A novel mode of ferric ion coordination by the periplasmic ferric ion-binding subunit FbpA of an ABC-type iron transporter from Thermus thermophilus HB8.

Crystal structures of FbpA, the periplasmic ferric ion-binding protein of an iron-uptake ABC transporter, from Thermus thermophilus HB8 (TtFbpA) have been solved in apo and ferric ion-bound forms at 1.8 and 1.7 Šresolution, respectively. The latter crystal structure shows that the bound ferric ion forms a novel six-coordinated complex with three tyrosine side chains, two bicarbonates and a water molecule in the metal-binding site. The results of gel-filtration chromatography and dynamic light scattering show that TtFbpA exists as a monomer in solution regardless of ferric ion binding and that TtFbpA adopts a more compact conformation in the ferric ion-bound state than in the apo state in solution.

Structure of conjugated polyketone reductase from Candida parapsilosis IFO 0708 reveals conformational changes for substrate recognition upon NADPH binding.

Conjugated polyketone reductase C2 (CPR-C2) from Candida parapsilosis IFO 0708, identified as a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-dependent ketopantoyl lactone reductase, belongs to the aldo-keto reductase superfamily. This enzyme reduces ketopantoyl lactone to D-pantoyl lactone in a strictly stereospecific manner. To elucidate the structural basis of the substrate specificity, we determined the crystal structures of the apo CPR-C2 and CPR-C2/NADPH complex at 1.70 and 1.80 Å resolutions, respectively. CPR-C2 adopted a triose-phosphate isomerase barrel fold at the core of the structure. Binding with the cofactor NADPH induced conformational changes in which Thr27 and Lys28 moved 15 and 5.0 Å, respectively, in the close vicinity of the adenosine 2'-phosphate group of NADPH to form hydrogen bonds. Based on the comparison of the CPR-C2/NADPH structure with 3-α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and mutation analyses, we constructed substrate binding models with ketopantoyl lactone, which provided insight into the substrate specificity by the cofactor-induced structure. The results will be useful for the rational design of CPR-C2 mutants targeted for use in the industrial manufacture of ketopantoyl lactone.

Crystal structure of conjugated polyketone reductase (CPR-C1) from Candida parapsilosis IFO 0708 complexed with NADPH.

Conjugated polyketone reductase (CPR-C1) from Candida parapsilosis IFO 0708 is a member of the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) superfamily and reduces ketopantoyl lactone to d-pantoyl lactone in a NADPH-dependent and stereospecific manner. We determined the crystal structure of CPR-C1.NADPH complex at 2.20 Å resolution. CPR-C1 adopted a triose-phosphate isomerase (TIM) barrel fold at the core of the structure in which Thr25 and Lys26 of the GXGTX motif bind uniquely to the adenosine 2'-phosphate group of NADPH. This finding provides a novel structural basis for NADPH binding of the AKR superfamily.