The crystal structure of maleylacetate reductase from Rhizobium sp. strain MTP-10005 provides insights into the reaction mechanism of enzymes in its original family.

Maleylacetate reductase plays a crucial role in catabolism of resorcinol by catalyzing the NAD(P)H-dependent reduction of maleylacetate, at a carbon-carbon double bond, to 3-oxoadipate. The crystal structure of maleylacetate reductase from Rhizobium sp. strain MTP-10005, GraC, has been elucidated by the X-ray diffraction method at 1.5 Å resolution. GraC is a homodimer, and each subunit consists of two domains: an N-terminal NADH-binding domain adopting an α/ß structure and a C-terminal functional domain adopting an α-helical structure. Such structural features show similarity to those of the two existing families of enzymes in dehydroquinate synthase-like superfamily. However, GraC is distinct in dimer formation and activity expression mechanism from the families of enzymes. Two subunits in GraC have different structures from each other in the present crystal. One subunit has several ligands mimicking NADH and the substrate in the cleft and adopts a closed domain arrangement. In contrast, the other subunit does not contain any ligand causing structural changes and adopts an open domain arrangement. The structure of GraC reveals those of maleylacetate reductase both in the coenzyme, substrate-binding state and in the ligand-free state. The comparison of both subunit structures reveals a conformational change of the Tyr326 loop for interaction with His243 on ligand binding. Structures of related enzymes suggest that His243 is likely a catalytic residue of GraC. Mutational analyses of His243 and Tyr326 support the catalytic roles proposed from structural information. The crystal structure of GraC characterizes the maleylacetate reductase family as a third family in the dehydroquinate synthase-like superfamily. Proteins 2016; 84:1029-1042. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Crystallographic studies of aspartate racemase from Lactobacillus sakei NBRC 15893.

Aspartate racemase catalyzes the interconversion between L-aspartate and D-aspartate and belongs to the PLP-independent racemases. The enzyme from the lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus sakei NBRC 15893, isolated from kimoto, is considered to be involved in D-aspartate synthesis during the brewing process of Japanese sake at low temperatures. The enzyme was crystallized at 293 K by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using 25%(v/v) PEG MME 550, 5%(v/v) 2-propanol. The crystal belonged to space group P3121, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 104.68, c = 97.29 Å, and diffracted to 2.6 Šresolution. Structure determination is under way.

Crystal structure of a homolog of mammalian serine racemase from Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

D-serine is an endogenous coagonist for the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and is involved in excitatory neurotransmission in the brain. Mammalian pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent serine racemase, which is localized in the mammalian brain, catalyzes the racemization of L-serine to yield D-serine and vice versa. The enzyme also catalyzes the dehydration of D- and L-serine. Both reactions are enhanced by Mg.ATP in vivo. We have determined the structures of the following three forms of the mammalian enzyme homolog from Schizosaccharomyces pombe: the wild-type enzyme, the wild-type enzyme in the complex with an ATP analog, and the modified enzyme in the complex with serine at 1.7, 1.9, and 2.2 A resolution, respectively. On binding of the substrate, the small domain rotates toward the large domain to close the active site. The ATP binding site was identified at the domain and the subunit interface. Computer graphics models of the wild-type enzyme complexed with L-serine and D-serine provided an insight into the catalytic mechanisms of both reactions. Lys-57 and Ser-82 located on the protein and solvent sides, respectively, with respect to the cofactor plane, are acid-base catalysts that shuttle protons to the substrate. The modified enzyme, which has a unique "lysino-D-alanyl" residue at the active site, also exhibits catalytic activities. The crystal-soaking experiment showed that the substrate serine was actually trapped in the active site of the modified enzyme, suggesting that the lysino-D-alanyl residue acts as a catalytic base in the same manner as inherent Lys-57 of the wild-type enzyme.

Serine racemase with catalytically active lysinoalanyl residue.

Serine racemase synthesizes d-serine, a physiological agonist of the NMDA receptor in mammalian brains. Schizosaccharomyces pombe produces serine racemase (spSR) that is highly similar to the brain enzyme. Our mass-spectrometric and X-ray studies revealed that spSR is modified with its natural substrate serine. spSR remains partially active even though its essential Lys57 inherently forming a Schiff base with the coenzyme pyridoxal 5'-phosphate is converted to N(6)-(R-2-amino-2-carboxyethyl)-l-lysyl (lysino-d-alanyl) residue. This indicates that the alpha-amino group of the d-alanyl moiety of the lysino-d-alanyl residue serves as a catalytic base in the same manner as the epsilon-amino group of Lys57 of the original spSR.

A facile and versatile preparation of bilindiones and biladienones from tetraarylporphyrins.

Bilindiones and biladienones carrying aryl groups at the meso positions were prepared using coupled oxidation reactions of iron tetraarylporphyrins in 20-63% yield.