The only pathway known for the biosynthesis of sperrnidine is from putrescine and S-adenosylmethionine. S-Adenosylmethionine is decarboxylated, and the aminopropyl group of the product is transferred to putrescine to form spermidine. The enzymes of this pathway, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1 S O ) and aminopropyltransferase (EC 2.5.1.16), have been found in a number of bacteria, ...

This is a simple, rapid, sensitive method for routine quantification of the polyamine putrescine (1,4-diaminobutane) in cerebrospinal fluid. Sample preparation involves protein precipitation, acid hydrolysis for 18 h (if total putrescine is to be measured), pre-column derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde, and extraction into acetonitrile. The derivative is separated and quantified by "high-perf...

Putrescine and spermidine were the dominant polyamines in Tetrahymena cells. Spermine was present only in very small amounts. Changes in the amount of putrescine during and after the synchronizing heat treatment followed a definite quantitative pattern. Changes in the amount of spermidine were similar, though not so pronounced. The changes may be due to a varied influx of polyamines into the ce...

Transmembrane Ca2+ influx is recognized as a universal second messenger that transduces T-cell activation signals to cytoplasm and nucleus, thereby stimulating transcription and cell division. To examine the role of endogenous factors that regulate mitogenic Ca2+ signalling of T-cells, we measured the concanavalin (Con) A-induced increase in cytoplasmic free calcium ([Ca2+]i) in spleen cells of...

Putrescine, 1,4-diaminobutane, is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of more complexed polyamines, spermidine and spermine. Unlike other eukaryotes, plants have evolved a multistep pathway for putrescine biosynthesis that utilizes arginine. In the final reaction, N-carbamoylputrescine is hydrolyzed to putrescine by N-carbamoylputrescine amidohydrolase (CPA, EC 3.5.1.53). During the hydrolysis,...

The administration of [14C]putrescine or [14C]spermidine (i.v., 100 muCi) to normal volunteers or patients with advanced cancer resulted in alpha-phase half-lives of 40 and 30 sec and beta-phase half-lives of 30 and 60 min, respectively. No significant differences were found between the plasma decay curves of normals and those of cancer patients. Urinary excretion was similar with both groups e...

1. In potassium-deficient barley plants 1,4diauinobutane (putrescine), which had been previously characterized, occurs together with a Sakaguchiand ninhydrin-positive compound, whose infrared spectrum and chromatographic properties are identical with those of 1-amino-4guanidinobutane (agmatine). 2. Agmatine and putrescine occur in potassiumdeficient red-clover plants. 3. Under conditions of ade...

Development eggs of the polychete Ophryotrocha labronica were analyzed for polyamines during the first 6 days after fertilization. The spermine content dominated initially, but gradually decreased. It was surpassed by putrescine, which rapidly increased to a maximum on the 3rd day, i.e., at the inception of grastrulation. The spermidine content was low during the entire period. Treatment of egg...

PotF protein is a periplasmic substrate-binding protein of the putrescine transport system in Escherichia coli. We have determined the crystal structure of PotF protein in complex with the substrate at 2.3-A resolution. The PotF molecule has dimensions of 54 x 42 x 30 A and consists of two similar globular domains. The PotF structure is reminiscent of other periplasmic receptors with a highest ...

Histidine, lysine, ornithine, and tyrosine decarboxylase activities were tested in 38 strains of Staphylococcus (15 of S. equorum, 11 of S. epidermidis, 7 of S. saprophyticus, and 5 of S. pasteuri) and 19 strains of Bacillus (13 of B. subtilis and 6 of B. amyloliquefaciens) isolated from two Spanish traditional sausage varieties. The four decarboxylase activities were present in most of the str...