title: Melatonin synthesis: arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferases in trout retina and pineal organ are different.
abstract: Serotonin N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) is the first enzyme in the conversion of serotonin to melatonin. Changes in AANAT activity determine the daily rhythm in melatonin secretion. Two AANAT genes have been identified in the pike, pAANAT-1 and pAANAT-2, expressed in the retina and in the pineal, respectively. The genes preferentially expressed in these tissues encode proteins with distinctly different kinetic characteristics. Like the pike, trout retina primarily expresses the AANAT-1 gene and trout pineal primarily expresses the AANAT-2 gene. Here we show that the kinetic characteristics of AANAT in these tissues differ as in pike. These differences include optimal temperature for activity (pineal: 12 degrees C; retina: 25 degrees C) and relative affinity for indoleethylamines compared to phenylethylamines. In addition, retinal AANAT exhibited substrate inhibition, which was not seen with pineal AANAT. The kinetic differences between AANAT-1 and AANAT-2 appear to be defining characteristics of these gene subfamilies, and are not species specific.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Neurobiologie Cellulaire et Neuroendocrinologie, CNRS UMR 6558, Université de Poitiers, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benyassi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Coon
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Falcón
mesh_terms: D000105:Acetyl Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002021:Buffers; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008550:Melatonin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss / Q000378:metabolism*; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000201:enzymology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000201:enzymology*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002021:Buffers; D010627:Phenethylamines; D011506:Proteins; D000105:Acetyl Coenzyme A; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase; D008550:Melatonin