Mechanism of Rate Acceleration of Radical C-C Bond Formation Reaction by a Radical SAM GTP 3',8-Cyclase.

While the number of characterized radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) enzymes is increasing, the roles of these enzymes in radical catalysis remain largely ambiguous. In radical SAM enzymes, the slow radical initiation step kinetically masks the subsequent steps, making it impossible to study the kinetics of radical chemistry. Due to this kinetic masking, it is unknown whether the subsequent radical reactions require rate acceleration by the enzyme active site. Here, we report the first evidence that a radical SAM enzyme MoaA accelerates the radical-mediated C-C bond formation. MoaA catalyzes an unprecedented 3',8-cyclization of GTP into 3',8-cyclo-7,8-dihydro-GTP (3',8-cH2GTP) during the molybdenum cofactor (Moco) biosynthesis. Through a series of EPR and biochemical characterizations, we found that MoaA catalyzes a shunt pathway in which an on-pathway intermediate, GTP C-3' radical, abstracts H-4' atom from (4'R)-5'-deoxyadenosine (5'-dA) to transiently generate 5'-deoxyadenos-4'-yl radical (5'-dA-C4'•) that is subsequently reduced stereospecifically to yield (4'S)-5'-dA. Detailed kinetic characterization of the shunt and the main pathways provided the comprehensive view of MoaA kinetics and determined the rate of the on-pathway 3',8-cyclization step as 2.7 ± 0.7 s-1. Together with DFT calculations, this observation suggested that the 3',8-cyclization by MoaA is accelerated by 6-9 orders of magnitude. Further experimental and theoretical characterizations suggested that the rate acceleration is achieved mainly by constraining the triphosphate and guanine base positions while leaving the ribose flexible, and a transition state stabilization through H-bond and electrostatic interactions with the positively charged R17 residue. This is the first evidence for rate acceleration of radical reactions by a radical SAM enzyme and provides insights into the mechanism by which radical SAM enzymes accelerate radical chemistry.

Paradigm Shift for Radical S-Adenosyl-l-methionine Reactions: The Organometallic Intermediate Ω Is Central to Catalysis.

Radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) enzymes comprise a vast superfamily catalyzing diverse reactions essential to all life through homolytic SAM cleavage to liberate the highly reactive 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical (5'-dAdo·). Our recent observation of a catalytically competent organometallic intermediate Ω that forms during reaction of the radical SAM (RS) enzyme pyruvate formate-lyase activating-enzyme (PFL-AE) was therefore quite surprising, and led to the question of its broad relevance in the superfamily. We now show that Ω in PFL-AE forms as an intermediate under a variety of mixing order conditions, suggesting it is central to catalysis in this enzyme. We further demonstrate that Ω forms in a suite of RS enzymes chosen to span the totality of superfamily reaction types, implicating Ω as essential in catalysis across the RS superfamily. Finally, EPR and electron nuclear double resonance spectroscopy establish that Ω involves an Fe-C5' bond between 5'-dAdo· and the [4Fe-4S] cluster. An analogous organometallic bond is found in the well-known adenosylcobalamin (coenzyme B12) cofactor used to initiate radical reactions via a 5'-dAdo· intermediate. Liberation of a reactive 5'-dAdo· intermediate via homolytic metal-carbon bond cleavage thus appears to be similar for Ω and coenzyme B12. However, coenzyme B12 is involved in enzymes catalyzing only a small number (∼12) of distinct reactions, whereas the RS superfamily has more than 100 000 distinct sequences and over 80 reaction types characterized to date. The appearance of Ω across the RS superfamily therefore dramatically enlarges the sphere of bio-organometallic chemistry in Nature.

C-C bond forming radical SAM enzymes involved in the construction of carbon skeletons of cofactors and natural products.

Covering: up to the end of 2017 C-C bond formations are frequently the key steps in cofactor and natural product biosynthesis. Historically, C-C bond formations were thought to proceed by two electron mechanisms, represented by Claisen condensation in fatty acids and polyketide biosynthesis. These types of mechanisms require activated substrates to create a nucleophile and an electrophile. More recently, increasing number of C-C bond formations catalyzed by radical SAM enzymes are being identified. These free radical mediated reactions can proceed between almost any sp3 and sp2 carbon centers, allowing introduction of C-C bonds at unconventional positions in metabolites. Therefore, free radical mediated C-C bond formations are frequently found in the construction of structurally unique and complex metabolites. This review discusses our current understanding of the functions and mechanisms of C-C bond forming radical SAM enzymes and highlights their important roles in the biosynthesis of structurally complex, naturally occurring organic molecules. Mechanistic consideration of C-C bond formation by radical SAM enzymes identifies the significance of three key mechanistic factors: radical initiation, acceptor substrate activation and radical quenching. Understanding the functions and mechanisms of these characteristic enzymes will be important not only in promoting our understanding of radical SAM enzymes, but also for understanding natural product and cofactor biosynthesis.

Carbon extension in peptidylnucleoside biosynthesis by radical SAM enzymes.

Nikkomycins and polyoxins are antifungal peptidylnucleoside antibiotics active against human and plant pathogens. Here we report that during peptidylnucleoside biosynthesis in Streptomyces cacaoi and S. tendae, the C5' extension of the nucleoside essential for downstream structural diversification is catalyzed by a conserved radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) enzyme, PolH or NikJ. This is distinct from the nucleophilic mechanism reported for antibacterial nucleosides and represents a new mechanism of nucleoside natural product biosynthesis.

Mechanistic Investigation of cPMP Synthase in Molybdenum Cofactor Biosynthesis Using an Uncleavable Substrate Analogue.

Molybdenum cofactor (Moco) is essential for all kingdoms of life, plays central roles in various biological processes, and must be biosynthesized de novo. During its biosynthesis, the characteristic pyranopterin ring is constructed by a complex rearrangement of guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) into cyclic pyranopterin monophosphate (cPMP) through the action of two enzymes, MoaA and MoaC. Recent studies revealed that MoaC catalyzes the majority of the transformation and produces cPMP from a unique cyclic nucleotide, 3',8-cyclo-7,8-dihydro-GTP (3',8-cH2GTP). However, the mechanism by which MoaC catalyzes this complex rearrangement is largely unexplored. Here, we report the mechanistic characterization of MoaC using an uncleavable substrate analogue, 3',8-cH2GMP[CH2]PP, as a probe to investigate the timing of cyclic phosphate formation. Using partially active MoaC variants, 3',8-cH2GMP[CH2]PP was found to be accepted by MoaC as a substrate and was converted to an analogue of the previously described MoaC reaction intermediate, suggesting that the early stage of catalysis proceeds without cyclic phosphate formation. In contrast, when it was incubated with wt-MoaC, 3',8-cH2GMP[CH2]PP caused mechanism-based inhibition. Detailed characterization of the inhibited MoaC suggested that 3',8-cH2GMP[CH2]PP is mainly converted to a molecule (compound Y) with an acid-labile triaminopyrimidinone base without an established pyranopterin structure. MS analysis of MoaC treated with 3',8-cH2GMP[CH2]PP provided strong evidence that compound Y forms a tight complex with MoaC likely through a covalent linkage. These observations are consistent with a mechanism in which cyclic phosphate ring formation proceeds in concert with the pterin ring formation. This mechanism would provide a thermodynamic driving force to complete the formation of the unique tetracyclic structure of cPMP.