• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.40 no.6
• /
• pp.478-483
• /
• 1997

${\gamma}-Glutamylcysteine$ synthetase was purified from E. coli K-12 strain and its properties related to the in vitro synthesis of glutathione by enzymatic method were investigated. The activity of purified ${\gamma}-glutamylcysteine$ synthetase was increased with increasing concentration of L-glutamate up to 60 mM, while it was decreased by about 50% and 40% under 60 mM of L-cysteine and 45 mM of glycine, respectively. The enzyme activity was reduced not only by ADP, one of the reaction products, but also by the reduced form of glutathione. Therefore, because the reduced glutathione as well as glycine which is the substrate for glutathione synthetase inhibit the activity of ${\gamma}-glutamylcysteine$ synthetase, it is recommended to design a bioreactor system with two separate reactions for glutathione synthesis : one with ${\gamma}-glutamylcysteine$ synthetase reaction and the other glutathione synthetase reaction. In addition since ADP, resulted from these reactions, reduces the activity of ${\gamma}-glutamylcysteine$ synthetase, it is necessary to introduce an ATP regeneration system for glutathione synthesis.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.249-256
• /
• 1995

${\gamma}$-Glutamylcysteine production by the immobilized microbial system of recombinant Escherichia coli and yeast was investigated. ${\gamma}$-Glutamylcysteine was synthesized from L-glutamic acid and L-cysteine in the presence of ATP by the reaction catalyzed by ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase. An immobilized microbial cell system was developed for the efficient ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine production. Recombinant Escherichia coli and yeast were immobilized by alginate. Production of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine was better with the recombinant Escherichia coli for both the synthesis of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine and the ATP regeneration than the mixed system of recombinant Escherichia coli and yeast. The proper radio of recombinant Escherichia coli to yeast was experimentary observed to be 1:4 in the mixed system. Although the immobi1ized system had the slower reaction rate, its reaction stability was increased by 10%.

• Bulletin of Food Technology
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.98-106
• /
• 2004

Two mutant enzymes of $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine synthetase ($\gamma$-GCS) which catalyzed the synthesis of $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine from L-glutamic acid and L-cysteine in the presence of ATP, were prepared bypoint mutation of $\gamma$-GCS gene with site-directed mutagensis in E. coli. Conformational structuresand catalytic reaction kinetics of mutant enzymes were compared with wild type $\gamma$-GCS afterpurification. The S495F mutant enzyme (serine at 495 residue was substituted with phenylalanine),which had no catalytic activity for $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine synthesis, rarely folded even in neutral pH.However, the mutant A494V (alanine of 494 residue was replaced by valnine) which showed 50 %increase of activity, had a high folding structure. The folding structure of A494V also more stable athigh temperature and extreme pH compared to wild type and S495F. Reaction kinetics of wild typeand A494V were also investigated, Km value of A494V was smaller than that of wild type, while itshowed a little difference at Vmax values. This result evolved that alanine at 494 may be involved inbinding site of substrate rather than catalytic site. In addition, change of catalytic activity by onepoint mutation was highly correlated with the folding structure of enzyme.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.39-45
• /
• 2006

As the antioxidant and free radical scavenger, glutathione (GSH) participates in the preservation of cellular redox status and defense against reactive oxygen species and xenobiotics. Glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL; also known as ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase, EC 6.3.2.2) is the rate limiting enzyme in GSH synthesis. In the present study, the accurate method for determination of GCL activity in crude liver extracts was developed by measuring both ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine and GSH from cysteine in the presence of glutamate, glycine and an ATP-generating system. We added glycine to promote the conversion of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine to GSH, and to minimize the possibility of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine metabolism to cysteine and oxoproline by ${\gamma}$-glutamylcyclotransferase. We established optimal conditions and substrate concentrations for the enzyme assay, and verified that inhibition of GCL by GSH did not interfere with this assay. Therefore, this assay of hepatic GCL under optimal conditions could provide a more accurate measurement of this enzyme activity in the crude liver extracts.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.254-257
• /
• 1998

The gshI gene from the Escherichia coli K-12 strain codes for ${\gamma}-glutamylcysteine$ synthetase which mediates the rate-limiting step of glutathione biosynthesis. The isolated gshI gene from E. coli K-12 has an unusual translation initiation codon, UUG. The 494th amino acid is Ala rather than Gly which was found in a mutant strain E. coli B. In order to improve the translational rate of the gshI gene of E. coli K-12, the initiation codon, UUG, was changed to the usual AUG codon by the site-specific mutagenesis. This change has resulted in a 53% increase of ${\gamma}-glutamylcysteine$ synthetase activity. The enzyme activity was also improved by replacing $Ala^{494}$ with Val (A494V) or Leu (A494L). The replacement of $Ser^{495}$ with Thr (S495T) also resulted in a 62% increase of the enzyme activity. Therefore, the specific activity of ${\gamma}-glutamylcysteine$ synthetase was increased with the increasing chain length of the aliphathic amino acid at the site of the 494th amino acid (Ala<$Val{\leq}Leu$).

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.127-133
• /
• 2007

Metformin is a drug used to lower blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes via activation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK). The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether metformin at the pharmacologically effective concentrations affects the expressions of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase and phase II antioxidant genes in the H4IIE cell. Treatment of the cells with either metformin or 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside (AICAR) abrogated tert-butylhydroxyquinone (t-BHQ) induction of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase, a rate limiting enzyme of GSH synthesis. The ability of t-BHQ to induce glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), a major class of phase II detoxifying enzymes that playa critical role in protecting cells from oxidative stress or electrophiles, was also inhibited by the agents. Transcriptional gene repression by metformin was verified by the GSTA2 promoter luciferase assay. Moreover, either metformin or AICAR treatment significantly decreased t-BHQ-dependent induction of other GSTs (i.e., $GST{\mu}$ and $GST{\pi}$ forms). Taken together, our data indicate that metformin treatment may result in the repression of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione S-transferase genes possibly via AMPK activation.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.195-202
• /
• 2005

The effects of constituent amino acids of glutathione (GSH), glutamate (Glu), cysteine (Cys) and glycine (Gly), on GSH synthesis in lettuce seedlings were examined in this study. The GSH concentration of the seedlings was increased to 5.1-fold and 1.6-fold the concentration of the control in the first leaves and roots, respectively, by simultaneous application of these constituent amino acids (Glu+Cys+Gly) at 100 mg/l to the culture solution for two days. In the first leaves and roots of these seedlings, the concentration of GSH was 180.4 and 14.6 nmole/gFW, and non-essential amino acids including Glu, Cys and Gly occupied 93.2% and 84.0% of the total free amino acids, respectively. Application of Cys greatly increased the concentration of GSH in the roots, and application of 50 mg/l Cys increased it to 26.1-fold the concentration in the control. The activity of GSH synthetase was higher in the leaves than in the roots, whereas the activity of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase was higher in the roots than in the leaves.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.53 no.6
• /
• pp.314-320
• /
• 2009

We examined metabolic conversion of cysteine into glutathione (GSH) and taurine in rat liver under oxidative stress. Administration of tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP) into the portal vein of male rats resulted in a rapid elevation of serum sorbitol dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities, which decreased gradually in 24 hr. Hepatic cysteine concentration was reduced in 3 hr, and recovered progressively, reaching a level greater than 200% of the normal value in 24 hr. GSH was increased both in liver and blood at 9 hr after t-BHP challenge, whereas hypotaurine or taurine was not altered. $\gamma$-Glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS) activity was increased from 9 hr after t-BHP treatment, but protein expression of the GCS-heavy subunit was not changed in liver. Activity or expression of cysteine dioxygenase was not affected by t-BHP treatment. Taken together, these data show that an acute oxidant challenge to the rats may induce upregulation of cysteine availability and GCS activity, resulting in an enhancement of hepatic GSH synthesis, but the increased cysteine level does not stimulate taurine synthesis via cysteine sulfinate pathway. It is indicated that the regulation of GSH and taurine biosynthesis from cysteine is not solely dependent on the cysteine concentration in rat liver under oxidative stress.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.7-11
• /
• 2024

Glutathione (GSH) is a vital compound composed of glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine, crucial for cellular functions including oxidative stress defense and detoxification. It has widespread applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food industries due to its antioxidant properties and immune system support. Two primary methods for GSH synthesis are enzymatic and microbial fermentation. Enzymatic synthesis is efficient but costly, while microbial fermentation, particularly using yeast strains like Candida albicans, offers a cost-effective alternative. This study focuses on genetically modifying C. albicans mutants, specifically targeting glutathione reductase (GLR1) and gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS1) genes, integral to GSH synthesis. By optimizing these mutants, the research aims to develop a model for efficient GSH production, potentially expanding its applications in the food industry.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.626-633
• /
• 2003

The effects of bromate administration on glutathione were studied in rats. The contents of glutathione in the liver and kidney were significantly decreased but the alteration was not significant in lung and blood by bromate adminstration. The decrease occurred without concomitant increases in oxidized glutathione (GSSG) or in the GSSG/GSH＋GSSG ratio. The activities of $\gamma-glutamyl$ cysteine synthetase in the liver and kidney were decreased by bromate administration. $\gamma-Glutamyl$ transpeptidase activities was significantly decreased in the kidney and not significantly decreased in the lung of bromate treated-rats. These results suggest that the decreased synthesis of glutathione by bromate may be an important reason for the decreased level of glutathione in the liver and kidney, thus the decreased glutathione transport would be a factor on the changes of glutathione contents in bromate-treated rats.