Mechanism of chalcone synthase. pKa of the catalytic cysteine and the role of the conserved histidine in a plant polyketide synthase

Polyketide synthases (PKS) assemble structurally diverse natural products using a common mechanistic strategy that relies on a cysteine residue to anchor the polyketide during a series of decarboxylative condensation reactions that build the final reaction product. Crystallographic and functional studies of chalcone synthase (CHS), a plant-specific PKS, indicate that a cysteine-histidine pair (Cys(164)-His(303)) forms part of the catalytic machinery. Thiol-specific inactivation and the pH dependence of the malonyl-CoA decarboxylation reaction were used to evaluate the potential interaction between these two residues. Inactivation of CHS by iodoacetamide and iodoacetic acid targets Cys(164) in a pH-dependent manner (pK(a) = 5.50). The acidic pK(a) of Cys(164) suggests that an ionic interaction with His(303) stabilizes the thiolate anion. Consistent with this assertion, substitution of a glutamine for His(303) maintains catalytic activity but shifts the pK(a) of the thiol to 6.61. Although the H303A mutant was catalytically inactive, the pH-dependent incorporation of [(14)C]iodoacetamide into this mutant exhibits a pK(a) = 7.62. Subsequent analysis of the pH dependence of the malonyl-CoA decarboxylation reaction catalyzed by wild-type CHS and the H303Q and C164A mutants also supports the presence of an ion pair at the CHS active site. Structural and sequence conservation of a cysteine-histidine pair in the active sites of other PKS implies that a thiolate-imidazolium ion pair plays a central role in polyketide biosynthesis.     

Evidence for catalytic cysteine-histidine dyad in chalcone synthase

Chalcone and stilbene synthases (CHS and STS) catalyze condensation reactions of p-coumaroyl-CoA and three C(2)-units from malonyl-CoA, but catalyze different cyclization reactions to produce naringenin chalcone and resveratrol, respectively. Condensing activities of wild-type CHS and STS as well as STS-C60S mutant were inhibited by iodoacetamide (Idm) and diethyl pyrophosphate (DPC). DPC also inhibited malonyl-CoA decarboxylation activity of wild-type and C164S mutants of CHS and STS. Meanwhile, Idm treatment enhanced (two- to fourfold) malonyl decarboxylase activity of wild-type enzymes and STS-C60S, whereas this priming effect was not observed with C164S mutants of CHS and STS, indicating that the cysteine residue being modified by Idm is the catalytic Cys164 of CHS and STS. DPC inhibition of decarboxylation activity of wild-type CHS was pH-independent in the range of pH 5.8 to 7.8; however, its inhibitory effect on CHS-C164S increased as pH increased from 6.2 to 7.4 with a midpoint of 6.4. Based on the 3-D structure of CHS and the observed shift in microscopic pK(a), it was concluded that the histidine residue being modified by DPC in CHS is likely the catalytic His303 and that His303 forms an ionic pair (catalytic dyad) with Cys164 in wild-type CHS. In addition, our results showed that Cys60 in STS is not essential for the activity and only a single cysteine (Cys164) participates in the catalysis as in CHS.     

Benzalacetone synthase. A novel polyketide synthase that plays a crucial role in the biosynthesis of phenylbutanones in Rheum palmatum.

Benzalacetone synthase (BSA) is a novel plant-specific polyketide synthase that catalyzes a one step decarboxylative condensation of 4-coumaroyl-CoA with malonyl-CoA to produce the C6-C4 skeleton of phenylbutanoids in higher plants. A cDNA encoding BAS was for the first time cloned and sequenced from rhubarb (Rheum palmatum), a medicinal plant rich in phenylbutanoids including pharmaceutically important phenylbutanone glucoside, lindleyin. The cDNA encoded a 42-kDa protein that shares 60-75% amino-acid sequence identity with other members of the CHS-superfamily enzymes. Interestingly, R. palmatum BAS lacks the active-site Phe215 residue (numbering in CHS) which has been proposed to help orient substrates and intermediates during the sequential condensation of 4-coumaroyl-CoA with malonyl-CoA in CHS. On the other hand, the catalytic cysteine-histidine dyad (Cys164-His303) in CHS is well conserved in BAS. A recombinant enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli efficiently afforded benzalacetone as a single product from 4-coumaroyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA. Further, in contrast with CHS that showed broad substrate specificity toward aliphatic CoA esters, BAS did not accept hexanoyl-CoA, isobutyryl-CoA, isovaleryl-CoA, and acetyl-CoA as a substrate. Finally, besides the phenylbutanones in rhubarb, BAS has been proposed to play a crucial role for the construction of the C6-C4 moiety of a variety of natural products such as medicinally important gingerols in ginger plant.     

Structure function analysis of benzalacetone synthase from Rheum palmatum

Benzalacetone synthase (BAS) is a plant-specific chalcone synthase (CHS) superfamily type III polyketide synthase (PKS) that catalyzes a one-step decarboxylative condensation of 4-coumaroyl-CoA with malonyl-CoA. The diketide forming activity of Rheum palmatum BAS is attributed to the characteristic substitution of the conserved active-site Phe215 with Leu (numbering in Medicago sativa CHS). To further understand the structure and function of R. palmatum BAS, four site-directed mutants (C197T, C197G, G256L, and S338V) were newly constructed. All the mutants did not change the product pattern, however, the activity was 2-fold increased in S338V, while reduced to half in G256L mutant. On the other hand, the C197 mutants were functionally almost identical to wild-type BAS, excluding the possibility that the second active-site Cys is involved in the enzyme reaction. Instead, homology modeling suggested a possibility that, unlike the case of CHS, BAS utilizes an alternative pocket to lock the coumaroyl moiety for the diketide formation reaction.     

Site-directed mutagenesis of benzalacetone synthase. The role of the Phe215 in plant type III polyketide synthases

Benzalacetone synthase (BAS) and chalcone synthase (CHS) are plant-specific type III polyketide synthases (PKSs) that share approximately 70% amino acid sequence identity. BAS catalyzes a one-step decarboxylative condensation of 4-coumaroyl-CoA with malonyl-CoA to produce a diketide benzalacetone, whereas CHS performs sequential condensations with three malonyl-CoA to generate a tetraketide chalcone. A homology model suggested that BAS has the same overall fold as CHS with cavity volume almost as large as that of CHS. One of the most characteristic features is that Rheum palmatum BAS lacks active site Phe-215; the residues 214LF conserved in type III PKSs are uniquely replaced by IL. Our observation that the BAS I214L/L215F mutant exhibited chalcone-forming activity in a pH-dependent manner supported a hypothesis that the absence of Phe-215 in BAS accounts for the interruption of the polyketide chain elongation at the diketide stage. On the other hand, Phe-215 mutants of Scutellaria baicalensis CHS (L214I/F215L, F215W, F215Y, F215S, F215A, F215H, and F215C) afforded increased levels of truncated products; however, none of them generated benzalacetone. These results confirmed the critical role of Phe-215 in the polyketide formation reactions and provided structural basis for understanding the structure-function relationship of the plant type III PKSs.     

Active site residues governing substrate selectivity and polyketide chain length in aloesone synthase

Aloesone synthase (ALS) and chalcone synthase (CHS) are plant-specific type III poyketide synthases sharing 62% amino acid sequence identity. ALS selects acetyl-CoA as a starter and carries out six successive condensations with malonyl-CoA to produce a heptaketide aloesone, whereas CHS catalyses condensations of 4-coumaroyl-CoA with three malonyl-CoAs to generate chalcone. In ALS, CHS's Thr197, Gly256, and Ser338, the active site residues lining the initiation/elongation cavity, are uniquely replaced with Ala, Leu, and Thr, respectively. A homology model predicted that the active site architecture of ALS combines a 'horizontally restricting' G256L substitution with a 'downward expanding' T197A replacement relative to CHS. Moreover, ALS has an additional buried pocket that extends into the 'floor' of the active site cavity. The steric modulation thus facilitates ALS to utilize the smaller acetyl-CoA starter while providing adequate volume for the additional polyketide chain extensions. In fact, it was demonstrated that CHS-like point mutations at these positions (A197T, L256G, and T338S) completely abolished the heptaketide producing activity. Instead, A197T mutant yielded a pentaketide, 2,7-dihydroxy-5-methylchromone, while L256G and T338S just afforded a triketide, triacetic acid lactone. In contrast, L256G accepted 4-coumaroyl-CoA as starter to efficiently produce a tetraketide, 4-coumaroyltriacetic acid lactone. These results suggested that Gly256 determines starter substrate selectivity, while Thr197 located at the entrance of the buried pocket controls polyketide chain length. Finally, Ser338 in proximity of the catalytic Cys164 guides the linear polyketide intermediate to extend into the pocket, thus leading to formation of the hepataketide in Rheum palmatum ALS.     

The first plant type III polyketide synthase that catalyzes formation of aromatic heptaketide

A cDNA encoding a novel plant type III polyketide synthase (PKS) was cloned from rhubarb (Rheum palmatum). A recombinant enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli accepted acetyl-CoA as a starter, carried out six successive condensations with malonyl-CoA and subsequent cyclization to yield an aromatic heptaketide, aloesone. The enzyme shares 60% amino acid sequence identity with chalcone synthases (CHSs), and maintains almost identical CoA binding site and catalytic residues conserved in the CHS superfamily enzymes. Further, homology modeling predicted that the 43-kDa protein has the same overall fold as CHS. This provides new insights into the catalytic functions of type III PKSs, and suggests further involvement in the biosynthesis of plant polyketides.     

黄秋葵查尔酮合成酶基因AeCHS的克隆与表达分析

采用同源序列克隆和RT-PCR技术,首次克隆得到黄秋葵查尔酮合成酶基因(CHS)cDNA全长序列。序列分析表明,该序列全长1175 bp,包括一个1170 bp的完整ORF,编码389个氨基酸,命名为AeCHS。生物信息学分析表明,本研究所获得的AeCHS氨基酸序列与同科植物黄蜀葵和陆地棉的同源性较高,分别达99.23%和97.44%,AeCHS推断的氨基酸序列含有CHS蛋白的标签序列GFGPG以及4个保守活性位点Cys164、Phe215、His303、Asn336。实时荧光定量PCR分析黄秋葵果实、花、叶片不同发育时期AeCHS基因的表达量,结果表明AeCHS基因在上述植物材料中表现出不同的表达模式:花>果实>叶片,具体到不同植物组织,AeCHS基因在生长6 d的果实、盛开的花朵以及植株顶端第4片叶子中的表达量较高。     

Structure-guided programming of polyketide chain-length determination in chalcone synthase.

Chalcone synthase (CHS) belongs to the family of type III polyketide synthases (PKS) that catalyze formation of structurally diverse polyketides. CHS synthesizes a tetraketide by sequential condensation of three acetyl anions derived from malonyl-CoA decarboxylation to a p-coumaroyl moiety attached to an active site cysteine. Gly256 resides on the surface of the CHS active site that is in direct contact with the polyketide chain derived from malonyl-CoA. Thus, position 256 serves as an ideal target to probe the link between cavity volume and polyketide chain-length determination in type III PKS. Functional examination of CHS G256A, G256V, G256L, and G256F mutants reveals altered product profiles from that of wild-type CHS. With p-coumaroyl-CoA as a starter molecule, the G256A and G256V mutants produce notably more tetraketide lactone. Further restrictions in cavity volume such as that seen in the G256L and G256F mutants yield increasing levels of the styrylpyrone bis-noryangonin from a triketide intermediate. X-ray crystallographic structures of the CHS G256A, G256V, G256L, and G256F mutants establish that these substitutions reduce the size of the active site cavity without significant alterations in the conformations of the polypeptide backbones. The side chain volume of position 256 influences both the number of condensation reactions during polyketide chain extension and the conformation of the triketide and tetraketide intermediates during the cyclization reaction. These results viewed in conjunction with the natural sequence variation of residue 256 suggest that rapid diversification of product specificity without concomitant loss of substantial catalytic activity in related CHS-like enzymes can occur by site-specific evolution of side chain volume at position 256.     

Role of the active site cysteine of DpgA, a bacterial type III polyketide synthase

DpgA is a bacterial type III polyketide synthase (PKS) that decarboxylates and condenses four malonyl-CoA molecules to produce 3,5-dihydroxyphenylacetyl-CoA (DPA-CoA) in the biosynthetic pathway to 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine, a key nonproteinogenic residue in the vancomycin family of antibiotics. DpgA has the conserved catalytic triad of Cys/His/Asn typical of type III PKS enzymes, and has been assumed to use Cys160 as the catalytic nucleophile to create a series of elongating acyl-S-enzyme intermediates prior to the C(8) to C(3) cyclization step. Incubation of purified DpgA with [(14)C]-malonyl-CoA followed by acid quench during turnover leads to accumulation of 10-15% of the DpgA molecules covalently acylated. Mutation of the active site Cys160 to Ala abrogated detectable covalent acylation, but the C160A mutant retained 50% of the V(max) for DPA-CoA formation, with a k(cat) still at 0.5 catalytic turnovers/min. For comparison, a C190A mutant retained wild-type activity, while the H296A mutant, in which the side chain of the presumed catalytic His is removed, had a 6-fold drop in k(cat). During turnover, purified DpgA produced 1.2 equivalents of acetyl-CoA for each DPA-CoA, indicating 23% uncoupled decarboxylation competing with condensative C-C coupling. The C160A mutant showed an increased partition ratio for malonyl-CoA decarboxylation to acetyl-CoA vs condensation to DPA-CoA, reflecting more uncoupling in the mutant enzyme. The Cys-to-Ala mutant thus shows the unexpected result that, when the normal acyl-S-enzyme mechanism for this type III PKS elongation/cyclization catalyst is removed, it can still carry out the regioselective construction of the eight-carbon DPA-CoA skeleton with surprising efficiency.     

Structure-based engineering of benzalacetone synthase

Benzalacetone synthase (BAS) and chalcone synthase (CHS) are plant-specific type III polyketide synthases (PKSs), sharing 70% amino acid sequence identity and highly homologous overall protein structures. BAS catalyzes the decarboxylative coupling of 4-coumaroyl-CoA with malonyl-CoA to produce the diketide benzalacetone, whereas CHS produces the tetraketide chalcone by iterative condensations with three molecules of malonyl-CoA, and folding the resulting intermediate into a new aromatic ring system. Recent crystallographic analyses of Rheum palmatum BAS revealed that the characteristic substitution of Thr132 (numbering of Medicago sativa CHS2), a conserved CHS residue lining the active-site cavity, with Leu causes steric contraction of the BAS active-site to produce the diketide, instead of the tetraketide. To test this hypothesis, we constructed a set of R. palmatum BAS site-directed mutants (L132G, L132A, L132S, L132C, L132T, L132F, L132Y, L132W and L132P), and investigated the mechanistic consequences of the point mutations. As a result, the single amino acid substitution L132T restored the chalcone-forming activity in BAS, whereas the Ala, Ser, and Cys substitutions expanded the product chain length to produce 4-coumaroyltriacetic acid lactone (CTAL) after three condensations with malonyl-CoA, but without the formation of the aromatic ring system. Homology modeling suggested that this is probably caused by the restoration of the ‘coumaroyl binding pocket’ in the active-site cavity. These findings provide further insights into the structural details of the catalytic mechanism of the type III PKS enzymes.     

The 1.8 A crystal structure and active-site architecture of beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III (FabH) from escherichia coli

Background: beta-Ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III (FabH) initiates elongation in type II fatty acid synthase systems found in bacteria and plants. FabH is a ubiquitous component of the type II system and is positioned ideally in the pathway to control the production of fatty acids. The elucidation of the structure of FabH is important for the understanding of its regulation by feedback inhibition and its interaction with drugs. Although the structures of two related condensing enzymes are known, the roles of the active-site residues have not been experimentally tested. Results: The 1.8 A crystal structure of FabH was determined using a 12-site selenium multiwavelength anomalous dispersion experiment. The active site (Cys112, His244 and Asn274) is formed by the convergence of two alpha helices and is accessed via a narrow hydrophobic tunnel. Hydrogen-bonding networks that include two tightly bound water molecules fix the positions of His244 and Asn274, which are critical for the decarboxylation and condensation reactions. Surprisingly, the His244-->Ala mutation does not affect the transacylation reaction suggesting that His244 has only a minor influence on the nucleophilicity of Cys112. Conclusions: The histidine and asparagine active-site residues are both required for the decarboxylation step in the condensation reaction. The nucleophilicity of the active-site cysteine is enhanced by the alpha-helix dipole effect, and an oxyanion hole promotes the formation of the tetrahedral transition state.     

Structure of chalcone synthase and the molecular basis of plant polyketide biosynthesis.

Chalcone synthase (CHS) is pivotal for the biosynthesis of flavonoid antimicrobial phytoalexins and anthocyanin pigments in plants. It produces chalcone by condensing one p-coumaroyl- and three malonyl-coenzyme A thioesters into a polyketide reaction intermediate that cyclizes. The crystal structures of CHS alone and complexed with substrate and product analogs reveal the active site architecture that defines the sequence and chemistry of multiple decarboxylation and condensation reactions and provides a molecular understanding of the cyclization reaction leading to chalcone synthesis. The structure of CHS complexed with resveratrol also suggests how stilbene synthase, a related enzyme, uses the same substrates and an alternate cyclization pathway to form resveratrol. By using the three-dimensional structure and the large database of CHS-like sequences, we can identify proteins likely to possess novel substrate and product specificity. The structure elucidates the chemical basis of plant polyketide biosynthesis and provides a framework for engineering CHS-like enzymes to produce new products.     

Conversion of a beta-ketoacyl synthase to a malonyl decarboxylase by replacement of the active-site cysteine with glutamine.

beta-Ketoacyl synthases involved in the biosynthesis of fatty acids and polyketides exhibit extensive sequence similarity and share a common reaction mechanism, in which the carbanion participating in the condensation reaction is generated by decarboxylation of a malonyl or methylmalonyl moiety; normally, the decarboxylation step does not take place readily unless an acyl moiety is positioned on the active-site cysteine residue in readiness for the ensuing condensation reaction. Replacement of the cysteine nucleophile (Cys-161) with glutamine, in the beta-ketoacyl synthase domain of the multifunctional animal fatty acid synthase, completely inhibits the condensation reaction but increases the uncoupled rate of malonyl decarboxylation by more than 2 orders of magnitude. On the other hand, replacement with Ser, Ala, Asn, Gly, and Thr compromises the condensation reaction without having any marked effect on the decarboxylation reaction. The affinity of the beta-ketoacyl synthase for malonyl moieties, in the absence of acetyl moieties, is significantly increased in the Cys161Gln mutant compared to that in the wild type and is similar to that exhibited by the wild-type beta-ketoacyl synthase in the presence of an acetyl primer. These results, together with modeling studies of the Cys --> Gln mutant from the crystal structure of the Escherichia coli beta-ketoacyl synthase II enzyme, suggest that the side chain carbonyl group of the Gln-161 can mimic the carbonyl of the acyl moiety in the acyl-enzyme intermediate so that the mutant adopts a conformation analogous to that of the acyl-enzyme intermediate. Catalysis of the decarboxylation of malonyl-CoA requires the dimeric form of the Cys161Gln fatty acid synthase and involves prior transfer of the malonyl moiety from the CoA ester to the acyl carrier protein domain and subsequent release of the acetyl product by transfer back to a CoA acceptor. These results suggest that the role of the Cys --> Gln beta-ketoacyl synthases found in the loading domains of some modular polyketide synthases likely is to act as malonyl, or methylmalonyl, decarboxylases that provide a source of primer for the chain extension reactions catalyzed by associated modules containing fully competent beta-ketoacyl synthases.     

Enzymatic formation of long-chain polyketide pyrones by plant type III polyketide synthases

Recombinant chalcone synthase (CHS) from Scutellaria baicalensis and stilbene synthase (STS) from Arachis hypogaea accepted CoA esters of long-chain fatty acid (CHS up to the C12 ester, while STS up to the C14 ester) as a starter substrate, and carried out sequential condensations with malonyl-CoA, leading to formation of triketide and tetraketide alpha-pyrones. Interestingly, the C6, C8, and C10 esters were kinetically favored by the enzymes over the physiological starter substrate; the kcat/KM values were 1.2- to 1.9-fold higher than that of p-coumaroyl-CoA. The catalytic diversities of the enzymes provided further mechanistic insights into the type III PKS reactions, and suggested involvement of the CHS-superfamily enzymes in the biosynthesis of long-chain alkyl polyphenols such as urushiol and ginkgolic acid in plants.     

Identification of conserved amino acid residues in rat liver carnitine palmitoyltransferase I critical for malonyl-CoA inhibition. Mutation of methionine 593 abolishes malonyl-CoA inhibition

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) I, which catalyzes the conversion of palmitoyl-CoA to palmitoylcarnitine facilitating its transport through the mitochondrial membranes, is inhibited by malonyl-CoA. By using the SequenceSpace algorithm program to identify amino acids that participate in malonyl-CoA inhibition in all carnitine acyltransferases, we found 5 conserved amino acids (Thr(314), Asn(464), Ala(478), Met(593), and Cys(608), rat liver CPT I coordinates) common to inhibitable malonyl-CoA acyltransferases (carnitine octanoyltransferase and CPT I), and absent in noninhibitable malonyl-CoA acyltransferases (CPT II, carnitine acetyltransferase (CAT) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)). To determine the role of these amino acid residues in malonyl-CoA inhibition, we prepared the quintuple mutant CPT I T314S/N464D/A478G/M593S/C608A as well as five single mutants CPT I T314S, N464D, A478G, M593S, and C608A. In each case the CPT I amino acid selected was mutated to that present in the same homologous position in CPT II, CAT, and ChAT. Because mutant M593S nearly abolished the sensitivity to malonyl-CoA, two other Met(593) mutants were prepared: M593A and M593E. The catalytic efficiency (V(max)/K(m)) of CPT I in mutants A478G and C608A and all Met(593) mutants toward carnitine as substrate was clearly increased. In those CPT I proteins in which Met(593) had been mutated, the malonyl-CoA sensitivity was nearly abolished. Mutations in Ala(478), Cys(608), and Thr(314) to their homologous amino acid residues in CPT II, CAT, and ChAT caused various decreases in malonyl-CoA sensitivity. Ala(478) is located in the structural model of CPT I near the catalytic site and participates in the binding of malonyl-CoA in the low affinity site (Morillas, M., Gómez-Puertas, P., Rubi, B., Clotet, J., Ari?o, J., Valencia, A., Hegardt, F. G., Serra, D., and Asins, G. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 11473-11480). Met(593) may participate in the interaction of malonyl-CoA in the second affinity site, whose location has not been reported.     

Structure-function relationships of the lanthionine cyclase SpaC involved in biosynthesis of the Bacillus subtilis peptide antibiotic subtilin

Biosynthesis of the lantibiotic subtilin in Bacillus subtilis is accomplished by a synthetase complex consisting of the dehydratase SpaB, cyclase SpaC, and transporter SpaT. Genetically engineered subtilin cyclases SpaC and related NisC and EriC proteins involved in biosynthesis of the lantibiotics nisin and ericin A/S, respectively, were analyzed to functionally substitute native SpaC in vivo. We could show for the first time posttranslational modification of a lantibiotic precursor peptide (subtilin) by a hybrid lantibiotic synthetase (SpaBT/EriC). Genetically engineered SpaC alanine replacement mutants revealed the essentiality of residues His231, Trp302, Cys303, Tyr304, Gly305, Cys349, and His350, as well as the conserved C-terminal motif Lys437-Ala438-Leu439-Leu440-Ile441 for subtilin biosynthesis. Assignment of these strictly conserved lantibiotic cyclase residues to the NisC structure [Li, B., Yu, J. B., Brunzelle, J. S., Moll, G. N., van der Donk, W. A., and Nair, S. K. (2006) Science, 311, 1464-1467] revealed the first experimental evidence for structure-function relationships in catalytic centers of lantibiotic cyclases. SpaC residues His231, Cys303, and Cys349 are involved in coordination of the central zinc ion. The pair His231/Tyr304 is discussed to act as general acid/base catalysts in lanthionine formation. Furthermore, pull-down experiments revealed that functional inactive SpaC mutants were still able to interact with the hexahistidine-tagged subtilin precursor peptide in vitro. Our results suggest that Trp302 and the C-terminal residues of SpaC are constituents of a hydrophobic cluster which is involved in stabilization of the catalytic center and binding of the subtilin precursor peptide.     

Activation of carbonic anhydrase II by active-site incorporation of histidine analogs

The hydration of CO2 catalyzed by human carbonic anhydrase II (HCA II) is accompanied by proton transfer from the zinc-bound water of the enzyme to solution. We have replaced the proton shuttling residue His 64 with Ala and placed cysteine residues within the active-site cavity by mutating sites Trp 5, Asn 62, Ile 91, and Phe 131. These mutants were modified at the single inserted cysteine with imidazole analogs to introduce new potential shuttle groups. Catalysis by these modified mutants was determined by stopped-flow and 18O-exchange methods. Specificity in proton transfer was demonstrated; only modifications of the Cys 131-containing mutant showed enhancement in the proton transfer step of catalysis compared with unmodified Cys 131-containing mutant. Modifications at other sites resulted in up to 3-fold enhancement in rates of CO2 hydration, with apparent second-order rate constants near 350 microM(-1) s(-1). These are among the largest values of kcat/Km observed for a carbonic anhydrase.     

Mechanistic analysis of a type II polyketide synthase. Role of conserved residues in the beta-ketoacyl synthase-chain length factor heterodimer

Type II polyketide synthases (PKSs) are a family of multienzyme systems that catalyze the biosynthesis of polyfunctional aromatic natural products such as actinorhodin, frenolicin, tetracenomycin, and doxorubicin. A central component in each of these systems is the beta-ketoacyl synthase-chain length factor (KS-CLF) heterodimer. In the presence of an acyl carrier protein (ACP) and a malonyl-CoA:ACP malonyl transferase (MAT), this enzyme synthesizes a polyketide chain of defined length from malonyl-CoA. We have investigated the role of the actinorhodin KS-CLF in priming, elongation, and termination of its octaketide product by subjecting the wild-type enzyme and selected mutants to assays that probe key steps in the overall catalytic cycle. Under conditions reflecting steady-state turnover of the PKS, a unique acyl-ACP intermediate is detected that carries a long, possibly full-length, acyl chain. This species cannot be synthesized by the C169S, H309A, K341A, and H346A mutants of the KS, all of which are blocked in early steps in the PKS catalytic cycle. These four residues are universally conserved in all known KSs. Malonyl-ACP alone is sufficient for kinetically and stoichiometrically efficient synthesis of polyketides by the wild-type KS-CLF, but not by heterodimers that carry the mutations listed above. Among these mutants, C169S is an efficient decarboxylase of malonyl-ACP, but the H309A, K341A, and H346A mutants are unable to catalyze decarboxylation. Transfer of label from [(14)C]malonyl-ACP to the nucleophile at position 169 in the KS can be detected for the wild-type enzyme and for the C169S and K341A mutants, but not for the H309A mutant and only very weakly for the H346A mutant. A model is proposed for decarboxylative priming and extension of a polyketide chain by the KS, where C169 and H346 form a catalytic dyad for acyl chain attachment, H309 positions the malonyl-ACP in the active site and supports carbanion formation by interacting with the thioester carbonyl, and K341 enhances the rate of malonyl-ACP decarboxylation via electrostatic interaction. Our data also suggest that the ACP and the KS dissociate after each C-C bond forming event, and that the newly extended acyl chain is transferred back from the ACP pantetheine to the KS cysteine before dissociation can occur. Chain termination is most likely the rate-limiting step in polyketide biosynthesis. Within the act CLF, neither the universally conserved S145 residue nor Q171, which aligns with the active site cysteine of the ketosynthase, is essential for PKS activity. The results described here provide a basis for a better understanding of the catalytic cycle of type II PKSs and fatty acid synthases.     

Engineering and mechanistic studies of the Arabidopsis FAE1 beta-ketoacyl-CoA synthase, FAE1 KCS.

The Arabidopsis FAE1 beta-ketoacyl-CoA synthase (FAE1 KCS) catalyzes the condensation of malonyl-CoA with long-chain acyl-CoAs. Sequence analysis of FAE1 KCS predicted that this condensing enzyme is anchored to a membrane by two adjacent N-terminal membrane-spanning domains. In order to characterize the FAE1 KCS and analyze its mechanism, FAE1 KCS and its mutants were engineered with a His6-tag at their N-terminus, and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The membrane-bound enzyme was then solubilized and purified to near homogeneity on a metal affinity column. Wild-type recombinant FAE1 KCS was active with several acyl-CoA substrates, with highest activity towards saturated and monounsaturated C16 and C18. In the absence of an acyl-CoA substrate, FAE1 KCS was unable to carry out decarboxylation of [3-(14)C]malonyl-CoA, indicating that it requires binding of the acyl-CoA for decarboxylation activity. Site-directed mutagenesis was carried out on the FAE1 KCS to assess if this condensing enzyme was mechanistically related to the well characterized soluble condensing enzymes of fatty acid and flavonoid syntheses. A C223A mutant enzyme lacking the acylation site was unable to carry out decarboxylation of malonyl-CoA even when 18:1-CoA was present. Mutational analyses of the conserved Asn424 and His391 residues indicated the importance of these residues for FAE1-KCS activity. The results presented here provide the initial analysis of the reaction mechanism for a membrane-bound condensing enzyme from any source and provide evidence for a mechanism similar to the soluble condensing enzymes.