Much work has been carried out on glycogen phosphorylase over the last seventy years. Interest has persisted due not only to the usefulness of phosphorylase as a model system of allostery, but also due to the connection to the disease state in type II diabetes. The bulk of research consists of structural studies utilizing the wild-type enzyme from rabbit muscle. In this study we have employed linkage analysis in combination with structural perturbations via site-directed mutagenesis to test kinetic models of activation of phosphorylase b by AMP, and to examine the roles of the N-terminus, the acidic patch, ?-helix 1 and the 280?s loop in activation by AMP. Experiments have been carried out on purified glycogen phosphorylase b variants to determine the effects of perturbations in vitro. The kinetic models of activation by AMP are found to be a relatively accurate description of kinetic behavior of wild-type phosphorylase b, but are found to be technically incorrect with respect to the absolute requirements of two equivalents of AMP to be bound prior to catalysis. Phosphorylase b demonstrates activity in the absence of AMP, though only at high concentrations of phosphate, and a hybrid phosphorylase b with only a single functional AMP binding sight shows slight activation. The truncate ?2-17 shows weakened binding to AMP and phosphate in the apo enzyme, but maintains activation by AMP to an affinity similar to that of wild-type, indicating that the N-terminus is not required for activation by AMP, but has a role in establishing the affinity for both AMP and phosphate in the apo enzyme. Perturbations of the acidic patch indicate that interactions between the acidic patch and the N-terminus enhance the affinities in the apo enzyme, suggesting that the structures of the N-terminus at the acidic patch may represent an active form of the enzyme. ?-helix 1 is found to have a role in homotropic cooperativity in phosphorylase b, but not in heterotropic activation by AMP, while the 280?s loop is confirmed to have a role in the heterotropic coupling between AMP and phosphate. Based on the findings in this study an alternate structural model of activation by AMP involving ?-helix 8 is proposed.

Much work has been carried out on glycogen phosphorylase over the last seventy years. Interest has persisted due not only to the usefulness of phosphorylase as a model system of allostery, but also due to the connection to the disease state in type II diabetes. The bulk of research consists of structural studies utilizing the wild-type enzyme from rabbit muscle. In this study we have employed linkage analysis in combination with structural perturbations via site-directed mutagenesis to test kinetic models of activation of phosphorylase b by AMP, and to examine the roles of the N-terminus, the acidic patch, ?-helix 1 and the 280?s loop in activation by AMP. Experiments have been carried out on purified glycogen phosphorylase b variants to determine the effects of perturbations in vitro. The kinetic models of activation by AMP are found to be a relatively accurate description of kinetic behavior of wild-type phosphorylase b, but are found to be technically incorrect with respect to the absolute requirements of two equivalents of AMP to be bound prior to catalysis. Phosphorylase b demonstrates activity in the absence of AMP, though only at high concentrations of phosphate, and a hybrid phosphorylase b with only a single functional AMP binding sight shows slight activation. The truncate ?2-17 shows weakened binding to AMP and phosphate in the apo enzyme, but maintains activation by AMP to an affinity similar to that of wild-type, indicating that the N-terminus is not required for activation by AMP, but has a role in establishing the affinity for both AMP and phosphate in the apo enzyme. Perturbations of the acidic patch indicate that interactions between the acidic patch and the N-terminus enhance the affinities in the apo enzyme, suggesting that the structures of the N-terminus at the acidic patch may represent an active form of the enzyme. ?-helix 1 is found to have a role in homotropic cooperativity in phosphorylase b, but not in heterotropic activation by AMP, while the 280?s loop is confirmed to have a role in the heterotropic coupling between AMP and phosphate. Based on the findings in this study an alternate structural model of activation by AMP involving ?-helix 8 is proposed.

Ce travail a pour objectif d’analyser la surproduction de fengycine par la souche de B. subtilis BBG 21, en comparant la synthèse à celle d’autres souches de Bacillus. BBG21 produisant également des surfactines, nous avons aussi analysé la co-production des lipopeptides dans cette souche. Le travail montre le rôle des promoteurs Pfen et Ppps dans la synthèse des fengycines. L’analyse de la séquence met en évidence 10 nucléotides manquants entre Ppps168 et PfenBBG21 et la modification d’un nucléotide de « l’UP element » entre BBG 21 et ATCC 21332. Dans un second temps, certaines conditions biotiques et abiotiques influençant l’expression du promoteur Pfen et la synthèse de fengycines et de surfactines ont été testées dans le dérivé BBG 208. Les sources de carbone orientent la synthèse vers une famille de lipopeptides alors que la plupart des sources d’azote permettent la cosynthèse à haut niveau des 2 molécules. Une forte expression du promoteur Pfen couplée à une synthèse importante de fengycines a été mise en évidence lorsque l’urée ou le mélange urée ammonium sont utilisés comme source d’azote et le mannitol comme source de carbone. Les conditions de température, de pH et d’oxygénation sont importantes pour la synthèse de fengycine et ces conditions sont spécifiques aux sources de carbone ou d’azote présentes dans le milieu. Enfin, nous avons étudié la synthèse des molécules chez des mutants surfactine - et pnp ase – issus de la souche Bs 168. Les résultats montrent que le régulateur srfAA affecte significativement la production de fengycines alors qu’il n’y pas action de srfAC. Chez les mutants pnpase - il y a une forte diminution des 2 lipopeptides. / This work aimed at analyzing the overproduction of fengycin in Bacillus subtilis BBG21 and then was compared to a set of Bacilli strains. As BBG21 also produces surfactin, we also studied coproduction of lipopeptides in this strain. The work highlighted the role the promotor Pfen and Ppps in the synthesis of fengicins. The analysis of sequences was unveiled 10 missing nucleotides between Ppps168 and PfenBBG21 and modification of one nucleotide of the UP element between strains BBG21 and 21332, respectively. Secondly, environmental conditions that might influence the promotor Pfen expression and synthesis of both lipopeptides were also tested in B. subtilis BBG 208. Thus, carbon sources appeared to direct synthesis of one family of lipopeptides, whilst most of nitrogen sources allowed high level of both lipopeptides co-synthesis. A strong expression of promotor Pfen and an important synthesis of fengycins were obtained with urea or urea ammonium mixture used as nitrogen source and with mannitol as carbon source. Temperature, pH and filling volume are important for fengycins synthesis and these conditions are carbon and nitrogen sources dependent. Finally we studied fengycins synthesis in surfactin and PNPase mutants derived from Bs 168. The result showed that srfAA regulator decreased fengycin synthesis whereas srfAC has not any affect. Notably, an important decrease in surfactin and fengycin was observed for PNPase mutant strains.

No description available.

No description available.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1992. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-114). Also available via the Internet.

The cellular slime mold, Dictyortelium dixcoideum, provides an ideal model system to study eukaryotic cell differentiation. In D. discoideum glycogen degradation provides precursors for the synthesis of developmentally regulated structural end products. The enzyme responsible for glycogen degradation, glycogen phosphorylase, exists in active and inactive forms. The activity of the ’a' form (the active form) is independent of 5′adenosine monophosphate (5′AMP) while the activity of the ’b' form (the inactive form) is 5′AMP dependent, The two forms are developmentally regulated. Polyclortal antibodies raised to the purified forms of this enzyme show low cross reactivity. The anti-’a' antiserum reacts with a 104 kd protein that is associated with phosphorylase ’a' activity; the anti-’b' antiserum reacts with a 92 kd protein that is associated with phosphorylase ’b' activity and cross reacts weakly with the 104 kd protein. Cyclic AMP perturbation of intact cells caused induction of both phosphorylase ’a' activity and the appearance of the 104 kd protein. lmmunotitration data suggest that the ’a’ form accumulates due to de novo protein synthesis, although this result must be interpreted with caution. In vitro translation experiments indicate that separate mRNA species exist for the two forms of phosphorylase. The mRNA for the 'b’ form is present throughout development while that of the ’a' form appears late in development. / Master of Science

As doenças parasitárias são uma das maiores causas de morte em países em desenvolvimento, e recebem pouca ou nenhuma atenção das indústrias farmacêuticas para o desenvolvimento de terapias. Causada pelo parasita Schistosoma mansoni a esquistossomose mansônica afeta aproximadamente 259 milhões de pessoas no mundo sendo aproximadamente 6 milhões somente no Brasil. O S. mansoni não possui a via \"de novo\" para a biossíntese de bases púricas e depende integralmente da via de salvação para o suprimento dessas bases, portanto, essa via é um alvo em potencial. Agentes capazes de bloquear a atividade das enzimas participantes desta via atuam de forma inespecífica e são quase sempre tóxicos ao homem e por isso o estudo minucioso das pequenas diferenças encontradas entre as enzimas do hospedeiro e do parasita são de extrema importância. Uma diferença marcante entre a via de salvação de purinas do parasita e do hospedeiro humano é a presença de atividade para adenosina fosforilase, que no parasita é exercida por duas entidades distintas: pela enzima Metiltioadenosina fosforilase de S. mansoni (SmMTAP) e por uma enzima até então desconhecida. A enzima SmMTAP naturalmente converte 5\'-deoxi-5\'-metiltioadenosina (MTA) em adenina livre, mas ao contrário do que é visto no hospedeiro, no parasita essa enzima atua preferencialmente na conversão de adenosina. Substituições encontradas no sítio ativo dessa enzima, podem explicar tamanha preferência pelo substrato alternativo, revelando mecanismos distintos da enzima humana. A enzima Purina nucleosídeo fosforilase de S. mansoni (SmPNP) converte inosina e guanosina à hipoxantina e guanina, respectivamente, mas não possui atividade catalítica para adenosina. No entanto, no genoma de S. mansoni é descrita uma isoforma para a SmPNP (SmPNP2), cuja atividade catalítica é desconhecida e, portanto, essa enzima pode também atuar na conversão de adenosina juntamente com a SmMTAP. Assim, os objetivos deste trabalho foram realizar estudos bioquímicos da ação da enzima SmMTAP e realizar a caracterização estrutural e funcional da enzima SmPNP2. Para isso, foram realizadas mutações no sítio ativo da SmMTAP (S12T, N87T, Q289L, S12T/N87T e S12T/N87T/Q289L), as mutantes da SmMTAP juntamente com a enzima SmPNP2 foram clonadas, expressas de forma heteróloga e purificadas. Foram realizados ensaios de cristalização e cinéticos por espectrofotometria utilizando um sistema acoplado. A atividade da SmPNP2 foi ainda avaliada por calorimetria e HPLC. Foram determinadas as constantes catalíticas da forma nativa e para os cinco mutantes da SmMTAP para cinco diferentes substratos. Foi determinada atividade catalítica da SmPNP2 por 3 diferentes substratos: adenosina, inosina e citidina, as constantes catalíticas foram determinadas para os três substratos. Foram obtidos cristais para os mutantes da SmMTAP e da SmPNP2, que foram submetidos à difração de raios X nas linhas I04-1 e I02 do laboratório de radiação síncrotron Diamond Light Source (DLS). Foram resolvidas 9 estruturas dos mutantes da SmMTAP e 4 da proteína SmPNP2. Os dados cinéticos, juntamente com os dados estruturais, permitiram compreender mecanismos catalíticos e de interação das proteínas estudadas, complementando o conhecimento do metabolismo do parasita Schistosoma mansoni e revelando alvos em potencial para o desenvolvimento de fármacos específicos. / The parasitic illness are the leading cause of deaths in developing countries, and receives little or no attention from drug companies to develop therapies. The schistosomiasis is caused by Schistosoma mansoni parasite and affects approximately 259 million people worldwide with 6 million only in Brazil. The Schistosoma mansoni parasite does not possess the \"de novo\" pathway for purine bases biosynthesis and depends entirely on salvage pathway for its purine requirement, therefore this pathway is a potential target. Compounds able to block the enzymes from this pathway, are not specific and are often toxic to humans, thus the thorough study about the particularity found between enzymes from host and parasite are extremely important. A notable difference between human and parasite metabolism, is the activity existence to Adenosine phosphorylase that in parasite is carried out by two distinct entities: by Methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (SmMTAP) and by a hitherto unknown enzyme. The SmMTAP enzyme, naturally converts 5\'-deoxy-5\'-methylthioadenosine (MTA) to free adenine and in opposition to host, in the parasite this enzyme acts manly in adenosine conversion. Substitutions found in the active site from SmMTAP, can explain the huge preference by alternative substrate and to expose a distinct mechanisms from human enzyme. The Purine nucleoside Phosphorylase from S. mansoni (SmPNP) converts inosine and guanosine to hypoxanthine and guanine, respectively, but it not possess catalytic activity to adenosine conversion. However in the S. mansoni genome there is a isoform to SmPNP, whose activity is unknown, thus is possible that SmPNP2 enzyme also can to convert adenosine. This study aimed to perform biochemical studies to investigate the SmMTAP enzyme action and perform the structural and functional characterization of SmPNP2. For this propose was made site-directed mutagenesis (S12T, N87T, Q289L, S12T/N87T e S12T/N87T/Q289L). The SmMTAP mutants and SmPNP2 enzyme were cloned, expressed by heterolog process and purified. Were perform kinetic assays by spectrophotometric method in a coupled system. The SmPNP2 activity was also available by calorimetry and HPLC methods. Were determined the catalytic constants to wild and mutants SmMTAP to five different substrate. Was determinated to SmPNP2 catalictical activity and kinetics parameters to three substrate: adenosine, inosine e cytidine. Were obtained crystals from SmMTAP mutants and SmPNP2 enzyme, those crystals were submitted to X-rays diffractions in the I04-1 and I02 beamlines from Diamond Light Source (DLS). Nine structures were obtained from SmMTAP mutants and four from SmPNP2 enzyme. The kinetics and structural data allowed understanding the catalytic and interaction mechanisms about the protein studied, supplementing the knowledge around Schistosoma mansoni metabolism and reporting potential targets for the specific drugs development.

As doenças parasitárias são uma das maiores causas de morte em países em desenvolvimento, e recebem pouca ou nenhuma atenção das indústrias farmacêuticas para o desenvolvimento de terapias. Causada pelo parasita Schistosoma mansoni a esquistossomose mansônica afeta aproximadamente 259 milhões de pessoas no mundo sendo aproximadamente 6 milhões somente no Brasil. O S. mansoni não possui a via \"de novo\" para a biossíntese de bases púricas e depende integralmente da via de salvação para o suprimento dessas bases, portanto, essa via é um alvo em potencial. Agentes capazes de bloquear a atividade das enzimas participantes desta via atuam de forma inespecífica e são quase sempre tóxicos ao homem e por isso o estudo minucioso das pequenas diferenças encontradas entre as enzimas do hospedeiro e do parasita são de extrema importância. Uma diferença marcante entre a via de salvação de purinas do parasita e do hospedeiro humano é a presença de atividade para adenosina fosforilase, que no parasita é exercida por duas entidades distintas: pela enzima Metiltioadenosina fosforilase de S. mansoni (SmMTAP) e por uma enzima até então desconhecida. A enzima SmMTAP naturalmente converte 5\'-deoxi-5\'-metiltioadenosina (MTA) em adenina livre, mas ao contrário do que é visto no hospedeiro, no parasita essa enzima atua preferencialmente na conversão de adenosina. Substituições encontradas no sítio ativo dessa enzima, podem explicar tamanha preferência pelo substrato alternativo, revelando mecanismos distintos da enzima humana. A enzima Purina nucleosídeo fosforilase de S. mansoni (SmPNP) converte inosina e guanosina à hipoxantina e guanina, respectivamente, mas não possui atividade catalítica para adenosina. No entanto, no genoma de S. mansoni é descrita uma isoforma para a SmPNP (SmPNP2), cuja atividade catalítica é desconhecida e, portanto, essa enzima pode também atuar na conversão de adenosina juntamente com a SmMTAP. Assim, os objetivos deste trabalho foram realizar estudos bioquímicos da ação da enzima SmMTAP e realizar a caracterização estrutural e funcional da enzima SmPNP2. Para isso, foram realizadas mutações no sítio ativo da SmMTAP (S12T, N87T, Q289L, S12T/N87T e S12T/N87T/Q289L), as mutantes da SmMTAP juntamente com a enzima SmPNP2 foram clonadas, expressas de forma heteróloga e purificadas. Foram realizados ensaios de cristalização e cinéticos por espectrofotometria utilizando um sistema acoplado. A atividade da SmPNP2 foi ainda avaliada por calorimetria e HPLC. Foram determinadas as constantes catalíticas da forma nativa e para os cinco mutantes da SmMTAP para cinco diferentes substratos. Foi determinada atividade catalítica da SmPNP2 por 3 diferentes substratos: adenosina, inosina e citidina, as constantes catalíticas foram determinadas para os três substratos. Foram obtidos cristais para os mutantes da SmMTAP e da SmPNP2, que foram submetidos à difração de raios X nas linhas I04-1 e I02 do laboratório de radiação síncrotron Diamond Light Source (DLS). Foram resolvidas 9 estruturas dos mutantes da SmMTAP e 4 da proteína SmPNP2. Os dados cinéticos, juntamente com os dados estruturais, permitiram compreender mecanismos catalíticos e de interação das proteínas estudadas, complementando o conhecimento do metabolismo do parasita Schistosoma mansoni e revelando alvos em potencial para o desenvolvimento de fármacos específicos. / The parasitic illness are the leading cause of deaths in developing countries, and receives little or no attention from drug companies to develop therapies. The schistosomiasis is caused by Schistosoma mansoni parasite and affects approximately 259 million people worldwide with 6 million only in Brazil. The Schistosoma mansoni parasite does not possess the \"de novo\" pathway for purine bases biosynthesis and depends entirely on salvage pathway for its purine requirement, therefore this pathway is a potential target. Compounds able to block the enzymes from this pathway, are not specific and are often toxic to humans, thus the thorough study about the particularity found between enzymes from host and parasite are extremely important. A notable difference between human and parasite metabolism, is the activity existence to Adenosine phosphorylase that in parasite is carried out by two distinct entities: by Methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (SmMTAP) and by a hitherto unknown enzyme. The SmMTAP enzyme, naturally converts 5\'-deoxy-5\'-methylthioadenosine (MTA) to free adenine and in opposition to host, in the parasite this enzyme acts manly in adenosine conversion. Substitutions found in the active site from SmMTAP, can explain the huge preference by alternative substrate and to expose a distinct mechanisms from human enzyme. The Purine nucleoside Phosphorylase from S. mansoni (SmPNP) converts inosine and guanosine to hypoxanthine and guanine, respectively, but it not possess catalytic activity to adenosine conversion. However in the S. mansoni genome there is a isoform to SmPNP, whose activity is unknown, thus is possible that SmPNP2 enzyme also can to convert adenosine. This study aimed to perform biochemical studies to investigate the SmMTAP enzyme action and perform the structural and functional characterization of SmPNP2. For this propose was made site-directed mutagenesis (S12T, N87T, Q289L, S12T/N87T e S12T/N87T/Q289L). The SmMTAP mutants and SmPNP2 enzyme were cloned, expressed by heterolog process and purified. Were perform kinetic assays by spectrophotometric method in a coupled system. The SmPNP2 activity was also available by calorimetry and HPLC methods. Were determined the catalytic constants to wild and mutants SmMTAP to five different substrate. Was determinated to SmPNP2 catalictical activity and kinetics parameters to three substrate: adenosine, inosine e cytidine. Were obtained crystals from SmMTAP mutants and SmPNP2 enzyme, those crystals were submitted to X-rays diffractions in the I04-1 and I02 beamlines from Diamond Light Source (DLS). Nine structures were obtained from SmMTAP mutants and four from SmPNP2 enzyme. The kinetics and structural data allowed understanding the catalytic and interaction mechanisms about the protein studied, supplementing the knowledge around Schistosoma mansoni metabolism and reporting potential targets for the specific drugs development.