Cloning and characterization of the gene encoding the IDH1 subunit of NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is composed of two nonidentical subunits, designated IDH1 and IDH2. The gene encoding IDH2 was previously cloned and sequenced (Cupp, J.R., and McAlister-Henn, L. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 22199-22205), and in this paper we describe the isolation of a yeast genomic clone containing the IDH1 gene. A fragment of the IDH1 gene was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction method utilizing degenerate oligonucleotides based on tryptic peptide sequences of the purified subunit; this fragment was used to isolate a full length IDH1 clone. The nucleotide sequence of the IDH1 coding region was determined and encodes a 360-residue polypeptide including an 11-residue mitochondrial targeting presequence. Amino acid sequence comparison between IDH1 and IDH2 reveals a 42% sequence identity, and both IDH1 and IDH2 show approximately 32% identity to Escherichia coli NAD(P)(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase. To examine the function of the IDH1 subunit and to determine the metabolic role of NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase the IDH1 gene was disrupted in a wild type haploid yeast strain and in a haploid strain lacking IDH2. The IDH1 disruption strains expressed no detectable IDH1 as determined by Western blot analysis, and these strains were found to lack NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase activity indicating that IDH1 is essential for a functional enzyme. Over-expression of IDH1 in a strain containing IDH2 restored wild type activity but did not result in increased levels of activity, suggesting that both IDH1 and IDH2 are required for a functional enzyme. Growth phenotype analysis of the IDH1 disruption strains revealed that they grew at a reduced rate on the nonfermentable carbon sources examined (glycerol, lactate, and acetate), consistent with NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase performing a critical role in oxidative function of the citric acid cycle. In addition, the IDH1 disruption strains grew at wild type rates in the absence of glutamate, indicating that these strains are not glutamate auxotrophs.     

NADP(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase from the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120: purification and characterization of the enzyme and cloning, sequencing, and disruption of the icd gene.

NADP(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)-IDH) from the dinitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 was purified to homogeneity. The native enzyme is composed of two identical subunits (M(r), 57,000) and cross-reacts with antibodies obtained against the previously purified NADP(+)-IDH from the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. Anabaena NADP(+)-IDH resembles in its physicochemical and kinetic parameters the typical dimeric IDHs from prokaryotes. The gene encoding Anabaena NADP(+)-IDH was cloned by complementation of an Escherichia coli icd mutant with an Anabaena genomic library. The complementing DNA was located on a 6-kb fragment. It encodes an NADP(+)-IDH that has the same mobility as that of Anabaena NADP(+)-IDH on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels. The icd gene was subcloned and sequenced. Translation of the nucleotide sequence gave a polypeptide of 473 amino acids that showed high sequence similarity to the E. coli enzyme (59% identity) and with IDH1 and IDH2, the two subunits of the heteromultimeric NAD(+)-IDH from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (30 to 35% identity); however, a low level of similarity to NADP(+)-IDHs of eukaryotic origin was found (23% identity). Furthermore, Anabaena NADP(+)-IDH contains a 44-residue amino acid sequence in its central region that is absent in the other IDHs so far sequenced. Attempts to generate icd mutants by insertional mutagenesis were unsuccessful, suggesting an essential role of IDH in Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120.     

Subunit structure, expression, and function of NAD(H)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Mitochondrial NAD(H)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase was purified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae for analyses of subunit structure and expression. Two subunits of the enzyme with different molecular weights (39,000 and 40,000) and slightly different isoelectric points were resolved by denaturing electrophoretic techniques. Sequence analysis of the purified subunits showed that the polypeptides have different amino termini. By using an antiserum to the native enzyme prepared in rabbits, subunit-specific immunoglobulin G fractions were obtained by affinity purification, indicating that the subunits are also immunochemically distinct. The levels of NAD(H)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase activity and immunoreactivity were found to correlate closely with those of a second tricarboxylic acid cycle enzyme, malate dehydrogenase, in yeast cells grown under a variety of conditions. S. cerevisiae mutants with defects in NAD(H)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase were identified by screening a collection of yeast mutants with acetate-negative growth phenotypes. Immunochemical assays were used to demonstrate that one mutant strain lacks the 40,000-molecular-weight subunit (IDH1) and that a second strain lacks the 39,000-molecular-weight subunit (IDH2). Mitochondria isolated from the IDH1 and IDH2 mutants exhibited a markedly reduced capacity for utilization of either isocitrate or citrate for respiratory O2 consumption. This confirms an essential role for NAD(H)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase in oxidative functions in the tricarboxylic acid cycle.     

Structure of the monomeric isocitrate dehydrogenase: evidence of a protein monomerization by a domain duplication

NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase is a member of the beta-decarboxylating dehydrogenase family and catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation reaction from 2R,3S-isocitrate to yield 2-oxoglutarate and CO(2) in the Krebs cycle. Although most prokaryotic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDHs) are homodimeric enzymes, the monomeric IDH with a molecular weight of 80-100 kDa has been found in a few species of bacteria. The 1.95 A crystal structure of the monomeric IDH revealed that it consists of two distinct domains, and its folding topology is related to the dimeric IDH. The structure of the large domain repeats a motif observed in the dimeric IDH. Such a fusional structure by domain duplication enables a single polypeptide chain to form a structure at the catalytic site that is homologous to the dimeric IDH, the catalytic site of which is located at the interface of two identical subunits.     

Multiple cellular consequences of isocitrate dehydrogenase isozyme dysfunction

To probe the functions of multiple forms of isocitrate dehydrogenase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mutants lacking three of the isozymes were constructed and analyzed. Results show that, while the mitochondrial NAD+-dependent enzyme, IDH (composed of Idh1p and Idh2p subunits) is not the major contributor to total isocitrate dehydrogenase activity under any growth condition, loss of IDH produces the most dramatic growth phenotypes. These include reduced growth in the absence of glutamate, as well as an increase in expression of Idp2p (the cytosolic NADP+-dependent enzyme) under some growth conditions. In this study, we have focused on another phenotype associated with loss of IDH, an elevated frequency of petite mutations indicating loss of functional mtDNA. Using mutant forms of IDH with altered active site residues, a correlation was observed between the high frequency of petite mutations and the loss of catalytic activity. Loss of Idp1p (the mitochondrial NADP+-dependent enzyme) and Idp2p contributes to the loss of functional mtDNA, but only in an IDH dysfunctional background. Surprisingly, overexpression of Idp1p, but not of Idp2p, was found to result in an elevated petite frequency independent of the functional state of IDH. This is the first phenotype associated with altered Idp1p. Finally, throughout this study we examined effects of loss of mitochondrial citrate synthase (Cit1p) on isocitrate dehydrogenase mutants, since defects in the CIT1 gene were previously shown to enhance growth of IDH dysfunctional strains on nonfermentable carbon sources. Loss of Cit1p was found to suppress the petite phenotype of strains lacking IDH, suggesting that these phenotypes may be linked.     

Controlled specific expression and purification of 6×His-tagged proteins in Pseudomonas

The Coxiella burnetii icd gene encoding an immunogenic dimeric NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) was cloned by screening a C. burnetii genomic library with a human positive serum and sequenced. The predicted gene product consists of 427 amino acids (M(r) = 46,600) and showed high identity to the IDHs of Escherichia coli (74%), Salmonella enterica (73%) and IDH-I of Vibrio sp. (71%). The cloned gene complemented an icd-defective E. coli mutant producing a recombinant IDH that had the same biochemical properties as the enzyme from purified C. burnetii. Unlike the homologs from other bacteria, the cloned enzyme was expressed to the highest level in low pH conditions. This distinct property of the cloned IDH suggests that C. burnetii icd gene may have a role in the adaptation of the organism to the harsh acidic environment of the eucaryotic phagolysosomes.     

Nad+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from Arabidopsis thaliana. Characterization of two closely related subunits

Two cDNA clones which appear to encode different subunits of NAD⁺-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH; EC 1.1.1.41) were identified by homology searches from the Arabidopsis EST database. These cDNA clones were obtained and sequenced; both encoded full-length messages and displayed 82.7% nucleotide sequence identity over the coding region. The deduced amino acid sequences revealed preprotein lengths of 367 residues, with an amino acid identity of 86.1%. Genomic Southern blot analysis showed distinct single-copy genes for both IDH subunits. Both IDH subunits were expressed as recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli, and polyclonal antibodies were raised to each subunit. The Arabidopsis cDNA clones were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants which were deficient in either one or both of the yeast NAD⁺-dependent IDH subunits. The Arabidopsis cDNA clones failed to complement the yeast mutations; although both IDH-I and IDH-II were expressed at detectable levels, neither protein was imported into the mitochondria.     

Isolation, nucleotide sequence, and disruption of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene encoding mitochondrial NADP(H)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Mitochondrial NADP(H)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDP1) was purified from yeast cells grown with acetate as a carbon source. IDP1 was shown to be a dimer with a subunit molecular weight of approximately 45,000. Immunochemical levels of IDP1 were found to vary in inverse proportion with those of mitochondrial NAD(H)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase in cells grown with glucose or with acetate as a carbon source. A 20-residue amino-terminal sequence was obtained for IDP1, and degenerate oligonucleotides were used to synthesize a 50-base pair polymerase chain reaction product corresponding to the coding region for a portion of the amino terminus. The 50-base pair DNA fragment was used as a hybridization probe to identify plasmids containing the IDP1 gene in a yeast genomic DNA library. The complete nucleotide sequence of the IDP1 coding region was determined and translated into a 412-residue amino acid sequence for the mature protein which is preceded by a putative 16-residue mitochondrial targeting presequence. A haploid yeast strain containing a chromosomal disruption of the IDP1 locus was constructed and found to be capable of growth with glucose but not with other carbon sources, suggesting that IDP1 provides a critical function and may be the primary source of NADPH in yeast mitochondria.     

Substrate-free structure of a monomeric NADP isocitrate dehydrogenase: an open conformation phylogenetic relationship of isocitrate dehydrogenase

Both monomeric and dimeric NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) belong to the metal-dependent beta-decarboxylating dehydrogenase family and catalyze the oxidative decarboxylation from 2R,3S-isocitrate to yield 2-oxoglutarate, CO2, and NADPH. It is important to solve the structures of IDHs from various species to correlate with its function and evolutionary significance. So far, only two crystal structures of substrate/cofactor-bound (isocitrate/NADP) NADP+-dependent monomeric IDH from Azotobacter vinelandii (AvIDH) have been solved. Herein, we report for the first time the substrate/cofactor-free structure of a monomeric NADP+-dependent IDH from Corynebacterium glutamicum (CgIDH) in the presence of Mg2+. The 1.75 A structure of CgIDH-Mg2+ showed a distinct open conformation in contrast to the closed conformation of AvIDH-isocitrate/NADP+ complexes. Fluorescence studies on CgIDH in the presence of isocitrate/or NADP+ suggest the presence of low energy barrier conformers. In CgIDH, the amino acid residues corresponding to the Escherichia coli IDH phosphorylation-loop are alpha-helical compared with the more flexible random-coil region in the E. coli protein where IDH activation is controlled by phosphorylation. This more structured region supports the idea that activation of CgIDH is not controlled by phosphorylation. Monomeric NADP+-specific IDHs have been identified from about 50 different bacterial species, such as proteobacteria, actinobacteria, and planctomycetes, whereas, dimeric NADP+-dependent IDHs are diversified in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. We have constructed a phylogenetic tree based on amino acid sequences of all bacterial monomeric NADP+-dependent IDHs and also another one with specifically chosen species which either contains both monomeric and dimeric NADP+-dependent IDHs or have monomeric NADP+-dependent, as well as NAD+-dependent IDHs. This is done to examine evolutionary relationships.     

Yeast mitochondrial NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase is an RNA-binding protein.

We have previously described the characterisation of an abundant mitochondrial protein (p40) that binds specifically to 5'-untranslated leaders of mitochondrial mRNAs in yeast. p40 consists of two polypeptides with M(r) of 40 and 39 kDa. Limited sequence analysis of p40 identifies it as the Krebs cycle enzyme NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (Idh). Both enzyme and RNA-binding activities are specifically lost in cells containing disruptions in either IDH1 or IDH2, the nuclear genes encoding the two subunits of the enzyme, thus conclusively identifying p40 as Idh and showing that both activities are dependent on the simultaneous presence of both subunits. Although we still must ascertain whether and how either function of Idh is regulated and whether the two functions are compatible or mutually exclusive, this combination of dehydrogenase activity and RNA-binding in a single protein may be part of a general regulatory circuit linking the need for mitochondrial function to mitochondrial biogenesis.     

Kinetic and physiological effects of alterations in homologous isocitrate-binding sites of yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase.

Yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase is an allosterically regulated octameric enzyme composed of four each of two homologous but nonidentical subunits designated IDH1 and IDH2. Models based on the crystallographic structure of Escherichia coli isocitrate dehydrogenase suggest that both yeast subunits contain isocitrate-binding sites. Identities in nine residue positions are predicted for the IDH2 site whereas four of the nine positions differ between the IDH1 and bacterial enzyme sites. Thus, we speculate that the IDH2 site is catalytic and that the IDH1 site may bind but not catalytically alter isocitrate. This was examined by kinetic analyses of enzymes with independent and concerted replacement of residues in each yeast IDH subunit site with the residues that differ in the other subunit site. Mutant enzymes were expressed in a yeast strain containing disrupted IDH1 and IDH2 loci and affinity-purified for kinetic analyses. The primary effects of various residue replacements in IDH2 were reductions of 30->300-fold in V(max) values, consistent with the catalytic function of this subunit. In contrast, replacement of all four residues in IDH1 produced a 17-fold reduction in V(max) under the same assay conditions, suggesting that the IDH1 site is not the primary catalytic site. However, single or multiple residue replacements in IDH1 uniformly increased half-saturation concentrations for isocitrate, implying that isocitrate can be bound at this site. Both subunits appear to contribute to cooperativity with respect to isocitrate, but AMP activation is lost only with residue replacements in IDH1. Overall, results are consistent with isocitrate binding by IDH2 for catalysis and with isocitrate binding by IDH1 being a prerequisite for allosteric activation by AMP. The effects of residue substitutions on enzyme function in vivo were assessed by analysis of various growth phenotypes. Results indicate a positive correlation between the level of IDH catalytic activity and the ability of cells to grow with acetate or glycerol as carbon sources. In addition, lower levels of activity are associated with increased production of respiratory-deficient (petite) segregants.     

Cancer-associated isocitrate dehydrogenase mutations inactivate NADPH-dependent reductive carboxylation

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is a reversible enzyme that catalyzes the NADP(+)-dependent oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate (ICT) to α-ketoglutarate (αKG) and the NADPH/CO(2)-dependent reductive carboxylation of αKG to ICT. Reductive carboxylation by IDH1 was potently inhibited by NADP(+) and, to a lesser extent, by ICT. IDH1 and IDH2 with cancer-associated mutations at the active site arginines were unable to carry out the reductive carboxylation of αKG. These mutants were also defective in ICT decarboxylation and converted αKG to 2-hydroxyglutarate using NADPH. These mutant proteins were thus defective in both of the normal reactions of IDH. Biochemical analysis of heterodimers between wild-type and mutant IDH1 subunits showed that the mutant subunit did not inactivate reductive carboxylation by the wild-type subunit. Cells expressing the mutant IDH are thus deficient in their capacity for reductive carboxylation and may be compromised in their ability to produce acetyl-CoA under hypoxia or when mitochondrial function is otherwise impaired.     

Subunit interactions of yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Yeast mitochondrial NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase is an octamer composed of four each of two nonidentical but related subunits designated IDH1 and IDH2. IDH2 was previously shown to contain the catalytic site, whereas IDH1 contributes regulatory properties including cooperativity with respect to isocitrate and allosteric activation by AMP. In this study, interactions between IDH1 and IDH2 were detected using the yeast two-hybrid system, but interactions between identical subunit polypeptides were not detected with this or other methods. A model for heterodimeric interactions between the subunits is therefore proposed for this enzyme. A corollary of this model, based on the three-dimensional structure of the homologous enzyme from Escherichia coli, is that some interactions between subunits occur at isocitrate binding sites. Based on this model, two residues (Lys-183 and Asp-217) in the regulatory IDH1 subunit were predicted to be important in the catalytic site of IDH2. We found that individually replacing these residues with alanine results in mutant enzymes that exhibit a drastic reduction in catalysis both in vitro and in vivo. Also based on this model, the two analogous residues (Lys-189 and Asp-222) of the catalytic IDH2 subunit were predicted to contribute to the regulatory site of IDH1. A K189A substitution in IDH2 was found to produce a decrease in activation of the enzyme by AMP and a loss of cooperativity with respect to isocitrate. A D222A substitution in IDH2 produces similar regulatory defects and a substantial reduction in V(max) in the absence of AMP. Collectively, these results suggest that the basic structural/functional unit of yeast isocitrate dehydrogenase is a heterodimer of IDH1 and IDH2 subunits and that each subunit contributes to the isocitrate binding site of the other.     

Improving the ethanol yield by reducing glycerol formation using cofactor regulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

To increase ethanol yield and decrease glycerol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the strategies of direct cofactor-regulation were explored. During anaerobic batch fermentations, the yeast expressing Bacillus cereus gapN gene, encoding non-phosphorylating NADP(+)-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrognease, produced 73.8?g ethanol?l(-1), corresponding to 96% of theoretical maximum yield compared to 92% for the wild type. The yeast expressing Escherichia coli frdA gene encoding the NAD(+)-dependent fumarate reductase, exhibited a 22% (relative to the amount of substrate consumed) increase in glycerol yield in medium containing 2?g fumarate?l(-1). The yeast expressing mhpF gene, encoding acetylating NAD(+)-dependent acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, produced 74.5?g ethanol?l(-1), corresponding to 97.4% of theoretical maximum yield while glycerol decreased by 40% when acetic acid was added before inoculation. This strain represents a promising alternative for ethanol production with lignocellulosic hydrolysates where acetate is available at significant amounts.     

Homologous binding sites in yeast isocitrate dehydrogenase for cofactor (NAD+) and allosteric activator (AMP)

Yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an allosterically regulated octameric enzyme composed of two types of homologous subunits designated IDH1 and IDH2. Based on sequence comparisons and structural models, both subunits are predicted to have adenine nucleotide binding sites. This was tested by alanine replacement of residues in putative sites in each subunit. Targets included adjacent aspartate/isoleucine residues implicated as important for determining cofactor specificity in related dehydrogenases and a residue in each IDH subunit in a position occupied by histidine in other cofactor binding sites. The primary kinetic effects of D286A/I287A and of H281A replacements in IDH2 were found to be a dramatic reduction in apparent affinity of the holoenzyme for NAD(+) and a concomitant reduction in V(max). Ligand binding assays also showed that the H281A mutant enzyme fails to bind NAD(+) under conditions that are saturating for the wild-type enzyme. In contrast, the primary effect of corresponding D279A/D280A and of R274A replacements in IDH1 is a reduction in holoenzyme binding of AMP, with concomitant alterations in kinetic and isocitrate binding properties normally associated with activation by this allosteric effector. These results suggest that the nucleotide cofactor binding site is primarily contributed by the IDH2 subunit, whereas the homologous nucleotide binding site in IDH1 has evolved for regulatory binding of AMP. These results are consistent with previous studies demonstrating that the catalytic isocitrate binding sites are comprised of residues primarily contributed by IDH2, whereas sites for regulatory binding of isocitrate are contributed by analogous residues of IDH1. In this study, we also demonstrate that a prerequisite for holoenzyme binding of NAD(+) is binding of isocitrate/Mg(2+) at the IDH2 catalytic site. This is comparable to the dependence of AMP binding upon binding of isocitrate at the IDH1 regulatory site.     

Isozymes of isocitrate dehydrogenase from an obligately psychrophilic bacterium, Vibrio sp. strain ABE-1: purification, and modulation of activities by growth conditions

Each of the two isozymes, which are different in thermostability and quaternary structure, of isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP+) [IDH: EC 1.1.1.42] was purified to an electrophoretically homogeneous state from an obligately psychrophilic marine bacterium, Vibrio sp. strain ABE-1. Hydrophobic chromatography was an efficient procedure to separate the two isozymes from each other. The isoelectric points of isozyme I (IDH-I; a dimer, Mr 88,100) and isozyme II (IDH-II; a monomer, Mr 80,500) were found to be pH 4.9 and 5.2, respectively. The two isozymes were similar in amino acid compositions, though there were slight differences in the contents of nonpolar and hydroxyl amino acids. However, their NH2-terminal amino acid sequences and immunochemical properties were clearly different from each other. The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence analysis also indicated that the subunits of IDH-I are chemically identical or highly homologous. Non-immuno-crossreactivity between the isozymes enabled us to measure the intracellular contents of the isozymes. IDH-I and -II were found to be differentially regulated in vivo by various growth conditions. IDH-I was induced by acetate, while IDH-II remained almost unchanged.     

Ligand binding and structural changes associated with allostery in yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an octameric enzyme composed of four each of regulatory IDH1 and catalytic IDH2 subunits that share 42% sequence identity. IDH2 contains catalytic isocitrate/Mg2+ and NAD+ binding sites whereas IDH1 contains homologous binding sites, respectively, for cooperative binding of isocitrate and for allosteric binding of AMP. Ligand binding is highly ordered in vitro, and IDH exhibits the unusual property of half-site binding for all ligands. The structures of IDH solved in the absence or presence of ligands have shown: (a) a heterodimer to be the basic structural/functional unit of the enzyme, (b) the organization of heterodimers to form tetramer and octamer structures, (c) structural differences that may underlie cooperative and allosteric regulatory mechanisms, and (d) the possibility for formation of a disulfide bond that could reduce catalytic activity. In vivo analyses of mutant enzymes have elucidated the physiological importance of catalytic activity and allosteric regulation of this tricarboxylic acid cycle enzyme. Other studies have established the importance of a disulfide bond in regulation of IDH activity in vivo, as well as contributions of this bond to the property of half-site ligand binding exhibited by the wild-type enzyme.     

Purification, characterization, cloning, and amino acid sequence of the bifunctional enzyme 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase/5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase from Escherichia coli.

We have purified the enzyme 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (EC 1.5.1.5) from Escherichia coli to homogeneity by a newly devised procedure. The enzyme has been purified at least 2,000-fold in a 31% yield. The specific activity of the enzyme obtained is 7.4 times greater than any previous preparation from this source. The purified enzyme is specific for NADP. The protein also contains 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase (EC 3.5.4.9) activity. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and behavior on a molecular sieving column suggest that the enzyme is a dimer of identical subunits. We have cloned the E. coli gene coding for the enzyme through the use of polymerase chain reaction based on primers designed from the NH2 terminal analysis of the isolated enzyme. We sequenced the gene. The derived amino acid sequence of the enzyme contains 287 amino acids of Mr 31,000. The sequence shows 50% identity to two bifunctional mitochondrial enzymes specific for NAD, and 40-45% identity to the presumed dehydrogenase/cyclohydrolase domains of the trifunctional C1-tetrahydrofolate synthase of yeast mitochondria and cytoplasm and human and rat cytoplasm. An identical sequence of 14 amino acids with no gaps is present in all 7 sequences.     

Basis for half-site ligand binding in yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase is an allosterically regulated octameric enzyme composed of four heterodimers of a catalytic IDH2 subunit and a regulatory IDH1 subunit. Despite structural predictions that the enzyme would contain eight isocitrate binding sites, four NAD(+) binding sites, and four AMP binding sites, only half of the sites for each ligand can be measured in binding assays. On the basis of a potential interaction between side chains of Cys-150 residues in IDH2 subunits in each tetramer of the enzyme, ligand binding assays of wild-type (IDH1/IDH2) and IDH1/IDH2(C150S) octameric enzymes were conducted in the presence of dithiothreitol. These assays demonstrated the presence of eight isocitrate and four AMP binding sites for the wild-type enzyme in the presence of dithiothreitol and for the IDH1/IDH2(C150S) enzyme in the absence or presence of this reagent, suggesting that interactions between sulfhydryl side chains of IDH2 Cys-150 residues limit access to these sites. However, only two NAD(+) sites could be measured for either enzyme. A tetrameric form of IDH (an IDH1(G15D)/IDH2 mutant enzyme) demonstrated half-site binding for isocitrate (two sites) in the absence of dithiothreitol and full-site binding (four sites) in the presence of dithiothreitol. Only one NAD(+) site could be measured for the tetramer under both conditions. In the context of the structure of the enzyme, these results suggest that an observed asymmetry between heterotetramers in the holoenzyme contributes to interactions between IDH2 Cys-150 residues and to half-site binding of isocitrate, but that a form of negative cooperativity may limit access to apparently equivalent NAD(+) binding sites.