Rhodococcus sp. R04 BphD催化C-C断裂的动力学分析

2-羟基-6-氧-6-苯基己-2,4-二烯酸水解酶（BphD）是一种多氯联苯微生物降解途径中的关键酶. 本文通过紫外-可见光光谱分别对突变酶S110A和H265A催化过程中酶-底物复合物进行检测,同时利用停流光谱技术对BphD及其突变酶（S110A、H265A和W266A）催化底物2-羟基-6-氧-6-苯基己-2,4-二烯酸（HOPDA）前稳态动力学进行了研究.结果表明,在BphD催化C-C断裂过程中,产物2-羟基戊-2,4-二烯酸（HPD）迅速生成,其速率常数为22 S-1. 底物的消耗（速率常数,22022 S-1和803 S-1）及酶-底物复合物的变化（速率常数,55556 S-1和664 S-1）表明该酶催化过程包括2个动力学阶段：快速底物酮基化作用和C-C键断裂过程.紫外-可见光光谱扫描结果显示,在突变酶S110A的催化过程中,酶-底物复合物在492 nm及510 nm处有最大光吸收,而在突变酶H265A催化中,却没有相似的光吸收,只是在480 nm产生1个新肩峰. BphD及其突变酶S110A、H265A和W266A动力学分析表明,Ser-110主要负责底物C-C键断裂;His-265负责底物由烯醇式向酮式转变,并且与Ser-110和Trp-266共同参与了随后的C-C键断裂过程. 结果揭示,除了传统的催化三联体（Ser-110,Asp-237,His-265）外,Trp-266在该水解酶催化反应中也发挥非常重要的作用,这一发现丰富了C-C水解酶的反应动力学机制.     

杰氏棒杆菌L-天冬氨酸α脱羧酶半理性改造及全细胞催化合成β-丙氨酸

β-丙氨酸是多个药物合成的重要砌块，可以通过天冬氨酸α脱羧酶（Pan D）催化L-天冬氨酸脱羧来合成，但普遍在用的Pan D酶活性不高是制约全细胞催化合成β-丙氨酸的瓶颈。因此，本研究通过酶的挖掘，选择将杰氏棒杆菌来源（Corynebacterium jeikeium）Pan D在Escherichia coli中异源表达。对杰氏棒杆菌来源Pan D进行Alaph Fold2建模和分子对接，采用Rosetta虚拟突变确定突变热点，结合薄层层析初筛和纯化后复筛，最终筛选到突变体L39A，其比酶活为13.45 U/mg，相比野生型酶的比酶活（9.6 U/mg）提升了1.4倍。酶学性质表征数据表明，野生型酶和L39A突变体最适p H均为6.5，且在p H 6.0-7.0之间酶活性稳定；两者最适温度为55℃，但L39A热稳定性较野生型提高；突变体酶的催化效率比野生型提升了1.4倍。对突变体进行结构解析发现，39位取代为侧链基团更小的丙氨酸，亲水性增强，增加了关键催化氨基酸58位酪氨酸与其他氨基酸的相互作用，使活性中心周围的区域稳定性提高，从而提高了催化活性。全细胞催化数据表明，在OD600=4...     

来源于Bacillus sp. AR9 D-海因酶半理性设计的研究

D-对羟基苯甘氨酸是一种重要的精细化工品，在制药行业具有广泛的应用前景。酶法是生产D-对羟基苯甘氨酸的主要手段，但由于缺乏高催化效率的酶而限制了D-对羟基苯甘氨酸的生产。为了提高来自Bacillus sp. AR9的D-海因酶（HYD）的催化效率，进而提高D-对羟基苯甘氨酸的产量，对HYD的底物结合通道进行分析，选取底物通道瓶颈处的氨基酸进行饱和突变和筛选，以提高HYD的催化效率。结果显示，突变体F159S、F159A和F65V的活性相较于野生型HYD分别提高了51%、40%和17%，通过对突变体F65V、F159S和双位点突变F65V/F159S的酶动力学研究发现，突变体的Km值基本与野生型HYD相似，而kcat是野生型HYD的1.3、1.9和2.0倍，最终双位点突变F65V/F159S的催化效率kcat/Km是野生型HYD的2.4倍。高催化效率突变体的获得，以及对突变体动力学的分析，对酶法制备D-对羟基苯甘氨酸具有重要的研究意义和应用价值。     

非特异性脂质转移蛋白突变体的构建及在两种硫氧还蛋白表达载体中的表达比较

对水稻非特异性脂质转移蛋白(Nospecific lipid transfer protein,nsLTP) LTP110中结构重要的5个氨基酸位点进行了定点突变,测序结果证实了突变体构建成功。在尝试了多种大肠杆菌表达系统进行表达之后,发现硫氧还蛋白融合表达载体适合于LTP110野生型及突变体的表达。将编码野生型LTP110及突变体Y17A,P72L,R46A,D45A,C50A蛋白的cDNA顺序克隆进两种硫氧还蛋白表达载体并对其表达情况进行了比较：pTrxFus载体可以在宿主菌GI724中以较低水平表达野生型LTP110及突变体Y17A,P72L,R46A融合蛋白,但不能表达D45A和C50A融合蛋白;pET32a(+)载体可以在宿主菌BL21 (DE3) trxB-中以可溶蛋白的形式表达野生型及所有突变型融合蛋白,且表达量比在pTrxFus载体/GI724突主菌中表达量高。对pET32a(+)载体中表达的LTP110融合蛋白进行了纯化,并利用带有荧光标记的脂肪酸分子对其测活,结果表明表达的野生型LTP110分子具有结合脂质的活性。     

华根霉Rhizopus chinensis CCTCC M201021脂肪酶基因的分子改造及酶学特性的探究

本文对华根霉Rhizopus chinensis CCTCC M201021脂肪酶(r27RCL)的氨基酸序列(A149C、V180C和F196C)进行定点突变。以未突变的野生型脂肪酶r27RCL作为对照,借助pPIC9K载体表达系统将野生脂肪酶及突变体在GS115中实现异源表达,并研究野生型脂肪酶r27RCL及突变体的酶学性质。结果表明,三个单突变体均不能与氨基酸残基C177形成二硫键,但是突变体r27RCL-V180C最大催化效率是野生型脂肪酶r27RCL的1.43倍,与不同碳链长度的p-NP(p-硝基苯酚)底物亲和力也相对提升,酶最适反应温度降低5℃。突变体r27RCL-A149C和r27RCLF196C较野生型具有更宽的p H作用范围。本文研究为探究华根霉来源的脂肪酶蛋白空间结构及酶基因改造提供了理论依据。     

内消旋-二氨基庚二酸脱氢酶关键氨基酸位点的改造提高对烷基取代2-酮酸的催化活力

【背景】高效实现D-氨基酸的生物合成一直是人们关注的热点。内消旋-二氨基庚二酸脱氢酶(meso-diaminopimelate dehydrogenase,DAPDH)能够直接催化2-酮酸和氨合成D-氨基酸。【目的】提高DAPDH对烷基取代2-酮酸的催化活力,并解释其催化机制。【方法】以来源于嗜热共生杆菌(Symbiobacteriumthermophilum)的内消旋-二氨基庚二酸脱氢酶(StDAPDH)为模板,在前期结构分析结合被选择位点突变结果的基础上,确定对H227位进行定点饱和突变,并以D-丙氨酸、D-2-氨基丁酸、D-正缬氨酸、D-谷氨酸为底物进行筛选。【结果】获得突变体H227Q和H227N。突变体H227Q对丙酮酸、2-氧代丁酸、2-氧代戊酸、2-酮戊二酸的比活力比野生型分别提高了10.9、11.5、8.6和7.6倍。动力学参数表明,突变体H227Q同时提高了酶对底物的亲和力及催化常数,使其对丙酮酸的催化效率(k_(cat)/K_m)相较于野生型提高了9.4倍。利用分子模拟技术分析突变体H227Q与产物氨基酸之间的相互作用表明,227位的谷氨酰胺通过与氨基酸的羧酸形成氢键,使得氨基酸产物Cα上的氢和辅酶烟酰胺环C4原子之间的距离缩短。【结论】利用定向进化技术提高DAPDH对烷基取代2-酮酸的催化活力,有助于开发新型的高效生物催化剂,这些工作也为下一步继续进行更具挑战性的D-氨基酸研究提供了基础。     

生物酶法催化瓦伦西亚烯生成圆柚酮

在体外,利用野生型CYP450BM-3对瓦伦西亚烯进行催化,酶-底物复合物催化NADPH氧化的速率为31±1.0 nmol(nmol P450)-1min-1,但催化产物中没有检测到圆柚酮的生成。突变体R47L/Y51F/F87A与底物复合物催化NADPH氧化的速率高于野生型,为79±6.5 nmol(nmol P450)-1min-1,并在催化产物中检测到圆柚酮的生成,但其产物选择性较差,圆柚酮的含量仅占总产物的6.8%。与此同时,检测了另一个突变体A74G/F87V/L188Q对瓦伦西亚烯的催化效果,发现其与底物复合物对NADPH的氧化速率与突变体R47L/Y51F/F87A相当,但产物中圆柚酮的比率更高,达8.0%。     

GH42家族保守氨基酸位点累积突变对Geobacillus stearothermophilus来源β-半乳糖苷酶BgaB催化活性的影响

【背景】β-半乳糖苷酶转糖苷活性弱,产物低聚半乳糖(galactooligosaccharides, GOS)易被水解,致其催化得率普遍较低。【目的】以GH42家族Geobacillus stearothermophilus来源β-半乳糖苷酶BgaB为对象,探讨家族保守氨基酸位点突变对β-半乳糖苷酶BgaB催化活性的影响。【方法】在单点突变体功能研究基础上,采用定点突变与化学修饰相结合的方法,对保守氨基酸位点E303与F341进行累积突变。【结果】与野生型酶相比,所构建双点突变体Ox-E303C/F341S水解活性降低为30%;GOS最大得率由0.75%提高到19.50%。【结论】家族保守氨基酸位点累积突变能够使单点突变体功能得到共同进化,降低β-半乳糖苷酶水解活性和底物抑制作用,能够提高其转糖苷催化活性。     

D-泛解酸内酯水解酶的定向进化

易错PCR结合DNA改组方法向D-泛解酸内酯水解酶基因中引入突变,并构建突变体库。利用酶的催化特点和产物特性建立了基于平板初筛和高效液相复筛的两步法D-泛解酸内酯水解酶活性筛选系统。用该筛选系统以酶活力和pH稳定性为指标对突变体库进行筛选,最终获得一株酶活力高且在低pH条件下稳定性好的突变体Mut E-861。该突变体的酶活力是野生型酶的5.5倍。对突变体和野生型酶在pH 6.0和pH 5.0条件下的残余酶活进行对比,在这两种pH条件下,突变体酶的酶活残留分别为75%和50%,而野生型酶只能保持原来的40%和20%。通过软件对突变体Mut E-861酶基因和野生型酶基因进行分析对比,发现突变体Mut E-861酶基因发生了三处点突变,其中突变使两处氨基酸取代,另一处为沉默突变,未引起氨基酸的变化。     

基于易错PCR的假密环菌Armillariella tabescens MAN47 b-甘露聚糖酶耐高温定向进化

本研究利用易错PCR技术突变假密环菌Armillariella tabescens MAN47 β-甘露聚糖酶野生型基因,PCR产物与大肠杆菌-酿酒酵母穿梭表达载体pYCα上连接,在大肠杆菌DH5α中扩增后电转入酿酒酵母Saccharomyces cerevisiae,构建了库容为104的初级突变体库,筛选得到耐高温最佳突变株M262。DNS法测得80oC处理30min后最大酶活力为25U/mL,较之野生型最适条件酶活力提高了4.3倍。序列分析表明,突变体有3个碱基发生了突变:T343A/C827T/T1139C,相应的氨基酸改变为Ser115Thr/Thr276Met/Val380Ala,利用SWISS-MODEL数据库同源建模显示,这3个突变氨基酸分别位于第4个β折叠的第6个氨基酸、第6个α螺旋的第1个氨基酸、第10个α螺旋和第11个β折叠之间的转角。     

The role of hydrophobic active-site residues in substrate specificity and acyl transfer activity of penicillin acylase.

Penicillin acylase of Escherichia coli catalyses the hydrolysis and synthesis of beta-lactam antibiotics. To study the role of hydrophobic residues in these reactions, we have mutated three active-site phenylalanines. Mutation of alphaF146, betaF24 and betaF57 to Tyr, Trp, Ala or Leu yielded mutants that were still capable of hydrolysing the chromogenic substrate 2-nitro-5-[(phenylacetyl)amino]-benzoic acid. Mutations on positions alphaF146 and betaF24 influenced both the hydrolytic and acyl transfer activity. This caused changes in the transferase/hydrolase ratios, ranging from a 40-fold decrease for alphaF146Y and alphaF146W to a threefold increase for alphaF146L and betaF24A, using 6-aminopenicillanic acid as the nucleophile. Further analysis of the betaF24A mutant showed that it had specificity constants (kcat/Km) for p-hydroxyphenylglycine methyl ester and phenylglycine methyl ester that were similar to the wild-type values, whereas the specificity constants for p-hydroxyphenylglycine amide and phenylglycine amide had decreased 10-fold, due to a decreased kcat value. A low amidase activity was also observed for the semisynthetic penicillins amoxicillin and ampicillin and the cephalosporins cefadroxil and cephalexin, for which the kcat values were fivefold to 10-fold lower than the wild-type values. The reduced specificity for the product and the high initial transferase/hydrolase ratio of betaF24A resulted in high yields in acyl transfer reactions.     

A glutathione S-transferase catalyzes the dehalogenation of inhibitory metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls

BphK is a glutathione S-transferase of unclear physiological function that occurs in some bacterial biphenyl catabolic (bph) pathways. We demonstrated that BphK of Burkholderia xenovorans strain LB400 catalyzes the dehalogenation of 3-chloro 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenyl-2,4-dienoates (HOPDAs), compounds that are produced by the cometabolism of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by the bph pathway and that inhibit the pathway's hydrolase. A one-column protocol was developed to purify heterologously produced BphK. The purified enzyme had the greatest specificity for 3-Cl HOPDA (kcat/Km, approximately 10(4) M(-1) s(-1)), which it dechlorinated approximately 3 orders of magnitude more efficiently than 4-chlorobenzoate, a previously proposed substrate of BphK. The enzyme also catalyzed the dechlorination of 5-Cl HOPDA and 3,9,11-triCl HOPDA. By contrast, BphK did not detectably transform HOPDA, 4-Cl HOPDA, or chlorinated 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyls. The BphK-catalyzed dehalogenation proceeded via a ternary-complex mechanism and consumed 2 equivalents of glutathione (GSH) (Km for GSH in the presence of 3-Cl HOPDA, approximately 0.1 mM). A reaction mechanism consistent with the enzyme's specificity is proposed. The ability of BphK to dehalogenate inhibitory PCB metabolites supports the hypothesis that this enzyme was recruited to facilitate PCB degradation by the bph pathway.     

Functional roles of Tryptophan residues in diketoreductase from Acinetobacter baylyi

Diketoreductase (DKR) from Acinetobacter baylyi contains two tryptophan residues at positions 149 and 222. Trp-149 and Trp-222 are located along the entry path of substrate into active site and at the dimer interface of DKR, respectively. Single and double substitutions of these positions were generated to probe the roles of tryptophan residues. After replacing Trp with Ala and Phe, biochemical and biophysical characteristics of the mutants were thoroughly investigated. Enzyme activity and substrate binding affinity of W149A and W149F were remarkably decreased, suggesting that Trp-149 regulates the position of substrate at the binding site. Meanwhile, enzyme activity of W222F was increased by 1.7-fold while W222A was completely inactive. In addition to lower thermostability of Trp-222 mutants, molecular modeling of the mutants revealed that Trp-222 is vital to protein folding and dimerization of the enzyme. [BMB Reports 2012; 45(8): 452-457].     

The role of the non-conserved residue at position 104 of class A beta-lactamases in susceptibility to mechanism-based inhibitors

The role of the non-conserved amino acid residue at position 104 of the class A beta-lactamases, which comprises a highly conserved sequence of amino acids at the active sites of these enzymes, in both the hydrolysis of beta-lactam substrates and inactivation by mechanism-based inhibitors was investigated. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed on the penPC gene encoding the Bacillus cereus 569/H beta-lactamase I to replace Asp104 with the corresponding Staphylococcus aureus PC1 residue Ala104. Kinetic data obtained with the purified Asp104Ala B. cereus 569/H beta-lactamase I was compared to that obtained from the wild-type B. cereus and S. aureus enzymes. Replacement of amino acid residue 104 had little effect on the Michaelis parameters for the hydrolysis of both S- and A-type penicillins. Relative to wild-type enzyme, the Asp104Ala beta-lactamase I had 2-fold higher Km values for benzylpenicillin and methicillin, but negligible difference in Km for ampicillin and oxacillin. However, kcat values were also slightly increased resulting in little change in catalytic efficiency, kcat/Km. In contrast, the Asp104Ala beta-lactamase I became more like the S. aureus enzyme in its response to the mechanism-based inhibitors clavulanic acid and 6-beta-(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)amido-penicillanic acid sulfone with respect to both response to the inhibitors and subsequent enzymatic properties. Based on the known three-dimensional structures of the Bacillus licheniformis 749/C, Escherichia coli TEM and S. aureus PC1 beta-lactamases, a model for the role of the non-conserved residue at position 104 in the process of inactivation by mechanism-based inhibitors is proposed.     

Significance of highly conserved aromatic residues in Micrococcus luteus B-P 26 undecaprenyl diphosphate synthase

Undecaprenyl diphosphate synthase catalyzes the sequential condensation of eight molecules of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) in the cis-configuration into farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) to produce undecaprenyl diphosphate (UPP), which is indispensable for the biosynthesis of the bacterial cell wall. This cis-type prenyltransferase exhibits a quite different mode of binding of homoallylic substrate IPP from that of trans-type prenyltransferase [Kharel Y. et al. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 28459-28464]. In order to know the IPP binding mode in more detail, we selected six highly conserved residues in Regions III, IV, and V among nine conserved aromatic residues in Micrococcus luteus B-P 26 UPP synthase for substitution by site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant enzymes were expressed and purified to homogeneity, and then their effects on substrate binding and the catalytic function were examined. All of the mutant enzymes showed moderately similar far-UV CD spectra to that of the wild-type, indicating that none of the replacement of conserved aromatic residues affected the secondary structure of the enzyme. Kinetic analysis showed that the replacement of Tyr-71 with Ser in Region III, Tyr-148 with Phe in Region IV, and Trp-210 with Ala in Region V brought about 10-1,600-fold decreases in the kcat/Km values compared to that of the wild-type but the Km values for both substrates IPP and FPP resulted in only moderate changes. Substitution of Phe-207 with Ser in Region V resulted in a 13-fold increase in the Km value for IPP and a 1,000-2,000-fold lower kcat/Km value than those of the wild-type, although the Km values for FPP showed about no significant changes. In addition, the W224A mutant as to Region V showed 6-fold and 14-fold increased Km values for IPP and FPP, respectively, and 100-250-fold decreased kcat/Km values as compared to those of the wild-type. These results suggested that these conserved aromatic residues play important roles in the binding with both substrates, IPP and FPP, as well as the catalytic function of undecaprenyl diphosphate synthase.     

Effects of mutation at methionine-42 of Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase on stability and function: implication of hydrophobic interactions

Methionine-42, distal to the active site of Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase, was substituted by site-directed mutagenesis with 14 amino acids (Ala, Cys, Glu, Gln, Gly, His, Ile, Leu, Pro, Ser, Thr, Trp, Tyr, and Val) to elucidate its role in the stability and function of this enzyme. Far-ultraviolet circular dichroism spectra of these mutants showed a distinctive negative peak at around 230 nm beside 220 nm, depending on the hydrophobicity of the amino acids introduced. The fluorescence intensity also increased in an order similar to that of the amino acids. These spectroscopic data suggest that the mutations do not affect the secondary structure, but strongly perturb the exciton coupling between Trp47 and Trp74. The free energy of urea unfolding, deltaG(o)u, increased with increases in the side-chain hydrophobicity in the range 2.96-6.40 kcal x mol(-1), which includes the value for the wild-type enzyme (6.08 kcal x mol(-1)). The steady-state kinetic parameters, Km and kcat, also increased with increases in the side-chain hydrophobicity, with the M42W mutant showing the largest increases in Km (35-fold) and kcat (4.3-fold) compared with the wild-type enzyme. These results demonstrate that site 42 distal to the active site plays an important role in the stability and function of this enzyme, and that the main effect of the mutations is to modify of hydrophobic interactions with the residues surrounding this position.     

Mapping of the amino acids in membrane-embedded helices that interact with the retinal chromophore in bovine rhodopsin

By using a photoactivatable analog of 11-cis-retinal in rhodopsin, we have previously identified the amino acids Phe-115, Ala-117, Glu-122, Trp-126, Ser-127, and Trp-265 as major sites of cross-linking to the chromophore. To further investigate the amino acids that interact with retinal, we have now used site-directed mutagenesis to replace a variety of amino acids in the membrane-embedded helices in bovine rhodopsin, including those that were indicated by cross-linking studies. The mutant rhodopsin genes were expressed in monkey kidney cells (COS-1) and purified. The mutant proteins were studied for their spectroscopic properties and their ability to activate transducin. Substitution of the two amino acids, Trp-265 and Glu-122 by Tyr, Phe, and Ala and by Gln, Asp and Ala, respectively, resulted in blue-shifted (20-30 nm) chromophore, and substitution of Trp-265 by Ala resulted in marked reduction in the extent of chromophore regeneration. Light-dependent bleaching behavior was significantly altered in Ala-117----Phe, Trp-265----Phe, Ala, and Ala-292----Asp mutants. Transducin activation was reduced in these mutants, in particular Trp-265 mutants, as well as in Glu-122----Gln, Trp-126----Leu (Ala), Pro-267----Ala (Asn, Ser), and Tyr-268----Phe mutants. These findings indicate that Trp-265 is located close to retinal and Glu-122, Trp-126, and probably Tyr-268 are also likely to be near retinal.     

Catalytic role for arginine 188 in the C-C hydrolase catalytic mechanism for Escherichia coli MhpC and Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 BphD

The alpha/beta-hydrolase superfamily, comprised mainly of esterase and lipase enzymes, contains a family of bacterial C-C hydrolases, including MhpC and BphD which catalyze the hydrolytic C-C cleavage of meta-ring fission intermediates on the Escherichia coli phenylpropionic acid pathway and Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 biphenyl degradation pathway, respectively. Five active site amino acid residues (Arg-188, Asn-109, Phe-173, Cys-261, and Trp-264) were identified from sequence alignments that are conserved in C-C hydrolases, but not in enzymes of different function. Replacement of Arg-188 in MhpC with Gln and Lys led to 200- and 40-fold decreases, respectively, in k(cat); the same replacements for Arg-190 of BphD led to 400- and 700-fold decreases, respectively, in k(cat). Pre-steady-state kinetic analysis of the R188Q MhpC mutant revealed that the first step of the reaction, keto-enol tautomerization, had become rate-limiting, indicating that Arg-188 has a catalytic role in ketonization of the dienol substrate, which we propose is via substrate destabilization. Mutation of nearby residues Phe-173 and Trp-264 to Gly gave 4-10-fold reductions in k(cat) but 10-20-fold increases in K(m), indicating that these residues are primarily involved in substrate binding. The X-ray structure of a succinate-H263A MhpC complex shows concerted movements in the positions of both Phe-173 and Trp-264 that line the approach to Arg-188. Mutation of Asn-109 to Ala and His yielded 200- and 350-fold reductions, respectively, in k(cat) and pre-steady-state kinetic behavior similar to that of a previous S110A mutant, indicating a role for Asn-109 is positioning the active site loop containing Ser-110. The catalytic role of Arg-188 is rationalized by a hydrogen bond network close to the C-1 carboxylate of the substrate, which positions the substrate and promotes substrate ketonization, probably via destabilization of the bound substrate.     

Evidence for a two-base mechanism involving tyrosine-265 from arginine-219 mutants of alanine racemase

A positively charged residue, R219, was found to interact with the pyridine nitrogen of pyridoxal phosphate in the structure of alanine racemase from Bacillus stearothermophilus [Shaw et al. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 1329-1342]. Three site-directed mutants, R219K, R219A, and R219E, have been characterized and compared to the wild type enzyme (WT) to investigate the role of R219 in catalysis. The R219K mutation is functionally conservative, retaining approximately 25% of the WT activity. The R219A and R219E mutations decrease enzyme activity by approximately 100- and 1000-fold, respectively. These results demonstrate that a positively charged residue at this position is required for efficient catalysis. R219 and Y265 are connected through H166 via hydrogen bonds. The R219 mutants exhibit similar kinetic isotope effect trends: increased primary isotope effects (1.5-2-fold) but unchanged solvent isotope effects in the L --> D direction and increased solvent isotope effects (1.5-2-fold) but unchanged primary isotope effects in the D --> L direction. These results support a two-base racemization mechanism involving Y265 and K39. They additionally suggest that Y265 is selectively perturbed by R219 mutations through the H166 hydrogen-bond network. pH profiles show a large pKa shift from 7.1-7.4 (WT and R219K) to 9. 5-10.4 (R219A and R219E) for kcat/KM, and from 7.3 to 9.9-10.4 for kcat. The group responsible for this ionization is likely to be the phenolic hydroxyl of Y265, whose pKa is electrostatically perturbed in the WT by the H166-mediated interaction with R219. Accumulation of an absorbance band at 510 nm, indicative of a quinonoid intermediate, only in the D --> L direction with R219E provides additional evidence for a two-base mechanism involving Y265.