Crystal structures of phosphatidyl serine synthase PSS reveal the catalytic mechanism of CDP-DAG alcohol O-phosphatidyl transferases

AbstractPhospholipids are the major components of the membrane in all type of cells and organelles. They also are critical for cell metabolism, signal transduction, the immune system and other critical cell functions. The biosynthesis of phospholipids is a complex multi-step process with high-energy intermediates. Several enzymes in different metabolic pathways are involved in the initial phospholipid synthesis and its subsequent conversion. While the “Kennedy pathway” is the main pathway in mammalian cells, in bacteria and lower eukaryotes the precursor CDP-DAG is used in the de novo pathway by CDP-DAG alcohol O-phosphatidyl transferases to synthetize the basic lipids. Here we present the high-resolution structures of phosphatidyl serine synthase from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii crystallized in four different states. Detailed structural and functional analysis of the different structures allowed us to identify the substrate binding site and show how CDP-DAG, serine and two essential metal ions are bound and oriented relative to each other. In close proximity to the substrate binding site, two anions were identified that appear to be highly important for the reaction. The structural findings were confirmed by functional activity assays and suggest a model for the catalytic mechanism of CDP-DAG alcohol O-phosphatidyl transferases, which synthetize the phospholipids essential for the cells.

Download Full-text

Molecular recognition of sugar binding in a melibiose transporter MelB by X-ray crystallography

10.1101/2020.12.20.423627 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Lan Guan ◽

Parameswaran Hariharan

Keyword(s):

Molecular Recognition ◽

Binding Site ◽

Crystal Structures ◽

Mammalian Cells ◽

Substrate Binding ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Cooperative Binding ◽

Recognition Mechanism ◽

Substrate Binding Site ◽

X Ray

AbstractThe symporter melibiose permease MelB is the best-studied representative from MFS_2 family and the only protein in this large family with crystal structure determined. Previous thermodynamic studies show that MelB utilizes a cooperative binding as the core mechanism for its obligatory symport. Here we present two sugar-bound X-ray crystal structures of a Salmonella typhimurium MelB D59C uniport mutant that binds and catalyzes melibiose transport uncoupled to either cation, as determined by biochemical and biophysical characterizations. The two structures with bound nitrophenyl-α-D-galactoside or dodecyl-β-D-melibioside, which were refined to a resolution of 3.05 or 3.15 Å, respectively, are virtually identical at an outward-facing conformation; each one contains a α-galactoside molecule in the middle of protein. In the substrate-binding site, the galactosyl moiety on both ligands are at an essentially same configuration, so a galactoside specificity determinant pocket can be recognized, and hence the molecular recognition mechanism for the binding of sugar in MelB is deciphered. The data also allow to assign the conserved cation-binding pocket, which is directly connected to the sugar specificity determinant pocket. The intimate connection between the two selection sites lays the structural basis for the cooperative binding and coupled transport. This key structural finding answered the long-standing question on the substrate binding for the Na+-coupled MFS family of transporters.SignificanceMajor facilitator superfamily_2 transporters contain >10,000 members that are widely expressed from bacteria to mammalian cells, and catalyze uptake of varied nutrients from sugars to phospholipids. While several crystal structures with bound sugar for other MFS permeases have been determined, they are either uniporters or symporters coupled solely to H+. MelB catalyzes melibiose symport with either Na+, Li+, or H+, a prototype for Na+-coupled MFS transporters, but its sugar recognition has been a long-unsolved puzzle. Two high-resolution crystal structures presented here clearly reveal the molecular recognition mechanism for the binding of sugar in MelB. The substrate-binding site is characterized with a small specificity groove adjoining a large nonspecific cavity, which could offer a potential for future exploration of active transporters for drug delivery.

Download Full-text

The 5-ketofructose reductase of Gluconobacter sp. strain CHM43 is a novel class in the shikimate dehydrogenase family

Journal of Bacteriology ◽

10.1128/jb.00558-20 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Thuy Minh Nguyen ◽

Masaru Goto ◽

Shohei Noda ◽

Minenosuke Matsutani ◽

Yuki Hodoya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Crystal Structure ◽

Amino Acid ◽

Binding Site ◽

Catalytic Mechanism ◽

Substrate Binding ◽

High Yield ◽

Strong Increase ◽

Amino Acid Residues ◽

Shikimate Dehydrogenase ◽

Substrate Binding Site

Gluconobacter sp. CHM43 oxidizes mannitol to fructose and then does fructose to 5-keto-D-fructose (5KF) in the periplasmic space. Since NADPH-dependent 5KF reductase was found in the soluble fraction of Gluconobacter spp., 5KF might be transported into the cytoplasm and metabolized. Here we identified the GLF_2050 gene as the kfr gene encoding 5KF reductase (KFR). A mutant strain devoid of the kfr gene showed lower KFR activity and no 5KF consumption. The crystal structure revealed that KFR is similar to NADP + -dependent shikimate dehydrogenase (SDH), which catalyzes the reversible NADP + -dependent oxidation of shikimate to 3-dehydroshikimate. We found that several amino acid residues in the putative substrate-binding site of KFR were different from those of SDH. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that only a subclass in the SDH family containing KFR conserved such a unique substrate-binding site. We constructed KFR derivatives with amino acid substitutions, including replacement of Asn21 in the substrate-binding site with Ser that is found in SDH. The KFR-N21S derivative showed a strong increase in the K M value for 5KF, but a higher shikimate oxidation activity than wild-type KFR, suggesting that Asn21 is important for 5KF binding. In addition, the conserved catalytic dyad Lys72 and Asp108 were individually substituted for Asn. The K72N and D108N derivatives showed only negligible activities without a dramatic change in the K M value for 5KF, suggesting a similar catalytic mechanism to that of SDH. Taken together, we suggest that KFR is a new member of the SDH family. Importance A limited number of species of acetic acid bacteria, such as Gluconobacter sp. strain CHM43, produce 5-ketofructose at a high yield, a potential low calorie sweetener. Here we show that an NADPH-dependent 5-ketofructose reductase (KFR) is involved in 5-ketofructose degradation and we characterize this enzyme with respect to its structure, phylogeny, and function. The crystal structure of KFR was similar to that of shikimate dehydrogenase, which is functionally crucial in the shikimate pathway in bacteria and plants. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that KFR is positioned in a small sub-group of the shikimate dehydrogenase family. Catalytically important amino acid residues were also conserved and their relevance was experimentally validated. Thus, we propose KFR as a new member of shikimate dehydrogenase family.

Download Full-text

Crystal Structures of Creatininase Reveal the Substrate Binding Site and Provide an Insight into the Catalytic Mechanism

Journal of Molecular Biology ◽

10.1016/j.jmb.2004.01.022 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 337 (2) ◽

pp. 399-416 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Tadashi Yoshimoto ◽

Nobutada Tanaka ◽

Naota Kanada ◽

Takahiko Inoue ◽

Yoshitaka Nakajima ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Binding Site ◽

Crystal Structures ◽

Catalytic Mechanism ◽

Substrate Binding ◽

Substrate Binding Site ◽

Insight Into

Download Full-text

Faculty Opinions recommendation of Localization of a substrate binding site on the FeMo-cofactor in nitrogenase: trapping propargyl alcohol with an alpha-70-substituted MoFe protein.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.1014842.194865 ◽

2003 ◽

Author(s):

Mark Nelson

Keyword(s):

Binding Site ◽

Substrate Binding ◽

Propargyl Alcohol ◽

Substrate Binding Site ◽

Mofe Protein ◽

Femo Cofactor

Download Full-text

Comprehensive in silico Study of GLUT10: Prediction of Possible Substrate Binding Sites and Interacting Molecules

Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology ◽

10.2174/1389201020666190613152030 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 117-130 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mohammad J. Hosen ◽

Mahmudul Hasan ◽

Sourav Chakraborty ◽

Ruhshan A. Abir ◽

Abdullah Zubaer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virtual Screening ◽

Binding Site ◽

Glucose Transporter ◽

Substrate Binding ◽

Mutation Screening ◽

Homology Model ◽

Connective Tissue Disorder ◽

Crystallographic Structure ◽

Substrate Binding Site

Objectives: The Arterial Tortuosity Syndrome (ATS) is an autosomal recessive connective tissue disorder, mainly characterized by tortuosity and stenosis of the arteries with a propensity towards aneurysm formation and dissection. It is caused by mutations in the SLC2A10 gene that encodes the facilitative glucose transporter GLUT10. The molecules transported by and interacting with GLUT10 have still not been unambiguously identified. Hence, the study attempts to identify both the substrate binding site of GLUT10 and the molecules interacting with this site. Methods: As High-resolution X-ray crystallographic structure of GLUT10 was not available, 3D homology model of GLUT10 in open conformation was constructed. Further, molecular docking and bioinformatics investigation were employed. Results and Discussion: Blind docking of nine reported potential in vitro substrates with this 3D homology model revealed that substrate binding site is possibly made with PRO531, GLU507, GLU437, TRP432, ALA506, LEU519, LEU505, LEU433, GLN525, GLN510, LYS372, LYS373, SER520, SER124, SER533, SER504, SER436 amino acid residues. Virtual screening of all metabolites from the Human Serum Metabolome Database and muscle metabolites from Human Metabolite Database (HMDB) against the GLUT10 revealed possible substrates and interacting molecules for GLUT10, which were found to be involved directly or partially in ATS progression or different arterial disorders. Reported mutation screening revealed that a highly emergent point mutation (c. 1309G>A, p. Glu437Lys) is located in the predicted substrate binding site region. Conclusion: Virtual screening expands the possibility to explore more compounds that can interact with GLUT10 and may aid in understanding the mechanisms leading to ATS.

Download Full-text