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Variants of three genes encoding alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, the aldehyde dehydrogenase gene ALDH2 and the alcohol dehydrogenase genes ADH1B and ADH1C, have been associated with reduced rates of alcohol dependence. The [...]

The amino acid [beta]-alanine is an intermediate in pantothenic acid (vitamin [B.sub.5]) and coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis. In contrast to bacteria, yeast derive the [beta]-alanine required for pantothenic acid production via polyamine metabolism, mediated by the four SPE genes and by the FAD-dependent amine oxidase encoded by FMS1. Because amine oxidases generally produce aldehyde derivatives of amine compounds, we propose that an additional aldehyde-dehydrogenase-mediated step is required to make [beta]-alanine from the precursor aldehyde, 3-aminopropanal. This study presents evidence that the closely related aldehyde dehydrogenase genes ALD2 and ALD3 are required for pantothenic acid biosynthesis via conversion of 3-aminopropanal to [beta]-alanine in vivo. While deletion of the nuclear gene encoding the unrelated mitochondrial Ald5p resulted in an enhanced requirement for pantothenic acid pathway metabolites, we found no evidence to indicate that the Ald5p functions directly in the conversion of 3-aminopropanal to [beta]-alanine. Thus, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, ALD2 and ALD3 are specialized for [beta]-alanine biosynthesis and are consequently involved in the cellular biosynthesis of coenzyme A.

Research has been conducted on the encystment in Azotobacter vinelandii induced by n-butanol or beta-hydroxybutyrate. The identification of the gene that encodes aldehyde dehydrogenase has been carried out and the results are reported.

The toxicity of malondialdehyde (MDA) on yeast cells was analyzed to determine the ability of the microorganisms to detoxify the reactive aldehyde. Exposure of wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to nonlethal concentrations of MDA and subsequent exposure to lethal doses of the aldehyde induced cellular resistance. Furthermore, adaptation response to MDA was mediated by yAP1 which encoded a yeast transcription activator that was homologous to the mammalian AP-1 protein.

The population of Trinidad and Tobago is composed mainly of people of East Indian (Indo-Trinidadians) and African (Afro-Trinidadians) ancestry. Differences in alcoholism rates exist between these two ethnic groups, and [...]

Terpenoid aldehydes (TAs) accumulate in the lysigenous glands of Gossypium L. (cotton genus) and related genera and are toxic to many insect pests. Knowledge of the diversity of TAs available in the Gossypium germplasm pool could be useful in developing cultivars with enhanced expression of specific compounds to improve host-plant resistance (HPR). Qualitative and quantitative foliar analyses for seven TAs were performed by means of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on Thespesia thespesioides (Brown ex Benth.) Fryxell and on 40 Gossypium genotypes comprising 30 species. Gossypium mustelinum Miers ex Watt had the highest leaf concentration of the heliocides [H.sub.1] and [H.sub.4] and total TAs, while heliocides [H.sub.2] and [H.sub.3], and hemigossypolone were highest in G. capitis-viridis Mauer, G. lobatum Gentry, and G. nobile Fryxell, Craven & Stewart, respectively. Gossypol was highest in T. thespesioides and an accession of G. laxum Phillips, although the former contained 60% more than the latter. Gossypium raimondii Ulhrich contained principally the unique TA, raimondal. Gossypol was the principal foliar TA in most of the D genome species, whereas, species in the B, C, F, G, and K genomic groups had very low concentrations of foliar gossypol compared with other TAs. In the AD genome, with minor exceptions, all six TAs occurred. Three distinct TA patterns were observed among seven G. laxum accessions. The diversity in biosynthesis and accumulation of TAs among Gossypium species should provide useful germplasm for modifying the TA quality and quantity of cotton. Resource material is also identified to study the metabolic pathways and regulatory mechanisms controlling the synthesis of these compounds., The malvaceous tribe Gossypieae Alefeld, which includes cotton (genus Gossypium), has distinctive lysigenous glands containing terpenoid aldehydes (TAs) in vegetative and reproductive plant parts that uniquely delineate the tribe (Fryxell, [...]