Glomerular uracil nucleotide synthesis

Abstract

The biosynthesis of basement membrane material requires the sugar derivatives of uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) for protein glycosylation. Uridine and orotate utilization for the biosynthesis of uracil ribonucleotides was studied in isolated rat glomeruli incubated in vitro. At a 1 microM concentration total orotate utilization was 9.6 +/- 1.8 pmol.min-1.mg DNA-1 (1 mg DNA approximately 0.175 X 10(6) glomeruli), 51% of the total amount metabolized was used in ribonucleotide formation, and there was a significant UTP accretion. Except at a high initial concentration (50 microM), exogenous uridine failed to increase the UTP pool due to rapid uridine breakdown by a cytosolic phosphorylase. Inhibition of this enzyme with benzylacyclouridine resulted in increased biosynthesis and accretion of UTP, and in a 17-fold higher concentration of uridine, primarily produced from performed sources of nucleosides. Continuous addition of exogenous uridine to maintain its concentration at 1 microM resulted in a total uridine utilization of 550 +/- 30 pmol.min-1.mg DNA-1. Uridine salvage for ribonucleotide biosynthesis was only 3% of the total metabolized. In contrast to uridine, and presumably due to UTP pool compartmentation, orotate incorporation into uridine 5'-diphosphosugars was prominent. The metabolism of exogenous orotate was not decreased by the presence of large amounts of uridine and by an expanded UTP pool. It is concluded that when exogenous orotate is present, it is an important precursor for glomerular uracil ribonucleotide biosynthesis. Due to its rapid rate of catabolism, uridine cannot maintain ribonucleotide biosynthesis at a rate sufficient to result in UTP accretion unless it is provided continuously in substantial quantities.