亚天花粉蛋白突变体(R163H n-TCS和R163Q n-TCS)的晶体结构研究

用悬滴汽相扩散法得到了Ｒ１６３Ｈｎ－ＴＣＳ和Ｒ６１３Ｑｎ－ＴＣＳ的晶体,Ｍａｒ－Ｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ面探测器系统上分别收集了０．２００和０．２０５ｎｍ分辨率的Ｘ－射线衍射数据,采用同晶差值傅立叶法解析结构,用Ｘ－ＰＬＯＲ软件包进行修正,最后的晶体学Ｒ因子分别为０．１８４和０．１８５,键长偏差分别为０．００１３ｎｍ和０．００１４ｎｍ,键角偏差分别为２．５９０和２．８１５,结构测定显示Ｒ１６３Ｈｎ－ＴＣＳ     

亚天花粉蛋白突变体R163Kn-TCS及其复合物R163Kn-TCS/Ade的晶体结构

用悬滴汽相扩散法得到Ｒ１６３Ｋ ｎ－ＴＣＳ的晶体,并用ＡＭＰ浸泡４８小时后利到复合物晶体。在Ｍａｒ－Ｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ面探测器系统上分别收集了０．２０５和０．１８７分辨率的Ｘ－射线衍射数据。采用同晶差值傅立叶法解析结构,用Ｘ－ＰＬＯＲ软件包进行修正,最后两模型的偏差因子（Ｒ和Ｒｆｒｅｅ）分别为（０．１８７和０．２６３）和（０．１８０和０．２３３）,键长偏差都为０．００１３ｎｍ,键角偏差分别为２．７９     

neo Trichosanthin及其突变体Y70A neo Trichosanthin的晶体结构研究

天花粉蛋白（Ｔｒｉｃｈｏｓａｎｔｈｉｎ,ＴＣＳ）的一个亚型,ｎｅｏＴｒｉｃｈｏｓａｎｔｈｉｎ（ｎ－ＴＣＳ）,及其突变体Ｙ７０Ａｎ－ＴＣＳ被克隆和表达为重组蛋白。用悬滴汽相扩散法得到ｎ－ＴＣＳ和Ｙ７０Ａｎ－ＴＣＳ的晶体。在ＭａｒＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈ面探测器系统上分别收集了０．２０ｎｍ和０．２０５ｎｍ分辨率的Ｘ射线衍射数据。用同晶差值傅立叶法解析了结构。最后晶体学Ｒ因子分别为０．１８３和０．１８４。键长的     

Mimicking of K+ activation by double mutation of glutamate 795 and glutamate 820 of gastric H+,K+-ATPase

Six double mutants of Glu(795) and Glu(820) present in transmembrane domains 5 and 6 of the alpha-subunit of rat gastric H(+),K(+)-ATPase were generated and expressed with the baculovirus expression system. Five of the six mutants exhibited an SCH 28080-sensitive ATPase activity in the absence of K(+). The activity levels decreased in the following order: E795Q/E820A > E795Q/E820Q > E795Q/E820D congruent with E795A/E820A > E795L/E820Q. The E795L/E820D mutant possessed no constitutive activity. The relative low ATPase activity of the E795L/E820Q mutant is due to its low phosphorylation rate so that the dephosphorylation step was no longer rate-limiting. The constitutively active mutants showed a much lower vanadate sensitivity than the wild-type enzyme and K(+)-sensitive mutants, indicating that these mutants have a preference for the E(1) conformation. In contrast to the constitutively active single mutants generated previously, the double mutants exhibited a high spontaneous dephosphorylation rate at 0 degrees C compared to that of the wild-type enzyme. In addition, the H(+),K(+)-ATPase inhibitor SCH 28080 increased the steady-state phosphorylation level of the constitutively active mutants, due to the formation of a stable complex with the E(2)-P form. These studies further substantiate the idea that the empty ion binding pockets of some mutants apparently mimic the K(+)-filled binding pocket of the native enzyme.     

Human ferrochelatase: characterization of substrate-iron binding and proton-abstracting residues

The terminal step in heme biosynthesis, the insertion of ferrous iron into protoporphyrin IX to form protoheme, is catalyzed by the enzyme ferrochelatase (EC 4.99.1.1). A number of highly conserved residues identified from the crystal structure of human ferrochelatase as being in the active site were examined by site-directed mutagenesis. The mutants Y123F, Y165F, Y191H, and R164L each had an increased K(m) for iron without an altered K(m) for porphyrin. The double mutant R164L/Y165F had a 6-fold increased K(m) for iron and a 10-fold decreased V(max). The double mutant Y123F/Y191F had low activity with an elevated K(m) for iron, and Y123F/Y165F had no measurable activity. The mutants H263A/C/N, D340N, E343Q, E343H, and E343K had no measurable enzyme activity, while E343D, E347Q, and H341C had decreased V(max)s without significant alteration of the K(m)s for either substrate. D340E had near-normal kinetic parameters, while D383A and H231A had increased K(m)s for iron. On the basis of these data and the crystal structure of human ferrochelatase, it is proposed that residues E343, H341, and D340 form a conduit from H263 in the active site to the protein exterior and function in proton extraction from the porphyrin macrocycle. The role of H263 as the porphyrin proton-accepting residue is central to catalysis since metalation only occurs in conjunction with proton abstraction. It is suggested that iron is transported from the exterior of the enzyme at D383/H231 via residues W227 and Y191 to the site of metalation at residues R164 and Y165 which are on the opposite side of the active site pocket from H263. This model should be general for mitochondrial membrane-associated eucaryotic ferrochelatases but may differ for bacterial ferrochelatases since the spatial orientation of the enzyme within prokaryotic cells may differ.     

Identifying functional residues in Arabidopsis thaliana zeta class glutathione S-transferase through screening inactive point mutants

The functional residues of z-class glutathione S-transferase were identified by screening inactive point mutants from a random mutagenesis library. First, a random mutant library was constructed using error-prone polymerase chain reaction, and then candidate inactive mutants were screened by a high-throughput colorimetric assay. Twenty-five mutants were obtained, and 12 that formed inclusion bodies were discarded. The remaining 13 mutants that expressed soluble protein were used for accurate quantification of enzymatic activity and sequencing. The mutants W15R, C19Y, R22H/K83E, P61S, S73P, S109P, and Q112R were found to have activity lower than 1% of the wild-type and were considered as “inactive mutants”, whereas the mutants K83E, Q102R, and L147F still have a large fraction of the activity and were thus considered as “partially inactivated mutants”. Molecular modeling experiments disclosed that mutations resulting in inactivation of the enzyme were found in or near the binding pocket, whereas mutations resulting in partial inactivation were distant from both substrates. The role of the residue Ser73 in the enzyme was verified by site-directed mutagenesis. The result suggested that screening inactive point mutants from a random mutagenesis library is an efficient way of identifying functional residues in enzymes.     

The region from phenylalanine-17 to phenylalanine-28 of a yeast mitochondrial ATPase inhibitor is essential for its ATPase inhibitory activity.

Mitochondrial ATP synthase (F(1)F(o)-ATPase) is regulated by an intrinsic ATPase inhibitor protein. In the present study, we investigated the structure-function relationship of the yeast ATPase inhibitor by amino acid replacement. A total of 22 mutants were isolated and characterized. Five mutants (F17S, R20G, R22G, E25A, and F28S) were entirely inactive, indicating that the residues, Phe17, Arg20, Arg22, Glu25, and Phe28, are essential for the ATPase inhibitory activity of the protein. The activity of 7 mutants (A23G, R30G, R32G, Q36G, L37G, L40S, and L44G) decreased, indicating that the residues, Ala23, Arg30, Arg32, Gln36, Leu37, Leu40, and Leu44, are also involved in the activity. Three mutants, V29G, K34Q, and K41Q, retained normal activity at pH 6.5, but were less active at pH 7.2, indicating that the residues, Val29, Lys34, and Lys41, are required for the protein's action at higher pH. The effects of 6 mutants (D26A, E35V, H39N, H39R, K46Q, and K49Q) were slight or undetectable, and the residues Asp26, Glu35, His39, Lys46, and Lys49 thus appear to be dispensable. The mutant E21A retained normal ATPase inhibitory activity but lacked pH-sensitivity. Competition experiments suggested that the 5 inactivated mutants (F17S, R20G, R22G, E25A, and F28S) could still bind to the inhibitory site on F(1)F(o)-ATPase. These results show that the region from the position 17 to 28 of the yeast inhibitor is the most important for its activity and is required for the inhibition of F(1), rather than binding to the enzyme.     

Roles of the heme distal residues of FixL in O2 sensing: a single convergent structure of the heme moiety is relevant to the downregulation of kinase activity

FixL is a heme-based O(2) sensor, in which the autophosphorylation is regulated by the binding of exogenous ligands such as O(2) and CN(-). In this study, mutants of the heme distal Arg200, Arg208, Ile209, Ile210, and Arg214 residues of SmFixL were characterized biochemically and physicochemically, because it has been suggested that they are significant residues in ligand-linked kinase regulation. Measurements of the autoxidation rate, affinities, and kinetics of ligand binding revealed that all of the above residues are involved in stabilization of the O(2)-heme complex of FixL. However, Arg214 was found to be the only residue that is directly relevant to the ligand-dependent regulation of kinase activity. Although the wild type and R214K and R214Q mutants exhibited normal kinase regulation, R214A, R214M, R214H, and R214Y did not. (13)C and (15)N NMR analyses for (13)C(15)N(-) bound to the truncated heme domains of the Arg214 mutants indicated that, in the wild type and the foregoing two mutants, the heme moiety is present in a single conformation, but in the latter four, the conformations fluctuate possibly because of the lack of an interaction between the iron-bound ligand and residue 214. It is likely that such a rigid conformation of the ligand-bound form is important for the downregulation of histidine kinase activity. Furthermore, a comparison of the NMR data between the wild type and R214K and R214Q mutants suggests that a strong electrostatic interaction between residue 214 and the iron-bound ligand is not necessarily required for the single convergent structure and eventually for the downregulation of FixL.     

Pyrazinamide resistance and mutations L19R,R140H,and E144K in Pyrazinamidase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Pyrazinamide (PZA) is an important component of first-line antituberculosis drugs activated by Mycobacterium tuberculosis pyrazinamidase (PZase) into its active form pyrazinoic acid. Mutations in the pncA gene have been recognized as the major cause of PZA resistance. We detected some novel mutations, Leucine19Arginine (L19R), Arginine140Histidine (R140H), and Glutamic acid144 Lysine (E144K), in the pncA gene of PZA-resistant isolates in our wet lab PZA drug susceptibility testing and sequencing. As the molecular mechanism of resistance of these variants has not been reported earlier, we have performed multiple analyses to unveil different mechanisms of resistance because of PZase mutations L19R, R140H, and E144K. The mutants and native PZase structures were subjected to comprehensive computational molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at 100 nanoseconds in apo and drug-bound form. Mutants and native PZase binding pocket were compared to observe the consequence of mutations on the binding pocket size. Hydrogen bonding, Gibbs free energy, and natural ligand Fe ⁺² effect were also analyzed between native and mutants. A significant variation between native and mutant PZase structure activity was observed. The native PZase protein docking score was found to be the maximum, showing strong binding affinity in comparison with mutants. MD simulations explored the effect of the variants on the biological function of PZase. Hydrogen bonding, metal ion Fe ⁺² deviation, and fluctuation also seemed to be affected because of the mutations L19R, R140H, and E144K. The variants L19R, R140H, and E144K play a significant role in PZA resistance, altering the overall activity of native PZase, including metal ion Fe ⁺² displacement and free energy. This study offers valuable evidence for better management of drug-resistant tuberculosis.     

Critical residues for the coenzyme specificity of NAD+-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase

NAD+-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), a member of the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family, is responsible for the biological inactivation of prostaglandins. Sequence alignment within SDR coupled with molecular modeling analysis has suggested that Gln-15, Asp-36, and Trp-37 of 15-PGDH may determine the coenzyme specificity of this enzyme. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to examine the important roles of these residues. Several single mutants (Q15K, Q15R, W37K, and W37R), double mutants (Q15K-W37K, Q15K-W37R, Q15R-W37K, and Q15R-W37R), and triple mutants (Q15K-D36A-W37R and Q15K-D36S-W37R) were prepared and expressed as glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins in Escherichia coli and purified by GSH-agarose affinity chromatography. Mutants Q15K, Q15R, W37K, W37R, Q15K-W37K, and Q15R-W37K were found to be inactive or almost inactive with NADP+ but still retained substantial activity with NAD+. Mutant Q15K-W37R and mutant Q15R-W37R showed comparable activity for NAD+ and NADP+ with an increase in activity nearly 3-fold over that of the wild type. However, approximately 30-fold higher in K(m) for NADP+ than that of the wild type enzyme for NAD+ was found for mutants Q15K-W37R and Q15R-W37R. Similarly, the K(m) values for PGE(2) of mutants were also shown to increase over that of the wild type. Further mutation of Asp-36 to either an alanine or a serine of the double mutant Q15K-W37R (i.e., triple mutants Q15K-D36A-W37R and Q15K-D36S-W37R) rendered the mutants exhibiting exclusive activity with NADP+ but not with NAD+. The triple mutants showed a decrease in K(m) for NADP+ but an increase in K(m) for PGE(2). Further mutation at Ala-14 to a serine of a triple mutant (Q15K-D36S-W37R) decreased the K(m) values for both NADP+ and PGE(2) to levels comparable to those of the wild type. These results indicate that the coenzyme specificity of 15-PGDH can be altered from NAD+ to NADP+ by changing a few critical residues near the N-terminal end.     

Asn792 participates in the hydrogen bond network around the K+-binding pocket of gastric H,K-ATPase

Asn792 present in M5 of gastric H,K-ATPase is highly conserved within the P-type ATPase family. A direct role in K+ binding was postulated for Na,K-ATPase but was not found in a recent model for gastric H,K-ATPase (Koenderink, J. B., Swarts, H. G. P., Willems, P. H. G. M., Krieger, E., and De Pont, J. J. H. H. M. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 16417-16424). Therefore, its role in K+ binding and E1/E2 conformational equilibrium in gastric H,K-ATPase was studied by site-directed mutagenesis and expression in Sf9 cells. N792Q and N792A, but not N792D and N792E, had a markedly reduced K+ affinity in both the ATPase and dephosphorylation reactions. In addition, N792A shifted the conformational equilibrium to the E1 form. In double mutants, the effect of N792A on K+ sensitivity was overruled by either E820Q (K(+)-independent activity) or E343D (no dephosphorylation activity). Models were made for the mutants based on the E2 structure of Ca(2+)-ATPase. In the wild-type model the acid amide group of Asn792 has hydrogen bridges to Lys791, Ala339, and Val341. Comparison of the effects of the various mutants suggests that the hydrogen bridge between the carbonyl oxygen of Asn792 and the amino group of Lys791 is essential for the K+ sensitivity and the E2 preference of wild-type enzyme. Moreover, there was a high positive correlation (r = 0.98) between the in silico calculated energy difference of the E2 form (mutants versus wild type) and the experimentally measured IC50 values for vanadate, which reflects the direction of the E2<-->E1 conformational equilibrium. These data strongly support the validity of the model in which Asn792 participates in the hydrogen bond network around the K(+)-binding pocket.     

Comparative in vitro expression study of four Fabry disease causing mutations at glutamine 279 of the alpha-galactosidase A protein

Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficiency of alpha-galactosidase A that results in the accumulation of neutral sphingolipids. We report a novel point mutation in exon 6, Q279K, carried by an asymptomatic child with a family history of classic Fabry disease. Moreover, we comparatively study the in vitro expression and enzyme activity of Q279K and three other already described mutants in glutamine 279. The Q279K, Q279H and Q279R mutants transfected in COS-1 cells expressed no activity while the residual enzyme activity of the Q279E mutant represented 10% of wild type value. Western blot analysis demonstrated a differential behavior of the mutant proteins: Q279K and Q279H persisted as the inactive 50-kD precursor, indicating that these mutations may affect the normal processing of the enzyme, while the Q279R mutant was not detected probably due to an unstable protein which is rapidly degraded. The in vitro expression studies of the novel Q279K mutation were confirmed by Western blot analysis performed in the patient's lymphocytes which revealed the alpha-galactosidase A precursor of 50 kD but not the processed form.     

Altered regulation of cardiac muscle contraction by troponin T mutations that cause familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

To study the effect of troponin (Tn) T mutations that cause familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC) on cardiac muscle contraction, wild-type, and the following recombinant human cardiac TnT mutants were cloned and expressed: I79N, R92Q, F110I, E163K, R278C, and intron 16(G(1) --> A) (In16). These TnT FHC mutants were reconstituted into skinned cardiac muscle preparations and characterized for their effect on maximal steady state force activation, inhibition, and the Ca(2+) sensitivity of force development. Troponin complexes containing these mutants were tested for their ability to regulate actin-tropomyosin(Tm)-activated myosin-ATPase activity. TnT(R278C) and TnT(F110I) reconstituted preparations demonstrated dramatically increased Ca(2+) sensitivity of force development, while those with TnT(R92Q) and TnT(I79N) showed a moderate increase. The deletion mutant, TnT(In16), significantly decreased both the activation and the inhibition of force, and substantially decreased the activation and the inhibition of actin-Tm-activated myosin-ATPase activity. ATPase activation was also impaired by TnT(F110I), while its inhibition was reduced by TnT(R278C). The TnT(E163K) mutation had the smallest effect on the Ca(2+) sensitivity of force; however, it produced an elevated activation of the ATPase activity in reconstituted thin filaments. These observed changes in the Ca(2+) regulation of force development caused by these mutations would likely cause altered contractility and contribute to the development of FHC.     

Active site mutants of human cyclophilin A separate peptidyl-prolyl isomerase activity from cyclosporin A binding and calcineurin inhibition.

Based on recent X-ray structural information, six site-directed mutants of human cyclophilin A (hCyPA) involving residues in the putative active site--H54, R55, F60, Q111, F113, and H126--have been constructed, overexpressed, and purified from Escherichia coli to homogeneity. The proteins W121A (Liu, J., Chen, C.-M., & Walsh, C.T., 1991a, Biochemistry 30, 2306-2310), H54Q, R55A, F60A, Q111A, F113A, and H126Q were assayed for cis-trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPIase) activity, their ability to bind the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A (CsA), and protein phosphatase 2B (calcineurin) inhibition in the presence of CsA. Results indicate that H54Q, Q111A, F113A, and W121A retain 3-15% of the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of wild-type recombinant hCyPA. The remaining three mutants (R55A, F60A, and H126Q) each retain less than 1% of the wild-type catalytic efficiency, indicating participation by these residues in PPIase catalysis. Each of the mutants bound to a CsA affinity matrix. The mutants R55A, F60A, F113A, and H126Q inhibited calcineurin in the presence of CsA, whereas W121A did not. Although CsA is a competitive inhibitor of PPIase activity, it can complex with enzymatically inactive cyclophilins and inhibit the phosphatase activity of calcineurin.     

Mutations in human cardiac troponin I that are associated with restrictive cardiomyopathy affect basal ATPase activity and the calcium sensitivity of force development

Human cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) is the first sarcomeric protein for which mutations have been associated with restrictive cardiomyopathy. To determine whether five mutations in cTnI (L144Q, R145W, A171T, K178E, and R192H) associated with restrictive cardiomyopathy were distinguishable from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-causing mutations in cTnI, actomyosin ATPase activity and skinned fiber studies were carried out. All five mutations investigated showed an increase in the Ca2+ sensitivity of force development compared with wild-type cTnI. The two mutations with the worst clinical phenotype (K178E and R192H) both showed large increases in Ca2+ sensitivity (deltapCa50 = 0.47 and 0.36, respectively). Although at least one of these mutations is not in the known inhibitory regions of cTnI, all of the mutations investigated caused a decrease in the ability of cTnI to inhibit actomyosin ATPase activity. Mixtures of wild-type and mutant cTnI showed that cTnI mutants could be classified into three different groups: dominant (L144Q, A171T and R192H), equivalent (K178E), or weaker (R145W) than wild-type cTnI in actomyosin ATPase assays in the absence of Ca2+. Although most of the mutants were able to activate actomyosin ATPase similarly to wild-type cTnI, L144Q had significantly lower maximal ATPase activities than any of the other mutants or wild-type cTnI. Three mutants (L144Q, R145W, and K178E) were unable to fully relax contraction in the absence of Ca2+. The inability of the five cTnI mutations investigated to fully inhibit ATPase activity/force development and the generally larger increases in Ca2+ sensitivity than observed for most hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutations would likely lead to severe diastolic dysfunction and may be the major physiological factors responsible for causing the restrictive cardiomyopathy phenotype in some of the genetically affected individuals.     

Effects of distal point-site mutations on the binding and catalysis of dihydrofolate reductase from Escherichia coli

The importance of salt bridge interactions at the NADPH binding site of dihydrofolate reductase has been studied by using site-directed mutagenesis. The mutations R44L and H45Q respectively disrupt the ionic contacts made between the 2'-phosphate and pyrophosphoryl moiety of the coenzyme and the N-terminal region of helix C. Equilibrium fluorescence experiments indicate that while the overall binding of NADPH to both free mutants is weakened by 1.1 and 1.5 kcal/mol (H45Q and R44L, respectively), the binding of dihydrofolate and tetrahydrofolate is unaffected. Despite the similar binding energies for both mutants, the transition state for the chemical hydride step is differentially destabilized relative to wild type (0.6 and 1.8 kcal/mol for H45Q and R44L, respectively). Both stopped-flow and pre-steady-state experiments suggest that the root of this effect may lie in multiple conformations for the E-NADPH complex of R44L. The ability of both mutants to transmit their effects beyond the local environment of the NADPH pocket is manifested in several details: (1) the pKa of Asp-27 (25 A away from the sites of mutation) is elevated from 6.5 in the wild type to 7.5 and 8.4 in H45Q and R44L, respectively; (2) NADPH elevates the off rates for tetrahydrofolate from 12 s-1 in the wild type to greater than 45 s-1 in R44L; and (3) bound tetrahydrofolate decreases the affinity of the enzymes for NADPH as reflected in the Km from 2 to 40 microM for H45Q (similar to wild type) but from 8 to 5000 microM for R44L.     

Catalytic and DNA-binding properties of the human Ogg1 DNA N-glycosylase/AP lyase: biochemical exploration of H270, Q315 and F319, three amino acids of the 8-oxoguanine-binding pocket

The human Ogg1 protein (hOgg1) is an antimutator DNA glycosylase/AP lyase that catalyzes the excision of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG) and the incision of apurinic and apyrimidinic (AP) sites in DNA. In this study, we have investigated the functional role of H270, Q315 and F319, three amino acids that are located in the 8-oxoG-binding pocket of hOgg1. Wild-type and mutant hOgg1 proteins (H270A, H270R, H270L, Q315A and F319A) were purified to apparent homogeneity. The catalytic activities and the DNA-binding properties of the various hOgg1 mutants were compared to those of the wild-type. The results show that hOgg1 mutated at H270 (H270A and H270L) or F319 (F319A) exhibits greatly reduced (50- to 1000-fold) DNA glycosylase activity, whereas the AP lyase activity is only moderately affected (<4-fold). The affinity of the hOgg1 mutants (H270A, H270L and F319A) for 8-oxoG.C-containing DNA is also greatly reduced (>30-fold), whereas their affinity for THF.C-containing DNA is only moderately reduced (<7-fold). The results also show that hOgg1 mutated at Q315 (Q315A) exhibits catalytic and DNA-binding properties similar to those of the wild-type. Therefore, H270 and F319 are essential to form the functional 8-oxoG-binding pocket, whereas Q315 is less crucial. In contrast, H270, Q315 and F319 are not required for efficient binding of THF.C and cleavage of AP sites. Finally, hOgg1 mutant proteins with a substitution of H270A or F319A are members of a new type of hOgg1 that is deficient in DNA glycosylase but proficient in AP lyase.     

Glu121-Lys319 salt bridge between catalytic and N-terminal domains is pivotal for the activity and stability of Escherichia coli aminopeptidase N

Escherichia coli aminopeptidase N (ePepN) belongs to the gluzincin family of M1 class metalloproteases that share a common primary structure with consensus zinc binding motif (HEXXH-(X18)-E) and an exopeptidase motif (GXMEN) in the active site. There is one amino acid, E121 in Domain I that blocks the extended active site grove of the thermolysin like catalytic domain (Domain II) limiting the substrate to S1 pocket. E121 forms a part of the S1 pocket, while making critical contact with the amino-terminus of the substrate. In addition, the carboxylate of E121 forms a salt bridge with K319 in Domain II. Both these residues are absolutely conserved in ePepN homologs. Analogous Glu-Asn pair in tricon interacting factor F3 (F3) and Gln-Asn pair in human leukotriene A(4) hydrolase (LTA(4) H) are also conserved in respective homologs. Mutation of either of these residues individually or together substantially reduced or entirely eliminated enzymatic activity. In addition, thermal denaturation studies suggest that the mutation at K319 destabilizes the protein as much as by 3.7 °C, while E121 mutants were insensitive. Crystal structure of E121Q mutant reveals that the enzyme is inactive due to the reduced S1 subsite volume. Together, data presented here suggests that ePepN, F3, and LTA(4) H homologs adopted a divergent evolution that includes E121-K319 or its analogous pairs, and these cannot be interchanged.     

A GDP-fucose-protected, pyridoxal-5'-Phosphate/NaBH(4)-sensitive lys residue common to human alpha1-->3Fucosyltransferases corresponds to Lys(300) in FucT-IV

Human alpha1-->3/4fucosyltransferases (FucTs) contain a common essential pyridoxal-5'-phosphate(PLP)/NaBH(4) reactive, GDP-fucose-protectable Lys. For identification, site-directed mutants at lysines of FucT-IV and -VII were prepared and tested. Non conserved lysine mutants K119Y and K394Q were similar to wild-type FucT-IV. However, mutants of conserved lysines K228R and K300R were distinct. The specific activity of K228R was 2- to 3-fold lower but retained K(m) values for donor and acceptor substrates as wild-type FucT-IV. The specific activity of K300R was reduced over 400-fold with an apparent K(m) for GDP-fucose over 200 microM. FucT-VII mutants K169R and K240R (equivalent to K228R and K300R for FucT-IV, respectively) were inactive. No change in PLP/NaBH(4) sensitivity occurred with K119Y, K228R, and K394Q compared to wild-type FucT-IV. These and previous results (A. L. Sherwood, A. T. Nguyen, J. M. Whitaker, B. A. Macher, M. R. Stroud, and E. H. Holmes, J. Biol. Chem. 273, 25256-25260, 1998) demonstrate that of three conserved lysines in FucT-IV, two (Lys(228) and Lys(283)) are not involved in substrate binding but perhaps in catalysis. The third site, Lys(300), is involved in GDP-fucose binding and PLP/NaBH(4) inactivation.