title: Cysteine and keto acids modulate mosquito kynurenine aminotransferase catalyzed kynurenic acid production.
abstract: Kynurenine aminotransferase (KAT) catalyzes the formation of kynurenic acid (KYNA), the natural antagonist of ionotropic glutamate receptors. This study tests potential substrates and assesses the effects of amino acids and keto acids on the activity of mosquito KAT. Various keto acids, when simultaneously present in the same reaction mixture, display a combined effect on KAT catalyzed KYNA production. Moreover, methionine and glutamine show inhibitory effects on KAT activity, while cysteine functions as either an antagonist or an inhibitor depending on the concentration. Therefore, the overall level of keto acids and cysteine might modulate the KYNA synthesis. Results from this study will be useful in the study of KAT regulation in other animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61802, USA.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jianyong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D002384:Catalysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D009033:Culicidae / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007651:Keto Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D007736:Kynurenic Acid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D000637:Transaminases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007651:Keto Acids; D000637:Transaminases; C021481:kynurenine-oxoglutarate transaminase; D007736:Kynurenic Acid; D003545:Cysteine