Three different and tissue-specific NAD-malic enzymes generated by alternative subunit association in Arabidopsis thaliana

J Biol Chem. 2010 Apr 16;285(16):11870-9. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M109.097477. Epub 2010 Feb 4.

Abstract

The Arabidopsis thaliana genome contains two genes encoding the mitochondrial NAD-malic enzyme (NAD-ME), NAD-ME1 (At2g13560) and NAD-ME2 (At4g00570). The characterization of recombinant NAD-ME1 and -2 indicated that both enzymes assemble as active homodimers; however, a heterodimeric enzyme (NAD-MEH) can also be detected by electrophoretic studies. To analyze the metabolic contribution of each enzymatic entity, NAD-MEH was obtained by a co-expression-based recombinant approach, and its kinetic and regulatory properties were analyzed. The three NAD-MEs show similar kinetic properties, although they differ in the regulation by several metabolic effectors. In this regard, whereas fumarate activates NAD-ME1 and CoA activates NAD-ME2, both compounds act synergistically on NAD-MEH activity. The characterization of two chimeric enzymes between NAD-ME1 and -2 allowed specific domains of the primary structure, which are involved in the differential allosteric regulation, to be identified. NAD-ME1 and -2 subunits showed a distinct pattern of accumulation in the separate components of the floral organ. In sepals, the NAD-ME1 subunit is present at a slightly higher proportion than the NAD-ME2 subunit, and thus, NAD-MEH and NAD-ME1 act in concert in this tissue. On the other hand, NAD-ME2 is the only isoform present in anthers. In view of the different properties of NAD-ME1, -2, and -H, we suggest that mitochondrial NAD-ME activity may be regulated by varying native association in vivo, rendering enzymatic entities with distinct allosteric regulation to fulfill specific roles. The presence of three different NAD-ME entities, which originate by alternative associations of two subunits, is suggested to be a novel phenomenon unique to plant mitochondria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allosteric Regulation
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Arabidopsis / enzymology*
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / chemistry*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Base Sequence
  • Coenzyme A / pharmacology
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Fumarates / pharmacology
  • Genes, Plant
  • Isoenzymes / chemistry
  • Isoenzymes / genetics
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism
  • Kinetics
  • Malate Dehydrogenase / chemistry*
  • Malate Dehydrogenase / genetics
  • Malate Dehydrogenase / metabolism*
  • Mitochondria / enzymology
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Protein Subunits
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Tissue Distribution

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • DNA Primers
  • Fumarates
  • Isoenzymes
  • Protein Subunits
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • fumaric acid
  • Malate Dehydrogenase
  • malate dehydrogenase-(oxaloacetate-decarboxylating) (NAD+)
  • Coenzyme A