A functional mobA gene for molybdopterin cytosine dinucleotide cofactor biosynthesis is required for activity and holoenzyme assembly of the heterotrimeric nicotine dehydrogenases of Arthrobacter nicotinovorans

Two Arthrobacter nicotinovorans molybdenum enzymes hydroxylate the pyridine ring of nicotine. Molybdopterin cytosine dinucleotide (MCD) was determined to be a cofactor of these enzymes. A mobA gene responsible for the formation of MCD could be identified and its function shown to be required for assembly of the heterotrimeric molybdenum enzymes.

Investigation of the mechanism of CTP synthetase using rapid quench and isotope partitioning methods

The UTP-dependent ATPase reaction and the glutamine-dependent overall reaction of Escherichia coli CTP synthetase have been studied by rapid quench and isotope partitioning kinetics. The effect of GTP, an allosteric effector, on the pre-steady-state kinetics of both reactions has also been examined. The time courses of the UTP-dependent ATPase reaction in the presence and absence of GTP are both characterized by a burst of acid-labile phosphate equivalent to 0.93 and 0.43 subunits, respectively. The time course of the glutamine-dependent reaction in the absence of GTP is also characterized by a burst of acid-labile phosphate corresponding to 0.8 subunit; however, in the presence of GTP, no burst was observed. These results along with positional isotope exchange experiments [von der Saal, W., Anderson, P. M., & Villafranca, J. J. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 14997] provide evidence that the mechanism of CTP formation involves phosphorylation of UTP followed by attack of NH3, and finally release of phosphate, producing CTP, ADP, and Pi. A kinetic model for the first stages of the enzymatic reaction was developed from the rapid quench data, and the internal equilibrium constant for the formation of the phosphorylated UTP intermediate was determined. The internal equilibrium constants for the UTP-dependent reaction in the presence and absence of GTP were found to be 1.1 and 18, respectively. By contrast, the internal equilibrium constant for the reaction in the presence of glutamine was 50. Thus, the presence of glutamine shifts the internal equilibrium constant to favor formation of the phosphorylated UTP intermediate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evidence for a copper:S-(methylthio)-L-homocysteine complex as a glutamine antagonist of cytidine triphosphate synthesis in L1210 murine leukemia cells

The mixed disulfide of methyl mercaptan and L-homocysteine, S-(methylthio)-L-homocysteine (L-SMETH), inhibits the growth of L-1210 leukemia cells in culture at micromolar concentrations. The inhibition is markedly promoted by added cupric ion, but not by ions of other metals, is stereospecific, and is competitive with glutamine. For example, at 10 microM each of L-SMETH and Cu2+, almost complete growth inhibition was observed if cells were grown in 1 mM glutamine, 50% inhibition at 2 mM glutamine, and none at 4 mM glutamine. The inhibition is also completely relieved by cytidine in noncompetitive manner, but not by guanosine or uridine, indicating that the principal damage to the cellular economy resides in the amination of UTP to CTP. This was confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography analysis of cell extracts, which showed a marked decrease in CTP with increases in the levels of UTP, GTP, and ATP. A major swelling of cells leading to lysis accompanies the inhibition and increases in DNA and protein per cell confirms this unbalanced growth. The chemical basis for this biological interaction is presented.

Cyclopentenyl cytidine analogue. An inhibitor of cytidine triphosphate synthesis in human colon carcinoma cells

The mechanism of action of the cyclopentenyl analogue of cytidine, cCyd, was investigated in human colon carcinoma cell line HT-29. Upon exposure of cells to 10(-6)M cCyd, cell viability was reduced to 20% of control, whereas cytocidal activity was not present after 2 hr of drug exposure. Cell lethality was partially reversible by Urd, Cyd or dCyd at 10(-6)M cCyd, and fully reversible by these nucleosides at 2.5 X 10(-7)M cCyd. The incorporation of [14C]dThd and [3H]Urd into DNA and RNA was inhibited by 50% by exposure for 2 hr to 2.5 X 10(-7) and 1.5 X 10(-6)M cCyd respectively. Upon 24 hr of drug exposure, the IC50 for RNA synthesis was reduced 2.5-fold, whereas DNA synthesis was almost totally inhibited. cCyd produced a rapid and preferential reduction of CTP synthesis with a half-life of 1 hr at 10(-6)M drug. The IC50 of cCyd for reducing CTP concentrations after 2 hr of drug exposure was 4 X 10(-7)M. Concomitant with the reduction of CTP levels was the inhibition of transcription of rRNA and, to a lesser extent, tRNA, without changes in the processing nucleolar RNA. No changes in the size of DNA were produced following treatment with cCyd. These results indicate that cCyd is a potent and rapid inhibitor of CTP synthesis and that this effect correlates with its cytocidal activity.

[Effect of acetylcholine on incorporation of 14C-precursors into uridylic and cytidylic nucleotides of the RNA of digestive glands]

The incorporation rate of [2-14C]orotic acid and [2-14C]uridine into the cytidylic RNA nucleotides is significantly lower than into the uridylic ones. In the liver it was twice as low as in the stomach mucosa or in pancreas of albino rats. The administration of acetylcholine in combination with proserine has no influence on the RNA content and its nucleotide composition in the tissues. The administered drugs however caused changes in the relation of the incorporation rates of both labels into uridylic and cytidylic RNA nucleotides, which evidences for the uridylic nucleotide synthesis. In the liver such changes are not detected, but utilization of the labeled uridine is shown to be more intensive for the cytidylic RNA nucleotides synthesis.

Apparent synergism between amino donors for CTP synthesis in Chinese hamster fibroblasts

The synergistic effects of potential amino donors were studied in the assay of CTP synthetase in extracts of Chinese hamster fibroblasts. We found that L-glutamine was not effective as the sole amino donor, but combinations of L-glutamine with NH4HCO3, L-arginine or potassium phosphate did result in the conversion of UTP to CTP. L-arginine or potassium phosphate were also not effective when used alone, and NH4HCO3 was only slightly effective. Our studies demonstrate that the individual synergistic combinations were not additive; multiple combinations of components decreased rather than increased the formation of CTP. The synergistic combinations of L-glutamine with either NH4HCO3 or L-arginine had an absolute requirement for ATP; when ATP and PEP were absent no conversion of UTP to CTP occurred. The presence of GTP in a reaction mixture slightly increased the formation of CTP when L-glutamine and NH4HCO3 were used and substantially increased CTP formation when L-glutamine and L-arginine were used. De novo CTP synthesis was greatly reduced when nonradioactive CTP was added to an assay mixture, suggesting feedback inhibition. A TLC procedure has been developed that allows for the direct separation of UTP and CTP without requiring prior conversion to the mononucleotide or nucleoside level.

The effect of chemical mutagens on purine and pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis

Nucleotide biosynthesis in Novikoff hepatoma cells is markedly altered by a variety of chemical mutagens, whether the mechanism of mutagenesis is by base substitution, covalent binding (adduct formation), intercalation, or cross-linking of DNA. The compounds investigated (N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide, 9-aminoacridine, and mitomycin C), at concentrations that cause some inhibition of RNA and DNA synthesis, bring about a large increase in the pool levels of all four nucleoside triphosphates. At the same time, reactions leading to the synthesis of CTP from exogenous uridine and GTP and ATP from exogenous hypoxanthine are severely inhibited. The formation of UTP from uridine and ATP from adenosine, by more direct phosphorylation reactions, appears relatively unaffected. The increase in nucleotide pool size cannot be accounted for by a corresponding increase in de novo purine and pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis, as experiments with labeled formate and aspartate show similar inhibitions by the mutagens. With the salvage precursors, [3H]uridine and [3H]hypoxanthine, the mutagens can produce a widely divergent reduction in the labeling of RNA-CMP versus RNA-UMP and of RNA-GMP versus RNA-AMP, mostly a result of these agents causing large differences in the specific activities of the respective triphosphate precursors. These observations suggest that, in addition to the reactions with DNA, nucleotide biosynthesis could be another important biochemical target of chemical mutagens.

Biosynthesis of cytidine nucleotides in rat liver after administration of D-galactosamine

Following the administration of D-galactosamine the utilization of [2-14C] orotic acid for the synthesis of the cytidine components of the acid-soluble extract and liver RNA cytosine is markedly decreased. The depression of the specific activity of the cytidine components takes place after application of low doses of the drug which do not interfere with the specific activity of the uridine components of the acid-soluble extract or of liver RNA uracil. Simultaneously the administration of [U-14C]cytidine paralleled by its enhanced liver uptake. The total amount of uridine as well as cytidine components of the acid-soluble extract following the administration of D-galactosamine increases; however, the molar ratio of both pyrimidines does not change. The alterations of the cytidine metabolism after the administration of the drug are accompanied by the increased level of microsomal cytochrome P-450.

Uridine triphosphate and RNA synthesis during diabetes-induced renal growth

UTP, CTP, and RNA synthesis were studied in the renal cortex of diabetic and control rats in vivo. The incorporation of UTP into RNA (nmol/h DNA) was used as estimate of RNA synthesis rate. Two to three days after streptozotocin injection, UTP and CTP ppol size and orotate incorporation into UTP and RNA were greater in diabetic animals than in controls. In addition, RNA content and RNA synthesis rate were increased. These changes were corrected by insulin infusion. In diabetic animals, additional increases in UTP pool, RNA content, and RNA synthesis rate followed contralateral nephrectomy. This increase in RNA content was greater than in uninephrectomized controls. The changes in the diabetic renal cortex were not accompanied by increased plasma concentrations of growth hormone. The increase in RNA content in the diabetic renal cortex is probably due to increased RNA synthesis. Increased synthesis of pyrimidines and expansion of the UTP pool may make this substrate more readily available for the synthesis of UDP sugars and may facilitate the synthesis of basement membrane in diabetes.

[Sister chromatid exchanges under bromine incorporation into DNA cytosine nucleotides. II. Utilization of 3H-deoxycytidine as a DNA cytosine precursor]

The incorporation of 3H-deoxycytidine (3H-Cdr) in the presence of thymidine (Tdr) into cultured human blood lymphocytes has been studied. The analysis of the label in interphase nuclei as well as in chromosomes at metaphase was carried out. The labeling was much higher when 3H-Cdr (0.5 to 1.0 C/ml, 2--4 x 10(-5) mM) was added to the cultures simultaneously with Tdr (4 x 10(-1) mM). This observation is considered as an indication that in the presence of high doses of Tdr exogeneous Cdr is utilized to synthesize cytosine of DNA rather than thymidine. During the first hours after its addition, the bulk of 3H-Cdr is eliminated from the culture medium. At 12 hrs of the incubation, the medium seems to be free of the nucleoside as shown particularly from the single chromatid localization of the label in chromosomes of the second mitosis. The incorporation into lymphocytes of 3H-Tdr administered in the same dose under the same conditions was registered for the whole period of observation (24 hrs). The data obtained are discussed in relation to lymphocyte catabolism of exogeneous nucleosides.

Liver growth, biosynthesis of cytidine nucleotides and level of cytochrome P-450 in rat liver after administration of alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane

The biosynthesis of cytidine nucleotides and the level of microsomal cytochrome P-450 in intact and regenerating rat liver after repeated administration of alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH) were compared. In alpha-HCH treated animals the utilization of [2-14C] orotic acid for the synthesis of cytidine nucleotides is suppressed. In 24-h regenerating liver the incorporation of labelled orotic acid into cytidine nucleotides is markedly activated; the degree of activation is lower in regenerating livers of alpha-HCH treated animals. The changes in the level of cytochrome P-450 vary inversely with the changes in the utilization of [2-14C] orotic acid for the synthesis of cytidine nucleotides. The activity of cytidine triphosphate synthetase of liver cytosol increases shortly after the administration of alpha-HCH; uridine-cytidine kinase is enhanced in the later stages of the drug action. Within 15-45 min after the administration of alpha-HCH the uptake of [U-14 C] cytidine into the liver and its incorporation into RNA cytosine are increased. After the administration of the drug the uptake of [2-14 C] uridine and its incorporation into RNA uracil is also enhanced whereas its utilization for the synthesis of cytidine nucleotides of the acid-soluble extract as well as for the RNA cytosine are suppressed.

Synthesis of ribonucleotides and their participation in ribonucleic acid synthesis by Coxiella burnetii

Synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA) by the deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent RNA polymerase of Coxiella burnetii required adenosine, uridine, guanosine, and cytidine 5'-triphosphates. Cell-free preparations of this obligate intracellular procaryotic parasite had competence to phosphorylate ribonucleoside mono- and diphosphates in the presence of exogenous adenosine and guanosine 5'-triphosphates to the corresponding di- and triphosphates. C. burnetii contained about 2 nmol of adenosine 5'-triphosphate per mg of protein, which could serve as a approximately P donor for in vivo synthesis of nucleoside triphosphates. The latter were then used as substrates in the synthesis of RNA in a coordinated metabolic system with C. burnetii RNA polymerase. It is suggested that during infection the rickettsiae might obtain the nucleotides necessary for RNA synthesis from the vacuoles in which C. burnetii proliferates.

[Incorporation in vivo of 14C-precursors into pyrimidine nucleotides of chicken liver and spleen tissues]

Maximum incorporation of the label after administration of 14C-bicarbonate to free pyrimidine nucleotides begins by the 60th minute. Radioactivity of cytidine nucleotides at all time points is four-eight times as low as that of uridine nucleotides. 2-14C-orotic acid is incorporated into acid-soluble nucleotides and RNA of the liver and spleen tissues. 60 min after administration of the isotope 20% of radioactivity was found in the liver and 0.3% in the spleen, in both tissues radioactivity of RNA is 20% of 14C-radioactivity in the acid-soluble fraction. The formation rate for cytidine nucleotides from uridine ones in the liver and spleen tissues is low, about 2-6% of uridine nucleotides radioactivity is found in them only, that may be due to a low activity of CTP-synthetase. The content of cytidine nucleotides in these organs is three-life times as low as compared to uridine nucleotides.

Decreased utilization of [2-14C]orotic acid for the synthesis of cytidine nucleotides in rat liver after administration of alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane

Administration of alpha-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH) to rats decreased the utilization of [2-14C]orotic acid for the synthesis of liver cytidine nucleotides. The specific radioactivities of uridine components of the acid-soluble pool and rRNA increased during the first hours of treatment with the drug. Later on the specific radioactivities of uridine nucleotides remained unchanged, while those of cytidine components decreased gradually. Administration of hydrocortisone increased the incorporation of labelled orotic acid into rRNA cytidylic acid.

Biosynthesis of rat brain phosphatidylethanolamines from intracerebrally injected ethanolamine

[2-3H]Ethanolamine was injected intracerebrally into male rats and the brains of the animals immediately removed by particular procedures at regular intervals over the first 1200 sec. The incorporation of radioactivity into brain phosphorylethanolamine, cytidine-5'-diphosphate (CDP) ethanolamine and phosphatidylethanolamines was examined and quantitated. The nature of phosphatidylethanolamine molecular subspecies, which became labelled, was also investigated after isotope administration. Phosphorylethanolamine, CDP-ethanolamine and phosphatidylethanolamines were all labelled already 5 sec after the administration of labelled ethanolamine. The specific radioactivities of different phosphatidylethanolamine molecular subspecies varied according to the time elapsed from the injection to the sacrifice of the animals. This last result, together with the data on time course of labelling of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides and their precursors, provides indications that this base may be incorporated into lipids not only by net synthesis pathway, but also by base-exchange reaction.

Calculation of absolute rates of RNA synthesis, accumulation, and degradation in tobacco callus in vivo

Uptake and incorporation data were used to calculate an absolute rate of ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis by assuming that incorporation of radioactive nucleosides into RNA was a first-order function of the nucleoside triphosphate cellular pool. Homogenized tissue was separated into an RNA and cellular pool fraction. Methods were developed to directly measure the specific radioactivity of specific nucleosides in each fraction. Exogenous [3H]uridine was taken up by the cells, converted to I[3H]uridine triphosphate ([3H]UTP) and [3H]cytidine triphosphate ([3H]CTP), and incorporated into RNA. All of the radioactivity in RNA was contained in either uridine or cytidine. The average rate of RNA synthesis (20 mg of RNA (g of RNA)-1h-1) was calculated from changes in the specific radioactivity of uridine or cytidine in RNA and UTP or CTP in the pool. Since ribosomal RNA does not turn over in exponentially growing tissue, its rate of synthesis was measured (14 mg g-1h-1) and compared with the rate of accumulation of RNA (12 mg g-1h-1). The similarity between ribosomal RNA synthesis and total RNA accumulation confirmed the assumption that these methods measured an absolute rate of RNA synthesis.

Incorporation of deoxycytidine into deoxyribonucleic acid deoxycytidylate in Lactobacillus acidophilus R-26

Lactobacillus acidophilus R-26 a strain deficient in ribonucleotide reductase, was grown with [G-14C]deoxycytidine as the only source of deoxyribose in the medium. Of the radioactivity incorporated into deoxyribonucleic acid, a fifth moved directly into deoxyribonucleic acid deoxycytidylate, without deamination. Furthermore, deoxycytidine and thymidine nucleotides had similar sugar/base ratios, suggesting a direct conversion of deoxycytidine nucleotides to thymidine nucleotides through deamination, without further dilution by glycosyl transfer. Although radioactivity was incorporated into both the sugar and base moieties of deoxyribonucleic acid pyrimidine deoxyribonucleotides, only the sugar moiety of purine deoxyribonucleotides was labeled. Purine deoxyribonucleotides probably were synthesized by glycosyl transfer from [G-14C]deoxycytidine to unlabeled purines, followed by phosphorylation of the deoxynucleotides.

[Acceptor activity of 4-N-acetylcytidine in the synthesis of (3'-5')-internucleotide bond catalyzed by pancreatic nuclease]

Cytidine and 4-N-acetylcytidine were compared as phosphate acceptors in dinucleoside monophosphate synthesis catalyzed by pancreatic ribonuclease with uridine-2',3'-cyclophosphate and cytidine-2',3'-cyclo phosphate as phosphate donors. Because of low solubility of 4-N-acetylcytidine in water, the synthesis was carried out in aqueus-organic media. The results obtained indicate that acetylation of the exoaminogroup of cytidine decreases its acceptor activity. For the first time uridilyl-(3'-5')-4-N-acetylcytidine and cytidilyl-(3'-5')-4-N-acetylcytidine are prepared enzymatically by pancreatic ribonuclease.

Partial purification and characterization of cytidine 5'-diphosphate-diglyceride hydrolase from membranes of Escherichia coli

Cytidine 5'-diphosphate (CDP)-diglyceride is hydrolyzed to phosphatidic acid and cytidine 5'-monophosphate by a specific membrane-bound enzyme in cell-free extracts of Escherichia coli. The hydrolase can be extracted from the particulate fraction with Triton X-100 and purified 1,000-fold in the presence of this detergent. Several nucleoside disphosphate diglycerides were synthesized to determine the substrate specificity of the hydrolase. CDP-diglyceride was hydrolyzed preferentially, although uridine 5'-diphosphate-diglyceride, guanosine 5'-diphosphate-diglyceride, and adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP)-diglyceride were also slowly hydrolyzed. Surprisingly, the purified enzyme did not catalyze detectable cleavage of deoxy-CDP (dCDP)-diglyceride. The liponucleotide pool of E. coli contains dCDP-diglyceride and CDP-diglyceride in approximately equal amounts (Raetz and Kennedy, 1973). Water-soluble nucleoside pyrophosphates, such as CDP-choline, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or adenosine 5'-triphosphate are not attacked by this specific hydrolase. Hydrolysis of CDP-diglyceride is strongly inhibited by adenosine 5'-monophosphate and by ADP-diglyceride.

Changes of CTP synthetase activity during postnatal rat brain development

The activity of CTP synthetase (UTP: ammonia ligase (ADP, EC. 6.3.4.2.) was determined in rat cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum during postnatal development. It was found that enzyme activity, when expressed per unit of protein or wet tissue weight, in both parts of the brain decreased with age, the diminution proceeding more rapidly in the cerebellum than in the hemispheres. When CTP synthetase was expressed on the basis of DNA an activity peak in the hemispheres with a maximum on the 5th day after birth was observed. The enzyme content per cell was several times lower in the cerebellum than in the hemispheres at each age studied, with the exception of 1-day-old animals, in which both tissues displayed similar activity. The results obtained were compared with literature data for the intensity of RNA synthesis in the developing brain. The conclusion was reached that the changes of CTP synthetase activity were closely related to the RNA metabolism. Therefore the enzyme under study may be one of the factors involved in cell control of RNA synthesis.

Pyrimidine biosynthetic enzymes of Salmonella typhimurium, repressed specifically by growth in the presence of cytidine

The repressive effects of exogenous cytidine on growing cells was examined in a specially constructed strain in which the pool sizes of endogenous uridine 5'-diphosphate and uridine 5'-triphosphate cannot be varied by the addition of uracil and/or uridine to the medium. Five enzymes of the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway and one enzyme of the arginine biosynthetic pathway were assayed from cells grown under a variety of conditions. Cytidine repressed the synthesis of dihydroorotase (encoded by pyrC), dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (encoded by pyrD), and ornithine transcarbamylase (encoded by argI). Moreover, aspartate transcarbamylase (encoded by pyrB) became further derepressed upon cytidine addition, whereas no change occurred in the levels of the last two enzymes (encoded by pyrE and pyrF) of the pyrimidine pathway. Quantitative nucleotide pool determinations have provided evidence that any individual ribo- or deoxyribonucleoside mono-, di-, or triphosphate of cytosine or uracil is not a repressing metabolite for the pyrimidine biosynthetic enzymes. Other nucleotide derivatives or ratios must be considered.

Phosphorylation of purine and pyrimidine nucleosides by isolated rat liver mitochondria

Formation of 5'-AMP, 5'-GMP, 5'-CMP and 5'UMP was confirmed in isolated rat liver mitochondria incubated with alpha-ketoglutarate, inorganic phosphate, purine nucleoside and pyrimidine nucleoside. Increased incorporation of 32Pi into ATP, GTP and UTP was observed by adding purine- and pyrimidine nucleosides. The phosphorylation of nucleosides was inhibited severely by arsenite and affected slightly by the addition of nuclear or post-mitochondrial fraction.

Consequences of methotrexate inhibition of purine biosynthesis in L5178Y cells

Addition of 1 muM methotrexate to cultures of L5178Y cells results in an initial inhibition of thymidine, uridine, and leucine incorporation into acid-insoluble material followed, after about 10 hr, by a partial recovery in the extent of incorporation of these precursors. Acid-soluble adenosine triphosphate and guanosine triphosphate concentrations are greatly reduced initially, but guanosine triphosphate concentrations appear to recover partially by 10 hr. Acid-soluble uridine triphosphate and cytidine triphosphate concentrations initially increase after methotrexate treatment but then, with time, they too decline. Hypoxanthine and guanine are more effective than is adenine in overcoming the methotrexate-induced inhibition of thymidine incorporation. These results suggest that, in the presence of methotrexate, guanine nucleotides become limiting for nucleic acid synthesis before adenine nucleotides do. The block of purine de novo synthesis in L5178Y cells by methotrexate is almost complete and is not reversed with time. This suggests that the additional purine nucleotides that are available for nucleic acid synthesis 8 to 10 hr after addition of methotrexate are being derived from nucleic acid breakdown. Consistent with this is the observed reduction in the number of polyribosomes and hence, presumably in messenger RNA levels.

The enzymes of lecithin biosynthesis in human neonatal lungs. IV. Phosphorylcholine cytidyltransferase

Phosphorylcholine cytidyltransferase, the enzyme which catalyzes the transfer of phosphorylcholine to cytidine 5'-triphosphate to form CDP-choline, was studied for the first time in human neonatal lung. The assay of product synthesis was linear for 10-20 min and up to 12 mg protein. The pH optimum was 6-6.5. The Km of CTP was 2.0 times 10- minus 3 M, and the Km of phosphorylcholine was 0.25 times 10- minus 3 M. The true Vmax was 10 nmol CDP-choline/mg protein/10 min. The enzyme was stable under frozen conditions. Oxygen had no apparent affect on enzyme activity.

Apparent average length of the transcriptional unit in bacteria

The kinetics of radioactive phosphate incorporation into the adenosine and guanosine nucleoside triphosphate termini of bacterial ribonucleic acid (RNA) was studied. Knowledge obtained in a previous investigation of the kinetics of phosphate incorporation into their precursors, adenosine 5'-triphosphate and guanosine 5'-triphosphate, allowed calculation of the average half-lives of these termini, which were found to be approximately 170 s at 21.5 C for both. The ratio between the number of nucleotides incorporated into the interior of RNA chains per second and the number of termini synthesized per second was calculated by several methods and found to be between 4,000 and 8,000. Assuming that the initiation of synthesis of a RNA chain by deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent RNA polymerase always produces a triphosphate termini and that some termini do not have half-lives so short as to not be seen in this study (less than 10 s), this is the apparent average length of the transcriptional unit. The implication of these findings to the genetic organization of transfer RNA genes is discussed.

Pyrimidine starvation induced by adenosine in fibroblasts and lymphoid cells: role of adenosine deaminase

In the presence of 10(-4) to 10(-5) molar adenosine, established cell lines of fibroblastic or lymphoid origin die of pyrimidine starvation. Less than lethal concentrations inhibit cell growth. Over a broad concentration range, the effects of adenosine are prevented by providing a suitable pyrimidine source. We suggest that the recently described immune deficiency disease associated with absence of adenosine deaminase may be the result of pyrimidine starvation induced by adenosine nucleotides in cells of the lymphoid system.

Repression of enzyme synthesis of the pyrimidine pathway in Salmonella typhimurium

It has been reported by other workers that a uridine and probably also a cytidine nucleotide are required for maximal repression of aspartate transcarbamylase encoded by the gene pyrB in Salmonella typhimurium. We have identified the repressing metabolites for three more biosynthetic enzymes, namely, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (encoded by pyrD), orotidine-5'-monophosphate pyrophosphorylase (encoded by pyrE), and orotidine-5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (encoded by pyrF), as well as examining the repression profiles of aspartate transcarbamylase in more detail. Using a specially constructed strain of S. typhimurium (JL1055) which lacks the enzymes for the interconversion of cytidine and uridine compounds, thus allowing the independent manipulation of endogenous cytidine and uridine nucleotides, we found that a cytidine compound is the primary effector of repression in all cases except for aspartate transcarbamylase where little repression is observed in excess cytidine. For aspartate transcarbamylase, we found that the primary repressing metabolite is a uridine compound.