This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bock, A.-K.
Right arrow Articles by Schönheit, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bock, A.-K.
Right arrow Articles by Schönheit, P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Bacteriology, March 1999, p. 1861-1867, Vol. 181, No. 6
0021-9193/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Purification and Characterization of Two Extremely Thermostable Enzymes, Phosphate Acetyltransferase and Acetate Kinase, from the Hyperthermophilic Eubacterium Thermotoga maritima

Anne-Katrin Bock,1 Jürgen Glasemacher,1 Roland Schmidt,2 and Peter Schönheit3,*

Institut für Pflanzenphysiologie und Mikrobiologie, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin,1 Fachbereich Biologie/Chemie, Arbeitsgruppe Mikrobiologie, Universität Osnabrück, D-49069 Osnabrück,2 and Institut für Allgemeine Mikrobiologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, D-24118 Kiel,3 Germany

Received 22 September 1998/Accepted 6 January 1999

Phosphate acetyltransferase (PTA) and acetate kinase (AK) of the hyperthermophilic eubacterium Thermotoga maritima have been purified 1,500- and 250-fold, respectively, to apparent homogeneity. PTA had an apparent molecular mass of 170 kDa and was composed of one subunit with a molecular mass of 34 kDa, suggesting a homotetramer (alpha 4) structure. The N-terminal amino acid sequence showed significant identity to that of phosphate butyryltransferases from Clostridium acetobutylicum rather than to those of known phosphate acetyltransferases. The kinetic constants of the reversible enzyme reaction (acetyl-CoA + Pi right-left-harpoons  acetyl phosphate + CoA) were determined at the pH optimum of pH 6.5. The apparent Km values for acetyl-CoA, Pi, acetyl phosphate, and coenzyme A (CoA) were 23, 110, 24, and 30 µM, respectively; the apparent Vmax values (at 55°C) were 260 U/mg (acetyl phosphate formation) and 570 U/mg (acetyl-CoA formation). In addition to acetyl-CoA (100%), the enzyme accepted propionyl-CoA (60%) and butyryl-CoA (30%). The enzyme had a temperature optimum at 90°C and was not inactivated by heat upon incubation at 80°C for more than 2 h. AK had an apparent molecular mass of 90 kDa and consisted of one 44-kDa subunit, indicating a homodimer (alpha 2) structure. The N-terminal amino acid sequence showed significant similarity to those of all known acetate kinases from eubacteria as well that of the archaeon Methanosarcina thermophila. The kinetic constants of the reversible enzyme reaction (acetyl phosphate + ADP right-left-harpoons  acetate + ATP) were determined at the pH optimum of pH 7.0. The apparent Km values for acetyl phosphate, ADP, acetate, and ATP were 0.44, 3, 40, and 0.7 mM, respectively; the apparent Vmax values (at 50°C) were 2,600 U/mg (acetate formation) and 1,800 U/mg (acetyl phosphate formation). AK phosphorylated propionate (54%) in addition to acetate (100%) and used GTP (100%), ITP (163%), UTP (56%), and CTP (21%) as phosphoryl donors in addition to ATP (100%). Divalent cations were required for activity, with Mn2+ and Mg2+ being most effective. The enzyme had a temperature optimum at 90°C and was stabilized against heat inactivation by salts. In the presence of (NH4)2SO4 (1 M), which was most effective, the enzyme did not lose activity upon incubation at 100°C for 3 h. The temperature optimum at 90°C and the high thermostability of both PTA and AK are in accordance with their physiological function under hyperthermophilic conditions.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institut für Allgemeine Mikrobiologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany. Phone: 49-431-880-4328. Fax: 49-431-880-2194. E-mail: peter.schoenheit{at}ifam.uni-kiel.de.

Journal of Bacteriology, March 1999, p. 1861-1867, Vol. 181, No. 6
0021-9193/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Brasen, C., Schmidt, M., Grotzinger, J., Schonheit, P. (2008). Reaction Mechanism and Structural Model of ADP-forming Acetyl-CoA Synthetase from the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus: EVIDENCE FOR A SECOND ACTIVE SITE HISTIDINE RESIDUE. J. Biol. Chem. 283: 15409-15418 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Klein, A. H., Shulla, A., Reimann, S. A., Keating, D. H., Wolfe, A. J. (2007). The Intracellular Concentration of Acetyl Phosphate in Escherichia coli Is Sufficient for Direct Phosphorylation of Two-Component Response Regulators. J. Bacteriol. 189: 5574-5581 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Pfoestl, A., Hofinger, A., Kosma, P., Messner, P. (2003). Biosynthesis of dTDP-3-acetamido-3,6-dideoxy-{alpha}-D-galactose in Aneurinibacillus thermoaerophilus L420-91T. J. Biol. Chem. 278: 26410-26417 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bao, Q., Tian, Y., Li, W., Xu, Z., Xuan, Z., Hu, S., Dong, W., Yang, J., Chen, Y., Xue, Y., Xu, Y., Lai, X., Huang, L., Dong, X., Ma, Y., Ling, L., Tan, H., Chen, R., Wang, J., Yu, J., Yang, H. (2002). A Complete Sequence of the T. tengcongensis Genome. Genome Res 12: 689-700 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Musfeldt, M., Schonheit, P. (2002). Novel Type of ADP-Forming Acetyl Coenzyme A Synthetase in Hyperthermophilic Archaea: Heterologous Expression and Characterization of Isoenzymes from the Sulfate Reducer Archaeoglobus fulgidus and the Methanogen Methanococcus jannaschii. J. Bacteriol. 184: 636-644 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Vieille, C., Zeikus, G. J. (2001). Hyperthermophilic Enzymes: Sources, Uses, and Molecular Mechanisms for Thermostability. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 65: 1-43 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Musfeldt, M., Selig, M., Schönheit, P. (1999). Acetyl Coenzyme A Synthetase (ADP Forming) from the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus: Identification, Cloning, Separate Expression of the Encoding Genes, acdAI and acdBI, in Escherichia coli, and In Vitro Reconstitution of the Active Heterotetrameric Enzyme from Its Recombinant Subunits. J. Bacteriol. 181: 5885-5888 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»