Ruffling is Essential for Staphylococcus aureus IsdG-catalyzed Degradation of Heme to Staphylobilin

Non-canonical heme oxygenases are enzymes that degrade heme to non-biliverdin products within bacterial heme iron acquisition pathways. These enzymes all contain a conserved second-sphere Trp residue that is essential for enzymatic turnover. Previous studies have revealed several important roles for the conserved second-sphere Trp in Staphylococcus aureus IsdG, S. aureus IsdI, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis MhuD. However, a general model for the geometric, electronic, and functional role of the second-sphere Trp had not been deduced prior to this work. Here, UV/Vis absorption (Abs) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopies were employed to show that the W67F variant of IsdG perturbs the heme substrate conformation without altering the protein secondary structure. In general, it can now be stated that a dynamic equilibrium between “planar” and “ruffled” substrate conformations exists within non-canonical heme oxygenases, and that the second-sphere Trp favors population of the “ruffled” substrate conformation. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance and magnetic CD spectroscopies were used to characterize the electronic structures of IsdG and IsdI variants with different substrate conformational distributions. These data revealed that the “ruffled” substrate conformation promotes partial porphyrin-to-iron electron transfer, which makes the meso carbons of the porphyrin ring susceptible to radical attack. Finally, UV/Vis Abs spectroscopy was utilized to quantify the enzymatic rates, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was used to identify the product distributions, for variants of IsdG with altered substrate conformational distributions. In general, the rate of heme oxygenation by non-canonical heme oxygenases depends upon the population of the “ruffled” substrate conformation. Also, the production of staphylobilin or mycobilin by these enzymes is correlated with the population of the “ruffled” substrate conformation, since variants that favor population of the “planar” substrate conformation yield significant amounts of biliverdin. These data can be understood within the framework of a concerted rearrangement mechanism for the monooxygenation of heme to meso-hydroxyheme by non-canonical heme oxygenases. However, the mechanisms of IsdG/IsdI and MhuD must diverge following this intermediate in order to generate distinct staphylobilin and mycobilin products, respectively.

A Dynamic Substrate is Required for MhuD-catalyzed Degradation of Heme to Mycobilin

The non-canoncial heme oxygenase MhuD from <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> binds a heme substrate that adopts a dynamic equilibrium between planar and out-of-plane ruffled conformations. MhuD degrades this substrate to an unusual mycobilin product via successive monooxygenation and dioxygenation reactions. This article establishes a causal relationship between heme substrate dynamics and MhuD-catalyzed heme degradation resulting in a refined enzymatic mechanism. UV/Vis absorption (Abs) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) data demonstrated that a second-sphere substitution favoring population of the ruffled heme conformation changed the rate-limiting step of the reaction resulting in a measurable build-up of the monooxygenated meso-hydroxyheme intermediate. In addition, UV/Vis Abs and ESI-MS data for a second-sphere variant that favored the planar substrate conformation showed that this change altered the enzymatic mechanism resulting in an alpha-biliverdin product. Single-turnover kinetic analyses for three MhuD variants revealed that the rate of heme monooxygenation depends upon the population of the ruffled substrate conformation. These kinetic analyses also revealed that the rate of meso-hydroxyheme dioxygenation by MhuD depends upon the population of the planar substrate conformation. Thus, the ruffled haem conformation supports rapid heme monooxygenation by MhuD, but further oxygenation to the mycobilin product is inhibited. In contrast, the planar substrate conformation exhibits altered heme monooxygenation regiospecificity followed by rapid oxygenation of meso-hydroxyheme. Altogether, these data yielded a refined enzymatic mechanism for MhuD where access to both substrate conformations is needed for rapid incorporation of three oxygen atoms into heme yielding mycobilin.<br>

A Dynamic Substrate is Required for MhuD-catalyzed Degradation of Heme to Mycobilin

The non-canoncial heme oxygenase MhuD from <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> binds a heme substrate that adopts a dynamic equilibrium between planar and out-of-plane ruffled conformations. MhuD degrades this substrate to an unusual mycobilin product via successive monooxygenation and dioxygenation reactions. This article establishes a causal relationship between heme substrate dynamics and MhuD-catalyzed heme degradation resulting in a refined enzymatic mechanism. UV/Vis absorption (Abs) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) data demonstrated that a second-sphere substitution favoring population of the ruffled heme conformation changed the rate-limiting step of the reaction resulting in a measurable build-up of the monooxygenated meso-hydroxyheme intermediate. In addition, UV/Vis Abs and ESI-MS data for a second-sphere variant that favored the planar substrate conformation showed that this change altered the enzymatic mechanism resulting in an alpha-biliverdin product. Single-turnover kinetic analyses for three MhuD variants revealed that the rate of heme monooxygenation depends upon the population of the ruffled substrate conformation. These kinetic analyses also revealed that the rate of meso-hydroxyheme dioxygenation by MhuD depends upon the population of the planar substrate conformation. Thus, the ruffled haem conformation supports rapid heme monooxygenation by MhuD, but further oxygenation to the mycobilin product is inhibited. In contrast, the planar substrate conformation exhibits altered heme monooxygenation regiospecificity followed by rapid oxygenation of meso-hydroxyheme. Altogether, these data yielded a refined enzymatic mechanism for MhuD where access to both substrate conformations is needed for rapid incorporation of three oxygen atoms into heme yielding mycobilin.<br>

A Dynamic Substrate is Required for MhuD-catalyzed Degradation of Heme to Mycobilin

The non-canoncial heme oxygenase MhuD from <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> binds a heme substrate that adopts a dynamic equilibrium between planar and out-of-plane ruffled conformations. MhuD degrades this substrate to an unusual mycobilin product via successive monooxygenation and dioxygenation reactions. This article establishes a causal relationship between heme substrate dynamics and MhuD-catalyzed heme degradation resulting in a revised enzymatic mechanism. UV/Vis absorption (Abs) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) data demonstrated that a second-sphere substitution favoring population of the ruffled heme conformation changed the rate-limiting step of the reaction resulting in a measurable build-up of the monooxygenated meso-hydroxyheme intermediate. In addition, UV/Vis Abs and ESI-MS data for a second-sphere variant that favored the planar substrate conformation showed that this change altered the enzymatic mechanism resulting in an alpha-biliverdin product. Single-turnover kinetic analyses for three MhuD variants revealed that the rate of heme monooxygenation depends upon the population of the ruffled substrate conformation. These kinetic analyses also revealed that the rate of meso-hydroxyheme dioxygenation by MhuD depends upon the population of the planar substrate conformation. Thus, the ruffled haem conformation supports rapid heme monooxygenation by MhuD, but further oxygenation to the mycobilin product is inhibited. In contrast, the planar substrate conformation exhibits altered heme monooxygenation regiospecificity followed by rapid oxygenation of meso-hydroxyheme. Altogether, these data yielded a revised enzymatic mechanism for MhuD where access to both substrate conformations is needed for rapid incorporation of three oxygen atoms into heme yielding mycobilin.<br>

A Dynamic Substrate is Required for MhuD-catalyzed Degradation of Heme to Mycobilin

The non-canoncial heme oxygenase MhuD from <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> binds a heme substrate that adopts a dynamic equilibrium between planar and out-of-plane ruffled conformations. MhuD degrades this substrate to an unusual mycobilin product via successive monooxygenation and dioxygenation reactions. This article establishes a causal relationship between heme substrate dynamics and MhuD-catalyzed heme degradation resulting in a revised enzymatic mechanism. UV/Vis absorption (Abs) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) data demonstrated that a second-sphere substitution favoring population of the ruffled heme conformation changed the rate-limiting step of the reaction resulting in a measurable build-up of the monooxygenated meso-hydroxyheme intermediate. In addition, UV/Vis Abs and ESI-MS data for a second-sphere variant that favored the planar substrate conformation showed that this change altered the enzymatic mechanism resulting in an alpha-biliverdin product. Single-turnover kinetic analyses for three MhuD variants revealed that the rate of heme monooxygenation depends upon the population of the ruffled substrate conformation. These kinetic analyses also revealed that the rate of meso-hydroxyheme dioxygenation by MhuD depends upon the population of the planar substrate conformation. Thus, the ruffled haem conformation supports rapid heme monooxygenation by MhuD, but further oxygenation to the mycobilin product is inhibited. In contrast, the planar substrate conformation exhibits altered heme monooxygenation regiospecificity followed by rapid oxygenation of meso-hydroxyheme. Altogether, these data yielded a revised enzymatic mechanism for MhuD where access to both substrate conformations is needed for rapid incorporation of three oxygen atoms into heme yielding mycobilin.<br>

A Dynamic Substrate is Required for MhuD-catalysed Degradation of Haem to Mycobilin

The non-canoncial haem oxygenase MhuD from <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> binds a haem substrate that adopts a dynamic equilibrium between planar and out-of-plane ruffled conformations. MhuD degrades this substrate to an unusual mycobilin product via successive monooxygenation and dioxygenation reactions. This article establishes a causal relationship between haem substrate dynamics and MhuD-catalysed haem degradation resulting in a revised enzymatic mechanism. UV/Vis absorption (Abs) and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) data demonstrated that a second-sphere substitution favouring population of the ruffled haem conformation changed the rate-limiting step of the reaction resulting in a measurable build-up of the monooxygenated meso-hydroxyhaem intermediate. In addition, UV/Vis Abs and ESI-MS data for a second-sphere variant that favoured the planar substrate conformation showed that this change altered the enzymatic mechanism resulting in an alpha-biliverdin product. Single-turnover kinetic analyses for three MhuD variants revealed that the rate of haem monooxygenation depends upon the population of the ruffled substrate conformation. These kinetic analyses also revealed that the rate of meso-hydroxyhaem dioxygenation by MhuD depends upon the population of the planar substrate conformation. Thus, the ruffled haem conformation supports rapid haem monooxygenation by MhuD, but further oxygenation to the mycobilin product is inhibited. In contrast, the planar substrate conformation exhibits altered haem monooxygenation regiospecificity followed by rapid oxygenation of meso-hydroxyhaem. Altogether, these data yielded a revised enzymatic mechanism for MhuD where access to both substrate conformations is needed for rapid incorporation of three oxygen atoms into haem yielding mycobilin.<br>

Structural and functional analysis of Oceanobacillus iheyensis macrodomain reveals a network of waters involved in substrate binding and catalysis

Macrodomains are ubiquitous conserved domains that bind or transform ADP-ribose (ADPr) metabolites. In humans, they are involved in transcription, X-chromosome inactivation, neurodegeneration and modulating PARP1 signalling, making them potential targets for therapeutic agents. Unfortunately, some aspects related to the substrate binding and catalysis of MacroD-like macrodomains still remain unclear, since mutation of the proposed catalytic aspartate does not completely abolish enzyme activity. Here, we present a functional and structural characterization of a macrodomain from the extremely halotolerant and alkaliphilic bacterium Oceanobacillus iheyensis (OiMacroD), related to hMacroD1/hMacroD2, shedding light on substrate binding and catalysis. The crystal structures of D40A, N30A and G37V mutants, and those with MES, ADPr and ADP bound, allowed us to identify five fixed water molecules that play a significant role in substrate binding. Closure of the β6–α4 loop is revealed as essential not only for pyrophosphate recognition, but also for distal ribose orientation. In addition, a novel structural role for residue D40 is identified. Furthermore, it is revealed that OiMacroD not only catalyses the hydrolysis of O -acetyl-ADP-ribose but also reverses protein mono-ADP-ribosylation. Finally, mutant G37V supports the participation of a substrate-coordinated water molecule in catalysis that helps to select the proper substrate conformation.

Phosphorylation of ORF1p is required for L1 retrotransposition

Although members of the L1 (LINE-1) clade of non-LTR retrotransposons can be deleterious, the L1 clade has remained active in most mammals for ∼100 million years and generated almost 40% of the human genome. The details of L1–host interaction are largely unknown, however. Here we report that L1 activity requires phosphorylation of the protein encoded by the L1 ORF1 (ORF1p). Critical phospho-acceptor residues (two serines and two threonines) reside in four conserved proline-directed protein kinase (PDPK) target sites. The PDPK family includes mitogen-activated protein kinases and cyclin-dependent kinases. Mutation of any PDPK phospho-acceptor inhibits L1 retrotransposition. The phosphomimetic aspartic acid can restore activity at the two serine sites, but not at either threonine site, where it is strongly inhibitory. ORF1p also contains conserved PDPK docking sites, which promote specific interaction of PDPKs with their targets. As expected, mutations in these sites also inhibit L1 activity. PDPK mutations in ORF1p that inactivate L1 have no significant effect on the ability of ORF1p to anneal RNA in vitro, an important biochemical property of the protein. We show that phosphorylated PDPK sites in ORF1p are required for an interaction with the peptidyl prolyl isomerase 1 (Pin1), a critical component of PDPK-mediated regulation. Pin1 acts via isomerization of proline side chains at phosphorylated PDPK motifs, thereby affecting substrate conformation and activity. Our demonstration that L1 activity is dependent on and integrated with cellular phosphorylation regulatory cascades significantly increases our understanding of interactions between L1 and its host.