Properties and regulation of human spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells.
Journal
  The Journal of biological chemistry.
Citation
  J Biol Chem. 274(10):6175-82
Publication date
  1999 Mar 5
Authors
  McCloskey DE
Coleman CS
Pegg AE
Investigators
  Catherine Coleman
Anthony E. Pegg
Grant agencies
  National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Grants
  NIGMS GM-26290
MeSH headings
  Acetyltransferases
Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
MeSH qualifiers
  genetics
metabolism
Abstract
  Spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) appears to be the rate-limiting enzyme of polyamine catabolism, yet studies of its regulation have been limited by the low amounts of SSAT in uninduced cells. A system for studying SSAT was established by stably transfecting Chinese hamster ovary cells with a construct where SSAT cDNA was under control of the cytomegalovirus promoter. Thirteen of 44 clones expressed significantly increased SSAT activity (650-1900 compared with 24 pmol/min/mg protein in control cells). SSAT activity was directly proportional to SSAT protein, which turned over very rapidly (t(1)/(2) of 29 min) and was degraded through the ubiquitin/proteasomal pathway. The increased SSAT activity caused perturbations in polyamine homeostasis and led to a reduction in the rate of growth under clonal conditions. N1,N12-bis(ethyl)spermine greatly increased SSAT activity in controls and SSAT transfected clones (to about 10 and 60 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively). N1, N12-Bis(ethyl)spermine caused an increase in the SSAT half-life and a slight increase in SSAT mRNA, but these changes were insufficient to account for the increase in SSAT protein suggesting that translational regulation of SSAT must also occur.
Medline ID
  99156892