Supplementing media with NAD+ precursors enhances the in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes.

In vitro maturation (IVM) is an important reproductive technology used to produce embryos in vitro. However, the developmental potential of oocytes sourced for IVM is markedly lower than those matured in vivo. Previously, NAD+-elevating treatments have improved oocyte quality and embryo development in cattle and mice, suggesting that NAD+ is important during oocyte maturation. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of nicotinic acid (NA), nicotinamide (NAM) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) on oocyte maturation and subsequent embryo development. Porcine oocytes from small antral follicles were matured for 44 h in a defined maturation medium supplemented with NA, NAM and resveratrol or NMN. Mature oocytes were artificially activated and presumptive zygotes cultured for 7 days. Additionally, oocytes were matured without treatment then cultured for 7 days with NMN. Supplementing the IVM medium with NA improved maturation and blastocyst formation while NAM supplementation improved cleavage rates compared with untreated controls. Supplementing the IVM or embryo culture media with NMN had no effect on maturation or embryo development. The results show that supplementing the maturation medium with NA and NAM improved maturation and developmental potential of porcine oocytes.

Nicotinic acid mononucleotide is an allosteric SARM1 inhibitor promoting axonal protection.

SARM1 is an inducible NAD+ hydrolase that is the central executioner of pathological axon loss. Recently, we elucidated the molecular mechanism of SARM1 activation, demonstrating that SARM1 is a metabolic sensor regulated by the levels of NAD+ and its precursor, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), via their competitive binding to an allosteric site within the SARM1 N-terminal ARM domain. In healthy neurons with abundant NAD+, binding of NAD+ blocks access of NMN to this allosteric site. However, with injury or disease the levels of the NAD+ biosynthetic enzyme NMNAT2 drop, increasing the NMN/ NAD+ ratio and thereby promoting NMN binding to the SARM1 allosteric site, which in turn induces a conformational change activating the SARM1 NAD+ hydrolase. Hence, NAD+ metabolites both regulate the activation of SARM1 and, in turn, are regulated by the SARM1 NAD+ hydrolase. This dual upstream and downstream role for NAD+ metabolites in SARM1 function has hindered mechanistic understanding of axoprotective mechanisms that manipulate the NAD+ metabolome. Here we reevaluate two methods that potently block axon degeneration via modulation of NAD+ related metabolites, 1) the administration of the NMN biosynthesis inhibitor FK866 in conjunction with the NAD+ precursor nicotinic acid riboside (NaR) and 2) the neuronal expression of the bacterial enzyme NMN deamidase. We find that these approaches not only lead to a decrease in the levels of the SARM1 activator NMN, but also an increase in the levels of the NAD+ precursor nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NaMN). We show that NaMN inhibits SARM1 activation, and demonstrate that this NaMN-mediated inhibition is important for the long-term axon protection induced by these treatments. Analysis of the NaMN-ARM domain co-crystal structure shows that NaMN competes with NMN for binding to the SARM1 allosteric site and promotes the open, autoinhibited configuration of SARM1 ARM domain. Together, these results demonstrate that the SARM1 allosteric pocket can bind a diverse set of metabolites including NMN, NAD+, and NaMN to monitor cellular NAD+ homeostasis and regulate SARM1 NAD+ hydrolase activity. The relative promiscuity of the allosteric site may enable the development of potent pharmacological inhibitors of SARM1 activation for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Effect of Divalent Metal Ion on the Structure, Stability and Function of Klebsiella pneumoniae Nicotinate-Nucleotide Adenylyltransferase: Empirical and Computational Studies.

The continuous threat of drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae justifies identifying novel targets and developing effective antibacterial agents. A potential target is nicotinate nucleotide adenylyltransferase (NNAT), an indispensable enzyme in the biosynthesis of the cell-dependent metabolite, NAD+. NNAT catalyses the adenylation of nicotinamide/nicotinate mononucleotide (NMN/NaMN), using ATP to form nicotinamide/nicotinate adenine dinucleotide (NAD+/NaAD). In addition, it employs divalent cations for co-substrate binding and catalysis and has a preference for different divalent cations. Here, the biophysical structure of NNAT from K. pneumoniae (KpNNAT) and the impact of divalent cations on its activity, conformational stability and substrate-binding are described using experimental and computational approaches. The experimental study was executed using an enzyme-coupled assay, far-UV circular dichroism, extrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, and thermal shift assays, alongside homology modelling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulation. The structure of KpNNAT revealed a predominately α-helical secondary structure content and a binding site that is partially hydrophobic. Its substrates ATP and NMN share the same binding pocket with similar affinity and exhibit an energetically favourable binding. KpNNAT showed maximum activity and minimal conformational changes with Mg2+ as a cofactor compared to Zn2+, Cu2+ and Ni2+. Overall, ATP binding affects KpNNAT dynamics, and the dynamics of ATP binding depend on the presence and type of divalent cation. The data obtained from this study would serve as a basis for further evaluation towards designing structure-based inhibitors with therapeutic potential.

Effect of oral administration of nicotinamide mononucleotide on clinical parameters and nicotinamide metabolite levels in healthy Japanese men.

Recent studies have revealed that decline in cellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels causes aging-related disorders and therapeutic approaches increasing cellular NAD+ prevent these disorders in animal models. The administration of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has been shown to mitigate aging-related dysfunctions. However, the safety of NMN in humans have remained unclear. We, therefore, conducted a clinical trial to investigate the safety of single NMN administration in 10 healthy men. A single-arm non-randomized intervention was conducted by single oral administration of 100, 250, and 500 mg NMN. Clinical findings and parameters, and the pharmacokinetics of NMN metabolites were investigated for 5 h after each intervention. Ophthalmic examination and sleep quality assessment were also conducted before and after the intervention. The single oral administrations of NMN did not cause any significant clinical symptoms or changes in heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and body temperature. Laboratory analysis results did not show significant changes, except for increases in serum bilirubin levels and decreases in serum creatinine, chloride, and blood glucose levels within the normal ranges, independent of the dose of NMN. Results of ophthalmic examination and sleep quality score showed no differences before and after the intervention. Plasma concentrations of N-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide and N-methyl-4-pyridone-5-carboxamide were significantly increased dose-dependently by NMN administration. The single oral administration of NMN was safe and effectively metabolized in healthy men without causing any significant deleterious effects. Thus, the oral administration of NMN was found to be feasible, implicating a potential therapeutic strategy to mitigate aging-related disorders in humans.

Pharmacological bypass of NAD+ salvage pathway protects neurons from chemotherapy-induced degeneration.

Axon degeneration, a hallmark of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), is thought to be caused by a loss of the essential metabolite nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) via the prodegenerative protein SARM1. Some studies challenge this notion, however, and suggest that an aberrant increase in a direct precursor of NAD+, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), rather than loss of NAD+, is responsible. In support of this idea, blocking NMN accumulation in neurons by expressing a bacterial NMN deamidase protected axons from degeneration. We hypothesized that protection could similarly be achieved by reducing NMN production pharmacologically. To achieve this, we took advantage of an alternative pathway for NAD+ generation that goes through the intermediate nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NAMN), rather than NMN. We discovered that nicotinic acid riboside (NAR), a precursor of NAMN, administered in combination with FK866, an inhibitor of the enzyme nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase that produces NMN, protected dorsal root ganglion (DRG) axons against vincristine-induced degeneration as well as NMN deamidase. Introducing a different bacterial enzyme that converts NAMN to NMN reversed this protection. Collectively, our data indicate that maintaining NAD+ is not sufficient to protect DRG neurons from vincristine-induced axon degeneration, and elevating NMN, by itself, is not sufficient to cause degeneration. Nonetheless, the combination of FK866 and NAR, which bypasses NMN formation, may provide a therapeutic strategy for neuroprotection.

Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis Utilizes a Four-Step Pathway for NAD+ Salvage through Nicotinamide Deamination.

Many organisms possess pathways that regenerate NAD+ from its degradation products, and two pathways are known to salvage NAD+ from nicotinamide (Nm). One is a four-step pathway that proceeds through deamination of Nm to nicotinic acid (Na) by Nm deamidase and phosphoribosylation to nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NaMN), followed by adenylylation and amidation. Another is a two-step pathway that does not involve deamination and directly proceeds with the phosphoribosylation of Nm to nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), followed by adenylylation. Judging from genome sequence data, the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis is supposed to utilize the four-step pathway, but the fact that the adenylyltransferase encoded by TK0067 recognizes both NMN and NaMN also raises the possibility of a two-step salvage mechanism. Here, we examined the substrate specificity of the recombinant TK1676 protein, annotated as nicotinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase. The TK1676 protein displayed significant activity toward Na and phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (PRPP) and only trace activity with Nm and PRPP. We further performed genetic analyses on TK0218 (quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase) and TK1650 (Nm deamidase), involved in de novo biosynthesis and four-step salvage of NAD+, respectively. The ΔTK0218 mutant cells displayed growth defects in a minimal synthetic medium, but growth was fully restored with the addition of Na or Nm. The ΔTK0218 ΔTK1650 mutant cells did not display growth in the minimal medium, and growth was restored with the addition of Na but not Nm. The enzymatic and genetic analyses strongly suggest that NAD+ salvage in T. kodakarensis requires deamination of Nm and proceeds through the four-step pathway.IMPORTANCE Hyperthermophiles must constantly deal with increased degradation rates of their biomolecules due to their high growth temperatures. Here, we identified the pathway that regenerates NAD+ from nicotinamide (Nm) in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis The organism utilizes a four-step pathway that initially hydrolyzes the amide bond of Nm to generate nicotinic acid (Na), followed by phosphoribosylation, adenylylation, and amidation. Although the two-step pathway, consisting of only phosphoribosylation of Nm and adenylylation, seems to be more efficient, Nm mononucleotide in the two-step pathway is much more thermolabile than Na mononucleotide, the corresponding intermediate in the four-step pathway. Although NAD+ itself is thermolabile, this may represent an example of a metabolism that has evolved to avoid the use of thermolabile intermediates.

Characterization and application of a novel nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase from Thermus thermophilus HB8.

Herein, we describe a novel enzymatic cycling method to measure nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) or nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NaMN), which are precursors of NAD biosynthesis. A gene encoding an NMN adenylyltransferase (NMNAT, EC 2.7.7.1) homologue was identified in Thermus thermophilus HB8. The gene from T. thermophilus (TtNMNAT) was engineered for expression in Escherichia coli and the recombinant enzyme found to be stable, retaining full activity after incubation for 45 min at 70°C. The Km values for NMN and ATP were calculated to be 0.263 and 1.27 mM, respectively, with a Vmax value of 60.3 µmoL/min/mg. TtNMNAT was successfully applied to the colorimetric NMN or NaMN assays, which employed (i) adenylation of NMN to NAD by TtNMNAT or adenylation of NaMN to deamido-NAD (NaAD) by TtNMNAT followed by amidation of NaAD to NAD by NAD synthetase (NADS, EC 6.3.1.5) and (ii) an NAD cycling reaction using 12α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (12α-HSD, EC 1.1.1.176) and diaphorase (DI, EC 1.6.99.3) to accumulate reduced WST-8. This enzymatic cycling method enabled detection of 0.5 µM (12.2 nM in the reaction mixture) NMN or NaMN in an automatic clinical analyzer.

Engineering Escherichia coli Nicotinic Acid Mononucleotide Adenylyltransferase for Fully Active Amidated NAD Biosynthesis.

NAD and its reduced form NADH function as essential redox cofactors and have major roles in determining cellular metabolic features. NAD can be synthesized through the deamidated and amidated pathways, for which the key reaction involves adenylylation of nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NaMN) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), respectively. In Escherichia coli, NAD de novo biosynthesis depends on the protein NadD-catalyzed adenylylation of NaMN to nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide (NaAD), followed by NAD synthase-catalyzed amidation. In this study, we engineered NadD to favor NMN for improved amidated pathway activity. We designed NadD mutant libraries, screened by a malic enzyme-coupled colorimetric assay, and identified two variants, 11B4 (Y84V/Y118D) and 16D8 (A86W/Y118N), with a high preference for NMN. Whereas in the presence of NMN both variants were capable of enabling the viability of cells of E. coli BW25113-derived NAD-auxotrophic strain YJE003, for which the last step of the deamidated pathway is blocked, the 16D8 expression strain could grow without exogenous NMN and accumulated a higher cellular NAD(H) level than BW25113 in the stationary phase. These mutants established fully active amidated NAD biosynthesis and offered a new opportunity to manipulate NAD metabolism for biocatalysis and metabolic engineering.IMPORTANCE Adenylylation of nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NaMN) and adenylylation of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), respectively, are the key steps in the deamidated and amidated pathways for NAD biosynthesis. In most organisms, canonical NAD biosynthesis follows the deamidated pathway. Here we engineered Escherichia coli NaMN adenylyltransferase to favor NMN and expressed the mutant enzyme in an NAD-auxotrophic E. coli strain that has the last step of the deamidated pathway blocked. The engineered strain survived in M9 medium, which indicated the implementation of a functional amidated pathway for NAD biosynthesis. These results enrich our understanding of NAD biosynthesis and are valuable for manipulation of NAD homeostasis for metabolic engineering.

Salmonella enterica synthesizes 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazolyl-(DMB)-α-riboside. Why some Firmicutes do not require the canonical DMB activation system to synthesize adenosylcobalamin.

5,6-Dimethylbenzimidazolyl-(DMB)-α-ribotide [α-ribazole-5'-phosphate (α-RP)] is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl) in many prokaryotes. In such microbes, α-RP is synthesized by nicotinate mononucleotide (NaMN):DMB phosphoribosyltransferases (CobT in Salmonella enterica), in a reaction that is considered to be the canonical step for the activation of the base of the nucleotide present in adenosylcobamides. Some Firmicutes lack CobT-type enzymes but have a two-protein system comprised of a transporter (i.e., CblT) and a kinase (i.e., CblS) that can salvage exogenous α-ribazole (α-R) from the environment using CblT to take up α-R, followed by α-R phosphorylation by CblS. We report that Geobacillus kaustophilus CblT and CblS proteins restore α-RP synthesis in S. enterica lacking the CobT enzyme. We also show that a S. enterica cobT strain that synthesizes GkCblS ectopically makes only AdoCbl, even under growth conditions where the synthesis of pseudoCbl is favored. Our results indicate that S. enterica synthesizes α-R, a metabolite that had not been detected in this bacterium and that GkCblS has a strong preference for DMB-ribose over adenine-ribose as substrate. We propose that in some Firmicutes DMB is activated to α-RP via α-R using an as-yet-unknown route to convert DMB to α-R and CblS to convert α-R to α-RP.

Structural and Functional Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum Nicotinic Acid Mononucleotide Adenylyltransferase.

Nicotinic acid mononucleotide adenylyltransferase (NaMNAT) is an indispensable enzyme for the synthesis of NAD and NAD phosphate. It catalyzes the adenylylation of nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NaMN) to yield nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide (NaAD). Since NAD(H) and NAD phosphate(H) are essentially involved in metabolic and redox regulatory reactions, NaMNAT is an attractive drug target in the fight against bacterial and parasitic infections. Notably, NaMNAT of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum possesses only 20% sequence identity with the homologous human enzyme. Here, we present for the first time the two X-ray structures of P. falciparum NaMNAT (PfNaMNAT)-in the product-bound state with NaAD and complexed with an α,ß-non-hydrolizable ATP analog-the structures were determined to a resolution of 2.2Å and 2.5Å, respectively. The overall architecture of PfNaMNAT was found to be more similar to its bacterial homologs than its human counterparts although the PPHK motif conserved in bacteria is missing. Furthermore, PfNaMNAT possesses two cysteine residues within the active site that have not been described for any other NaMNATase so far and are likely to be involved in redox regulation of PfNaMNAT activity. Enzymatic studies and surface plasmon resonance data reveal that PfNaMNAT is capable of utilizing NaMN and nicotinamide mononucleotide with a slight preference for NaMN. Surprisingly, a comparison with the active site of Escherichia coli NaMNAT showed very similar architectures, despite different substrate preferences.

METALLOPROTEINS. A tethered niacin-derived pincer complex with a nickel-carbon bond in lactate racemase.

Lactic acid racemization is involved in lactate metabolism and cell wall assembly of many microorganisms. Lactate racemase (Lar) requires nickel, but the nickel-binding site and the role of three accessory proteins required for its activation remain enigmatic. We combined mass spectrometry and x-ray crystallography to show that Lar from Lactobacillus plantarum possesses an organometallic nickel-containing prosthetic group. A nicotinic acid mononucleotide derivative is tethered to Lys(184) and forms a tridentate pincer complex that coordinates nickel through one metal-carbon and two metal-sulfur bonds, with His(200) as another ligand. Although similar complexes have been previously synthesized, there was no prior evidence for the existence of pincer cofactors in enzymes. The wide distribution of the accessory proteins without Lar suggests that it may play a role in other enzymes.

Novel assay for simultaneous measurement of pyridine mononucleotides synthesizing activities allows dissection of the NAD(+) biosynthetic machinery in mammalian cells.

The redox coenzyme NAD(+) is also a rate-limiting co-substrate for several enzymes that consume the molecule, thus rendering its continuous re-synthesis indispensable. NAD(+) biosynthesis has emerged as a therapeutic target due to the relevance of NAD(+) -consuming reactions in complex intracellular signaling networks whose alteration leads to many neurologic and metabolic disorders. Distinct metabolic routes, starting from various precursors, are known to support NAD(+) biosynthesis with tissue/cell-specific efficiencies, probably reflecting differential expression of the corresponding rate-limiting enzymes, i.e. nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase, nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase and nicotinamide riboside kinase. Understanding the contribution of these enzymes to NAD(+) levels depending on the tissue/cell type and metabolic status is necessary for the rational design of therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating NAD(+) availability. Here we report a simple, fast and sensitive coupled fluorometric assay that enables simultaneous determination of the four activities in whole-cell extracts and biological fluids. Its application to extracts from various mouse tissues, human cell lines and plasma yielded for the first time an overall picture of the tissue/cell-specific distribution of the activities of the various enzymes. The screening enabled us to gather novel findings, including (a) the presence of quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase and nicotinamide riboside kinase in all examined tissues/cell lines, indicating that quinolinate and nicotinamide riboside are relevant NAD(+) precursors, and (b) the unexpected occurrence of nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase in human plasma.

Dissecting cobamide diversity through structural and functional analyses of the base-activating CobT enzyme of Salmonella enterica.

BACKGROUND: Cobamide diversity arises from the nature of the nucleotide base. Nicotinate mononucleotide (NaMN):base phosphoribosyltransferases (CobT) synthesize α-linked riboside monophosphates from diverse nucleotide base substrates (e.g., benzimidazoles, purines, phenolics) that are incorporated into cobamides. METHODS: Structural investigations of two members of the CobT family of enzymes in complex with various substrate bases as well as in vivo and vitro activity analyses of enzyme variants were performed to elucidate the roles of key amino acid residues important for substrate recognition. RESULTS: Results of in vitro and in vivo studies of active-site variants of the Salmonella enterica CobT (SeCobT) enzyme suggest that a catalytic base may not be required for catalysis. This idea is supported by the analyses of crystal structures that show that two glutamate residues function primarily to maintain an active conformation of the enzyme. In light of these findings, we propose that proper positioning of the substrates in the active site triggers the attack at the C1 ribose of NaMN. CONCLUSION: Whether or not a catalytic base is needed for function is discussed within the framework of the in vitro analysis of the enzyme activity. Additionally, structure-guided site-directed mutagenesis of SeCobT broadened its substrate specificity to include phenolic bases, revealing likely evolutionary changes needed to increase cobamide diversity, and further supporting the proposed mechanism for the phosphoribosylation of phenolic substrates. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Results of this study uncover key residues in the CobT enzyme that contribute to the diversity of cobamides in nature.

Crystal structure of Sus scrofa quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase in complex with nicotinate mononucleotide.

We have determined the crystal structure of porcine quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase (QAPRTase) in complex with nicotinate mononucleotide (NAMN), which is the first crystal structure of a mammalian QAPRTase with its reaction product. The structure was determined from protein obtained from the porcine kidney. Because the full protein sequence of porcine QAPRTase was not available in either protein or nucleotide databases, cDNA was synthesized using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to determine the porcine QAPRTase amino acid sequence. The crystal structure revealed that porcine QAPRTases have a hexameric structure that is similar to other eukaryotic QAPRTases, such as the human and yeast enzymes. However, the interaction between NAMN and porcine QAPRTase was different from the interaction found in prokaryotic enzymes, such as those of Helicobacter pylori and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The crystal structure of porcine QAPRTase in complex with NAMN provides a structural framework for understanding the unique properties of the mammalian QAPRTase active site and designing new antibiotics that are selective for the QAPRTases of pathogenic bacteria, such as H. pylori and M. tuberculosis.

NAMPT/PBEF1 enzymatic activity is indispensable for myeloma cell growth and osteoclast activity.

Multiple myeloma (MM) cells typically grow in focal lesions, stimulating osteoclasts that destroy bone and support MM. Osteoclasts and MM cells are hypermetabolic. The coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) is not only essential for cellular metabolism; it also affects activity of NAD-dependent enzymes, such as PARP-1 and SIRT-1. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT/PBEF/visfatin, encoded by PBEF1) is a rate-limiting enzyme in NAD(+) biosynthesis from nicotinamide. Coculture of primary MM cells with osteoclasts induced PBEF1 upregulation in both cell types. PBEF1 expression was higher in experimental myelomatous bones than in nonmyelomatous bone and higher in MM patients' plasma cells than in healthy donors' counterparts. APO866 is a specific PBEF1 inhibitor known to deplete cellular NAD(+). APO866 at low nanomolar concentrations inhibited growth of primary MM cells or MM cell lines cultured alone or cocultured with osteoclasts and induced apoptosis in these cells. PBEF1 activity and NAD(+) content were reduced in MM cells by APO866, resulting in lower activity of PARP-1 and SIRT-1. The inhibitory effect of APO866 on MM cell growth was abrogated by supplementation of extracellular NAD(+) or NAM. APO866 inhibited NF-κB activity in osteoclast precursors and suppressed osteoclast formation and activity. PBEF1 knockdown similarly inhibited MM cell growth and osteoclast formation. In the SCID-rab model, APO866 inhibited growth of primary MM and H929 cells and prevented bone disease. These findings indicate that MM cells and osteoclasts are highly sensitive to NAD(+) depletion and that PBEF1 inhibition represents a novel approach to target cellular metabolism and inhibit PARP-1 and bone disease in MM.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase from porcine kidney in complex with nicotinate mononucleotide.

Quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase (QAPRTase) is a key enzyme in NAD biosynthesis; it catalyzes the formation of nicotinate mononucleotide (NAMN) from quinolinate and 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate. In order to elucidate the mechanism of NAMN biosynthesis, crystals of Sus scrofa QAPRTase (Ss-QAPRTase) purified from porcine kidney in complex with NAMN were obtained and diffraction data were collected and processed to 2.1 Šresolution. The Ss-QAPRTase-NAMN cocrystals belonged to space group P321, with unit-cell parameters a=119.1, b=119.1, c=93.7 Å, γ=120.0°. The Matthews coefficient and the solvent content were estimated as 3.10 Å3 Da(-1) and 60.3%, respectively, assuming the presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit.

Comparison of the formation of nicotinic acid conjugates in leaves of different plant species.

There are three metabolic fates of nicotinic acid in plants: (1) nicotinic acid mononucleotide formation for NAD synthesis by the so-called salvage pathway of pyridine nucleotide biosynthesis; (2) nicotinic acid N-glucoside formation; and (3) trigonelline (N-methylnicotinic acid) formation. In the present study, the metabolism of [carbonyl-(14)C]nicotinamide was investigated in leaves of 23 wild plant species. All species readily converted nicotinamide to nicotinic acid, and only a fraction of nicotinic acid was utilised for NAD and NADP synthesis. The remaining nicotinic acid is converted to the nicotinic acid conjugates. Only one plant species, Cycas revoluta, produced both nicotinic acid N-glucoside and trigonelline; the other 22 species produced one or other of the conjugates. The nicotinic acid N-glucoside-forming plants are Cyathea lepifera, Arenga trewmula var. englri, Barringtonia racemosa, Ilex paraguariensis, Angelica japonica, Scaevola taccada and Farfugium japonicum. In contrast, trigonelline is formed in C. lepifera, Ginkgo biloba, Pinus luchuensis, Casuarina equisetifolia, Alocasia odora, Pandanus odoratissimus, Hylocereus undatus, Kalanchoe pinnata, Kalanchoe tubiflora, Populus alba, Garcinia subelliptica, Oxalis corymbosa, Leucaena leucocephala, Vigna marina, Hibiscus tiliaceus and Melicope triphylla. The diversity of nicotinic acid conjugate formation in plants is discussed using these results and our previous investigation involving a few model plants, various crops and ferns. Nicotinic acid N-glucoside formation was restricted mostly to ferns and selected orders of angiosperms, whereas other plants produce trigonelline. In most cases the formation of both nicotinic acid conjugates is incompatible, but some exceptions have been found.

Catalysis-based inhibitors of the calcium signaling function of CD38.

CD38 is a signaling enzyme responsible for catalyzing the synthesis of cyclic ADP ribose (cADPR) and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate; both are universal Ca(2+) messenger molecules. Ablation of the CD38 gene in mice causes multiple physiological defects, including impaired oxytocin release, that result in altered social behavior. A series of catalysis-based inhibitors of CD38 were designed and synthesized, starting with arabinosyl-2'-fluoro-2'-deoxynicotinamide mononucleotide. Structure-function relationships were analyzed to assess the structural determinants important for inhibiting the NADase activity of CD38. X-ray crystallography was used to reveal the covalent intermediates that were formed with the catalytic residue, Glu226. Metabolically stable analogues that were resistant to inactivation by phosphatase and esterase were synthesized and shown to be effective in inhibiting intracellular cADPR production in human HL-60 cells during induction of differentiation by retinoic acid. The inhibition was species-independent, and the analogues were similarly effective in blocking the cyclization reaction of CD38 in rat ventricular tissue extracts, as well as inhibiting the α-agonist-induced constriction in rat mesentery arteries. These compounds thus represent the first generally applicable and catalysis-based inhibitors of the Ca(2+) signaling function of CD38.

Characterization of human nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase: Kinetic studies, structure prediction and functional analysis by site-directed mutagenesis.

Nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase (NaPRT, EC 2.4.2.11) catalyzes the conversion of nicotinate (Na) to nicotinate mononucleotide, the first reaction of the Preiss-Handler pathway for the biosynthesis of NAD(+). Even though NaPRT activity has been described to be responsible for the ability of Na to increase NAD(+) levels in human cells more effectively than nicotinamide (Nam), so far a limited number of studies on the human NaPRT have appeared. Here, extensive characterization of a recombinant human NaPRT is reported. We determined its major kinetic parameters and assayed the influence of different compounds on its enzymatic activity. In particular, ATP showed an apparent dual stimulation/inhibition effect at low/high substrates saturation, respectively, consistent with a negative cooperativity model, whereas inorganic phosphate was found to act as an activator. Among other metabolites assayed, including nucleotides, nucleosides, and intermediates of carbohydrates metabolism, some showed inhibitory properties, i.e. CoA, several acyl-CoAs, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, phosphoenolpyruvate, and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, whereas dihydroxyacetone phosphate and pyruvate exerted a stimulatory effect. Furthermore, in light of the absence of crystallographic data, we performed homology modeling to predict the protein three-dimensional structure, and molecular docking simulations to identify residues involved in the recognition and stabilization of several ligands. Most of these residues resulted universally conserved among NaPRTs, and, in this study, their importance for enzyme activity was validated through site-directed mutagenesis.

ArsAB, a novel enzyme from Sporomusa ovata activates phenolic bases for adenosylcobamide biosynthesis.

In the homoacetogenic bacterium Sporomusa ovata, phenol and p-cresol are converted into α-ribotides, which are incorporated into biologically active cobamides (Cbas) whose lower ligand bases do not form axial co-ordination bonds with the cobalt ion of the corrin ring. Here we report the identity of two S. ovata genes that encode an enzyme that transfers the phosphoribosyl group of nicotinate mononucleotide (NaMN) to phenol or p-cresol, yielding α-O-glycosidic ribotides. The alluded genes were named arsA and arsB (for alpha-ribotide synthesis), arsA and arsB were isolated from a genomic DNA library of S. ovata. A positive selection strategy using an Escherichia coli strain devoid of NaMN:5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (DMB) phosphoribosyltransferase (CobT) activity was used to isolate a fragment of S. ovata DNA that contained arsA and arsB, whose nucleotide sequences overlapped by 8 bp. SoArsAB was isolated to homogeneity, shown to be functional as a heterodimer, and to have highest activity at pH 9. SoArsAB also activated DMB to its α-N-glycosidic ribotide. Previously characterized CobT-like enzymes activate DMB but do not activate phenolics. NMR spectroscopy was used to confirm the incorporation of phenol into the cobamide, and mass spectrometry was used to identify SoArsAB reaction products.