A mutant of Escherichia coli citrate synthase that affects the allosteric equilibrium

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 232-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah H. Anderson ◽  
Lynda J. Donald ◽  
Mary V. Jacob ◽  
Harry W. Duckworth

We describe a mutant of Escherichia coli citrate synthase, CS R319L, in which the arginine residue at position 319 of the sequence has been replaced by leucine. In this mutant, saturation by the substrate acetyl-CoA is changed from sigmoid (Hill parameter = 1.75 ± 0.2) to hyperbolic (Hill parameter = 1.0 ± 0.1) and dependence on the activator KCl is greatly reduced. Further mutations at this site and at position 343 (which model building predicts is close enough to allow a side-chain interaction with position 319) are also described. In the wild-type enzyme, the model suggests the possibility of a salt-bridge interaction between Arg-319 (located on the P helix in the small domain) and Glu-343 (in the Q helix in the same domain), but mutation of Glu-343 to Ala (CS E343A) produced a much smaller difference in the kinetic properties than the Arg-319 to Leu mutation did. Small changes in kinetic properties were also obtained with an Arg-319 → Glu (CS R319E) mutation. In CS R319L, oxaloacetate, the first substrate to bind, induces an ultraviolet difference spectrum which is obtained with wild-type enzyme only in the presence of KCl. To account for these observations we postulate that wild-type E. coli citrate synthase exists in two conformational states, T and R, which are equilibrium; T state binds NADH, the allosteric inhibitor, while R state binds substrates and can be converted to another substrate-binding state, R′, by KCl. In the CS R319L mutant, it is proposed that the T ↔ R equilibrium is shifted significantly towards R state, permitting an easier interaction with substrates in the absence of KCl. To account for the behaviour of enzymes mutated at amino acids 319 and 343, we propose that the allosteric transition between T and R states involves a subtle adjustment of the relative positions of the P and Q helices, which is affected by some of the mutations tested.Key words: citrate synthase, allostery, site-directed mutagenesis.

1995 ◽  
Vol 305 (1) ◽  
pp. 239-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
A G S Robertson ◽  
H G Nimmo

Cysteine-195 was previously identified as a probable active site residue in isocitrate lyase (ICL) from Escherichia coli ML308 [Nimmo, Douglas, Kleanthous, Campbell and MacKintosh (1989) Biochem. J. 261, 431-435]. This residue was replaced with serine and alanine residues by site-directed mutagenesis. The mutated genes expressed proteins with low but finite ICL activity, which co-migrated with wild-type ICL on both SDS/ and native PAGE. The mutant proteins were purified and characterized. Fluorimetry and c.d. in both the near- and the far-u.v. regions showed no differences between the mutants and wild-type ICL, indicating that the conformations of the three enzymes were very similar. ICL C195A (Cys-195-->Ala) and C195S (Cys-195-->Ser) showed 8.4-fold and 3.6-fold increases in the Km for isocitrate, while their kcat. values showed 30- and 100-fold decreases respectively. The effect of pH on the kinetic properties of the wild-type and mutant ICLs was investigated. The results showed that the response of the mutant enzymes to pH was simpler than that of the wild-type. For the mutants, ionisation of a group with a pKa of approx. 7.8 affected the Km for isocitrate and kcat.. For the wild-type enzyme, these parameters were affected by the ionization of two or more groups, one of which is presumed to by cysteine-195. The results are consistent with the view that the previously identified group with a pKa of 7.1 whose ionization affects the reaction of ICL by iodoacetate is cysteine-195 itself.


1999 ◽  
Vol 67 (11) ◽  
pp. 5755-5761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byung-Kwon Choi ◽  
Dieter M. Schifferli

ABSTRACT The FasG subunit of the 987P fimbriae of enterotoxigenic strains ofEscherichia coli was previously shown to mediate fimbrial binding to a glycoprotein and a sulfatide receptor on intestinal brush borders of piglets. Moreover, the 987P adhesin FasG is required for fimbrial expression, since fasG null mutants are nonfimbriated. In this study, fasG was modified by site-directed mutagenesis to study its sulfatide binding properties. Twenty single mutants were generated by replacing positively charged lysine (K) or arginine (R) residues with small, nonpolar alanine (A) residues. Reduced levels of binding to sulfatide-containing liposomes correlated with reduced fimbriation and FasG surface display in fourfasG mutants (R27A, R286A, R226A, and R368). Among the 16 remaining normally fimbriated mutants with wild-type levels of surface-exposed FasG, only one mutant (K117A) did not interact at all with sulfatide-containing liposomes. Four mutants (K117A, R116A, K118A, and R200A) demonstrated reduced binding to such liposomes. Since complete phenotypic dissociation between the structure and specific function of 987P was observed only with mutant K117A, this residue is proposed to play an essential role in the FasG-sulfatide interaction, possibly communicating with the sulfate group of sulfatide by hydrogen bonding and/or salt bridge formation. Residues K17, R116, K118, and R200 may stabilize this interaction.


1995 ◽  
Vol 309 (1) ◽  
pp. 341-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
M H Rider ◽  
K M Crepin ◽  
M De Cloedt ◽  
L Bertrand ◽  
D Vertommen ◽  
...  

The roles of Arg-104 and Arg-225 located in the 2-kinase domain of the bifunctional enzyme 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase (PFK-2)/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase-2) have been studied by site-directed mutagenesis. In recombinant rat liver PFK-2/FBPase-2, mutation of Arg-225 to Ser increased the Km of PFK-2 for fructose-6-phosphate (Fru-6-P) 7-fold at pH 6 and decreased PFK-2 activity at suboptimal substrate concentrations between pH 6 and 9.5. The mutation had no effect on the Vmax of PFK-2 or on the Km of PFK-2 for MgATP. The mutation also increased the Vmax. of FBPase-2 4-fold without changing the Km for Fru-2,6-P2 or IC50 of Fru-6-P. These findings are in agreement with a previous study [Rider and Hue (1992) Eur. J. Biochem. 207, 967-972] on the protection by Fru-6-P of the labelling of Arg-225 by phenylglyoxal, and suggest that Arg-225 participates in Fru-6-P binding. In recombinant rat muscle PFK-2/FBPase-2, mutation of Arg-104 to Ser increased the Km for Fru-6-P 60-fold, increased the IC50 of citrate, increased the Vmax. 1.5-3-fold at pH 8.5 and altered the pH profile of PFK-2 activity. It did not affect the Km of PFK-2 for MgATP. The mutation also decreased the Vmax. of FBPase-2 3-fold, increased the Km for Fru-2,6-P2 70-fold and increased the IC50 of Fru-6-P at least 300-fold. Although the dimeric structure was maintained in the mutant, its PFK-2 activity was more sensitive towards inactivation by guanidinium chloride than the wild-type enzyme activity. The findings indicate that Arg-104 is involved in Fru-6-P binding in the PFK-2 domain and that it might also bind citrate. Structural changes resulting from the mutation might be responsible for the changes in kinetic properties of FBPase-2.


1994 ◽  
Vol 302 (1) ◽  
pp. 291-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Moreau ◽  
M Roberge ◽  
C Manin ◽  
F Shareck ◽  
D Kluepfel ◽  
...  

On the basis of similarities between known xylanase sequences of the F family, three invariant acidic residues of xylanase A from Streptomyces lividans were investigated. Site-directed-mutagenesis experiments were carried out in Escherichia coli after engineering the xylanase A gene to allow its expression. Replacement of Glu-128 or Glu-236 by their isosteric form (Gln) completely abolished enzyme activity with xylan and p-nitrophenyl beta-D-cellobioside, indicating that the two substrates are hydrolysed at the same site. These two amino acids probably represent the catalytic residues. Immunological studies, which showed that the two mutants retained the same epitopes, indicate that the lack of activity is the result of the mutation rather than misfolding of the protein. Mutation D124E did not affect the kinetic parameters with xylan as substrate, but D124N reduced the Km 16-fold and the Vmax. 14-fold when compared with the wild-type enzyme. The mutations had a more pronounced effect with p-nitrophenyl beta-D-cellobioside as the substrate. Mutation D124E increased the Km and decreased the Vmax. 5-fold each, while D124N reduced the Km 4.5-fold and the Vmax. 75-fold. The mutations had no effect on the cleavage mode of xylopentaose.


1994 ◽  
Vol 299 (3) ◽  
pp. 671-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y C Leung ◽  
C V Robinson ◽  
R T Aplin ◽  
S G Waley

Two Glu-166 mutants of beta-lactamase I from Bacillus cereus 569/H were constructed: one with a lengthened side chain (E166Cmc, the S-carboxymethylcysteine mutant) and the other with the side chain shortened and made non-polar (E166A). Their kinetic properties were studied and compared with those of the wild-type and the E166D mutant (with a shortened side chain) previously made by Gibson, Christensen and Waley (1990) (Biochem. J. 272, 613-619). Surprisingly, with good penicillin substrates, Km, kcat. and kcat./Km of the two conservative mutants (E166Cmc and E166D) are similar to those of the non-conservative mutant E166A. Their kcat. values are 3000-fold lower than that of the wild-type enzyme, showing that Glu-166 is a very important residue. The acylenzyme intermediate of E166A and a good substrate, penicillin V, was trapped by acid-quench and observed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, suggesting that Glu-166 is more important in catalysing the deacylation step than the acylation step. The beta-lactamase I E166A mutant is about 200-fold more active than the Bacillus licheniformis E166A mutant with nitrocefin or 6 beta-furylacryloyl-amidopenicillanic acid as substrate. This suggested that other groups in the active site of the beta-lactamase I mutant may activate the catalytic water molecule for deacylation.


1994 ◽  
Vol 300 (3) ◽  
pp. 765-770 ◽  
Author(s):  
W J Man ◽  
Y Li ◽  
C D O'Connor ◽  
D C Wilton

The first step in the overall catalytic mechanism of citrate synthase is the binding and polarization of oxaloacetate. Active-site residues Arg-314, Asp-312 and His-264 in Escherichia coli citrate synthase, which are involved in oxaloacetate binding, were converted by site-directed mutagenesis to Gln-314, Asn-312 and Asn-264 respectively. The R314Q and D312N mutants expressed negligible overall catalytic activity at pH 8.0, the normal assay pH, but substantial activities for the partial reactions that reflect the cleavage and hydrolysis of the substrate intermediate citryl-CoA. However, when the pH was lowered to 7.0, the overall reaction of the mutants became significant, in contrast to the wild-type enzyme, whereas the two mutants exhibited reduced activities for the partial reactions. This result is consistent with the existence of a rate-limiting step between the two partial reactions for these mutants that is pH-dependent. The Km for oxaloacetate for the two mutants was increased 10-fold and was paralleled by an increase in the Km for citryl-CoA, whereas the Km for acetyl-CoA was increased only 2-fold. Overall, there was a striking parallel between the results obtained for these two mutants, which suggests that they are functionally linked in the E. coli enzyme. The equivalent of these two residues form a salt bridge in the pig heart citrate synthase crystal structure. The H264N mutant, in which the amide nitrogen of asparagine should mimic the delta-nitrogen of histidine, showed negligible activity in terms of both overall and partial catalysis, which may result from a hindrance of conformational change upon oxaloacetate binding. The affinity of this mutant for oxaloacetate appeared to be greatly reduced when investigated using indirect fluorescence and chemical modification techniques.


1994 ◽  
Vol 300 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
M H Rider ◽  
K M Crepin ◽  
M De Cloedt ◽  
L Bertrand ◽  
L Hue

Asp-130 of the recombinant skeletal-muscle 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase (PFK-2)/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase was mutated into Ala in order to study its role in catalysis and/or substrate binding. The D130A mutant displayed a 30- to 140-fold decreased 2-kinase Vmax, depending on the pH, and a 30- and 60-fold increase in Km for MgATP and Fru-6-P respectively at pH 8.5 compared with the wild-type. Mutagenesis of Asp-130 to Ala had no effect on the 2-phosphatase activity, and fluorescence measurements indicated that the changes in kinetic properties of PFK-2 in the D130A mutant were not due to instability. The role of Asp-130 in the 2-kinase reaction is discussed and compared with that of Asp-103 of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase from Escherichia coli, which binds Mg2+.


Genetics ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 151 (2) ◽  
pp. 439-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaaki Onda ◽  
Katsuhiro Hanada ◽  
Hirokazu Kawachi ◽  
Hideo Ikeda

Abstract DNA damage by oxidative stress is one of the causes of mutagenesis. However, whether or not DNA damage induces illegitimate recombination has not been determined. To study the effect of oxidative stress on illegitimate recombination, we examined the frequency of λbio transducing phage in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and found that this reagent enhances illegitimate recombination. To clarify the types of illegitimate recombination, we examined the effect of mutations in mutM and related genes on the process. The frequency of λbio transducing phage was 5- to 12-fold higher in the mutM mutant than in the wild type, while the frequency in the mutY and mutT mutants was comparable to that of the wild type. Because 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) and formamido pyrimidine (Fapy) lesions can be removed from DNA by MutM protein, these lesions are thought to induce illegitimate recombination. Analysis of recombination junctions showed that the recombination at Hotspot I accounts for 22 or 4% of total λbio transducing phages in the wild type or in the mutM mutant, respectively. The preferential increase of recombination at nonhotspot sites with hydrogen peroxide in the mutM mutant was discussed on the basis of a new model, in which 8-oxoG and/or Fapy residues may introduce double-strand breaks into DNA.


1991 ◽  
Vol 277 (3) ◽  
pp. 647-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Jacob ◽  
B Joris ◽  
J M Frère

By using site-directed mutagenesis, the active-site serine residue of the Streptomyces albus G beta-lactamase was substituted by alanine and cysteine. Both mutant enzymes were produced in Streptomyces lividans and purified to homogeneity. The cysteine beta-lactamase exhibited a substrate-specificity profile distinct from that of the wild-type enzyme, and its kcat./Km values at pH 7 were never higher than 0.1% of that of the serine enzyme. Unlike the wild-type enzyme, the activity of the mutant increased at acidic pH values. Surprisingly, the alanine mutant exhibited a weak but specific activity for benzylpenicillin and ampicillin. In addition, a very small production of wild-type enzyme, probably due to mistranslation, was detected, but that activity could be selectively eliminated. Both mutant enzymes were nearly as thermostable as the wild-type.


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