Structure and activity of DmmA, a marine haloalkane dehalogenase

DmmA is a haloalkane dehalogenase (HLD) identified and characterized from the metagenomic DNA of a marine microbial consortium. Dehalogenase activity was detected with 1,3‐dibromopropane as substrate, with steady‐state kinetic parameters typical of HLDs ( K m = 0.24 ± 0.05 mM, k cat = 2.4 ± 0.1 s −1 ). The 2.2‐Å crystal structure of DmmA revealed a fold and active site similar to other HLDs, but with a substantially larger active site binding pocket, suggestive of an ability to act on bulky substrates. This enhanced cavity was shown to accept a range of linear and cyclic substrates, suggesting that DmmA will contribute to the expanding industrial applications of HLDs. PDB Code(s): 3U1TPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90241/1/PRO_2009_sm_suppinfo.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90241/2/2009_ftp.pd

Role for Conserved Residues of Sindbis Virus Nonstructural Protein 2 Methyltransferase-Like Domain in Regulation of Minus-Strand Synthesis and Development of Cytopathic Infection▿ †

The plus-strand RNA genome of Sindbis virus (SINV) encodes four nonstructural proteins (nsP1 to nsP4) that are involved in the replication of the viral RNA. The ∼800-amino-acid nsP2 consists of an N-terminal domain with nucleoside triphosphatase and helicase activities and a C-terminal protease domain. Recently, the structure determined for Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus nsP2 indicated the presence of a previously unrecognized methyltransferase (MTase)-like domain within the C-terminal ∼200 residues and raised a question about its functional importance. To assess the role of this MTase-like region in viral replication, highly conserved arginine and lysine residues were mutated to alanine. The plaque phenotypes of these mutants ranged from large/wild-type to small plaques with selected mutations demonstrating temperature sensitive lethality. The proteolytic polyprotein processing activity of nsP2 was unaffected in most of the mutants. Some of the temperature-sensitive mutants showed reduction in the minus-strand RNA synthesis, a function that has not yet been ascribed to nsP2. Mutation of SINV residue R615 rendered the virus noncytopathic and incapable of inhibiting the host cell translation but with no effects on the transcriptional inhibition. This property differentiated the mutation at R615 from previously described noncytopathic mutations. These results implicate nsP2 in regulation of minus-strand synthesis and suggest that different regions of the nsP2 MTase-like domain differentially modulate host defense mechanisms, independent of its role as the viral protease

Structural Basis for Binding Specificity Between Subclasses of Modular Polyketide Synthase Docking Domains

Bacterial type I polyketide synthases (PKSs) assemble structurally diverse natural products of significant clinical value from simple metabolic building blocks. The synthesis of these compounds occurs in a processive fashion along a large multiprotein complex. Transfer of the acyl intermediate across interpolypeptide junctions is mediated, at least in large part, by N- and C-terminal docking domains. We report here a comprehensive analysis of the binding affinity and selectivity for the complete set of discrete docking domain pairs in the pikromycin and erythromycin PKS systems. Despite disconnection from their parent module, each cognate pair of docking domains retained exquisite binding selectivity. Further insights were obtained by X-ray crystallographic analysis of the PikAIII/PikAIV docking domain interface. This new information revealed a series of key interacting residues that enabled development of a structural model for the recently proposed H2-T2 class of polypeptides involved in PKS intermodular molecular recognition

Fragment-Based Exploration of Binding Site Flexibility in Mycobacterium tuberculosis BioA

The PLP-dependent transaminase (BioA) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other pathogens that catalyzes the second step of biotin biosynthesis is a now well-validated target for antibacterial development. Fragment screening by differential scanning fluorimetry has been performed to discover new chemical scaffolds and promote optimization of existing inhibitors. Calorimetry confirms binding of six molecules with high ligand efficiency. Thermodynamic data identifies which molecules bind with the enthalpy driven stabilization preferred in compounds that represent attractive starting points for future optimization. Crystallographic characterization of complexes with these molecules reveals the dynamic nature of the BioA active site. Different side chain conformational states are stabilized in response to binding by different molecules. A detailed analysis of conformational diversity in available BioA structures is presented, resulting in the identification of two states that might be targeted with molecular scaffolds incorporating well-defined conformational attributes. This new structural data can be used as part of a scaffold hopping strategy to further optimize existing inhibitors or create new small molecules with improved therapeutic potential

Biochemical and Structural Characterization of Germicidin Synthase: Analysis of a Type III Polyketide Synthase That Employs Acyl-ACP as a Starter Unit Donor

Germicidin synthase (Gcs) from <i>Streptomyces coelicolor</i> is a type III polyketide synthase (PKS) with broad substrate flexibility for acyl groups linked through a thioester bond to either coenzyme A (CoA) or acyl carrier protein (ACP). Germicidin synthesis was reconstituted <i>in vitro</i> by coupling Gcs with fatty acid biosynthesis. Since Gcs has broad substrate flexibility, we directly compared the kinetic properties of Gcs with both acyl-ACP and acyl-CoA. The catalytic efficiency of Gcs for acyl-ACP was 10-fold higher than for acyl-CoA, suggesting a strong preference toward carrier protein starter unit transfer. The 2.9 Å germicidin synthase crystal structure revealed canonical type III PKS architecture along with an unusual helical bundle of unknown function that appears to extend the dimerization interface. A pair of arginine residues adjacent to the active site affect catalytic activity but not ACP binding. This investigation provides new and surprising information about the interactions between type III PKSs and ACPs that will facilitate the construction of engineered systems for production of novel polyketides

Metamorphic enzyme assembly in polyketide diversification

Natural product chemical diversity is fuelled by the emergence and ongoing evolution of biosynthetic pathways in secondary metabolism. However, co-evolution of enzymes for metabolic diversification is not well understood, especially at the biochemical level. Here, two parallel assemblies with an extraordinarily high sequence identity from Lyngbya majuscula form a Β-branched cyclopropane in the curacin A pathway (Cur), and a vinyl chloride group in the jamaicamide pathway (Jam). The components include a halogenase, a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl enzyme cassette for polyketide Β-branching, and an enoyl reductase domain. The halogenase from CurA, and the dehydratases (ECH"1s), decarboxylases (ECH"2s) and enoyl reductase domains from both Cur and Jam, were assessed biochemically to determine the mechanisms of cyclopropane and vinyl chloride formation. Unexpectedly, the polyketide Β-branching pathway was modified by introduction of a -chlorination step on (S)-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl mediated by Cur halogenase, a non-haem Fe(ii), α-ketoglutarate-dependent enzyme. In a divergent scheme, Cur ECH"2 was found to catalyse formation of the α,Β enoyl thioester, whereas Jam ECH"2 formed a vinyl chloride moiety by selectively generating the corresponding Β, enoyl thioester of the 3-methyl-4-chloroglutaconyl decarboxylation product. Finally, the enoyl reductase domain of CurF specifically catalysed an unprecedented cyclopropanation on the chlorinated product of Cur ECH"2 instead of the canonical α,Β C ≤ C saturation reaction. Thus, the combination of chlorination and polyketide Β-branching, coupled with mechanistic diversification of ECH"2 and enoyl reductase, leads to the formation of cyclopropane and vinyl chloride moieties. These results reveal a parallel interplay of evolutionary events in multienzyme systems leading to functional group diversity in secondary metabolites. © 2009 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved