Conformational Dynamics in Corynebacterium glutamicum Diaminopimelate Epimerase: Insights from Ligand Parameterization, Atomistic Simulation, and Markov State Modeling.

The microbial enzyme diaminopimelate epimerase (DapF), a vital enzyme in the lysine biosynthetic pathway, catalyzes the conversion of L, L-diaminopimelate (L, L-DAP) to D, L-diaminopimelate (D, L-DAP) using a catalytic cysteine dyad with one cysteine in thiol state and another in thiolate. Under oxidizing conditions, the catalytic cysteines of apo DapF form a disulfide bond that alters the structure and function of DapF. Given its potential as a target for antimicrobial resistance treatments, understanding DapF's functional dynamics is imperative. In the present work, we employ microsecond-scale all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of product-bound DapF and apo-DapF under oxidized and reduced conditions. We employ a polarized charge model for the ligand and the active site residues, which was necessary to preserve the electrostatic environment in the active site and retain the ligand in the active site. The product-bound DapF and apo-DapF in oxidized and reduced conditions exhibit a closed, semi-open, and open conformation, respectively, as identified using the internal coordinates of the dimeric enzyme and the principal component analysis. The conformational switch is guided by the dynamic catalytic (DC) loop, loop II, and loop III movements in the active site. The time scale of the close-to-open conformational transition is estimated to be 0.8 µs through Markov state modeling (MSM) and transition path theory (TPT). The present study explains the role of various active site residues and loops in ligand binding and protein dynamics in the DapF enzyme under different redox conditions. Such information will be helpful in future inhibitor design studies targeting the DapF enzyme.

Designed mono- and di-covalent inhibitors trap modeled functional motions for Trypanosoma cruzi proline racemase in crystallography.

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, affects millions of people in South America and no satisfactory therapy exists, especially for its life threatening chronic phase. We targeted the Proline Racemase of T. cruzi, which is present in all stages of the parasite life cycle, to discover new inhibitors against this disease. The first published crystal structures of the enzyme revealed that the catalytic site is too small to allow any relevant drug design. In previous work, to break through the chemical space afforded to virtual screening and drug design, we generated intermediate models between the open (ligand free) and closed (ligand bound) forms of the enzyme. In the present work, we co-crystallized the enzyme with the selected inhibitors and found that they were covalently bound to the catalytic cysteine residues in the active site, thus explaining why these compounds act as irreversible inhibitors. These results led us to the design of a novel, more potent specific inhibitor, NG-P27. Co-crystallization of this new inhibitor with the enzyme allowed us to confirm the predicted protein functional motions and further characterize the chemical mechanism. Hence, the catalytic Cys300 sulfur atom of the enzyme attacks the C2 carbon of the inhibitor in a coupled, regiospecific-stereospecific Michael reaction with trans-addition of a proton on the C3 carbon. Strikingly, the six different conformations of the catalytic site in the crystal structures reported in this work had key similarities to our intermediate models previously generated by inference of the protein functional motions. These crystal structures span a conformational interval covering roughly the first quarter of the opening mechanism, demonstrating the relevance of modeling approaches to break through chemical space in drug design.

Structural insights into the substrate recognition and reaction specificity of the PLP-dependent fold-type I isoleucine 2-epimerase from Lactobacillus buchneri.

The isoleucine 2-epimerase from Lactobacillus buchneri has been previously identified and characterized to catalyze the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent racemization and epimerization of a broad spectrum of nonpolar amino acids from L- to D-form and vice versa, in particular isoleucine. In this study, crystal structures of both native and PLP-complex forms of this racemase are presented at 2.6 and 2.15 Å resolution, respectively. Both structures show that the protein belongs to the fold-type I subgroup of PLP-dependent enzymes and is very close to aminobutyrate aminotransferases family, as it has been suspected because of their sequence homology. The extensive structural comparison with fold-type I enzymes with known amino acid racemization activities, including the α-amino-ε-caprolactam racemase from Achromobacter obae and the cystathionine ß-lyase from Escherichia coli, allows us to identify the active site residues responsible for its nonpolar amino acid recognition and reactivity specificity. Our observations also suggest that the racemization reaction by the fold-type I racemases may generally occur thanks to a revised two-base mechanism. Lastly, both structures reveal details on the conformational changes provoked by PLP binding that suggest an induced fit of the active site "entrance door", necessary to accommodate PLP and substrate molecules.

Structural basis for redox sensitivity in Corynebacterium glutamicum diaminopimelate epimerase: an enzyme involved in l-lysine biosynthesis.

Diaminopimelate epimerase (DapF) is one of the crucial enzymes involved in l-lysine biosynthesis, where it converts l,l-diaminopimelate (l,l-DAP) into d,l-DAP. DapF is also considered as an attractive target for the development of antibacterial drugs. Here, we report the crystal structure of DapF from Corynebacterium glutamicum (CgDapF). Structures of CgDapF obtained under both oxidized and reduced conditions reveal that the function of CgDapF is regulated by redox-switch modulation via reversible disulfide bond formation between two catalytic cysteine residues. Under oxidized condition, two catalytic cysteine residues form a disulfide bond; these same cysteine residues exist in reduced form under reduced condition. Disulfide bond formation also induces a subsequent structural change in the dynamic catalytic loop at the active site, which results in open/closed conformational change at the active site. We also determined the crystal structure of CgDapF in complex with its product d,l-DAP, and elucidated how the enzyme recognizes its substrate l,l-DAP as a substrate. Moreover, the structure in complex with the d,l-DAP product reveals that CgDapF undergoes a large open/closed domain movement upon substrate binding, resulting in a completely buried active site with the substrate bound.

Molecular cloning and enzymological characterization of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate independent aspartate racemase from hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus litoralis DSM 5473.

We succeeded in expressing the aspartate racemase homolog gene from Thermococcus litoralis DSM 5473 in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3) and found that the gene encodes aspartate racemase. The aspartate racemase gene consisted of 687 bp and encoded 228 amino acid residues. The purified enzyme showed aspartate racemase activity with a specific activity of 1590 U/mg. The enzyme was a homodimer with a molecular mass of 56 kDa and did not require pyridoxal 5'-phosphate as a coenzyme. The enzyme showed aspartate racemase activity even at 95 °C, and the activation energy of the enzyme was calculated to be 51.8 kJ/mol. The enzyme was highly thermostable, and approximately 50 % of its initial activity remained even after incubation at 90 °C for 11 h. The enzyme showed a maximum activity at a pH of 7.5 and was stable between pH 6.0 and 7.0. The enzyme acted on L-cysteic acid and L-cysteine sulfinic acid in addition to D- and L-aspartic acids, and was strongly inhibited by iodoacetic acid. The site-directed mutagenesis of the enzyme showed that the essential cysteine residues were conserved as Cys83 and Cys194. D-Forms of aspartic acid, serine, alanine, and valine were contained in T. litoralis DSM 5473 cells.

Affinity Purification Method for the Identification of Nonribosomal Peptide Biosynthetic Enzymes Using a Synthetic Probe for Adenylation Domains.

A series of inhibitors have been designed based on 5'-O-sulfamoyl adenosine (AMS) that display tight binding characteristics towards the inhibition of adenylation (A) domains in nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs). We recently developed an affinity probe for A domains that could be used to facilitate the specific isolation and identification of NRPS modules. Our synthetic probe, which is a biotinylated variant of L-Phe-AMS (L-Phe-AMS-biotin), selectively targets the A domains in NRPS modules that recognize and convert L-Phe to an aminoacyl adenylate in whole proteomes. In this chapter, we describe the design and synthesis of L-Phe-AMS-biotin and provide a summary of our work towards the development of a series of protocols for the specific enrichment of NRPS modules using this probe.

Analyses of the Binding between Water Soluble C60 Derivatives and Potential Drug Targets through a Molecular Docking Approach.

Fullerene C60, a unique sphere-shaped molecule consisting of carbon, has been proved to have inhibitory effects on many diseases. However, the applications of C60 in medicine have been severely hindered by its complete insolubility in water and low solubility in almost all organic solvents. In this study, the water-soluble C60 derivatives and the C60 binding protein's structures were collected from the literature. The selected proteins fall into several groups, including acetylcholinesterase, glutamate racemase, inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase, lumazine synthase, human estrogen receptor alpha, dihydrofolate reductase and N-myristoyltransferase. The C60 derivatives were docked into the binding sites in the proteins. The binding affinities of the C60 derivatives were calculated. The bindings between proteins and their known inhibitors or native ligands were also characterized in the same way. The results show that C60 derivatives form good interactions with the binding sites of different protein targets. In many cases, the binding affinities of C60 derivatives are better than those of known inhibitors and native ligands. This study demonstrates the interaction patterns of C60 derivatives and their binding partners, which will have good impact on the fullerene-based drug discovery.

A subdomain swap strategy for reengineering nonribosomal peptides.

Nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) protect microorganisms from environmental threats by producing diverse siderophores, antibiotics, and other peptide natural products. Their modular molecular structure is also attractive from the standpoint of biosynthetic engineering. Here we evaluate a methodology for swapping module specificities of these mega-enzymes that takes advantage of flavodoxin-like subdomains involved in substrate recognition. Nine subdomains encoding diverse specificities were transplanted into the Phe-specific GrsA initiation module of gramicidin S synthetase. All chimeras could be purified as soluble protein. One construct based on a Val-specific subdomain showed sizable adenylation activity and functioned as a Val-Pro diketopiperazine synthetase upon addition of the proline-specific GrsB1 module. These results suggest that subdomain swapping could be a viable alternative to previous NRPS design approaches targeting binding pockets, domains, or entire modules. The short length of the swapped sequence stretch may facilitate straightforward exploitation of the wealth of existing NRPS modules for combinatorial biosynthesis.

Kinetics profiling of gramicidin S synthetase A, a member of nonribosomal peptide synthetases.

Nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS) incorporate assorted amino acid substrates into complex natural products. The substrate is activated via the formation of a reactive aminoacyl adenylate and is subsequently attached to the protein template via a thioester bond. The reactive nature of such intermediates, however, leads to side reactions that also break down the high-energy anhydride bond. The off-pathway kinetics or their relative weights compared to that of the on-pathway counterpart remains generally elusive. Here, we introduce multiplatform kinetics profiling to quantify the relative weights of on- and off-pathway reactions. Using the well-defined stoichiometry of thioester formation, we integrate a mass spectrometry (MS) kinetics assay, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay, and an ATP-pyrophosphate (PPi) exchange assay to map out a highly efficient on-pathway kinetics profile of the substrate activation and intermediate uploading (>98% relative weight) for wide-type gramicidin S synthetase A (GrsA) and a 87% rate profile for a cysteine-free GrsA mutant. Our kinetics profiling approach complements the existing enzyme-coupled byproduct-release assays, unraveling new mechanistic insights of substrate activation/channeling in NRPS enzymes.

Theoretical analysis of the catalytic mechanism of Helicobacter pylori glutamate racemase.

One of the most challenging open key questions behind the stereoinversion of D-glutamate and L-glutamate catalyzed by glutamate racemases is how those enzymes manage to generate the thermodynamically unfavorable reverse protonation state of the catalytic residue cysteine required for the proton abstraction from the α-carbon of glutamate. In this paper, we have used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with a molecular mechanics force field along with QM/MM calculations starting from the crystal structure and from different MD snapshots to study the enantiomeric conversion of D-glutamate to L-glutamate catalyzed by the Helicobacter pylori glutamate racemase. Our results show that structural fluctuations of the enzyme-substrate complex, represented by the different snapshots, lead to reaction paths with different features and fates. The whole reaction, when it occurs, involves four successive proton transfers in three or four different steps. In the first step, Asp7 assists the deprotonation of D-glutamate by participating in general base catalysis with neutral Cys70 thiol. An analogous mechanism was previously found by some of us for the case of Bacillus subtilis glutamate racemase. This fact explains why that aspartate belongs to the group of strictly conserved residues.

Using a combination of computational and experimental techniques to understand the molecular basis for protein allostery.

Allostery is the process by which remote sites of a system are energetically coupled to elicit a functional response. The early models of allostery such as the Monod-Wyman-Changeux model and the Koshland-Némethy-Filmer model explain the allosteric behavior of multimeric proteins. However, these models do not explain how allostery arises from atomic level in detail. Recent developments in computational methods and experimental techniques have led the beginning of a new age in studying allostery. The combination of computational methods and experiments is a powerful research approach to help answering questions regarding allosteric mechanism at atomic resolution. In this review, three case studies are discussed to illustrate how this combined approach helps to increase our understanding of protein allostery.

Identification of a human trans-3-hydroxy-L-proline dehydratase, the first characterized member of a novel family of proline racemase-like enzymes.

A family of eukaryotic proline racemase-like genes has recently been identified. Several members of this family have been well characterized and are known to catalyze the racemization of free proline or trans-4-hydroxyproline. However, the majority of eukaryotic proline racemase-like proteins, including a human protein called C14orf149, lack a specific cysteine residue that is known to be critical for racemase activity. Instead, these proteins invariably contain a threonine residue at this position. The function of these enzymes has remained unresolved until now. In this study, we demonstrate that three enzymes of this type, including human C14orf149, catalyze the dehydration of trans-3-hydroxy-L-proline to Δ(1)-pyrroline-2-carboxylate (Pyr2C). These are the first enzymes of this subclass of proline racemase-like genes for which the enzymatic activity has been resolved. C14orf149 is also the first human enzyme that acts on trans-3-hydroxy-L-proline. Interestingly, a mutant enzyme in which the threonine in the active site is mutated back into cysteine regained 3-hydroxyproline epimerase activity. This result suggests that the enzymatic activity of these enzymes is dictated by a single residue. Presumably, human C14orf149 serves to degrade trans-3-hydroxy-L-proline from the diet and originating from the degradation of proteins that contain this amino acid, such as collagen IV, which is an important structural component of basement membrane.

Substrate specificity of a peptidyl-aminoacyl-L/D-isomerase from frog skin.

In the skin of fire-bellied toads (Bombina species), an aminoacyl-L/D-isomerase activity is present which catalyses the post-translational isomerization of the L- to the D-form of the second residue of its substrate peptides. Previously, this new type of enzyme was studied in some detail and genes potentially coding for similar polypeptides were found to exist in several vertebrate species including man. Here, we present our studies to the substrate specificity of this isomerase using fluorescence-labeled variants of the natural substrate bombinin H with different amino acids at positions 1, 2 or 3. Surprisingly, this enzyme has a rather low selectivity for residues at position 2 where the change of chirality at the alpha-carbon takes place. In contrast, a hydrophobic amino acid at position 1 and a small one at position 3 of the substrate are essential. Interestingly, some peptides containing a Phe at position 3 also were substrates. Furthermore, we investigated the role of the amino-terminus for substrate recognition. In view of the rather broad specificity of the frog isomerase, we made a databank search for potential substrates of such an enzyme. Indeed, numerous peptides of amphibia and mammals were found which fulfill the requirements determined in this study. Expression of isomerases with similar characteristics in other species can therefore be expected to catalyze the formation of peptides containing D-amino acids.

Crystal structure of diaminopimelate epimerase from Arabidopsis thaliana, an amino acid racemase critical for L-lysine biosynthesis.

Diaminopimelate (DAP) epimerase is a key enzyme for the biosynthesis of lysine in plants. Lysine is an essential dietary nutrient for mammals. In both plants and bacteria, DAP epimerase catalyzes the interconversion of LL-DAP and DL(meso)-DAP. The absence of a mammalian homolog makes DAP epimerase a promising target for the design of novel herbicides and antibacterials. This enzyme requires no cofactors and it functions through an unusual mechanism involving two cysteine residues acting in concert and alternating as a base (thiolate) and as an acid (thiol). The present study reports the crystal structures of two enzyme-inhibitor complexes of DAP epimerase from Arabidopsis thaliana with different isomers of the irreversible inhibitor and substrate mimic, 2-(4-amino-4-carboxybutyl)-aziridine-2-carboxylate, at 1.95 and 2.3 A resolution. These structures provide the first atomic details of a plant amino acid racemase. Structural analysis reveals that ligand binding to a cleft between the two domains of the enzyme is accompanied by domain closure with two strictly conserved cysteine residues, Cys99 and Cys254, optimally positioned to perform acid/base catalysis via a carbanion stabilization mechanism on the stereogenic alpha-carbon atom of the amino acid. Stereochemical control in catalysis is achieved by means of a highly symmetric catalytic site that can accommodate both the L and D stereogenic centers of DAP at the proximal site, whereas specific interactions at the distal site require only the L configuration. Structural comparisons of the plant enzyme with its bacterial counterpart from Haemophilus influenzae reveal significant conservation of amino acid residues around the active site that extends to their three-dimensional structures and catalytic mechanism.

Characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis diaminopimelic acid epimerase: paired cysteine residues are crucial for racemization.

Recently, the overproduction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis diaminopimelic acid (DAP) epimerase MtDapF in Escherichia coli using a novel codon alteration cloning strategy and the characterization of the purified enzyme was reported. In the present study, the effect of sulphydryl alkylating agents on the in vitro activity of M. tuberculosis DapF was tested. The complete inhibition of the enzyme by 2-nitro-5-thiocyanatobenzoate, 5,5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) and 1,2-benzisothiazolidine-3-one at nanomolar concentrations suggested that these sulphydryl alkylating agents modify functionally significant cysteine residues at or near the active site of the epimerase. Consequently, the authors extended the characterization of MtDapF by studying the role of the two strictly conserved cysteine residues. The putative catalytic residues Cys87 and Cys226 of MtDapF were replaced individually with both serine and alanine. Residual epimerase activity was detected for both the serine replacement mutants C87S and C226S in vitro. Kinetic analyses revealed that, despite a decrease in the K(M) value of the C87S mutant for DAP that presumably indicates an increase in nonproductive substrate binding, the catalytic efficiency of both serine substitution mutants was severely compromised. When either C87 or C226 were substituted with alanine, epimerase activity was not detected emphasizing the importance of both of these cysteine residues in catalysis.

Molecular and structural discrimination of proline racemase and hydroxyproline-2-epimerase from nosocomial and bacterial pathogens.

The first eukaryotic proline racemase (PRAC), isolated from the human Trypanosoma cruzi pathogen, is a validated therapeutic target against Chagas' disease. This essential enzyme is implicated in parasite life cycle and infectivity and its ability to trigger host B-cell nonspecific hypergammaglobulinemia contributes to parasite evasion and persistence. Using previously identified PRAC signatures and data mining we present the identification and characterization of a novel PRAC and five hydroxyproline epimerases (HyPRE) from pathogenic bacteria. Single-mutation of key HyPRE catalytic cysteine abrogates enzymatic activity supporting the presence of two reaction centers per homodimer. Furthermore, evidences are provided that Brucella abortus PrpA [for 'proline racemase' virulence factor A] and homologous proteins from two Brucella spp are bona fide HyPREs and not 'one way' directional PRACs as described elsewhere. Although the mechanisms of aminoacid racemization and epimerization are conserved between PRAC and HyPRE, our studies demonstrate that substrate accessibility and specificity partly rely on constraints imposed by aromatic or aliphatic residues distinctively belonging to the catalytic pockets. Analysis of PRAC and HyPRE sequences along with reaction center structural data disclose additional valuable elements for in silico discrimination of the enzymes. Furthermore, similarly to PRAC, the lymphocyte mitogenicity displayed by HyPREs is discussed in the context of bacterial metabolism and pathogenesis. Considering tissue specificity and tropism of infectious pathogens, it would not be surprising if upon infection PRAC and HyPRE play important roles in the regulation of the intracellular and extracellular amino acid pool profiting the microrganism with precursors and enzymatic pathways of the host.

Dynamics of catalysis revealed from the crystal structures of mutants of diaminopimelate epimerase.

Diaminopimelate (DAP) epimerase catalyzes the stereoinversion of ll-DAP to meso-DAP, a precursor of l-lysine and an essential component of the bacterial peptidoglycan. This function is vital to bacteria and the enzyme therefore represents an attractive target for the design of novel anti-bacterials. DAP epimerase belongs to the group of PLP-independent amino acid racemases that function through a rather unusual mechanism involving two cysteines acting in concert as a base (thiolate) and an acid (thiol). We have solved the crystal structures of the apo-forms of DAP epimerase mutants (C73S and C217S) from Haemophilus influenzae at 2.3A and 2.2A resolution, respectively. These structures provide a snapshot of the enzyme in the first step of the catalytic cycle. Comparisons with the structures of the inhibitor-bound form reveal that the enzyme adopts an 'open conformation' in the absence of substrates or inhibitors with the two active site cysteines existing as a thiol-thiolate pair. Substrate binding to the C-terminal domain triggers the closure of the N-terminal domain coupled with tight encapsulation of the ligand, stabilization of the conformation of an active site loop containing Cys73 and expulsion of water molecules with concomitant desolvation of the thiolate base. This structural rearrangement is critical for catalysis.

New insights into the reaction mechanism catalyzed by the glutamate racemase enzyme: pH titration curves and classical molecular dynamics simulations.

The mechanism of the reactions catalyzed by the pyridoxal-phosphate-independent amino acid racemases and epimerases faces the difficult task of deprotonating a relatively low acidicity proton, the amino acid's alpha-hydrogen, with a relatively poor base, a cysteine. In this work, we propose a mechanism for one of these enzymes, glutamate racemase (MurI), about which many controversies exist, and the roles that its active site residues may play. The titration curves and the pK1/2 values of all of the ionizable residues for different structures leading from reactants to products have been analyzed. From these results a concerted mechanism has been proposed in which the Cys70 residue would deprotonate the alpha-hydrogen of the substrate while, at the same time, being deprotonated by the Asp7 residue. To study the consistency of this mechanism classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been carried out along with pK1/2 calculations on the MD-generated structures.

Characterization and isolation of L-to-D-amino-acid-residue isomerase from platypus venom.

Platypus venom contains an isomerase that reversibly interconverts the second amino-acid residue in some peptides between the L-form and the D-form. The enzyme acts on the natriuretic peptides OvCNPa and OvCNPb, and on the defensin-like peptides DLP-2 and DLP-4, but it does not act on DLP-1. While the isomerization of DLP-2 to DLP-4 is inhibited by the amino-peptidase inhibitor amastatin, it is not affected by the leucine amino-peptidase inhibitor bestatin. The enzyme, that is only present in minute quantities in an extract of the venom gland, is thermally stable up to 55 degrees C, and it was found by anion-exchange chromatography to be acidic. Isolation of the isomerase was carried out by combined ion-exchange chromatography and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).