Separation and Purification of GST-glycerol-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase

In order to investigate the expression of glycerol-3 -phosphate dehydrogenase by GCY1 gene in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae, induction culture of the S. cerevisiaestrain was performed with SD-URA 2% galactose, 3 × YP ＋ 6% glucose, SC-URA 2% galactose, and SC-URA 2% galactose ＋ 5% NaCI glyeerol-3-phosphate dehydregenase, the cultured S. cerevisiaewas comminuted followed by full-automatic high-speed purification, and SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis was performed for molecular weight of the GST fusion protein. The results showed that after shaking culture of the S. cerevisiae containing GCY1 at 25 ℃, the OD values of its 3 × YP ＋ 6% glucose culture and SC-URA 2% galaetose ＋ 5% NaC1 culture were 8.75 and 7.35, respectively. It was shown by purification with a Profinia low-pressure liquid chromatograph that only the S. cerevisiae cultured in SC-URA 2% galactose ＋ 5% NaC1 medium expressed glycerel-3-phosphate de- hydrogenase, the molecular weight of which was detected as 65 ku by SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis.

Cloning and Characterization of Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase Encoding Gene in Gracilaria/Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase （GAPDH） plays important roles in various cellular processes. A cytosolic GAPDH encoding gene （gpd） of Gracilaria/Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis was cloned and characterized. Deduced amino acid sequence of the enzyme of G. lemaneiformis had high homology with those of seven red algae. The 5＇-untranslated regions of the GAPDHs encoding genes of these red algae varied greatly. GAPDHs of these red algae shared the highly conserved glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase active site ASCTTNCL. However, such active site of Cyanidium caldarium was different from those of the other six algae at the last two residues （CL to LF）, thus the spatial structure of its GAPDH active center may be different from those of the other six. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that GAPDH of G. lemaneiformis might have undergone an evolution similar to those of Porphyra yezoensis, Chondrus crispus, and Gracilaria verrucosa. C. caldarium had a closer evolutionary relationship with Cyanidioschyzon merolae than with Cyanidium sp. Virtual Northern blot analysis revealed that gpd of G. lemaneiformis expressed constitutively, which suggested that it might be house-keeping and could be adapted as an inner control in gene expression analysis of G. lemaneiformis.

Purification and characterization of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from saline strain Idiomarina loihiensis

Idiomarina loihiensis was isolated from the salt works in Sfax (Tunisia), until now, the characterization of the GAPDH phosphorylante was never studied. Here, we report the isolation and the biochemical characterization of glyceralehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) fromI. loihiensis saline’s bacteria on the basis of the apparent native and subunit molecular weights, physico-chemical and kinetic characterizations. The purification method consisted of two steps, ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by one chromatographic step, namely dye-affinity on Blue Sepharose CL-6B. Polyclonal antibodies against the purified enzyme were used to recognize theI. loihiensis GAPDH by Western blotting. The optimum pH of the purified enzyme was 8.5. Studies on the effect of temperatures revealed an enzyme increasing activity of about 45?C. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was 36 kDa determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels yield a molecular weight of 147 kDa. The Michaelis constants for NAD+ and D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate estimated was 19 μM and 3.1 μM, respectively. The maximal velocity of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 2.06 U/mg, approximately 6-fold increase in specific activity and a final yield of approximately 32.5%. The physicochemical properties of this GAPDH, being characterized, could be used in further studies.

Role of Cathepsin G in the Degradation of Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Triggered by 4-Hydroxy-2-Nonenal in U937 Cells

Degradation of oxidized or oxidatively modified proteins is an essential part of the cellular antioxidant defense system. 4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), a major reactive aldehyde formed by lipid peroxidation, causes many types of cellular damage. HNE-modified proteins are degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway or the lysosomal pathway. However, our previous studies using U937 cells showed that HNE-modified glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is degraded by cathepsin G. In the present study, we examined whether GAPDH in U937 cells treated with HNE in culture is degraded similarly to that incubated with HNE and U937 cell extract. Treatment with HNE for 10 min in culture decreased GAPDH activity in a concentration dependent manner, but did not affect GAPDH degradation. The proteasome activities were not affected by HNE, but culturing with HNE decreased cathepsin G activity and protein level in a concentration dependent manner. These results suggest that HNE-induced oxidative stress leads to decreased cathepsin G activity and results in the loss of GAPDH degradation. Taken together, our findings indicate that cathepsin G has an important role in the degradation of oxidatively modified GAPDH in U937 cells.

Positive Effects of Isopropanol as a Co-Precipitant in Glycerol-3-Phosphate Acyltransferase Crystallization

Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase(GPAT) is considered as the rate-limiting enzyme of glycerolipid synthesis pathway and the core element in lysophosphatidic acid(LPA) synthesis. For understanding its catalytic mechanism, the structural biology study is expected, but is always hindered by obtaining crystals for X-ray diffraction analysis. In this study, a progressive strategy to optimize the crystal of microalgae plastidial GPAT was presented. After the expression and purification of GPAT, the crystals were screened by hanging-drop and only clusters were obtained. The crystals were optimized by adjusting temperature, pH, protein concentration, or precipitant, but little improvement. To improve the interaction between protein and precipitant, the isopropanol was applied as co-precipitant. The qualified crystals formed. It's suggested that isopropanol is critical to affect protein crystallization by altering polyethylene glycol(PEG)-water-protein interaction when PEG serves as precipitant. The resulting crystal diffracted to a resolution of 2.75 ? and belonged to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 50.79, b = 80.09, c = 88.21 ?, and α = 62.85, β = 73.04, γ = 80.53?. This work introduced a new strategy to optimize the crystal of the heterogeneous catalysis enzymes like GPAT and provided the fundamental structural information for the oriented synthesis of marine microalgae glycerolipid.

Sperm glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene expression in asthenozoospermic spermatozoa

It has been suggested that the energy required for sperm motility is produced by oxidative phosphorylation while glycolysis seems to be an important source for ATP transmission along the flagellum. Some studies have investigated the chemical and kinetic properties of the enzyme glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase to identify any changes in the regulation of glycolysis and sperm motility. In contrast, there are few studies analyzing the genetic basis of hypokinesis. For this reason, we investigated the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene in human sperm to evaluate whether asthenozoospermia was correlated with any changes in its expression. Semen examination and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene expression studies were carried out on 116 semen samples divided into two groups - Group A consisted of 58 normokinetic samples and Group B of 58 hypokinetic samples. Total RNA was extracted from spermatozoa, and real-time PCR quantification of mRNA was carried out using specific primers and probes. The expression profiles for the Groups A and B were very similar. The mean delta Ct was as follows - Group A, 5.79 ＋ 1.04; Group B, 5.47 ＋ 1.27. Our study shows that in human sperm, there is no difference in glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene expression between samples with impaired motility and samples with normal kinetics. We believe that this study could help in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of sperm kinetics, suggesting that hypomotility may be due to a possible posttranscriptional impairment of the control mechanism, such as mRNA splicing, or to posttranslational changes.

A homolog of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Riemerella anatipestifer is an extracellular protein and exhibits biological activity

Riemerella anatipestifer is the causative agent of septicemia anserum exsudativa in ducks. Its pathogenesis and virulence factors are still unclear. The glycelytic enzyme, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase （GAPDH）, an anchorless and multifunctional protein on the surface of several pathogenic microorganisms, is involved in virulence and adhesion. Whether homologs of GAPDH exist, and display similar characteristics in R. anatipestifer （RaGAPDH） has not been determined. In our research, the RaGAPDH activity from various R. anatipestifer isolates was confirmed. Twenty-two gapdh genes from genornic DNA of R. anatipestifer isolates were cloned and sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. The distribution of RaGAPDH in R. anatipestifer CZ2 strain was confirmed by antisera to recombinant RaGAPDH. The ability of purified RaGAPDH to bind host proteins was analyzed by solid-phase ligandbinding assay. Results revealed that all R. anatipestifer isolates showed different levels of GAPDH activity except four strains, which contained a gapdh-like gene. The gapdh of R. anatipestifer, which is located phylogenetically in the same branch as enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coil （EHEC）, belonged to class I GAPDH, and encoded a 36.7-kDa protein. All RaGAPDH-encoding gene sequences from field isolates of R. anatipestiferdisplayed 100% homology. The RaGAPDH localized on the extracellular membrane of several R. anatipestifer strains. Further, it was released into the culture medium, and exhibited GAPDH enzyme activity. We also confirmed the binding of RaGAPDH to plasminogen and fibrinogen. These results demonstrated that GAPDH was present in R. anatipestifer, although not in all strains, and that RaGAPDH might contribute to the microorganism＇s virulence.

Crystallographic studies on the binding of coenzyme analogs to D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Palinurus versicolor

In contrast with the coezyme, two coenzyme analogs, ADP-ribose and SNAD, bind non-cooperatively to D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Palinurus versicolor (PV) GAPDH complexed with ADP-ribose and SNAD has been crystallized by the method of sitting-drop vapor diffusion. X-ray diffraction data analysis reveals that both crystals belong to the same space group (C2), and have similar cell dimensions: a =152.80 A, b =100.35 A, c =128.31 A, β=110.28° and a =153.41 A, b =100.51 A, c =128.44 A, β =110.48°, respectively. It is estimated that the asymmetric unit in each crystal contains 4 subunits. This is a novel crystal form which is quite different from that previously reported for holo- and apo-GAPDH from the same spurce. The result suggests that the binding of the two coenzyme analogs to GAPDH may lead to some significant conformational changes, which are different from those induced by the coenzyme binding. The self-rotation function indicates that the tetramer of these two GAPDH

Structure of D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Palinurus versicolor in a tetragonal crystal form

D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (holo-GAPDH) from Palinurus versicolor was crystallized in a novel crystal form by the method of sitting-drop vapor diffusion. The crystals have space group P4212, cell parameters a=15.49 nm, c=8.03 nm and two subunits per asymmetric unit. The crystal structure at 0.34 nm was determined by the molecular replacement method. The final model has crystallographic Rfree and R factors of 0.274 and 0.262, and r.m.s. deviations of 0.002 nm for bond lengths and 2.33?for bond angles. The two subunits in asymmetric unit are similar to each other not only in the three-dimensional structure, but also in average temperature factors. This result demonstrates that the obvious difference in average temperature factors for the different subunits in C2 crystal form reported previously may be attributed to the different crystallographic environments of the subunits. This further supports that holo-GAPDH has a good 222 molecular symmetry.

Overexpression of Sweet Pepper Glycerol-3-Phosphate Acyltransferase Gene Enhanced Thermotolerance of Photosynthetic Apparatus in Transgenic Tobacco

In order to investigate the relationship between the lipid composition in thylakoid membrane and thermostability of photosynthetic apparatus, tobacco transformed with sweet pepper sense glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase （GPAT） gene were used to analyze the lipid composition in thylakoid membrane, the net photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters under high temperature stress. The results showed that the saturated extent of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol （MGDG）, sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol in thylakoid membrane of transgenic tobacco T1 lines increased generally. Particularly, the saturated extent in MGDG increased obviously by 16.2% and 12.6% in T1-2 and T1-1, respectively. With stress temperature elevating, the maximum efficiency of photosystem Ⅱ （PSⅡ） photochemistry （Fv/Fm）, actual photochemical efficiency of PSll in the light （ФPSⅡ） and net photosynthetic rate （Pn） of the two lines and wild type tobacco plants decreased gradually, but those parameters decreased much less in transgenic plants. Even though the recovery process appeared differently in the donor and acceptor side of PSⅡ in transgenic tobacco compared with wild-type plants, the entire capability of PSⅡ recovered faster in transgenic tobacco, which was shown in the parameters of PI, Fv/Fm and ФPSⅡ, as a result, the recovery of Pn was accelerated. Conclusively, we proposed that the increase in saturated extent of thylakoid membrane lipids in transgenic plants enhanced the stability of photosynthetic apparatus under high temperature stress.

PNPLA3,the triacylglycerol synthesis/hydrolysis/storage dilemma,and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Genome-wide and candidate gene association studies have identified several variants that predispose indi- viduals to developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD）. However, the gene that has been consis- tently involved in the genetic susceptibility of NAFLD in humans is patatin-like phospholipase domain contain- ing 3 （PNPLA3, also known as adiponutrin）. A nonsyn- onymous single nucleotide polymorphism in PNPLA3 （rs738409 C/G, a coding variant that encodes an amino acid substitution I148M） is significantly associated with fatty liver and histological disease severity, not only in adults but also in children. Nevertheless, how PNPLA3 influences the biology of fatty liver disease is still an open question. A recent article describes new aspects about PNPLA3 gene/protein function and suggests that the I148M variant promotes hepatic lipid synthesis due to a gain of function. We revise here the published data about the role of the I148M variant in lipogen- esis/lipolysis, and suggest putative areas of future research. For instance we explored in silico whether the rs738409 C or G alleles have the ability to modify miRNA binding sites and miRNA gene regulation, and we found that prediction of PNPLA3 target miRNAs shows two miRNAs potentially interacting in the 3＇ UTR region （hsa-miR-769-3p and hsa-miR-516a-3p）. In addition, interesting unanswered questions remain to be explored. For example, PNPLA3 lies between two CCCTC-binding factor-bound sites that could be tested for insulator activity, and an intronic histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation peak predicts an enhancer element, cor- roborated by the DNase I hypersensitivity site peak. Finally, an interaction between PNPLA3 and glycerol- 3-phosphate acyltransferase 2 is suggested by data miming.

Substrate Selectivity of Glycerol-3-phosphate Acyl Transferase in Rice

Substrate selectivity of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase （EC 2. 3. 1. 15） of rice （Oryza sativa L.） was explored in a comparative study of acyltransferases from seven plant species. In vitro labeling of acyl carrier protein （ACP） with ^14C or 3H showed that acyltransferase from chill-sensitive plants, such as rice that uses either oleic （18：1） or palmitic acid （16：0） as acyl donor at comparable rates, displays lower selectivity than the enzyme from chill-resistant plants, such as spinach, which preferentially uses oleic acid （18：1） rather than palmitic acid （16：0） as an acyl donor. This may be a result of the size and character of the substrate-binding pocket of acyltransferase. Homology modeling and protein structure-based sequence alignment of acyltransferases revealed that proteins from either chill-sensitive or chill-tolerant plants shared a highly conserved domain containing the proposed substrate-binding pocket. However, the aligned residues surrounding the substrate-binding pocket are highly heterogeneous and may have an influence mainly on the size of the substrate binding pockets of acyltransferases. The substrate selectivity of acyltransferase of rice can be improved by enlarging the substrate-binding pocket using molecular biological methods.

Effect of mango seed kernel extract on the adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and in rats fed a high fat diet

Mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) are one of the most important tropical foods. The seed is one of the main by-products of mango processing. Therefore, it is important to find an economically viable use for this waste (e.g., as a food additive or supplement with high nutraceutical value). We investigated the anti-obesity effects of mango seed kernel extract with hot water (MSKE-W) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and in a high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity rat model. MSKE-W caused a significant decrease in the activity of glycerol 2-phosphate dehydrogenase in 3T3-L1 adipocytes without eliciting cell cytotoxicity and inhibited cellular lipid accumulation through down-regulation of transcription factors such as PPARγ and C/EBPα. In the animal model, rats fed an HFD containing 1% MSKE-W gained less weight than rats fed an HFD alone. The visceral fat mass in rats fed an HFD containing 1% MSKE-W tended to be lower than that in rats fed an HFD alone. Furthermore, histological examination of rat livers from an HFD showed steatohepatitis. However, rats on an HFD containning 1% MSKE-W showed no histopathological changes in liver tissue. Our results indicate that MSKE-W influences anti-obesity effects, both in vitro and in vivo, and suggest that MSKE-W provides a novel preventive potential against obesity.

The Effect of Ultra Low Concentrations of Some Biologically Active Substances on the Aerobic Respiration

For today it is known, that primary and secondary disorders of the aerobic respiration, which are based on mitochondrial deficiency, lead to a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations and diseases. Therefore, the question about effective correction of various types of energy exchange disorders remains topical. Thus, the aim of our work was the study effect of the complex of biologically active substances (BAS) in ultra low concentrations on the activity of key enzymes of aerobic energy metabolism succinate dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.99.1) (SQR) and mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.99.5) (GPD2). The human lymphocytes assays were tested in vitro (22 donors). In negative control lymphocytes, cell culture normal saline solution was added. Normal saline solution with NaN3 was added in positive control lymphocytes cell culture. Experimental cell culture contained NaN3 and BAS. Our investigations had been revealed increase SQR activity in the experimental cell culture as compared with positive control culture throughout the time of experiment (measurements were carried out at 4, 24, 48, 72 h of incubation). The SQR activity of experimental cell culture and negative control lymphocytes cell culture was equal up to 24 h of experiment. It showed neutralization of NaN3 inhibitory effect (during 24 h) due to BAS influence. Activity of base glycerophosphate shunt ferment GPD2 of experimental lymphocyte cell culture was not different from GPD2 index in the negative control, but was lower than GPD2 activity in the positive control. It also indicated neutralization NaN3 inhibitory effect due to BAS influence. So we had found that extremely low concentrations of selected BAS with their complex impact on human lymphocytes in vitro could effectively neutralize the inhibitory effect of NaN3 on processes of aerobic energy metabolism link.

Critical protein GAPDH and its regulatory mechanisms in cancer cells

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase （GAPDH）, initially identified as a glycolytic enzyme and considered as a housekeeping gene, is widely used as an internal control in experiments on proteins, mRNA, and DNA. However, emerging evidence indicates that GAPDH is implicated in diverse functions independent of its role in energy metabolism; the expression status of GAPDH is also deregulated in various cancer cells. One of the most common effects of GAPDH is its inconsistent role in the determination of cancer cell fate. Furthermore, studies have described GAPDH as a regulator of cell death; other studies have suggested that GAPDH participates in tumor progression and serves as a new therapeutic target. However, related regulatory mechanisms of its numerous cellular functions and deregulated expression levels remain unclear. GAPDH is tightly regulated at transcriptional and pnsttranscriptional levels, which are involved in the regulation of diverse GAPDH functions. Several cancer-related factors, such as insulin, hypoxia inducible factor-1 （HIF-1）, p53, nitric oxide （NO）, and acetylated histone, not only modulate GAPDH gene expression but also affect protein functions via common pathways. Moreover, posttranslational modifications （PTMs） occurring in GAPDH in cancer cells result in new activities unrelated to the original glycnlytic function of GAPDH. In this review, recent findings related to GAPDH transcriptional regulation and PTMs are summarized. Mechanisms and pathways involved in GAPDH regulation and its different roles in cancer cells are also described.

The role of AtGPDHc2 in regulating cellular redox homeostasis of Arabidopsis under salt stress

Plants glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GPDH)catalyzes the formation of glycerol-3-phosphate,and plays an essential role in glycerolipid metabolism and stress responses.In the present study,the knock-out mutants of cytosolic GPDH(AtGPDHc2)and wild-type Arabidopsis plants were treated with 0,50,100,and 150 mmol L–1 NaCl to reveal the effects of AtGPDHc2 deficiency on salinity stress responses.The fluctuation in redox status,reactive oxygen species(ROS)and antioxidant enzymes as well as the transcripts of genes involved in the relevant processes were measured.In the presence of 100 and 150 mmol L–1 NaCl treatments,AtGPDHc2-deficient plants exhibited a pronounced reduction in germination rate,fresh weight,root length,and overall biomass.Furthermore,loss of AtGPDHc2 resulted in a significant perturbation in cellular redox state(NADH/NAD+and AsA/DHA)and consequent elevation of ROS and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances(TBARS)content.The elevated ROS level triggered substantial increases in ROS-scavenging enzymes activities,and the up-regulated transcripts of the genes(CSD1,sAPX and PER33)encoding the antioxidant enzymes were also observed.In addition,the transcript levels of COX15,AOX1A and GLDH in gpdhc2 mutants decreased in comparison to wild-type plants,which demonstrated that the deficiency of AtGPDHc2 might also has impact on mitochondrial respiration under salt stress.Together,this work provides some new evidences on illustrating the roles of AtGPDHc2 playing in response to salinity stress by regulating cellular redox homeostasis,ROS metabolism and mitochondrial respiration.

Construction of an alternative NADPH regeneration pathway improves ethanol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with xylose metabolic pathway

Full conversion of glucose and xylose from lignocellulosic hydrolysates is required for obtaining a high ethanol yield.However,glucose and xylose share flux in the pentose phosphate pathway(PPP)and glycolysis pathway(EMP),with glucose having a competitive advantage in the shared metabolic pathways.In this work,we knocked down ZWF1 to preclude glucose from entering the PPP.This reduced the[NADPH]level and disturbed growth on both glucose or xylose,confirming that the oxidative PPP,which begins with Zwf1p and ultimately leads to CO_(2) production,is the primary source of NADPH in both glucose and xylose.Upon glucose depletion,gluconeogenesis is necessary to generate glucose-6-phosphate,the substrate of Zwf1p.We re-established the NADPH regeneration pathway by replacing the endogenous NAD^(+)-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH)gene TDH3 with heterogenous NADP^(+)-GAPDH genes GDH,gapB,and GDP1.Among the resulting strains,the strain BZP1(zwf1Δ,tdh3::GDP1)exhibited a similar xylose consumption rate before glucose depletion,but a 1.6-fold increased xylose consumption rate following glucose depletion compared to the original strain BSGX001,and the ethanol yield for total consumed sugars of BZP1 was 13.5%higher than BSGX001.This suggested that using the EMP instead of PPP to generate NADPH reduces the wasteful metabolic cycle and excess CO_(2)^(++) release from oxidative PPP.Furthermore,we used a copper-repressing promoter to modulate the expression of ZWF1 and optimize the timing of turning off the ZWF1,therefore,to determine the competitive equilibrium between glucose-xylose co-metabolism.This strategy allowed fast growth in the early stage of fermentation and low waste in the following stages of fermentation.