Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) was purified from 16 selected bacterial species including existing Pseudomonas species and former species reassigned to new genera. An enormous diversity was seen among the 16 enzymes with each class of ATCase being represented. The smallest class, class C, with a catalytically active homotrimer, at 100 kDa, was found in Bacillus and other Gram positive bacteria. In this report, the ATCases from the Gram negatives, Shewanella putrefaciens and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were added to class C membership. The enteric bacteria typify class B ATCases at 310 kDa, with a dodecameric structure composed of two catalytic trimers coupled to three regulatory dimers. A key feature of class B ATCases is the dissociability of the holoenzyme into regulatory and catalytic subunits which were enzymatically active. In this report, the ATCase from Pseudomonas indigofera was added to class B ATCases. The largest class, at 480 kDa, class A, contains the fluorescent Pseudomonas including most members of the 16S rRNA homology group I. Two polypeptides are produced from overlapping pyrBC' genes. The former, pyrB, encodes a 34 kDa catalytic polypeptide while pyrC' encodes a 45 kDa dihydroorotase-like polypeptide. Two non active trimers are made from six 34 kDa chains which are cemented by six 45 kDa chains to form the active dodecameric structure. Dissociation of the holoenyzme into its separate active subunits has not been possible. In this report, the ATCases from Comamonas acidovorans and C. testosteroni, were added to the class A enzymes. An even larger class of ATCase than class A at 600 kDa was discovered in Burkholderia cepacia. Stoichiometric measurements predict a dodecamer of six 39 kDa polypeptides and six 60 kDa polypeptides. Unlike other large pseudomonads ATCases, the enzyme from B. cepacia was dissociable into smaller active forms. Both the holoenzyme and its dissociated forms were regulated by nucleotide effectors. A new class of ATCase was proposed for B. cepacia type enzymes.

Bacterial aspartate transcarbamoylases (ATCase's) are divided into three classes that correspond to taxonomic relationships within the bacteria. The opportunistic pathogen Moraxeila catarrhalis has undergone several reclassifications based on traditional microbiological criteria. The previously uncharacterized ATCase from M. catarrhalis was purified to homogeneity and its chemical properties characterized. The ATCase from M. catarrhalis is a class C ATCase with an apparent molecular mass of 480-520 kDa. The M. catarrhalis ATCase is a dodecomer composed of six 35 kDa polypeptides and six 45 kDa polypeptides. The enzyme has an unusually high pH optimum of greater than pH 10. The enzyme exhibited hyperbolic kinetic with a Km for aspartate of 2 mM. A single, separate 78 kDa dihydroorotase from M. catarrhalis was identified and it was not associated with ATCase. These data support the reclassification of M. catarrhalis out of the Neisseriaceae family.

Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) of Pseudomonas putida consists of two different polypeptides, PyrB and PyrC' (Schurr et al, 1995). The role of the PyrC' and the assembly of PyrB and PyrC' have been studied. The ATCase made in vitro of P.putida PyrB with P.putida PyrC', and of E.coli PyrB with P.putida PyrC ' were generated under two different conditions, denaturation and renaturation, and untreated. It was found that PyrC' plays a role in the enzymatic regulation by ATP, CTP and UTP. In addition to playing a role in substrate binding, the PyrB polypeptide is also involved in effector binding (Kumar et al., manuscript in preparation). The most energetically preferred form of the P.putida WT is a dodecamer with a molecular mass of 480 kDa. The ratio between the PyrB and the PyrC' is 1:1. In studies of nucleotide binding, it was discovered that the P.putida PyrB was phosphorylated by a protein kinase in the cell extract. In the presence of 20 mM EDTA, this phosphorylation was inhibited and the inhibition could be overcome by the addition of divalent cations such as Zn2+ and Mg2+. This result suggested that the phosphorylation reaction required divalent cations. In the CAD complex of eukaryotes, phosphorylations of the CPSase and the linker region between ATCase and DHOase did not occur in the presence of UTP and it was hypothesized (Carrey, 1993) that UTP and phosphorylation(s) regulated the conformational change in the enzyme complex. Therefore, the same idea was approached with P.putida ATCase, where it was found that 1.0 mM UTP inhibited the phosphorylation of PyrB by more than 50%. These results suggested that the regulation of the conformational change of the P.putida ATCase might be similar to that of CAD. Furthermore, peptide mapping for phosphorylation sites was performed on P.putida ATCase WT, WT --11 amino acids and WT --34 amino acids from the N-terminus of the PyrB polypeptide. The results showed that the phosphorylation sites were located on the fragment that contained amino acid number-35 to amino acid number-112 from the N-terminus of the PyrB polypeptide.

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCase was cloned and sequenced to determine the correct size, subunit composition and architecture of this pivotal enzyme in pyrimidine biosynthesis. During the course of this work, it was determined that the ATCase of Pseudomonas was not 360,000 Da but rather present in a complex of 484,000 Da consisting of two different polypeptides (36,000 Da and 44,000 Da) with an architecture similar to that of E. coli ATCase, 2(C3):3(r2). However, there was no regulatory polypeptide found in the Pseudomonas ATCase.

The enzyme that catalyzes the committed step in pyrimidine biosynthesis, aspartate transcarbamoylase, has been compared in selected endospore-forming organisms and in morphologically similar control organisms. The ATCases and pyrimidine salvage from Sporosarcina ureae, Sporolactobacillus inulinus, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Micrococcus luteus were compared to those of Bacillus subtilis. While the ATCases from Sporosarcina ureae, Sporolactobacillus inulinus, and L. fermentum were found to exhibit characteristics to that of Bacillus with respect to molecular weight and kinetics, M. luteus ATCase was larger at approximately 480 kDa. Furthermore, pyrimidine salvage in Sporosarcina ureae and M. luteus was identical to those of B. subtilis, while pyrimidine salvage of Sporolactobacillus inulinus and L. fermentum resembled that of the pseudomonads.

Thesis (PhD (Genetics))--Stellenbosch University, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The current understanding of the regulation of carbohydrate accumulation is still under investigation despite the tremendous work done in this subject. Purine and pyrimidine nucleotides have been implicated in many biochemical processes in plants. Amongst others, they are building blocks for nucleic acid synthesis, an energy source, precursors for the synthesis of primary products such as sucrose, polysaccharides, phospholipids, as well as secondary products. With the aim of placing adenine and uridine nucleotides in the context of sucrose and starch metabolism and carbon partitioning in higher plant, we have investigated the transcripts, enzymes and metabolites in carbohydrate metabolism and both de novo and salvage of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides in both sugarcane and tobacco tissues. For that purpose, adenylate kinase (ADK) and UMP synthase were chosen for silencing and over expression as they are rate limiting steps of de novo adenine and uridine nucleotides biosynthesis, respectively. Sugarcane with repressed ADK activity showed significant increase in both the starch and adenylate pools. Increase in starch content was highly correlated with reduced ADK activity. As a result of decreased ADK activity, the salvage pathway was up regulated via the increased activity of both adenosine kinase (AK) and adenine phosphoribosyl transferase (APRTase) which positively correlated with increase in adenine nucleotide contents. In addition hexose phosphates and ADP glucose, the committed substrate for starch biosynthesis positively correlated with changes in starch content. A high ratio of ATP/ADP was observed in all transgenic lines compared with the untransformed wild type and suggested to favour starch synthesis. Over expression of cytosolic ADK in tobacco demonstrated an expression of the enzyme where 2/3 of the total activity was in the direction of ADP production. As a result of over expression of ADK, starch content increased in all transgenic plants and positively correlated with changes in the activity of ADK. Despite changes in adenine nucleotide content, the salvage pathway was not activated and no significant changes in both AK and APRTase acivities were found between the transgenic and the untransformed plants. Sucrose synthase (SuSy) activity in breakdown direction positively correlated with changes in starch content suggesting a contribution in the starch accumulation in tobacco plants. In addition the ratio of ATP/ADP was low in all transgenic lines compared with the untransformed wild type. This was in line with the higher content in ADP compare to ATP in all transgenic lines and was supported by the over expression of ADK, and predominantly in the direction of ADP production. Repressed UMP synthase in transgenic sugarcane resulted in increases in sucrose, starch and uridinylate. UDP-glucose, hexose phosphates and uridinylate content positively correlated with changes in sucrose content. Transgenic lines had increased sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity and low activity in SuSy, which suggests alteration of carbon flux toward sucrose. As a result of decreased UMP synthase activity, an up regulation of the salvage pathway was observed and predominantly via increased activity of uridine kinase (UK) which positively correlated with changes in the uridinylate pool. In addition to repressed UMP synthase activity, starch content and adenine nucleotides increased in transgenic lines. Tobacco plants transformed with a cytosolic UMP synthase demonstrated an over expression of the enzyme in all transgenic lines. As a result of over expression of UMP synthase, key metabolites were up regulated, amongst them sucrose. Increase in sucrose content positively correlated with both hexoses and hexose phosphates but not the uridinylate pool. SPS activity positively correlated with increase in sucrose content, and accounted for most of the sucrose synthesized in transgenic lines. Despite the increase in the adenylate pool, no significant changes were observed in starch content. The depletion level of UDP-glucose in all transgenic lines was a mere reflection of the higher activity of UDP glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGPase) in the formation of glucose-1-phosphate. In addition, no salvage pathway was up regulated in transgenic lines. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige beskikbare inligting in verband met die reguleering van koolhidraat akkumulasie word steeds ondersoek ten spyte van die groot hoeveelheid navorsing wat reeds in hierdie verband gedoen is. Purien en pirimidien nukleotide speel ‘n rol in baie biochemiese prosesse in plante. Onder andere is hulle boublokke vir nukleïensuur sintese, ‘n energie bron, voorlopers vir die sintese van primêre produkte soos byvoorbeeld sukrose, polisakkariede, fosfolipiede, asook sekondêre produkte. Met die vooruitsig om adenine- en uridiennukleotide in verband te plaas met sukrose en stysel metabolisme en koolstof afskorting in plante, ondersoek ons hier die transkripte, ensieme en metaboliete in koolhidraat metabolisme in beide de novo en berging van purien en pirimidien nukleotide in suikerriet asook tabak weefsel. Vir hierdie doel is adenilaatkinase (ADK) en UMP-sintase gekies vir uitskakeling en ooruitdrukking, juis omdat hulle tempo vermindering stappe van de novo adenine- en uridiennukleotide biosintese is. Suikerriet met onderdrukte ADK aktiwiteit wys betekenisvolle vermeerdering in beide die stysel en adenilaat poele. Verhoging in styselinhoud was hoogs gekorreleerd met verminderde ADK aktiwiteit. As gevolg van ‘n vermindering in ADK aktiwiteit, is die bergingspad opwaards gereguleer via die vermeerdering van beide adenosienkinase (AK) en adenien-fosforibosieltransferase (APRTase) aktiwiteit wat positief korreleer met die vermeerdering in adeniennukleotied-inhoud. Addisioneel word hexosefosfate en ADP-glukose, die toegewysde substraat vir stysel biosintese, positief gekorreleer met veranderinge in styselinhoud. ‘n Hoë verhouding van ATP/ADP was geobserveer in alle transgeniese lyne in vergelyking met die nie-getransformeerde wilde tipe en blyk stysel sintese te begunstig. Ooruitdrukking van sitologiese ADK in tabak demonstreer die uitdrukking van die ensiem waar 2/3 van die totale aktiwiteit in die rigting van ADP produksie was. As ‘n resultaat van ooruitdrukking van ADK, word stysel inhoud vermeerder in alle transgeniese plante en positief gekorreleer met die verandering in die aktiwiteit van ADK. Ten spyte van veranderinge in adeniennukleotide inhoud was die bergingspad nie geaktiveer nie en geen betekenisvolle veranderinge in beide AK en APRTase aktiwiteit was gevind tussen die transgeniese en nie-transgeniese plante nie. Sukrose sintese (SuSy) aktiwiteit tydens afbreking korreleer positief met die veranderinge in stysel inhoud en dui moontlik op ‘n bydrae in die stysel akkumulasie in tabak plante. Verder was die verhouding van ATP/ADP laag in alle transgeniese lyne in vergelyking met die nie-getransformeerde wilde tipe. Hierdie bevinding word ondersteun deur die hoër inhoud in ADP in vergelyking met ATP in alle transgeniese lyne en word verder ondersteun deur die ooruitdrukking van ADK, hoofsaaklik in die rigting van ADP produksie. Onderdrukte UMP-sintase in transgeniese suikerriet lei tot verhogings in sukrose, stysel en uridienilaat. UDP-glukose, hexose-fosfate en uridienilaat inhoud korreleer positief met die verandering in sukrose inhoud. Transgeniese lyne het verhoogde sukrose-fosfaatsintase (SPS) aktiwiteit en lae SuSy aktiwiteit wat dui op ‘n verandering in koolstof vloei in die rigting van sukrose. As gevolg van die afname in UMP-sintese aktiwiteit, word ‘n verhoogde reguleering van die bergingspad gesien, en dít hoofsaaklik via verhoogde aktiwiteit in uridienkinase (UK) wat positief korreleer met veranderinge in die uridienilaat poel. Addisioneel tot die onderdrukking van UMP-sintase was stysel inhoud en adenine- nucleotides in transgeniese lyne verhoog. Tabak plante wat getransformeer is met sitologiese UMP-sintase demonstreer verhoogde uitdrukking van die ensiem in al die transgeniese lyne. As ‘n resultaat van ooruitdrukking van UMP-sintase is sleutel metaboliete, onderandere sucrose, oorgereguleer. ‘n Verhoging in sukrose inhoud korreleer positief met beide hexose en hexose-fosfate maar nie met die uridienilaat poel nie. SPS aktiwiteit korreleer positief met die verhoging in sukrose inhoud en verklaar die meeste van die sukrose vervaardig in transgeniese lyne. Ten spyte van die verhoging in die adenilaat poel word geen noemenswaardige veranderinge gesien in die stysel inhoud nie. Die uitputtingsvlak van die UDP-glukose in alle transgeniese lyne was slegs ‘n aanduiding van die hoër aktiwiteit van UDP-glukose pirofosforilase (UGPase) in die formasie van glukose-1-fosfaat. Verder was geen bergingspad opgereguleer in die transgeniese lyne nie. / The South African Sugarcane Research Institute and the Gabonese Government who provided the financial support for this work

The enzyme, aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) from Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis, has been purified. The holoenzyme has a molecular mass of approximately 510kDa, harbors predominantly positive charges and is hydrophobic in nature. The holoenzyme possesses two subunits, a smaller one of 40 kDa and a larger one of 45 kDa. A third polypeptide has been found to contribute to the overall enzymatic activity, having an approximate mass of 55 kDa. The ATCase purification included the generation of cell-free extract, streptomycin sulfate cut, 60 °C heat step, ammonium sulfate cut, dialysis and ion, gel-filtration and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The enzyme's performance throughout purification steps was analyzed on activity and SDS-PAGE gradient gels. Its enzymatic, specific activities, yield and fold purification, were also determined.

Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) catalyzes the first committed step in the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway. Bacterial ATCases have been divided into three classes, class A, B, and C, based on their molecular weight, holoenzyme architecture, and enzyme kinetics. Moraxella bovis is a fastidious organism, the etiologic agent of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK). The M. bovis ATCase was purified and characterized for the first time. It is a class A enzyme with a molecular mass of 480 to 520 kDa. It has a pH optimum of 9.5 and is stable at high temperatures. The ATCase holoenzyme is inhibited by CTP > ATP > UTP. The Km for aspartate is 1.8 mM and the Vmax 1.04 µmol per min, where the Km for carbamoylphosphate is 1.05 mM and the Vmax 1.74 µmol per min.

The pyrimidine salvage enzyme, nucleoside hydrolase, is catalyzes the irreversible hydrolysis of nucleosides into the free nucleic acid base and D-ribose. Nucleoside hydrolases have varying degrees of specificity towards purine and pyrimidine nucleosides. In E. coli, three genes were found that encode homologues of several known nucleoside hydrolases in protozoa. All three genes (designated yaaF, yeiK, and ybeK) were amplified by PCR and cloned. Two of the gene products (yeiK and ybeK) encode pyrimidine-specific nucleoside hydrolases, while the third (yaaF) encodes a nonspecific nucleoside hydrolase. All three were expressed at low levels and had different modes of regulation. As a comparative analysis, the homologous genes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and P. fluorescens (designated nuh) were cloned. Both were determined to encode nonspecific nucleoside hydrolases. The nucleoside hydrolases of the pseudomonads exhibited markedly different modes of regulation. Both have unique promoter structures and genetic organization. Furthermore, both pseudomonad nucleoside hydrolase were found to contain an N-terminal extension of 30-35 amino acids that is shown to act as a periplasmic-signaling sequence. These are the first two nucleoside hydrolases, to date,that have been conclusively demonstrated to be exported to the periplasmic space. The physiological relevance of this is explained.

The regulation of pyrimidine biosynthesis was studied in Pseudomonas putida. The biosynthetic and salvage pathways provide pyrimidine nucleotides for RNA, DNA, cell membrane and cell wall biosynthesis. Pyrimidine metabolism is intensely studied because many of its enzymes are targets for chemotheraphy. Four aspects of pyrimidine regulation are described in this dissertation. Chapter I compares the salvage pathways of Escherichia coli and P. putida. Surprisingly, P. putida lacks several salvage enzymes including nucleoside kinases, uridine phosphorylase and cytidine deaminase. Without a functional nucleoside kinase, it was impossible to feed exogenous uridine to P. putida. To obviate this problem, uridine kinase was transferred to P. putida from E. coli and shown to function in this heterologous host. Chapter II details the enzymology of Pseudomonas aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase), its allosteric regulation and how it is assembled. The E. coli ATCase is a dodecamer of two different polypeptides, encoded by pyrBI. Six regulatory (PyrI) and six catalytic (PyrB) polypeptides assemble from two preformed trimers (B3) and three preformed regulatory dimers (I2) in the conserved 2B3:3I2 molecular structure. The Pseudomonas ATCase also assembles from two different polypeptides encoded by pyrBC'. However, a PyrB polypeptide combines with a PyrC. polypeptide to form a PyrB:PyrC. protomer; six of these assemble into a dodecamer of structure 2B3:3C'2. pyrC' encodes an inactive dihydroorotase with pyrB and pyrC' overlapping by 4 bp. Chapter III explores how catabolite repression affects pyrimidine metabolism. The global catabolite repression control protein, Crc, has been shown to affect pyrimidine metabolism in a number of ways. This includes orotate transport for use as pyrimidine, carbon and nitrogen sources. Orotate is important because it interacts with PyrR in repressing the pyr genes. Chapter IV describes PyrR, the positive activator of the pyrimidine pathway. As with other positive activator proteins, when pyrimidine nucleotides are depleted, PyrR binds to DNA thereby enhancing expression of pyrD, pyrE and pyrF genes. When pyrimidine nucleotides are in excess, the PyrR apoprotein binds to orotate, its co-repressor, to shut down all the pyrimidine genes. Like many positive activators, PyrR is subject to autoregulation and has catalytic activity for uracil phosphoribosyltransferase inducible by orotate.