Short-chain Dehydrogenase/reductase Enzymes Research Articles

The NADH recycling enzymes TsaC and TsaD regenerate reducing equivalents for Rieske oxygenase chemistry

Many microorganisms use both biological and nonbiological molecules as sources of carbon and energy. This resourcefulness means that some microorganisms have mechanisms to assimilate pollutants found in the environment. One such organism is Comamonas testosteroni, which metabolizes 4-methylbenzenesulfonate and 4-methylbenzoate using the TsaMBCD pathway. TsaM is a Rieske oxygenase, which in concert with the reductase TsaB consumes a molar equivalent of NADH. Following this step, the annotated short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase and aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes TsaC and TsaD each regenerate a molar equivalent of NADH. This co-occurrence ameliorates the need for stoichiometric addition of reducing equivalents and thus represents an attractive strategy for integration of Rieske oxygenase chemistry into biocatalytic applications. Therefore, in this work, to overcome the lack of information regarding NADH recycling enzymes that function in partnership with Rieske non-heme iron oxygenases (Rieske oxygenases), we solved the X-ray crystal structure of TsaC to a resolution of 2.18 Å. Using this structure, a series of substrate analog and protein variant combination reactions, and differential scanning fluorimetry experiments, we identified active site features involved in binding NAD+ and controlling substrate specificity. Further invitro enzyme cascade experiments demonstrated the efficient TsaC- and TsaD-mediated regeneration of NADH to support Rieske oxygenase chemistry. Finally, through in-depth bioinformatic analyses, we illustrate the widespread co-occurrence of Rieske oxygenases with TsaC-like enzymes. This work thus demonstrates the utility of these NADH recycling enzymes and identifies a library of short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase enzyme prospects that can be used in Rieske oxygenase pathways for in situ regeneration of NADH.

Dehydrogenase reductase 9 (SDR9C4) and related homologs recognize a broad spectrum of lipid mediator oxylipins as substrates

Bioactive oxylipins play multiple roles during inflammation and in the immune response, with termination of their actions partly dependent on the activity of yet-to-be characterized dehydrogenases. Here, we report that human microsomal dehydrogenase reductase 9 (DHRS9, also known as SDR9C4 of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily) exhibits a robust oxidative activity toward oxylipins with hydroxyl groups located at carbons C9 and C13 of octadecanoids, C12 and C15 carbons of eicosanoids, and C14 carbon of docosanoids. DHRS9/SDR9C4 is also active toward lipid inflammatory mediator dihydroxylated Leukotriene B4 and proresolving mediators such as tri-hydroxylated Resolvin D1 and Lipoxin A4, although notably, with lack of activity on the 15-hydroxyl of prostaglandins. We also found that the SDR enzymes phylogenetically related to DHRS9, i.e., human SDR9C8 (or retinol dehydrogenase 16), the rat SDR9C family member known as retinol dehydrogenase 7, and the mouse ortholog of human DHRS9 display similar activity toward oxylipin substrates. Mice deficient in DHRS9 protein are viable, fertile, and display no apparent phenotype under normal conditions. However, the oxidative activity of microsomal membranes from the skin, lung, and trachea of Dhrs9−/− mice toward 1 μM Leukotriene B4 is 1.7- to 6-fold lower than that of microsomes from wild-type littermates. In addition, the oxidative activity toward 1 μM Resolvin D1 is reduced by about 2.5-fold with DHRS9-null microsomes from the skin and trachea. These results strongly suggest that DHRS9 might play an important role in the metabolism of a wide range of bioactive oxylipins in vivo.

A poplar short-chain dehydrogenase reductase plays a potential key role in biphenyl detoxification

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants with severe effects on human health and the biosphere. Plant-based remediation offers many benefits over conventional PCB remediation, but its development has been hampered by our poor understanding of biphenyl metabolism in eukaryotes, among other factors. We report here a major PCB-responsive protein in poplar, a plant model system capable of PCB uptake and translocation. We provide structural and functional evidence that this uncharacterized protein, termed SDR57C, belongs to the heterogeneous short-chain dehydrogenase reductase (SDR) superfamily. Despite sequence divergence, structural modeling hinted at structural and functional similarities between SDR57C and BphB, a central component of the Bph pathway for biphenyl/PCB degradation in aerobic bacteria. By combining gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) profiling with a functional complementation scheme, we found that poplar SDR57C can replace BphB activity in the upper Bph pathway of Pseudomonas furukawaii KF707 and therefore catalyze the oxidation of 2,3-dihydro-2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl (2,3-DHDB) to 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl (2,3-DHB). Consistent with this biochemical activity, we propose a mechanism of action based on prior quantum studies, general properties of SDR enzymes, and the modeled docking of 2,3-DHDB to the SDR57C-NAD+ complex. The putative detoxifying capacity of SDR57C was substantiated through reverse genetics in Arabidopsis thaliana Phenotypic characterization of the SDR lines underscored an inducible plant pathway with the potential to catabolize toxic biphenyl derivatives. Partial similarities with aerobic bacterial degradation notwithstanding, real-time messenger RNA quantification indicates the occurrence of plant-specific enzymes and features. Our results may help explain differences in degradative abilities among plant genotypes and also provide elements to improve them.

Crystal structure of a UDP-GlcNAc epimerase for surface polysaccharide biosynthesis in Acinetobacter baumannii.

With new strains of Acinetobacter baumannii undergoing genomic analysis, it has been possible to define regions of genomic plasticity (RGPs), encoding specific adaptive elements. For a selected RGP from a community-derived isolate of A. baumannii, we outline sequences compatible with biosynthetic machinery of surface polysaccharides, specifically enzymes utilized in the dehydration and conversion of UDP-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (UDP-D-GlcNAc). We have determined the crystal structure of one of these, the epimerase Ab-WbjB. This dehydratase belongs to the ‘extended’ short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family, related in fold to previously characterised enzymes CapE and FlaA1. Our 2.65Å resolution structure of Ab-WbjB shows a hexamer, organised into a trimer of chain pairs, with coenzyme NADP+ occupying each chain. Specific active-site interactions between each coenzyme and a lysine quaternary group of a neighbouring chain interconnect adjacent dimers, so stabilising the hexameric form. We show UDP-GlcNAc to be a specific substrate for Ab-WbjB, with binding evident by ITC (Ka = 0.23 μmol-1). The sequence of Ab-WbjB shows variation from the consensus active-site motifs of many SDR enzymes, demonstrating a likely catalytic role for a specific threonine sidechain (as an alternative to tyrosine) in the canonical active site chemistry of these epimerases.

YLL056C from Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a novel protein with aldehyde reductase activity.

The short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family, the largest family in dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily, is divided into "classical," "extended," "intermediate," "divergent," "complex," and "atypical" groups. Recently, several open reading frames (ORFs) were characterized as intermediate SDR aldehyde reductase genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, no functional protein in the atypical group has been characterized in S. cerevisiae till now. Herein, we report that an uncharacterized ORF YLL056C from S. cerevisiae was significantly upregulated under high furfural (2-furaldehyde) or 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde concentrations, and transcription factors Yap1p, Hsf1p, Pdr1/3p, Yrr1p, and Stb5p likely controlled its upregulated transcription. This ORF indeed encoded a protein (Yll056cp), which was grouped into the atypical subgroup 7 in the SDR family and localized to the cytoplasm. Enzyme activity assays showed that Yll056cp is not a quinone or ketone reductase but an NADH-dependent aldehyde reductase, which can reduce at least seven aldehyde compounds. This enzyme showed the best Vmax, Kcat, and Kcat/Km to glycolaldehyde, but the highest affinity (Km) to formaldehyde. The optimum pH and temperature of this enzyme was pH 6.5 for reduction of glycolaldehyde, furfural, formaldehyde, butyraldehyde, and propylaldehyde, and 30°C for reduction of formaldehyde or 35°C for reduction of glycolaldehyde, furfural, butyraldehyde, and propylaldehyde. Temperature and pH affected stability of this enzyme and this influence varied with aldehyde substrate. Metal ions, salts, and chemical protective additives, especially at high concentrations, had different influence on enzyme activities for reduction of different aldehydes. This research provided guidelines for study of more uncharacterized atypical SDR enzymes from S. cerevisiae and other organisms.

Structural determinants in bacterial 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-gluconate dehydrogenase KduD for dual-coenzyme specificity.

Short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) is distributed in many organisms, from bacteria to humans, and has significant roles in metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and other biomolecules. An important intermediate in acidic polysaccharide metabolism is 2-keto-3-deoxy-d-gluconate (KDG). Recently, two short and long loops in Sphingomonas KDG-producing SDR enzymes (NADPH-dependent A1-R and NADH-dependent A1-R') involved in alginate metabolism were shown to be crucial for NADPH or NADH coenzyme specificity. Two SDR family enzymes-KduD from Pectobacterium carotovorum (PcaKduD) and DhuD from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpyDhuD)-prefer NADH as coenzyme, although only PcaKduD can utilize both NADPH and NADH. Both enzymes reduce 2,5-diketo-3-deoxy-d-gluconate to produce KDG. Tertiary and quaternary structures of SpyDhuD and PcaKduD and its complex with NADH were determined at high resolution (approximately 1.6 Å) by X-ray crystallography. Both PcaKduD and SpyDhuD consist of a three-layered structure, α/β/α, with a coenzyme-binding site in the Rossmann fold; similar to enzymes A1-R and A1-R', both arrange the two short and long loops close to the coenzyme-binding site. The primary structures of the two loops in PcaKduD and SpyDhuD were similar to those in A1-R' but not A1-R. Charge neutrality and moderate space at the binding site of the nucleoside ribose 2' coenzyme region were determined to be structurally crucial for dual-coenzyme specificity in PcaKduD by structural comparison of the NADH- and NADPH-specific SDR enzymes. The corresponding site in SpyDhuD was negatively charged and spatially shallow. This is the first reported study on structural determinants in SDR family KduD related to dual-coenzyme specificity. Proteins 2016; 84:934-947. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

GRE2 from Scheffersomyces stipitis as an aldehyde reductase contributes tolerance to aldehyde inhibitors derived from lignocellulosic biomass.

Scheffersomyces (Pichia) stipitis is one of the most promising yeasts for industrial bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. S. stipitis is able to in situ detoxify aldehyde inhibitors (such as furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)) to less toxic corresponding alcohols. However, the reduction enzymes involved in this reaction remain largely unknown. In this study, we reported that an uncharacterized open reading frame PICST_72153 (putative GRE2) from S. stipitis was highly induced in response to furfural and HMF stresses. Overexpression of this gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae improved yeast tolerance to furfural and HMF. GRE2 was identified as an aldehyde reductase which can reduce furfural to FM with either NADH or NADPH as the co-factor and reduce HMF to FDM with NADPH as the co-factor. This enzyme can also reduce multiple aldehydes to their corresponding alcohols. Amino acid sequence analysis indicated that it is a member of the subclass "intermediate" of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily. Although GRE2 from S. stipitis is similar to GRE2 from S. cerevisiae in a three-dimensional structure, some differences were predicted. GRE2 from S. stipitis forms loops at D133-E137 and T143-N145 locations with two α-helices at E154-K157 and E252-A254 locations, different GRE2 from S. cerevisiae with an α-helix at D133-E137 and a β-sheet at T143-N145 locations, and two loops at E154-K157 and E252-A254 locations. This research provided guidelines for the study of other SDR enzymes from S. stipitis and other yeasts on tolerant mechanisms to aldehyde inhibitors derived from lignocellulosic biomass.

Structure-based Conversion of the Coenzyme Requirement of a Short-chain Dehydrogenase/Reductase Involved in Bacterial Alginate Metabolism

The alginate-assimilating bacterium, Sphingomonas sp. strain A1, degrades the polysaccharides to monosaccharides through four alginate lyase reactions. The resultant monosaccharide, which is nonenzymatically converted to 4-deoxy-L-erythro-5-hexoseulose uronate (DEH), is further metabolized to 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-gluconate by NADPH-dependent reductase A1-R in the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family. A1-R-deficient cells produced another DEH reductase, designated A1-R', with a preference for NADH. Here, we show the identification of a novel NADH-dependent DEH reductase A1-R' in strain A1, structural determination of A1-R' by x-ray crystallography, and structure-based conversion of a coenzyme requirement in SDR enzymes, A1-R and A1-R'. A1-R' was purified from strain A1 cells and enzymatically characterized. Except for the coenzyme requirement, there was no significant difference in enzyme characteristics between A1-R and A1-R'. Crystal structures of A1-R' and A1-R'·NAD(+) complex were determined at 1.8 and 2.7 Å resolutions, respectively. Because of a 64% sequence identity, overall structures of A1-R' and A1-R were similar, although a difference in the coenzyme-binding site (particularly the nucleoside ribose 2' region) was observed. Distinct from A1-R, A1-R' included a negatively charged, shallower binding site. These differences were caused by amino acid residues on the two loops around the site. The A1-R' mutant with the two A1-R-typed loops maintained potent enzyme activity with specificity for NADPH rather than NADH, demonstrating that the two loops determine the coenzyme requirement, and loop exchange is a promising method for conversion of coenzyme requirement in the SDR family.

Structural studies of cinnamoyl-CoA reductase and cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase, key enzymes of monolignol biosynthesis.

The enzymes cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR) and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) catalyze the two key reduction reactions in the conversion of cinnamic acid derivatives into monolignol building blocks for lignin polymers in plant cell walls. Here, we describe detailed functional and structural analyses of CCRs from Medicago truncatula and Petunia hybrida and of an atypical CAD (CAD2) from M. truncatula. These enzymes are closely related members of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily. Our structural studies support a reaction mechanism involving a canonical SDR catalytic triad in both CCR and CAD2 and an important role for an auxiliary cysteine unique to CCR. Site-directed mutants of CAD2 (Phe226Ala and Tyr136Phe) that enlarge the phenolic binding site result in a 4- to 10-fold increase in activity with sinapaldehyde, which in comparison to the smaller coumaraldehyde and coniferaldehyde substrates is disfavored by wild-type CAD2. This finding demonstrates the potential exploitation of rationally engineered forms of CCR and CAD2 for the targeted modification of monolignol composition in transgenic plants. Thermal denaturation measurements and structural comparisons of various liganded and unliganded forms of CCR and CAD2 highlight substantial conformational flexibility of these SDR enzymes, which plays an important role in the establishment of catalytically productive complexes of the enzymes with their NADPH and phenolic substrates.

Human UDP-α-d-xylose Synthase Forms a Catalytically Important Tetramer That Has Not Been Observed in Crystal Structures

Human UDP-α-d-xylose synthase (hUXS) is a member of the extended short chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family of enzymes. Previous crystallographic studies have shown that hUXS conserves the same dimeric quaternary structure observed in other SDR enzymes. Here, we present evidence that hUXS also forms a tetramer in solution that is important for activity. Sedimentation velocity studies show that two hUXS dimers undergo a concentration-dependent association to form a tetramer with a Kd of 2.9 μM. The tetrameric complex is also observed in small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The specific activity for the production of the reaction intermediate UDP-α-d-4-keto-xylose displays a hyperbolic dependence on protein concentration that is well modeled by an isotherm using the 2.9 μM Kd of the tetramer. Likewise, the rate of UDP-α-d-xylose production in the presence of increasing concentrations of the small molecule crowder trimethylamine N-oxide is consistent with the formation of a higher activity tetramer. We present several possible structural models of the hUXS tetramer based on (i) hUXS crystal packing, (ii) homology modeling, or (iii) ab initio simulated annealing of dimers. We analyze the models in terms of packing quality and agreement with SAXS data. The higher activity of the tetramer coupled with the relative instability of the complex suggests that an association-dissociation mechanism may regulate hUXS activity.

Insights into subtle conformational differences in the substrate-binding loop of fungal 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase: a combined structural and kinetic approach

The 17β-HSD (17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) from the filamentous fungus Cochliobolus lunatus (17β-HSDcl) is a NADP(H)-dependent enzyme that preferentially catalyses the interconversion of inactive 17-oxo-steroids and their active 17β-hydroxy counterparts. 17β-HSDcl belongs to the SDR (short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase) superfamily. It is currently the only fungal 17β-HSD member that has been described and represents one of the model enzymes of the cP1 classical subfamily of NADPH-dependent SDR enzymes. A thorough crystallographic analysis has been performed to better understand the structural aspects of this subfamily and provide insights into the evolution of the HSD enzymes. The crystal structures of the 17β-HSDcl apo, holo and coumestrol-inhibited ternary complex, and the active-site Y167F mutant reveal subtle conformational differences in the substrate-binding loop that probably modulate the catalytic activity of 17β-HSDcl. Coumestrol, a plant-derived non-steroidal compound with oestrogenic activity, inhibits 17β-HSDcl [IC50 2.8μM; at 100μM substrate (4-oestrene-3,17-dione)] by occupying the putative steroid-binding site. In addition to an extensive hydrogen-bonding network, coumestrol binding is stabilized further by π-π stacking interactions with Tyr212. A stopped-flow kinetic experiment clearly showed the coenzyme dissociation as the slowest step of the reaction and, in addition to the low steroid solubility, it prevents the accumulation of enzyme-coenzyme-steroid ternary complexes.

Structural insight into the catalytic mechanism of gluconate 5‐dehydrogenase from Streptococcus suis: Crystal structures of the substrate‐free and quaternary complex enzymes

Gluconate 5-dehydrogenase (Ga5DH) is an NADP(H)-dependent enzyme that catalyzes a reversible oxidoreduction reaction between D-gluconate and 5-keto-D-gluconate, thereby regulating the flux of this important carbon and energy source in bacteria. Despite the considerable amount of physiological and biochemical knowledge of Ga5DH, there is little physical or structural information available for this enzyme. To this end, we herein report the crystal structures of Ga5DH from pathogenic Streptococcus suis serotype 2 in both substrate-free and liganded (NADP(+)/D-gluconate/metal ion) quaternary complex forms at 2.0 A resolution. Structural analysis reveals that Ga5DH adopts a protein fold similar to that found in members of the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family, while the enzyme itself represents a previously uncharacterized member of this family. In solution, Ga5DH exists as a tetramer that comprised four identical approximately 29 kDa subunits. The catalytic site of Ga5DH shows considerable architectural similarity to that found in other enzymes of the SDR family, but the S. suis protein contains an additional residue (Arg104) that plays an important role in the binding and orientation of substrate. The quaternary complex structure provides the first clear crystallographic evidence for the role of a catalytically important serine residue and also reveals an amino acid tetrad RSYK that differs from the SYK triad found in the majority of SDR enzymes. Detailed analysis of the crystal structures reveals important contributions of Ca(2+) ions to active site formation and of specific residues at the C-termini of subunits to tetramer assembly. Because Ga5DH is a potential target for therapy, our findings provide insight not only of catalytic mechanism, but also suggest a target of structure-based drug design.

Medium- and short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase gene and protein families : Structure-function relationships in short-chain alcohol dehydrogenases.

The structure-function relationships of alcohol dehydrogenases from the large family of short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) enzymes are described. It seems that while mammals evolved with a medium-chain alcohol dehydrogenase family (MDR), fruit flies utilized an ancestral SDR enzyme. They have modified its function into an efficient alcohol dehydrogenase to aid them in colonizing the emerging ecological niches that appeared around 65 million years ago. To the scientific community, Drosophila has now served as a model organism for quite some time, and Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase is one of the best-studied members of the SDR family. The availability of a number of high-resolution structures, accurate and thorough kinetic work, and careful theoretical calculations have enabled an understanding of the structure-function relationships of this metal-free alcohol dehydrogenase. In addition, these studies have given rise to various hypotheses about the mechanism of action of this enzyme and contribute to the detailed knowledge of the large superfamily of SDR enzymes.

Comparison of predicted and experimental subcellular localization of two putative rat steroid dehydrogenases from the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase protein superfamily

In the characterization of newly identified proteins, subcellular localization studies can provide important hints to the proteins' metabolic functions. Depending on the biochemical task of an enzyme, certain subcellular environmental conditions as pH or availability of cofactors and substrates have to be fulfilled. Consequently, misdirected proteins often cannot conduct the proper chemical reaction. This study is aimed at detecting differences in bioinformatic and wet lab experiments and presenting ways for reliable analysis of subcellular localization. On a set of ten enzymes from the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily, we have performed predictions and experimental analyses of subcellular localization. Exemplarily, we show the localization studies on rat short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases dhrs7b and dhrs8. We demonstrate in particular that all of the prediction algorithms tested failed to assign the SDR enzymes to an experimentally verified subcellular compartment.

Discovery of Nonsteroidal 17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase 1 Inhibitors by Pharmacophore-Based Screening of Virtual Compound Libraries

17Beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (17beta-HSD1) plays a pivotal role in the local synthesis of the most potent estrogen estradiol. Its expression is a prognostic marker for the outcome of patients with breast cancer and inhibition of 17beta-HSD1 is currently under consideration for breast cancer prevention and treatment. We aimed to identify nonsteroidal 17beta-HSD1 inhibitor scaffolds by virtual screening with pharmacophore models built from crystal structures containing steroidal compounds. The most promising model was validated by comparing predicted and experimentally determined inhibitory activities of several flavonoids. Subsequently, a virtual library of nonsteroidal compounds was screened against the 3D pharmacophore. Analysis of 14 selected compounds yielded four that inhibited the activity of human 17beta-HSD1 (IC 50 below 50 microM). Specificity assessment of identified 17beta-HSD1 inhibitors emphasized the importance of including related short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) members to analyze off-target effects. Compound 29 displayed at least 10-fold selectivity over the related SDR enzymes tested.

Crystal Structure of Vestitone Reductase from Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Isoflavonoids are commonly found in leguminous plants, where they play important roles in plant defense and have significant health benefits for animals and humans. Vestitone reductase catalyzes a stereospecific NADPH-dependent reduction of (3R)-vestitone in the biosynthesis of the antimicrobial isoflavonoid phytoalexin medicarpin. The crystal structure of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) vestitone reductase has been determined at 1.4 Å resolution. The structure contains a classic Rossmann fold domain in the N terminus and a small C-terminal domain. Sequence and structural analysis showed that vestitone reductase is a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily despite the low levels of sequence identity, and the prominent structural differences from other SDR enzymes with known structures. The putative binding sites for the co-factor NADPH and the substrate (3R)-vestitone were defined and located in a large cleft formed between the N and C-terminal domains of enzyme. Potential key residues for enzyme activity were also identified, including the catalytic triad Ser129-Tyr164-Lys168. A molecular docking study showed that (3R)-vestitone, but not the (3S) isomer, forms favored interactions with the co-factor and catalytic triad, thus providing an explanation for the enzyme's strict substrate stereo-specificity.

Mechanistic Roles of Ser-114, Tyr-155, and Lys-159 in 3α-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase/Carbonyl Reductase from Comamonas testosteroni

3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/carbonyl reductase (3alpha-HSD/CR) from Comamonas testosteroni, a short chain dehydrogenase/reductase, catalyzes the oxidation of androsterone with NAD+ to form androstanedione and NADH. A catalytic triad of Ser-114, Tyr-155, and Lys-159 in 3alpha-HSD/CR has been proposed based on structural analysis and sequence alignment of the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase family. The 3alpha-HSD/CR-catalyzed reaction has not been kinetically analyzed in detail, however. In this study, we combined steady-state kinetics, site-directed mutagenesis, and pH profile to explore the function of Ser-114, Tyr-155, and Lys-159 in 3alpha-HSD/CR-catalyzed reaction. The catalytic efficiency of wild-type and mutants S114A, Y155F, K159A, and Y155F/K159A is 4.3 x 10(7), 7.3 x 10(4), 1.7 x 10(4), 2.4 x 10(5), and 71 m(-1)s(-1), respectively. The values of pKa on kcat/Km for the wild-type, S114A, Y155F, K159A, and Y155F/K159A are 7.2, 7.4, 8.4, 9.1, and 10.2, respectively. Mutant S114A/Y155F exhibits a pH-independent profile with 10(-5) times of wild-type activity at pH 10.5. The activity decreases as the pH lowers, which indicates that a functional group with an apparent pKa of 7.2 is involved in the general base catalysis for wild-type 3alpha-HSD/CR. The pKa shift to 9.1 for mutant K159A suggests the role of Lys-159 is to lower the pKa of the residues involved in the general base catalysis. Because pH dependence is observed for both S114A and Y155F mutants and pH independence is observed in S114A/Y155F, Tyr-155 may be important as a general base catalysis in the wild-type, whereas Ser-114 may act as a general base on mutant Y155F to catalyze the reaction.

Crystal structure of human L-xylulose reductase holoenzyme: probing the role of Asn107 with site-directed mutagenesis.

L-Xylulose reductase (XR), an enzyme in the uronate cycle of glucose metabolism, belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily. Among the SDR enzymes, XR shows the highest sequence identity (67%) with mouse lung carbonyl reductase (MLCR), but the two enzymes show different substrate specificities. The crystal structure of human XR in complex with reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) was determined at 1.96 A resolution by using the molecular replacement method and the structure of MLCR as the search model. Features unique to human XR include electrostatic interactions between the N-terminal residues of subunits related by the P-axis, termed according to SDR convention, and an interaction between the hydroxy group of Ser185 and the pyrophosphate of NADPH. Furthermore, identification of the residues lining the active site of XR (Cys138, Val143, His146, Trp191, and Met200) together with a model structure of XR in complex with L-xylulose, revealed structural differences with other members of the SDR family, which may account for the distinct substrate specificity of XR. The residues comprising a recently proposed catalytic tetrad in the SDR enzymes are conserved in human XR (Asn107, Ser136, Tyr149, and Lys153). To examine the role of Asn107 in the catalytic mechanism of human XR, mutant forms (N107D and N107L) were prepared. The two mutations increased K(m) for the substrate (>26-fold) and K(d) for NADPH (95-fold), but only the N107L mutation significantly decreased k(cat) value. These results suggest that Asn107 plays a critical role in coenzyme binding rather than in the catalytic mechanism.

The Crystal Structure of R-specific Alcohol Dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus brevis Suggests the Structural Basis of its Metal Dependency

The crystal structure of the apo-form of an R-specific alcohol dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus brevis (LB-RADH) was solved and refined to 1.8 Å resolution. LB-RADH is a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) enyzme superfamily. It is a homotetramer with 251 amino acid residues per subunit and uses NADP(H) as co-enzyme. NADPH and the substrate acetophenone were modelled into the active site. The enantiospecificity of the enzyme can be explained on the basis of the resulting hypothetical ternary complex. In contrast to most other SDR enzymes, the catalytic activity of LB-RADH depends strongly on the binding of Mg 2+. Mg 2+ removal by EDTA inactivates the enzyme completely. In the crystal structure, the Mg 2+-binding site is well defined. The ion has a perfect octahedral coordination sphere and occupies a special position concerning crystallographic and molecular point symmetry, meaning that each RADH tetramer contains two magnesium ions. The magnesium ion is no direct catalytic cofactor. However, it is structurally coupled to the putative C-terminal hinge of the substrate-binding loop and, via an extended hydrogen bonding network, to some side-chains forming the substrate binding region. Therefore, the presented structure of apo-RADH provides plausible explanations for the metal dependence of the enzyme.

Identification of lysine-78 as an essential residue in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae xylose reductase

Yeast xylose reductases are hypothesized as hybrid enzymes as their primary sequences contain elements of both the aldo–keto reductases (AKR) and short chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) enzyme families. During catalysis by members of both enzyme families, an essential Lys residue H-bonds to a Tyr residue that donates proton to the aldehyde substrate. In the Saccharomyces cerevisiae xylose reductase, Tyr49 has been identified as the proton donor. However, the primary sequence of the enzyme contains two Lys residues, Lys53 and Lys78, corresponding to the conserved motifs for SDR and AKR enzyme families, respectively, that may H-bond to Tyr49. We used site-directed mutagenesis to substitute each of these Lys residues with Met. The activity of the K53M variant was slightly decreased as compared to the wild-type, while that of the K78M variant was negligible. The results suggest that Lys78 is the essential residue that H-bonds to Tyr49 during catalysis and indicate that the active site residues of yeast xylose reductases match those of the AKR, rather than SDR, enzymes. Intrinsic enzyme fluorescence spectroscopic analysis suggests that Lys78 may also contribute to the efficient binding of NADPH to the enzyme.