scholarly journals Detection and location of the enzymes of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis in mammalian spermatozoa

Reproduction ◽  
2002 ◽  
pp. 757-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
EA Carrey ◽  
C Dietz ◽  
DM Glubb ◽  
M Loffler ◽  
JM Lucocq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
De Novo ◽  
Pyrimidine Biosynthesis ◽  
Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Aspartate Transcarbamylase ◽  
Carbamyl Phosphate ◽  
Pyrimidine Nucleotides ◽  
Carbamyl Phosphate Synthetase ◽  
De Novo Biosynthesis ◽  
Ump Synthase ◽  
Mammalian Spermatozoa

Enzymes of the pathway for de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides have been reported in spermatozoa from fruitfly and mammals. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the enzymes for biosynthesis of uridine monophosphate (UMP) are concentrated near the mitochondria, which are segregated in the mid-piece of spermatozoa. Baby hamster kidney fibroblasts were compared with spermatozoa from rams, boars, bulls and men. Antibodies raised against synthetic peptides from sequences of the multienzyme polypeptides containing glutamine-dependent carbamyl phosphate synthetase, aspartate transcarbamylase and dihydroorotase (CAD) and UMP synthase, which catalyse reactions 1-3 and 5-6, respectively, were used, together with an affinity-purified antibody raised against dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), the mitochondrial enzyme for step 4. Western blot analysis, immunofluorescent microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy confirmed that CAD and UMP synthase are found in the cytoplasm around and outside the mitochondria; DHODH is found exclusively inside the mitochondria. CAD was also located in the nucleus, where it has been reported in the nuclear matrix, and in the cytoplasm, apparently associated with the cytoskeleton. It is possible that CAD in the cytoplasm has a role unconnected with pyrimidine biosynthesis.

scholarly journals Antiviral Activity of Inhibitors of Pyrimidine De-Novo Biosynthesis

1996 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Wachsman ◽  
F. M. Hamzeh ◽  
N. B. Assadi ◽  
P. S. Lietman
Keyword(s):  
Antiviral Activity ◽  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Hcmv Infection ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Antiviral Effect ◽  
Pyrimidine Biosynthesis ◽  
Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Dot Blot ◽  
De Novo Biosynthesis ◽  
Biosynthesis Inhibitors

Evaluation of the elevation of host cell biosynthesis of deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTP's) induced by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection as a target for antiviral therapeutics was carried out. The concentrations of all four intracellular dNTP's rose rapidly following HCMV infection, and were markedly above baseline by 8 h post infection (p.i.). All four deoxynucleoside triphosphates remained elevated above baseline for at least 72 h p.i. The effects of inhibitors of the de-novo pathway of pyrimidine biosynthesis on HCMV viral replication-were quantified by DNA dot blot. All pyrimidine biosynthesis inhibitors examined inhibited the HCMV DNA replication at concentrations that were non-toxic to the cell. These drugs were also more effective against HCMV, which is highly dependent on host denovo synthesis, than against HSV-1 which encodes enzymes capable of increasing the supply of dNTP's. The antiviral effect of brequinar, an inhibitor of one of the enzymes of the de-novo pathway (dihydroorotate dehydrogenase), was examined to determine if it coincided with a decrease in dNTP's. HCMV-infected fibroblasts and uninfected control cells were treated with a concentration of brequinar able to inhibit HCMV DNA levels 90%. It was found that brequinar markedly lowered the levels of dTTP found in treated cells compared to untreated cells in both HCMV-infected and uninfected cells.

scholarly journals Identification of 3,4-Dihydro-2H,6H-pyrimido[1,2-c][1,3]benzothiazin-6-imine Derivatives as Novel Selective Inhibitors of Plasmodium falciparum Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 7236
Author(s):  
Endah Dwi Hartuti ◽  
Takaya Sakura ◽  
Mohammed S. O. Tagod ◽  
Eri Yoshida ◽  
Xinying Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Target ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Chemical Library ◽  
New Class ◽  
De Novo Biosynthesis ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Novel Drugs ◽  
Low Toxicity ◽  
Fourth Step

Plasmodium falciparum’s resistance to available antimalarial drugs highlights the need for the development of novel drugs. Pyrimidine de novo biosynthesis is a validated drug target for the prevention and treatment of malaria infection. P. falciparum dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (PfDHODH) catalyzes the oxidation of dihydroorotate to orotate and utilize ubiquinone as an electron acceptor in the fourth step of pyrimidine de novo biosynthesis. PfDHODH is targeted by the inhibitor DSM265, which binds to a hydrophobic pocket located at the N-terminus where ubiquinone binds, which is known to be structurally divergent from the mammalian orthologue. In this study, we screened 40,400 compounds from the Kyoto University chemical library against recombinant PfDHODH. These studies led to the identification of 3,4-dihydro-2H,6H-pyrimido[1,2-c][1,3]benzothiazin-6-imine and its derivatives as a new class of PfDHODH inhibitor. Moreover, the hit compounds identified in this study are selective for PfDHODH without inhibition of the human enzymes. Finally, this new scaffold of PfDHODH inhibitors showed growth inhibition activity against P. falciparum 3D7 with low toxicity to three human cell lines, providing a new starting point for antimalarial drug development.

scholarly journals Functional Expression of Human Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase (DHODH) in pyr4 Mutants of Ustilago maydis Allows Target Validation of DHODH Inhibitors In Vivo

2007 ◽  
Vol 73 (10) ◽  
pp. 3371-3379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elke Zameitat ◽  
Gerald Freymark ◽  
Cornelia D. Dietz ◽  
Monika Löffler ◽  
Michael Bölker
Keyword(s):  
Biochemical Characterization ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Ustilago Maydis ◽  
Functional Expression ◽  
Cytostatic Drug ◽  
Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Mitochondrial Targeting ◽  
Pyrimidine Nucleotides ◽  
Targeting Signal

ABSTRACT Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH; EC 1.3.99.11) is a central enzyme of pyrimidine biosynthesis and catalyzes the oxidation of dihydroorotate to orotate. DHODH is an important target for antiparasitic and cytostatic drugs since rapid cell proliferation often depends on the de novo synthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides. We have cloned the pyr4 gene encoding mitochondrial DHODH from the basidiomycetous plant pathogen Ustilago maydis. We were able to show that pyr4 contains a functional mitochondrial targeting signal. The deletion of pyr4 resulted in uracil auxotrophy, enhanced sensitivity to UV irradiation, and a loss of pathogenicity on corn plants. The biochemical characterization of purified U. maydis DHODH overproduced in Escherichia coli revealed that the U. maydis enzyme uses quinone electron acceptor Q6 and is resistant to several commonly used DHODH inhibitors. Here we show that the expression of the human DHODH gene fused to the U. maydis mitochondrial targeting signal is able to complement the auxotrophic phenotype of pyr4 mutants. While U. maydis wild-type cells were resistant to the DHODH inhibitor brequinar, strains expressing the human DHODH gene became sensitive to this cytostatic drug. Such engineered U. maydis strains can be used in sensitive in vivo assays for the development of novel drugs specifically targeted at either human or fungal DHODH.

Carbamyl phosphate synthetase in the chick

1969 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles G. Maresh ◽  
Theodore H. Kwan ◽  
Sumner M. Kalman
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
Chick Embryo ◽  
Urea Cycle ◽  
Mitochondrial Fraction ◽  
Pyrimidine Biosynthesis ◽  
Developmental Pattern ◽  
Synthetase Activity ◽  
Young Chick ◽  
Carbamyl Phosphate ◽  
Carbamyl Phosphate Synthetase

Carbamyl phosphate synthetase activity is present in the liver of the chick embryo and in the young chick. This enzyme activity is not dependent upon acetylglutamate and is not present in the mitochondrial fraction. Because the urea cycle is not present in chick liver and because of the developmental pattern of the enzyme activity, we infer that this enzyme is involved in pyrimidine biosynthesis.

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