Publications

• Conversion of methionine to cysteine in Bacillus subtilis and its regulation.

  Hullo M.-F., Auger S., Soutourina O., Barzu O., Yvon M., Danchin A., Martin-Verstraete I.

  Bacillus subtilis can use methionine as the sole sulfur source, indicating an efficient conversion of methionine to cysteine. To characterize this pathway, the enzymatic activities of CysK, YrhA and YrhB purified in Escherichia coli were tested. Both CysK and YrhA have an O-acetylserine-thiol-lyas ... >> More

  Bacillus subtilis can use methionine as the sole sulfur source, indicating an efficient conversion of methionine to cysteine. To characterize this pathway, the enzymatic activities of CysK, YrhA and YrhB purified in Escherichia coli were tested. Both CysK and YrhA have an O-acetylserine-thiol-lyase activity, but YrhA was 75-fold less active than CysK. An atypical cystathionine beta-synthase activity using O-acetylserine and homocysteine as substrates was observed for YrhA but not for CysK. The YrhB protein had both cystathionine lyase and homocysteine gamma-lyase activities in vitro. Due to their activity, we propose that YrhA and YrhB should be renamed MccA and MccB for methionine-to-cysteine conversion. Mutants inactivated for cysK or yrhB grew similarly to the wild-type strain in the presence of methionine. In contrast, the growth of an DeltayrhA mutant or a luxS mutant, inactivated for the S-ribosyl-homocysteinase step of the S-adenosylmethionine recycling pathway, was strongly reduced with methionine, whereas a DeltayrhA DeltacysK or cysE mutant did not grow at all under the same conditions. The yrhB and yrhA genes form an operon together with yrrT, mtnN, and yrhC. The expression of the yrrT operon was repressed in the presence of sulfate or cysteine. Both purified CysK and CymR, the global repressor of cysteine metabolism, were required to observe the formation of a protein-DNA complex with the yrrT promoter region in gel-shift experiments. The addition of O-acetyl-serine prevented the formation of this protein-DNA complex. << Less

  J. Bacteriol. 189:187-197(2007) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 4 other entries.

• H2S biogenesis by human cystathionine gamma-lyase leads to the novel sulfur metabolites lanthionine and homolanthionine and is responsive to the grade of hyperhomocysteinemia.

  Chiku T., Padovani D., Zhu W., Singh S., Vitvitsky V., Banerjee R.

  Although there is a growing recognition of the significance of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) as a biological signaling molecule involved in vascular and nervous system functions, its biogenesis and regulation are poorly understood. It is widely assumed that desulfhydration of cysteine is the major sour ... >> More

  Although there is a growing recognition of the significance of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) as a biological signaling molecule involved in vascular and nervous system functions, its biogenesis and regulation are poorly understood. It is widely assumed that desulfhydration of cysteine is the major source of H(2)S in mammals and is catalyzed by the transsulfuration pathway enzymes, cystathionine beta-synthase and cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE). In this study, we demonstrate that the profligacy of human CSE results in a variety of reactions that generate H(2)S from cysteine and homocysteine. The gamma-replacement reaction, which condenses two molecules of homocysteine, yields H(2)S and a novel biomarker, homolanthionine, which has been reported in urine of homocystinuric patients, whereas a beta-replacement reaction, which condenses two molecules of cysteine, generates lanthionine. Kinetic simulations at physiologically relevant concentrations of cysteine and homocysteine, reveal that the alpha,beta-elimination of cysteine accounts for approximately 70% of H(2)S generation. However, the relative importance of homocysteine-derived H(2)S increases progressively with the grade of hyperhomocysteinemia, and under conditions of severely elevated homocysteine (200 microm), the alpha,gamma-elimination and gamma-replacement reactions of homocysteine together are predicted to account for approximately 90% of H(2)S generation by CSE. Excessive H(2)S production in hyperhomocysteinemia may contribute to the associated cardiovascular pathology. << Less

  J. Biol. Chem. 284:11601-11612(2009) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 3 other entries.

• The role of amino acid residues in the active site of L-methionine gamma-lyase from Pseudomonas putida.

  Fukumoto M., Kudou D., Murano S., Shiba T., Sato D., Tamura T., Harada S., Inagaki K.

  Cys116, Lys240*, and Asp241* (asterisks indicate residues from the second subunit of the active dimer) at the active site of L-methionine γ-lyase of Pseudomonas putida (MGL_Pp) are highly conserved among heterologous MGLs. In a previous study, we found that substitution of Cys116 for His led to a ... >> More

  Cys116, Lys240*, and Asp241* (asterisks indicate residues from the second subunit of the active dimer) at the active site of L-methionine γ-lyase of Pseudomonas putida (MGL_Pp) are highly conserved among heterologous MGLs. In a previous study, we found that substitution of Cys116 for His led to a drastic increase in activity toward L-cysteine and a decrease in that toward L-methionine. In this study, we examined some properties of the C116H mutant by kinetic analysis and 3D structural analysis. We assumed that substitution of Cys116 for His broke the original hydrogen-bond network and that this induced a significant effect of Tyr114 as a general acid catalyst, possibly due to the narrow space in the active site. The C116H mutant acquired a novel β-elimination activity and lead a drastic conformation change in the histidine residue at position 116 by binding the substrate, suggesting that this His residue affects the reaction specificity of C116H. Furthermore, we suggest that Lys240* is important for substrate recognition and structural stability and that Asp241* is also involved in substrate specificity in the elimination reaction. Based on this, we suggest that the hydrogen-bond network among Cys116, Lys240*, and Asp241* contributes to substrate specificity that is, to L-methionine recognition at the active site in MGL_Pp. << Less

  Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 76:1275-1284(2012) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 3 other entries.

• High production of methyl mercaptan by L-methionine-alpha-deamino-gamma-mercaptomethane lyase from Treponema denticola.

  Fukamachi H., Nakano Y., Okano S., Shibata Y., Abiko Y., Yamashita Y.

  Methyl mercaptan is derived from l-methionine by the action of l-methionine-alpha-deamino-gamma-mercaptomethane lyase (METase) and is a major component of oral malodor. This compound is highly toxic and is thought to play an important role in periodontal disease. We found that Treponema denticola, ... >> More

  Methyl mercaptan is derived from l-methionine by the action of l-methionine-alpha-deamino-gamma-mercaptomethane lyase (METase) and is a major component of oral malodor. This compound is highly toxic and is thought to play an important role in periodontal disease. We found that Treponema denticola, a member of the subgingival biofilm at periodontal disease sites, produced a large amount of methyl mercaptan even at low concentration of l-methionine. METase activity in a cell-free extract from T. denticola was detected by two-dimensional electrophoresis under non-denaturing conditions, and the protein spot that exhibited high METase activity was identified using a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The identified gene produced a METase with a K(m) value for l-methionine (0.55mM) that is much lower than those of METases previously identified in the other organisms. This result suggests that T. denticola is an important producer of methyl mercaptan in the subgingival biofilm. << Less

  Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 331:127-131(2005) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 3 other entries.

• Function of pyridoxal phosphate in desulfhydrase systems of Proteus morganii.

  KALLIO R.E.

  J Biol Chem 192:371-377(1951) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• 3-Chloro-DL-alanine resistance by L-methionine-alpha-deamino-gamma-mercaptomethane-lyase activity.

  Yoshimura M., Nakano Y., Fukamachi H., Koga T.

  The antibacterial agent 3-chloro-DL-alanine (3CA) is an inhibitor of peptidoglycan synthesis. Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis, the bacteria responsible for oral malodor, are shown to be resistant to 1 mM 3CA, whereas Streptococcus mutans and Escherichia coli are sensitive to t ... >> More

  The antibacterial agent 3-chloro-DL-alanine (3CA) is an inhibitor of peptidoglycan synthesis. Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis, the bacteria responsible for oral malodor, are shown to be resistant to 1 mM 3CA, whereas Streptococcus mutans and Escherichia coli are sensitive to this antibacterial agent at the same concentration. We isolated the 3CA resistance gene from F. nucleatum and showed that the gene encodes an L-methionine-alpha-deamino-gamma-mercaptomethane-lyase that catalyzes the alpha,gamma-elimination of L-methionine to produce methyl mercaptan. The enzyme also exhibits 3CA chloride-lyase (deaminating) activity. This antibacterial agent is expected to be useful for specific selection of malodorous oral bacteria producing high amounts of methyl mercaptan. << Less

  FEBS Lett. 523:119-122(2002) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 3 other entries.

• Purification of bacterial L-methionine gamma-lyase.

  Nakayama T., Esaki N., Sugie K., Beresov T.T., Tanaka H., Soda K.

  A rapid procedure for the purification of L-methionine gamma-lyase from Pseudomonas putida ICR 3460 by DEAE-TOYOPEARL 650M and DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography is presented. The enzyme was purified with an average yield of 75% and showed about 10-fold higher specific activity than the enzy ... >> More

  A rapid procedure for the purification of L-methionine gamma-lyase from Pseudomonas putida ICR 3460 by DEAE-TOYOPEARL 650M and DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography is presented. The enzyme was purified with an average yield of 75% and showed about 10-fold higher specific activity than the enzyme from P. putida (= P. ovalis) IFO 3738 reported previously (H. Tanaka, N. Esaki , and K. Soda (1976) FEBS Lett. 66, 307-311). The present enzyme has a molecular weight of about 172,000 and consists of four subunits with identical molecular weights (43,000). It shows the typical absorption spectrum of pyridoxal enzyme with maxima at 278 and 420 nm, and contains 4 mol of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate per mole of enzyme. The enzyme has a multicatalytic function similar to the enzyme of P. putida IFO 3738 (K. Soda, H. Tanaka, and N. Esaki (1983) Trends Biochem. Sci. 8, 214-217). << Less

  Anal. Biochem. 138:421-424(1984) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 3 other entries.