Anaerobes, succinate dehydrogenase

Fig. 14.1. Role ofthe pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) during aerobic/ anaerobic transitions in the development of Ascaris suum. PDC, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex AD, acyl CoA dehydrogenase ER, enoyl CoA reductase FR, fumarate reductase SDH, succinate dehydrogenase.

Kuramochi, T., Hirawake, H., Kojima, S., Takamiya, S., Furashima, R., Aoki, T., Komuniecki, R.W. and Kita, K. (1994) Sequence comparison between the flavoprotein subunit of the fumarate reductase (complex II) of the anaerobic parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum, and the succinate dehydrogenase of the aerobic, free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitolog 68, 177-187. 

Under anaerobic conditions, E. coli synthesizes an NADH-dependent fumarate reductase rather than succinate dehydrogenase, the flavoprotein that oxidizes succinate to fumarate. 

Fumarate is able to serve as an electron acceptor in anaerobic respiration, as it may be reduced reversibly to succinate in a two-electron process. The succinate-fumarate couple may therefore be utilized as an oxidant or reductant in the respiratory chain, and so differs from the other examples given in this section. These two reactions are catalyzed by succinate dehydrogenase and fumarate reductase, which have many similarities in subunit structure. These are shown in Table 29. Although they are different enzymes, the fumarate reductase can substitute for succinate dehydrogenase under certain conditions. The synthesis of succinate dehydrogenase is induced... 

Fig. 20.1. Generalized scheme of the main pathways of aerobic and anaerobic carbohydrate degradation in parasitic flatworms. The aerobic pathway is indicated by open arrows, whereas the anaerobic pathway (malate dismutation) is indicated by solid arrows. Abbreviations AcCoA, acetyl-CoA ASCT, acetateisuccinate CoA-transferase C, cytochrome c CI-CIV, complexes I—IV of the respiratory chain CITR, citrate FRD, fumarate reductase FUM, fumarate MAL, malate Methylmal-CoA, methylmalonyl-CoA OXAC, oxaloacetate PEP, phosphoenolpyruvate PROP, propionate Prop-CoA, propionyl-CoA PYR, pyruvate RQ, rhodoquinone SDH, succinate dehydrogenase SUCC, succinate Succ CoA, succinyl CoA UQ, ubiquinone.

Fig. 5.2. Possible metabolic pathways in facultative anaerobic mitochondria. Shaded boxes show components of the electron-transport chain used during hypoxia, open boxes are components used during aerobiosis, and the hatched boxes (complex I and ATP-synthase) are components used under aerobic as well as anaerobic conditions. ASCT acetate succinate CoA-transferase, C cytochrome c, Cl, CIII and CIV complexes I, III and IV of the respiratory chain, CITR citrate, ECR enoyl-CoA reductase (such as present in Ascaris suum), ETF electron-transfer flavoprotein, ETF RQ OR electron-transfer flavoproteimrhodoquinone oxidoreductase, FRD fumarate reductase, FUM fumarate, MAE malate, OXAC oxaloacetate, PYR pyruvate, RQ rhodoquinone, SDH succinate dehydrogenase, SUCC succinate, Succ-CoA succinyl-CoA, TER trans-2-enoyl-CoA reductase (such as present in E. gracilis), UQ ubiquinone...

Most anaerobically functioning mitochondria use endogenously produced fumarate as a terminal electron-acceptor (see before) and thus contain a FRD as the final respiratory chain complex (Behm 1991). The reduction of fumarate is the reversal of succinate oxidation, a Krebs cycle reaction catalysed by succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), also known as complex II of the electron-transport chain (Fig. 5.3). The interconversion of succinate and fumarate is readily reversible by FRD and SDH complexes in vitro. However, under standard conditions in the cell, oxidation and reduction reactions preferentially occur when electrons are transferred to an acceptor with a higher standard redox potential therefore, electrons derived from the oxidation of succinate to fumarate (E° = + 30 mV) are transferred by SDH to ubiquinone,... 

All aerobic organisms, including yeast, appear to have a membrane-bound succinate dehydrogenase containing iron and covalently bound flavin 15, 16, 25). In contrast, the enzyme in anaerobic organisms is found in the cytoplasm and appears to be more effective as a fumarate reductase, a modification which is in accord with the physiological requirements of the organism. In facultative anaerobes such as E. coli and... 

Maklashina, E., Berthold, D. A., and Cecchini, G., 1998, Anaerobic expression of Escherichia coli succinate dehydrogenase functional replacement of fumarate reductase in the respiratory chain during anaerobic growth, J. Bacteriol. 180(22) 5989n5996. 

The [2Fe 2S], [3Fe S], and [4Fe S] clusters that are found in simple Fe S proteins are also constituents of respiratory and photosynthetic electron transport chains. Multicluster Fe S enzymes such as hydrogenase, formate dehydrogenase, NADH dehydrogenase, and succinate dehydrogenase feed electrons into respiratory chains, while others such as nitrate reductase, fhmarate reductase, DMSO reductase, and HDR catalyze the terminal step in anaerobic electron transport chains that utihze nitrate, fumarate, DMSO, and the CoB S S CoM heterodisulfide as the respiratory oxidant. All comprise membrane anchor polypeptide(s) and soluble subunits on the membrane surface that mediate electron transfer to or from Mo cofactor (Moco), NiFe, Fe-S cluster or flavin active sites. Multiple Fe-S clusters define electron transport pathways between the active site and the electron donor or... 

The formation of succinate from fumarate by fumarate reductase (FR) and anaerobic phosphorylation of ADP to ATP are amongst the important reactions taking place in the mitochondria to provide energy to the helminths. The FR system of helminths differs from succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) of mammalian tissues in several ways. For example (a) FR requires NAD while SDH utilizes flavin nucleotide (FAD) as the coenzyme (b) FR acts only in one direction but SDH is a reversible enzyme (c) FR acts as the terminal electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions while SDH has no such property. Levamisole was shown to inhibit the FR in Ascaris [43]. 

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