Understanding the highly efficient catalysis of prokaryotic peptide deformylases by shedding light on the determinants specifying the low activity of the human counterpart

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 242-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Fieulaine ◽  
Michel Desmadril ◽  
Thierry Meinnel ◽  
Carmela Giglione

Peptide deformylases (PDFs), which are essential and ubiquitous enzymes involved in the removal of theN-formyl group from nascent chains, are classified into four subtypes based on the structural and sequence similarity of specific conserved domains. All PDFs share a similar three-dimensional structure, are functionally interchangeablein vivoand display similar propertiesin vitro, indicating that their molecular mechanism has been conserved during evolution. The human mitochondrial PDF is the only exception as despite its conserved fold it reveals a unique substrate-binding pocket together with an unusual kinetic behaviour. Unlike human PDF, the closely related mitochondrial PDF1As from plants have catalytic efficiencies and enzymatic parameters that are similar to those of other classes of PDFs. Here, the aim was to identify the structural basis underlying the properties of human PDF compared with all other PDFs by focusing on plant mitochondrial PDF1A. The construction of a chimaera composed of plant PDF1A with the nonrandom substitutions found in a conserved motif of its human homologue converted it into an enzyme with properties similar to the human enzyme, indicating the crucial role of these positions. The crystal structure of this human-like plant PDF revealed that substitution of two residues leads to a reduction in the volume of the ligand-binding site together with the introduction of negative charges, unravelling the origin of the weak affinity of human PDF for its substrate. In addition, the substitution of the two residues of human PDF modifies the transition state of the reaction through alteration of the network of interactions between the catalytic residues and the substrate, leading to an overall reduced reaction rate.

1992 ◽  
Vol 281 (3) ◽  
pp. 785-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
J P Laulhère ◽  
A M Labouré ◽  
O Van Wuytswinkel ◽  
J Gagnon ◽  
J F Briat

Storage and buffering of iron is achieved by a class of proteins, the ferritins, widely distributed throughout the living kingdoms. All ferritins have in common their three-dimensional structure and their ability to store large amounts of iron in their central cavity. However, eukaryotic ferritins from plants and animals and bacterioferritins have no sequence similarity, and besides non-haem iron bacterioferritins contain haem residues whereas eukaryotic ferritins do not. In this paper we report the first purification and characterization of a bacterioferritin from a cyanobacterium. It has a molecular mass of 400 kDa and is built up from 19 kDa subunits. Its N-terminal sequence shows 73% identity with that of the Escherichia coli bacterioferritin subunit. It contains 2300 atoms of iron and 1500 molecules of phosphate per ferritin molecule and 0.25 haem residue per subunit; the alpha-peak of the cytochrome has its maximum at 559 nm. In contrast with what is known for eukaryotic ferritins, we found that bacterioferritin from Synechocystis is not inducible by iron under the conditions that we have tested and that it has a constant concentration whatever the iron status of the cells, even at very low iron concentration. Bacterioferritin from Synechocystis P.C.C. 6803 is fully assembled in vivo and it is shown by labelling with 59Fe that it is able to load iron in vitro as well as in vivo. Bacterioferritin from Synechocystis is shown to have an iron-buffering function while the bulk of cellular iron is found associated with a pool of low-molecular-mass electronegative molecules. The role of Synechocystis bacterioferritin in iron metabolism is discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Martínez-Martínez

Abstract SERine Protease INhibitorS (Serpins) are a superfamily of proteins that are characterized by having a similar three-dimensional structure. The native conformation is not most thermodynamically stable, so polymerization is the main consequence when its stability is altered as a result of certain mutations. The polymerization of serpins has been a research topic for many years. Different mechanisms have been proposed and in the same way different compounds or strategies have been studied to prevent polymerization. A recent paper published in Bioscience Reports by Naseem et al. [Biosci. Rep. (2019) 5, 39] studies the role of trehalose in the prevention of the polymerization of antithrombin, which belongs to the serpin superfamily. The main consequence of the antithrombin polymerization is the increased thrombotic risk, since antithrombin is the main inhibitor of the coagulation cascade. The authors demonstrate that trehalose is able to prevent the in vitro polymerization of antithrombin, under conditions in which it usually tends to polymerize, and demonstrate it by using different techniques. However, the binding site of trehalose in antithrombin should be defined by site-directed mutagenesis. On the other hand, it is not clear if all serpins polymerize in vivo through the same mechanism and it is also not clear if the same serpin can even polymerize through different mechanisms. Therefore, there are still doubts about the potential of trehalose or its derivatives to prevent in vivo antithrombin polymerization and, therefore, reduce thrombotic risk, as well as whether trehalose would be able to reduce polymerization in other serpins.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5499
Author(s):  
Hannah L. Smith ◽  
Stephen A. Beers ◽  
Juliet C. Gray ◽  
Janos M. Kanczler

Treatment for osteosarcoma (OS) has been largely unchanged for several decades, with typical therapies being a mixture of chemotherapy and surgery. Although therapeutic targets and products against cancer are being continually developed, only a limited number have proved therapeutically active in OS. Thus, the understanding of the OS microenvironment and its interactions are becoming more important in developing new therapies. Three-dimensional (3D) models are important tools in increasing our understanding of complex mechanisms and interactions, such as in OS. In this review, in vivo animal models, in vitro 3D models and in ovo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) models, are evaluated and discussed as to their contribution in understanding the progressive nature of OS, and cancer research. We aim to provide insight and prospective future directions into the potential translation of 3D models in OS.


2013 ◽  
Vol 288 (23) ◽  
pp. 16460-16475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda J. Olson ◽  
Ramiro Orsi ◽  
Solana G. Alculumbre ◽  
Francis C. Peterson ◽  
Ivan D. Stigliano ◽  
...  

Here we report for the first time the three-dimensional structure of a mannose 6-phosphate receptor homology (MRH) domain present in a protein with enzymatic activity, glucosidase II (GII). GII is involved in glycoprotein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum. GII removes the two innermost glucose residues from the Glc3Man9GlcNAc2 transferred to nascent proteins and the glucose added by UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase. GII is composed of a catalytic GIIα subunit and a regulatory GIIβ subunit. GIIβ participates in the endoplasmic reticulum localization of GIIα and mediates in vivo enhancement of N-glycan trimming by GII through its C-terminal MRH domain. We determined the structure of a functional GIIβ MRH domain by NMR spectroscopy. It adopts a β-barrel fold similar to that of other MRH domains, but its binding pocket is the most shallow known to date as it accommodates a single mannose residue. In addition, we identified a conserved residue outside the binding pocket (Trp-409) present in GIIβ but not in other MRHs that influences GII glucose trimming activity.


2003 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 623-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Y. Torshin ◽  
Robert W. Harrison

How a unique three-dimensional structure is rapidly formed from the linear sequence of a polypeptide is one of the important questions in contemporary science. Apart from biological context ofin vivoprotein folding (which has been studied only for a few proteins), the roles of the fundamental physical forces in thein vitrofolding remain largely unstudied. Despite a degree of success in using descriptions based on statistical and/or thermodynamic approaches, few of the current models explicitly include more basic physical forces (such as electrostatics and Van Der Waals forces). Moreover, the present-day models rarely take into account that the protein folding is, essentially, a rapid process that produces a highly specific architecture. This review considers several physical models that may provide more direct links between sequence and tertiary structure in terms of the physical forces. In particular, elaboration of such simple models is likely to produce extremely effective computational techniques with value for modern genomics.


Genetics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 145 (2) ◽  
pp. 467-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodger Voelker ◽  
Janet Mendel-Hartvig ◽  
Alice Barkan

A nuclear mutant of maize, tha1, which exhibited defects in the translocation of proteins across the thylakoid membrane, was described previously. A transposon insertion at the tha1 locus facilitated the cloning of portions of the tha1 gene. Strong sequence similarity with secA genes from bacteria, pea and spinach indicates that tha1 encodes a SecA homologue (cp-SecA). The tha1-ref allele is either null or nearly so, in that tha1 mRNA is undetectable in mutant leaves and cp-SecA accumulation is reduced ≥40-fold. These results, in conjunction with the mutant phenotype described previously, demonstrate that cp-SecA functions in vivo to facilitate the translocation of OEC33, PSI-F and plastocyanin but does not function in the translocation of OEC23 and OEC16. Our results confirm predictions for cp-Sed function made from the results of in vitro experiments and establish several new functions for cp-SecA, including roles in the targeting of a chloroplast-encoded protein, cytochrome f, and in protein targeting in the etioplast, a nonphotosynthetic plastid type. Our finding that the accumulation of properly targeted plastocyanin and cytochrome f in tha1-ref thylakoid membranes is reduced only a few-fold despite the near or complete absence of cp-SecA suggests that cp-SecA facilitates but is not essential in vivo for their translocation across the membrane.


1993 ◽  
Vol 294 (3) ◽  
pp. 753-760 ◽  
Author(s):  
C A Colville ◽  
M J Seatter ◽  
G W Gould

We have expressed the liver (GLUT 2), brain (GLUT 3) and insulin-responsive (GLUT 4) glucose transporters in oocytes from Xenopus laevis by microinjection of in vitro-transcribed mRNA. Using a range of halogeno- and deoxy-glucose analogues, and other hexoses, we have studied the structural basis of sugar binding to these different isoforms. We show that a hydrogen bond to the C-3 position is involved in sugar binding for all three isoforms, but that the direction of this hydrogen bond is different in GLUT 2 from either GLUT 1, 3 or 4. Hydrogen-bonding at the C-4 position is also involved in sugar recognition by all three isoforms, but we propose that in GLUT 3 this hydrogen bond plays a less significant role than in GLUT 2 and 4. In all transporters we propose that the C-4 position is directed out of the sugar-binding pocket. The role of the C-6 position is also discussed. In addition, we have analysed the ability of fructopyranose and fructofuranose analogues to inhibit the transport mediated by GLUT2. We show that fructofuranose analogues, but not fructopyranose analogues, are efficient inhibitors of transport mediated by GLUT 2, and therefore suggest that GLUT 2 accommodates D-glucose as a pyranose ring, but D-fructose as a furanose ring. Models for the binding sites of GLUT 2, 3 and 4 are presented.


2004 ◽  
Vol 165 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shushi Nagamori ◽  
Irina N. Smirnova ◽  
H. Ronald Kaback

YidC of Echerichia coli, a member of the conserved Alb3/Oxa1/YidC family, is postulated to be important for biogenesis of membrane proteins. Here, we use as a model the lactose permease (LacY), a membrane transport protein with a known three-dimensional structure, to determine whether YidC plays a role in polytopic membrane protein insertion and/or folding. Experiments in vivo and with an in vitro transcription/translation/insertion system demonstrate that YidC is not necessary for insertion per se, but plays an important role in folding of LacY. By using the in vitro system and two monoclonal antibodies directed against conformational epitopes, LacY is shown to bind the antibodies poorly in YidC-depleted membranes. Moreover, LacY also folds improperly in proteoliposomes prepared without YidC. However, when the proteoliposomes are supplemented with purified YidC, LacY folds correctly. The results indicate that YidC plays a primary role in folding of LacY into its final tertiary conformation via an interaction that likely occurs transiently during insertion into the lipid phase of the membrane.


2006 ◽  
Vol 396 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas G. Glaser ◽  
Andreas Limacher ◽  
Sabine Flückiger ◽  
Annika Scheynius ◽  
Leonardo Scapozza ◽  
...  

Cyclophilins constitute a family of proteins involved in many essential cellular functions. They have also been identified as a panallergen family able to elicit IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions. Moreover, it has been shown that human cyclophilins are recognized by serum IgE from patients sensitized to environmental cyclophilins. IgE-mediated autoreactivity to self-antigens that have similarity to environmental allergens is often observed in atopic disorders. Therefore comparison of the crystal structure of human proteins with similarity to allergens should allow the identification of structural similarities to rationally explain autoreactivity. A new cyclophilin from Aspergillus fumigatus (Asp f 27) has been cloned, expressed and showed to exhibit cross-reactivity in vitro and in vivo. The three-dimensional structure of cyclophilin from the yeast Malassezia sympodialis (Mala s 6) has been determined at 1.5 Å (1 Å=0.1 nm) by X-ray diffraction. Crystals belong to space group P41212 with unit cell dimensions of a=b=71.99 Å and c=106.18 Å. The structure was solved by molecular replacement using the structure of human cyclophilin A as the search model. The refined structure includes all 162 amino acids of Mala s 6, an active-site-bound Ala-Pro dipeptide and 173 water molecules, with a crystallographic R- and free R-factor of 14.3% and 14.9% respectively. The overall structure consists of an eight-stranded antiparallel β-barrel and two α-helices covering the top and bottom of the barrel, typical for cyclophilins. We identified conserved solvent-exposed residues in the fungal and human structures that are potentially involved in the IgE-mediated cross-reactivity.


2005 ◽  
Vol 187 (24) ◽  
pp. 8511-8515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiang-Sheng Shen ◽  
Valérie Geoffroy ◽  
Shadi Neshat ◽  
Zongchao Jia ◽  
Allison Meldrum ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A number of aromatic residues were seen to cluster in the upper portion of the three-dimensional structure of the FpvA ferric pyoverdine receptor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, reminiscent of the aromatic binding pocket for ferrichrome in the FhuA receptor of Escherichia coli. Alanine substitutions in three of these, W362, W391, and F795, markedly compromised ferric pyoverdine binding and transport, consistent with a role of FpvA in ferric pyoverdine recognition.


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