Overexpression of ca1pase Decreases Rubisco Abundance and Grain Yield in Wheat

Rubisco catalyzes the fixation of CO2 into organic compounds that are used for plant growth and the production of agricultural products, and specific sugar-phosphate derivatives bind tightly to the active sites of Rubisco, locking the enzyme in a catalytically inactive conformation. 2-carboxy-d-arabinitol-1-phosphate phosphatase (CA1Pase) dephosphorylates such tight-binding inhibitors, contributing to the maintenance of Rubisco activity. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that overexpressing ca1pase would decrease the abundance of Rubisco inhibitors, thereby increasing the activity of Rubisco and enhancing photosynthetic performance and productivity in wheat (Triticum aestivum). Plants of four independent wheat transgenic lines overexpressing ca1pase showed up to 30-fold increases in ca1pase expression compared to the wild type. Plants overexpressing ca1pase had lower numbers of Rubisco tight-binding inhibitors and higher Rubisco activation state than the wild type; however, there were 17% to 60% fewer Rubisco active sites in the four transgenic lines than in the wild type. The lower Rubisco content in plants overexpressing ca1pase resulted in lower initial and total carboxylating activities measured in flag leaves at the end of the vegetative stage and lower aboveground biomass and grain yield measured in fully mature plants. Hence, contrary to what would be expected, ca1pase overexpression decreased Rubisco content and compromised wheat grain yields. These results support a possible role for Rubisco inhibitors in protecting the enzyme and maintaining an adequate number of Rubisco active sites to support carboxylation rates in planta.

Reversible inhibition of CO2 fixation by ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase through the synergic effect of arsenite and a monothiol

The activity of the photosynthetic carbon-fixing enzyme, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), is partially inhibited by arsenite in the millimolar concentration range. However, micromolar arsenite can fully inhibit Rubisco in the presence of a potentiating monothiol such as cysteine, cysteamine, 2-mercaptoethanol or N-acetylcysteine, but not glutathione. Arsenite reacts specifically with the vicinal Cys172-Cys192 from the large subunit of Rubisco and with the monothiol to establish a ternary complex, which is suggested to be a trithioarsenical. The stability of the complex is strongly dependent on the nature of the monothiol. Enzyme activity is fully recovered through the disassembly of the complex after eliminating arsenite and/or the thiol from the medium. The synergic combination of arsenite and a monothiol acts also in vivo stopping carbon dioxide fixation in illuminated cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Again, this effect may be reverted by washing the cells. However, in vivo inhibition does not result from the blocking of Rubisco since mutant strains carrying Rubiscos with Cys172 and/or Cys192 substitutions (which are insensitive to arsenite in vitro) are also arrested. This suggests the existence of a specific sensor controlling carbon fixation that is even more sensitive than Rubisco to the arsenite-thiol synergism.

Cinnamic acid-inhibited ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase activity is mediated through decreased spermine and changes in the ratio of polyamines in cowpea

This study investigated the effects of cinnamic acid (CA) on ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPC) activity and the endogenous polyamine levels of cowpea leaves. The results show that 0.1 mM CA treatment decreased photosynthetic rate (P(n)) and RuBPC activity, but it did not affect the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII (F(v)/F(m)), the actual photochemical efficiency of PSII (PhiPSII), intercellular CO(2) concentration (C(i)), and relative chlorophyll content. These suggest that the decrease in P(n) is at least partially attributed to a lowered RuBPC activity. In addition, 0.1 mM CA treatment increased the putrescine (Put) level, but decreased spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) levels, thereby reducing the (Spd+Spm)/Put (PAs) ratio in the leaves. The exogenous application of 1 mM Spd markedly reversed these CA-induced effects for polyamine and partially restored the PAs ratio and RuBPC activity in leaves. Methylglyoxal-bis (guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), which is an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), results in the inability of activated cells to synthesize Spd and exacerbates the negative effects induced by CA. The exogenous application of 1 mM D-arginine (D-Arg), which is an inhibitor of Put biosynthesis, decreased the levels of Put, but increased the PAs ratio and RuBPC activity in leaves. These results suggest that 0.1 mM CA inhibits RuBPC activity by decreasing the levels of endogenous free and perchloric acid soluble (PS) conjugated Spm, as well as the PAs ratio.

Effect of trifluoroacetate, a persistent degradation product of fluorinated hydrocarbons, on Phaseolus vulgaris and Zea mays

The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of the pollutant, trifluoroacetate (TFA), on growth and photosynthesis of Phaseolus vulgaris (C(3)) and Zea mays (C(4)) in order to elucidate the physiological and biochemical basis of its inhibitory action. In whole plant studies, photosynthetic gas exchange, fast phase fluorescence kinetics and Rubisco activity were measured in parallel over a 14-day period in plants cultivated in a water culture system with NaTFA added at concentrations ranging from 0.625 to 160mgl(-1). Although initial stimulation of some photosynthetic parameters was observed at low TFA concentrations early on in the experiment, marked inhibition occurred at higher concentrations. In general Z. mays was affected more severely than P. vulgaris showing a large TFA-induced decrease in both apparent carboxylation efficiency (ACE) and in vitro Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase; EC 4.1.1.39) activity. Analysis of photosynthetic gas exchange revealed that besides constraints on mesophyll processes such as Rubisco activity, stomatal limitation also increased with increasing TFA concentration, especially in P. vulgaris. In depth analysis of the fast phase fluorescence transients pointed at TFA-induced uncoupling of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) and inhibition of electron transport beyond Q(a) including possible constraints on the reduction of end electron acceptors of photosystem I.

Redox modulation of Rubisco conformation and activity through its cysteine residues

Treatment of purified Rubisco with agents that specifically oxidize cysteine-thiol groups causes catalytic inactivation and increased proteolytic sensitivity of the enzyme. It has been suggested that these redox properties may sustain a mechanism of regulating Rubisco activity and turnover during senescence or stress. Current research efforts are addressing the structural basis of the redox modulation of Rubisco and the identification of critical cysteines. Redox shifts result in Rubisco conformational changes as revealed by the alteration of its proteolytic fragmentation pattern upon oxidation. In particular, the augmented susceptibility of Rubisco to proteases is due to increased exposure of a small loop (between Ser61 and Thr68) when oxidized. Progressive oxidation of Rubisco cysteines using disulphide/thiol mixtures at different ratios have shown that inactivation occurs under milder oxidative conditions than proteolytic sensitization, suggesting the involvement of different critical cysteines. Site-directed mutagenesis of conserved cysteines in the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Rubisco identified Cys449 and Cys459 among those involved in oxidative inactivation, and Cys172 and Cys192 as the specific target for arsenite. The physiological importance of Rubisco redox regulation is supported by the in vivo response of the cysteine mutants to stress conditions. Substitution of Cys172 caused a pronounced delay in stress-induced Rubisco degradation, while the replacement of the functionally redundant Cys449-Cys459 pair resulted in an enhanced catabolism with a faster high-molecular weight polymerization and translocation to membranes. These results suggest that several cysteines contribute to a sequence of conformational changes that trigger the different stages of Rubisco catabolism under increasing oxidative conditions.

Rubisco regulation: a role for inhibitors

In photosynthesis Rubisco catalyses the assimilation of CO(2) by the carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate. However, the catalytic properties of Rubisco are not optimal for current or projected environments and limit the efficiency of photosynthesis. Rubisco activity is highly regulated in response to short-term fluctuations in the environment, although such regulation may not be optimally poised for crop productivity. The regulation of Rubisco activity in higher plants is reviewed here, including the role of Rubisco activase, tight binding inhibitors, and the impact of abiotic stress upon them.

Catalytic by-product formation and ligand binding by ribulose bisphosphate carboxylases from different phylogenies

During catalysis, all Rubisco (D-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) enzymes produce traces of several by-products. Some of these by-products are released slowly from the active site of Rubisco from higher plants, thus progressively inhibiting turnover. Prompted by observations that Form I Rubisco enzymes from cyanobacteria and red algae, and the Form II Rubisco enzyme from bacteria, do not show inhibition over time, the production and binding of catalytic by-products was measured to ascertain the underlying differences. In the present study we show that the Form IB Rubisco from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus PCC6301, the Form ID enzyme from the red alga Galdieria sulfuraria and the low-specificity Form II type from the bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum all catalyse formation of by-products to varying degrees; however, the by-products are not inhibitory under substrate-saturated conditions. Study of the binding and release of phosphorylated analogues of the substrate or reaction intermediates revealed diverse strategies for avoiding inhibition. Rubisco from Synechococcus and R. rubrum have an increased rate of inhibitor release. G. sulfuraria Rubisco releases inhibitors very slowly, but has an increased binding constant and maintains the enzyme in an activated state. These strategies may provide information about enzyme dynamics, and the degree of enzyme flexibility. Our observations also illustrate the phylogenetic diversity of mechanisms for regulating Rubisco and raise questions about whether an activase-like mechanism should be expected outside the green-algal/higher-plant lineage.

Kinetic analysis of the slow inactivation of Rubisco during catalysis: effects of temperature, O2 and Mg(++)

The effect of temperature, O(2) and Mg(++) on the kinetic characteristics of the slow inactivation (fallover) of Rubisco isolated from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) was determined. Comparing 25 and 45 degrees C, the rate of activity decline of Rubisco increased by 20-fold, but the final ratio of steady state to initial activity increased from 0.38 to 0.62, respectively. Low CO(2) increased the extent of fallover but only caused a marginal increase in fallover rate in agreement with results reported previously. In contrast, increased O(2) during catalysis significantly increased only the fallover rate. Low Mg(++) greatly increased the fallover of Rubisco both in rate and extent. Rubisco carbamylation was assayed using a new separation technique and it revealed that a loss of carbamylation largely accounted for the increased fallover observed with low Mg(++). In conclusion, Rubisco fallover is facilitated by high temperature, low concentration of CO(2) or Mg(++), and high O(2). The physiological importance of these factors in affecting Rubisco fallover and contributing to photosynthetic inhibition at high temperatures in planta are discussed.

Glycation by ascorbic acid causes loss of activity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase and its increased susceptibility to proteases

Glycation is a process whereby sugar molecules form a covalent adduct with protein amino groups. In this study, we used ascorbic acid (AsA) as a glycating agent and purified cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) as a model protein in chloroplast tissues, and examined effects of glycation on the activity and susceptibility of Rubisco to proteases. Glycation proceeded via two phases during incubation with AsA and Rubisco in vitro at physiological conditions (10 mM AsA, pH 7.5, 25 degrees C in the presence of atmospheric oxygen). At the early stage of glycation (phase 1), the amount of AsA attaching to Rubisco increased at an almost linear rate (0.5-0.7 mol AsA incorporated (mol Rubisco)(-1) d(-1)). By Western blotting using monoclonal antibodies recognizing glycation adducts, a major glycation adduct, N( epsilon )-(carboxymethyl)lysine was detected. At the late stage of glycation (phase 2), incorporation of AsA reached saturation, and a glycation adduct, pentosidine mediating intramolecular cross-linking, was detected corresponding to formation of high molecular weight aggregates cross-linked between subunits. Glycation led to a decrease in Rubisco activity (half-life about 7-8 d). Furthermore, glycated Rubisco of phase 2 drastically increased protease susceptibility in contrast to unchanged susceptibility of glycated Rubisco of phase 1 compared to that of native Rubisco. Results obtained here suggest that AsA is possibly an important factor in the loss of activity and turnover of Rubisco.

Rubisco activity: effects of drought stress

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activity is modulated in vivo either by reaction with CO2 and Mg2+ to carbamylate a lysine residue in the catalytic site, or by the binding of inhibitors within the catalytic site. Binding of inhibitors blocks either activity or the carbamylation of the lysine residue that is essential for activity. At night, in many species, 2-carboxyarabinitol-1-phosphate (CA1P) is formed which binds tightly to Rubisco, inhibiting catalytic activity. Recent work has shown that tight-binding inhibitors can also decrease Rubisco activity in the light and contribute to the regulation of Rubisco activity. Here we determine the influence that such inhibitors of Rubisco exert on catalytic activity during drought stress. In tobacco plants, 'total Rubisco activity', i.e. the activity following pre-incubation with CO2 and Mg2+, was positively correlated with leaf relative water content. However, 'total Rubisco activity' in extracts from leaves with low water potential increased markedly when tightly bound inhibitors were removed, thus increasing the number of catalytic sites available. This suggests that in tobacco the decrease of Rubisco activity under drought stress is not primarily the result of changes in activation by CO2 and Mg2+ but due rather to the presence of tight-binding inhibitors. The amounts of inhibitor present in leaves of droughted tobacco based on the decrease in Rubisco activity per mg soluble protein were usually much greater than the amounts of the known inhibitors (CA1P and 'daytime inhibitor') that can be recovered in acid extracts. Alternative explanations for the difference between maximal and total activities are discussed.

Alanine-scanning mutagenesis of the small-subunit beta A-beta B loop of chloroplast ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase: substitution at Arg-71 affects thermal stability and CO2/O2 specificity

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) enzymes from different species differ with respect to carboxylation catalytic efficiency and CO2/O2 specificity, but the structural basis for these differences is not known. Whereas much is known about the chloroplast-encoded large subunit, which contains the alpha/beta-barrel active site, much less is known about the role of the nuclear-encoded small subunit in Rubisco structure and function. In particular, a loop between beta-strands A and B contains 21 or more residues in plants and green algae, but only 10 residues in prokaryotes and nongreen algae. To determine the significance of these additional residues, a mutant of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which lacks both small-subunit genes, was used as a host for transformation with directed-mutant genes. Although previous studies had indicated that the betaA-betaB loop was essential for holoenzyme assembly, Ala substitutions at residues conserved among land plants and algae (Arg-59, Tyr-67, Tyr-68, Asp-69, and Arg-71) failed to block assembly or eliminate function. Only the Arg-71 --> Ala substitution causes a substantial decrease in holoenzyme thermal stability. Tyr-68 --> Ala and Asp-69 --> Ala enzymes have lower K(m)(CO2) values, but these improvements are offset by decreases in carboxylation V(max) values. The Arg-71 --> Ala enzyme has a decreased carboxylation V(max) and increased K(m)(CO2) and K(m)(O2) values, which account for an observed 8% decrease in CO2/O2 specificity. Despite the fact that Arg-71 is more than 20 A from the large-subunit active site, it is apparent that the small-subunit betaA-betaB loop region can influence catalytic efficiency and CO2/O2 specificity.

Proline suppresses Rubisco activity by dissociating small subunits from holoenzyme

Proline caused irreversible inhibition (involving reduction in V(max) without altering K(m) for RuBP) in Rubisco activity. Proline-induced suppression in Rubisco activity did not exceed beyond approximately 65% of the original activity even upon exposure to higher levels of proline for prolonged duration. However, NaCl-induced reduction in Rubisco activity was reversible. Native PAGE analysis of Rubisco-incubated with proline showed the presence of two distinct bands corresponding to approximately 430 and approximately 28 kDa, but that incubated with NaCl showed a single band. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that the approximately 430- and approximately 28-kDa bands represent octamers of large subunits and dimers of small subunits, respectively. These results demonstrated for the first time that proline suppresses Rubisco activity by bringing about dissociation of the small subunits from the octamer core of large subunits, probably by weakening hydrophobic interactions between them.

The effect of amino acid-modifying reagents on chloroplast protein import and the formation of early import intermediates

In order to identify functionally important amino acid residues in the chloroplast protein import machinery, chloroplasts were preincubated with amino-acid-modifying reagents and then allowed to import or form early import intermediates with precursor proteins. Incubation of chloroplasts with N-ethyl maleimide, diethyl pyrocarbonate, phenylglyoxal, 4,4'-di-isothiocyanatostilbene 2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS), dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), and 1-ethyl- 3-dimethylaminopropylcarbodiimide (EDC) inhibited both import and formation of early import intermediates with precursor proteins by chloroplasts. This suggests that one or more of the binding components of the chloroplast protein import machinery contains functionally important solvent-exposed cysteine, histidine, arginine, and aspartate/glutamate residues, as well as functionally important lysine and aspartate/ glutamate residues in a hydrophobic environment.

Effect of heat stress on the inhibition and recovery of the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activation state

Experiments were conducted to determine the relative contributions of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco; EC 4.1.1.39) activation state vis-a-vis Rubisco activase and metabolite levels to the inhibition of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) photosynthesis by heat stress. Exposure of leaf tissue in the light to temperatures of 40 or 45 degrees C decreased the activation state of Rubisco to levels that were 65 or 10%, respectively, of the 28 degrees C control. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) levels increased in heat-stressed leaves, whereas the 3-phosphoglyceric acid pool was depleted. Heat stress did not affect Rubisco per se, as full activity could be restored by incubation with CO2 and Mg2+. Inhibition and recovery of Rubisco activation state and carbon dioxide exchange rate (CER) were closely related under moderate heat stress (up to 42.5 degrees C). Moderate heat stress had negligible effect on Fv/Fm, the maximal quantum yield of photosystem II. In contrast, severe heat stress (45 degrees C) caused significant and irreversible damage to Rubisco activation, CER, and Fv/Fm. The rate of Rubisco activation after alleviating moderate heat stress was comparable to that of controls, indicating rapid reversibility of the process. However, moderate heat stress decreased both the rate and final extent of CER activation during dark-to-light transition. Treatment of cotton leaves with methyl viologen or an oxygen-enriched atmosphere reduced the effect of heat stress on Rubisco inactivation. Both treatments also reduced tissue RuBP levels, indicating that the amount of RuBP present during heat stress may influence the degree of Rubisco inactivation. Under both photorespiratory and non-photorespiratory conditions, the inhibition of the CER during heat stress could be completely reversed by increasing the internal partial pressure of CO2 (Ci). However, the inhibition of the CER by nigericin, a K+ ionophore, was not reversible when the Ci was increased at ambient or high temperature. Our results indicate that inhibition of photosynthesis by moderate heat stress is not caused by inhibition of the capacity for RuBP regeneration. We conclude that heat stress inhibits Rubisco activation via a rapid and direct effect on Rubisco activase, possibly by perturbing Rubisco activase subunit interactions with each other or with Rubisco.

2'-carboxy-D-arabitinol 1-phosphate protects ribulose 1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase against proteolytic breakdown

Trypsin-catalysed cleavage of purified ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and the resultant irreversible loss of carboxylase activity were prevented by prior incubation with the naturally occurring nocturnal Rubisco inhibitor 2'-carboxy-D-arabitinol 1-phosphate (CA1P), as well as with ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP), Mg2+ and CO2. CA1P also protected Rubisco from loss of activity caused by carboxypeptidase A. When similar experiments were carried out using soluble chloroplast proteases, CA1P was again able to protect Rubisco against proteolytic degradation and the consequent irreversible loss of catalytic activity. Thus, CA1P prevents the proteolytic breakdown of Rubisco by endogenous and exogenous proteases. In this way, CA1P may affect the amounts of Rubisco protein available for photosynthetic CO2 assimilation. Rubisco turnover (in the presence of RuBP, Mg2+ and CO2) may confer similar protection against proteases in the light.

The localisation of 2-carboxy-D-arabinitol 1-phosphate and inhibition of Rubisco in leaves of Phaseolus vulgaris L

A recent controversial report suggests that the nocturnal inhibitor of Rubisco, 2-carboxy-D-arabinitol 1-phosphate (CAIP), does not bind to Rubisco in vivo and therefore that CA1P has no physiological relevance to photosynthetic regulation. It is now proved that a direct rapid assay can be used to distinguish between Rubisco-bound and free CA1P, as postulated in the controversial report. Application of this direct assay demonstrates that CA1P is bound to Rubisco in vivo in dark-adapted leaves. Furthermore, CA1P is shown to be in the chloroplasts of mesophyll cells. Thus, CA1P does play a physiological role in the regulation of Rubisco.

Proline suppresses Rubisco activity in higher plants

Seedlings of Brassica juncea, Sesbania sesban, and Oryza sativa exposed to salt stress accumulated proline to levels as high as 4- to 20-fold over those of controls. Because chloroplasts are the major site for synthesis of stress induced proline accumulation, in vitro studies were conducted to see how the over-accumulation of this solute influences the activity of the major chloroplastic enzyme Ribulose 1,5-bis-phosphate carboxylase (Rubisco) purified from the above plant species. Surprisingly, proline (believed to be a compatible solute) suppressed the activity of Rubisco significantly even when present at a concentration as low as 100 mM. The extent of this inhibition in Rubisco activity increased with an increase in the concentration of proline. Irrespective of the plant species from which Rubisco was purified, its activity declined by about 50% in the presence of 1 M proline. Rubisco from all three plant species was sensitive to NaCl and proline accelerated salt induced suppression in its activity. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report wherein a negative effect of proline (which is believed to protect enzymes under stress) has been clearly demonstrated. This perturbing effect of proline on Rubisco from higher plant species belonging to three distinct families cautions targeting of gene(s)/gene products for over-production of proline into chloroplasts.

A common structural basis for the inhibition of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase by 4-carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate and xylulose 1,5-bisphosphate

Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) catalyzes the carboxylation of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate. The reaction catalyzed by Rubisco involves several steps, some of which can occur as partial reactions, forming intermediates that can be isolated. Analogues of these intermediates are potent inhibitors of the enzyme. We have studied the interactions with the enzyme of two inhibitors, xylulose 1,5-bisphosphate and 4-carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate, by x-ray crystallography. Crystals of the complexes were formed by cocrystallization under activating conditions. In addition, 4-carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate was soaked into preformed activated crystals of the enzyme. The result of these experiments was the release of the activating CO2 molecule as well as the metal ion from the active site when the inhibitors bound to the enzyme. Comparison with the structure of an activated complex of the enzyme indicates that the structural basis for the release of the activator groups is a distortion of the metal binding site due to the different geometry of the C-3 hydroxyl of the inhibitors. Both inhibitors induce closure of active site loops despite the inactivated state of the enzyme. Xylulose 1,5-bisphosphate binds in a hydrated form at the active site.

Activator carbamino carbon to inhibitor phosphorus internuclear distances in ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase. A solid-state NMR study

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) is a hexadecamer of approximately 550 kDa in most organisms. Rotational-echo double-resonance (REDOR) and transfer-echo double-resonance (TEDOR) solid-state NMR were used to obtain the average internuclear distance between the 99% 13CO2-labeled activator carbamino carbon to the phosphate phosphorus nuclei of active-site-bound 2-carboxy-D-arabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate (CABP), in freeze-quenched, lyophilized samples of confrey Rubisco. The distance 7.5 +/- 0.5 A determined by solid-state NMR is in agreement with the distance of 7.7 A inferred from the crystal-structure coordinates for spinach Rubisco-CABP-CO2-Mg2+ quaternary complex.

The modulation of enzyme reaction rates within multi-enzyme complexes. 2. Information transfer within a chloroplast multi-enzyme complex containing ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase

Octameric ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase binds in an independent manner its substrate (ribulose bisphosphate) and a substrate analog (6-phosphogluconate). The eight active sites of the free enzyme are thus independent. The kinetic behaviour of the active site becomes different if ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase is inserted in the five-enzyme complex previously isolated from chloroplasts. Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase then becomes more active than the corresponding free enzyme form. By comparing the behaviour of the same enzyme in the free state and in the associated state it then becomes possible to study how the thermodynamics of protein-protein interactions alters the kinetic behaviour of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase. This alteration may be expressed in terms of stabilization-destabilization energies exerted upon the various intermediate states of the enzyme reaction, within the multi-protein complex. Heterologous interactions within this complex exert a constant stabilization energy on the enzyme ground states along the reaction co-ordinate of -1.68 kJ/mol and a constant stabilization energy of -3.79 kJ/mol on the enzyme transition states. These stabilization energies express how information propagates within the multi-enzyme complex as to increase the apparent affinity of the substrate for the active sites of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase, as well as to increase the catalytic rate constant. The binding of the substrate analog 6-phosphogluconate to free ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase is non-co-operative. It becomes positively co-operative if this enzyme is inserted in the multi-protein complex. Under these conditions, only one type of enzyme-inhibitor complex is detected experimentally. Here again heterologous interactions stabilize this enzyme-inhibitor complex relative to that expected if ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase is free. The extent of stabilization is -1.03 kJ/mol. Neither free nor associated ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase display any co-operativity relative to substrate binding. However, in the presence of the substrate analog 6-phosphogluconate, this enzyme displays positive co-operativity relative to substrate, although not if it is naked. These results can be explained theoretically and show that the maximum value of the Hill coefficient is < or = 2. As 6-phosphogluconate and other substrate analogs are present in chloroplasts under normal conditions, this co-operativity might be of functional importance in vivo.

Photoaffinity labeling of the ATP binding domain of Rubisco activase and a separate domain involved in the activation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

Photoaffinity labeling of Rubisco activase with 2- and 8-N3ATP was used to identify the adenine binding domain for ATP. Rubisco activase hydrolyzed both of these analogs of ATP and used their hydrolysis to support a low rate of Rubisco activation. When irradiated with ultraviolet light, these and other azido-substituted adenine nucleotides covalently modified Rubisco activase at two distinct binding sites. Competition binding experiments with ATP and ADP showed that one of the sites was the ATP binding domain. The other site was not a nucleotide binding domain per se but would bind adenine nucleotides if an azido moiety was present on the base. Tryptophan and other indoles prevented azidoadenine nucleotides from labeling this domain but afforded little protection to the ATP binding domain. The ability to selectively protect each of the two binding sites made it possible to localize the adenine binding domain for ATP to the region of Rubisco activase from N68-D74 and the other binding domain to a region near the N-terminus from Q10 to D14. Modification of the region from Q10 to D14 by photoaffinity labeling prevented Rubisco activase from promoting activation of Rubisco without affecting ATP hydrolysis. These data suggest that a specific region of Rubisco activase near the N-terminus may be a site of interaction with Rubisco. Binding of azidoadenine nucleotides in this region appears to be fortuitous and may involve base-stacking with the species-invariant Trp at position 16 and hydrogen bonding of the azido moiety.

Natural inhibitors of germination and growth, VII synthesis of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase in darkness and its inhibition by coumarin

Cress (Lepidium sativum) seeds were germinated in darkness. Seedlings were investigated for soluble proteins by SDS-PAGE. Two proteins were identified by microsequencing: the small subunit of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase (SSU) and the alpha subunit of the storage protein cruciferin. Net synthesis of small and large subunits of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase (SSU and LSU) was investigated by Western blot. Net synthesis of both subunits was inhibited by coumarin. To the contrary, net synthesis of cruciferin was increased by coumarin. With specific cDNA probes, we determined steady state levels of the corresponding mRNAs (rbcS mRNA for SSU, rbcL mRNA for LSU). Both mRNAs can be detected in dry seeds; their amount increases during germination in the dark. Incubation with coumarin inhibits this increase. Inhibition of development by coumarin on the level of transcription is discussed.

Structural and functional properties of a multi-enzyme complex from spinach chloroplasts. 1. Stoichiometry of the polypeptide chains

Antibodies have been raised specifically against chloroplast phosphoribulokinase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase. Each of these antibodies recognizes the same macromolecular entity isolated and purified from chloroplasts. This entity is a multi-enzyme complex, previously isolated and made up of ribose-phosphate isomerase, phosphoribulokinase, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase, phosphoglycerate kinase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Under denaturing conditions the multi-enzyme complex contains two polypeptides of 54 kDa and 15 kDa corresponding to the large and the small subunits of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase, the two polypeptides of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase of 39 kDa and 37 kDa, one polypeptide of 40 kDa pertaining to phosphoribulokinase and one polypeptide of 30 kDa very likely pertaining to ribose-phosphate isomerase. The combined use of immunochemical and densitometric techniques allows one to determine the number and the stoichiometry of the various types of polypeptide chains and to compare them with the quaternary structure of the corresponding isolated enzymes. Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase of higher plants consists of eight large and eight small subunits. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is made up of two types of polypeptide chains called A and B and its simplest quaternary structure is A2B2. Finally, phosphoribulokinase is a dimer made up of two identical subunits. Therefore, for the three isolated enzymes, the stoichiometry of the polypeptide chains is always 1:1. Within this multi-enzyme complex, there are two subunits of phosphoribulokinase, two A and B subunits of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and two large and four small subunits of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase. Therefore the number and the stoichiometry of the polypeptide chains of phosphoribulokinase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase are the same in the multi-enzyme complex and in the free enzymes, but those of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase are completely different. This conclusion that the multi-enzyme complex contains two active sites for ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate may be confirmed independently by kinetic inhibition studies using 6-phosphogluconate.

A hybrid ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase enzyme exhibiting a substantial increase in substrate specificity factor

Two hybrid ribulose-1,5 bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO) enzymes were constructed using RubisCO small subunit genes (rbcS) from two eucaryotic marine organisms, Cylindrotheca sp. N1 and Olisthodiscus luteus, cloned downstream of the RubisCO large subunit gene (rbcL) of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus PCC 6301. The expression products synthesized by Escherichia coli JM107 (pVTAC223 and pANOLI) were purified and examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and compared to the purified products generated by E. coli MV1190 (pBGL710), containing cyanobacterial rbcL and rbcS genes. Both Cylindrotheca and Olisthodiscus small subunits were able to assemble in vivo with the Synechococcus large subunit octamer to form heterologous hexadecameric L8S8 enzymes, the pVTAC223 and pANOLI hybrid enzymes, respectively. Like the Synechococcus RubisCO, the hybrid enzymes were rapidly activated by Mg2+ plus HCO3-, even in the presence of RuBP. The hybrid enzymes, however, were considerably more sensitive to the competitive inhibitor 6-phosphogluconate. Detailed kinetic analysis indicated that while the carboxylase activity of both chimeric enzymes was severely reduced, in the case of the pVTAC223 hybrid enzyme, the degree of partitioning between carboxylation and oxygenation was increased nearly 60% relative to the Synechococcus RubisCO. Other kinetic properties, including the Michaelis constants for the gaseous substrates and RuBP, were altered in the hybrid proteins. These studies also led to the finding that the substrate specificity factor of the Cylindrotheca RubisCO is unusually high.

Partial reduction in ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activity by carboxypeptidase A

Treatment with carboxypeptidase A of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rubisco) from spinach and Chlamydomonas, but not tobacco, reduced activity by 60-70%. Further studies with the spinach enzyme indicated that only one amino acid from each of the large (valine) and small (tyrosine) subunits was removed and the loss of activity was correlated with modification of the large subunit. The modified enzyme also had a two-fold greater Km for RuBP but CO2/O2 specificity was only 5% lower and may not be significantly different. The relative rates of release of valine and tyrosine also depended on the presence or absence of RuBP or CO2 plus Mg during treatment. The results indicate that the C-terminal amino acid in the large subunit of spinach, which is not located near the active site region, plays a previously unrecognized role in determining the catalytic activity of the enzyme.

Chemiluminescence of the Mn2(+)-activated ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate oxygenase reaction: evidence for singlet oxygen production

Chemiluminescence has been observed during catalysis by Mn2(+)-activated ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from spinach. The luminescence is ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) and O2-dependent and is inhibited by 2-carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate and high concentrations of bicarbonate; it is therefore ascribed to the RuBP oxygenase activity. The luminescence is inhibited by azide and enhanced in D2O and in the presence of diazabicyclooctane. The emission maximum is between 620 and 660 nm. The initial rate of light emission is second order in enzyme concentration. The data strongly suggest that singlet oxygen is produced during turnover, that the observed chemiluminescence is due to dimol emission of singlet oxygen, and that this provides a basis for a highly sensitive assay for RuBP oxygenase.

A critical arginine in the large subunit of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase identified by site-directed mutagenesis

Rapid inactivation by phenylglyoxal of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (ribulose-P2 carboxylase) from the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans suggests the presence of an essential arginine, the modification of which is reduced in the presence of the substrate ribulose bisphosphate. Arginine 292 in the large subunit of ribulose-P2 carboxylase from A. nidulans was chosen for site-directed mutagenesis studies on the basis of the complete conservation of this residue in corresponding sequences of ribulose-P2 carboxylase from divergent organisms. Arginine 292 was changed to leucine and to lysine by directed mutagenesis using suitable plasmids and the bacteriophage M13. Both substitutions resulted in the production of purifiable holoenzyme with no activity after expression in Escherichia coli.

Essential tryptophan residues of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase

Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase [3-phospho-D-glyceratecarboxy-lyase (dimerizing), EC 4.1.1.39] is rapidly and irreversibly inactivated by micromolar concentrations of dimethyl (2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl) sulphonium bromide (DMHNB), a tryptophan selective reagent, after reversible protection of the reactive sulphydryl groups. The inactivation followed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. Replots of the kinetic data indicated that no reversible enzyme-inhibitor complex was formed prior to irreversible modification. Kinetic analysis and the correlation of the spectral data at 410 nm with enzyme activity indicated that inactivation by DMHNB resulted from modification of on an average one tryptophan per 67 kDa combination of large and small subunits. Several competitive inhibitors and substrate RuBP offered strong protection against inhibition. The k1/2 (protection) for RuBP was 1.3 mM, indicating that the tryptophan residues may be located at or near the substrate binding site. Free and total sulphydryl groups were not affected by the reagent. The modified enzyme exhibited significantly reduced intrinsic fluorescence, indicating that the microenvironment of the tryptophans at the active site is significantly perturbed. Tryptic peptide profiles and CD spectral analyses suggested that inactivation may not be due to the extensive conformational changes in the enzyme molecule during modification.

Photomodification of a serine at the active site of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase by vanadate

Irradiation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from spinach in the presence of vanadate at 4 degrees C resulted in rapid loss of carboxylase activity. The inactivation was light and vanadate dependent. When the enzyme was irradiated in the presence of the substrate ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate or an analogue such as fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, the inactivation was greatly reduced. Sodium bicarbonate and phosphate also protected against inactivation. No additional protection was observed in the presence of Mg2+ nor did Mg2+ alone protect. Carboxylase activity could be partially restored by treatment with NaBH4, and the photomodified protein could be tritiated with NaB3H4. Amino acid analysis showed that the tritium had been incorporated into serine. The data suggest that an active-site serine is photooxidized by vanadate to an aldehyde which results in activity loss. Irradiation in the presence of vanadate also resulted in cleavage in the large subunit of the enzyme which was subsequent to inactivation.

On the regulatory significance of inhibitors acting on non-equilibrium enzymes in the Calvin photosynthesis cycle

Control analyses and kinetic model studies have been performed in order to obtain quantitative information on the regulatory significance of 12 experimentally well-documented inhibitory interactions of Calvin cycle intermediates with the four non-equilibrium cycle enzymes. Evidence is presented to show that none of these interactions contributes significantly to the cycle flux control over the range of external orthophosphate concentrations where the reaction cycle shows close to optimal activity. Contrary to what has been generally supposed, the examined inhibitions appear to be of little interest for our understanding of the biological regulation of the Calvin photosynthesis cycle under conditions of light and carbon dioxide saturation.

The synthesis and purification of 2'-carboxy-D-arabinitol 1-phosphate, a natural inhibitor of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase, investigated by 31P n.m.r

2'-Carboxy-D-arabinitol 1-phosphate (2CA1P), a natural inhibitor of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase was synthesized from 2'-carboxy-D-arabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate (2CABP). The selective dephosphorylation of 2CABP with either acid phosphatase or alkaline phosphatase was investigated by using 31P n.m.r. The n.m.r. spectra of the progress of the reactions indicated that both phosphatases preferentially removed the 5-phosphate from the bisphosphate. After the consumption of all of the bisphosphate, alkaline phosphatase generated a mixture of 2'-carboxy-D-arabinitol 1- and 5-monophosphates in the ratio of about 4:1, along with Pi. The enzyme also hydrolysed the monophosphates to 2'-carboxyarabinitol, thus decreasing the yield of 2CA1P further. In contrast, acid phosphatase catalysed almost quantitative conversion of 2CABP into 2CA1P, preferring to hydrolyse only the 5-phosphate. In either case, separation of the 2CA1P from Pi or other products of enzymic hydrolysis was readily accomplished by conventional ion-exchange chromatography or h.p.l.c.

Oxygen-dependent inactivation of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase in crude extracts of Rhodospirillum rubrum and establishment of a model inactivation system with purified enzyme

Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPC/O) was inactivated in crude extracts of Rhodospirillum rubrum under atmospheric levels of oxygen; no inactivation occurred under an atmosphere of argon. RuBP carboxylase activity did not decrease in dialyzed extracts, indicating that a dialyzable factor was required for inactivation. The inactivation was inhibited by catalase. Purified RuBPC/O is relatively oxygen stable, as no loss of activity was observed after 4 h under an oxygen atmosphere. The aerobic inactivation catalyzed by endogenous factors in crude extracts was mimicked by using a model system containing purified enzyme, ascorbate, and FeSO4 or FeCl3. Dithiothreitol was found to substitute for ascorbate in the model system. Preincubation of the purified enzyme with RuBP led to enhanced inactivation, whereas Mg2+ and HCO3- significantly protected against inactivation. Unlike the inactivation catalyzed by endogenous factors from extracts of R. rubrum, inactivation in the model system was not inhibited by catalase. It is proposed that ascorbate and iron, in the presence of oxygen, generate a reactive oxygen species which reacts with a residue at the activation site, rendering the enzyme inactive.

In vivo regulation of form I ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides

When autotrophically grown cells of Rhodopseudomonas (Rhodobacter) sphaeroides were supplied with an organic carbon source, the activity of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPC/O) decreased 30 to 60%. The extent of inactivation varied depending on the level of derepression of form I and form II RuBPC/O, and on the nature of the organic carbon source, pyruvate being the most effective. Raising the concentration of CO2 in the gas phase of autotrophic cultures brought about a similar loss of RuBPC/O activity. Immunological assays of form I and form II RuBPC/O proteins indicated that the synthesis of both enzymes had been repressed. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the observed loss of RuBP carboxylase activity was due to inactivation of the form I enzyme; the form II RuBPC/O was not affected. The isolated inactivated form I RuBPC/O exhibited a fivefold lower specific activity compared to the active form I enzyme. The inactivation was accompanied by changes in the properties as well as the structure of the form I enzyme. In autotrophic cells, form I RuBPC/O appeared to be associated with a phosphate-containing compound that decreased the enzyme's relative mobility in nondenaturing gels and increased its density in sucrose gradients. Form I RuBPC/O was released from an apparent complex or aggregate upon in vivo inactivation and/or after in vitro heat treatment. The inactive form I enzyme was found to reactivate in vitro by a slow reaction that was accelerated by heat treatment. However, experiments showed no evidence for in vivo reactivation after cells were reexposed to autotrophic conditions (1.5% CO2 in H2). All these data indicate that R. sphaeroides RuBPC/O activity is controlled at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, through regulatory systems that repress the synthesis of form I and form II RuBPC/O and inactivate the predominant form (form I) when the carbon source no longer becomes limiting for growth.

Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase. Effect on the catalytic properties of changing methionine-330 to leucine in the Rhodospirillum rubrum enzyme

Oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis of cloned Rhodospirillum rubrum ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase with a synthetic 13mer oligonucleotide primer was used to effect a change at Met-330 to Leu-330. The resultant enzyme was kinetically examined in some detail and the following changes were found. The Km(CO2) increased from 0.16 to 2.35 mM, the Km(ribulose bisphosphate) increased from 0.05 to 1.40 mM for the carboxylase reaction and by a similar amount for the oxygenase reaction. The Ki(O2) increased from 0.17 to 6.00 mM, but the ratio of carboxylase activity to oxygenase activity was scarcely affected by the change in amino acid. The binding of the transition state analogue 2-carboxyribitol 1,5-bisphosphate was reversible in the mutant and essentially irreversible in the wild type enzyme. Inhibition by fructose bisphosphate, competitive with ribulose bisphosphate, was slightly increased in the mutant enzyme. These data suggest that the change of the residue from methionine to leucine decreases the stability of the enediol reaction intermediate.

Ionization constants of two active-site lysyl epsilon-amino groups of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

Trinitrobenzene sulfonate rapidly inactivates ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from both spinach and Rhodospirillum rubrum. With large molar excesses of the reagent, the reactions obey pseudo-first order kinetics and the rates of inactivations are directly proportional to the concentrations of trinitrobenzene sulfonate; thus, there is no indication of reversible complexation of reagent with enzyme. Saturating levels of the competitive inhibitor 2-carboxyribitol 1,5-bisphosphate reduce the rates of inactivations but do not prevent them, thereby suggesting that the groups subject to arylation remain accessible in the enzyme complexed with competitive inhibitor. Characterization of tryptic digests of the inactivated enzymes reveals that Lys-166 of the R. rubrum enzyme and Lys-334 of the spinach enzyme are the only major sites of arylation. Both of these lysines have been assigned to the catalytic site by prior affinity labeling studies and are found within highly conserved regions of primary structure. As a monoanion over a wide pH range, trinitrobenzene sulfonate, for which the carboxylase lacks high affinity, can thus be used to determine the pKa values of the two active-site lysyl epsilon-amino groups. Based on the pH dependency of inactivation of the R. rubrum enzyme by trinitrobenzene sulfonate, the epsilon-amino group of Lys-166 exhibits a pKa of 7.9 and an intrinsic reactivity (ko) of 670 M-1 min-1. In analogous experiments, Lys-334 of the spinach enzyme exhibits a pKa of 9.0 and a ko of 4500 M-1 min-1. Under deactivation conditions (i.e. in the absence of CO2 and Mg2+), the pKa of Lys-334 becomes 9.8 and the ko is increased to 26,000 M-1 min-1. By comparison, the reaction of trinitrobenzene sulfonate with N-alpha-acetyl-lysine reveals a pKa of 10.8 and a ko of 1250 M-1 min-1. The spinach carboxylase, catalytically inactive as a consequence of selective arylation of Lys-334, still exhibits tight binding of the transition state analogue 2-carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate. Therefore, Lys-334 is not required for substrate binding and may serve a role in catalysis. The unusually low pKa of Lys-166 argues that this residue is also important to catalysis rather than substrate binding.

Inhibition and stimulation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase by glyoxylate

Glyoxylate is a slowly reversible inhibitor of the CO2/Mg2+-activated form of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from spinach leaves. Inactivation occurred with an apparent dissociation constant of 3.3 mM and a maximum pseudo-first-order rate constant of 7 X 10(-3) s-1. The rate constant for reactivation was 1.2 X 10(-2) s-1. Glyoxylate did not cause differential inhibition of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase or oxygenase activities. 6-Phosphogluconate protected the enzyme from inactivation by glyoxylate. Glyoxylate was incorporated irreversibly into the large subunit of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase after reduction with sodium borohydride. Activated enzyme incorporated 1.3 mol of glyoxylate per mole protomer, while enzyme treated with carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate (CABP) to protect the active sites incorporated only 0.3 mol glyoxylate per mole protomer. The data suggest that glyoxylate forms a Schiff base with a lysyl residue in the region of the catalytic site. Glyoxylate stimulated the activity of the unactivated enzyme by about twofold. Pseudo-first-order inactivation also occurred with the unactivated enzyme after the initial stimulation by glyoxylate, although at a much slower rate than with the activated enzyme. Glyoxylate treatment of partially activated enzyme did not stimulate formation of the quaternary complex of enzyme X CO2 X Mg2+ X CABP.

Modification of carboxyl groups at the active site of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from spinach was inactivated by a carboxyl-directed reagent, Woodward's reagent K ( WRK ). The inactivation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The reaction order with respect to inactivation by WRK was 1.1, suggesting that inactivation was the consequence of modifying a single residue per active site. The substrate ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RBP), two competitive inhibitors, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) and sedoheptulose 1,7-bisphosphate (SBP), and a number of sugars-phosphate protected against inactivation by WRK . SBP was a strong protector, displaying a dissociation constant (Kd) of 3 microM with native RBP carboxylase. Pretreatment of RBP carboxylase with diethyl pyrocarbonate prevented WRK incorporation into the enzyme. The enol ester derivative produced by reaction of WRK with RBP carboxylase has a maximal absorbance at 346 nm, and the extinction coefficient was found to be 12300 +/- 700 M-1 cm-1. Spectrophotometric titration of the number of carboxyl groups modified by WRK in RBP carboxylase/oxygenase in the presence and in the absence of SBP suggests that inactivation was associated with the modification of one carboxyl group per active site.

Interaction of constituent subunits in ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase from Aphanothece halophytica

Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (RuBisCO) from the halophilic cyanobacterium, Aphanothece halophytica, dissociates into catalytic core (large subunit A oligomer) and small subunit B under low ionic strength during sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Supplementation of KCl, NaCl, or K2SO4 ( [I] = 0.3 M) partly prevents the dissociation, the preventive effect of divalent cation salts such as MgCl2 and CaCl2 being more effective than monovalent cation salts. RuBisCO with its higher-plant-type molecular form can be isolated from the cyanobacterial extracts using gradient medium containing 0.3 M KCl, 20 mM MgCl2, and 10 mM CaCl2. The isolated enzyme contains large subunit A and small subunit B in a molar ratio of approximately 1:1, estimated from the densitometric scanning of Coomassie blue-stained gels. During the second sucrose density gradient centrifugation to remove minor contaminants, a small amount of subunit B is depleted from the holoenzyme. Determination of the molecular weight by equilibrium centrifugation and electron microscopic observation have confirmed that the cyanobacterial RuBisCO has an A8B8-type structure. The enzyme activity per se is found to be sensitive to concentrations of salts, and small subunit B is obligatory for the enzyme catalysis. It has been shown that the more the enzyme activity is inhibited by salts, the tighter the association of subunit B becomes. It is likely that the active enzyme retains the loose conformational structure to such an extent that the dissociable release of subunit B from the holoenzyme in vivo is not allowed.

Species variation in kinetic properties of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

Several kinetic parameters of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase/oxygenase from different species were measured and compared. The CO2/O2 specificity (VcKo/VoKc) was found to be about 80 in the enzymes from several C3 species and two C4 species. Specificity values of 58 and 70, respectively, were found in enzymes from the C4 plants Setaria italica and Sorghum bicolor. Two enzymes from cyanobacteria had values of about 50. Substitution of Mn2+ for Mg2+ reduced the CO2/O2 specificity by a factor of about 20 for all enzymes except that of Rhodospirillum rubrum, which was reduced by a factor of 10. Values for KMg2+(apparent) measured at 102 microM CO2 were found to vary by a factor of 8 between different RuBP carboxylase/oxygenase enzymes. Enzymes with high KMg2+(apparent) values generally had high Michaelis constants for CO2. The rate of CO2/Mg2+ activation was inhibited by RuBP in all enzymes, although the concentration of RuBP required to inhibit activation in the enzyme from the cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon flos-aquae was increased by an order of magnitude compared to other higher plant structural-type enzymes. The wide variation found in the kinetic properties of RuBP carboxylase/oxygenase isolated from diverse species appears to be determined in part by past evolutionary pressures and the present physicochemical environment in which the enzyme functions.

Inhibition of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase by substrate ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate

Substrate ribulose bisphosphate is a potent and a weak inhibitor of the rate of CO2/Mg2+ activation in the carboxylase purified from spinach leaves and Rhodospirillum rubrum, respectively. At 2 degrees C, the concentration of ribulose bisphosphate required for 50% inhibition of the initial rate of CO2/Mg2+ activation was less than 0.4 microM for the spinach enzyme, but between 67 and 270 microM for the R. rubrum carboxylase. Activator 14CO2 trapping experiments demonstrated that ribulose bisphosphate inhibits activation by excluding activator CO2 from the spinach enzyme. The reason for the different sensitivities to inhibition by substrate was evident from equilibrium binding studies with the inactive enzyme forms which indicated that the KD (ribulose bisphosphate) was 0.021 microM for spinach enzyme and 5.9 microM for the R. rubrum protein. Inhibition of activation, however, was not explained by the equilibrium binding results alone. Ribulose bisphosphate was observed to dissociate very slowly from the inactive spinach enzyme (at 2 degrees C, kOFF = 4.9 X 10(-5) s-1). The release of substrate from the inactive R. rubrum carboxylase was much more rapid, with a minimum value for kOFF estimated at 5 X 10(-3) s-1 at 2 degrees C. We conclude that strong inhibition of CO2/Mg2+ activation in the spinach enzyme is mediated by the tight binding and slow release of ribulose bisphosphate, which prevent activator CO2 and Mg2+ from binding to the protein. Weak inhibition of activation in the R. rubrum enzyme results from a larger KD value and a more rapid exchange of ribulose bisphosphate, which allow activator CO2 and Mg2+ to bind to the free enzyme between successive substrate-binding events.

Interaction of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase with 2-carboxyhexitol 1,6-bisphosphates

2-C-Carboxy-D-glucitol 1,6-bisphosphate (CGBP) and 2-C-carboxy-D-mannitol 1,6-bisphosphate (CMBP) have been synthesized, isolated, and the structures of these compounds and the derived lactones elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and periodate oxidation. Both carboxyhexitol bisphosphates, which are homologs of the transition state analog 2-C-carboxy-D-arabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate, exhibit competitive inhibiton of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (EC 4.1.1.9) isolated from spinach (Spinacia oleracea), with respect to ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate. CMBP was a more potent inhibitor (100-fold) displaying an inhibition constant (Ki at pH 8.0 and 30 degrees C) of 1-2 microM with enzymes from spinach, barley (Hordeum vulgare), and Chromatium vinosum. In contrast the Rhodospirillum rubrum enzyme was inhibited about 40-fold more weakly (Ki = 53 microM at pH 8.0 and 30 degrees C). Both CGBP and CMBP potentiated activation of RuBP carboxylase from spinach and R. rubrum.

Kinetic study of the interaction between ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase and inorganic fluoride

The effect of inorganic fluoride on the reactions catalyzed by ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase has been characterized with the fully activated enzyme. Fluoride inhibits both reactions, and the concentration required to inhibit the activity of the magnesium-activated enzyme 50% is 2 mM when reactions are carried out at pH 8.3. Inhibition is strongly pH dependent with an apparent pKa of 8.8. The inhibition kinetics were studied. It was found that inhibition is mixed but close to noncompetitive with respect to CO2 and uncompetitive with respect to ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate. The mechanism of interaction between fluoride and the enzyme is discussed, and a model is proposed in which fluoride interferes with the reactions by displacing a catalytically important ligand, probably a water molecule, from the activator metal.

Isolation and sequencing of an active-site peptide from Rhodospirillum rubrum ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase after affinity labeling with 2-[(bromoacetyl)amino]pentitol 1,5-bisphosphate

2-[(Bromoacetyl)amino]pentitol 1,5-bisphosphate was reported to be a highly selective affinity label for ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from Rhodospirillum rubrum [Fraij, B., & Hartman, F. C. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 3501-3505]. The enzyme has now been inactivated with a 14C-labeled reagent in order to identify the target residue at the sequence level. Subsequent to inactivation, the enzyme was carboxymethylated with iodoacetate and then digested with trypsin. The only radioactive peptide in the digest was obtained at a high degree of purity by successive chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, SP-Sephadex, and Sephadex G-25. On the basis of amino acid analysis of the purified peptide, the derivatized residue was a methionyl sulfonium salt. Automated Edman degradation confirmed the purity of the labeled peptide and established its sequence as Leu-Gln- Gly-Ala-Ser-Gly-Ile-His-Thr-Gly-Thr-Met-Gly-Phe-Gly-Lys-Met-Glu-Gly-Glu-Ser-Ser - Asp-Arg. Cleavage of this peptide with cyanogen bromide showed that the reagent moiety was covalently attached to the second methionyl residue. Sequence homology with the carboxylase/oxygenase from spinach indicates that the lysyl residue immediately preceding the alkylated methionine corresponds to Lys-334, a residue previously implicated at the active site.

The reactions between active and inactive forms of wheat ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase and effectors

The processes of activation and deactivation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase purified from wheat have been investigated. Two forms of the enzyme are indistinguishable in terms of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylation and oxidation but exhibit different rates of activation. One form is slowly activated in saturating CO2 and Mg2+ at moderate temperatures (t0.5 approximately 120 min at 25 degrees C), the other form rapidly activated (t0.5 approximately 8 s). In the presence of the effectors 6-phosphogluconate or NADPH, significantly lower concentrations of the activating co-factors can achieve full activation of both enzyme species. However, with another effector, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, for the slowly activating species the mode of action is the same as with 6-phosphogluconate or NADPH, whereas the activation of the rapidly activating species is significantly inhibited. The substrate, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate, also inhibits this rapid activation process. A mechanism is proposed for the reactions involving activation that accounts for the differential rates of activation and the response to effectors.

Inactivation of crystalline tobacco ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase by modification of arginine residues with 2,3-butanedione and phenylglyoxal

Crystalline tobacco ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase (3-phospho-D-glycerate carboxylase (dimerizing), EC 4.1.1.39) is rapidly and completely inactivated by 2,3-butanedione in borate buffer or phenylglyoxal, reagents which are highly specific for the modification of arginine residues. Inactivation by phenylglyoxal is enhanced in Bicine buffer and partially reversible, whereas inactivation by butanedione is markedly enhanced in borate buffer, irreversible in the presence of borate and partially reversed upon complete removal of borate and excess reagent. When the modification reaction is performed in the presence of various ligands, only the substrate ribulosebisphosphate and the diphosphorylated competitive inhibitor sedoheptulosebisphosphate protect against inactivation. Loss of carboxylase activity is directly proportional to incorporation of [14C]phenylglyoxal until about 15% of the initial activity remains. Extrapolation to zero activity suggests that inactivation by [14C]phenylglyoxal correlates with the modification of three arginine residues per 69 000 dalton protomer. Complete protection by ribulosebisphosphate or sedoheptulosebisphosphate correlates with the shielding of 1-2 (1.27 +/- 0.25) essential arginyl groups per protomer, which are located within the 55 000 dalton catalytic subunits of the protein. Similarly, amino acid analyses of acid hydrolysates of the butanedione- or phenyl-glyoxal-inactivated and substrate-protected enzymes suggest that complete protection by ribulosebisphosphate correlated with the shielding of 1.9-2.4 arginine residues per protomer. However, modification of the control and substrate-protected enzymes are these arginine-selective alpha-dicarbonyls does not alter modulation by anionic effectors.

Interactions of hydrogen peroxide with ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase

Hydrogen peroxide inhibited both carboxylase and oxygenase activities of purified, and fully activated, spinach ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuP2) carboxylase-oxygenase. Inhibition of the carboxylase reaction was mixed competitive with respect to CO2 (Ki = 1.2 mM) and uncompetitive with respect to RuP2. For the oxygenase reaction, H2O2 was a competitive inhibitor with respect to O2 (Ki = 2.1 mM) and an uncompetitive inhibitor with respect to RuP2. H2O2 did not alter the stoichiometry between CO2 and RuP2 in the carboxylase reaction, indicating that H2O2 was not itself a substrate for the enzyme. RuP2 decreased the rate of deactivation of the enzyme which occurred at limiting CO2 concentrations. H2O2 greatly enhanced this stabilizing effect of RuP2 but had no effect on the rate of deactivation in the absence of RuP2. The inhibitory and stabilizing effects of H2O2 varied similarly with H2O2 concentration. These instantaneous, reversible effects of H2O2 were readily distinguishable from an irreversible inhibitory effect which occurred quite slowly, and in the absence of RuP2. These observations are discussed in relation to the enzyme's catalytic mechanism and its activation-deactivation transformations.