In certain microorganisms, shikimic acid has been shown to be a precursor for the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids (1). Tracer experiments with cell-free extracts of Escherichia coli have revealed that shikimic acid is formed from uniformly labeled glucose (2). In view of the reports (3) of the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids from glucose in infant mouse brain, an investigation was beg...

Suspensions of freshly isolated rat kidney cells were used to study glutathione biosynthesis and utilization for amino acid translocation. Incubation of cells isolated from diethylmaleate-perfused kidneys in the presence of glutamate, glycine, and cystine led to replenishment of cellular glutathione and to accumulation of glutathione disulfides in the medium. Cystine could be replaced by cystei...

Starch biosynthesis and starch granule packaging in cereal endosperms involve a coordinated action of starch biosynthesis enzymes and coordination with other metabolisms. Because directly binding to starch granules, starch granule-associated proteins (SGAPs) are essential to understand the underlying mechanisms, however the information on SGAPs remains largely unknown. Here, we dissected develo...

Besides being building blocks for protein synthesis, amino acids serve a wide variety of cellular functions, including acting as metabolic intermediates for ATP generation and for redox homeostasis. Upon amino acid deprivation, free uncharged tRNAs trigger GCN2-ATF4 to mediate the well-characterized transcriptional amino acid response (AAR). However, it is not clear whether the deprivation of d...

The evolution of intimate symbiosis requires the coordination of gene expression and content between the distinct partner genomes; this coordination allows the fusion of capabilities of each organism into a single integrated metabolism. In aphids, the 10 essential amino acids are scarce in the phloem sap diet and are supplied by the obligate bacterial endosymbiont (Buchnera), which lives inside...

The nucleotide (p)ppGpp inhibits GTP biosynthesis in the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Here we examined how this regulation allows cells to grow in the absence of amino acids. We showed that B. subtilis cells lacking (p)ppGpp, due to either deletions or point mutations in all three (p)ppGpp synthetase genes, yjbM, ywaC, and relA, strongly require supplementation of leucine, isoleuc...

Background: Pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.) is a rich source of anthocyanin pigments resulting in vibrant colours and anti-oxidant contents. Although the intensity and pattern of anthocyanin biosynthesis in fruit are strongly influenced by R2R3-MYB transcription factors, little is known about the regulation and role of MYB in anthocyanin pathway of pomegranate. Objectives: The present st...

BACKGROUND The aim of the current study was to investigate whether the Basidiomycetes fungus Lentinula edodes can biosynthesize Se-methyl-seleno-l-cysteine, a seleno-amino acid with strong anticancer activity, and to optimize the culture conditions for its biosynthesis. We hypothesize that preparations obtained from Se-methyl-seleno-l-cysteine-enriched mycelia from this medicinal mushroom would...

The tryptophan (Trp) biosynthetic pathway leads to the production of many secondary metabolites with diverse functions, and its regulation is predicted to respond to the needs for both protein synthesis and secondary metabolism. We have tested the response of the Trp pathway enzymes and three other amino acid biosynthetic enzymes to starvation for aromatic amino acids, branched-chain amino acid...

The biosynthesis of 3-amino-5-hydroxybenzoic acid (AHBA), precursor of the ansamycin and mitomycin antibiotics, proceeds by the aminoshikimate pathway from 3,4-dideoxy-4-amino-D-arabino-heptulosonic acid 7-phosphate (aminoDAHP). Identification of RifN, product of one of three genes from the rifamycin biosynthetic gene cluster known to be essential for aminoDAHP formation, as a specific kanosami...