Molecular modeling of formate dehydrogenase: the formation of the Michaelis complex

The formation of the reactive enzyme–substrate complex of formate dehydrogenase has been investigated by molecular dynamics techniques accounting for different conformational states of the enzyme. Simulations revealed that the transport of substrate to the active site through the substrate channel proceeds in the open conformation of enzyme due to the crucial role of the Arg284 residue acting as a vehicle. However, formate binding in the active site of the open conformation leads to the formation of a nonproductive enzyme–substrate complex. The productive Michaelis complex is formed only in the closed enzyme conformation after the substrate and coenzyme have bound, when required rigidity of the binding site and reactive formate orientation due to interactions with Arg284, Asn146, Ile122, and His332 residues is attained. Then, the high occupancy (up to 75%) of the reactive substrate–coenzyme conformation is reached, which was demonstrated by hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics simulations using various semiempirical Hamiltonians.     

Computational and experimental studies of the catalytic mechanism of Thermobifida fusca cellulase Cel6A (E2)

Mutagenesis experiments suggest that Asp79 in cellulase Cel6A (E2) from Thermobifida fusca has a catalytic role, in spite of the fact that this residue is more than 13 A from the scissile bond in models of the enzyme-substrate complex built upon the crystal structure of the protein. This suggests that there is a substantial conformational shift in the protein upon substrate binding. Molecular mechanics simulations were used to investigate possible alternate conformations of the protein bound to a tetrasaccharide substrate, primarily involving shifts of the loop containing Asp79, and to model the role of water in the active site complex for both the native conformation and alternative low-energy conformations. Several alternative conformations of reasonable energy have been identified, including one in which the overall energy of the enzyme-substrate complex in solution is lower than that of the conformation in the crystal structure. This conformation was found to be stable in molecular dynamics simulations with a cellotetraose substrate and water. In simulations of the substrate complexed with the native protein conformation, the sugar ring in the -1 binding site was observed to make a spontaneous transition from the (4)C(1) conformation to a twist-boat conformer, consistent with generally accepted glycosidase mechanisms. Also, from these simulations Tyr73 and Arg78 were found to have important roles in the active site. Based on the results of these various MD simulations, a new catalytic mechanism is proposed. Using this mechanism, predictions about the effects of changes in Arg78 were made which were confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis.     

Computational method for the design of enzymes with altered substrate specificity.

A combination of enzyme kinetics and X-ray crystallographic analysis of site-specific mutants has been used to probe the determinants of substrate specificity for the enzyme alpha-lytic protease. We now present a generalized model for understanding the effects of mutagenesis on enzyme substrate specificity. This algorithm uses a library of side-chain rotamers to sample conformation space within the binding site for the enzyme-substrate complex. The free energy of each conformation is evaluated with a standard molecular mechanics force field, modified to include a solvation energy term. This rapid energy calculation based on coarse conformation sampling quite accurately predicts the relative catalytic efficiency of over 40 different alpha-lytic protease-substrate combinations. Unlike other computational approaches, with this method it is feasible to evaluate all possible mutations within the binding site. Using this algorithm, we have successfully designed a protease that is both highly active and selective for a non-natural substrate. These encouraging results indicate that it is possible to design altered enzymes solely on the basis of empirical energy calculations.     

Investigation of formate transport through the substrate channel of formate dehydrogenase by steered molecular dynamics simulations

Steered molecular dynamics simulation has revealed the mechanism of formate transport via the substrate channel of formate dehydrogenase. It is shown that the structural organization of the channel promotes the transport of formate anion in spite of the fact that the channel is too narrow even for such a small molecule. The conformational mobility of Arg284 residue, one of the residues forming the wall of the substrate channel, provides for the binding and delivery of formate to the active site.     

Temperature dependence of the structure of the substrate and active site of the Thermus thermophilus chorismate mutase E x S complex

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of Thermus thermophilus chorismate mutase substrate complex (TtCM x S) have been carried out at 298 K, 333 K, and the temperature of optimum activity: 343 K. The enzyme exists as trimeric subunits with active sites shared between two neighboring subunits. Two features distinguish intersubunit linkages of the thermophilic and mesophilic enzyme Bacillus subtilis chorismate mutase substrate complex (BsCM x S): (i) electrostatic interactions by intersubunit ion pairs (Arg3-Glu40*/41, Arg76-Glu51* and Arg69*-Asp101, residues labeled with an asterisk are from the neighboring subunit) in the TtCM x S are not present in the structure of the BsCM x S; and (ii) replacement of polar residues with short and nonpolar residues in the interstices of the TtCM x S tighten the intersubunit hydrophobic interactions compared to BsCM x S. Concerning the active site, electrostatic interactions of the critically placed Arg6 and Arg63* with the two carboxylates of chorismate place the latter in a reactive conformation to spontaneously undergo a Claisen rearrangement. The optimum geometry at the active site has the CZ atoms of the two arginines 11 A apart. With a decrease in temperature, Arg63* moves toward Arg6 and the average conformation structure of chorismate moves further away from the reactive ground state conformation. This movement is due to the decrease in distance separating the electrostatic (in the main) and hydrophobic interacting pairs holding the two subunits together.     

Site-directed mutagenesis of the essential arginine of the formate dehydrogenase active centre

Sequence alignment shows that residue Arg 284 (according to the numbering of the residues in formate dehydrogenase, FDH, from the methylotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas sp. 101) is conserved in NAD-dependent FDHs and D-specific 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenases. Mutation of Arg 284 to glutamine and alanine results in a change of the catalytic, thermodynamic and spectral properties of FDH. In comparison to wild-type, the affinity of the mutants for the substrate (K(formate)m) or the transition state analogue (K(azide)i) decreases and correlates with the ability of the side chain of residue 284 to form H-bonds. In contrast, the affinity for the coenzyme (K(NAD)d or K(NAD)m) is either not affected or increases and correlates inversely with the partial positive charge of the side chain. The temperature dependence of circular dichroism (CD) spectra of the wild-type FDH and its Ala mutant has been studied over the 5-90 degrees C temperature range. Both proteins reveal regions of enhanced conformational mobility at the predenaturing temperatures (40-55 degrees C) associated with a change of enzyme kinetic parameters and a co-operative transition around 55-70 degrees C which is followed by the loss of enzyme activity. CD spectra of the wild-type and mutant proteins were deconvoluted and contributions from various types of secondary structure estimated. It is shown that the co-operative transition at 55-70 degrees C in the FDH protein globule is triggered by a loss of alpha-helical secondary structure. The results confirm the conclusion, from the crystal structures, that Arg 284 is directly involved in substrate binding. In addition this residue seems to exert a major structural role by supporting the catalytic conformation of the enzyme active centre.     

An internal docking site stabilizes substrate binding to γ-secretase: Analysis by molecular dynamics simulations

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is cleaved and processed sequentially by γ-secretase yielding amyloid β (Aβ) peptides of different lengths. Longer Aβ peptides are associated with the formation of neurotoxic plaques related to Alzheimer’s disease. Based on the APP substrate-bound structure of γ-secretase, we investigated the enzyme-substrate interaction using molecular dynamics simulations and generated model structures that represent the sequentially cleaved intermediates during the processing reaction. The simulations indicated an internal docking site providing strong enzyme-substrate packing interaction. In the enzyme-substrate complex, it is located close to the region where the helical conformation of the substrate is interrupted and continues toward the active site in an extended conformation. The internal docking site consists of two non-polar pockets that are preferentially filled by large hydrophobic or aromatic substrate side chains to stabilize binding. Placement of smaller residues such as glycine can trigger a shift in the cleavage pattern during the simulations or results in destabilization of substrate binding. The reduced packing by smaller residues also influences the hydration of the active site and the formation of a catalytically active state. The simulations on processed substrate intermediates and a substrate G33I mutation offer an explanation of the experimentally observed relative increase of short Aβ fragment production for this mutation. In addition, studies on a substrate K28A mutation indicate that the internal docking site opposes the tendency of substrate dissociation due to a hydrophobic mismatch at the membrane boundary caused by K28 during processing and substrate movement toward the enzyme active site. The proposed internal docking site could also be useful for the specific design of new γ-secretase modulators.     

How Does (E)-2-(Acetamidomethylene)succinate Bind to Its Hydrolase? From the Binding Process to the Final Result

The binding of (E)-2-(acetamidomethylene)succinate (E-2AMS) to E-2AMS hydrolase is crucial for biological function of the enzyme and the last step reaction of vitamin B₆ biological degradation. In the present study, several molecular simulation methods, including molecular docking, conventional molecular dynamics (MD), steered MD (SMD), and free energy calculation methods, were properly integrated to investigate the detailed binding process of E-2AMS to its hydrolase and to assign the optimal enzyme-substrate complex conformation. It was demonstrated that the substrate binding conformation with trans-form amide bond is energetically preferred conformation, in which E-2AMS''s pose not only ensures hydrogen bond formation of its amide oxygen atom with the vicinal oxyanion hole but also provides probability of the hydrophobic interaction between its methyl moiety and the related enzyme''s hydrophobic cavity. Several key residues, Arg146, Arg167, Tyr168, Arg179, and Tyr259, orientate the E-2AMS''s pose and stabilize its conformation in the active site via the hydrogen bond interaction with E-2AMS. Sequentially, the binding process of E-2AMS to E-2AMS hydrolase was studied by SMD simulation, which shows the surprising conformational reversal of E-2AMS. Several important intermediate structures and some significant residues were identified in the simulation. It is stressed that Arg146 and Arg167 are two pivotal residues responsible for the conformational reversal of E-2AMS in the binding or unbinding. Our research has shed light onto the full binding process of the substrate to E-2AMS hydrolase, which could provide more penetrating insight into the interaction of E-2AMS with the enzyme and would help in the further exploration on the catalysis mechanism.     

Ligand-induced changes in the structure and dynamics of a human class Mu glutathione S-transferase

Glutathione transferases are detoxification enzymes that catalyze the addition of glutathione (GSH) to a wide variety of hydrophobic compounds. Although this group of enzymes has been extensively characterized by crystallographic studies, little is known about their dynamic properties. This study investigates the role of protein dynamics in the mechanism of a human class mu enzyme (GSTM2-2) by characterizing the motional properties of the unliganded enzyme, the enzyme-substrate (GSH) complex, an enzyme-product complex [S-(2,4-dinitrobenzyl)glutathione, GSDNB], and an enzyme-inhibitor complex (S-1-hexylglutathione, GSHEX). The kinetic on- and off-rates for these ligands are 10-20-fold lower than the diffusion limit, suggesting dynamic conformational heterogeneity of the active site. The off-rate of GSDNB is similar to the turnover number for its enzymatic formation, suggesting that product release is rate-limiting when 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene is the substrate. The dynamic properties of GSTM2-2 were investigated over a wide range of time scales using (15)N nuclear spin relaxation, residual dipolar couplings, and amide hydrogen-deuterium exchange rates. These data show that the majority of the protein backbone is rigid on the nanosecond to picosecond time scale for all forms of the enzyme. The presence of motion on the millisecond to microsecond time scale was detected for a small number of residues within the active site. These motions are likely to play a role in facilitating substrate binding and product release. The residual dipolar couplings also show that the conformation of the active site region is more open in solution than in the crystalline environment, further enhancing ligand accessibility to the active site. Amide hydrogen-deuterium exchange rates indicate a reduction in the dynamic properties of several residues near the active site due to the binding of ligand. GSH binding reduces the exchange rate of a number of residues in proximity to its binding site, while GSHEX causes a reduction in amide-exchange rates throughout the entire active site region. The location of the dinitrobenzene (DNB) ring in the GSDNB-GSTM2-2 complex was modeled using chemical shift changes that occur when GSDNB binds to the enzyme. The DNB ring makes a number of contacts with hydrophobic residues in the active site, including Met108. Replacement of Met108 with Ala increases the turnover number of the enzyme by a factor of 1.7.     

Quantum chemistry analysis of the mechanism of action of proteolytic enzymes. II. Nucleophilic attack

Dynamic systems, modelling the elementary act of nucleophilic attack on the carbonyl carbon atom of amide (N-methyl-acetamide) and ester (methylacetate) substrates by some compounds, simulating the nucleophilic group of various types proteases active site were calculated and analysed by the CNDO/2 method, namely: 1) methoxyanion and the methanol (serine proteases), 2) water molecule in the presence of formate anion (carboxylic proteases) and 3) mercaptide anion (CH3S-) (thiolic proteases). The formation of productive enzyme-substrate complex was shown not only to orient reactive groups of the enzyme and substrate, but also to activate it by induction of a certain degree of cleavable pyramidalization, as a result of the partial resonance stabilization energy loss.     

Exosite binding tethers the macromolecular substrate to the prothrombinase complex and directs cleavage at two spatially distinct sites

The prothrombinase complex, composed of the proteinase, factor Xa, bound to factor Va on membranes, catalyzes thrombin formation by the specific and ordered proteolysis of prothrombin at Arg(323)-Ile(324), followed by cleavage at Arg(274)-Thr(275). We have used a fluorescent derivative of meizothrombin des fragment 1 (mIIaDeltaF1) as a substrate analog to assess the mechanism of substrate recognition in the second half-reaction of bovine prothrombin activation. Cleavage of mIIaDeltaF1 exhibits pseudo-first order kinetics regardless of the substrate concentration relative to K(m). This phenomenon arises from competitive product inhibition by thrombin, which binds to prothrombinase with exactly the same affinity as mIIaDeltaF1. As thrombin is known to bind to an exosite on prothrombinase, initial interactions at an exosite likely play a role in the enzyme-substrate interaction. Occupation of the active site of prothrombinase by a reversible inhibitor does not exclude the binding of mIIaDeltaF1 to the enzyme. Specific recognition of mIIaDeltaF1 is achieved through an initial bimolecular reaction with an enzymic exosite, followed by an active site docking step in an intramolecular reaction prior to bond cleavage. By alternate substrate studies, we have resolved the contributions of the individual binding steps to substrate affinity and catalysis. This pathway for substrate binding is identical to that previously determined with a substrate analog for the first half-reaction of prothrombin activation. We show that differences in the observed kinetic constants for the two cleavage reactions arise entirely from differences in the inferred equilibrium constant for the intramolecular binding step that permits elements surrounding the scissile bond to dock at the active site of prothrombinase. Therefore, substrate specificity is achieved by binding interactions with an enzymic exosite that tethers the protein substrate to prothrombinase and directs cleavage at two spatially distinct scissile bonds.     

Crystal structure of the E230Q mutant of cAMP-dependent protein kinase reveals an unexpected apoenzyme conformation and an extended N-terminal A helix

Glu230, one of the acidic residues that cluster around the active site of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, plays an important role in substrate recognition. Specifically, its side chain forms a direct salt-bridge interaction with the substrate's P-2 Arg. Previous studies showed that mutation of Glu230 to Gln (E230Q) caused significant decreases not only in substrate binding but also in the rate of phosphoryl transfer. To better understand the importance of Glu230 for structure and function, we solved the crystal structure of the E230Q mutant at 2.8 A resolution. Surprisingly, the mutant preferred an open conformation with no bound ligands observed, even though the crystals were grown in the presence of MgATP and the inhibitor peptide, IP20. This is in contrast to the wild-type protein that, under the same conditions, prefers the closed conformation of a ternary complex. The structure highlights the importance of the electrostatic surface not only for substrate binding and catalysis, but also for the mechanism for closing the active site cleft. This surface mutation clearly disrupts the recognition and binding of substrate peptide so that the enzyme prefers an open conformation that cannot trap ATP. This is consistent with the reinforcing concepts of conformational dynamics and the synergistic binding of ATP and substrate peptide. Another unusual feature of the structure is the observation of the entire N terminus (Gly1-Thr32) assumes an extended alpha-helix conformation. Finally, based on temperature factors, this mutant structure is more stable than the wild-type C-subunit in the apo state.     

Crystal structures of recombinant human purple Acid phosphatase with and without an inhibitory conformation of the repression loop

The crystal structure of human purple acid phosphatase recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli (rHPAP(Ec)) and Pichia pastoris (rHPAP(Pp)) has been determined in two different crystal forms, both at 2.2A resolution. In both cases, the enzyme crystallized in its oxidized (inactive) state, in which both Fe atoms in the dinuclear active site are Fe(III). The main difference between the two structures is the conformation of the enzyme "repression loop". Proteolytic cleavage of this loop in vivo or in vitro results in significant activation of the mammalian PAPs. In the crystals obtained from rHPAP(Ec), the carboxylate side-chain of Asp145 of this loop acts as a bidentate ligand that bridges the two metal atoms, in a manner analogous to a possible binding mode for a phosphate ester substrate in the enzyme-substrate complex. The carboxylate side-chain of Asp145 and the neighboring Phe146 side-chain thus block the active site, thereby inactivating the enzyme. In the crystal structure of rHPAP(Pp), the enzyme "repression loop" has an open conformation similar to that observed in other mammalian PAP structures. The present structures demonstrate that the repression loop exhibits significant conformational flexibility, and the observed alternate binding mode suggests a possible inhibitory role for this loop.     

Restricted active site docking by enzyme-bound substrate enforces the ordered cleavage of prothrombin by prothrombinase

The preferred pathway for prothrombin activation by prothrombinase involves initial cleavage at Arg(320) to produce meizothrombin, which is then cleaved at Arg(271) to liberate thrombin. Exosite binding drives substrate affinity and is independent of the bond being cleaved. The pathway for cleavage is determined by large differences in V(max) for cleavage at the two sites within intact prothrombin. By fluorescence binding studies in the absence of catalysis, we have assessed the ability of the individual cleavage sites to engage the active site of Xa within prothrombinase at equilibrium. Using a panel of recombinant cleavage site mutants, we show that in intact prothrombin, the Arg(320) site effectively engages the active site in a 1:1 interaction between substrate and enzyme. In contrast, the Arg(271) site binds to the active site poorly in an interaction that is approximately 600-fold weaker. Perceived substrate affinity is independent of active site engagement by either cleavage site. We further show that prior cleavage at the 320 site or the stabilization of the uncleaved zymogen in a proteinase-like state facilitates efficient docking of Arg(271) at the active site of prothrombinase. Therefore, we establish direct relationships between docking of either cleavage site at the active site of the catalyst, the V(max) for cleavage at that site, substrate conformation, and the resulting pathway for prothrombin cleavage. Exosite tethering of the substrate in either the zymogen or proteinase conformation dictates which cleavage site can engage the active site of the catalyst and enforces the sequential cleavage of prothrombin by prothrombinase.     

Cofactor assisted gating mechanism in the active site of NADH oxidase from Thermus thermophilus

NADH oxidase (NOX) from Thermus thermophilus is a member of a structurally homologous flavoprotein family of nitroreductases and flavin reductases. The importance of local conformational dynamics in the active site of NOX has been recently demonstrated. The enzyme activity was increased by 250% in the presence of 1 M urea with no apparent perturbation of the native structure of the protein. The present in silico results correlate with the in vitro data and suggest the possible explanation about the effect of urea on NOX activity at the molecular level. Both, X-ray structure and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, show open conformation of the active site represented by approximately 0.9 nm distance between the indole ring of Trp47 and the isoalloxazine ring of FMN412. In this conformation, the substrate molecule can bind in the active site without sterical restraints. MD simulations also indicate more stable conformation of the active site called "closed" conformation. In this conformation, Trp47 and the isoalloxazine ring of FMN412 are so close to each other (approximately 0.5 nm) that the substrate molecule is unable to bind between them without perturbing this conformation. The open/close transition of the active site between Trp47 and the flavin ring is accompanied by release of the "tightly" bound water molecule from the active site--cofactor assisted gating mechanism. The presence of urea in aqueous solutions of NOX prohibits closing of the active site and even unlocks the closed active site because of the concomitant binding of a urea molecule in the active site cavity. The binding of urea in the active site is stabilized by formation of one/two persistent hydrogen bonds involving the carbonyl group of the urea molecule. Our report represents the first MD study of an enzyme from the novel flavoprotein family of nitroreductases and flavin reductases. The common occurrence of aromatic residues covering the active sites in homologous enzymes suggests the possibility of a general gating mechanism and the importance of local dynamics within this flavoprotein family.     

X-ray crystal structures of D100E trichodiene synthase and its pyrophosphate complex reveal the basis for terpene product diversity

The 2.4 A resolution X-ray crystal structure of D100E trichodiene synthase and the 2.6 A resolution structure of its complex with inorganic pyrophosphate are reported. The D100E amino acid substitution in the so-called "aspartate-rich" motif does not result in large changes to the overall structure of the enzyme. In the pyrophosphate complex, however, pyrophosphate coordinates two Mg(2+) ions at the mouth of the active site without causing large changes in the structure of the enzyme. This contrasts with pyrophosphate binding in the wild-type enzyme, where pyrophosphate coordinates three Mg(2+) ions and triggers a significant conformational change that closes the mouth of the active site and optimizes packing density in the enzyme-substrate complex. The attenuation of active site closure in D100E trichodiene synthase compromises enzyme-substrate packing density and confers additional spatial and conformational degrees of freedom on the substrate and carbocation intermediates, which in turn results in the formation of five alternate sesquiterpene products in addition to trichodiene. By extension, then, the diversity of terpene cyclases in biology may have evolved in part by amino acid substitutions that fine-tune structural changes dependent on metal-diphosphate complexation that govern the formation of the active site template and enzyme-substrate packing density.     

Structural changes of Listeria monocytogenes Sortase A: a key to understanding the catalytic mechanism

Listeria monocytogenes is one of the most virulent foodborne pathogens. L. monocytogenes Sortase A (SrtA) enzyme, which catalyzes the cell wall anchoring reaction of the leucine, proline, X, threonine, and glycine proteins (LPXTG, where X is any amino acid), is a target for the development of antilisteriosis drugs. In this study, the structure of the L. monocytogenes SrtA enzyme-substrate complex was obtained using homology modeling, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Explicit enzyme-substrate interactions in the inactive and active forms of the enzyme were compared, based on 30 ns simulations on each system. The active site arginine (Arg 197) was found to be able change its hydrogen donor interactions from the LP backbone carbonyl groups of the LPXTG substrate in the inactive form, to the TG backbone carbonyls in the active form, which could be of importance for holding the substrate in position for the catalytic process.     

Investigating the accessibility of the closed domain conformation of citrate synthase using essential dynamics sampling

A molecular dynamics study of pig heart citrate synthase is presented that aims to directly address the question of whether, for this enzyme, the ligand-induced closed domain conformation is accessible to the open unliganded enzyme. The approach utilises the technique of essential dynamics sampling, which is used in two modes. In exploring mode, the enzyme is encouraged to explore domain conformations it might not normally sample in free molecular dynamics simulation. In targeting mode, the enzyme is encouraged to adopt the domain conformation of a target structure. Using both modes extensively, it has been found that when the enzyme is prepared from a crystallographic open-domain structure and is in the unliganded state, it is unable to adopt the crystallographic closed-domain conformation of the liganded enzyme. Likewise, when the enzyme is prepared from the crystallographic closed liganded conformation with the ligands removed, it is unable to adopt the crystallographic open domain conformation. Structural investigations point to a common structural difference that is the source of this energy barrier; namely, the shift of alpha-helix 328-341 along its own axis relative to the large domain. Without this shift, the domains are unable to close or open fully. The charged substrate, oxaloacetate, binds near the base of this helix in the large domain and the interaction of Arg329 at the base of the helix with oxaloacetate is one that is consistent with the shift of this helix in going from the crystallographic open to closed structure. Therefore, the results suggest that without the substrate the enzyme remains in a partially open conformation ready to receive the substrate. In this way, the efficiency of the enzyme should be increased over one that is closed part of the time, with its binding site inaccessible to the substrate.     

Structure of a Michaelis complex analogue: propionate binds in the substrate carboxylate site of alanine racemase

The structure of alanine racemase from Bacillus stearothermophilus with the inhibitor propionate bound in the active site was determined by X-ray crystallography to a resolution of 1.9 A. The enzyme is a homodimer in solution and crystallizes with a dimer in the asymmetric unit. Both active sites contain a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) molecule in aldimine linkage to Lys39 as a protonated Schiff base, and the pH-independence of UV-visible absorption spectra suggests that the protonated PLP-Lys39 Schiff base is the reactive form of the enzyme. The carboxylate group of propionate bound in the active site makes numerous interactions with active-site residues, defining the substrate binding site of the enzyme. The propionate-bound structure therefore approximates features of the Michaelis complex formed between alanine racemase and its amino acid substrate. The structure also provides evidence for the existence of a carbamate formed on the side-chain amino group of Lys129, stabilized by interactions with one of the residues interacting with the carboxylate group of propionate, Arg136. We propose that this novel interaction influences both substrate binding and catalysis by precisely positioning Arg136 and modulating its charge.