• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.237-244
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• 1993

Aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) (L-aspartate : 2-oxyoglutarate, EC 2.6. 1. 1.) from Streptomyces fradiae NRRL 2702 has been purified by acetone precipitation, DEAE-cellulose, hydroxyapatite, and preparative electrophoresis (Prep cell), of which the last was the most effective step in the purification of ASAT. The molecular mass was estimated to be 54,000 dalton by SDS-PAGE and 120,000 dalton by gel filtration chromatography. Preparative isoelectric focusing of purified ASAT resulted in one polypeptide band with a pI of 4.2, showing homogeneity and indicating that the enzyme is composed of two identical subunits. The enzyme was specific for L-aspartate as an amino donor ; the $K_{m}$ values were determined to be 2.7 mM for L-aspartate, 0.7 mM for 2-oxoglutarate, 12.8 mM for L-glutamate, and 0.15 mM for oxaloacetate. The enzyme was relatively heat-stable, having maximum activity at 55.deg.C, and it had a broad pH optimum ranging from 5.5 to 8.0. The activity of the purified enzyme was not inhibited by ammonium ions. This paper reports the first purification and characterization of the aspartate aminotransferase from a species of Streptomyces.s.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.162-166
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• 1996

The protein coding sequence of the 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from a previously cloned cDNA of pig brain using a pair of primers based on the published sequence. The amplified DNA was introduced into a T7 expression vector. Recombinant 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferases were overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The inclusion bodies were formed when enzyme was overexpressed. The unfolded, overproduced proteins were purified by chromatography with hydroxyapatite and refolded by a sequential dialysis method. The renatured 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase regained the catalytic activity. However, the purified mutant protein did not show the catalytic function of 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2007

Changes in protein metabolism were studied in hemolymph and fat body on days 1, 3, 5 and 7 of the fifth-instar silkworm, Bombyx mori, exposed to lethal, sublethal doses and prevailing levels of fluoride in groundwater in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh States of India. The total protein content indicated a depletion followed by a concomitant increase in accumulation of free amino acids. Concurrently, the activity of protease in both of the tissues was also increased. A steady enhancement in the activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase paralleled the elevation of glutamate dehydrogenase activity in the tissues studied. It is presumed, on the basis of these results, that the fluoride toxicity causes major changes in protein metabolism of the silkworms.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.184-190
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• 1999

To acquire an industrially useful biocatalyst for the enzymatic synthesis and production of various D-amino acid aminotransferase (D-AAT) activity. The enzyme activity was found from 110 strains of isolated thermophiles revealing its wide occurrence in thermophiles. Enzyme activity and thermal stability of the D-AAT producers were compared. Finally we have selected four thermophiles as producers of potent biocatalysts for the D-amino acid production; two thermophiles, Bacillus sp. Lk-1 and LK-2, having higher specific activity and two thermophiles, B. stearothermophilus KL-01 and Bacillus sp. KLS-01, having higher thermal stability than the D-AAT producers. Taxonomic and physiological characteristics of the four isolated thermophiles were described herein.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2000

4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase is a key enzyme of the 4-aminobutyric acid shunt. It converts the neurotransmitter 4-aminobutyric acid to succinic semialdehyde. In order to study the structural and functional aspects of catalytically active Cys residues of pig brain 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase, we purified the active form in E. coli by coproduction of thioredoxin. The structural arrangement for functional requirements of a dimeric protein using a bifunctional sultbydryl reagent was then characterized, and the spatial proximity between the essential SH groups and a cofactor (pyridoxal-5'-phosphate) binding site was determined. The bifunctional sultbydryl reagent DMDS reacted with the enzyme at the ratio of one molecule per enzyme dimer. This resulted in an approximately 50% loss of enzymatic activity. The spatial proximity of the distance between the essential SH groups and the cofactor-binding site was determined by the energy transfer measurement technique. The result (approximate 20 ${\AA}$) suggested that cross-linking of two sulfhydryl groups with DMDS is not near a PLP binding site.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.172-178
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• 1999

Previous studies have shown that methanol extract and its butanol fraction of Carthamus tinctorius L. Semen have the hepatoprotective effect on the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity. The hepatoprotective effect of subfractions has been evaluated by analyzing blood and hepatocyte biochemical analyses and biotransformation enzyme analyses. Treatment of BS-5, subfraction has significantly decreased the activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. In addition, the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride in liver have been decreased as compared with that of CCl4 treated rats. The hepatoprotective effect of BS-5, subfraction on the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity would be mediated of the attenuation of the level of cytochrome P450 and the enhancement of the activity of glutathion S-transferase.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.211-217
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• 2002

Hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract of Angelica tenuissima Nakai on the $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity was investigated. To elucidate the hepatoprotective activity and free radical scavenging effect, we examined alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin, total protein, cholesterol, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in serum and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) in hepatic tissue as compared with those of carbon tetrachloride-induced rats. The action mechanism also has been estimated by quantative analysis of cytochrome P450 (CYP), NADPH-CYP reductase for phase I metabolism and glutathion (GSH), glutathion S-transferase (GST) level for phase II metabolsim. Treatment of Angelica tenuissima methanol extract significantly lowered the levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. In addition, the levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, MDA, CAT were decreased, and SOD was activated. This result indicates that the hepatoprotective effect of Angelica tenuissima methanol extract on the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity would be originated from reduction of the NADPH-CYP reductase, GSH and the enhancement of the activities of GST, CYP.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 1997

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.109-115
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• 2009

The gene encoding a putative aspartate aminotransferase in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) was cloned using PCR technique. The gene was ligated with pET-21(a) vector containing His6 tag and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3). Affinity purification of the recombinant aspartate aminotransferase with Ni-NTA resin resulted in one band by SDS-PAGE analysis. The purified enzyme showed a molecular weight of 43 kDa, as expected. The enzyme was the most active toward L-aspartate as an amino donor, indicating that the purified enzyme is one of aspartate aminotrans-ferases exist in Xoo. Optimal activity of the enzyme was observed at around pH 7.5 and stability was much higher at alkaline pH rather than acidic pH values. The enzyme was considerably activated by the presence of manganese ion, showing about 157% of control activity at 1.0 mM.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.695-703
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• 1999

We have studied the stereospecificities of various pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes for the hydrogen transfer between the C-4' of a bound coenzyme and the C-2 of a substrate in the transamination catalyzed by the enzymes. Stereospecificities reflect the structures of enzyme active-sites, in particular the geometrical relationship between the coenzyme-substrate Schiff base and the active site base participating in an $\alpha$-hydrogen abstraction. The PLP enzymes studied so far catalyze only a si-face specific (pro-S) hydrogen transfer. This stereochemical finding suggests that the PLP enzymes have the same topological active-site structures, and that the PLP enzymes have evolved divergently from a common ancestral protein. However, we found that o-amino acid aminotransferase, branched chain L-amino acid aminotransferase, and 4-amino-4-deoxychorismate lyase, which have significant sequence homology with one another, catalyze a re-face specific (pro-R) hydrogen transfer. We also showed that PLP-dependent amino acid racemases, which have no sequence homology with any aminotransferases, catalyze a non-stereospecific hydrogen transfer: the hydrogen transfer occurs on both faces of the planar intermediate. Crystallographical studies have shown that the catalytic base is situated on the re-face of the C-4' of the bound coenzyme in o-amino acid aminotransferase and branched chain L-amino acid aminotransferase, whereas the catalytic base is situated on the si-face in other aminotransferases (such as L-aspartate aminotransferase) catalyzing the si-face hydrogen transfer. Thus, we have clarified the stereospecificities of PLP enzymes in relation with the primary structures and three-dimensional structures of the enzymes. The characteristic stereospecificities of these enzymes for the hydrogen transfer suggest the convergent evolution of PLP enzymes.