• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.373-378
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• 2004

The regulatory mechanism of methionine biosynthesis in Corynebacterium glutamicum was analyzed at the protein arid gene expression level. O-Acetylhomoserine sulfhydraylase (encoded by metY) was inhibited by 10 mM methionine to a residual activity of 10% level, whereas no such inhibition was found with cystathionine $\gamma$-synthase (encoded by metB) and cystathionine $\beta$-lyase (encoded by metC). The enzymatic activity of homoserine acetyltransferase (encoded by metX) was repressed to a residual activity of 25% level by 10 mM methionine which was added to the growth medium. Cystathionine $\gamma$-synthase and cystathionine $\beta$-lyase were also repressed by 10 mM methionine, but only to a residual activity of 50-70% level. O-Acetylhomoserine sulfhydrylase was very sensitive to repression by 10 mM methionine, showing residual activity of 13%. In addition, homoserine acetyltransferase was also repressed by 10 mM cysteine to 50% of its original activity. No repression of the enzymes by S-adenosyl methionine was observed. The pattern of repression by methionine indicated that the metB and aecD genes might be regulated by a common mechanism, while the metA and metY genes are differently regulated.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.73-82
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• 2002

The committing step in Met and S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) synthesis is catalyzed by cystathionine ${\gamma}$ -synthase (CGS). Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana overexpressing CGS under control of 35S promoter show increased soluble Met and its metabolite S-methylmethionine, but only at specific stages of development. CGS-overexpressing seedlings are resistant to ethionine. Similar results were obtained with transgenic potato plants overexpressing Arabidopsis CGS. Several of the transgenic lines show silencing of CGS resulting in deformed p]ants with a reduced capacity for reproductive growth similar as transgenic plants by antisense RNA (CGS[-]). Exogenous feeding of Met to the CGS[-] and CGS[+] silenced plants partially restores their growth. Similar morphological deformities are observed in plants cosuppressed for SAM synthetase, even though such plants accumulate 250 fold more soluble Met than wild type and they overexpress CGS. The results suggest that the abnormalities associated with CGS and SAM synthetase silencing are due in part to a reduced ability to produce SAM, and that SAM may be a regulator of CGS expression.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.314-322
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• 2018

Bacillus subtilis 8 is highly efficient at degrading feather keratin. We observed integrated feather degradation over the course of 48 h in basic culture medium while studying the entire process with scanning electron microscopy. Large amounts of ammonia, sulfite, and $\text\tiny{L}$-cysteic acid were detected in the fermented liquid. In addition, four enzymes (gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, peptidase T, serine protease, and cystathionine gamma-synthase) were identified that play an important role in this degradation pathway, all of which were verified with molecular cloning and prokaryotic expression. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first to demonstrate that cystathionine gamma-synthase secreted by B. subtilis 8 is involved in the decomposition of feather keratin. This study provides new data characterizing the molecular mechanism of feather degradation by bacteria, as well as potential guidance for future industrial utilization of waste keratin.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.383-388
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• 2007

It has been reported that sulfur-containing intermediates or products in the transsulfuration pathway including S-adenosylmethionine, 5'-methylthioadenosine, glutathione and taurine can prevent liver injury mediated by inflammation response induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment. The present study examines the modulation of hepatic metabolism of sulfur amino acid in a model of acute sepsis induced by LPS treatment (5 mg/kg, iv). Serum TNF-alpha and hepatotoxic parameters were significantly increased in rats treated with LPS, indicating that LPS results in sepsis at the doses used in this study. LPS also induced oxidative stress determined by increases in malondialdehyde levels and decreases in total oxy-radical scavenging capacities. Hepatic methionine and glutathione concentrations were decreased, but S-adenosylho-mocysteine, cystathionine, cysteine, hypotaurine and taurine concentrations were increased. Hepatic protein expression of methionine adenosyltransferase, cystathionine beta-synthase and cysteine dioxygenase were induced, but gamma-glutamylcysteine ligase catalytic subunit levels were decreased. The results show that sepsis activates transsulfuration pathway from methionine to cysteine, suggesting an increased requirement for methionine during sepsis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1010-1017
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• 2007

Two alternative pathways for methionine biosynthesis are known in Corynebacterium glutamicum: one involving transsulfuration (mediated by metB and metC) and the other involving direct sulfhydrylation (mediated by metY). In this study, MetB (cystathionine ${\gamma}-synthase$) and MetY (O-acetylhomoserine sulfhydrylase) from C. glutamicum were purified to homogeneity and the biochemical parameters were compared to assess the functional and evolutionary importance of each pathway. The molecular masses of the native MetB and MetY proteins were measured to be approximately 170 and 280 kDa, respectively, showing that MetB was a homotetramer of 40-kDa subunits and MetY was a homohexamer of 45-kDa subunits. The $K_m$ values for the O-acetylhomoserine catalysis effected by MetB and MetY were 3.9 and 6.4 mM, and the maximum catalysis rates were $7.4\;(k_{cat}=21\;S^{-1})\;and\;6.0\;(k_{cat}=28\;S^{-1})\;{\mu}mol\;mg^{-1}\;min^{-1}$, respectively. This suggests that both MetB and MetY can be comparably active in vivo. Nevertheless, the $K_m$ value for sulfide ions by MetY was 8.6mM, which was too high, considering the physiological condition. Moreover, MetB was active at a broad range of temperatures $(30\;and\;65^{\circ}C)$ and pH (6.5 and 10.0), as compared with MetY, which was active in a range from 30 to $45^{\circ}C$ and at pH values from 7.0 to 8.5. In addition, MetY was inhibited by methionine, but MetB was not. These biochemical data may provide insight on the role of the parallel pathways of methionine biosynthesis in C. glutamicum with regard to cell physiology and evolution.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.425-430
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• 2008

Hydrogen sulfide ($H_2S$) is a by-product of metabolism of amino acids including sulfur and alcoholic fermentation, it is generally thought of in terms of a poisonous gas. Though $H_2S$ can have a negative impact on the perceived quality of fermented drinks due to an undesirable aroma, it plays prominent roles as a neuromodulator in the mammalian brain as well as a smooth muscle relaxant. Nowadays studies on the proteins which produce $H_2S$ are carried out in various fields such as structure, function, and metabolism. Here we propose to develop a simple and rapid $H_2S$ forming assay method, which will lead to speed up preparing the $H_2S$ forming proteins for identification by MALDI-TOF MS analysis. We detected three kinds of proteins which produce $H_2S$ in the crude extract of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Those proteins were cystathionie $\beta$-synthase, O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase, and cystathionine $\gamma$-lyase.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.119-126
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• 2011

There is a growing recognition of the significance of $H_2S$ as a biological signaling molecule involved in vascular and nervous system functions. In mammals, two enzymes in the transsulfuration pathway, cystathionine ${\beta}$-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine ${\gamma}$-lyase (CGL), are believed to be chiefly responsible for $H_2S$ biogenesis. Genetic inborn error of CGL leads to human genetic disease, cystathioninuria, by accumulating cystathionine in the body. This disease is secondarily associated with a wide range of diseases including diabetes insipidus and Down's syndrome. Although the human CGL (hCGL) overexpression is essential for the investigation of its function, structure, reaction specificity, substrate specificity, and protein-protein interactions, there is no clear report concerning optimum overexpression conditions. In this study, we report a detailed analysis of the overexpression conditions of the hCGL using a bacterial system. Maximum overexpression was obtained in conditions of low culture temperature after inducer addition, performing low aeration during overexpression, and using a low concentration inducer (0.1 mM, IPTG) for induction. Expressed hCGL was purified by His-tag affinity column chromatography and confirmed by Western blot using hCGL antibody and enzyme activity analysis. We also report that the His tag with TEV site attached protein exhibits 76% activity for ${\alpha}-{\gamma}$ elimination reaction with L-cystathionine and 88% for ${\alpha}-{\beta}$ elimination reaction with L-cysteine compared to those of wild type hCGL, respectively. His tag with TEV site attached protein also exhibits a 420 nm absorption maximum, which is attributed to the binding cofactor, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP).

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2023

Hypothyroidism alone can lead to myocardial fibrosis and result in heart failure, but traditional hormone replacement therapy does not improve the fibrotic situation. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), a new gas signaling molecule, possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-fibrotic capabilities. Whether H₂S could improve hypothyroidism-induced myocardial fibrosis are not yet studied. In our study, H₂S could decrease collagen deposition in the myocardial tissue of rats caused by hypothyroidism. Furthermore, in hypothyroidism-induced rats, we found that H₂S could enhance cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE), not cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), protein expressions. Finally, we noticed that H₂S could elevate autophagy levels and inhibit the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) signal transduction pathway. In conclusion, our experiments not only suggest that H₂S could alleviate hypothyroidism-induced myocardial fibrosis by activating autophagy and suppressing TGF-β1/SMAD family member 2 (Smad 2) signal transduction pathway, but also show that it can be used as a complementary treatment to conventional hormone therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5333-5338
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• 2012

Vitamin B6 functions as a coenzyme in >140 enzymatic reactions involved in the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, neurotransmitters, and lipids. It comprises a group of three related 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-pyrimidine derivatives: pyridoxine (PN), pyridoxal (PL), pyridoxamine (PM) and their phosphorylated derivatives [pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) and pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate (PMP)], In the folate metabolism pathway, PLP is a cofactor for the mitochondrial and cytoplasmic isozymes of serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT2 and SHMT1), the P-protein of the glycine cleavage system, cystathionine ${\beta}$-synthase (CBS) and ${\gamma}$-cystathionase, and betaine hydroxymethyltransferase (BHMT), all of which contribute to homocysteine metabolism either through folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism or the transsulfuration pathway. Folate cofactors carry and chemically activate single carbons for the synthesis of purines, thymidylate and methionine. So the evidence indicates that vitamin B6 plays an important role in maintenance of the genome, epigenetic stability and homocysteine metabolism. This article focuses on studies of strand breaks, micronuclei, or chromosomal aberrations regarding protective effects of vitamin B6, and probes whether it is folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism or the transsulfuration pathway for vitamin B6 which plays critical roles in prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.135-145
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• 2012

Previously, we reported that Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis and gastric cancer are closely associated with increased levels of hydrogen sulfide ($H_2S$) and that Korean red ginseng significantly reduced the severity of H. pylori-associated gastric diseases by attenuating $H_2S$ generation. Because the incubation of endothelial cells with $H_2S$ has been known to enhance their angiogenic activities, we hypothesized that the amelioration of $H_2S$-induced gastric inflammation or angiogenesis in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) might explain the preventive effect of Korean red ginseng on H. pylori-associated carcinogenesis. The expression of inflammatory mediators, angiogenic growth factors, and angiogenic activities in the absence or presence of Korean red ginseng extracts (KRGE) were evaluated in HUVECs stimulated with the $H_2S$ generator sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS). KRGE efficiently decreased the expression of cystathionine ${\beta}$-synthase and cystathionine ${\gamma}$-lyase, enzymes that are essential for $H_2S$ synthesis. Concomitantly, a significant decrease in the expression of inflammatory mediators, including cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase, and several angiogenic factors, including interleukin (IL)-8, hypoxia inducible factor-1a, vascular endothelial growth factor, IL-6, and matrix metalloproteinases, was observed; all of these factors are normally induced after NaHS. An in vitro angiogenesis assay demonstrated that NaHS significantly increased tube formation in endothelial cells, whereas KRGE pretreatment significantly attenuated tube formation. NaHS activated p38 and Akt, increasing the expression of angiogenic factors and the proliferation of HUVECs, whereas KRGE effectively abrogated this $H_2S$-activated angiogenesis and the increase in inflammatory mediators in vascular endothelial cells. In conclusion, KRGE was able to mitigate $H_2S$-induced angiogenesis, implying that antagonistic action against $H_2S$-induced angiogenesis may be the mechanism underlying the gastric cancer preventive effects of KRGE in H. pylori infection.