Effect of polyamines on the carbamoyl-phosphate synthase activity of CAD protein.

The effects of polyamines were studied on carbamoyl-phosphate synthase II (EC 6.3.5.5.) which is the first and rate limiting enzyme in mammalian pyrimidine synthesis. Polyamines in physiological concentrations (0.1-1 mM) strongly inhibited the carbamoyl-phosphate synthesis. Of the polyamines tested spermine was the most effective followed by spermidine and putrescine. Spermine increased the KM for ATP and the requirement for Mg++ of carbamoyl-phosphate synthase reaction. UTP, an inhibitor, had similar, while phosphoribosyl-pyrophosphate, an activator of the enzyme had an opposite effect. Increasing concentrations of phosphoribosyl-pyrophosphate completely reversed the inhibition caused by spermine, while did not influence the degree of inhibition caused by UTP. A possible physiological role of polyamines in synchronizing the substrate and activator functions of phosphoribosyl-pyrophosphate in pyrimidine synthesis is suggested.