The regulatory control of beta-receptor dependent adenylate cyclase.

The characteristics of the beta-receptor in turkey erythrocyte adenylate cyclase were studied using both kinetics of enzyme activation and direct binding measurement of the beta-agonists and antagonists to the beta-receptor. The regulatory ligands Gpp(NH)p and Ca2+ do not have any direct effect on the beta-receptor, but modulate the enzyme activity through the interaction with specific regulatory sites.     

The Escherichia coli adenylate cyclase complex: activation by phosphoenolpyruvate.

A model for the regulation of the activity of Escherichia coli adenylate cyclase is presented. It is proposed that Enzyme I of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS) interacts in a regulatory sense with the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase. The phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-dependent phosphorylation of Enzyme I is assumed to be associated with a high activity state of adenylate cyclase. The pyruvate or sugar-dependent dephosphorylation of Enzyme I is correlated with a low activity state of adenylate cyclase. Evidence in support of the proposed model involves the observation that Enzyme I mutants have low cAMP levels and that PEP increases cellular cAMP levels and, under certain conditions, activates adenylate cyclase, Kinetic studies indicate that various ligands have opposing effects on adenylate cyclase. While PEP activates the enzyme, either glucose or pyruvate inhibit it. The unique relationships of PEP and Enzyme I to adenylate cyclase activity are discussed.     

Some kinetic and chromatographic properties of detergent-dispersed adenylate cyclase.

Studies on the reaction kinetics and chromatographic properties of detergent-dispersed adenylate cyclase are described. Detergent-dispersed enzyme was prepared from whole rat cerebellum and from partially purified plasma membranes from rat liver. Data were simulated to fit kinetic models for which an inhibitor is added in constant proportion to the variable substrate. Models were chosen to distinguish whether the adenylate cyclase reaction may be controlled by an inhibitory action of free ATP--4 (or HATP--3) or by a stimulatory action of free divalent cations. The various kinetic models were then tested with the dispersed brain adenylate cyclase with both Mg++ and Mn++ and in two different buffer systems. The experimental data indicate that this enzyme has a distinct cation binding site, but exhibits no significant inhibition by HATP--3 or ATP--4. The detergent-dispersed adenylate cyclase both from liver plasma membranes and from brain have been chromatographed on anion exchange material and have been subjected to gel filtration. The presence of detergent was required for elution of cyclase activity from DEAE-Sephadex but was not required when DEAE-agarose was used. Dispersed brain cyclase was also chromatographed on agarose-NH(CH2)3NH(CH2)3-NH2 which exhibits both ionic and hydrophobic properties. Fifty percent of the applied activity was recovered with a fivefold increase in specific activity. The data suggest that the relative effectiveness of a given chromatographic procedure for detergent-dispersed adenylate cyclase may reflect the influence of both hydrophobic and ionic factors.     

The HLB dependency for detergent solubilization of hormonally sensitive adenylate cyclase.

The HLB dependency for the solubilization of membrane proteins and adenylate cyclase activity from a plasma membrane-enriched fraction from rat liver has been determined. The HLB (hydrophilic/lipophilic/balance) number of a detergent is an empirical measure of its relative hydrophobicity. Detergent HLB numbers vary systematically with the length of the ethylene oxide chain for a homologous series of detergents such as the Triton X series. These detergents have a constant hydrophobic moiety, octylphenyl, and a variable polar portion, polyethoxyethanol. Basal-NaF-epinephrine-, and glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities were solubilized in the HLB range of 16.8-17.4. Solubilization was most effective in 0.01 M Tris buffers at pH 7.5 containing 1-5 mM mercaptoethanol, 1 mM MgCl2, and 0.1% Triton X-305. The detergent to membrane protein ratio used in these studies was 3:1. Criteria for solubilization included lack of sedimentation at 100,000 X g, the absence of particulate material in the supernatant when examined by electron microscopy, and inclusion of hormonally sensitive adenylate cyclase activity in Sephadex G-200 gels. The apparent molecular weight of the solubilized enzyme was approximately 200,000 in the presence of Triton X-305. The solubilized enzyme was stimulated 5-fold by NaF, 7-fold by glucagon, and 20-fold by epinephrine compared to the particulate enzyme used in this study which was stimulated 10-fold, 3.4-fold, and 4-fold by NaF, epinephrine, and glucagon, respectively. The solubilized enzyme is stable for several weeks when stored at -60 degrees C.     

Effective inhibition by pentobarbital of forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in rat brain

The effect of pentobarbital on the adenylate cyclase system was examined in synaptosomal membranes from rat brain. Pentobarbital inhibited forskolin-stimulated enzyme activity more effectively than the basal and Mn2(+)-stimulated enzyme activities. The degree of inhibition of the enzyme activity by pentobarbital was increased by the presence of forskolin in a concentration-dependent manner. No significant difference is observed in the degree of the inhibition by pentobarbital between the basal and forskolin-stimulated activities in the membranes prepared from the peripheral tissues.     

Vasopressin-sensitive kidney adenylate cyclase: modulation of the hormonal response.

Vasopressin-sensitive pig kidney adenylate cyclase is sensitive to several effectors, such as Mg2+, other divalent cations, and guanyl nucleotides. The purpose of the present study was to compare the main characteristics of adenylate cyclase activation by vasopressin, Mg2+, and GMPPNP, respectively. Mg2+ ions were shown to exert at least three different effects on adenylate cyclase. The substrate of the adenylate cyclase reaction is the Mg-ATP complex. Mg2+ interacts with an enzyme regulatory site. Finally, Mg2+ can modulate the hormonal response, with Mg2+ ions affecting the coupling function--that is, the quantitative relationship between receptor occupancy and adenylate cyclase activation. At all the magnesium concentrations tested, from 0.25 mM to 16 mM, adenylate cyclase activation was not a direct function of receptor occupancy. At low Mg2+ concentrations, adenylate cyclase activation dose-response curve to the hormone tended to be superimposable to the hormone dose-binding curve. These results suggest a role of magnesium at the coupling step between the hormone-receptor complex and adenylate cyclase response. Cobalt, but not calcium, ions could exert the same effects as Mg2+ ions on this coupling step. GMPPNP induced considerable adenylate cyclase activation (15 to 35 times the basal value). Activation by GMPPNP was highly time and temperature dependent. At 30 degrees C, a 20 to 60 min preincubation period in the presence of GMPPNP was needed to obtain maximal activation. The higher the dose of GMPPNP in the medium, the longer it took to reach equilibrium. At 15 degrees C, activation was still increasing with time after 3 hr preincubation in the presence of the nucleotide. GMPPNP was active in a 10(-8)M to 10(-5)M concentration range. Unlike the results obtained with lysine vasopressin, the kinetic characteristics of dose-dependent adenylate cyclase activation curves by GMPPNP were unaffected by varying Mg2+ concentrations except for the increase in velocity when raising Mg2+ concentration. It was not clear whether or not the activation processes by the hormone and by GMPPNP had common mechanisms.     

The cytochemical localization of adenylate cyclase activity in mucous and serous cells of the salivary gland.

The present study was undertaken to localize adenylate cyclase activity in salivary glands by cytochemical means. For the study, serous parotid glands and mixed sublingual glands of the rat were used. Pieces of the fixed glands were incubated with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or adenylyl-imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP) as substrate: inorganic pyrophosphate or PNP liberated upon the action of adenylate cyclase on the substrates is precipitated by lead ions at their sites of production. In both glands, the reaction product was detected along the myoepithelial cell membranes in contact with secretory cells, indicating that a high level of adenylate cyclase activity occurs in association with these cell membranes. The association with a high level of the enzyme activity might be related to the contractile nature of myoepithelial cells which are supposed to aid secretory cells in discharging secretion products. A high level of adenylate cyclase activity was also detected associated with serous secretory cells (acinar cells of the parotid gland and demilune cells of the sublingual gland), but not with mucous secretory cells. In serous cells, deposits of reaction product were localized along the extracellular space of the apical cell membrane bordering the lumen. This is the portion of the cell membrane which fuses with the granule membranes during secretion. Since the granule membranes are not associated with a detectable level of adenylate cyclase activity, it appears that the enzyme activity becomes activated or associated with the granule membranes as they become part of the cell membrane by fusion. The association with a high level of adenylate cyclase activity appears to be related to the ability of the membrane to fuse with other membranes. It is likely, since the luminal membrane of mucous cells which does not fuse with mucous granule membranes during secretion is not associated with a detectable enzyme activity.     

Isolation of inhibitors of adenylate cyclase from dan-shen, the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza

The effect of dan-shen extract, the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza, on adenylate cyclase was investigated in both rat brain and rat erythrocytes. The EtOAc fraction of the MeOH extract was proved to have significant inhibitory activity. Potent inhibitory principles in the EtOAc fraction were isolated and identified as 4 polyphenolic acids, rosemarinic acid, lithospermic acid, and their methyl ester derivatives.     

可溶性鸟苷酸环化酶介导NO信号转导的结构基础及其分子机制研究

可溶性鸟苷酸环化酶(sGC)是NO信号转导通路中的核心金属酶,是NO的敏感器和受体.sGC含有?和?两个亚基,每个亚基分别具有3个结构域,包括血红素结构域、中心结构域和催化结构域,两个亚基的血红素结构域共享有一个血红素,NO结合到sGC的血红素后,激活sGC,催化其底物GTP转化为二级信号分子cGMP,开启PKG信号通路,导致血管舒张.NO信号转导通路异常将导致多种疾病的发生,如多种心血管疾病、肺动脉高血压、心力衰竭及神经退行性疾病等.近20年来,关于sGC的结构、功能、激活机制及其在生理与病理中的作用有了很多进展.本文重点对sGC的结构、功能及其活化/失活机制研究进展进行综述.     

Requirement for guanosine triphosphate in the activation of adenylate cyclase by cholera toxin.

The activation of adenylate cyclase in lysed pigeon erythrocytes requires, among several cofactors, a nucleotide which may be ATP, GTP, or many other triphosphates. However, after removal of endogenous nucleotides by gel filtration or by adsorption onto charcoal the requirement can be met only by GTP, or an analog of GTP. The GTP is required during the activation of the cyclase by toxin even if GTP is also included during the subsequent adenylate cyclase assay, conducted without toxin. In the presence of GTP it is possible to assay for the cytosolic protein that is also required for the action of cholera toxin. By gel filtration, its apparent molecular weight is 15,000--20,000.     

Characterization of aldose reductase and aldehyde reductase from the medulla of rat kidney

Aldose reductase and aldehyde reductase from the medulla of the rat kidney have been purified to homogeneity by using affinity chromatography, gel filtration and chromatofocusing. The molecular weights of aldose reductase and aldehyde reductase by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were found to be 37000 and 39000, respectively. The isoelectric points of aldose reductase and aldehyde reductase were found to be 5.4 and 6.2 by chromatofocusing, respectively. The major differences of amino acid compositions between both enzymes were found in serine, alanine and aspartic acid. Substrate specificity studies showed that aldose reductase utilized aldo-sugars such as D-glucose and D-galactose, but aldehyde reductase did not use them. The Km values of aldose reductase for various substrates were lower than those of aldehyde reductase. Aldose reductase utilized both reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) as coenzymes, whereas aldehyde reductase utilized only NADPH. The presence of the sulfate ion resulted in a dramatic activation of aldose reductase whereas it did not affect aldehyde reductase activity. These enzymes were strongly inhibited by the known aldose reductase inhibitors. However, aldose reductase was more susceptible than aldehyde reductase to inhibition by the aldose reductase inhibitors.     

Absorption and fluorescence characteristics of photo-activated adenylate cyclase nano-clusters from the amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi NEG-M strain

The spectroscopic characteristics of BLUF (BLUF = sensor of blue light using flavin) domain containing soluble adenylate cyclase (nPAC = Naegleria photo-activated cyclase) samples from the amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi NEG-M strain is studied at room temperature. The absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic development in the dark was investigated over two weeks. Attenuation coefficient spectra, fluorescence quantum distributions, fluorescence quantum yields, and fluorescence excitation distributions were measured. Thawing of frozen nPAC samples gave solutions with varying protein nano-cluster size and varying flavin, tyrosine, tryptophan, and protein color-center emission. Protein color-center emission was observed in the wavelength range of 360-900 nm with narrow emission bands of small Stokes shift and broad emission bands of large Stokes shift. The emission spectra evolved in time with protein nano-cluster aging.     

Mass spectrometric analysis of recombinant adenylate cyclase toxin from Bordetella pertussis strain 18323/pHSP9

The adenylate cyclase toxin-hemolysin (ACT) is a key virulence factor of the whooping cough agent Bordetella pertussis (Bp). The major cytotoxic activity of this 1706-residue protein consists of its capacity to invade a variety of eukaryotic cells directly across their cytoplasmic membrane and to deliver into cells a catalytic adenylate cyclase domain. This causes impairment of immune effector cells and apoptosis of lung macrophages by uncontrolled conversion of ATP to cAMP. The adenylate cyclase toxin-hemolysin acquires biological activity upon post-translational amide-linked palmitoylation of the epsilon-amino group of lysine 983 (K983) by the accessory fatty acyltransferase, CyaC. However, an additional conserved acylation site can be identified in ACT at lysine 860 (K860) and this residue is palmitoylated when recombinant ACT is produced in Escherichia coli (r-Ec-ACT). In this paper we report the double acylation of r-Bp-ACT secreted by a recombinant Bp strain 18323/pHSP9. This strain overproduces ACT from an oligocopy plasmid carrying the entire cya locus of Bordetella pertussis 18323. Palmitoylation of both conserved lysines (K860 and K983) of r-Bp-ACT expressed by this Bp strain was found. In addition, an error in the deduced protein sequence was identified, with Leu being the real residue at position 1001 and not the Val residue given in the published gene sequence. We also discuss these results in comparison with those from recombinant ACT expressed in E. coli strain K12 XL1-Blue. The analytical approach for characterization of the fatty acylation of ACT from strain 18323/pHSP9 consisted of multiple proteolytic digestion procedures (trypsin, Asp-N), microcapillary liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.     

Effect of transmembrane Ca2+ gradient on conformation and enzyme activity of reconstituted adenylate cyclase.

Adenylate cyclase from bovine brain cortex was reconstituted into asolectin liposomes with (500-fold) or without transmembrane Ca2+ gradient. The enzyme activity of four types of proteoliposomes (the active center of enzyme exposing outside) was compared. The highest adenylate cyclase activity was observed in the vesicles with outside lower Ca2+ concentration (approximately 10(-6) mol/L, similar to the physiological condition). If the transmembrane Ca2+ gradient was in the inverse direction (i.e. outside higher Ca2+ concentration, 0.5 mmol/L), a lowest enzymatic activity would appear. The difference in enzymatic activity between the two types of proteoliposomes could be diminished following the addition of Ca2+ ionophore A23187. Proteoliposomes without transmembrane Ca2+ gradient exhibited intermediate activities. The conformation difference of adenylate cyclases in the above-mentioned proteoliposomes was also detected by measuring intrinsic fluorescence and fluorescence quenching with KI.     

Purification and some properties of squalene-2,3-epoxide: lanosterol cyclase from rat liver

Squalene-2,3-epoxide: lanosterol cyclase was purified from rat liver in five steps as a soluble and homogeneous protein. The purified enzyme showed a single band on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with a molecular weight of 75 kD. In its native state it behaved as a homo-dimer. The isoelectric point of 5.5 and the apparent Km value for (3S)-squalene-epoxide of 55 microM were estimated for the cyclase.     

Suzuki-Miyaura reactions of the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor NS2028: a non-product specific route to C-8 substituted analogues

Both soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) inhibitors ODQ 1 and NS2028 2 are synthesized via improved protocols. In the former case treating 3,4-dihydroquinoxalin-2(1H)-one oxime 8, which can be prepared in two steps from 1,2-benzenediamine, with 1,1′-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) gives the dihydro-ODQ 10 that in the presence of KMnO₄ oxidises to give ODQ 1 in an overall yield of 46% starting from 1,2-benzenediamine. In the latter case, the synthesis affords NS2028 2 from 2-amino-4-bromophenol 3 in three steps with an overall yield of 85% and avoids the need for chromatography. Furthermore, Suzuki-Miyaura reaction conditions are described that enable the preparation of 8-aryl and 8-heteroaryl derivatives of NS2028 directly from NS2028 2. Finally, demethylation of the 8-(methoxyphenyl) substituted analogues afforded the 8-(hydroxyphenyl) derivatives 40-42. All new products are fully characterised.     

Synergistic activation of soluble guanylate cyclase by YC-1 and carbon monoxide: implications for the role of cleavage of the iron-histidine bond during activation by nitric oxide

Background: Nitric oxide (·NO) is used in biology as both an intercellular signaling agent and a cytotoxic agent. In signaling, submicromolar quantities of ·NO stimulate the soluble isoform of guanylate cyclase (sGC) in the receptor cell. ·NO increases the V_max of this heterodimeric hemoprotein up to 400-fold by interacting with the heme moiety of sGC to form a 5-coordinate complex. Carbon monoxide (CO) binds to the heme to form a 6-coordinate complex, but onry activates the enzyme 5-fold. YC-1 is a recently discovered compound that relaxes vascular smooth muscle by stimulating sGC.Results: In the presence of YC-1, CO activates sGC to the same specific activity as attained with ·NO. YC-1 did not affect the NO-stimulated activity. The on-rate (k_on) and off-rate (k_off) of CO for binding to sGC in the presence of YC-1 were determined by stopped-flow spectrophotometry. Neither the k_on nor the k_off varied from values previously obtained in the absence of YC-1, indicating that YC-1 has no effect on the affinity of CO for the heme. In the presence of YC-1, the visible spectrum of the sGC-CO complex has a Soret peak at 423 nm, indicating the complex is 6-coordinate.Conclusions: YC-1 has no effect on the affinity of CO for the heme of sGC. In the presence of YC-1, maximal activation of sGC by CO is achieved by formation of a 6-coordinate complex between CO and the heme indicating that cleavage of the Fe-His bond is not required for maximal activation of sGC.     

Predictive value of the analogy between hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase and light-sensitive photoreceptor cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase: a specific role for a light-sensitive GTPase as a component in the activation sequence.

We report experiments which involve a light sensitive GTPase in the light dependent activation of retinal rod 3'5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) phosphodiesterase (PDE). The data suggest that the light activated GTPase is intermediate between rhodopsin and PDE in the light-dependent activation sequence. We list the many striking similarities between hormone sensitive adenylate cyclase and light activated PDE in order to emphasize that the findings presented herein may have predictive value for ongoing studies of the hormone sensitive adenylate cyclase specifically regarding the role of the hormone activated GTPase in the activation sequence.     

Novel squalene-hopene cyclase inhibitors derived from hydroxycoumarins and hydroxyacetophenones

Squalene-hopene cyclase (SHC) is a useful model enzyme for predicting molecular interactions with oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC). Structure--activity relationships were investigated for numerous coumarin-derived inhibitors of SHC, and structural simplifications are suggested. Both umbelliferone and 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone provide convenient starting nuclei for the design of SHC inhibitors. Derivatives bearing an omega-epoxyfarnesyl moiety or just a plain alkyl chain showed an inhibitory effect on a recombinant SHC from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius expressed in Escherichia coli.