Tryptophan in E. coli

Figure 4.7 Two of the enzymatic activities involved in the biosynthesis of tryptophan in E. coli, phosphoribosyl anthranilate (PRA) isomerase and indoleglycerol phosphate (IGP) synthase, are performed by two separate domains in the polypeptide chain of a bifunctional enzyme. Both these domains are a/p-barrel structures, oriented such that their active sites are on opposite sides of the molecule. The two catalytic reactions are therefore independent of each other. The diagram shows the IGP-synthase domain (residues 48-254) with dark colors and the PRA-isomerase domain with light colors. The a helices are sequentially labeled a-h in both barrel domains. Residue 255 (arrow) is the first residue of the second domain. (Adapted from J.P. Priestle et al., Proc.

Most bacteria and fungi have three isozymes of DAHP synthase, each controlled by feedback inhibition by one of the three products tyrosine, phenylalanine, or tryptophan. In E. coli these are encoded by genes aro F, am G, and aro H, respectively.11-123 All of the enzymes contain one atom of iron per molecule and show spectral similarities to hemerythrin.13... 

Outline the biosyntheses of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan in E. coli. Describe the roles of phosphoenolpyruvate, erythrose 4-phosphate, and phosphoribosylpyrophosphate in these reactions. 

The synthesis of tryptophan in microorganisms is affected at several levels by end-product inhibition. Thus, end-product feedback inhibition partly regulates the synthesis of chorismic acid which is the final product of the common aromatic pathway and serves as a substrate for the first reaction in the tryptophan-synthesizing branch pathway (see Fig. 2). Regulation of the common aromatic pathway was recently reviewed by Doy [72]. The first enzyme of the common aromatic pathway, 3-deoxy-D-flrah/>jo-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthetase (DAHPS), has been reported to exist as at least three isoenzymes, each specifically susceptible to inhibition by one of the aromatic amino acid end products (tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan), in E. coli (see reference [3]). It should be noted that many reports have indicated that in E. coli the DAHPS (trp), the isoenzyme whose synthesis is repressed specifically by tryptophan, was not sensitive to end-product inhibition by tryptophan. Recently, however, tryptophan inhibition of DAHPS (trp) activity has been demonstrated in E. coli [3,73,74]. The E. coli pattern, therefore, represents an example of enzyme multiplicity inhibition based on the inhibition specificity of isoenzymes. It is interesting to note the report by Wallace and Pittard [75] that even in the presence of an excess of all three aromatic amino acids enough chorismate is synthesized to provide for the synthesis of the aromatic vitamins whose individual pathways branch from this last common aromatic intermediate. In S. typhimurium, thus far, only two DAHPS isoenzymes, DAHPS (tyr) and DAHPS (phe) have been identified as sensitive to tyrosine and phenylalanine, respectively [76]. 

The long-lived phosphorescence of the tryptophan in alkaline phosphatase is unusual. Horie and Vanderkooi examined whether its phosphorescence could be detected in E. coli strains which are rich in alkaline phosphatase.(89) They observed phosphorescence at 20°C with a lifetime of 1.3 s, which is comparable to the lifetime of purified alkaline phosphatase (1.4 s). Long-lived luminescence was not observed from strains deficient in alkaline phosphatase. The temperature dependence of tryptophan phosphorescence in the living cells was slightly different from that for the purified enzyme, indicating an environmental effect. 

FIGURE 22-17 Biosynthesis of tryptophan from chorismate in bacteria and plants. In E. coli, enzymes catalyzing steps (T) and are subunits of a single complex. 

The tryptophan biosynthetic pathway in E. coli. There are five enzymatically catalyzed reactions involved in tryptophan biosynthesis and five different polypeptides associated with these reactions. Polypeptides E and D normally make a tetrameric complex, which... 

The biosynthesis of tryptophan from the branchpoint compound, chorismate in E. coli The first step involves the conversion of chorismate to the aromatic compound anthranilate. The anthranilate is transferred to a ribose phosphate chain. The product is cyclized to indoleglycerol phosphate by the removal of water and loss of the ring carboxyl by indoleglycerol phosphate synthase. Finally, in a... 

Among different organisms the five enzyme activities required for tryptophan synthesis are distributed on different proteins (table 21.1). For example, in E. coli, indoleglycerol phosphate synthase catalyzes both the isomerization of phosphoribosylanthranilate and the cyclization step. Of particular interest is the occurrence of a single protein of the catalytic activities for nonconsecutive reactions in some cases. If in such cases the proteins were separate from each other in the cell, this arrangement, for example, in Neurospora, would necessitate the product of one reaction leaving the product site of one enzyme to be acted on by another... 

Incorporation studies with isotopes showed that when anthranijate was converted to tryptophan, the carboxyl group df anthranilate was lost as carbon dioxide, but the nitrogen was retained. Because the enzymes in the tryptophan biosynthetic pathway have only a limited specificity, it was possible to substitute 4-methyl-anthranilate in E. coli extracts that could convert anthranilate to indole. This nonisotope label was conserved during the conversion to yield 6-methyl indole. 

For tryptophan production in E. coli, the natural regulation controlling production of tyrosine and phenylalanine was sufficient to keep carbon flowing specifically to tryptophan. This eliminated the need for addition of auxotrophic compounds to the growth medium. The major industrial producers of tryptophan are ADM, Kwoya Hakko, and Ajinomoto. 

What may be called the 3-deoxy-D-om6mo-heptulosonic acid 7-phosphate pathway is used in E. coli for the synthesis of (a) the aromatic amino acids of proteins and (b) p-aminobenzoate. In Neurospora this pathway is also used for the synthesis of niacin ( > since these organisms convert tryptophan to niacin by a pathway first observed in mammals, but E. coli synthesizes niacin by a different pathway. jt is clear at present, even on the basis of limited evidence, that plants use the 3-deoxy-D-oroWno-heptulosonic acid 7-phosphate pathway for the synthesis of a much more extensive series of products. 

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