[Analysis of key enzyme activities involved in aspartate amino acid biosynthesis in Streptococcus bovis]

The first and the third steps in the aspartate biosynthesis pathway in Streptococcus bovis are catalyzed by two different forms of aspartokinase and a single homoserine dehydrogenase, respectively. These enzymes can be separated by ammonium sulfate fractionation and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The two aspartokinase isozymes differ in molecular weights and are subject to differential regulation. The aspartokinase system of S. bovis is characterized by the absence of specific negative allosteric effectors among the end products of the synthesis of amino acids of the aspartic family. Homoserine dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the third step of the aspartic family amino acid synthesis, also has such negative effectors as threonine and methionine. The aspartokinase isozymes do not form multienzyme complexes with homoserine hydrogenase in S. bovis.