Role Of Active Site Residues Research Articles

A multi-scale computational study on the mechanism of Streptococcus pneumoniae Nicotinamidase (SpNic).

Nicotinamidase (Nic) is a key zinc-dependent enzyme in NAD metabolism that catalyzes the hydrolysis of nicotinamide to give nicotinic acid. A multi-scale computational approach has been used to investigate the catalytic mechanism, substrate binding and roles of active site residues of Nic from Streptococcus pneumoniae (SpNic). In particular, density functional theory (DFT), molecular dynamics (MD) and ONIOM quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods have been employed. The overall mechanism occurs in two stages: (i) formation of a thioester enzyme-intermediate (IC2) and (ii) hydrolysis of the thioester bond to give the products. The polar protein environment has a significant effect in stabilizing reaction intermediates and in particular transition states. As a result, both stages effectively occur in one step with Stage 1, formation of IC2, being rate limiting barrier with a cost of 53.5 kJ·mol−1 with respect to the reactant complex, RC. The effects of dispersion interactions on the overall mechanism were also considered but were generally calculated to have less significant effects with the overall mechanism being unchanged. In addition, the active site lysyl (Lys103) is concluded to likely play a role in stabilizing the thiolate of Cys136 during the reaction.

Structure-function studies of CrmK, an oxidase involved in Caerulomycin A biosynthesis

Caerulomycin A (CRM A) is an immunosupressive agent that has a unique 2,2'-bipyridine core structure. Isolated from a marine-derived Actinoalloteichus cyanogriseus, this natural product exhibits antifungal, anti-amoebic, antitumor, and antimicrobial activities. Its biosynthetic pathway consists of more than 20 enzymes, at least seven of which are putatively involved in post-PKS/NRPS modifications of the scaffold. Among these, CrmK is a flavin-dependent oxidase. We have determined the crystal structure of CrmK bound to its flavin adenin dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor at 1.9 Å resolution. FAD linkage to CrmK is observed via two covalent bonds with protein residues His64 and Cys124. This crystal structure, combined with the activity analysis of both wild-type CrmK and a series of mutants, has revealed the role of active site residues lining the substrate and FAD binding pocket. Our studies add additional molecular insights into the structure and function relationship of the bicovalently flavinylated oxidases.

Structural and biochemical analysis of a type II free methionine-R-sulfoxide reductase from Thermoplasma acidophilum

Free methionine-R-sulfoxide reductase (fRMsr) enzymes only reduce the free form of methionine-R-sulfoxide and can be grouped into two types with respect to the number of conserved Cys residues in the active sites. In this work, the crystal structures of type II fRMsr from Thermoplasma acidophilum (TafRMsr), which contains two conserved Cys, have been determined in native form and in a complex with the substrate. The overall structure of TafRMsr consists of a central β-sheet encompassed by a two-α-helix bundle flanking on one side and one small α-helix on the other side. Based on biochemical and growth complementation assays, Cys84 is demonstrated to be the catalytic Cys. The data also show that TafRMsr functions as an antioxidant protein. Structural analyses reveal insights into substrate recognition and orientation, conformational changes in the active site during substrate binding, and the role of active site residues in substrate binding. A model for the catalytic mechanism of type II TafRMsr is suggested, in which intramolecular disulfide bond formation is not involved. In addition, the biochemical, enzymatic, and structural properties of type II TafRMsr are compared with those of type I enzymes.

Evidence for the role of active site residues in the hairpin ribozyme from molecular simulations along the reaction path.

The hairpin ribozyme accelerates a phosphoryl transfer reaction without catalytic participation of divalent metal ions. Residues A38 and G8 have been implicated as playing roles in general acid and base catalysis, respectively. Here we explore the structure and dynamics of key active site residues using more than 1 μs of molecular dynamics simulations of the hairpin ribozyme at different stages along the catalytic pathway. Analysis of results indicates hydrogen bond interactions between the nucleophile and proR nonbridging oxygen are correlated with active inline attack conformations. Further, the simulation results suggest a possible alternative role for G8 to promote inline fitness and facilitate activation of the nucleophile by hydrogen bonding, although this does not necessarily exclude an additional role as a general base. Finally, we suggest that substitution of G8 with N7- or N3-deazaguanosine which have elevated pKa values, both with and without thio modifications at the 5′ leaving group position, would provide valuable insight into the specific role of G8 in catalysis.

Structural and biochemical analysis of a type II free methionine‐R‐sulfoxide reductase from Thermoplasma acidophilum (774.7)

Free methionine‐R‐sulfoxide reductase (fRMsr) enzymes only reduce the free form of methionine‐R‐sulfoxide (Met‐R‐O). These enzymes can be grouped into two types with respect to the number of conserved Cys residues in the active sites. Type I fRMsr enzymes, which have three conserved Cys residues, have been characterized biochemically and structurally. However, the structural and biochemical properties of type II enzymes, which have two conserved Cys residues, are unknown. Here, we present the crystal structures of type II fRMsr from Thermoplasma acidophilum in native form and in a complex with Met‐R‐O. T. acidophilum fRMsr functions as an antioxidant protein. Based on biochemical and growth complementation assays, Cys84 is demonstrated to be the catalytic Cys. Structural analyses also support the catalytic function of Cys84 and provide insights into substrate recognition and orientation, conformational changes in the active site during substrate binding, and the role of active site residues in substrate binding and catalysis. A model for the catalytic mechanism of type II T. acidophilum fRMsr is proposed, in which a resolving Cys is not involved and the catalytic Cys84 sulfenic acid is directly reduced by the reductant thioredoxin.

Probing the role of active site residues in an antibiotic‐resistance methyltransferase (584.9)

Many antibiotics target the bacterial ribosome to inhibit the translation of bacterial proteins, resulting in decreased bacterial growth. As pathogenic bacteria become progressively resistant to antibiotics, the need for in‐depth understanding of resistance‐conferring mechanisms becomes more critical. Streptomyces azureus expresses thiostrepton‐resistance methyltransferase (Tsr), an enzyme that confers resistance by modifying its antibiotic binding site, specifically catalyzing 2’‐hydroxyl‐methylation of adenosine 1067 on 23S rRNA. Six amino acids surrounding the S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine (SAM) cofactor, conserved in SAM‐dependent methyltransferases, are believed to play a critical role in cofactor binding and/or catalysis. Mutating these residues was hypothesized to disrupt methylation by Tsr. Residues in the catalytic domain were individually mutated using site‐directed mutagenesis. Tsr mutants were purified using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). The formation of Tsr‐cofactor complex and the catalytic activity of Tsr were evaluated with isothermal titration calorimetry and a methylation assay respectively. All Tsr mutants showed reduced methylation, but similar binding affinity to the cofactor product as wild‐type Tsr. Therefore, the major effects of the mutated amino acids are on the Tsr catalytic mechanism. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which Tsr recognizes and methylates its substrate will provide insight into how Tsr and similar methyltransferases confer resistance to antibiotics.

Structural analysis of 1-Cys type selenoprotein methionine sulfoxide reductase A

Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) reduces free and protein-based methionine-S-sulfoxide to methionine. Structures of 1-Cys MsrAs lacking a resolving Cys, which interacts with catalytic Cys, are unknown. In addition, no structural information on selenocysteine (Sec)-containing MsrA enzymes has been reported. In this work, we determined the crystal structures of 1-Cys type selenoprotein MsrA from Clostridium oremlandii at 1.6–1.8Å, including the reduced, oxidized (sulfenic acid), and substrate-bound forms. The overall structure of Clostridium MsrA, consisting of ten α-helices and six β-strands, folds into a catalytic domain and a novel helical domain absent from other known MsrA structures. The helical domain, containing five helices, tightly interacts with the catalytic domain, and is likely critical for catalytic activity due to its association with organizing the active site. This helical domain is also conserved in several selenoprotein MsrAs. Our structural analysis reveals that the side chain length of Glu55 is critical for the proton donor function of this residue. Our structures also provide insights into the architecture of the 1-Cys MsrA active site and the roles of active site residues in substrate recognition and catalysis.

Role of active site residues in promoting cobalt-carbon bond homolysis in adenosylcobalamin-dependent mutases revealed through experiment and computation.

Adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl) serves as a source of reactive free radicals that are generated by homolytic scission of the coenzyme's cobalt-carbon bond. AdoCbl-dependent enzymes accelerate AdoCbl homolysis by ∼10(12)-fold, but the mechanism by which this is accomplished remains unclear. We have combined experimental and computational approaches to gain molecular-level insight into this process for glutamate mutase. Two residues, glutamate 330 and lysine 326, form hydrogen bonds with the adenosyl group of the coenzyme. A series of mutations that impair the enzyme's ability to catalyze coenzyme homolysis and tritium exchange with the substrate by 2-4 orders of magnitude were introduced at these positions. These mutations, together with the wild-type enzyme, were also characterized in silico by molecular dynamics simulations of the enzyme-AdoCbl-substrate complex with AdoCbl modeled in the associated (Co-C bond formed) or dissociated [adenosyl radical with cob(II)alamin] state. The simulations reveal that the number of hydrogen bonds between the adenosyl group and the protein side chains increases in the homolytically dissociated state, with respect to the associated state, for both the wild-type and mutant enzymes. The mutations also cause a progressive increase in the mean distance between the 5'-carbon of the adenosyl radical and the abstractable hydrogen of the substrate. Interestingly, the distance between the 5'-carbon and substrate hydrogen, determined computationally, was found to inversely correlate with the log k for tritium exchange (r = 0.93) determined experimentally. Taken together, these results point to a dual role for these residues: they both stabilize the homolytic state through electrostatic interactions between the protein and the dissociated coenzyme and correctly position the adenosyl radical to facilitate the abstraction of hydrogen from the substrate.

Structure of MurNAc 6-Phosphate Hydrolase (MurQ) from Haemophilus influenzae with a Bound Inhibitor

The breakdown and recycling of peptidoglycan, an essential polymeric cell structure, occur in a number of bacterial species. A key enzyme in the recycling pathway of one of the components of the peptidoglycan layer, N-acetylmuramic acid (MurNAc), is MurNAc 6-phosphate hydrolase (MurQ). This enzyme catalyzes the cofactor-independent cleavage of a relatively nonlabile ether bond and presents an interesting target for mechanistic studies. Open chain product and substrate analogues were synthesized and tested as competitive inhibitors (K(is) values of 1.1 ± 0.3 and 0.23 ± 0.02 mM, respectively) of the MurNAc 6P hydrolase from Escherichia coli (MurQ-EC). To identify the roles of active site residues that are important for catalysis, the substrate analogue was cocrystallized with the MurNAc 6P hydrolase from Haemophilus influenzae (MurQ-HI) that was amenable to crystallographic studies. The cocrystal structure of MurQ-HI with the substrate analogue showed that Glu89 was located in the proximity of both the C2 atom and the oxygen at the C3 position of the bound inhibitor and that no other potential acid/base residue that could act as an active site acid/base was located in the vicinity. The conserved residues Glu120 and Lys239 were found within hydrogen bonding distance of the C5 hydroxyl group and C6 phosphate group, suggesting that they play a role in substrate binding and ring opening. Combining these results with previous biochemical data, we propose a one-base mechanism of action in which Glu89 functions to both deprotonate at the C2 position and assist in the departure of the lactyl ether at the C3 position. This same residue would serve to deprotonate the incoming water and reprotonate the enolate in the second half of the catalytic cycle.

Solution structures of the Bacillus cereus metallo-β-lactamase BcII and its complex with the broad spectrum inhibitor R-thiomandelic acid

Metallo-β-lactamases, enzymes which inactivate β-lactam antibiotics, are of increasing biological and clinical significance as a source of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria. In the present study we describe the high-resolution solution NMR structures of the Bacillus cereus metallo-β-lactamase BcII and of its complex with R-thiomandelic acid, a broad-spectrum inhibitor of metallo-β-lactamases. This is the first reported solution structure of any metallo-β-lactamase. There are differences between the solution structure of the free enzyme and previously reported crystal structures in the loops flanking the active site, which are important for substrate and inhibitor binding and catalysis. The binding of R-thiomandelic acid and the roles of active-site residues are defined in detail. Changes in the enzyme structure upon inhibitor binding clarify the role of the mobile β3–β4 loop. Comparisons with other metallo-β-lactamases highlight the roles of individual amino-acid residues in the active site and the β3–β4 loop in inhibitor binding and provide information on the basis of structure–activity relationships among metallo-β-lactamase inhibitors.

Structure of a Clostridium botulinum C143S Thiaminase I/Thiamin Complex Reveals Active Site Architecture,

Thiaminases are responsible for the degradation of thiamin and its metabolites. Two classes of thiaminases have been identified based on their three-dimensional structures and their requirements for a nucleophilic second substrate. Although the reactions of several thiaminases have been characterized, the physiological role of thiamin degradation is not fully understood. We have determined the three-dimensional X-ray structure of an inactive C143S mutant of Clostridium botulinum (Cb) thiaminase I with bound thiamin at 2.2 Å resolution. The C143S/thiamin complex provides atomic level details of the orientation of thiamin upon binding to Cb-thiaminase I and the identity of active site residues involved in substrate binding and catalysis. The specific roles of active site residues were probed by using site directed mutagenesis and kinetic analyses, leading to a detailed mechanism for Cb-thiaminase I. The structure of Cb-thiaminase I is also compared to the functionally similar but structurally distinct thiaminase II.

Enhancement of Proteolytic Activity of a Thermostable Papain-Like Protease by Structure-Based Rational Design

Ervatamins (A, B and C) are papain-like cysteine proteases from the plant Ervatamia coronaria. Among Ervatamins, Ervatamin-C is a thermostable protease, but it shows lower catalytic efficiency. In contrast, Ervatamin-A which has a high amino acid sequence identity (∼90%) and structural homology (Cα rmsd 0.4 Å) with Ervatamin-C, has much higher catalytic efficiency (∼57 times). From the structural comparison of Ervatamin-A and –C, two residues Thr32 and Tyr67 in the catalytic cleft of Ervatamin-A have been identified whose contributions for higher activity of Ervatamin-A are established in our earlier studies. In this study, these two residues have been introduced in Ervatamin-C by site directed mutagenesis to enhance the catalytic efficiency of the thermostable protease. Two single mutants (S32T and A67Y) and one double mutant (S32T/A67Y) of Ervatamin-C have been generated and characterized. All the three mutants show ∼ 8 times higher catalytic efficiency (k cat/K m) than the wild-type. The thermostability of all the three mutant enzymes remained unchanged. The double mutant does not achieve the catalytic efficiency of the template enzyme Ervatamin-A. By modeling the structure of the double mutant and probing the role of active site residues by docking a substrate, the mechanistic insights of higher activity of the mutant protease have been addressed. The in-silico study demonstrates that the residues beyond the catalytic cleft also influence the substrate binding and positioning of the substrate at the catalytic centre, thus controlling the catalytic efficiency of an enzyme.

X‐ray Crystal Structure of the Cytochrome P450 2B4 Active Site Mutant F297A in Complex with Clopidogrel: Insights into Compensatory Rearrangements of the Binding Pocket

Prior X‐ray crystal structures of rabbit cytochrome P450 2B4 and human P450 2B6 have revealed the pivotal role of side‐chain rearrangement of active site residues F206 and F297 in accommodating various inhibitors or substrates. To explore further the structural basis of ligand binding, the crystal structure of 2B4 F297A was solved in complex with the drug clopidogrel. The structure demonstrated the reorientation of ligand in the active site such that the acetoxy group is oriented toward the heme, whereas the thiophene moiety now extends to the void region of A297 on the I‐helix. Interestingly, movement of the I‐helix and several amino acid side chains within the active site was observed in apparent response to the altered binding orientation. Results of flexible docking using the 2B4 wild type or the F297A‐virtual mutant positioned either the thiophene or chlorophenyl group closer to heme. However, docking of clopidogrel using the F297A structure or a virtual mutant where the I‐helix was also repositioned, oriented clopidogrel preferentially with either the acetoxy or the chlorophenyl group closest to heme. The study provides insight into how the altered active site adapts to accommodate the substrate in a distinct orientation and has important implications for understanding the role of active site residues in functional differences among related P450 enzymes. Supported by NIH grant ES03619.

Biochemical Evaluation of the Decarboxylation and Decarboxylation-Deamination Activities of Plant Aromatic Amino Acid Decarboxylases

Plant aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AAAD) enzymes are capable of catalyzing either decarboxylation or decarboxylation-deamination on various combinations of aromatic amino acid substrates. These two different activities result in the production of arylalkylamines and the formation of aromatic acetaldehydes, respectively. Variations in product formation enable individual enzymes to play different physiological functions. Despite these catalytic variations, arylalkylamine and aldehyde synthesizing AAADs are indistinguishable without protein expression and characterization. In this study, extensive biochemical characterization of plant AAADs was performed to identify residues responsible for differentiating decarboxylation AAADs from aldehyde synthase AAADs. Results demonstrated that a tyrosine residue located on a catalytic loop proximal to the active site of plant AAADs is primarily responsible for dictating typical decarboxylase activity, whereas a phenylalanine at the same position is primarily liable for aldehyde synthase activity. Mutagenesis of the active site phenylalanine to tyrosine in Arabidopsis thaliana and Petroselinum crispum aromatic acetaldehyde synthases primarily converts the enzymes activity from decarboxylation-deamination to decarboxylation. The mutation of the active site tyrosine to phenylalanine in the Catharanthus roseus and Papaver somniferum aromatic amino acid decarboxylases changes the enzymes decarboxylation activity to a primarily decarboxylation-deamination activity. Generation of these mutant enzymes enables the production of unusual AAAD enzyme products including indole-3-acetaldehyde, 4-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde, and phenylethylamine. Our data indicates that the tyrosine and phenylalanine in the catalytic loop region could serve as a signature residue to reliably distinguish plant arylalkylamine and aldehyde synthesizing AAADs. Additionally, the resulting data enables further insights into the mechanistic roles of active site residues.

The roles of active site residues in the catalytic mechanism of methylaspartate ammonia-lyase

Methylaspartate ammonia-lyase (MAL; EC 4.3.1.2) catalyzes the reversible addition of ammonia to mesaconate to yield l-threo-(2S,3S)-3-methylaspartate and l-erythro-(2S,3R)-3-methylaspartate as products. In the proposed minimal mechanism for MAL of Clostridium tetanomorphum, Lys-331 acts as the (S)-specific base catalyst and abstracts the 3S-proton from l-threo-3-methylaspartate, resulting in an enolate anion intermediate. This enolic intermediate is stabilized by coordination to the essential active site Mg2+ ion and hydrogen bonding to the Gln-329 residue. Collapse of this intermediate results in the release of ammonia and the formation of mesaconate. His-194 likely acts as the (R)-specific base catalyst and abstracts the 3R-proton from the l-erythro isomer of 3-methylaspartate, yielding the enolic intermediate. In the present study, we have investigated the importance of the residues Gln-73, Phe-170, Gln-172, Tyr-356, Thr-360, Cys-361 and Leu-384 for the catalytic activity of C. tetanomorphum MAL. These residues, which are part of the enzyme surface lining the substrate binding pocket, were subjected to site-directed mutagenesis and the mutant enzymes were characterized for their structural integrity, ability to catalyze the amination of mesaconate, and regio- and diastereoselectivity. Based on the observed properties of the mutant enzymes, combined with previous structural studies and protein engineering work, we propose a detailed catalytic mechanism for the MAL-catalyzed reaction, in which the side chains of Gln-73, Gln-172, Tyr-356, Thr-360, and Leu-384 provide favorable interactions with the substrate, which are important for substrate binding and activation. This detailed knowledge of the catalytic mechanism of MAL can serve as a guide for future protein engineering experiments.

Mechanistic and Structural Analyses of the Roles of Active Site Residues in Yeast Polyamine Oxidase Fms1: Characterization of the N195A and D94N Enzymes

Flavoprotein Fms1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae catalyzes the oxidation of spermine in the biosynthetic pathway for pantothenic acid. The same reaction is catalyzed by the mammalian polyamine and spermine oxidases. The active site of Fms1 contains three amino acid residues positioned to interact with the polyamine substrate, His67, Asn195, and Asp94. These three residues form a hydrogen-bonding triad with Asn195 being the central residue. Previous studies of the effects of mutating His67 are consistent with that residue being important both for interacting with the substrate and for maintaining the hydrogen bonds in the triad [Adachi, M. S., Taylor, A. B., Hart, P. J., and Fitzpatrick, P. F. (2012) Biochemistry 51, 4888-4897]. The N195A and D94N enzymes have now been characterized to evaluate their roles in catalysis. Both mutations primarily affect the reductive half-reaction. With N(1)-acetylspermine as the substrate, the rate constant for flavin reduction decreases ~450-fold for both mutations; the effects with spermine as the substrate are smaller, 20-40-fold. The k(cat)/K(amine)- and k(cat)-pH profiles with N(1)-acetylspermine are only slightly changed from the profiles for the wild-type enzyme, consistent with the pK(a) values arising from the amine substrate or product and not from active site residues. The structure of the N195A enzyme was determined at a resolution of 2.0 Å. The structure shows a molecule of tetraethylene glycol in the active site and establishes that the mutation has no effect on the protein structure. Overall, the results are consistent with the role of Asn195 and Asp94 being to properly position the polyamine substrate for oxidation.

The Catalytic Mechanism of the Hotdog-fold Enzyme Superfamily 4-Hydroxybenzoyl-CoA Thioesterase from Arthrobacter sp. Strain SU

The hotdog-fold enzyme 4-hydroxybenzoyl-coenzyme A (4-HB-CoA) thioesterase from Arthrobacter sp. strain AU catalyzes the hydrolysis of 4-HB-CoA to form 4-hydroxybenzoate (4-HB) and coenzyme A (CoA) in the final step of the 4-chlorobenzoate dehalogenation pathway. Guided by the published X-ray structures of the liganded enzyme (Thoden, J. B., Zhuang, Z., Dunaway-Mariano, D., and Holden H. M. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 43709-43716), a series of site-directed mutants were prepared for testing the roles of active site residues in substrate binding and catalysis. The mutant thioesterases were subjected to X-ray structure determination to confirm retention of the native fold, and in some cases, to reveal changes in the active site configuration. In parallel, the wild-type and mutant thioesterases were subjected to transient and steady-state kinetic analysis, and to (18)O-solvent labeling experiments. Evidence is provided that suggests that Glu73 functions in nucleophilic catalysis, that Gly65 and Gln58 contribute to transition-state stabilization via hydrogen bond formation with the thioester moiety and that Thr77 orients the water nucleophile for attack at the 4-hydroxybenzoyl carbon of the enzyme-anhydride intermediate. The replacement of Glu73 with Asp was shown to switch the function of the carboxylate residue from nucleophilic catalysis to base catalysis and thus, the reaction from a two-step process involving a covalent enzyme intermediate to a single-step hydrolysis reaction. The E73D/T77A double mutant regained most of the catalytic efficiency lost in the E73D single mutant. The results from (31)P NMR experiments indicate that the substrate nucleotide unit is bound to the enzyme surface. Kinetic analysis of site-directed mutants was carried out to determine the contributions made by Arg102, Arg150, Ser120, and Thr121 in binding the nucleotide unit. Lastly, we show by kinetic and X-ray analyses of Asp31, His64, and Glu78 site-directed mutants that these three active site residues are important for productive binding of the substrate 4-hydroxybenzoyl ring.

Reassignment of sense codons: Designing and docking of proline analogs for Escherichia coli prolyl-tRNA synthetase to expand the genetic code

Amino acyl-tRNA synthetases (AARSs) play a vital role in protein synthesis by catalyzing the aminoacylation of tRNA with its cognate amino acid. More recently, the endogenous AARS has been reported to recognize the close structural analogs of its cognate amino acid and helps in the in vitro and in vivo incorporation of analogs into recombinant proteins. By exploiting this substrate promiscuity, a number of non-canonical amino acids were successfully incorporated into the recombinant proteins. However, the incorporation efficiency varies with the different structural analogs depending on their reactivity towards the tRNA synthetases, which is due to the interaction and accommodation in the active site. Here, to analyze the incorporation efficiency of different proline analogs and to predict the active site residues responsible for the recognition, we carried out molecular docking study with the modeled Escherichia coli prolyl-tRNA synthetase (EcProRS). We also mapped the binding mode for the reported, virtually generated proline analogs and compared it with the reported crystal structure. The reactivity of the reported analogs was correlated with the biochemical data with respect to their interaction and orientation in the active site, which demonstrates the role of active site residues for the recognition of proline analogs and some new substrates such as chloro, bromo and iodoproline for EcProRS. We also rationally designed a EcProRS mutant for desired proline analog and validated by docking simulation with 3D model structure.

Computational Study of Key Steps of RuBisCO Carboxylase Reaction and Roles of Active-Site Residues

Computational Study of Key Steps of RuBisCO Carboxylase Reaction and Roles of Active-Site Residues

Twisted Schiff base intermediates and substrate locale revise transaldolase mechanism

We examined the catalytic cycle of transaldolase (TAL) from Thermoplasma acidophilum by cryocrystallography and were able to structurally characterize--for the first time, to our knowledge--different genuine TAL reaction intermediates. These include the Schiff base adducts formed between the catalytic lysine and the donor ketose substrates fructose-6-phosphate and sedoheptulose-7-phosphate as well as the Michaelis complex with acceptor aldose erythrose-4-phosphate. These structural snapshots necessitate a revision of the accepted reaction mechanism with respect to functional roles of active site residues, and they further reveal fundamental insights into the general structural features of enzymatic Schiff base intermediates and the role of conformational dynamics in enzyme catalysis, substrate binding and discrimination. A nonplanar arrangement of the substituents around the Schiff base double bond was observed, suggesting that a structurally encoded reactant-state destabilization is a driving force of catalysis. Protein dynamics and the intrinsic hydrogen-bonding pattern appear to be crucial for selective recognition and binding of ketose as first substrate.