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Adaptive Use of N 2 ‐Dimethyl‐Substituted Pterins by Cultures of Crithidia fasciculata 1
Author(s) -
ZIEGLER IRMGARD,
BÖHME MANFRED,
PFLEIDERER WOLFGANG,
ELSTNER ERICH F.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1981.tb02865.x
Subject(s) - pterin , biopterin , crithidia fasciculata , neopterin , chemistry , diastereomer , stereochemistry , biochemistry , biology , tetrahydrobiopterin , enzyme , cofactor , immunology
The compound 6‐(L‐ erythro ‐1,2′,3′‐trihydroxypropyl)pterin, at a concentration of 50 pg/ml (“L‐ erythro ‐neopteria”), supports half‐maximal growth of Crithidia fasciculata ; biopterin at a concentration of 30 pg/ml is shown to yield similar growth. N 2 ‐dimethyl‐6‐(L‐erythro‐1′,2′,3′‐trihydroxypropyl)pterin (A) was inactive even at 100 ng/ml. Synergism was observed with the N 2 ‐dimethylamino derivative (A) in the presence of suboptimal biopterin, its activity then being of the order of L‐ erythro ‐neopterin. In contrast, the stereoisomeric N 2 ‐dimethyl‐6‐(D‐ erythro ‐1′,2′,3′‐trihydroxypropyl)pterin (“dimethyl‐D‐ erythro ‐neopterin”) and its 3′‐mono‐phosphate only slightly enhanced growth under similar conditions but both threo ‐isomers had no supplementary activity. Biopterin‐induced growth was slowed by 6‐(D‐ erythro 1′,2′,3′‐trihydroxypropyl)pterin (D‐neopterin); the threo ‐isomers had no such effect. An adaptive demethylation capacity by growing cultures and competition of biopterin uptake by D‐neopterin seems likely. The report of the occurrence in Euglena of N 2 ‐dimethyl‐6‐(L‐ threo ‐1′,2′,3′‐trihydroxypropyl)pterin and its 3′‐mono‐phosphate adds further interest to our observations.