Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:6.3.2.3 (glutathione synthetase)
 678 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Under pathological conditions, the induction of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in macrophages is responsible for NO production to a cytotoxic concentration. We have investigated changes to, and the role of, intracellular glutathione in NO production by the activated murine macrophage cell line J774. Total glutathione concentrations (reduced, GSH, plus the disulphide, GSSG) were decreased to 45% of the control 48 h after cells were activated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide plus interferon gamma. This was accompanied by a decrease in the GSH/GSSG ratio from 12:1 to 2:1. The intracellular decrease was not accounted for by either GSH or GSSG efflux; on the contrary, rapid export of glutathione in control cells was abrogated during activation. The loss of intra- and extracellular glutathione indicates either a decrease in synthesis de novo, or an increase in utilization, rather than competition for available NADPH. All changes in activated cells were prevented by pretreatment with the NOS inhibitor L-N-(1-iminoethyl)ornithine. Basal glutathione levels in J774 cells were manipulated by pretreatment with (1) buthionine sulphoximine (glutathione synthase inhibitor), (2) acivicin (gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase inhibitor), (3) bromo-octane (glutathione S-transferase substrate) and (4) diamide/zinc (thiol oxidant and glutathione reductase inhibitor). All treatments significantly decreased the output of NO following activation. The degree of inhibition was dependent on (i) duration of treatment prior to activation, (ii) rate of depletion or subsequent recovery and (iii) thiol end product. The level of GSH did not significantly affect the production of NO, after induction of NOS. Thus, glutathione redox status appears to plays an important role in NOS induction during macrophage activation.
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PMID:Induction of nitric oxide synthesis in J774 cells lowers intracellular glutathione: effect of modulated glutathione redox status on nitric oxide synthase induction. 906 66

Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase (CPS) catalyzes the production of carbamoyl phosphate which is subsequently employed in the metabolic pathways responsible for the synthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides or arginine. The catalytic mechanism of the enzyme occurs through three highly reactive intermediates: carboxyphosphate, ammonia, and carbamate. As isolated from Escherichia coli, CPS is an alpha, beta-heterodimeric protein with its three active sites separated by nearly 100 A. In addition, there are separate binding sites for the allosteric regulators, ornithine, and UMP. Given the sizable distances between the three active sites and the allosteric-binding pockets, it has been postulated that domain movements play key roles for intramolecular communication. Here we describe the structure of CPS from E. coli where, indeed, such a domain movement has occurred in response to nucleotide binding. Specifically, the protein was crystallized in the presence of a nonhydrolyzable analogue, AMPPNP, and its structure determined to 2.1 A resolution by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The B-domain of the carbamoyl phosphate synthetic component of the large subunit closes down over the active-site pocket such that some atoms move by more than 7 A relative to that observed in the original structure. The trigger for this movement resides in the hydrogen-bonding interactions between two backbone amide groups (Gly 721 and Gly 722) and the beta- and gamma-phosphate groups of the nucleotide triphosphate. Gly 721 and Gly 722 are located in a Type III' reverse turn, and this type of secondary structural motif is also observed in D-alanine:D-alanine ligase and glutathione synthetase, both of which belong to the "ATP-grasp" superfamily of proteins. Details concerning the geometries of the two active sites contained within the large subunit of CPS are described.
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PMID:Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase: closure of the B-domain as a result of nucleotide binding. 1002 28