Filament assembly regulates the catalytic activity of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase 1

Abstract

The enzyme phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase 1 (PRPS1) regulates nucleotide biosynthesis, as it generates phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate, a precursor of both purine and pyrimidine nucleotides. Mutations in human PRPS1 lead to a spectrum of human diseases associated with increased or decreased activity. PRPS1 has long been known for form large, heterogeneous oligomers in vitro. Recently, the protein was shown to assemble large, filamentous structures in vertebrates and budding yeast, suggesting evolutionary conservation of these cellular structures.