A recombinant geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPS) was analysed to be a mixture of octamer, hexamer and dimer by gel filtration using a Superdex 200 column followed by the blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The hexamer and dimer were each converted to an octamer by treating with dithiothreitol (DTT). When the recombinant GGPS was preliminarily treated with DTT and similarly analysed, octamer was predominantly detected with a trace amount of hexamer. The octameric form of GGPS was also supported by the cross-linking experiments with bis(sulfosuccinimidyl) suberate. The GGPS in an octameric form was active with a combination of farnesyl diphosphate and [1-(14)C]isopentenyl diphosphate. These results indicate that the active form of GGPS in the solution is an octamer rather than hexamer or dimer.

Geranylgeranoic acid (GGA) and 2,3-dihydrogeranylgeranoic acid (2,3-diGGA) are geranylgeraniol-derived metabolites (Kodaira et al. (2002) J Biochem 132: 327-334). In the present study, we examined the effects of these acids on HL-60 cells. The cells were differentiated into neutrophils by GGA stimulation like retinoic acid stimulation. In the case of cells stimulated with 2,3-diGGA, neutrophils were not detected, but the formation of lipid droplets was induced. On the other hand, when the cells were cultured in the presence of 0.1% FBS instead of 10% FBS, apoptotic cells were induced not only by GGA stimulation but also with 2,3-diGGA. In the latter case, when the cells were cultured in the co-presence of a caspase-3 inhibitor (Ac-DMQD-CHO), the lipid droplets formation was observed in the cells. These results suggest that GGA and 2,3-diGGA are extremely different from each other with respect to their effects on HL-60 cells.

Rat geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPS) and its deletion mutants from the carboxyl terminus were analysed using Escherichia coli harbouring pACYC-crtIB, which contains crtI and crtB encoding the carotenoid biosynthetic enzymes. Mutants (delta-4, -8, -12 and -16) produced lycopene-derived red colour, but mutants (delta-17, -18, -19, -20, -23, -57 and -70) did not. The histidine-tagged mutants (delta-4, -8, -12 and -16) were overexpressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) and purified in a stable form by nickel affinity chromatography except for one mutant (delta-16). The farnesyl-transferring activities of wild-type GGPS, delta-4, -8 and -12 mutants were relatively in a ratio of 1.0, 0.84, 0.26 and 0.0015. Each Km value of the four recombinants were estimated to be 0.71, 2.0 2.8 and 55 microM for farnesyl diphosphate and to be 2.9, 5.1, 56 and >100 microM for isopentenyl diphosphate, respectively. Allylic substrate specificities of these recombinants were estimated by quantitative analysis of the products, revealing that delta-8 and -12 mutants lack the ability to accept dimethylallyl and geranyl diphosphates compared to wild-type GGPS and delta-4 mutant. These results suggest that the KMFTEENE residing on the carboxyl-terminal sequence of GGPS stabilizes the active region involved in the substrate binding and catalysis.