Tews ◽  
A. E. Harper

Transport of histidine, valine, or lysine into rat brain slices and across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was determined in the presence of atypical nonprotein amino acids. Competitors of histidine and valine transport in slices were large neutral amino acids including norleucine, norvaline, alpha-aminooctanoate, beta-methylphenylalanine, and alpha-aminophenylacetate. Less effective were aromatic amino acids with ring substituents; ineffective were basic amino acids and omega-amino isomers of norleucine and aminooctanoate. Lysine transport was moderately depressed by homoarginine or ornithine plus arginine; large neutral amino acids were also similarly inhibitory. Histidine or valine transport across the BBB was also strongly inhibited by large neutral amino acids that were the most effective competitors in the slices (norvaline, norleucine, alpha-aminooctanoate, and alpha-aminophenylacetate); homoarginine and 8-aminooctanoate were ineffective. Homoarginine, ornithine, and arginine almost completely blocked lysine transport, but the large neutral amino acids were barely inhibitory. When rats were fed a single meal containing individual atypical large neutral amino acids or homoarginine, brain pools of certain large neutral amino acids or of arginine and lysine, respectively, were depleted.


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