Structural basis for carotenoid cleavage by an archaeal carotenoid dioxygenase

Apocarotenoids are important signaling molecules generated from carotenoids through the action of carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases (CCDs). These enzymes have a remarkable ability to cleave carotenoids at specific alkene bonds while leaving chemically similar sites within the polyene intact. Although several bacterial and eukaryotic CCDs have been characterized, the long-standing goal of experimentally visualizing a CCD–carotenoid complex at high resolution to explain this exquisite regioselectivity remains unfulfilled. CCD genes are also present in some archaeal genomes, but the encoded enzymes remain uninvestigated. Here, we address this knowledge gap through analysis of a metazoan-like archaeal CCD fromCandidatusNitrosotalea devanaterra (NdCCD).NdCCD was active toward β-apocarotenoids but did not cleave bicyclic carotenoids. It exhibited an unusual regiospecificity, cleaving apocarotenoids solely at the C14′–C13′ alkene bond to produce β-apo-14′-carotenals. The structure ofNdCCD revealed a tapered active site cavity markedly different from the broad active site observed for the retinal-formingSynechocystisapocarotenoid oxygenase (SynACO) but similar to the vertebrate retinoid isomerase RPE65. The structure ofNdCCD in complex with its apocarotenoid product demonstrated that the site of cleavage is defined by interactions along the substrate binding cleft as well as selective stabilization of reaction intermediates at the scissile alkene. These data on the molecular basis of CCD catalysis shed light on the origins of the varied catalytic activities found in metazoan CCDs, opening the possibility of modifying their activity through rational chemical or genetic approaches.

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Structural basis for glucose tolerance in GH1 β-glucosidases

Acta Crystallographica Section D Biological Crystallography ◽

10.1107/s1399004714006920 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 70 (6) ◽

pp. 1631-1639 ◽

Cited By ~ 75

Author(s):

Priscila Oliveira de Giuseppe ◽

Tatiana de Arruda Campos Brasil Souza ◽

Flavio Henrique Moreira Souza ◽

Leticia Maria Zanphorlin ◽

Carla Botelho Machado ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Glucose Tolerance ◽

Active Site ◽

Plant Cell Wall ◽

Plant Biomass ◽

Product Inhibition ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Clear Correlation ◽

Biomass Saccharification ◽

Glucose Tolerant ◽

Shed Light

Product inhibition of β-glucosidases (BGs) by glucose is considered to be a limiting step in enzymatic technologies for plant-biomass saccharification. Remarkably, some β-glucosidases belonging to the GH1 family exhibit unusual properties, being tolerant to, or even stimulated by, high glucose concentrations. However, the structural basis for the glucose tolerance and stimulation of BGs is still elusive. To address this issue, the first crystal structure of a fungal β-glucosidase stimulated by glucose was solved in native and glucose-complexed forms, revealing that the shape and electrostatic properties of the entrance to the active site, including the +2 subsite, determine glucose tolerance. The aromatic Trp168 and the aliphatic Leu173 are conserved in glucose-tolerant GH1 enzymes and contribute to relieving enzyme inhibition by imposing constraints at the +2 subsite that limit the access of glucose to the −1 subsite. The GH1 family β-glucosidases are tenfold to 1000-fold more glucose tolerant than GH3 BGs, and comparative structural analysis shows a clear correlation between active-site accessibility and glucose tolerance. The active site of GH1 BGs is located in a deep and narrow cavity, which is in contrast to the shallow pocket in the GH3 family BGs. These findings shed light on the molecular basis for glucose tolerance and indicate that GH1 BGs are more suitable than GH3 BGs for biotechnological applications involving plant cell-wall saccharification.

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Structural Basis for Malfunction in Complex II

Journal of Biological Chemistry ◽

10.1074/jbc.r112.408419 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 287 (42) ◽

pp. 35430-35438 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Tina M. Iverson ◽

Elena Maklashina ◽

Gary Cecchini

Keyword(s):

Active Site ◽

Molecular Basis ◽

Krebs Cycle ◽

Atp Synthesis ◽

Pathogenic Mutation ◽

Tumor Formation ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Complex Ii ◽

Clinical Presentations ◽

Human Complex

Complex II couples oxidoreduction of succinate and fumarate at one active site with that of quinol/quinone at a second distinct active site over 40 Å away. This process links the Krebs cycle to oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis. The pathogenic mutation or inhibition of human complex II or its assembly factors is often associated with neurodegeneration or tumor formation in tissues derived from the neural crest. This brief overview of complex II correlates the clinical presentations of a large number of symptom-associated alterations in human complex II activity and assembly with the biochemical manifestations of similar alterations in the complex II homologs from Escherichia coli. These analyses provide clues to the molecular basis for diseases associated with aberrant complex II function.

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Structural basis of the complementary activity of two ketosynthases in aryl polyene biosynthesis

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-95890-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Woo Cheol Lee ◽

Sungjae Choi ◽

Ahjin Jang ◽

Jiwon Yeon ◽

Eunha Hwang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Active Site ◽

Acyl Carrier Protein ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Gram Negative Bacteria ◽

Aryl Group ◽

Vitro Assay ◽

Active Site Cavity

AbstractAryl polyenes (APE) are one of the most widespread secondary metabolites among gram-negative bacteria. In Acinetobacter baumannii, strains belonging to the virulent global clone 2 (GC2) mostly contain APE biosynthesis genes; its relevance in elevated pathogenicity is of great interest. APE biosynthesis gene clusters harbor two ketosynthases (KSs): the heterodimeric KS-chain length factor complex, ApeO-ApeC, and the homodimeric ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase I (FabB)-like KS, ApeR. The role of the two KSs in APE biosynthesis is unclear. We determined the crystal structures of the two KSs from a pathogenic A. baumannii strain. ApeO-ApeC and ApeR have similar cavity volumes; however, ApeR has a narrow cavity near the entrance. In vitro assay based on the absorption characteristics of polyene species indicated the generation of fully elongated polyene with only ApeO-ApeC, probably because of the funnel shaped active site cavity. However, adding ApeR to the reaction increases the throughput of APE biosynthesis. Mutagenesis at Tyr135 in the active site cavity of ApeR reduces the activity significantly, which suggests that the stacking of the aryl group between Tyr135 and Phe202 is important for substrate recognition. Therefore, the two KSs function complementarily in the generation of APE to enhance its production.

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Mapping the Transglycosylation Relevant Sites of Cold-Adapted β-d-Galactosidase from Arthrobacter sp. 32cB

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21155354 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (15) ◽

pp. 5354

Author(s):

Maria Rutkiewicz ◽

Marta Wanarska ◽

Anna Bujacz

Keyword(s):

Active Site ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Complex Structures ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Significant Drop ◽

Cold Adapted ◽

Transglycosylation Reaction ◽

Structural Details ◽

Hydrolysis Of ◽

Shed Light

β-Galactosidase from Arthrobacter sp. 32cB (ArthβDG) is a cold-adapted enzyme able to catalyze hydrolysis of β-d-galactosides and transglycosylation reaction, where galactosyl moiety is being transferred onto an acceptor larger than a water molecule. Mutants of ArthβDG: D207A and E517Q were designed to determine the significance of specific residues and to enable formation of complexes with lactulose and sucrose and to shed light onto the structural basis of the transglycosylation reaction. The catalytic assays proved loss of function mutation E517 into glutamine and a significant drop of activity for mutation of D207 into alanine. Solving crystal structures of two new mutants, and new complex structures of previously presented mutant E441Q enables description of introduced changes within active site of enzyme and determining the importance of mutated residues for active site size and character. Furthermore, usage of mutants with diminished and abolished enzymatic activity enabled solving six complex structures with galactose, lactulose or sucrose bounds. As a result, not only the galactose binding sites were mapped on the enzyme’s surface but also the mode of lactulose, product of transglycosylation reaction, and binding within the enzyme’s active site were determined and the glucopyranose binding site in the distal of active site was discovered. The latter two especially show structural details of transglycosylation, providing valuable information that may be used for engineering of ArthβDG or other analogous galactosidases belonging to GH2 family.

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Structures of c-di-GMP/cGAMP degrading phosphodiesterase VcEAL: identification of a novel conformational switch and its implication

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bcj20190399 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 476 (21) ◽

pp. 3333-3353 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Malti Yadav ◽

Kamalendu Pal ◽

Udayaditya Sen

Keyword(s):

Active Site ◽

Metal Binding ◽

Metal Ion ◽

Triosephosphate Isomerase ◽

Catalytic Mechanism ◽

Degradation Mechanism ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Conserved Residues ◽

Phosphodiester Bond ◽

Cyclic Dinucleotides

Cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) have emerged as the central molecules that aid bacteria to adapt and thrive in changing environmental conditions. Therefore, tight regulation of intracellular CDN concentration by counteracting the action of dinucleotide cyclases and phosphodiesterases (PDEs) is critical. Here, we demonstrate that a putative stand-alone EAL domain PDE from Vibrio cholerae (VcEAL) is capable to degrade both the second messenger c-di-GMP and hybrid 3′3′-cyclic GMP–AMP (cGAMP). To unveil their degradation mechanism, we have determined high-resolution crystal structures of VcEAL with Ca2+, c-di-GMP-Ca2+, 5′-pGpG-Ca2+ and cGAMP-Ca2+, the latter provides the first structural basis of cGAMP hydrolysis. Structural studies reveal a typical triosephosphate isomerase barrel-fold with substrate c-di-GMP/cGAMP bound in an extended conformation. Highly conserved residues specifically bind the guanine base of c-di-GMP/cGAMP in the G2 site while the semi-conserved nature of residues at the G1 site could act as a specificity determinant. Two metal ions, co-ordinated with six stubbornly conserved residues and two non-bridging scissile phosphate oxygens of c-di-GMP/cGAMP, activate a water molecule for an in-line attack on the phosphodiester bond, supporting two-metal ion-based catalytic mechanism. PDE activity and biofilm assays of several prudently designed mutants collectively demonstrate that VcEAL active site is charge and size optimized. Intriguingly, in VcEAL-5′-pGpG-Ca2+ structure, β5–α5 loop adopts a novel conformation that along with conserved E131 creates a new metal-binding site. This novel conformation along with several subtle changes in the active site designate VcEAL-5′-pGpG-Ca2+ structure quite different from other 5′-pGpG bound structures reported earlier.

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Discovery of natural product ovalicin sensitive type 1 methionine aminopeptidases: molecular and structural basis

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bcj20180874 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 476 (6) ◽

pp. 991-1003 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vijaykumar Pillalamarri ◽

Tarun Arya ◽

Neshatul Haque ◽

Sandeep Chowdary Bala ◽

Anil Kumar Marapaka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Product ◽

Active Site ◽

Covalent Modification ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Wild Type ◽

Methionine Aminopeptidases ◽

Synthetic Derivative ◽

Dynamics Simulations

Abstract Natural product ovalicin and its synthetic derivative TNP-470 have been extensively studied for their antiangiogenic property, and the later reached phase 3 clinical trials. They covalently modify the conserved histidine in Type 2 methionine aminopeptidases (MetAPs) at nanomolar concentrations. Even though a similar mechanism is possible in Type 1 human MetAP, it is inhibited only at millimolar concentration. In this study, we have discovered two Type 1 wild-type MetAPs (Streptococcus pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis) that are inhibited at low micromolar to nanomolar concentrations and established the molecular mechanism. F309 in the active site of Type 1 human MetAP (HsMetAP1b) seems to be the key to the resistance, while newly identified ovalicin sensitive Type 1 MetAPs have a methionine or isoleucine at this position. Type 2 human MetAP (HsMetAP2) also has isoleucine (I338) in the analogous position. Ovalicin inhibited F309M and F309I mutants of human MetAP1b at low micromolar concentration. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that ovalicin is not stably placed in the active site of wild-type MetAP1b before the covalent modification. In the case of F309M mutant and human Type 2 MetAP, molecule spends more time in the active site providing time for covalent modification.

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LOF and GOF Alleles Shed Light on the Molecular Basis of phyB Signaling in Plants

The Plant Cell ◽

10.1105/tpc.19.00373 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (7) ◽

pp. 1400-1401

Author(s):

Wei Hu ◽

J. Clark Lagarias

Keyword(s):

Molecular Basis ◽

Shed Light

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Structural Basis for Linezolid Binding Site Rearrangement in the Staphylococcus aureus Ribosome

mBio ◽

10.1128/mbio.00395-17 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Matthew J. Belousoff ◽

Zohar Eyal ◽

Mazdak Radjainia ◽

Tofayel Ahmed ◽

Rebecca S. Bamert ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Structural Information ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Common Mechanism ◽

Resistance Mutations ◽

Antimicrobial Drugs ◽

Linezolid Resistance ◽

Drug Modification ◽

Antibiotic Resistance Mutations ◽

Shed Light

ABSTRACT An unorthodox, surprising mechanism of resistance to the antibiotic linezolid was revealed by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) in the 70S ribosomes from a clinical isolate of Staphylococcus aureus. This high-resolution structural information demonstrated that a single amino acid deletion in ribosomal protein uL3 confers linezolid resistance despite being located 24 Å away from the linezolid binding pocket in the peptidyl-transferase center. The mutation induces a cascade of allosteric structural rearrangements of the rRNA that ultimately results in the alteration of the antibiotic binding site. IMPORTANCE The growing burden on human health caused by various antibiotic resistance mutations now includes prevalent Staphylococcus aureus resistance to last-line antimicrobial drugs such as linezolid and daptomycin. Structure-informed drug modification represents a frontier with respect to designing advanced clinical therapies, but success in this strategy requires rapid, facile means to shed light on the structural basis for drug resistance (D. Brown, Nat Rev Drug Discov 14:821–832, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd4675 ). Here, detailed structural information demonstrates that a common mechanism is at play in linezolid resistance and provides a step toward the redesign of oxazolidinone antibiotics, a strategy that could thwart known mechanisms of linezolid resistance. IMPORTANCE The growing burden on human health caused by various antibiotic resistance mutations now includes prevalent Staphylococcus aureus resistance to last-line antimicrobial drugs such as linezolid and daptomycin. Structure-informed drug modification represents a frontier with respect to designing advanced clinical therapies, but success in this strategy requires rapid, facile means to shed light on the structural basis for drug resistance (D. Brown, Nat Rev Drug Discov 14:821–832, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd4675 ). Here, detailed structural information demonstrates that a common mechanism is at play in linezolid resistance and provides a step toward the redesign of oxazolidinone antibiotics, a strategy that could thwart known mechanisms of linezolid resistance.

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Structural basis for an atypical active site of anl-aspartate/glutamate-specific racemase fromEscherichia coli

FEBS Letters ◽

10.1016/j.febslet.2015.11.003 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 589 (24PartB) ◽

pp. 3842-3847 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Jae-Woo Ahn ◽

Jeong Ho Chang ◽

Kyung-Jin Kim

Keyword(s):

Active Site ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Fromescherichia Coli

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Photolabelling of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 sialidase. Identification of a peptide with a predicted structural similarity to the active sites of influenza-virus sialidases

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj2850957 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 285 (3) ◽

pp. 957-964 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

T G Warner ◽

R Harris ◽

R McDowell ◽

E R Vimr

Keyword(s):

Salmonella Typhimurium ◽

Active Site ◽

Influenza A ◽

Active Sites ◽

Enzyme Inhibitors ◽

Structural Similarity ◽

Competitive Inhibitor ◽

Beta Sheets ◽

Sialidase Inhibitor ◽

Active Site Cavity

The sialidase from Salmonella typhimurium LT2 was characterized by using photoaffinity-labelling techniques. The well-known sialidase inhibitor 5-acetamido-2,6-anhydro-3,5-dideoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-non- 2-enonic acid (Neu5Ac2en) was modified to contain an amino group at C-9, which permitted the incorporation of 4-azidosalicylic acid in amide linkage at this position. Labelling of the purified protein with the radioactive (125I) photoprobe was determined to be highly specific for a region within the active-site cavity. This conclusion was based on the observation that the competitive inhibitor Neu5Ac2en in the photolysis mixture prevented labelling of the protein. In contrast, compounds with structural and chemical features similar to the probe and Neu5Ac2en, but which were not competitive enzyme inhibitors, did not affect the photolabelling of the protein. The peptide interacting with the probe was identified by CNBr treatment of the labelled protein, followed by N-terminal sequence analysis. Inspection of the primary structure of the protein, predicted from the cloned structural gene for the sialidase [Hoyer, Hamilton, Steenbergen & Vimr (1992) Mol. Microbiol. 6, 873-884] revealed that the label was incorporated into a 9.6 kDa fragment situated within the terminal third of the molecule near the C-terminal end. Secondary-structural predictions using the Garnier-Robson algorithm [Garnier, Osguthorpe & Robson (1978) J. Mol. Biol. 120, 97-120] of the labelled peptide revealed a structural similarity to the active site of influenza-A- and Sendai-HN-virus sialidases with a repetitive series of alternating beta-sheets connected with loops.

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