A ribosome-independent stringent factor from Bacillus stearothermophilus and a low molecular weight substance inhibitory to its activity

Enzymic synthesis and cofactor activity of 3'-pyrophosphocoenzyme A

The 3'-pyrophosphate derivative of CoA was synthesized by using the excreted 5'-to-3' pyrophosphoryl-transferring enzyme from Streptomyces adephospholyticus and ATP as donor and dephospho-CoA as acceptor. Cofactor activity of this new coenzyme A derivative was tested with Clostridium kluyveri phosphotransacetylase and hog heart succinic thiokinase. With the phosphotransacetylase, 3'-pyrophospho-CoA was found to be twice as active as CoA whereas dephospho-CoA was inactive. However, succinic thiokinase utilized all three types of CoA equally well. Adenosine 5'-monophosphate 3'-pyrophosphate also was synthesized and used as an analog of adenosine 5'-monophosphate 3'-monophosphate in the dog liver's sulfotransferase-catalyzed sulfate transfer from p-nitrophenyl sulfate to phenol. In contrast to the pyrophospho derivative of coenzyme A, adenosine 5'-monophosphate 3'-pyrophosphate was inactive as a cofactor.

[Nucleoside polyphosphates: occurrence, metabolism and function]

Procaryotes have regulatory systems allowing to vary the metabolism in response to nutritional variations, to reduce the growth, and to start development. Nucleoside polyphosphates are mediators of coordinated alterations of metabolism. In this review, after a brief recall of the characteristics of the stringent response, the occurrence, determinations, and the metabolism of the nucleoside polyphosphates are presented. The representation of the pleiotropic effects includes the regulation of the protein synthesis and of the protein synthesis apparatus, of the protein turnover, of the N- and carbohydrate metabolism, of the formation of cell membranes and cell walls as well as the possible function of the development.

Genetics and physiology of the rel system of Bacillus subtilis

Stringent factor (ATP:GTP-3' pyrophosphotransferase) has been purified from wild type Bacillus subtilis and it has been shown that guanosine tetra- and pentaphosphate (ppGpp and pppGpp) are synthesized in vitro in the presence of ribosomes, unacylated tRNA and its specific codon, as has been demonstrated in Escherichia coli. relA, the genetic determinant for the stringent factor, has been mapped on the B. subtilis chromosome by transduction and is found between aroD and leu. The relC locus, defined by mutations which were originally selected by resistance to thiostrepton, has been mapped adjacent to spoOH in the order cysA, spoOH, relC, rif. Sringent factor and ribosomes are functional for the in vitro synthesis of (p)ppGpp in early stages of sporulation (up to at least 4 h). This contradicts the findings of other laboratories.