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H-1/N-15 and C-13 NMR were used to investigate metabolism in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells. Labelled substrates ([2-N-15]glutamine, [5-N-15]glutamine, [2-N-15]glutamate, (NH4Cl)-N-15, [2-N-15]alanine, and [1-C-13]glucose) were added to batch cultures and the concentration of labelled excreted metabolites (alanine, NH4+, glutamine, glycerol, and lactate) were quantified. Cultures with excess glucose and glutamine produce alanine as the main metabolic by-product while no ammonium ions are released. H-1/N-15 NMR data showed that both the amide and amine-nitrogen of glutamine was incorporated into alanine in these cultures. The amide-nitrogen of glutamine was not transferred to the amine-position in glutamate (for further transamination to alanine) via free NH4+ but directly via an azaserine inhibitable amidotransfer reaction. In glutamine-free media (NH4+)-N-15 was consumed and incorporated into alanine. (NH4+)-N-15 was also incorporated into the amide-position of glutamine synthesised by the cells. These data suggest that the nitrogen assimilation system, glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase (NADH-GOGAT), is active in glutamine-deprived cells. In cultures devoid of glucose, ammonium is the main metabolic by-product while no alanine is formed. The ammonium ions stem both from the amide and amine-nitrogen of glutamine, most likely via glutaminase and glutamate dehydrogenase. C-13 NMR revealed that the [1-C-13] label from glucose appeared in glycerol, alanine, lactate, and in extracellular glutamine. Labelling data also showed that intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle were recycled to glycolysis and that carbon sources, other than glucose-derived acetylCoA, entered the cycle. Furthermore, Sf9 cell cultures excreted significant amounts glycerol (1.9-3.2 mM) and ethanol (6 mM), thus highlighting the importance of sinks for reducing equivalents in maintaining the cytosolic redox balance., QC 20100525

This is the second of two papers [Drews, M., Doverskog, M., Qhman, L., Chapman, B.E., Jacobsson, U., Kuchel, P.W., Haggstrom, L., 2000. Pathways of glutamine metabolism in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells: evidence for the presence of the nitrogen assimilation system, and a metabolic switch by H-1/N-15 NMR. J. Biotechnol. 78, 23-37]. where the general goal has been to determine and characterise the glutamine metabolism in Sf9 cells. The presence of glutamate synthase (GOGAT) activity was investigated in cell-free extracts of S. frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells by modified H-1/N-15 spin-echo and gradient enhanced multiple quantum coherence NMR spectroscopy techniques. Cell-free extracts were prepared from cells cultured in a serum-free medium. The assay conditions were based on conventional spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. NMR data showed that nitrogen from [5-N-15] glutamine was selectively incorporated into 2-oxoglutarate forming [2-N-15] glutamate with a specific activity of 4.15 +/- 0.21 nmol [2-N-15] glutamate min (-1) (mg total protein)(-1) in the cell-free extracts. The enzyme activity was exclusively dependent on NADH as coenzyme and was completely inhibited by 1 mM azaserine. From the results obtained, we conclude that Sf9 cells possess NADH-GOGAT activity. Furthermore, the high specificity of the NMR method enables distinction of competing reactions from glutaminase and glutamate dehydrogenase., QC 20100525