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Mammalian serine racemase is a brain-enriched enzyme that converts L- into D-serine in the nervous system. D-Serine is an endogenous co-agonist at the ‘glycine site’ of N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors that is required for the receptor/channel opening. Factors regulating the synthesis of D-serine have implications for the NMDA receptor transmission, but little is known on the signals and events affecting serine racemase levels. We found that serine racemase interacts with the Golgin subfamily A member 3 (Golga3) protein in yeast two-hybrid screening. The interaction was confirmed in vitro with the recombinant proteins in co-transfected HEK293 cells and in vivo by co-immunoprecipitation studies from brain homogenates. Golga3 and serine racemase co-localized at the cytosol, perinuclear Golgi region, and neuronal and glial cell processes in primary cultures. Golga3 significantly increased serine racemase steady-state levels in co-transfected HEK293 cells and primary astrocyte cultures. This observation led us to investigate mechanisms regulating serine racemase levels. We found that serine racemase is degraded through the ubiquitin-proteasomal system in a Golga3-modulated manner. Golga3 decreased the ubiquitylation of serine racemase both in vitro and in vivo and significantly increased the protein half-life in pulse-chase experiments. Our results suggest that the ubiquitin system is a main regulator of serine racemase and n-serine levels. Modulation of serine racemase degradation, such as that promoted by Golga3, provides a new mechanism for regulating brain D-serine levels and NMDA receptor activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cDNA encoding a 5′-nucleotidase was identified by screening a λgt10 cDNA library from the electric lobe of Discopyge ommata using a cDNA probe containing the complete open reading frame coding for the rat liver enzyme. Nucleotide sequence analysis defines an open reading frame of 577 amino acids, corresponding to a calculated molecular mass of 63833 Da. The N-terminus of the mature protein, as determined by direct protein sequencing, is preceded by 29 amino acid residues comprising a signal peptide. The C-terminus contains a stretch of hydrophobic amino adds, considered to be cleaved on post-translational modification and exchanged for glycosylphosphatidylinositol as a membrane anchor. The predicted protein contains four potential N-linked glycosylation sites. Electric ray 5′-nucleotidase shares 61 % amino acid identity with the enzymes from rat liver and human placenta, and about 23% with bacterial proteins possessing 5′-nucleotidase activity and also additional enzyme activities like UDP-glucose hydrolase. Polyclonal antibodies raised against 5′-nucleotidase from mammalian sources or the electric ray electric organ reveal mutual cross-reactivity. Interestingly, there are 5–7 domains highly conserved in procaryotes and vertebrates in enzymes exhibiting 5′-nucleotidase, 3′-nucleotidase or phosphodiesterase activity. 5′-nucleotidase isolated from Torpedo electric organ hydrolyzes UDP-glucose at 8% of the rate of AMP hydrolysis. The possible phylogenetic origin of vertebrate 5′-nucleotidase from multifunctional nucleotide hydrolases is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously shown that the extracellular nucleoside triphosphate-hydrolyzing enzyme NTPDase2 is highly expressed in situ by stem/progenitor cells of the two neurogenic regions of the adult murine brain: the subventricular zone (type B cells) and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (residual radial glia). We explored the possibility that adult multipotent neural stem cells express nucleotide receptors and investigated their functional properties in vitro. Neurospheres cultured from the adult mouse SVZ in the presence of epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor 2 expressed the ecto-nucleotidases NTPDase2 and the tissue non-specific isoform of alkaline phosphatase, hydrolyzing extracellular ATP to adenosine. ATP, ADP and, to a lesser extent, UTP evoked rapid Ca2+ transients in neurospheres that were exclusively mediated by the metabotropic P2Y1 and P2Y2 nucleotide receptors. In addition, agonists of these receptors and low concentrations of adenosine augmented cell proliferation in the presence of growth factors. Neurosphere cell proliferation was attenuated after application of the P2Y1-receptor antagonist MRS2179 and in neurospheres from P2Y1-receptor knockout mice. In situ hybridization identified P2Y1-receptor mRNA in clusters of SVZ cells. Our results infer nucleotide receptor-mediated synergism that augments growth factor-mediated cell proliferation. Together with the in situ data, this supports the notion that extracellular nucleotides contribute to the control of adult neurogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]