Deacetylation of Glutaminase by HDAC4 contributes to Lung Cancer Tumorigenesis

Inhibiting cancer metabolism via glutaminase (GAC) is a promising strategy to disrupt tumor progression. However, mechanism regarding GAC acetylation remains mostly unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that lysine acetylation is a vital post-translational modification that inhibits GAC activity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We identify that Lys311 is the key acetylation site on GAC, which is deacetylated by HDAC4, a class II deacetylase. Lys311 acetylation stimulates the interaction between GAC and TRIM21, an E3 ubiquitin ligase of the tripartite motif (TRIM) family, therefore promoting GAC K63-linked ubiquitination and inhibiting GAC activity. Furthermore, GAC^K311Q mutation in A549 cells decreases cell proliferation and alleviates tumor malignancy. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism of GAC regulation by acetylation and ubiquitination that participates in non-small cell lung cancer tumorigenesis.     

Thiosulfate Dehydrogenase (TsdA) from Allochromatium vinosum: STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL INSIGHTS INTO THIOSULFATE OXIDATION*

Although the oxidative condensation of two thiosulfate anions to tetrathionate constitutes a well documented and significant part of the natural sulfur cycle, little is known about the enzymes catalyzing this reaction. In the purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum, the reaction is catalyzed by the periplasmic diheme c-type cytochrome thiosulfate dehydrogenase (TsdA). Here, we report the crystal structure of the “as isolated” form of A. vinosum TsdA to 1.98 Å resolution and those of several redox states of the enzyme to different resolutions. The protein contains two typical class I c-type cytochrome domains wrapped around two hemes axially coordinated by His⁵³/Cys⁹⁶ and His¹⁶⁴/Lys²⁰⁸. These domains are very similar, suggesting a gene duplication event during evolution. A ligand switch from Lys²⁰⁸ to Met²⁰⁹ is observed upon reduction of the enzyme. Cys⁹⁶ is an essential residue for catalysis, with the specific activity of the enzyme being completely abolished in several TsdA-Cys⁹⁶ variants. TsdA-K208N, K208G, and M209G variants were catalytically active in thiosulfate oxidation as well as in tetrathionate reduction, pointing to heme 2 as the electron exit point. In this study, we provide spectroscopic and structural evidence that the TsdA reaction cycle involves the transient presence of heme 1 in the high-spin state caused by movement of the Sγ atom of Cys⁹⁶ out of the iron coordination sphere. Based on the presented data, we draw important conclusions about the enzyme and propose a possible reaction mechanism for TsdA.     

Regulation of S-Adenosylhomocysteine Hydrolase by Lysine Acetylation

S-Adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH) is an NAD⁺-dependent tetrameric enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of S-adenosylhomocysteine to adenosine and homocysteine and is important in cell growth and the regulation of gene expression. Loss of SAHH function can result in global inhibition of cellular methyltransferase enzymes because of high levels of S-adenosylhomocysteine. Prior proteomics studies have identified two SAHH acetylation sites at Lys⁴⁰¹ and Lys⁴⁰⁸ but the impact of these post-translational modifications has not yet been determined. Here we use expressed protein ligation to produce semisynthetic SAHH acetylated at Lys⁴⁰¹ and Lys⁴⁰⁸ and show that modification of either position negatively impacts the catalytic activity of SAHH. X-ray crystal structures of 408-acetylated SAHH and dually acetylated SAHH have been determined and reveal perturbations in the C-terminal hydrogen bonding patterns, a region of the protein important for NAD⁺ binding. These crystal structures along with mutagenesis data suggest that such hydrogen bond perturbations are responsible for SAHH catalytic inhibition by acetylation. These results suggest how increased acetylation of SAHH may globally influence cellular methylation patterns.     

Structural and Functional Characterization of the Clostridium perfringens N-Acetylmannosamine-6-phosphate 2-Epimerase Essential for the Sialic Acid Salvage Pathway

Pathogenic bacteria are endowed with an arsenal of specialized enzymes to convert nutrient compounds from their cell hosts. The essential N-acetylmannosamine-6-phosphate 2-epimerase (NanE) belongs to a convergent glycolytic pathway for utilization of the three amino sugars, GlcNAc, ManNAc, and sialic acid. The crystal structure of ligand-free NanE from Clostridium perfringens reveals a modified triose-phosphate isomerase (β/α)₈ barrel in which a stable dimer is formed by exchanging the C-terminal helix. By retaining catalytic activity in the crystalline state, the structure of the enzyme bound to the GlcNAc-6P product identifies the topology of the active site pocket and points to invariant residues Lys⁶⁶ as a putative single catalyst, supported by the structure of the catalytically inactive K66A mutant in complex with substrate ManNAc-6P. ¹H NMR-based time course assays of native NanE and mutated variants demonstrate the essential role of Lys⁶⁶ for the epimerization reaction with participation of neighboring Arg⁴³, Asp¹²⁶, and Glu¹⁸⁰ residues. These findings unveil a one-base catalytic mechanism of C2 deprotonation/reprotonation via an enolate intermediate and provide the structural basis for the development of new antimicrobial agents against this family of bacterial 2-epimerases.     

Crystal structure of Escherichia coli diaminopropionate ammonia-lyase reveals mechanism of enzyme activation and catalysis

Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes utilize the unique chemistry of a pyridine ring to carry out diverse reactions involving amino acids. Diaminopropionate (DAP) ammonia-lyase (DAPAL) is a prokaryotic PLP-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of d- and l-forms of DAP to pyruvate and ammonia. Here, we report the first crystal structure of DAPAL from Escherichia coli (EcDAPAL) in tetragonal and monoclinic forms at 2.0 and 2.2 Å resolutions, respectively. Structures of EcDAPAL soaked with substrates were also determined. EcDAPAL has a typical fold type II PLP-dependent enzyme topology consisting of a large and a small domain with the active site at the interface of the two domains. The enzyme is a homodimer with a unique biological interface not observed earlier. Structure of the enzyme in the tetragonal form had PLP bound at the active site, whereas the monoclinic structure was in the apo-form. Analysis of the apo and holo structures revealed that the region around the active site undergoes transition from a disordered to ordered state and assumes a conformation suitable for catalysis only upon PLP binding. A novel disulfide was found to occur near a channel that is likely to regulate entry of ligands to the active site. EcDAPAL soaked with dl-DAP revealed density at the active site appropriate for the reaction intermediate aminoacrylate, which is consistent with the observation that EcDAPAL has low activity under crystallization conditions. Based on the analysis of the structure and results of site-directed mutagenesis, a two-base mechanism of catalysis involving Asp¹²⁰ and Lys⁷⁷ is suggested.     

Excess of charged tRNALys maintains low levels of peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase in pth(Ts) mutants at a non-permissive temperature

Cellular changes have been monitored during the suppression, mediated by the overproduction of tRNA^Lys, of thermosensitivity in Escherichia coli strain AA7852 carrying a mutation in peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase (Pth) encoded by the pth(Ts) gene. The presence in AA7852 cells of a plasmid bearing lysV gene helped to maintain low levels of the unstable Pth(Ts) protein and to preserve the viability of the mutant line at 41°C whereas plasmids bearing other tRNA genes were ineffective. At 32°C the excess of tRNA^Lys did not alter the percentages of the free-, charged- or peptidyl-tRNA^Lys species compared with those found in strains that did not overproduce tRNA^Lys. At 41°C, however, despite increases in the level of peptidyl-tRNA^Lys, the excess tRNA^Lys helped to maintain the concentration of charged-tRNA^Lys at a level comparable with that found in non-overproducer cells grown at a permissive temperature. In addition, the excess tRNA^Lys at 41°C provoked a reduction in the concentrations of various peptidyl-tRNAs, which normally accumulate in pth(Ts) cells, and a proportional increase in the concentrations of the corresponding aminoacyl-tRNAs. The possible mechanism of rescue due to the overexpression of tRNA^Lys and the causes of tRNA^Lys starvation in pth(Ts) strains grown at non-permissive temperatures are considered.     

Surface Charges and Regulation of FMN to Heme Electron Transfer in Nitric-oxide Synthase

The nitric-oxide synthases (NOS, EC 1.14.13.39) are modular enzymes containing attached flavoprotein and heme (NOSoxy) domains. To generate nitric oxide (NO), the NOS FMN subdomain must interact with the NOSoxy domain to deliver electrons to the heme for O₂ activation during catalysis. The molecular basis and how the interaction is regulated is unclear. We explored the role of eight positively charged residues that create an electropositive patch on NOSoxy in enabling the electron transfer by incorporating mutations that neutralized or reversed their individual charges. Stopped-flow and steady-state experiments revealed that individual charges at Lys⁴²³, Lys⁶²⁰, and Lys⁶⁶⁰ were the most important in enabling heme reduction in nNOS. Charge reversal was more disruptive than neutralization in all cases, and the effects on heme reduction were not due to a weakening in the thermodynamic driving force for heme reduction. Mutant NO synthesis activities displayed a complex pattern that could be simulated by a global model for NOS catalysis. This analysis revealed that the mutations impact the NO synthesis activity only through their effects on heme reduction rates. We conclude that heme reduction and NO synthesis in nNOS is enabled by electrostatic interactions involving Lys⁴²³, Lys⁶²⁰, and Lys⁶⁶⁰, which form a triad of positive charges on the NOSoxy surface. A simulated docking study reveals how electrostatic interactions of this triad can enable an FMN-NOSoxy interaction that is productive for electron transfer.     

Inter-domain Communication of Human Cystathionine β-Synthase: STRUCTURAL BASIS OF S-ADENOSYL-l-METHIONINE ACTIVATION*

Cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) is a key enzyme in sulfur metabolism, and its inherited deficiency causes homocystinuria. Mammalian CBS is modulated by the binding of S-adenosyl-l-methionine (AdoMet) to its regulatory domain, which activates its catalytic domain. To investigate the underlying mechanism, we performed x-ray crystallography, mutagenesis, and mass spectrometry (MS) on human CBS. The 1.7 Å structure of a AdoMet-bound CBS regulatory domain shows one AdoMet molecule per monomer, at the interface between two constituent modules (CBS-1, CBS-2). AdoMet binding is accompanied by a reorientation between the two modules, relative to the AdoMet-free basal state, to form interactions with AdoMet via residues verified by mutagenesis to be important for AdoMet binding (Phe⁴⁴³, Asp⁴⁴⁴, Gln⁴⁴⁵, and Asp⁵³⁸) and for AdoMet-driven inter-domain communication (Phe⁴⁴³, Asp⁵³⁸). The observed structural change is further supported by ion mobility MS, showing that as-purified CBS exists in two conformational populations, which converged to one in the presence of AdoMet. We therefore propose that AdoMet-induced conformational change alters the interface and arrangement between the catalytic and regulatory domains within the CBS oligomer, thereby increasing the accessibility of the enzyme active site for catalysis.     

Lysine 63-linked Polyubiquitination of TAK1 at Lysine 158 Is Required for Tumor Necrosis Factor ��- and Interleukin-1��-induced IKK/NF-��B and JNK/AP-1 Activation

Transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) plays an essential role in the tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)- and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced IκB kinase (IKK)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/activator protein 1 (AP-1) activation. Here we report that TNFα and IL-1β induce Lys⁶³-linked TAK1 polyubiquitination at the Lys¹⁵⁸ residue within the kinase domain. Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors 2 and 6 (TRAF2 and -6) act as the ubiquitin E3 ligases to mediate Lys⁶³-linked TAK1 polyubiquitination at the Lys¹⁵⁸ residue in vivo and in vitro. Lys⁶³-linked TAK1 polyubiquitination at the Lys¹⁵⁸ residue is required for TAK1-mediated IKK complex recruitment. Reconstitution of TAK1-deficient mouse embryo fibroblast cells with TAK1 wild type or a TAK1 mutant containing a K158R mutation revealed the importance of this site in TNFα and IL-1β-mediated IKK/NF-κB and JNK/AP-1 activation as well as IL-6 gene expression. Our findings demonstrate that Lys⁶³-linked polyubiquitination of TAK1 at Lys¹⁵⁸ is essential for its own kinase activation and its ability to mediate its downstream signal transduction pathways in response to TNFα and IL-1β stimulation.     

Phosphorylation of phosphofructokinase from skeletal muscle: correlations between phosphorylation and muscle function.

The specific radioactivity of [³²P]-phosphate incorporated into muscle phosphofructokinase was in equilibrium with the specific radioactivity of the γ-phosphate group of ATP. The incorporation was independent of the presence of cycloheximide. The total content of covalently bound phosphate in phosphofructokinase was correlated with the functional state of the muscle from which the enzyme was purified. Muscle dissected post mortem led to phosphofructokinase containing less than 2 phosphate groups per tetramer. Muscle dissected in vivo gave phosphofructokinase with 4 phosphates per tetramer when kept at rest and 8 phosphates per tetramer when stimulated to contract.     

Structural and kinetic evidence that catalytic reaction of human UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase involves covalent thiohemiacetal and thioester enzyme intermediates

Biosynthesis of UDP-glucuronic acid by UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase (UGDH) occurs through the four-electron oxidation of the UDP-glucose C6 primary alcohol in two NAD⁺-dependent steps. The catalytic reaction of UGDH is thought to involve a Cys nucleophile that promotes formation of a thiohemiacetal enzyme intermediate in the course of the first oxidation step. The thiohemiacetal undergoes further oxidation into a thioester, and hydrolysis of the thioester completes the catalytic cycle. Herein we present crystallographic and kinetic evidence for the human form of UGDH that clarifies participation of covalent catalysis in the enzymatic mechanism. Substitution of the putative catalytic base for water attack on the thioester (Glu¹⁶¹) by an incompetent analog (Gln¹⁶¹) gave a UGDH variant (E161Q) in which the hydrolysis step had become completely rate-limiting so that a thioester enzyme intermediate accumulated at steady state. By crystallizing E161Q in the presence of 5 mm UDP-glucose and 2 mm NAD⁺, we succeeded in trapping a thiohemiacetal enzyme intermediate and determined its structure at 2.3 Å resolution. Cys²⁷⁶ was covalently modified in the structure, establishing its role as catalytic nucleophile of the reaction. The thiohemiacetal reactive C6 was in a position suitable to become further oxidized by hydride transfer to NAD⁺. The proposed catalytic mechanism of human UGDH involves Lys²²⁰ as general base for UDP-glucose alcohol oxidation and for oxyanion stabilization during formation and breakdown of the thiohemiacetal and thioester enzyme intermediates. Water coordinated to Asp²⁸⁰ deprotonates Cys²⁷⁶ to function as an aldehyde trap and also provides oxyanion stabilization. Glu¹⁶¹ is the Brønsted base catalytically promoting the thioester hydrolysis.     

Design and evaluation of novel glutaminase inhibitors

A novel set of GAC (kidney glutaminase isoform C) inhibitors able to inhibit the enzymatic activity of GAC and the growth of the triple negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells with low nanomolar potency is described. Compounds in this series have a reduced number of rotatable bonds, improved C log Ps, microsomal stability and ligand efficiency when compared to the leading GAC inhibitors BPTES and CB-839. Property improvements were achieved by the replacement of the flexible n-diethylthio or the n-butyl moiety present in the leading inhibitors by heteroatom substituted heterocycloalkanes.     

Delayed lysis with a mutant of salmonella bacteriophage p22

A mutant of bacteriophage P22 (Lys⁻) was isolated which shows a plaque morphology on mixed plates comparable to the r⁺ plaques of the T-even phages. When Lys⁻ and normal Lys⁺ plaques are juxtaposed on a petri dish, the Lys⁺ plaque exhibits a flat side adjacent to the Lys⁻ plaque. The mutant is identical to P22 under an electron microscope, is inactivated at the same rate by antiserum and heat, and has the same kinetics of attachment. It does not plate on Salmonella lysogenic for phage P22 nor on strain St/22. In liquid culture, the lysis of mutant infections in M9CAA medium is delayed between 20 and 40 min. Cells mixedly infected in M9CAA with Lys⁻ and Lys⁺ phage lyse later than Lys⁺-infected cells and even later than Lys⁻-infected cells. In unsupplemented M9 medium, however, mixedly infected cells again lyse later than Lys⁺-infected cells, but Lys⁻-infected cells require more than 3 hr to lyse. In supplemented and unsupplemented M9 media, intracellular phage development and endolysin synthesis proceed in Lys⁻ infections at least as rapidly as in Lys⁺-infected cells. In diluted infections, the latent and eclipse periods of Lys⁻ and Lys⁺ infections are indistinguishable. The possible mechanisms involved in the control and timing of lysis are discussed.     

Increased carbonylation of the lipid phosphatase PTEN contributes to Akt2 activation in a murine model of early alcohol-induced steatosis

The production of reactive aldehydes such as 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) is a key event in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which ranges from simple steatosis to fibrosis. The lipid phosphatase PTEN plays a central role in the regulation of lipid metabolism in the liver. In this study, the effects of chronic ethanol feeding and carbonylation on the PTEN signaling pathway were examined in a 9-week mouse feeding model for ALD. Chronic ethanol consumption resulted in altered redox homeostasis as evidenced by decreased GSH, decreased Trx1, and increased GST activity. Both PTEN expression and PTEN phosphorylation were significantly increased in the livers of ethanol-fed mice. Carbonylation of PTEN increased significantly in the ethanol-fed mice compared to pair-fed control animals, corresponding to decreased PTEN 3-phosphatase activity. Concomitantly, increased expression of Akt2 along with increased Akt phosphorylation at residues Thr³⁰⁸, Thr⁴⁵⁰, and Ser⁴⁷³ was observed resulting in increased Akt2 activity in the ethanol-fed animals. Akt2 activation corresponded to a decrease in cytosolic SREBP and ChREBP. Subsequent LC/MS/MS analysis of 4-HNE-modified recombinant human PTEN identified Michael addition adducts of 4-HNE on Cys⁷¹, Cys¹³⁶, Lys¹⁴⁷, Lys²²³, Cys²⁵⁰, Lys²⁵⁴, Lys³¹³, Lys³²⁷, and Lys³⁴⁴. Computational-based molecular modeling analysis of 4-HNE adducted to Cys⁷¹ near the active site and Lys³²⁷ in the C2 domain of PTEN suggested inhibition of enzyme catalysis via either stearic hindrance of the active-site pocket or prevention of C2 domain-dependent PTEN function. We hypothesize that 4-HNE-mediated PTEN inhibition contributes to the observed activation of Akt2, suggesting a possible novel mechanism of lipid accumulation in response to increased reactive aldehyde production during chronic ethanol administration in mice.     

Structure-Function Studies with the Unique Hexameric Form II Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase (Rubisco) from Rhodopseudomonas palustris

The first x-ray crystal structure has been solved for an activated transition-state analog-bound form II ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). This enzyme, from Rhodopseudomonas palustris, assembles as a unique hexamer with three pairs of catalytic large subunit homodimers around a central 3-fold symmetry axis. This oligomer arrangement is unique among all known Rubisco structures, including the form II homolog from Rhodospirillum rubrum. The presence of a transition-state analog in the active site locked the activated enzyme in a “closed” conformation and revealed the positions of critical active site residues during catalysis. Functional roles of two form II-specific residues (Ile¹⁶⁵ and Met³³¹) near the active site were examined via site-directed mutagenesis. Substitutions at these residues affect function but not the ability of the enzyme to assemble. Random mutagenesis and suppressor selection in a Rubisco deletion strain of Rhodobacter capsulatus identified a residue in the amino terminus of one subunit (Ala⁴⁷) that compensated for a negative change near the active site of a neighboring subunit. In addition, substitution of the native carboxyl-terminal sequence with the last few dissimilar residues from the related R. rubrum homolog increased the enzyme''s k_cat for carboxylation. However, replacement of a longer carboxyl-terminal sequence with termini from either a form III or a form I enzyme, which varied both in length and sequence, resulted in complete loss of function. From these studies, it is evident that a number of subtle interactions near the active site and the carboxyl terminus account for functional differences between the different forms of Rubiscos found in nature.     

Kinetics of DNA Unwinding by the RecD2 Helicase from Deinococcus radiodurans

RecD2 from Deinococcus radiodurans is a superfamily 1 DNA helicase that is homologous to the Escherichia coli RecD protein but functions outside the context of RecBCD enzyme. We report here on the kinetics of DNA unwinding by RecD2 under single and multiple turnover conditions. There is little unwinding of 20-bp substrates by preformed RecD2-dsDNA complexes when excess ssDNA is present to trap enzyme molecules not bound to the substrate. A shorter 12-bp substrate is unwound rapidly under single turnover conditions. The 12-bp unwinding reaction could be simulated with a mechanism in which the DNA is unwound in two kinetic steps with rate constant of k_unw = 5.5 s⁻¹ and a dissociation step from partially unwound DNA of k_off = 1.9 s⁻¹. These results indicate a kinetic step size of about 3–4 bp, unwinding rate of about 15–20 bp/s, and low processivity (p = 0.74). The reaction time courses with 20-bp substrates, determined under multiple turnover conditions, could be simulated with a four-step mechanism and rate constant values very similar to those for the 12-bp substrate. The results indicate that the faster unwinding of a DNA substrate with a forked end versus only a 5′-terminal single-stranded extension can be accounted for by a difference in the rate of enzyme binding to the DNA substrates. Analysis of reactions done with different RecD2 concentrations indicates that the enzyme forms an inactive dimer or other oligomer at high enzyme concentrations. RecD2 oligomers can be detected by glutaraldehyde cross-linking but not by size exclusion chromatography.     

Crystal Structure and Activity Studies of the C11 Cysteine Peptidase from Parabacteroides merdae in the Human Gut Microbiome

Clan CD cysteine peptidases, a structurally related group of peptidases that include mammalian caspases, exhibit a wide range of important functions, along with a variety of specificities and activation mechanisms. However, for the clostripain family (denoted C11), little is currently known. Here, we describe the first crystal structure of a C11 protein from the human gut bacterium, Parabacteroides merdae (PmC11), determined to 1.7-Å resolution. PmC11 is a monomeric cysteine peptidase that comprises an extended caspase-like α/β/α sandwich and an unusual C-terminal domain. It shares core structural elements with clan CD cysteine peptidases but otherwise structurally differs from the other families in the clan. These studies also revealed a well ordered break in the polypeptide chain at Lys¹⁴⁷, resulting in a large conformational rearrangement close to the active site. Biochemical and kinetic analysis revealed Lys¹⁴⁷ to be an intramolecular processing site at which cleavage is required for full activation of the enzyme, suggesting an autoinhibitory mechanism for self-preservation. PmC11 has an acidic binding pocket and a preference for basic substrates, and accepts substrates with Arg and Lys in P1 and does not require Ca²⁺ for activity. Collectively, these data provide insights into the mechanism and activity of PmC11 and a detailed framework for studies on C11 peptidases from other phylogenetic kingdoms.     

Peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase from Sulfolobus solfataricus

An enzyme capable of liberating functional tRNA^Lys from Escherichia coli diacetyl-lysyl-tRNA^Lys was purified from the archae Sulfolobus solfataricus. Contrasting with the specificity of peptidyl- tRNA hydrolase (PTH) from E.coli, the S.solfataricus enzyme readily accepts E.coli formyl-methionyl-tRNA^fMet as a substrate. N-terminal sequencing of this enzyme identifies a gene that has homologs in the whole archaeal kingdom. Involvement of this gene (SS00175) in the recycling of peptidyl-tRNA is supported by its capacity to complement an E.coli strain lacking PTH activity. The archaeal gene, the product of which appears markedly different from bacterial PTHs, also has homologs in all the available eukaryal genomes. Since most of the eukaryotes already display a bacterial-like PTH gene, this observation suggests the occurrence in many eukaryotes of two distinct PTH activities, either of a bacterial or of an archaeal type. Indeed, the bacterial- and archaeal-like genes encoding the two full-length PTHs of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, YHR189w and YBL057c, respectively, can each rescue the growth of an E.coli strain lacking endogeneous PTH. In vitro assays confirm that the two enzymes ensure the recycling of tRNA^Lys from diacetyl-lysyl-tRNA^Lys. Finally, the growth of yeast cells in which either YHR189w or YBL057c has been disrupted was compared under various culture conditions. Evidence is presented that YHR189w, the gene encoding a bacterial-like PTH, should be involved in mitochondrial function.