Publications

• The metIC operon involved in methionine biosynthesis in Bacillus subtilis is controlled by transcription antitermination.

  Auger S., Yuen W.H., Danchin A., Martin-Verstraete I.

  There are two major pathways for methionine biosynthesis in micro-organisms. Little is known about these pathways in Bacillus subtilis. The authors assigned a function to the metI (formerly yjcI) and metC (formerly yjcJ) genes of B. subtilis by complementing Escherichia coli metB and metC mutants, ... >> More

  There are two major pathways for methionine biosynthesis in micro-organisms. Little is known about these pathways in Bacillus subtilis. The authors assigned a function to the metI (formerly yjcI) and metC (formerly yjcJ) genes of B. subtilis by complementing Escherichia coli metB and metC mutants, analysing the phenotype of B. subtilis metI and metC mutants, and carrying out enzyme activity assays. These genes encode polypeptides belonging to the cystathionine gamma-synthase family of proteins. Interestingly, the MetI protein has both cystathionine gamma-synthase and O-acetylhomoserine thiolyase activities, whereas the MetC protein is a cystathionine beta-lyase. In B. subtilis, the transsulfuration and the thiolation pathways are functional in vivo. Due to its dual activity, the MetI protein participates in both pathways. The metI and metC genes form an operon, the expression of which is subject to sulfur-dependent regulation. When the sulfur source is sulfate or cysteine the transcription of this operon is high. Conversely, when the sulfur source is methionine its transcription is low. An S-box sequence, which is located upstream of the metI gene, is involved in the regulation of the metIC operon. Northern blot experiments demonstrated the existence of two transcripts: a small transcript corresponding to the premature transcription termination at the terminator present in the S-box and a large one corresponding to transcription of the complete metIC operon. When methionine levels were limiting, the amount of the full-length transcript increased. These results substantiate a model of regulation by transcription antitermination. << Less

  Microbiology 148:507-518(2002) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 2 other entries.

• MalY of Escherichia coli is an enzyme with the activity of a beta C-S lyase (cystathionase).

  Zdych E., Peist R., Reidl J., Boos W.

  The Escherichia coli maltose system consists of a number of genes whose products are involved in the uptake and metabolism of maltose and maltodextrins. MalT is the central positive gene activator of the regulon and is, together with the cyclic AMP-catabolite gene activator protein system, necessa ... >> More

  The Escherichia coli maltose system consists of a number of genes whose products are involved in the uptake and metabolism of maltose and maltodextrins. MalT is the central positive gene activator of the regulon and is, together with the cyclic AMP-catabolite gene activator protein system, necessary for the expression of the maltose genes. Expression of malY, a MalT-independent gene, leads to the repression of all MalT-dependent genes. We have purified MalY to homogeneity and found it to be a pyridoxal-5-phosphate-containing enzyme with the enzymatic activity of a beta C-S lyase (cystathionase). MalY is a monomeric protein of 42,000 to 44,000 Da. Strains expressing MalY constitutively abolish the methionine requirement of metC mutants. The enzymatic activity of MetC, the cleavage of cystathionine to homocysteine, ammonia, and pyruvate, can be catalyzed by MalY. However, the cystathionase activity is not required for the function of MalY in repressing the maltose system. By site-directed mutagenesis, we changed the conserved lysine residue at the pyridoxal phosphate binding site (position 233) of MalY to isoleucine. This abolished beta C-S lyase activity but not the ability of the protein to repress the maltose system. Also, the overexpression of plasmid-encoded metC did not affect mal gene expression, nor did the deduced amino acid sequence of MetC show homology to that of MalY. << Less

  J. Bacteriol. 177:5035-5039(1995) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Cystathionine cleavage enzymes of Neurospora.

  Flavin M., Slaughter C.

  J. Biol. Chem. 239:2212-2219(1964) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Cloning, purification, and characterization of beta-cystathionase from Escherichia coli.

  Dwivedi C.M., Ragin R.C., Uren J.R.

  The Clarke-Carbon clone bank of hybrid plasmid Escherichia coli DNA has been screened for plasmids able to complement an E. coli strain deficient for the production of beta-cystathionase. Clone 4-14 had the ability to complement a deletion mutation at this locus and expressed higher levels of beta ... >> More

  The Clarke-Carbon clone bank of hybrid plasmid Escherichia coli DNA has been screened for plasmids able to complement an E. coli strain deficient for the production of beta-cystathionase. Clone 4-14 had the ability to complement a deletion mutation at this locus and expressed higher levels of beta-cystathionase than the wild-type strain. The transfer of the plasmid carried by this clone to a strain that constitutively expresses all the enzymes of the methionine biosynthetic pathway results in 100-fold overproduction of beta-cystathionase as compared to wild-type levels. With use of this strain, an efficient three-step purification scheme is described that gives 90% pure enzyme in 54% yield with a specific activity of 215 IU/mg. This enzyme is characterized as to molecular weight (280 000), number of subunits (six), pyridoxal phosphate binding (5.7 mol of pyridoxal phosphate bound/mol of protein, Km of 0.005 mM), amino acid composition, substrate specificity, and kinetic properties. << Less

  Biochemistry 21:3064-3069(1982) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Properties of recombinant Staphylococcus haemolyticus cystathionine beta-lyase (metC) and its potential role in the generation of volatile thiols in axillary malodor.

  Troccaz M., Benattia F., Borchard G., Clark A.J.

  Enzymes implicated in cysteine and methionine metabolism such as cystathionine beta-lyase (CBL; EC 4.4.1.8), a pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent carbon-sulfur lyase, have been shown to play a central role in the generation of sulfur compounds. This work describes the unprecedented cloning and ... >> More

  Enzymes implicated in cysteine and methionine metabolism such as cystathionine beta-lyase (CBL; EC 4.4.1.8), a pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent carbon-sulfur lyase, have been shown to play a central role in the generation of sulfur compounds. This work describes the unprecedented cloning and characterization of the metC-cystathionine beta-lyase from the axillary-isolated strain Staphylococcus haemolyticus AX3, in order to determine its activity and its involvement in amino acid biosynthesis, and in the generation of sulfur compounds in human sweat. The gene contains a cysteine/methionine metabolism enzyme pattern, and also a sequence capable to effect beta-elimination. The recombinant enzyme was shown to cleave cystathionine into homocysteine and to convert methionine into methanethiol at low levels. No odor was generated after incubation of the recombinant enzyme with sterile human axillary secretions; sweat components were found to have an inhibitory effect. These results suggest that the generation of sulfur compounds by Staphylococci and the beta-lyase activity in human sweat are mediated by enzymes other than the metC gene or by the concerted activities of more than one enzyme. << Less

  Chem. Biodivers. 5:2372-2385(2008) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Crystal structures of cystathionine beta-lyase and cystathionine beta-lyase like protein from Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579.

  Lee S.H., Yu H., Hong J., Seok J., Kim K.J.

  Cystathionine β-lyase (CBL) and cystathionine β-lyase-like protein (CBLP) are key PLP-dependent enzymes involved in methionine biosynthesis. In Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579 CBL (BcCBL) and CBLP (BcCBLP) catalyze the conversion of cystathionine to homocysteine and pyruvate. In this study, we found th ... >> More

  Cystathionine β-lyase (CBL) and cystathionine β-lyase-like protein (CBLP) are key PLP-dependent enzymes involved in methionine biosynthesis. In Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579 CBL (BcCBL) and CBLP (BcCBLP) catalyze the conversion of cystathionine to homocysteine and pyruvate. In this study, we found that both BcCBL and BcCBLP effectively catalyze cystathionine cleavage, with BcCBLP exhibiting a higher catalytic efficiency (kcat) and low substrate affinity (K_m). We determined their crystal structures in complex with pyridoxal phosphate (PLP). BcCBL, forming a tetramer, aligns with typical CBLs in sulfur amino acid metabolism, while BcCBLP, forming a dimer, resembles the bifunctional MalY enzyme from Escherichia coli, indicating potential additional regulatory roles. These structural and functional insights highlight the distinct roles of BcCBL and BcCBLP in cellular metabolism. This study provides valuable insights into the structural diversity and potential functions of these enzymes, contributing to the broader knowledge of PLP-dependent enzymatic mechanisms. << Less

  Biochem Biophys Res Commun 742:151122-151122(2025) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Primordial-like enzymes from bacteria with reduced genomes.

  Ferla M.P., Brewster J.L., Hall K.R., Evans G.B., Patrick W.M.

  The first cells probably possessed rudimentary metabolic networks, built using a handful of multifunctional enzymes. The promiscuous activities of modern enzymes are often assumed to be relics of this primordial era; however, by definition these activities are no longer physiological. There are ma ... >> More

  The first cells probably possessed rudimentary metabolic networks, built using a handful of multifunctional enzymes. The promiscuous activities of modern enzymes are often assumed to be relics of this primordial era; however, by definition these activities are no longer physiological. There are many fewer examples of enzymes using a single active site to catalyze multiple physiologically-relevant reactions. Previously, we characterized the promiscuous alanine racemase (ALR) activity of Escherichia coli cystathionine β-lyase (CBL). Now we have discovered that several bacteria with reduced genomes lack alr, but contain metC (encoding CBL). We characterized the CBL enzymes from three of these: Pelagibacter ubique, the Wolbachia endosymbiont of Drosophila melanogaster (wMel) and Thermotoga maritima. Each is a multifunctional CBL/ALR. However, we also show that CBL activity is no longer required in these bacteria. Instead, the wMel and T. maritima enzymes are physiologically bi-functional alanine/glutamate racemases. They are not highly active, but they are clearly sufficient. Given the abundance of the microorganisms using them, we suggest that much of the planet's biochemistry is carried out by enzymes that are quite different from the highly-active exemplars usually found in textbooks. Instead, primordial-like enzymes may be an essential part of the adaptive strategy associated with streamlining. << Less

  Mol. Microbiol. 105:508-524(2017) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Identification of odoriferous sulfanylalkanols in human axilla secretions and their formation through cleavage of cysteine precursors by a C-S lyase isolated from axilla bacteria.

  Natsch A., Schmid J., Flachsmann F.

  Human axillary odor is known to be formed upon the action of Corynebacteria sp. on per se odorless axilla secretions. Besides the known odoriferous acids, we report the occurrence in human axilla secretions of four odoriferous sulfanylalkanols, namely 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3), 2-methyl-3-sulfanylb ... >> More

  Human axillary odor is known to be formed upon the action of Corynebacteria sp. on per se odorless axilla secretions. Besides the known odoriferous acids, we report the occurrence in human axilla secretions of four odoriferous sulfanylalkanols, namely 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3), 2-methyl-3-sulfanylbutan-1-ol (4), 3-sulfanylpentan-1-ol (5), and 3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (6). These compounds have a pungent sweat/kitchen odor, also reminiscent of onions with some fruity connotations, and perception thresholds in the pg/l range. It was postulated that the odorless precursors for these compounds are cysteine conjugates. Bacterial isolates obtained from the human axilla and belonging to the Corynebacteria were, indeed, found to have the enzymatic capacity to release various thiols from cysteine conjugates. The metC gene, which is known to code for a cystathione-beta-lyase, was cloned from the axilla isolate Corynebacterium striatum Ax20 and heterologously expressed in E. coli. The pure recombinant enzyme cleaves various cysteine conjugates and has a similar substrate specificity as the cell homogenates of the wild-type. The recombinant enzyme was finally incubated with odorless axilla secretions and shown to release odoriferous thiols. << Less

  Chem. Biodivers. 1:1058-1072(2004) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 12 other entries.