Tetrahedron report number 203

Differences in the natural-abundance carbon stable isotopic compositions between products from aerobic cultures of Escherichia coli K-12 were measured. Respired CO2 was 3.4% depleted in 13C relative to the glucose used as the carbon source, whereas the acetate was 12.3% enriched in 13C. The acetate 13C enrichment was solely in the carboxyl group. Even though the total cellular carbon was only 0.6% depleted in 13C, intracellular components exhibited a significant isotopic heterogeneity. The protein and lipid fractions were -1.1 and -2.7%, respectively. Aspartic and glutamic acids were -1.6 and +2.7%, respectively, yet citrate was isotopically identical to the glucose. Probable sites of carbon isotopic fractionation include the enzyme, phosphotransacetylase, and the Krebs cycle.

Carbon isotopic fractionation in heterotrophic microbial metabolism.

Nucleoside phosphorothioates are analogues of nucleotides with a wide range of applications. Thus, on the one hand, in many but not all cases they are more stable against hydrolysis than the unmodified nucleotides—a property which they share with other nucleotide analogues. On the other hand, however, they are good substrates for many, but not all reactions where the nucleotide or the phosphorothioate group is transferred to an acceptor other than H2O. As a consequence, once incorporated into a system such as DNA, phosphorothioates cannot be easily removed.

What makes these compounds unique to a certain extent is the chirality at the phosphorus center if two nonequivalent residues are linked to the phosphorothioate group. This opens the way for the use of these compounds to investigate stereochemical aspects of enzymatic reactions. In addition to these properties, there are those expected from exchange of an oxygen for a sulfur atom in a phosphate group, e.g. the increased affinity towards mercury derivatives and the large chemical shift of the 31P-NMR sinals.

If one considers how many biologically interesting compounds contain phosphate groups, the considerable interest in these nucleotide analogues is not surprising.

Phosphorothioate Analogues of Nucleotides—Tools for the Investigation of Biochemical Processes

Acetate kinase, an enzyme widely distributed in theBacteria and Archaea domains, catalyzes the phosphorylation of acetate. We have determined the three-dimensional structure of Methanosarcina thermophila acetate kinase bound to ADP through crystallography. As we previously predicted, acetate kinase contains a core fold that is topologically identical to that of the ADP-binding domains of glycerol kinase, hexokinase, the 70-kDa heat shock cognate (Hsc70), and actin. Numerous charged active-site residues are conserved within acetate kinases, but few are conserved within the phosphotransferase superfamily. The identity of the points of insertion of polypeptide segments into the core fold of the superfamily members indicates that the insertions existed in the common ancestor of the phosphotransferases. Another remarkable shared feature is the unusual, epsilon conformation of the residue that directly precedes a conserved glycine residue (Gly-331 in acetate kinase) that binds the α-phosphate of ADP. Structural, biochemical, and geochemical considerations indicate that an acetate kinase may be the ancestral enzyme of the ASKHA (acetate and sugar kinases/Hsc70/actin) superfamily of phosphotransferases.

Urkinase: Structure of Acetate Kinase, a Member of the ASKHA Superfamily of Phosphotransferases

Isolation and characterization of homogeneous acetate kinase from Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli.

We report the synthesis of adenosine [gamma-(S)-16O,17O,18O]triphosphate, an isotopically labeled species of ATP that is chiral at the gamma-phosphoryl group, the configuration of which has been confirmed by independent stereochemical analysis. This molecule has been used as a substrate in the reactions catalyzed by glycerol kinase and by acetate kinase. The resulting samples of isotopically labeled sn-glycerol 3-phosphate and of acetyl phosphate have been used as substrates in the alkaline phosphatase mediated transfer of the chiral phosphoryl groups to (S)-propane-1,2-diol, whence the configuration at phosphorus has been determined [Abbott, S. J., Jones, S. R., Weinman, S. A., & Knowles, J. R. (1978) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 100, 2558]. It is shown that glycerol kinase and acetate kinase (and, by virtue of an earlier correlation, pyruvate kinase and hexokinase) proceed by pathways that result in inversion of the configuration at phosphorus. The sterochemical approach provides an access to the otherwise cryptic events that are involved in phosphoryl-group transfer within the ternary complexes of these kinases and their substrates.

Stereochemical course of phosphokinases. The use of adenosine [gamma-(S)-16O,17O,18O]triphosphate and the mechanistic consequences for the reactions catalyzed by glycerol kinase, hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, and acetate kinase.

Walter A. Blattler

Papers

Stereochemical course of phosphokinases. The use of adenosine [gamma-(S)-16O,17O,18O]triphosphate and the mechanistic consequences for the reactions catalyzed by glycerol kinase, hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, and acetate kinase.