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Inorganic Polyphosphate/ATP-NAD kinase of Micrococcus flavus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv

S Kawai1, S Mori, T Mukai

  • 1Research Institute for Food Science, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan. kawai@food2.food.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Insights

Researchers discovered a novel enzyme, polyphosphate/ATP-NAD kinase, from Micrococcus flavus. This enzyme, and its counterpart from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, efficiently phosphorylate NAD using polyphosphate or ATP.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Enzymology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Enzymes catalyzing NAD phosphorylation are crucial for cellular metabolism.
  • The existence of enzymes utilizing inorganic polyphosphate [poly(P)] as a phosphoryl donor for NAD kinase activity was previously uncharacterized.
  • Sequence homology suggested a potential poly(P)-dependent NAD kinase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize an enzyme with dual polyphosphate and ATP-dependent NAD kinase activity.
  • To identify and validate the gene encoding this enzyme in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
  • To elucidate the biochemical properties of the purified recombinant enzyme.

Main Methods:

  • Enzyme isolation and purification from Micrococcus flavus.
  • Amino acid sequencing and homology analysis against GenBank.
  • Gene cloning, expression in Escherichia coli, and purification of recombinant protein.
  • Biochemical characterization of enzyme kinetics and substrate specificity.

Main Results:

  • An enzyme with both poly(P) and ATP-dependent NAD kinase activities was isolated from M. flavus, named poly(P)/ATP-NAD kinase.
  • The hypothetical Rv1695 protein from M. tuberculosis was identified as encoding a poly(P)/ATP-NAD kinase (ppnk).
  • Recombinant Ppnk from M. tuberculosis was characterized as a tetramer and demonstrated specific NAD phosphorylation using poly(P) or nucleoside triphosphates.

Conclusions:

  • A novel bifunctional enzyme, poly(P)/ATP-NAD kinase, exists in M. flavus.
  • The Rv1695 gene in M. tuberculosis encodes a functional poly(P)/ATP-NAD kinase (Ppnk).
  • These enzymes represent a significant class of NAD-phosphorylating enzymes with broad substrate utilization.

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