Isolation of rat liver microsomal short-chain beta-ketoacyl-coenzyme A reductase and trans-2-enoyl-coenzyme A hydratase: evidence for more than one hydratase

The specific biochemistry of human axilla odour formation viewed in an evolutionary context

Human body odour is dominated by the scent of specific odourants emanating from specialized glands in the axillary region. These specific odourants are produced by an intricate interplay between biochemical pathways in the host and odour-releasing enzymes present in commensal microorganisms of the axillary microbiome. Key biochemical steps for the release of highly odouriferous carboxylic acids and sulfur compounds have been elucidated over the past 15 years. Based on the profound molecular understanding and specific analytical methods developed, evolutionary questions could be asked for the first time with small population studies: (i) a genetic basis for body odour could be shown with a twin study, (ii) no effect of genes in the human leukocyte antigen complex on the pattern of odourant carboxylic acid was found, and (iii) loss of odour precursor secretion by a mutation in the ABCC11 gene could explain why a large fraction of the population in the Far East lack body odour formation. This review summarizes what is currently known at the molecular level on the biochemistry of the formation of key odourants in the human axilla. At the same time, we present for the first time the crystal structure of the N_α-acyl-aminoacylase, a key human odour-releasing enzyme, thus describing at the molecular level how bacteria on the skin surface have adapted their enzyme to the specific substrates secreted by the human host. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Olfactory communication in humans'.

Evidence that beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrase purified from rat liver microsomes is of peroxisomal origin

The present study provides strong evidence that the previously isolated hepatic microsomal beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrase (EC 4.2.1.17), believed to be a component of the fatty acid chain-elongation system, is derived, not from the endoplasmic reticulum, but rather from the peroxisomes. The isolated dehydrase was purified over 3000-fold and showed optimal enzymic activity toward beta-hydroxyacyl-CoAs or trans-2-enoyl-CoAs with carbon chain lengths of 8-10. The purified preparation (VDH) displayed a pH optimum at 7.5 with beta-hydroxydecanoyl-CoA, and at 6.0 with beta-hydroxystearoyl-CoA. Competitive-inhibition studies suggested that VDH contained dehydrase isoforms, and SDS/PAGE showed three major bands at 47, 71 and 78 kDa, all of which reacted to antibody raised to the purified preparation. Immunocytochemical studies with anti-rabbit IgG to VDH unequivocally demonstrated gold particles randomly distributed throughout the peroxisomal matrix of liver sections from both untreated and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-treated rats. No labelling was associated with endoplasmic reticulum or with the microsomal fraction. Substrate-specificity studies and the use of antibodies to VDH and to the peroxisomal trifunctional protein indicated that VDH and the latter are separate enzymes. On the other hand, the VDH possesses biochemical characteristics similar to those of the D-beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrase recently isolated from rat liver peroxisomes [Li, Smeland & Schulz (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 13629-13634; Hiltunen, Palosaari & Kunau (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 13536-13540]. Neither enzyme utilizes crotonoyl-CoA or cis-2-enoyl-CoA as substrates, but both enzymes convert trans-2-enoyl substrates into the D-isomer only. In addition, the VDH also contained beta-oxoacyl-CoA reductase (beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase) activity, which co-purified with the dehydrase.

Biochemical and immunological identity of the hepatic peroxisomal and microsomal trans-2-enoyl CoA hydratase bifunctional protein

In the present study, the hepatic microsomal and peroxisomal bifunctional trans-2-enoyl CoA hydratases were isolated and purified from rats treated with 2% di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate for 8 days. These two enzymes (microsomal and peroxisomal) were purified with the identical purification procedures and had identical molecular masses of 76 kDa. A single band was observed on an electrophoretic gel of an equimixture of the two proteins. Both preparations had identical pI's of 8.6 and pH optima of 6.0 for the dehydrogenase (reductase) and 7.5 for the hydratase activity. Two-dimensional gel analysis of an equimixture of the two preparations showed only one band. Ouchterlony double-diffusion analysis showed that an antibody raised against the purified microsomal enzyme interacted at a point with the peroxisomal enzyme, indicating immunologic identity. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the antibody formed a single band with total microsomal and peroxisomal fractions. The antibody inhibited the enzymatic activities of both preparations in a similar manner. Interestingly, the antibody had a markedly greater inhibitory effect on the reductase activity of the two enzyme preparations, and a much less inhibitory effect on the hydratase activity, suggesting that the antigenic determinants reside at or near the catalytic site of the reductase portion of the protein. These results suggest that the microsomal and peroxisomal bifunctional proteins are identical.

Effect of the peroxisomal proliferator di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate on component reactions of the rat hepatic microsomal fatty acid chain elongation system and on other hepatic lipogenic enzymes

The feeding of 2% di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) to rats increased the hepatic microsomal elongation of palmitoyl-CoA by about twofold, while those of palmitoleoyl-CoA and gamma-linolenoyl-CoA decreased to 83 and 63%, respectively, of the control values. When component reactions of the elongation pathway were measured, it was observed that only the activity of condensing enzyme was increased by twofold, while those of beta-ketostearoyl-CoA reductase, beta-hydroxypalmitoyl-CoA dehydrase, and trans-2-hexadecenoyl-CoA reductases were not affected. Furthermore, the time course for induction of both condensation and elongation of palmitoyl-CoA was similar. In vitro addition of DEHP had no effect on either condensation or elongation. Thus, these results indicate that the peroxisomal proliferator induces only the condensing enzyme which is the regulatory and rate-limiting step of elongation sequence. The DEHP treatment also markedly enhanced the cytosolic NADPH-generating activities of glucose-6-PO4 dehydrogenase (2.2-fold) and malic enzyme (7.3-fold). Unexpectedly, the activities of fatty acid synthetase and citrate cleavage enzyme were unaffected. These results are discussed in light of the fact that these lipogenic enzymes are coordinately induced by diet or hormones.