Regulation of enzymes of serine and one-carbon metabolism by testosterone in rat prostate, liver, and kidney.

A significant decrease in the specific activity of 3 enzymes of serine and one-carbon metabolism (3-phosphoglycerate dehydrgenase, phosphoserine phosphatase, and serine hydroxy-methyltransferase) was found in the rat prostate gland with castration. A single injection of testosterone propionate to rats 3 days after castration resulted in a significant increase in the 3 enzyme activities within 24 h. This increase in specific activity was maximal 72 h after injection of testosterone in the case of 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and serine hydroxymethyltransferase. When cycloheximide was administered in conjunction with testosterone, the increase in 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and serine hydroxy-methyltransferase activity was significantly reduced compared to injection of testosterone alone. N6, O2'-dibutyryl adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate [(Bu)2 cAMP] and theophylline injected at 8 h intervals to rats 3 days after castration failed to mimic the action of testosterone on these 3 enzymes 24 and 72 h after beginning injections. Castration had no effect on the specific activity of these enzymes in the kidney; however, 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase was significantly diminished in the liver 6 days after castration. A single injection of testosterone to rats 3 days after castration restored the activity to sham-operated levels. Serine hydroxy-methyltransferase and phosphoserine phosphatase activity in the liver were unaffected 6 days after castration. Thus testosterone exerts a regulatory role on serine and one-carbon metabolism in the prostate and liver which (Bu), cAMP is unable to minic.

Occurrence of hydroxypyruvate-L-glutamate transaminase in Escherichia coli and its separation from hydroxypyruvate-phosphate-L-glutamate transaminase.

Blatt, L. (University of Wisconsin, Madison), F. E. Dorer, and H. J. Sallach. Occurrence of hydroxypyruvate-l-glutamate transaminase in Escherichia coli and its separation from hydroxypyruvate-phosphate-l-glutamate transaminase. J. Bacteriol. 92:668-675. 1966.-The formation of l-serine from hydroxypyruvate by a transamination reaction with l-glutamate has been demonstrated in extracts of Escherichia coli. The level of activity with hydroxypyruvate is approximately one-tenth that observed with hydroxypyruvate-phosphate in cell-free extracts. The transamination of hydroxypyruvate, but not hydroxypyruvate-phosphate, is inhibited by inorganic phosphate. No marked differences in the levels of activity with hydroxypyruvate were observed in extracts from bacteria grown under different conditions. Heat treatment of enzyme preparations at 65 C rapidly destroys the activity with hydroxypyruvate-phosphate, but not that with hydroxypyruvate. Fractionation of extracts with lithium sulfate and alumina Cgamma resulted not only in a 10-fold purification, but also in a complete separation of the two activities, thereby establishing that two different enzymes are involved in the transamination of hydroxypyruvate and hydroxypyruvate-phosphate. Hydroxypyruvate transaminase is present in two mutants that require serine for growth. The inability of hydroxypyruvate to replace the growth requirement for serine, even to a limited extent, was shown to be due to the inability of the bacteria to accumulate this compound actively.

Comparative studies of enzymes related to serine metabolism in higher plants.

THE FOLLOWING ENZYMES RELATED TO SERINE METABOLISM IN HIGHER PLANTS HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED: 1) d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase, 2) phosphohydroxypyruvate:l-glutamate transaminase, 3) d-glycerate dehydrogenase, and 4) hydroxypyruvate:l-alanine transaminase. Comparative studies on the distribution of the 2 dehydrogenases in seeds and leaves from various plants revealed that d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase is widely distributed in seeds in contrast to d-glycerate dehydrogenase, which is either absent or present at low levels, and that the reverse pattern is observed in green leaves. The levels of activity of the 4 enzymes listed above were followed in different tissues of the developing pea (Pisum sativum, var. Alaska). In the leaf, from the tenth to seventeenth day of germination, the specific activity of d-glycerate dehydrogenase increased markedly and was much higher than d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase which remained relatively constant during this time period. Etiolation resulted in a decrease in d-glycerate dehydrogenase and an increase in d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase activities. In apical meristem, on the other hand, the level of d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase exceeded that of d-glycerate dehydrogenase at all time periods studied. Low and decreasing levels of both dehydrogenases were found in epicotyl and cotyledon. The specific activities of the 2 transaminases remained relatively constant during development in both leaf and apical meristem. In general, however, the levels of phosphohydroxypyruvate:l-glutamate transaminase were comparable to those of d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase in a given tissue as were those for hydroxypyruvate: l-alanine transaminase and d-glycerate dehydrogenase.

Reversible dissociation of a carbamoyl phosphate synthase-aspartate transcarbamoylase-dihydroorotase complex from ovarian eggs of Rana catesbeiana: effect of uridine triphosphate and other modifiers.

Glutamine-dependent carbanoyl phosphate synthase [ATP6carbamate phosphotransgerase (dephosphorylating), EC 2.7.2.9], aspartate transcarbamoylase (carbamoylphosphate: L-aspartate carbamoyltransferase, EC 2.1.3.2) and dihydroorotase (L-5,6-dihydroorotate amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.2.3), are copurified as a high-molicular-weight complex from extracts of unfertilized eggs of Rana catesbeiana. UTP is required to maintain the integrity of the complex during the last two purification steps. Removal of the nucleotide results in dissociation of the complex. Based on sedimentation behavior in glycerol gradients, the dissociated carbamoyl phosphate synthase has an apparent molecular weight of 260,000 +/- 20,000 and that of dihydroorotase is estimated at 280,000 +/- 20,000. Aspartate transcarbamoylase is broadly distributed over the gradient. The addition of ATP, 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate, Mg++, or inorganic phosphate to the dossociated complex results in the appearance of a peak of aspartate transcarbamoylase activity with an apparent molecular weight of 110,000 +/- 10,000. Icubation of a mixture of the dissociated enzymes with UTP and Mg++ leads to their reassociation into the high-molecular-weight complex.