Biomaterial Database

An Escherichia coli mutant containing only demethylmenaquinone, but no menaquinone: effects on fumarate, dimethylsulfoxide, trimethylamine N-oxide and nitrate respiration. 1992

U Wissenbach, and D Ternes, and G Unden

Institut für Biochemie, Heinrich Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Federal Republik of Germany.

The mutant strain AN70 (ubiE) of Escherichia coli which is known to lack ubiquinone (Young IG et al. 1971), was analyzed for menaquinone (MK) and demethylmenaquinone (DMK) contents. In contrast to the wild-type, strain AN70 contained only DMK, but no MK. The mutant strain was able to grow with fumarate, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), but not with nitrate as electron acceptor. The membranes catalyzed anaerobic respiration with fumarate and TMAO at 69 and 74% of wild-type rates. DMSO respiration was reduced to 38% of wild-type activities and nitrate respiration was missing (less than or equal to 8% of wild-type), although the respective enzymes were present in wild-type rates. The results complement earlier findings which demonstrated a role for DMK only in TMAO respiration (Wissenbach et al. 1990). It is concluded, that DMK (in addition to MK) can serve as a redox mediator in fumarate, TMAO and to some extent in DMSO respiration, but not in nitrate respiration. In strain AN70 (ubiE) the lack of ubiquinone (Q) is due to a defect in a specific methylation step of Q biosynthesis. Synthesis of MK from DMK appears to depend on the same gene (ubiE).

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008744	Methylamines	Derivatives of methylamine (the structural formula CH3NH2).
D009154	Mutation	Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations.	Mutations
D009566	Nitrates	Inorganic or organic salts and esters of nitric acid. These compounds contain the NO3- radical.	Nitrate
D010084	Oxidation-Reduction	A chemical reaction in which an electron is transferred from one molecule to another. The electron-donating molecule is the reducing agent or reductant; the electron-accepting molecule is the oxidizing agent or oxidant. Reducing and oxidizing agents function as conjugate reductant-oxidant pairs or redox pairs (Lehninger, Principles of Biochemistry, 1982, p471).	Redox,Oxidation Reduction
D004121	Dimethyl Sulfoxide	A highly polar organic liquid, that is used widely as a chemical solvent. Because of its ability to penetrate biological membranes, it is used as a vehicle for topical application of pharmaceuticals. It is also used to protect tissue during CRYOPRESERVATION. Dimethyl sulfoxide shows a range of pharmacological activity including analgesia and anti-inflammation.	DMSO,Dimethyl Sulphoxide,Dimethylsulfoxide,Dimethylsulphinyl,Dimethylsulphoxide,Dimexide,Rheumabene,Rimso,Rimso 100,Rimso-50,Sclerosol,Sulfinylbis(methane),Rimso 50,Rimso50,Sulfoxide, Dimethyl,Sulphoxide, Dimethyl
D004579	Electron Transport	The process by which ELECTRONS are transported from a reduced substrate to molecular OXYGEN. (From Bennington, Saunders Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Laboratory Medicine and Technology, 1984, p270)	Respiratory Chain,Chain, Respiratory,Chains, Respiratory,Respiratory Chains,Transport, Electron
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D005650	Fumarates	Compounds based on fumaric acid.	Fumarate,Fumaric Acid Ester,Fumaric Acid Esters,Fumarate Esters,Acid Ester, Fumaric,Acid Esters, Fumaric,Ester, Fumaric Acid,Esters, Fumarate,Esters, Fumaric Acid
D000693	Anaerobiosis	The complete absence, or (loosely) the paucity, of gaseous or dissolved elemental oxygen in a given place or environment. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed)	Anaerobic Metabolism,Anaerobic Metabolisms,Anaerobioses,Metabolism, Anaerobic,Metabolisms, Anaerobic
D014812	Vitamin K	A lipid cofactor that is required for normal blood clotting. Several forms of vitamin K have been identified: VITAMIN K 1 (phytomenadione) derived from plants, VITAMIN K 2 (menaquinone) from bacteria, and synthetic naphthoquinone provitamins, VITAMIN K 3 (menadione). Vitamin K 3 provitamins, after being alkylated in vivo, exhibit the antifibrinolytic activity of vitamin K. Green leafy vegetables, liver, cheese, butter, and egg yolk are good sources of vitamin K.