The apoenzyme of glutamate decarboxylase [enzyme without bound cofactor, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (pyridoxal-P)] serves as a reservoir of inactive glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) that can be activated when additional GABA synthesis is required. We have investigated which of two molecular forms of GAD is present as apoenzyme in synaptosomes and in cortex, caudate nucleus, hippocampus, and cerebellum...

The gene (pykA) encoding pyridoxal kinase which converts pyridoxal (vitamin B(6)) to pyridoxal phosphate was isolated from Dictyostelium discoideum using insertional mutagenesis. Cells of a pykA gene knockout grew poorly in axenic medium with low yield but growth was restored by the addition of pyridoxal phosphate. Sequencing indicated a gene, with one intron, encoding a predicted protein of 30...

Concentrative uptake of pyridoxal by human erythrocytes has been investigated using a rapid mixing technique with 3H-labeled pyridoxal. A nonsaturable, initial influx of [3H]pyridoxal into the erythrocyte indicated passive diffusion. Since pyridoxal will form Schiff bases reversibly with amino acids, the possibility of binding to intracellular proteins was examined. Exposure of erythrocytes to ...