Mechanism of action of choleragen. Evidence for ADP-ribosyltransferase activity with arginine as an acceptor.

Abstract

Choleragen catalyzed the hydrolysis of NAD to ADP-ribose and nicotinamide; nicotinamide production was dramatically increased by L-arginine methyl ester and to a lesser extent by II-or I.-arginine, but not by other basic amino acids.Guanidine was also effective.Nicotinamide formation in the presence of L-arginine methyl ester was greatest under conditions previously shown to accelerate the hydrolysis of NAD by choleragen (Moss, J., Manganiello, V.