Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.6.1.1 (aspartate aminotransferase)
21,665 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

To better understand how an enzyme controls cofactor chemistry, we have changed a tryptophan synthase residue that interacts with the pyridine nitrogen of the pyridoxal phosphate cofactor from a neutral Ser (beta-Ser377) to a negatively charged Asp or Glu. The spectroscopic properties of the mutant enzymes are altered and become similar to those of tryptophanase and aspartate aminotransferase, enzymes in which an Asp residue interacts with the pyridine nitrogen of pyridoxal phosphate. The absorption spectrum of each mutant enzyme undergoes a pH-dependent change (pKa approximately 7.7) from a form with a protonated internal aldimine nitrogen (lambdamax = 416 nm) to a deprotonated form (lambdamax = 336 nm), whereas the absorption spectra of the wild type tryptophan synthase beta2 subunit and alpha2 beta2 complex are pH-independent. The reaction of the S377D alpha2 beta2 complex with L-serine, L-tryptophan, and other substrates results in the accumulation of pronounced absorption bands (lambdamax = 498-510 nm) ascribed to quinonoid intermediates. We propose that the engineered Asp or Glu residue changes the cofactor chemistry by stabilizing the protonated pyridine nitrogen of pyridoxal phosphate, reducing the pKa of the internal aldimine nitrogen and promoting formation of quinonoid intermediates.
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PMID:Mutation of an active site residue of tryptophan synthase (beta-serine 377) alters cofactor chemistry. 956 51

The gene encoding aspartate aminotransferase from the psychrophilic bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC 125 was cloned, sequenced and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein (PhAspAT) was characterized both at the structural and functional level in comparison with the E. coli enzyme (EcAspAT), which is the most closely related (52% sequence identity) bacterial counterpart. PhAspAT is rapidly inactivated at 50 degrees C (half-life = 6.8 min), whereas at this temperature EcAspAT is stable for at least 3 h. The optimal temperature for PhAspAT activity is approximately 64 degrees C, which is some 11 degrees C below that of EcAspAT. The protein thermal stability was investigated by following changes in both tryptophan fluorescence and amide ellipticity; this clearly suggested that a first structural transition occurs at approximately 50 degrees C for PhAspAT. These results agree with the expected thermolability of a psychrophilic enzyme, although the observed stability is much higher than generally found for enzymes isolated from cold-loving organisms. Furthermore, in contrast with the higher efficiency exhibited by several extracellular psychrophilic enzymes, both kcat and kcat/Km of PhAspAT are significantly lower than those of EcAspAT over the whole temperature range. This behaviour possibly suggests that the adaptation of this class of endocellular enzymes to a cold environment may have only made them less stable and not more efficient. The affinity of PhAspAT for both amino-acid and 2-oxo-acid substrates decreases with increasing temperature. However, binding of maleate and 2-methyl-L-aspartate, which both inhibit the initial steps of catalysis, does not change over the temperature range tested. Therefore, the observed temperature effect may occur at any of the steps of the catalytic mechanism after the formation of the external aldimine. A molecular model of PhAspAT was constructed on the basis of sequence homology with other AspATs. Interestingly, it shows no insertion or extension of loops, but some cavities and a decrease in side chain packing can be observed.
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PMID:Aspartate aminotransferase from the Antarctic bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC 125. Cloning, expression, properties, and molecular modelling. 1078 2

Aspartate aminotransferases have been cloned and expressed from Crithidia fasciculata, Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Giardia intestinalis, and Plasmodium falciparum and have been found to play a role in the final step of methionine regeneration from methylthioadenosine. All five enzymes contain sequence motifs consistent with membership in the Ia subfamily of aminotransferases; the crithidial and giardial enzymes and one trypanosomal enzyme were identified as cytoplasmic aspartate aminotransferases, and the second trypanosomal enzyme was identified as a mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase. The plasmodial enzyme contained unique sequence substitutions and appears to be highly divergent from the existing members of the Ia subfamily. In addition, the P. falciparum enzyme is the first aminotransferase found to lack the invariant residue G197 (P. K. Mehta, T. I. Hale, and P. Christen, Eur. J. Biochem. 214:549-561, 1993), a feature shared by sequences discovered in P. vivax and P. berghei. All five enzymes were able to catalyze aspartate-ketoglutarate, tyrosine-ketoglutarate, and amino acid-ketomethiobutyrate aminotransfer reactions. In the latter, glutamate, phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, and histidine were all found to be effective amino donors. The crithidial and trypanosomal cytosolic aminotransferases were also able to catalyze alanine-ketoglutarate and glutamine-ketoglutarate aminotransfer reactions and, in common with the giardial aminotransferase, were able to catalyze the leucine-ketomethiobutyrate aminotransfer reaction. In all cases, the kinetic constants were broadly similar, with the exception of that of the plasmodial enzyme, which catalyzed the transamination of ketomethiobutyrate significantly more slowly than aspartate-ketoglutarate aminotransfer. This result obtained with the recombinant P. falciparum aminotransferase parallels the results seen for total ketomethiobutyrate transamination in malarial homogenates; activity in the latter was much lower than that in homogenates from other organisms. Total ketomethiobutyrate transamination in Trichomonas vaginalis and G. intestinalis homogenates was extensive and involved lysine-ketomethiobutyrate enzyme activity in addition to the aspartate aminotransferase activity. The methionine production in these two species could be inhibited by the amino-oxy compounds canaline and carboxymethoxylamine. Canaline was also found to be an uncompetitive inhibitor of the plasmodial aspartate aminotransferase, with a K(i) of 27 microm.
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PMID:Methionine regeneration and aspartate aminotransferase in parasitic protozoa. 1144 76

The aim of present experiment was to study the changes of corticosterone, insulin and glucose levels in plasma, of the activity of enzymes involved in aminoacid metabolism in liver and the binding of insulin to specific receptors of cell membrane from liver and also of adipose tissue of rats exposed to space flight for 14 days on biosatellite Cosmos 2044. Adult male Wistar rats (body mass 300-370 g) were divided into five groups: intact control rats (AC), rats exposed to space flight (F), animals in synchronous model experiment (S), rats in antiorthostatic hypokinesia (A) and so called operated control group (C). Half of all groups (5 animals) except the intact control were operated 3 days before the experiment (fibulas on both hind legs were broken). The flight animals were sacrificed 5-6 hours after landing. It was observed that plasma insulin levels are increased in rat exposed to 14-day space flight and in synchron experiments. A significant increase of plasma glucose levels was found in flight rats in spite of high insulin concentrations suggesting that in rats exposed to 14-day space a deterioration of tissue sensitivity to insulin could by present. No significant differences of specific insulin binding to liver plasma membrane fraction in flight and intact control animals were observed. A decrease of insulin binding capacity in liver was found in rats in antiorthostatic hypokinesia (A). However in the membrane of adipocytes an important increase of insulin receptors was noted in rats subjected to space flight. These results suggest, that the liver and adipocyte insulin receptors of flight rats did not respond to the increased plasma insulin levels by "down regulation". The determination of plasma corticosterone levels showed that in flight rats and animals exposed to antiorthostatic hypokinesia the plasma hormone levels are significantly elevated. A significant increase of tyrosine aminotransferase and tryptophan pyrrolase activities in liver of flight rats and those exposed to hypokinesia was observed. Also the elevation of alanine amino-transferase in liver was observed in flight rats, while, the activity of aspartate aminotransferase in liver was similar in control and flight animals. These results showed that the changes in liver enzyme activities in rats after 14-day space flight are in agreement with the results observed in previous experiments after a shorter space flight (7 days).
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PMID:The effect of space flight on the board of the satellite Cosmos 2044 on plasma hormone levels and liver enzyme activities of rats. 1154 60

The activity of the enzymes involved in aminoacid metabolism (tyrosine aminotransferase, TAT, tryptophan pyrrolase TP, serine dehydratase, SD) with rapid response to glucocorticoids and enzymes requiring for activity increase repeated administration of corticosterone (alanine aminotransferase, ALT, aspartate aminotransferase, AST) in liver, the changes of lipolysis in adipose tissue and the plasma corticosterone levels were studied in rats subjected to space flight (F), in animals from synchron model experiments (SM, simulated conditions of space flight in laboratory) and in intact controls (C). The increase of plasma corticosterone concentration and of the activity of rapidly (TAT, TP, SD) and slowly activating enzymes (ALT, AST) was found in F group 6-10 hr after space flight (18.5 days on biosatellite COSMOS 1129). This suggested the presence of acute-stress (associated primarily with the landing) and chronic stress induced hypercorticosteronemia during the flight. After the short 6-day period of recovery the plasma corticosterone concentrations and the activities of liver enzymes returned to control levels. The exposition of animals to repeated immobilization stress showed higher response of corticosterone levels in flight rats as compared to intact controls. No changes in basal lipolysis were observed in flight rats in comparison to intact controls, however the stimulation of lipolysis by norepinephrine was lower in animals from F and SM groups. This lower response of lipolytic processes to norepinephrine was found in flight animals also after six days period of recovery. These results showed that there are important changes in the regulation of lipolytic processes in adipose tissue of rats after space flight and in the conditions of model experiments.
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PMID:Metabolic changes in the animals subjected to space flight. 1154 92

Tryptophan aminotransferase was purified from rat brain extracts. The purified enzyme had an isoelectric point at pH 6.2 and a pH optimum near 8.0. On electrophoresis the enzyme migrated to the anode. The enzyme was active with oxaloacetate or 2-oxoglutarate as amino acceptor but not with pyruvate, and utilized various L-amino acids as amino donors. With 2-oxoglutarate, the order of effectiveness of the L-amino acids was aspartate >> 5-hydroxytryptophan > tryptophan > tyrosine > phenylalanine. Aminotransferase activity of the enzyme towards tryptophan was inhibited by L-glutamate. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation gave a molecular weight of approx. 55,000. The enzyme was present in both the cytosol and synaptosomal cytosol, but not in the mitochondria. The isoelectric focusing profile of tryptophan: oxaloacetate aminotransferase activity was identical with that of L-aspartate: 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) activity, with both subcellular fractions. On the basis of these data, it is suggested that the enzyme is identical with the cytosol aspartate: 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase.
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PMID:Purification, characterization and identification of tryptophan aminotransferase from rat brain. 1217 May 94

Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have low plasma pyridoxal-phosphate (PLP) but a normal erythrocyte aspartate aminotransferase activity coefficient (alpha EAST), a measure of vitamin B-6 status in the erythrocytes, compared with healthy subjects. The goal of the present study was to examine the correlations of PLP levels in these two compartments (plasma and erythrocytes) with other established indices of vitamin B-6 status, and to determine which indicator better reflects functional status of vitamin B-6 in patients with RA. Multiple indices of vitamin B-6 status were measured in 33 patients with RA. Plasma PLP, urinary 4-pyridoxic acid (4-PA), net increase in plasma total homocysteine after a methionine load (DeltatHcy) and net increase in urinary xanthurenic acid after a tryptophan load (DeltaXA) were log-transformed to reach normality for statistical analyses. We found that log-plasma PLP levels were inversely correlated with both log-DeltatHcy (r = -0.368, P = 0.035) and log-DeltaXA (r = -0.333, P = 0.05). Plasma PLP was not correlated with alpha EAST or urinary 4-PA excretion. In contrast, erythrocyte PLP was inversely correlated with alpha EAST (r = -0.431, P = 0.012) and positively correlated with log-4-PA (r = 0.475, P = 0.005), but erythrocyte PLP was not correlated with the outcomes of a methionine or tryptophan load test. Erythrocyte PLP and log-4-PA, but not plasma PLP, were correlated with dietary intake of vitamin B-6 after adjusting for protein intake (r = 0.420, P = 0.015 and r = 0.333, P = 0.05, respectively). We suggest that in patients with RA, plasma PLP levels are a better diagnostic indicator of functional vitamin B-6 status than erythrocyte PLP levels.
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PMID:Plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate concentration is correlated with functional vitamin B-6 indices in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and marginal vitamin B-6 status. 1267 18

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) binds planar aromatic compounds and up-regulates the transcription of a battery of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes. To identify proteins involved in the biosynthesis of endogenous AHR ligands, we screened extracts of various mouse tissues for AHR signaling activity. We found heart extract to activate AHR and identified the active component to be the enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1). We demonstrate that this transaminase can activate AHR signaling by converting l-tryptophan to indole-3-pyruvate. In turn, indole-3-pyruvate spontaneously reacts in aqueous solution to form a large number of compounds that act as agonists of AHR. Tyrosine and the serotonin-precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan also activate AHR signaling in combination with aspartate aminotransferase, suggesting that 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate and 5-hydroxyindolepyruvate also act as proagonists of AHR. This study demonstrates that the known tryptophan metabolic-intermediate indole-3-pyruvate is a proagonist of AHR that reacts in aqueous solution to form a variety of AHR agonists.
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PMID:Aspartate aminotransferase generates proagonists of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. 1292 Jan 90

BACKGROUND: There are several reports that indicate a linkage between exposure to power frequency (50 - 60 Hz) magnetic fields with abnormalities in the early embryonic development of the chicken. The present study was designed to understand whether power frequency electromagnetic fields could act as an environmental insult and invoke any neurochemical or toxicological changes in developing chick embryo model. METHODS: Fertilized chicken eggs were subjected to continuous exposure to magnetic fields (50 Hz) of varying intensities (5, 50 or 100 microT) for a period of up to 15 days. The embryos were taken out of the eggs on day 5, day 10 and day 15. Neurochemical (norepinephrine and 5-hydroxytryptamine) and amino acid (tyrosine, glutamine and tryptophan) contents were measured, along with an assay of the enzyme glutamine synthetase in the brain. Preliminary toxicological investigations were carried out based on aminotransferases (AST and ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase activities in the whole embryo as well as in the liver. RESULTS: The study revealed that there was a significant increase (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001) in the level of norepinephrine accompanied by a significant decrease (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001) in the tyrosine content in the brain on day 15 following exposure to 5, 50 and 100 microT magnetic fields. There was a significant increase (p < 0.001) in glutamine synthetase activity resulting in the significantly enhanced (p < 0.001) level of glutamine in the brain on day 15 (for 100 microT only). The possible mechanisms for these alterations are discussed. Further, magnetic fields had no effect on the levels of tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptamine in the brain. Similarly, there was no effect on the activity of either aminotransferases or lactate dehydrogenase in the whole embryo or liver due to magnetic field exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these studies we conclude that magnetic field-induced changes in norepinephrine levels might help explain alterations in the circadian rhythm, observed during magnetic field stress. Also, the enhanced level of glutamine can act as a contributing factor for developmental abnormalities.
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PMID:Biological effects of power frequency magnetic fields: Neurochemical and toxicological changes in developing chick embryos. 1475 60

Transamination of tryptophan belongs to minor pathways of amino acid metabolism. The present paper describes conditions for application of dinitrophenylhydrazine method, originally prepared for alanine aminortansferase and aspartate aminotransferase assay, to the measurement of tryptophan transamination catalysed by any of the enzymes mentioned above. The method was tested using purified pig heart AST. While the free enzyme showed a characteristic absorption profile with the maxima at 360 and 430 nm, the course of transamination of tryptophan was confirmed by the measurement of UV-VIS spectral changes of the coenzyme in the active site of the enzyme in the presence of the amino acid substrate only, when tryptophan caused a shift of the peak from 360 nm to 330 nm due to a change of the pyridoxal form to the pyridoxamine form (= the first step of ping-pong transaminating reaction). A general limitation of dinitrophenylhydrazine method is the interference of hydrazones formed from the coenzyme pyridoxal-5'-phosphate and from the oxo- substrate 2-oxoglutarate, showing the absorption maxima at 492 nm and 388 nm, respectively with the hydrazones formed by the oxo- products (pyruvate and/or oxaloacetate in the case of ALT/AST, the absorption maxima at 443 nm in our measurements). In the case of tryptophan transamination, indolepyruvate as the oxo- product of a catalysed reaction forms dinitrophenylhydrazone, which has, besides a maximum at 435 nm, a distinct peak at 542 nm, convenient for the product concentration measurement. This is favourable for resolution from other (interfering) hydrazones. Suitable conditions for tryptophan transamination in tissue and enzyme preparations were found. Reaching optimal conditions for tryptophan transamination measurements in vitro is generally limited by low solubility of the amino acid in water solutions: With AST preparation, the velocity of catalysed reaction at 5-50 x 10(-3) M tryptophan concentration was of 1st order to the amino acid substrate. Km for tryptophan was found > or = 2 x 10(-1) M. Therefore the enzyme activity measurement at two different tryptophan concentrations is recommended for unknown samples. Tryptophan transamination by purified pig AST was compared with that catalysed by preparations obtained from mammalian tissues.
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PMID:Tryptophan metabolism via transamination. In vitro aminotransferase assay using dinitrophenylhydrazine method. 1520 68


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