Aspects of purine and pyrimidine metabolism
type: CreativeWork
description: In Chapter 1 a review of the literature concerning aspects of erythrocyte membrane transport and metabolism, and purine and pyrimidine metabolism is presented. The effects of pH, pO₂ and inorganic phosphate (Pi) on the uptake and metabolism of hypoxanthine by erythrocytes has been studied in Chapter 2. Uptake of hypoxanthine and accumulation of inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) were markedly increased at acid pH, high external phosphate concentrations, and low pO₂. Release of accumulated IMP as hypoxanthine occurred at alkaline pH values and low external phosphate concentrations. Conditions favouring IMP accumulation gave rise, in the absence of hypoxanthine, to a corresponding increase in 5'-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP). Intracellular phosphate concentrations were markedly pH dependent and a model is presented whereby hypoxanthine uptake and release are controlled by intracellular concentrations of inorganic phosphate and 2,3- bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG). These allosteric effectors influence, in opposing ways, two enzymes governing IMP accumulation, namely PRPP synthetase and 5'-nucleotidase. These metabolic properties suggest that the erythrocyte could play a role in the removal of hypoxanthine from anoxic tissue. In Chapter 3 the kinetics and mechanism of transport of orotate across the human erythrocyte membrane and the effect of pH and inorganic phosphate on its metabolism (in the erythrocyte) have been studied. It has been shown that orotate enters erythrocytes with non-saturable kinetics and with a capacity of 190 μmoles/1 packed cells/min at a concentration of 4-6 mmolar. The presence of competition for transport by a number of anions and the lack of competition by uridine is indicative of transport by a general anion transporter, with the ability for concentrative uptake in the absence of other external anions being compatible with transport via a ping-pong mechanism. Inhibition of transport by the specific band 3 inhibitors DIDS and CHCA confirm th…
abstract: In Chapter 1 a review of the literature concerning aspects of erythrocyte membrane transport and metabolism, and purine and pyrimidine metabolism is presented. The effects of pH, pO₂ and inorganic phosphate (Pi) on the uptake and metabolism of hypoxanthine by erythrocytes has been studied in Chapter 2. Uptake of hypoxanthine and accumulation of inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) were markedly increased at acid pH, high external phosphate concentrations, and low pO₂. Release of accumulated IMP as hypoxanthine occurred at alkaline pH values and low external phosphate concentrations. Conditions favouring IMP accumulation gave rise, in the absence of hypoxanthine, to a corresponding increase in 5'-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP). Intracellular phosphate concentrations were markedly pH dependent and a model is presented whereby hypoxanthine uptake and release are controlled by intracellular concentrations of inorganic phosphate and 2,3- bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG). These allosteric effectors influence, in opposing ways, two enzymes governing IMP accumulation, namely PRPP synthetase and 5'-nucleotidase. These metabolic properties suggest that the erythrocyte could play a role in the removal of hypoxanthine from anoxic tissue. In Chapter 3 the kinetics and mechanism of transport of orotate across the human erythrocyte membrane and the effect of pH and inorganic phosphate on its metabolism (in the erythrocyte) have been studied. It has been shown that orotate enters erythrocytes with non-saturable kinetics and with a capacity of 190 μmoles/1 packed cells/min at a concentration of 4-6 mmolar. The presence of competition for transport by a number of anions and the lack of competition by uridine is indicative of transport by a general anion transporter, with the ability for concentrative uptake in the absence of other external anions being compatible with transport via a ping-pong mechanism. Inhibition of transport by the specific band 3 inhibitors DIDS and CHCA confirm th…
author: Black, Duncan Arthur
language: eng
date published: 1989
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:00Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Division of Chemical Pathology

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property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26590