Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0847097 (acidity)
 15,165 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Ascorbic acid (AsA), after being oxidized in 0.1 M phosphate (pH 7.0) buffer under the catalytic influence of adventitious iron, reacted with glutamine (Gln) derivatives with the formation of stable fluorophores showing lipofuscin-like blue (350/430 nm) fluorescence. The fluorescence was reversibly quenched by acidity and enhanced by alkaline conditions, and the fluorescence intensity was directly proportional to the Gln and AsA concentrations. Addition of H2O2 considerably increased the velocity of the fluorescence formation. Incubation of AsA/Gln in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 5.0 gave a slower fluorophore formation as compared with incubation at pH 7.0. The iron chelators DTPA and desferrioxamine inhibited the fluorophore development by preventing the iron catalyzed AsA oxidation. This was in contrast to the effects of the chelators ADP and EDTA which did not show such preventive activity. The fluorophores produced by the AsA/Gln reaction are thought to be Schiff bases formed secondary to Maillard reactions involving oxidized AsA. Considering that ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acid are active and common reductones, the oxidation-enhanced carbonyl-protein cross-linking is suggested to be an important chemical reaction which may take place during ageing and be involved in lipofuscinogenesis.
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PMID:Lipofuscin-like fluorophores can result from reactions between oxidized ascorbic acid and glutamine. Carbonyl-protein cross-linking may represent a common reaction in oxygen radical and glycosylation-related ageing processes. 156 Jun 82

The activity of branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.42) is reported for four or five different segments of the rat and rabbit nephron as well as for patches from the papilla. In the rat the levels ranged 40-fold, from a high in the thick ascending limb of Henle to a low in the proximal convoluted tubule. The peak activity is far above that reported for most other parts of the body. Maximum activity was located also in the thick ascending limb in the rabbit, but the level was only one-third as high as in the rat. It is postulated that ammonia liberated by this amino transferase, in cooperation with glutamate dehydrogenase, could diffuse readily into the adjacent proximal straight tubule where all of the renal glutamine synthase and the highest level of alanine aminotransferase are located. Thus alanine and glutamine could be produced when the ammonia was not needed to neutralize excess acidity.
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PMID:Branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase along the rabbit and rat nephron. 287 Dec 15

Affinity labeling and comparative sequence analyses have placed Lys-166 of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from Rhodospirillum rubrum at the active site. The unusual nucleophilicity and acidity of the epsilon-amino group of Lys 166 (pKa = 7.9) suggest its involvement in catalysis, perhaps as the base that enolizes ribulosebisphosphate (Hartman, F.C., Milanez, S., and Lee, E.H. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 13968-13975). In attempts to clarify the role of Lys-166 of the carboxylase, we have used site-directed mutagenesis to replace this lysyl residue with glycine, alanine, serine, glutamine, arginine, cysteine, or histidine. All seven of these mutant proteins, purified by immunoaffinity chromatography, are severely deficient in carboxylase activity; the serine mutant, which is the most active, has a kcat only 0.2% that of the wild-type enzyme. Although low, the carboxylase activity displayed by some of the mutant proteins proves that Lys-166 is not required for substrate binding and argues that the detrimental effects brought about by amino acid substitutions at position 166 do not reflect gross conformational changes. As demonstrated by their ability to tightly bind a transition-state analogue (2-carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate) in the presence of CO2 and Mg2+, some of the mutant proteins undergo the carbamylation reaction that is required for activation of the wild-type enzyme. Since Lys-166 is required neither for activation (i.e. carbamylation by CO2) nor for substrate binding, it must be essential to catalysis. When viewed within the context of previous related studies, the results of site-directed mutagenesis are entirely consistent with Lys-166 functioning as the base that initiates catalysis by abstracting the C-3 proton from ribulosebisphosphate. An alternative possibility that Lys-166 acts to stabilize a transition state in the reaction pathway cannot be rigorously excluded.
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PMID:Function of Lys-166 of Rhodospirillum rubrum ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase as examined by site-directed mutagenesis. 310 87

Acid-base homeostasis depends on glutamine flow from producer organs to those capable of generating bicarbonate. Glutamine oxidation, the prerequisite metabolic transformation, can be expressed by many sites; however, net base generation requires that glutamine flow be directed to a specific organ, the kidney. Normally, glutamine flows from the periphery to the splanchnic bed, providing a major fuel and supporting ureagenesis. Glutamine flow in chronic metabolic acidosis, on the other hand, is rerouted to the kidneys; asymmetrical distribution of NH+4 and HCO3- into the urine and renal vein subserves restoration of alkaline reserves. Clearly, glutamine flows in accordance with physiological demands, yet little is known of the regulatory mechanisms. As a model, chronic metabolic acidosis alters two aspects of this vital flow, its direction and magnitude. Characteristically the direction of flow is away from the splanchnic bed and into the kidneys associated with a marked fall in arterial glutamine concentration, restoring arterial level returns flow to the splanchnic bed sink. Thus glutamine homeostasis is sacrificed to impart direction to interorgan glutamine flow. Although multiple sites contribute to glutamine homeostasis, of great strategic importance is the potent hepatic glutaminase flux activated by portal venous NH+4 fed forward by gut metabolism; local hydrogen ion concentration modulates the effectiveness of this activator. Acute regulation of flow direction can be exerted by the lungs in determining the prevailing pCO2 and cellular acidity; respiratory compensation in chronic acidosis allows the expression of hepatic glutaminase, thereby suppressing arterial glutamine concentration. The enormous magnitude of glutamine flowing from muscle to the kidneys is supported by adaptive increases in glutamine synthetase and mitochondrial glutaminase, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Interorgan glutamine flow in metabolic acidosis. 332 41

In a series of four experiments, asparaginase and glutaminase activity was measured in liver and kidney tissue of 7- to 19-day-old male broiler chicks. In Experiment 1, chicks were fed purified amino acid diets with 14.8 and 44.6% protein equivalents (PE) with 1, 3, or 5% added sodium bicarbonate. In Experiments 2, 3, and 4 the chicks were fed a 23% protein basal control diet, basal diet containing 5% ammonium chloride, and basal diet containing 5% ammonium chloride with 5 or 10% sodium bicarbonate, asparagine, or glutamine. In Experiments 2 and 4 the chicks were also fed 25, 50, or 75% protein-isolated soy-purified diets. The 44.6% PE diet increased liver and kidney asparaginase activity in chicks as compared to chicks fed a 14.8% PE diet. The addition of sodium bicarbonate to the 44.6% PE amino acid diet decreased the kidney asparaginase activity equivalent to kidney asparaginase activity of chicks fed the 14.8% PE diet. Asparaginase activity increased 4-fold in the kidneys of chicks fed the 23% protein basal diet containing 5% ammonium chloride and the pH of the urine from the chicks was 4.9. Chicks fed basal diets with 5% ammonium chloride plus 10% sodium bicarbonate or asparagine had the same kidney asparaginase activity and urine pH as chicks fed the 23% protein basal control diet. Glutamine added to chick diets containing 5% ammonium chloride did not decrease the kidney asparaginase activity or the urine acidity. Liver asparaginase activity was not increased in acidotic chicks fed diets with 5% ammonium chloride. The asparaginase activity of liver and kidney tissue were both significantly increased in chicks fed 75% protein-isolated soy purified diets and the pH of their urine was 5.6. The increase in liver asparaginase of chicks fed 75% protein or 44.5% PE diets was probably due to an endocrine gluconeogenic response producing increased catabolism of the majority of amino acids. The increase in kidney asparaginase of chicks fed 75% protein, 44.5% PE diets, and 23% protein basal diets with 5% ammonium chloride was primarily related to metabolic acidosis. Phosphate-dependent glutaminase (PDG) activity was localized in chick kidney mitochondria and was heat sensitive (55 C for 30 sec). The phosphate-independent glutaminase (PIG) activity was primarily localized in chick kidney mitochondria but was stable to a temperature of 55 C for 30 sec.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Asparagine and glutamine metabolism in chicks. 632 68

Snake insulin is isolated and crystallized from the pancreas of non-venomous snake (Zaocys dhumnades dhumnades, Cantor). The crystalline form is not rhombohedral but dodecahedral. The primary structure has been determined with the aid of an LKB solid-phase sequencer. In the primary structure of snake insulin, the presence of B5 Arg, B29 Arg, B16 Phe, B25 Tyr and B18 Ile is unusual in comparison with insulins from mammals, birds and fishes. However, the snake insulin we studied is very similar to rattle snake insulin, with the exception that A15 is glutamic acid instead of glutamine and B30 is threonine instead of serine. These differences are consistent with the higher acidity of the snake insulin we studied and with the threonine and serine content in amino acid analysis. The B10 residue of the snake insulin we studied is still histidine. The formation of dodecahedral crystals of the snake insulin has been discussed in connection with the presence of this histidine.
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PMID:The primary structure of snake (Zaocys dhumnades dhumnades, Cantor) insulin. 702 9

Three of five isolates of Sporidesmium sclerotivorum, a mycoparasite of Sclerotinia spp., grew well on an agar medium containing mineral salts, glucose, thiamine, and glutamine or Casamino acids as the nitrogen source. The nitrogen requirement for two of the isolates was satisfied by NH4Cl, Casamino acids, or glutamine. Glutamine was the best single nitrogen source. Only one isolate, CS-1, was used in further nutritional studies. The optimum concentration of glutamine for growth was 5 g/L. Glucose, mannose, mannitol, and cellobiose were excellent carbon sources. A glucose concentration of 20 g/L was optimum. Mannitol supported greater growth than glucose with Casamino acids as the nitrogen source but glucose was the superior carbon source with glutamine as the nitrogen source. Greatest growth was achieved with a combination of these carbon and nitrogen sources. Sporidesmium sclerotivorum, isolate CS-1, required thiamine for growth and sporulation. Biotin stimulated growth. The fungus developed maximally within the range of pH 5.0-5.5 and growth was greatly reduced at a pH below 4.0 or above 6.0. Control of acidity by the periodic addition of NaOH solution permitted substantially increased growth. The optimum temperature for growth was 22.5-25.0 degrees C but production of macroconidia was greatest at 15-20 degrees C.
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PMID:Nutritional and environmental factors affecting growth and sporulation of Sporidesmium sclerotivorum. 729 4

The pH regulation of gene expression in Aspergillus nidulans is mediated by pacC, whose 678 residue-derived protein contains three putative Cys2His2 zinc fingers. Ten pacCc mutations mimicking growth at alkaline pH remove between 100 and 214 C-terminal residues, including a highly acidic region containing an acidic glutamine repeat. Nine pacC+/- mutations mimicking acidic growth conditions remove between 299 and 505 C-terminal residues. Deletion of the entire pacC coding region mimics acidity but leads additionally to poor growth and conidiation. A PacC fusion protein binds DNA with the core consensus GCCARG. At alkaline ambient pH, PacC activates transcription of alkaline-expressed genes (including pacC itself) and represses transcription of acid-expressed genes. pacCc mutations obviate the need for pH signal transduction.
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PMID:The Aspergillus PacC zinc finger transcription factor mediates regulation of both acid- and alkaline-expressed genes by ambient pH. 788 81

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were derived against the procyclic culture form of Trypanosoma congolense and 14 were selected which bound to the surface of living procyclics in immunofluorescence assays. These antibodies bound to procyclics and epimastigotes of T. congolense (both savannah-type and Kilifi-type) and procyclics of Trypanosoma simiae, but not to procyclics of other species of trypanosomes, to bloodstream forms of several species of trypanosomes or to Leishmania, and were thus life cycle stage- and subgenus-specific. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis with these antibodies showed that the kinetics of expression of the surface antigen during transformation from bloodstream to procyclic forms was similar to that of procyclin or procyclic acidic repetitive protein (PARP) of T. brucei spp. appearing at the cell surface as early as 8 h after initiating transformation. All fourteen antibodies detected broad bands of 40-44 and 28-32 kDa in immunoblot analysis of whole procyclic lysates and were specific for carbohydrate epitopes. The antigen was purified by cation-exchange chromatography and gel electrophoresis, and was shown to be an acidic glycoprotein. Amino acid microanalysis of the purified antigen showed an abundance of glutamic acid/glutamine and alanine. Sequences of peptides produced by cyanogen bromide cleavage matched amino acid sequences predicted by the nucleotide sequence of a gene described in the accompanying paper by Bayne et al. [26]. No sequence similarity to T. brucei procyclin/PARP or to any other protein was found. However, its stage and subgenus specificity, surface disposition, immunodominance, acidity and kinetics of expression during transformation from bloodstream to procyclic forms indicate that the molecule is an analog of procyclin/PARP described in T. brucei spp.
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PMID:Identification and characterization of an acidic major surface glycoprotein from procyclic stage Trypanosoma congolense. 790 27

3-Quinuclidinone catalyzes the exchange of the alpha-protons of butyryl-coenzyme A (CoA) with a second-order rate constant of 2.4 x 10(-6) M-1 s-1. In contrast, enoyl-CoA hydratase catalyzes the stereospecific exchange of the pro-2S proton of butyryl-CoA with a maximum second-order rate constant of ca. 8 x 10(2) M-1 s-1. This isotope exchange reaction is completely stereospecific within the limits of experimental detection (over 600-fold). The enzyme-catalyzed exchange is dependent on pD, decreasing above a pKa of 8.8 and below a pKa of 8.1, but independent of the buffer concentration. The stereospecificity of the exchange was unexpected because the pro-2R hydrogen is abstracted during the enzyme-catalyzed dehydration of 3(S)-hydroxybutyryl-CoA. In spite of the ability to exchange the pro-2S hydrogen, the stereospecificity of the dehydration reaction was determined to be better than 1 in 10(5) as no incorporation of 2H into the alpha-position of crotonyl-CoA or into the pro-2S position of 3(S)-hydroxybutyryl-CoA was detected during prolonged equilibrations with enoyl-CoA hydratase. Both the exchange of the alpha-proton and the dehydration activity of the enzyme are diminished by over 100-fold in a site-directed mutation of rat liver enoyl-CoA hydratase, where glutamate-164 is changed to glutamine, strongly suggesting that the same active site base is responsible for proton abstraction in both the dehydration and solvent exchange reactions. The enoyl-CoA hydratase-catalyzed exchange of the alpha-protons becomes nonstereospecific when the acidity of the alpha-protons is enhanced. While alpha-proton abstraction can be observed when no elimination reaction is possible, there is no evidence for proton abstraction without elimination in the crotonase equilibrations with 3(S)-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, 3-hydroxypropionyl-CoA, or 3-chloropropionyl-CoA. The differences in the isotope exchange and dehydration reactions emphasize the importance of the 3-hydroxyl group in promoting elimination and are consistent with a concerted elimination mechanism.
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PMID:Enoyl-coenzyme A hydratase-catalyzed exchange of the alpha-protons of coenzyme A thiol esters: a model for an enolized intermediate in the enzyme-catalyzed elimination? 799 1


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