Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A: alterations of biological and biochemical properties resulting from mutation of glutamic acid 553 to aspartic acid

Glutamic acid 553 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA) was identified earlier as a putative active-site residue by photoaffinity labeling with NAD. Here ETA-E553D, a cloned form of the toxin in which Glu-553 has been replaced by aspartic acid, was purified from Escherichia coli extracts and characterized. Cytotoxicity of the mutant toxin for mouse L-M cells was less than 1/400,000 that of the wild type. The mutation caused a 3200-fold reduction in NAD:elongation factor 2 ADP-ribosyltransferase activity, as estimated by assays with an active fragment derived from the toxin by digestion with thermolysin. NAD glycohydrolase activity was reduced somewhat less, by a factor of 50, and photoaffinity labeling with NAD by a factor of 2. We detected less than 2-fold change in the values of KM for NAD or elongation factor 2 and no change in KD for NAD, as determined by quenching of protein fluorescence. The drastic reduction of ADP-ribosyltransferase activity therefore results primarily from an effect of the mutation on kcat, implying that Glu-553 plays an important and possibly direct role in catalyzing this reaction. The effects of the E553D mutation are similar to those of the E148D mutation in diphtheria toxin, supporting the notion that these two Glu residues perform the same function in their respective toxins.     

Exotoxin A of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: substitution of glutamic acid 553 with aspartic acid drastically reduces toxicity and enzymatic activity.

Glutamic acid 553 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA) has been identified by photoaffinity labeling as a residue within the NAD binding site (S.F. Carroll and R.J. Collier, J. Biol. Chem. 262:8707-8711, 1987). To explore the function of Glu-553 we used oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis to replace this residue with Asp in cloned ETA and expressed the mutant gene in Escherichia coli K-12. ADP-ribosylation activity of Asp-553 ETA in cell extracts was about 1,800-fold lower and toxicity for mouse L-M929 fibroblasts was at least 10,000-fold lower than that of the wild-type toxin. Extracts containing Asp-553 ETA inhibited the cytotoxicity of authentic ETA on L-M929 fibroblasts, suggesting that the mutant toxin competes for ETA receptors. The results indicate that Glu-553 is crucial for ADP-ribosylation activity and, consequently, cytotoxicity of ETA. Substitution or deletion of this residue may be a route to new ETA vaccines.     

Restoration of enzymic activity and cytotoxicity of mutant, E553C, Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A by reaction with iodoacetic acid

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA) is inactivated greater than 1,000-fold when an active site glutamic acid, E553, is mutated to aspartic acid (Douglas, C.M., and Collier, R. J. (1987) J. Bacteriol. 169, 4967-4971). To test the effect of creating a carboxyl-containing side chain at position 553 longer than that of glutamic acid, we first replaced Glu-553 with cysteine by site-directed mutagenesis of cloned ETA and then carboxymethylated the cysteine side chain with iodoacetic acid. The E553C mutation reduced ADP-ribosyltransferase and cytotoxic activities greater than 10,000-fold. Reaction of the mutant with iodoacetic acid enhanced enzymic activity 2,500-fold, to a level approximately one-sixth that of wild type toxin, and restored cytotoxicity to a slightly lesser extent. Iodoacetamide did not activate the mutant, and neither iodoacetic acid nor iodoacetamide affected the activity of wild type toxin. These results show that the carboxyl group of Glu-553 is important for ADP-ribosylation activity and imply flexibility in the enzyme-substrate complex in accommodating the slightly longer S-carboxymethylcysteine side chain. This general approach may have applications in protein engineering as well as in studying carboxyl side chain functions in enzymes.     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A: effects of mutating tyrosine-470 and tyrosine-481 to phenylalanine

Directed mutagenesis was used to probe the functions of Tyr-470 and Tyr-481 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA) with respect to cytotoxicity, ADP-ribosylation of elongation factor 2 (EF-2), and NAD-glycohydrolase activity. Both of these residues lie in the active site cleft, close to Glu-553, a residue believed to play a direct role in catalysis of ADP-ribosylation of EF-2. Substitution of Tyr-470 with Phe caused no change in any of these activities, thus eliminating the possibility that the phenolic hydroxyl group of Tyr-470 might be directly involved in catalysis. Mutation of Tyr-481 to Phe caused an approximately 10-fold reduction in NAD:EF-2 ADP-ribosyltransferase activity and cytotoxicity but no change in NAD-glycohydrolase activity. The latter mutation did not alter the KM of NAD in the NAD-glycohydrolase reaction, which suggests that the phenolic hydroxyl of Tyr-481 does not participate in NAD binding. We hypothesize that the phenolic hydroxyl of Tyr-481 may be involved in the interaction of the toxin with substrate EF-2.     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A interaction with eucaryotic elongation factor 2. Role of the His426 residue.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA) catalyzes the transfer of the ADP-ribose moiety of NAD+ onto eucaryotic elongation factor 2 (EF-2). To study the ETA site of interaction with EF-2, an immobilized EF-2 binding assay was developed. This assay demonstrates that ETA, in the presence of NAD+, binds to immobilized EF-2. Additionally, diphtheria toxin was also found to bind to the immobilized EF-2 in the presence of NAD+. Comparative analysis was performed with a mutated form of ETA (CRM 66) in which a histidine residue at position 426 has been replaced with a tyrosine residue. This immunologically cross-reactive, ADP-ribosyl transferase-deficient toxin does not bind to immobilized EF-2, thus explaining its lack of ADPRT activity. ETA bound to immobilized EF-2 cannot bind the monoclonal antibody TC-1 which specifically recognizes the ETA epitope containing His426. Immunoprecipitation of native ETA by mAb TC-1 is only achieved by incubating ETA in the presence of NAD+. Diethyl pyrocarbonate modification of the His426 residue blocks ETA binding to EF-2 and prevents the binding of the TC-1 antibody. Analogs of NAD+ containing a reduced nicotinamide ring or modified adenine moieties cannot substitute for NAD+ in the immobilized binding assay. Collectively, these data support our proposal that the site of ETA interaction with EF-2 includes His426 and that a molecule of NAD+ is required for stable interaction.     

Biochemical analysis of CRM 66. A nonfunctional Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA) is an ADP-ribosyltransferase which inactivates protein synthesis by covalently attaching the ADP-ribose portion of NAD+ onto eucaryotic elongation factor 2 (EF-2). A direct biochemical comparison has been made between ETA and a nonenzymatically active mutant toxin (CRM 66) using highly purified preparations of each protein. The loss of ADP-ribosyltransferase activity and subsequent cytotoxicity have been correlated with the presence of a tyrosine residue in place of a histidine at position 426 in CRM 66. In the native conformation, CRM 66 demonstrated a limited ability (by a factor or at least 100,000) to modify EF-2 covalently and lacked in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity, yet CRM 66 appeared to be normal with respect to NAD+ binding. Upon activation with urea and dithiothreitol, CRM 66 lost ADP-ribosyltransferase activity entirely yet CRM 66 retained the ability to bind NAD+. Replacement of Tyr-426 with histidine in CRM 66 completely restored cytotoxicity and ADP-ribosyltransferase activity. These results support previous findings from this laboratory (Wozniak, D. J., Hsu, L.-Y., and Galloway, D. R. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 85, 8880-8884) which suggest that the His-426 residue of ETA is not involved in NAD+ binding but appears to be associated with the interaction between ETA and EF-2.     

A single residue at the active site of CD38 determines its NAD cyclizing and hydrolyzing activities

CD38 is a multifunctional enzyme involved in metabolizing two Ca(2+) messengers, cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP). When incubated with NAD, CD38 predominantly hydrolyzes it to ADP-ribose (NAD glycohydrolase), but a trace amount of cADPR is also produced through cyclization of the substrate. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to investigate the amino acid important for controlling the hydrolysis and cyclization reactions. CD38 and its mutants were produced in yeast, purified, and characterized by immunoblot. Glu-146 is a conserved residue present in the active site of CD38. Its replacement with Phe greatly enhanced the cyclization activity to a level similar to that of the NAD hydrolysis activity. A series of additional replacements was made at the Glu-146 position including Ala, Asn, Gly, Asp, and Leu. All the mutants exhibited enhanced cyclase activity to various degrees, whereas the hydrolysis activity was inhibited greatly. E146A showed the highest cyclase activity, which was more than 3-fold higher than its hydrolysis activity. All mutants also cyclized nicotinamide guanine dinucleotide to produce cyclic GDP. This activity was enhanced likewise, with E146A showing more than 9-fold higher activity than the wild type. In addition to NAD, CD38 also hydrolyzed cADPR effectively, and this activity was correspondingly depressed in the mutants. When all the mutants were considered, the two cyclase activities and the two hydrolase activities were correlated linearly. The Glu-146 replacements, however, only minimally affected the base-exchange activity that is responsible for synthesizing NAADP. Homology modeling was used to assess possible structural changes at the active site of E146A. These results are consistent with Glu-146 being crucial in controlling specifically and selectively the cyclase and hydrolase activities of CD38.     

Active-site mutations of diphtheria toxin: effects of replacing glutamic acid-148 with aspartic acid, glutamine, or serine

Glutamic acid-148, an active-site residue of diphtheria toxin identified by photoaffinity labeling with NAD, was replaced with aspartic acid, glutamine, or serine by directed mutagenesis of the F2 fragment of the toxin gene. Wild-type and mutant F2 proteins were synthesized in Escherichia coli, and the corresponding enzymic fragment A moieties (DTA) were derived, purified, and characterized. The Glu----Asp (E148D), Glu----Gln (E148Q), and Glu----Ser (E148S) mutations caused reductions in NAD:EF-2 ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of ca. 100-, 250-, and 300-fold, respectively, while causing only minimal changes in substrate affinity. The effects of the mutations on NAD-glycohydrolase activity were considerably different; only a 10-fold reduction in activity was observed for E148S, and the E148D and E148Q mutants actually exhibited a small but reproducible increase in NAD-glycohydrolytic activity. Photolabeling by nicotinamide-radiolabeled NAD was diminished ca. 8-fold in the E148D mutant and was undetectable in the other mutants. The results confirm that Glu-148 plays a crucial role in the ADP-ribosylation of EF-2 and imply an important function for the side-chain carboxyl group in catalysis. The carboxyl group is also important for photochemical labeling by NAD but not for NAD-glycohydrolase activity. The pH dependence of the catalytic parameters for the ADP-ribosyltransferase reaction revealed a group in DTA-wt that titrates with an apparent pKa of 6.2-6.3 and is in the protonated state in the rate-determining step.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Unusual conformation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) bound to diphtheria toxin: a comparison with NAD bound to the oxidoreductase enzymes.

The conformation of NAD bound to diphtheria toxin (DT), an ADP-ribosylating enzyme, has been compared to the conformations of NAD(P) bound to 23 distinct NAD(P)-binding oxidoreductase enzymes, whose structures are available in the Brookhaven Protein Data Bank. For the oxidoreductase enzymes, NAD(P) functions as a cofactor in electron transfer, whereas for DT, NAD is a labile substrate in which the N-glycosidic bond between the nicotinamide ring and the N-ribose is cleaved. All NAD(P) conformations were compared by (1) visual inspection of superimposed molecules, (2) RMSD of atomic positions, (3) principal component analysis, and (4) analysis of torsion angles and other conformational parameters. Whereas the majority of oxidoreductase-bound NAD(P) conformations are found to be similar, the conformation of NAD bound to DT is found to be unusual. Distinctive features of the conformation of NAD bound to DT that may be relevant to DT''s function as an ADP-ribosylating enzyme include (1) an unusually short distance between the PN and N1N atoms, reflecting a highly folded conformation for the nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) portion of NAD, and (2) a torsion angle chi N approximately 0 degree about the scissile N-glycosidic bond, placing the nicotinamide ring outside of the preferred anti and syn orientations. In NAD bound to DT, the highly folded NMN conformation and torsion angle chi N approximately 0 degree could contribute to catalysis, possibly by orienting the C1''N atom of NAD for nucleophilic attack, or by placing strain on the N-glycosidic bond, which is cleaved by DT. The unusual overall conformation of NAD bound to DT is likely to reflect the structure of DT, which is unusual among NAD(P)-binding enzymes. In DT, the NAD binding site is formed at the junction of two antiparallel beta-sheets. In contrast, although the 24 oxidoreductase enzymes belong to at least six different structural classes, almost all of them bind NAD(P) at the C-terminal end of a parallel beta-sheet. The structural alignments and principal component analysis show that enzymes of the same structural class bind to particularly similar conformations of NAD(P), with few exceptions. The conformation of NAD bound to DT superimposes closely with that of an NAD analogue bound to Pseudomonas exotoxin A, an ADP-ribosylating toxin that is structurally homologous to DT. This suggests that all of the ADP-ribosylating enzymes that are structurally homologous to DT and ETA will bind a highly similar conformation of NAD.     

Human alpha-defensins neutralize toxins of the mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase family

Various bacterial pathogens secrete toxins, which are not only responsible for fatal pathogenesis of disease, but also facilitate evasion of host defences. One of the best-known bacterial toxin groups is the mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase family. In the present study, we demonstrate that human neutrophil alpha-defensins are potent inhibitors of the bacterial enzymes, particularly against DT (diphtheria toxin) and ETA (Pseudomonas exotoxin A). HNP1 (human neutrophil protein 1) inhibited DT- or ETA-mediated ADP-ribosylation of eEF2 (eukaryotic elongation factor 2) and protected HeLa cells against DT- or ETA-induced cell death. Kinetic analysis revealed that inhibition of DT and ETA by HNP1 was competitive with respect to eEF2 and uncompetitive against NAD+ substrates. Our results reveal that toxin neutralization represents a novel biological function of HNPs in host defence.     

Toxin binding site of the diphtheria toxin receptor: loss and gain of diphtheria toxin binding of monkey and mouse heparin-binding, epidermal growth factor-like growth factor precursors by reciprocal site-directed mutagenesis

The transmembrane precursor of the monkey (Mk) heparin-binding, epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (proHB-EGF) functions as a diphtheria toxin (DT) receptor, whereas the mouse (Ms) precursor does not. Previously, using chimeric Ms/Mk precursors, we have shown that DT resistance of cells bearing Ms proHB-EGF may be accounted for by several amino acid substitutions between residues 122 and 148 within the EGF-like domain and that Glu-141 is an important amino acid residue for DT binding. In this study, reciprocal site-directed mutagenesis was performed on the major non-conserved residues in the region of 122–148, alone or in combination, between Mk and Ms precursors to identify more precisely which amino acid residues are important for DT binding. Two approaches were used. The first, more traditional approach was to destroy DT sensitivity and binding of Mk proHB-EGF by substitution(s) with the corresponding Ms residue(s). From the single mutations, the greatest loss of DT sensitivity was observed with Mk/Glu-141His (approximately 4000-fold) and the next greatest with Mk/Ile-133Lys (approximately fourfold). The double mutations Mk/Leu-127Phe/Glu-141His, Mk/Ile-133Lys/Glu-141His and Mk/His-135Leu/Glu-141His resulted in complete toxin resistance (> 100 000-fold). The second approach, both novel and complementary, was to gain DT binding and sensitivity of Ms proHB-EGF by substitution(s) with the corresponding Mk residue(s). Surprisingly, the single mutation Ms/His-141Glu resulted in the gain of moderate DT sensitivity (> 260-fold). The double mutation Ms/Lys-133Ile/His-141Glu and the triple mutation Ms/Lys-133Ile/Leu-135His/His-141Glu resulted in a progressive gain in toxin sensitivity (> 4700-fold and > 16 000-fold respectively) and affinity. This triple mutant cell line is essentially as sensitive (IC₅₀ = 3.1 ng ml^?1) as the highly toxin-sensitive monkey Vero cell line (IC₅₀ = 4 ng ml^?1), indicating that these three Mk residues enable the Ms proHB-EGF to act as a fully functional DT receptor. Taken together, these results indicate that Glu-141 plays the most critical role in DT binding and sensitivity and that two additional amino acid residues, Ile-133 and His-135, also play significant roles.     

Conformational integrity of a recombinant toxoid of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A containing a deletion of glutamic acid-553.

A mutant form of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA) carrying a deletion of glutamic acid-553, an important active-site residue, was expressed in an ETA-negative strain of P. aeruginosa and shown to be exported from the cells as efficiently as wild-type ETA. The mutant protein, purified from the culture medium, was devoid of ADP-ribosyltransferase activity. Protein conformation was barely perturbed by the deletion, as determined by a number of measures, including affinity for substrate NAD, proteinase sensitivity, absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The conformational integrity and stability of the mutant toxin are consistent with potential use of the protein in vaccines or as a carrier in preparing conjugate vaccines.     

Functional comparison of the NAD binding cleft of ADP-ribosylating toxins

Although a common core structure forms the active site of ADP-ribosylating (ADPRT) toxins, the limited-sequence homology within this region suggests that different mechanisms are being used by toxins to perform their shared function. To explain differences in their mechanisms of NAD binding and hydrolysis, the functional interrelationship of residues predicted to perform similar functions in the beta3-strand of the NAD binding cleft of different ADPRT toxins was compared. Replacing Tyr54 in the A-subunit of diphtheria toxin (DTA) with a serine, its functional homologue in cholera toxin (CT), resulted in the loss of catalytic function but not NAD binding. The catalytic role of the aromatic portion of Tyr54 in the ADPRT reaction was confirmed by the ability of a Tyr54-to-phenylalanine DTA mutant to retain ADPRT activity. In reciprocal studies, positioning a tyrosine in the beta3-strand of the A1-subunit of CT (CTA1) caused both loss of function and altered structure. The restricted flexibility of the CTA1 active site relative to function became evident upon the loss of ADPRT activity when a conservative Val60-to-leucine mutation was performed. We conclude from our studies that DT and CT maintain a similar mechanism of NAD binding but differ in their mechanisms of NAD hydrolysis. The aromatic moiety at position 54 in DT is integral to NAD hydrolysis, while NAD hydrolysis in CT appears highly dependent on the precise positioning of specific residues within the beta3-strand of the active-site cleft.     

Diphtheria toxin. Effect of substituting aspartic acid for glutamic acid 148 on ADP-ribosyltransferase activity

Photoaffinity labeling experiments with diphtheria toxin fragment A have implicated glutamic acid 148 as a constituent of the NAD binding site. To evaluate the role of this residue in ADP-ribosylation of elongation factor 2, we replaced it with aspartic acid by in vitro mutagenesis of a toxin gene fragment cloned in Escherichia coli. Fragment A containing aspartic acid at position 148 had less than 0.6% the ADP-ribosylation activity of wild-type fragment A. The mutation produced no change in sensitivity of fragment A to trypsin and little, if any, reduction in affinity of fragment A for NAD. These results indicate that glutamic acid 148 is essential for the ADP-ribosylation of elongation factor 2 and are consistent with other data suggesting that this residue may be at or near the catalytic center of the toxin.     

Identification of amino acid residues essential for the substrate specificity of Flavobacterium sp. endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase

The gene encoding the endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase from Flavobacterium sp. (Endo-Fsp) was sequenced. The Endo-Fsp gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli cells, and was purified from inclusion bodies after denaturation by 8 M urea. The renatured Endo-Fsp had the same optimum pH and substrate specificity as the native enzyme. Endo-Fsp had 60% sequence identity with the endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase from Streptomyces plicatus (Endo-H), and the putative catalytic residues were conserved. Site-directed mutagenesis was done at conserved residues based on the three-dimensional structure and mutagenesis of Endo-H. The mutant of Glu-128, corresponding to Glu-132 in Endo-H and identified as an active site residue, was inactivated. Mutagenesis around the predicted active site of Endo-Fsp reduced the enzymatic activity. Moreover, the hydrolytic activity toward hybrid-type oligosaccharides was decreased compared to that toward high-mannose type oligosaccharides by mutagenesis of Asp-126 and Asp-127. Therefore, site-directed mutagenesis of some of these conserved residues indicates that the predicted active sites are essential to the enzymatic activity of Endo-Fsp, and may have similar roles in catalysis as their counterparts in Endo-H.     

Amino acid sequence homology between the enzymic domains of diphtheria toxin and Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A

Despite similarities in their enzymic properties, diphtheria toxin (DT) and exotoxin A (ETA) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa have major differences in structure and action: consequently, the question of possible evolutionary relatedness of these two proteins remains unanswered. Here we report the existence of significant amino acid sequence homology between the enzymic domain of DT and that of ETA. Major segments of sequence may be aligned with high percentages of identity and of conservative substitutions. The homologous stretches in ETA form much of the active-site cleft in the X-ray crystallographic structure. This evidence implies that these domains, at least, have diverged from a common ancestral protein and that active-site residues have been strongly conserved.     

Retroviral insertional mutagenesis identifies a small protein required for synthesis of diphthamide, the target of bacterial ADP-ribosylating toxins

Retroviral insertional mutagenesis was used to produce a mutant Chinese hamster ovary cell line that is completely resistant to several different bacterial ADP-ribosylating toxins. The gene responsible for toxin resistance, termed diphtheria toxin (DT) and Pseudomonas exotoxin A (ETA) sensitivity required gene 1 (DESR1), encodes two small protein isoforms of 82 and 57 residues. DESR1 is evolutionally conserved and ubiquitously expressed. Only the longer isoform is functional because the mutant cell line can be complemented by transfection with the long but not the short isoform. We demonstrate that DESR1 is required for the first step in the posttranslational modification of elongation factor-2 at His(715) that yields diphthamide, the target site for ADP ribosylation by DT and ETA. KTI11, the analog of DESR1 in yeast, which was originally identified as a gene regulating the sensitivity of yeast to zymocin, is also required for diphthamide biosynthesis, implicating DESR1/KTI11 in multiple biological processes.     

Charge balance in the alpha-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase vacuole: an acid test.

The proposal that the active site vacuole of NAD(+)-S-lactate dehydrogenase is unable to accommodate any imbalance in electrostatic charge was tested by genetically manipulating the cDNA coding for human muscle lactate dehydrogenase to make a protein with an aspartic acid introduced at position 140 instead of the wild-type asparagine. The Asn 140-Asp mutant enzyme has the same kcat as the wild type (Asn 140) at low pH (4.5), and at higher pH the Km for pyruvate increases 10-fold for each unit increase in pH up to pH 9. We conclude that the anion of Asp 140 is completely inactive and that it binds pyruvate with a Km that is over 1,000 times that of the Km of the neutral, protonated aspartic-140. Experimental results and molecular modeling studies indicate the pKa of the active site histidine-195 in the enzyme-NADH complex is raised to greater than 10 by the presence of the anion at position 140. Energy minimization and molecular dynamics studies over 36 ps suggest that the anion at position 140 promotes the opening of and the entry of mobile solvent beneath the polypeptide loop (98-110), which normally seals off the internal active site vacuole from external bulk solvent.     

Analysis of the catalytic site of the actin ADP-ribosylating Clostridium perfringens iota toxin

The enzyme component of the actin ADP-ribosylating Clostridium perfringens iota toxin was affinity labelled by UV irradiation in the presence of [carbonyl-¹⁴C]NAD. A peptide containing the radiolabel was generated by CNBr cleavage and subsequent proteolysis with trypsin. Its amino acid sequence is Gly-Ser-Pro-Gly-Ala-Tyr-Leu-Ser-Ala-Ile-Pro-Gly-Tyr-Ala-Gly-X-Tyr-Glu-Val-Leu-Leu-Asn-His-Gly-Ser-Lys corresponding with the region Gly-363 through Lys-388 in the C. perfringens iota toxin. Mass spectrometric data as well as the results of the PTH-amino acid analysis are in line with a modification of a glutamic acid side chain located at position 378. Therefore, in addition to Glu-380, as could be concluded by analogy with other ADP-ribosyltransferases, Glu-378 may play a pivotal role in the active site of C. perfringens iota toxin.     

The role of active site glutamate residues in catalysis of Rhodobacter capsulatus xanthine dehydrogenase

Xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) from the bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus catalyzes the hydroxylation of xanthine to uric acid with NAD+ as the electron acceptor. R. capsulatus XDH forms an (alphabeta)2 heterotetramer and is highly homologous to homodimeric eukaryotic xanthine oxidoreductases. Here we first describe reductive titration and steady state kinetics on recombinant wild-type R. capsulatus XDH purified from Escherichia coli, and we then proceed to evaluate the catalytic importance of the active site residues Glu-232 and Glu-730. The steady state and rapid reaction kinetics of an E232A variant exhibited a significant decrease in both kcat and kred as well as increased Km and Kd values as compared with the wild-type protein. No activity was determined for the E730A, E730Q, E730R, and E730D variants in either the steady state or rapid reaction experiments, indicating at least a 10(7) decrease in catalytic effectiveness for this variant. This result is fully consistent with the proposed role of this residue as an active site base that initiates catalysis.