Product inhibition in the radical S-adenosylmethionine family

Members of the radical S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) superfamily reductively cleave AdoMet to generate the highly reactive 5′-deoxyadenosyl radical (DOA) which initiates biological transformations by abstraction of a hydrogen atom. We demonstrate that three members of the family: biotin synthase (BioB), lipoyl synthase (LipA) and tyrosine lyase (ThiH) are inhibited in vitro by a combination of the products 5′-deoxyadenosine (DOA) and methionine. These results suggest the observed inhibition is a common feature of the radical AdoMet proteins that form DOA and methionine as products. Addition of 5′-methylthioadenosine/S-adenosylhomocysteine nucleosidase (MTAN) to BioB, LipA or ThiH activity assays removed the product inhibition by catalysing the hydrolysis of DOA and gave an increase in activity.     

The antiviral protein viperin is a radical SAM enzyme

Viperin, an interferon-inducible antiviral protein, is shown to bind an iron-sulfur cluster, based on iron analysis as well as UV-Vis and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic data. The reduced protein contains a [4Fe-4S]¹⁺ cluster whose g-values are altered upon addition of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), consistent with SAM coordination to the cluster. Incubation of reduced viperin with SAM results in reductive cleavage of SAM to produce 5′-deoxyadenosine (5′-dAdo), a reaction characteristic of the radical SAM superfamily. The 5′-dAdo cleavage product was identified by a combination of HPLC and mass spectrometry analysis.     

Enzyme catalyzed formation of radicals from S-adenosylmethionine and inhibition of enzyme activity by the cleavage products

A large superfamily of enzymes have been identified that make use of radical intermediates derived by reductive cleavage of S-adenosylmethionine. The primary nature of the radical intermediates makes them highly reactive and potent oxidants. They are used to initiate biotransformations by hydrogen atom abstraction, a process that allows a particularly diverse range of substrates to be functionalized, including substrates with relatively inert chemical structures. In the first part of this review, we discuss the evidence supporting the mechanism of radical formation from S-adenosylmethionine. In the second part of the review, we examine the potential of reaction products arising from S-adenosylmethionine to cause product inhibition. The effects of this product inhibition on kinetic studies of 'radical S-adenosylmethionine' enzymes are discussed and strategies to overcome these issues are reviewed. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Radical SAM enzymes and Radical Enzymology.     

Characterisation of Desulfovibrio vulgaris haem b synthase,a radical SAM family member

An alternative route for haem b biosynthesis is operative in sulfate-reducing bacteria of the Desulfovibrio genus and in methanogenic Archaea. This pathway diverges from the canonical one at the level of uroporphyrinogen III and progresses via a distinct branch, where sirohaem acts as an intermediate precursor being converted into haem b by a set of novel enzymes, named the alternative haem biosynthetic proteins (Ahb). In this work, we report the biochemical characterisation of the Desulfovibrio vulgaris AhbD enzyme that catalyses the last step of the pathway. Mass spectrometry analysis showed that AhbD promotes the cleavage of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and converts iron-coproporphyrin III via two oxidative decarboxylations to yield haem b, methionine and the 5′-deoxyadenosyl radical. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy studies demonstrated that AhbD contains two [4Fe–4S]^2 +/1 + centres and that binding of the substrates S-adenosylmethionine and iron-coproporphyrin III induces conformational modifications in both centres. Amino acid sequence comparisons indicated that D. vulgaris AhbD belongs to the radical SAM protein superfamily, with a GGE-like motif and two cysteine-rich sequences typical for ligation of SAM molecules and iron-sulfur clusters, respectively. A structural model of D. vulgaris AhbD with putative binding pockets for the iron-sulfur centres and the substrates SAM and iron-coproporphyrin III is discussed.     

Repair efficiency of (5′S)-8,5′-cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine and (5′S)-8,5′-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine depends on the complementary base

5′-R and 5′-S diastereoisomers of 8,5′-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (cdA) and 8,5′-cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine (cdG) containing a base-sugar covalent bond are formed by hydroxyl radicals. R-cdA and S-cdA are repaired by nucleotide excision repair (NER) in mammalian cellular extracts. Here, we have examined seven purified base excision repair enzymes for their ability to repair S-cdG or S-cdA. We could not detect either excision or binding of these enzymes on duplex oligonucleotide substrates containing these lesions. However, both lesions were repaired by HeLa cell extracts. Dual incisions by human NER on a 136-mer duplex generated 24–32 bp fragments. The time course of dual incisions were measured in comparison to cis-anti-B[a]P-N²-dG, an excellent substrate for human NER, which showed that cis-anti-B[a]P-N²-dG was repaired more efficiently than S-cdG, which, in turn, was repaired more efficiently than S-cdA. When NER efficiency of S-cdG with different complementary bases was investigated, the wobble pair S-cdG·dT was excised more efficiently than the S-cdG·dC pair that maintains nearly normal Watson-Crick base pairing. But S-cdG·dA mispair with no hydrogen bonds was excised less efficiently than the S-cdG·dC pair. Similar pattern was noted for S-cdA. The S-cdA·dC mispair was excised much more efficiently than the S-cdA·dT pair, whereas the S-cdA·dA pair was excised less efficiently. This result adds to complexity of human NER, which discriminates the damaged base pairs on the basis of multiple criteria.     

Inhibition of thyroid secretion by sodium fluoride in vitro

NaF mimicked the activation by thyrotropin of iodide binding to proteins and of glucose C-I oxidation but not the accumulation of intracellular colloid droplets or the stimulation of secretion in dog thyroid slices in vitro. On the contrary, NaF inhibited the two latter thyrotropin effects. The inhibitory action of F⁻ was partially relieved by the addition of glucose to the medium; it was mimicked by sodium oxamate. These data suggest that NaF depresses the endocytosis of colloid and thyroid secretion by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis in the follicular cell. NaF inhibited the activation of colloid droplet accumulation and secretion by N⁶,O^2′-dibutyryl-adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (dibutyryl cyclic AMP) and the accumulation of cyclic AMP in thyrotropin-stimulated slices. This suggests an inhibition at the level of both cyclic AMP accumulation and cyclic AMP action. The inhibition by NaF and sodium oxamate of colloid droplet formation and thyroid secretion but not of glucose C-I oxidation in stimulated slices further confirms our conclusion that the latter effect is not merely a consequence of the activation by thyrotropin of colloid endocytosis.     

Evolution of putrescine N-methyltransferase from spermidine synthase demanded alterations in substrate binding

Putrescine N-methyltransferase (PMT) catalyses S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methylation of putrescine in tropane alkaloid biosynthesis. PMT presumably evolved from the ubiquitous spermidine synthase (SPDS). SPDS protein structure suggested that only few amino acid exchanges in the active site were necessary to achieve PMT activity. Protein modelling, mutagenesis, and chimeric protein construction were applied to trace back evolution of PMT activity from SPDS. Ten amino acid exchanges in Datura stramonium SPDS dismissed the hypothesis of facile generation of PMT activity in existing SPDS proteins. Chimeric PMT and SPDS enzymes were active and indicated the necessity for a different putrescine binding site when PMT developed.     

Synthesis of the lux gene autoinducer in Vibrio fischeri is positively autoregulated

The enzymes for luminescence in Vibrio fischeri are induced only after the accumulation of a sufficient concentration of a metabolic product (the autoinducer) generated by the bacteria themselves. Genetic analyses by others have previously suggested that biosynthesis of the autoinducer is catalyzed by a single gene product (autoinducer synthetase) presumably from precursors typically present in the bacterial cell. Also, the biosynthesis was predicted to be autocatalytic such that in the presence of autoinducer, more autoinducer synthetase should be produced. We have directly tested these predictions and found that autoinducer synthesis is indeed positively autoregulated. In addition, we have demonstrated autoinducer synthesis in vitro and have tentatively identified the substrates of autoinducer synthetase as S-adenosylmethionine and 3-oxohexanoyl coenzyme A.Abbreviations AdoMet S-adenosylmethionine - AI autoinducer, i.e. 3-oxohexsanoyl homoserine lactone - C-10 decanoyl homoserine lactone - HPLC high performance liquid chromatography - LM luminescence medium - LM-BT luminescence medium without tryptone - LU light units - 3-oxo 3-oxohexanoyl-coenzyme A - SWC sea water complete medium     

Crystal structures and enzymatic properties of a triamine/agmatine aminopropyltransferase from Thermus thermophilus

To maintain functional conformations of DNA and RNA in high-temperature environments, an extremely thermophilic bacterium, Thermus thermophilus, employs a unique polyamine biosynthetic pathway and produces more than 16 types of polyamines. In the thermophile genome, only one spermidine synthase homolog (SpeE) was found and it was shown to be a key enzyme in the pathway. The catalytic assay of the purified enzyme revealed that it utilizes triamines (norspermidine and spermidine) and agmatine as acceptors in its aminopropyl transfer reaction; therefore, the enzyme was denoted as a triamine/agmatine aminopropyltransferase (TAAPT). We determined the crystal structures of the enzyme complexed with and without the aminopropyl group donor S-adenosylmethionine. Despite sequence and structural similarity with spermidine synthases from other organisms, a novel C-terminal β-sheet and differences in the catalytic site were observed. The C-terminal module interacts with the gatekeeping loop and fixes the open conformation of the loop to recognize larger polyamine substrates such as agmatine and spermidine. Additional computational docking studies suggest that the structural differences of the catalytic site also contribute to recognition of the aminopropyl/aminobutyl or guanidium moiety of the substrates of TAAPT. These results explain in part the extraordinarily diverse polyamine spectrum found in T. thermophilus.     

Regulation of Protein Function and Signaling by Reversible Cysteine S-Nitrosylation

NO is a versatile free radical that mediates numerous biological functions within every major organ system. A molecular pathway by which NO accomplishes functional diversity is the selective modification of protein cysteine residues to form S-nitrosocysteine. This post-translational modification, S-nitrosylation, impacts protein function, stability, and location. Despite considerable advances with individual proteins, the in vivo biological chemistry, the structural elements that govern the selective S-nitrosylation of cysteine residues, and the potential overlap with other redox modifications are unknown. In this minireview, we explore the functional features of S-nitrosylation at the proteome level and the structural diversity of endogenously modified residues, and we discuss the potential overlap and complementation that may exist with other cysteine modifications.     

Protein arginine methyltransferase 7 has a novel homodimer-like structure formed by tandem repeats

Protein arginine methyltransferase 7 (PRMT7) is a member of a family of enzymes that catalyze the transfer of methyl groups from S-adenosyl-l-methionine to nitrogen atoms on arginine residues. Here, we describe the crystal structure of Caenorhabditis elegans PRMT7 in complex with its reaction product S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine. The structural data indicated that PRMT7 harbors two tandem repeated PRMT core domains that form a novel homodimer-like structure. S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine bound to the N-terminal catalytic site only; the C-terminal catalytic site is occupied by a loop that inhibits cofactor binding. Mutagenesis demonstrated that only the N-terminal catalytic site of PRMT7 is responsible for cofactor binding.     

Free energy analysis of ω-transaminase reactions to dissect how the enzyme controls the substrate selectivity

ω-Transaminase (ω-TA) is the only naturally occurring enzyme allowing asymmetric amination of ketones for production of chiral amines. The active site of the enzyme was proposed to consist of two differently sized substrate binding pockets and the stringent steric constraint in the small pocket has presented a significant challenge to production of structurally diverse chiral amines. To provide a mechanistic understanding of how the (S)-specific ω-TA from Paracoccus denitrificans achieves the steric constraint in the small pocket, we developed a free energy analysis enabling quantification of individual contributions of binding and catalytic steps to changes in the total activation energy caused by structural differences in the substrate moiety that is to be accommodated by the small pocket. The analysis exploited kinetic and thermodynamic investigations using structurally similar substrates and the structural differences among substrates were regarded as probes to assess how much relative destabilizations of the reaction intermediates, i.e. the Michaelis complex and the transition state, were induced by the slight change of the substrate moiety inside the small pocket. We found that ≈80% of changes in the total activation energy resulted from changes in the enzyme-substrate binding energy, indicating that substrate selectivity in the small pocket is controlled predominantly by the binding step (K_M) rather than the catalytic step (k_cat). In addition, we examined the pH dependence of the kinetic parameters and the pH profiles of the K_M and k_cat values suggested that key active site residues involved in the binding and catalytic steps are decoupled. Taken together, these findings suggest that the active site residues forming the small pocket are mainly engaged in the binding step but not significantly involved in the catalytic step, which may provide insights into how to design a rational strategy for engineering of the small pocket to relieve the steric constraint toward bulky substituents.     

Accumulation of altered aspartyl residues in erythrocyte membrane proteins from patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Spontaneous protein deamidation of labile asparagines (Asn), generating abnormal l-isoaspartyl residues (IsoAsp), is associated with cell aging and enhanced by an oxidative microenvironment. The presence of isopeptide bonds impairs protein structure/function. To minimize the damage, IsoAsp can be “repaired” by the protein l-isoaspartyl/d-aspartyl O-methyltransferase (PIMT) and S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) is the methyl donor of this reaction. PIMT is a repair enzyme that initiates the conversion of l-isoAsp (or d-Asp) residues to l-Asp residues. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disease principally affecting motor neurons. The condition of oxidative stress reported in familial and sporadic forms of ALS prompted us to investigate Asn deamidation in ALS tissue. Erythrocytes (RBCs) were selected as a model system since they are unable to replace damaged proteins and protein methylesterification is virtually the only AdoMet-consuming reaction operating in these cells. Our data show that, in vitro assay, abnormal IsoAsp residues were significantly higher in ALS patients erythrocyte membrane proteins with an increased methyl accepting capability relative to controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, we observed a reduction in AdoMet levels, while AdoHcy concentration was comparable to that detected in the control, resulting in a lower [AdoMet]/[AdoHcy] ratio. Then, the accumulation of altered aspartyl residues in ALS patients is probably related to a reduced efficiency of the S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-dependent repair system causing increased protein instability at Asn sites. The increase of abnormal residues represents a new protein alteration that may be present not only in red blood cells but also in other cell types of patients suffering from ALS.     

Preparation, properties and crystal structure of two isomers of R,R,S,S- and R,S,R,S-[chloro(1,3,10,12,16,19-hexaazatetracyclo[17,3,1,1,0]tetracosane)copper(II)]

Two isomers (R,S,R,S- and R,R,S,S-) of five coordinate complex [Cu(L)Cl]⁺ have been separated and characterised. These two isomers have significantly different spectrochemical and electrochemical properties. Absorption maximum of R,S,R,S-[Cu(L)Cl]⁺ shifts to longer wavelength and its reduction potential shifts to more positive direction comparing those of R,R,S,S-[Cu(L)Cl]⁺. R,S,R,S-[Cu(L)Cl]⁺ is significantly distorted to trigonal-bipyramidal structure, whereas R,R,S,S-[Cu(L)Cl]⁺ retains almost square-planar geometry. The average bond distance of Cu-N in basal plane of R,S,R,S-[Cu(L)Cl]⁺ is longer by 0.024 Å than that of R,R,S,S-[Cu(L)Cl]⁺, whereas the bond distance of Cu-Cl in former is shorter by 0.200 Å than that in latter. The isolated square-planar complexes of R,R,S,S- and R,S,R,S-[Cu(L)](ClO₄)₂ are converted to the R,R,S,S- and R,S,R,S-[Cu(L)Cl]⁺ by the addition of Cl⁻ in nitromethane solution with the rate constants, k=1.70 (±0.02) and 8.31 (±0.07) M⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively.     

On the metabolic activation of the carcinogen N-hydroxy-N-2-acetylaminofluorene : III. Oxidation with horseradish peroxidase to yield 2-nitrosofluorene and N-acetoxy-N-2-acetylaminofluorene

Previous studies have shown that the carcinogen N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene is converted by one-electron oxidants to a free nitroxide radical which dismutates to N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-nitrosofluorene. The present study shows that the same oxidation can be achieved with horseradish peroxidase and H₂O₂. The free radical intermediate was detected by its ESR signal, and the yields of N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene and of 2-nitrosofluorene were determined under a number of conditions. Addition of tRNA to the reaction mixture containing N-acetoxy-N-2-acetyl[2′-³H]aminofluorene yielded tRNA-bound radioactivity; addition of guanosine yielded a reaction product which appears to be N-guanosin-8-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene. The latter compound has previously been identified as a reaction product of N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene and guanosine. Preliminary attempts to demonstrate the formation of a nitroxide free radical or its dismutation products with rat liver mixed function oxidase systems were not successful.     

Significance of alterations in the metabolomics of sulfur-containing amino acids during liver regeneration

It has been known that liver regeneration is accompanied with a profound change in the metabolomics of sulfur-containing substances in liver. However, its physiological significance in the liver regenerative process is still unclear. Our previous work showed that buthioninesulfoximine and phorone, both widely used to deplete intracellular glutathione (GSH) in biological experiments, induced contrasting changes in the sulfur-containing amino acid metabolism in liver. In this study we employed these GSH-depleting agents to evaluate the role of sulfur-containing substances in the early phase of liver regeneration. Male rats treated with buthioninesulfoximine or phorone were subjected to two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PHx). At the doses used, the magnitude of GSH depletion after PHx was comparable, but buthioninesulfoximine administration inhibited the progression of liver regeneration as determined by liver weight increase, elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase activity, and cyclin D1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) protein expressions, whereas liver recovery was significantly accelerated in the phorone-treated rats, suggesting that the role of GSH in this process is minimal. Hepatic concentrations of methionine, S-adenosylmethionine, cysteine, taurine and GSH were all elevated by PHx. Methionine adenosyltransferase activity was also induced in the remnant liver. Buthioninesulfoximine administration depressed the elevation of S-adenosylmethionine, but increased the catabolism of cysteine to taurine. In contrast, S-adenosylmethionine elevation was augmented whereas cysteine, hypotaurine and taurine were decreased in the phorone-treated rats. PHx elevated hepatic putrescine and spermidine, but lowered spermine concentrations. Buthioninesulfoximine administration increased putrescine further, but decreased spermidine and spermine concentrations. On the contrary, both spermidine and spermine concentrations were elevated in the rats treated with phorone. The results suggest that the availability of S-adenosylmethionine plays a critical role in the progression of liver regeneration via enhancement of polyamine synthesis. These findings raise the possibility that regulating hepatic transsulfuration reactions may be capable of modifying the recovery process after liver injury.     

Stereochemical Features of Glutathione-dependent Enzymes in the Sphingobium sp. Strain SYK-6 β-Aryl Etherase Pathway

Glutathione-dependent enzymes play important protective, repair, or metabolic roles in cells. In particular, enzymes in the glutathione S-transferase (GST) superfamily function in stress responses, defense systems, or xenobiotic detoxification. Here, we identify novel features of bacterial GSTs that cleave β-aryl ether bonds typically found in plant lignin. Our data reveal several original features of the reaction cycle of these GSTs, including stereospecific substrate recognition and stereoselective formation of β-S-thioether linkages. Products of recombinant GSTs (LigE, LigP, and LigF) are β-S-glutathionyl-α-keto-thioethers that are degraded by a β-S-thioetherase (LigG). All three Lig GSTs produced the ketone product (β-S-glutathionyl-α-veratrylethanone) from an achiral side chain-truncated model substrate (β-guaiacyl-α-veratrylethanone). However, when β-etherase assays were conducted with a racemic model substrate, β-guaiacyl-α-veratrylglycerone, LigE- or LigP-catalyzed reactions yielded only one of two potential product (β-S-glutathionyl-α-veratrylglycerone) epimers, whereas the other diastereomer (differing in configuration at the β-position (i.e. its β-epimer)) was produced only in the LigF-catalyzed reaction. Thus, β-etherase catalysis causes stereochemical inversion of the chiral center, converting a β(R)-substrate to a β(S)-product (LigE and LigP), and a β(S)-substrate to a β(R)-product (LigF). Further, LigG catalyzed glutathione-dependent β-S-thioether cleavage with β-S-glutathionyl-α-veratrylethanone and with β(R)-configured β-S-glutathionyl-α-veratrylglycerone but exhibited no or significantly reduced β-S-thioether-cleaving activity with the β(S)-epimer, demonstrating that LigG is a stereospecific β-thioetherase. We therefore propose that multiple Lig enzymes are needed in this β-aryl etherase pathway in order to cleave the racemic β-ether linkages that are present in the backbone of the lignin polymer.     

Automethylation of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 8 (PRMT8) Regulates Activity by Impeding S-Adenosylmethionine Sensitivity

Protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) 8 is unique among the PRMTs, as it has a highly restricted tissue expression pattern and an N terminus that contains two automethylation sites and a myristoylation site. PRMTs catalyze the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) to a peptidylarginine on a protein substrate. Currently, the physiological roles, regulation, and cellular substrates of PRMT8 are poorly understood. However, a thorough understanding of PRMT8 kinetics should provide insights into each of these areas, thereby enhancing our understanding of this unique enzyme. In this study, we determined how automethylation regulates the enzymatic activity of PRMT8. We found that preventing automethylation with lysine mutations (preserving the positive charge of the residue) increased the turnover rate and decreased the K_m of AdoMet but did not affect the K_m of the protein substrate. In contrast, mimicking automethylation with phenylalanine (i.e. mimicking the increased hydrophobicity) decreased the turnover rate. The inhibitory effect of the PRMT8 N terminus could be transferred to PRMT1 by creating a chimeric protein containing the N terminus of PRMT8 fused to PRMT1. Thus, automethylation of the N terminus likely regulates PRMT8 activity by decreasing the affinity of the enzyme for AdoMet.