Nobuhito Sone

Did archaeal and bacterial cells arise independently from noncellular precursors? A hypothesis stating that the advent of membrane phospholipid with enantiomeric glycerophosphate backbones caused the separation of the two lines of descent.

Abstract. One of the most remarkable biochemical differences between the members of two domains Archaea and Bacteria is the stereochemistry of the glycerophosphate backbone of phospholipids, which are exclusively opposite. The enzyme responsible to the formation of Archaea-specific glycerophosphate was found to be NAD(P)-linked sn-glycerol-1-phosphate (G-1-P) dehydrogenase and it was first purified from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum cells and its gene was cloned. This structure gene named egsA (enantiomeric glycerophosphate synthase) consisted of 1,041 bp and coded the enzyme with 347 amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence deduced from the base sequence of the cloned gene (egsA) did not share any sequence similarity except for NAD-binding region with that of NAD(P)-linked sn-glycerol-3-phosphate (G-3-P) dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli which catalyzes the formation of G-3-P backbone of bacterial phospholipids, while the deduced protein sequence of the enzyme revealed some similarity with bacterial glycerol dehydrogenases. Because G-1-P dehydrogenase and G-3-P dehydrogenase would originate from different ancestor enzymes and it would be almost impossible to interchange stereospecificity of the enzymes, it seems likely that the stereostructure of membrane phospholipids of a cell must be maintained from the time of birth of the first cell. We propose here the hypothesis that Archaea and Bacteria were differentiated by the occurrence of cells enclosed by membranes of phospholipids with G-1-P and G-3-P as a backbone, respectively.

Structure and function of H+-ATPase.

Abstract(1) Extensive studies on proton-translocating ATPase (H+-ATPase) revealed that H+-ATPase is an energy transforming device universally distributed in membranes of almost all kinds of cells. (2) Crystallization of the catalytic portion (F1) of H+-ATPase showed that F1 is a hexagonal molecule with a central hole. The diameter of F1 is about 90 Å and its molecular weight is about 380,000. (3) Use of thermophilic F1 permits the complete reconstitution of F1 from its five subunits (α, β, γ, δ, and ε) and demonstration of the gate function of the γδε-complex, the catalytic function of β (supported by α and γ), and the H+-translocating functions of all five subunits. (4) Studies using purified thermostable F0 showed that F0 is an H+-channel portion of H+-ATPase. The direct measurement of H+-flux through F0, sequencing of DCCD-binding protein, and isolation of F1-binding protein are described. (5) The subunit stoichiometry of F1 may be α3β3γδε. (6) Reconstitution of stable H+-ATPase-liposomes revealed that ATP is directly synthesized by the flow of H+ driven by an electrochemical potential gradient and that H+ is translocated by ATP hydrolysis. This rules out functions for all the hypothetical components that do not belong to H+-ATPase in H+-driven ATP synthesis. The roles of conformation change and other phenomena in ATP synthesis are also discussed.

A cytochrome aa3-type terminal oxidase of a thermophilic bacterium. Purification, properties and proton pumping

Abstract Cytochrome c oxidase (ferrocytochrome c :oxygen oxidoreductase EC 1.9.3.1) was purified from thermophilic bacterium PS3 by ion-exchange and hydroxyapatite chromatography in the presence of Triton X-100. The enzyme possessed 15.9 nmol heme a , 8.9 nmol heme c and 16–18 ng atom Cu per mg protein and was composed of three subunits of relative molecular mass 56000, 38000 (heme c -binding) and 22000. Since the ratio of the subunits was 1:1:1, one enzyme unit may be composed of one molecule each of the three subunits containing two hemes a , one heme c and two copper atoms. The enzyme shows very similar absorption characteristics, including the CO difference spectrum, to the mitochondrial enzyme, indicating that the PS3 enzyme is of the cytochrome aa 3 type with a firmly bound cytochrome c . The enzyme rapidly oxidizes cytochrome c -551 from PS3 and cytochrome c -552 from Thermus thermophilus, and has a lower affinity for yeast cytochrome c from Candida krusei . The reduction product of oxygen is concluded to be water on the basis of stoichiometric measurements. The enzyme, when reconstituted into proteoliposomes, can translocate H + in an uncoupler-sensitive fashion, indicating that the enzyme is a proton pump.

Inhibition of mitochondrial alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion.

Effects of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) on the activities of NAD+- or NADP+-linked dehydrogenases in the TCA cycle were studied using mitochondria prepared from mouse brains. Activities of NAD+- and NADP+-linked isocitrate dehydrogenases, NADH- and NADPH-linked glutamate dehydrogenases, and malate dehydrogenase were little affected by 2 mM of MPP+. However, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase activity was significantly inhibited by MPP+. Kinetic analysis revealed a competitive type of inhibition. Inhibition of alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase may be one of the important mechanisms of MPP+-induced inhibition of mitochondrial respiration, and of neuronal degeneration.

Inhibition of mitochondrial NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase activity by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion

Effect of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) on the activity of NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase was studied using mitochondria prepared from rat brains. At first, inhibition of oxygen consumption by MPP+ with pyruvate + malate or glutamate + malate as substrates was confirmed polarographically using a Clark-type oxygen electrode. Then, activity of NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase in the same samples used in polarography was assayed. Incubation of mitochondria with 0.05 mM of MPP+ together with glutamate, malate and ADP resulted in approximately 50% inhibition of NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase activity. Significance of the results was discussed with respect to the mechanism of neuronal degeneration by MPP+.

Inhibition of mitochondrial respiration by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in mouse brain in vivo

This is the first report on in vivo effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) on mitochondrial respiration in mouse brain. C57/BL mice, injected with 40 mg/kg of MPTP subcutaneously, were sacrificed by cervical dislocation 5-6 h after the injection. Mitochondrial suspensions were prepared from whole brains. Mitochondrial respiration was studied polarographically. The state 3 respiration, i.e., the active respiration in the presence of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle substrates and ADP with coupled phosphorylation of ADP to ATP, was significantly inhibited in mice treated with MPTP. This inhibition was prevented by pretreatment of mice with pargyline. Activity of mitochondrial NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase was also inhibited in mice treated with MPTP.

Reconstitution of vesicles capable of energy transformation from phospholipids and adenosine triphosphatase of a thermophilic bacterium

1. A stable ATPase [EC 3.6.1.3] complex (TF0-F1) from the thermophilic bacterium PS3 was reconstituted into vesicles capable of energy transformation,measured as ATP-dependent enhancement of fluorescence of 8-anilinonoaphthalene-1-sulfonate. 2. The factors necessary for obtaining highly active vesicles were investigated. Cholate and deoxycholate were both required for solubilization of TF0-F1 and P-lipids, and removal of the detergents by dialysis resulted in vesicle formation. Medium of around pH 8 and low ionic strength containing 2.5 mM MgSO4 was found suitable for dialysis. The optimal temperature for reconstitution was 30 degrees with soybean P-lipids and 45 degree with PS3 P-lipids. The optimal ratio of protein to lipid was about 1/50. 3. The vesicles obtained under these conditions were mainly 100-200 nm in diameter, covered with 9.5 nm spheres, and had a bouyant density of 1.06 in sucrose andan internal volume of about 0.5 mul per mg of P-lipids.

ATP synthesis catalyzed by purified DCCD-sensitive ATPase incorporated into reconstituted purple membrane vesicles

Purified dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-sensitive ATPase from a thermophilic bacterium (TF0·F1) and purple membranes from Halobacterium halobium were incorporated into P-lipid vesicles. The reconstituted vesicles took up protons dependent on either illumination or addition of ATP. Net formation of ATP was observed when the vesicles were illuminated in the presence of ADP and Pi and this was completely abolished by addition of an uncoupler or energy transfer inhibitor. These results indicate that purified DCCD-sensitive ATPase, consisting of 8 kinds of polypeptides, was capable of ATP synthesis coupled with proton translocation.

Inhibition of ATP synthesis by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) in isolated mitochondria from mouse brains.

Effect of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis was studied using isolated mitochondrial preparations from mouse brains. Oxidation of glutamate + malate in the mitochondria estimated by polarography was significantly inhibited by MPP+, and synthesis of ATP was inhibited to approximately 9% of that of control by 0.06 mM of MPP+. Oxidation of alpha-glycerophosphate and succinate was not inhibited, and ATP was synthesized normally. Energy crisis appears to be one of the most important mechanisms of neuronal degeneration in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced experimental parkinsonism.

Dodecamer rotor ring defines H+/ATP ratio for ATP synthesis of prokaryotic V-ATPase from Thermus thermophilus

ATP synthesis by V-ATPase from the thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus driven by the acid-base transition was investigated. The rate of ATP synthesis increased in parallel with the increase in proton motive force (PMF) >110 mV, which is composed of a difference in proton concentration (ΔpH) and the electrical potential differences (ΔΨ) across membranes. The optimum rate of synthesis reached 85 s−1, and the H+/ATP ratio of 4.0 ± 0.1 was obtained. ATP was synthesized at a considerable rate solely by ΔpH, indicating ΔΨ was not absolutely required for synthesis. Consistent with the H+/ATP ratio, cryoelectron micrograph images of 2D crystals of the membrane-bound rotor ring of the V-ATPase at 7.0-Å resolution showed the presence of 12 Vo-c subunits, each composed of two transmembrane helices. These results indicate that symmetry mismatch between the rotor and catalytic domains is not obligatory for rotary ATPases/synthases.