title: In vivo 13C and 15N NMR studies of methylamine metabolism in Pseudomonas species MA.
abstract: Pseudomonas species MA was grown with methylamine as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen enabling the total flow of carbon and nitrogen into this organism to be simultaneously monitored in vivo using 13C and 15N NMR. [13C]Methylamine was rapidly and extensively incorporated into the methyl group of N-methylglutamate during high oxygenation of the cell suspension, but when the oxygenation rate was lower, a significant portion was also found in the methyl group of gamma-glutamylmethylamide. At later times the carbon label was found in intermediates of the serine assimilation pathway, with glutamate derived from the tricarboxylic acid cycle being the most abundant product. Incorporation of [15N]methylamine was only detected as N-methyl[15N]glutamate, but when protein synthesis was inhibited, the label was also detected in the amino nitrogen of glutamate. When oxygenation rates were lower, the 15N-labeled methylamine was found in the methylamide group of gamma-glutamylmethylamide in addition to being incorporated into N-methylglutamate. gamma-Glutamylmethylamide formation was linked to the overall energy state of the cell and was not affected by inhibition of the carbon assimilation pathway. Neither 5-hydroxy-N-methylpyroglutamate nor N-methyl-alpha-ketoglutaramate were detected to any significant extent. A mechanism was proposed for the role of gamma-glutamylmethylamide in the regulation of endogenous nitrogen supplies in this organism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Texas, Arlington 76019-0065.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bellion
mesh_terms: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008744:Methylamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D008744:Methylamines; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D010100:Oxygen