Structural Insights into the Second Step of RNA-dependent Cysteine Biosynthesis in Archaea: Crystal Structure of Sep-tRNA:Cys-tRNA Synthase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus

Abstract

In the ancient organisms, methanogenic archaea, lacking the canonical cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase, Cys-tRNA Cys is produced by an indirect pathway, in which O-phosphoseryl-tRNA synthetase ligates O-phosphoserine (Sep) to tRNA Cys and Sep-tRNA:Cys-tRNA synthase (SepCysS) converts Sep-tRNA Cys to Cys-tRNA Cys. In this study, the crystal structure of SepCysS from Archaeoglobus fulgidus has been determined at 2.4 Å resolution. SepCysS forms a dimer, composed of monomers bearing large and small domains. The large domain harbors the seven-stranded β-sheet, which is typical of the pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes. In the active site, which is located near the dimer interface, PLP is covalently bound to the side-chain of the conserved Lys209. In the proximity of PLP, a sulfate ion is bound by the side-chains of the conserved Arg79, His103, and Tyr104 residues. The active site is located deep within the large, basic cleft to accommodate Sep-tRNA Cys. On the basis of the surface electrostatic potential, the amino acid residue conservation mapping, the position of the bound sulfate ion, and the substrate amino acid binding manner in other PLP-dependent enzymes, a binding model of Sep-tRNA Cys to SepCysS was constructed. One of the three strictly conserved Cys residues (Cys39, Cys42, or Cys247), of one subunit may play a crucial role in the catalysis in the active site of the other subunit.