Insight into the mechanism of geranyl-ß-phellandrene formation catalyzed by Class IB terpene synthases.

Terpene synthase (TS) from Bacillus alcalophilus (BalTS) is the only Class IB TS for which a 3D structure has been elucidated. Recently, geranyl-ß-phellandrene, a novel cyclic diterpene, was identified as a product of BalTS in addition to the acyclic ß-springene. In the present study, we have provided insight into the mechanism of geranyl-ß-phellandrene formation. Deuterium labeling experiments revealed that the compound is produced via a 1,3-hydride shift. In addition, nonenzymatic reactions using divalent metal ions were performed. The enzyme is essential for the geranyl-ß-phellandrene formation. Furthermore, BalTS variants targeting tyrosine residues enhanced the yield of geranyl-ß-phellandrene and the proportion of the compound of the total products. It was suggested that the expansion of the active site space may allow the conformation of the intermediates necessary for cyclization. The present study describes the first Class IB TSs to successfully alter product profiles while retaining high enzyme activity.

Identification and Enzymatic Analysis of an Archaeal ATP-Dependent Serine Kinase from the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Staphylothermus marinus.

Serine kinase catalyzes the phosphorylation of free serine (Ser) to produce O-phosphoserine (Sep). An ADP-dependent Ser kinase in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis (Tk-SerK) is involved in cysteine (Cys) biosynthesis and most likely Ser assimilation. An ATP-dependent Ser kinase in the mesophilic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is involved in siderophore biosynthesis. Although proteins displaying various degrees of similarity with Tk-SerK are distributed in a wide range of organisms, it is unclear if they are actually Ser kinases. Here, we examined proteins from Desulfurococcales species in Crenarchaeota that display moderate similarity with Tk-SerK from Euryarchaeota (42 to 45% identical). Tk-serK homologs from Staphylothermus marinus (Smar_0555), Desulfurococcus amylolyticus (DKAM_0858), and Desulfurococcus mucosus (Desmu_0904) were expressed in Escherichia coli. All three partially purified recombinant proteins exhibited Ser kinase activity utilizing ATP rather than ADP as a phosphate donor. Purified Smar_0555 protein displayed activity for l-Ser but not other compounds, including d-Ser, l-threonine, and l-homoserine. The enzyme utilized ATP, UTP, GTP, CTP, and the inorganic polyphosphates triphosphate and tetraphosphate as phosphate donors. Kinetic analysis indicated that the Smar_0555 protein preferred nucleoside 5'-triphosphates over triphosphate as a phosphate donor. Transcript levels and Ser kinase activity in S. marinus cells grown with or without serine suggested that the Smar_0555 gene is constitutively expressed. The genes encoding Ser kinases examined here form an operon with genes most likely responsible for the conversion between Sep and 3-phosphoglycerate of central sugar metabolism, suggesting that the ATP-dependent Ser kinases from Desulfurococcales play a role in the assimilation of Ser. IMPORTANCE Homologs of the ADP-dependent Ser kinase from the archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis (Tk-SerK) include representatives from all three domains of life. The results of this study show that even homologs from the archaeal order Desulfurococcales, which are the most structurally related to the ADP-dependent Ser kinases from the Thermococcales, are Ser kinases that utilize ATP, and in at least some cases inorganic polyphosphates, as the phosphate donor. The differences in properties between the Desulfurococcales and Thermococcales enzymes raise the possibility that Tk-SerK homologs constitute a group of kinases that phosphorylate free serine with a wide range of phosphate donors.

Altering the Phosphorylation Position of Pyrophosphate-Dependent myo-Inositol-1-Kinase Based on Its Crystal Structure.

Most kinases utilize ATP as a phosphate donor and phosphorylate a wide range of phosphate acceptors. An alternative phosphate donor is inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), which costs only 1/1000 of ATP. To develop a method to engineer PPi-dependent kinases, we herein aimed to alter the product of PPi-dependent myo-inositol kinase from d-myo-inositol 1-phosphate to d-myo-inositol 3-phosphate. For this purpose, we introduced the myo-inositol recognition residues of the ATP-dependent myo-inositol-3-kinase into the PPi-dependent myo-inositol-1-kinase. This replacement was expected to change the 3D arrangements of myo-inositol in the active site and bring the hydroxyl group at the 3C position close to the catalytic residue. LC-MS and NMR analyses proved that the engineered enzyme successfully produced myo-inositol 3-phosphate from PPi and myo-inositol.

Characterization of Class IB Terpene Synthase: The First Crystal Structure Bound with a Substrate Surrogate.

Terpene synthases (TS) are classified into two broad types, Class I and II, based on the chemical strategy for initial carbocation formation and motif sequences of the catalytic site. We have recently identified a new class of enzymes, Class IB, showing the acceptability of long (C20-C35) prenyl-diphosphates as substrates and no amino acid sequence homology with known TS. Conversion of long prenyl-diphosphates such as heptaprenyl-diphosphate (C35) is unusual and has never been reported for Class I and II enzymes. Therefore, the characterization of Class IB enzymes is crucial to understand the reaction mechanism of the extensive terpene synthesis. Here, we report the crystal structure bound with a substrate surrogate and biochemical analysis of a Class IB TS, using the enzyme from Bacillus alcalophilus (BalTS). The structure analysis revealed that the diphosphate part of the substrate is located around the two characteristic Asp-rich motifs, and the hydrophobic tail is accommodated in a unique hydrophobic long tunnel, where the C35 prenyl-diphosphate, the longest substrate of BalTS, can be accepted. Biochemical analyses of BalTS showed that the enzymatic property, such as Mg2+ dependency, is similar to those of Class I enzymes. In addition, a new cyclic terpene was identified from BalTS reaction products. Mutational analysis revealed that five of the six Asp residues in the Asp-rich motifs and two His residues are essential for the formation of the cyclic skeleton. These results provided a clue to consider the application of the unusual large terpene synthesis by Class IB enzymes.

Crystal structure and functional analysis of large-terpene synthases belonging to a newly found subclass.

Thousands of terpenes have been identified to date. However, only two classes of enzymes are known to be involved in their biosynthesis, and each class has characteristic amino-acid motifs. We recently identified a novel large-terpene (C25/C30/C35) synthase, which shares no motifs with known enzymes. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of this enzyme, we determined the crystal structure of a large-ß-prene synthase from B. alcalophilus (BalTS). Surprisingly, the overall structure of BalTS is similar to that of the α-domain of class I terpene synthases although their primary structures are totally different from each other. Two novel aspartate-rich motifs, DYLDNLxD and DY(F,L,W)IDxxED, are identified, and mutations of any one of the aspartates eliminate its enzymatic activity. The present work leads us to propose a new subclass of terpene synthases, class IB, which is probably responsible for large-terpene biosynthesis.

Identification of a pyrophosphate-dependent kinase and its donor selectivity determinants.

Almost all kinases utilize ATP as their phosphate donor, while a few kinases utilize pyrophosphate (PPi) instead. PPi-dependent kinases are often homologous to their ATP-dependent counterparts, but determinants of their different donor specificities remain unclear. We identify a PPi-dependent member of the ribokinase family, which differs from known PPi-dependent kinases, and elucidate its PPi-binding mode based on the crystal structures. Structural comparison and sequence alignment reveal five important residues: three basic residues specifically recognizing PPi and two large hydrophobic residues occluding a part of the ATP-binding pocket. Two of the three basic residues adapt a conserved motif of the ribokinase family for the PPi binding. Using these five key residues as a signature pattern, we discover additional PPi-specific members of the ribokinase family, and thus conclude that these residues are the determinants of PPi-specific binding. Introduction of these residues may enable transformation of ATP-dependent ribokinase family members into PPi-dependent enzymes.

Structural Study on the Reaction Mechanism of a Free Serine Kinase Involved in Cysteine Biosynthesis.

A free serine kinase (SerK) is involved in l-cysteine biosynthesis in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis. The enzyme converts ADP and l-serine (Ser) into AMP and O-phospho-l-serine (Sep), which is a precursor of l-cysteine. SerK is the first identified enzyme that phosphorylates free serine, while serine/threonine protein kinases have been well studied. SerK displays low sequence similarities to known kinases, suggesting that its reaction mechanism is different from those of known kinases. Here, we determined the crystal structures of SerK from T. kodakarensis (Tk-SerK). The overall structure is divided into two domains. A large cleft is found between the two domains in the AMP complex and in the ADP complex. The cleft is closed in the ternary product complex (Sep, AMP, and Tk-SerK) and may also be in the ternary substrate complex (Ser, ADP, and Tk-SerK). The closure may reorient the carboxyl group of E30 near to the Oγ atom of Ser. The Oγ atom is considered to be deprotonated by E30 and to attack the ß-phosphate of ADP to form Sep. The substantial decrease in the activity of the E30A mutant is consistent with this mechanism. Our structures also revealed the residues that contribute to the ligand binding. The conservation of these residues in uncharacterized proteins from bacteria may raise the possibility of the presence of free Ser kinases not only in archaea but also in bacteria.

Mutation design of a thermophilic Rubisco based on three-dimensional structure enhances its activity at ambient temperature.

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) plays a central role in carbon dioxide fixation on our planet. Rubisco from a hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis (Tk-Rubisco) shows approximately twenty times the activity of spinach Rubisco at high temperature, but only one-eighth the activity at ambient temperature. We have tried to improve the activity of Tk-Rubisco at ambient temperature, and have successfully constructed several mutants which showed higher activities than the wild-type enzyme both in vitro and in vivo. Here, we designed new Tk-Rubisco mutants based on its three-dimensional structure and a sequence comparison of thermophilic and mesophilic plant Rubiscos. Four mutations were introduced to generate new mutants based on this strategy, and one of the four mutants, T289D, showed significantly improved activity compared to that of the wild-type enzyme. The crystal structure of the Tk-Rubisco T289D mutant suggested that the increase in activity was due to mechanisms distinct from those involved in the improvement in activity of Tk-Rubisco SP8, a mutant protein previously reported to show the highest activity at ambient temperature. Combining the mutations of T289D and SP8 successfully generated a mutant protein (SP8-T289D) with the highest activity to date both in vitro and in vivo. The improvement was particularly pronounced for the in vivo activity of SP8-T289D when introduced into the mesophilic, photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris, which resulted in a strain with nearly two-fold higher specific growth rates compared to that of a strain harboring the wild-type enzyme at ambient temperature. Proteins 2016; 84:1339-1346. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Orotidine Monophosphate Decarboxylase--A Fascinating Workhorse Enzyme with Therapeutic Potential.

Orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (ODCase) is known as one of the most proficient enzymes. The enzyme catalyzes the last reaction step of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis, the conversion from orotidine 5'-monophosphate (OMP) to uridine 5'-monophosphate. The enzyme is found in all three domains of life, Bacteria, Eukarya and Archaea. Multiple sequence alignment of 750 putative ODCase sequences resulted in five distinct groups. While the universally conserved DxKxxDx motif is present in all the groups, depending on the groups, several characteristic motifs and residues can be identified. Over 200 crystal structures of ODCases have been determined so far. The structures, together with biochemical assays and computational studies, elucidated that ODCase utilized both transition state stabilization and substrate distortion to accelerate the decarboxylation of its natural substrate. Stabilization of the vinyl anion intermediate by a conserved lysine residue at the catalytic site is considered the largest contributing factor to catalysis, while bending of the carboxyl group from the plane of the aromatic pyrimidine ring of OMP accounts for substrate distortion. A number of crystal structures of ODCases complexed with potential drug candidate molecules have also been determined, including with 6-iodo-uridine, a potential antimalarial agent.

Crystal Structure and Product Analysis of an Archaeal myo-Inositol Kinase Reveal Substrate Recognition Mode and 3-OH Phosphorylation.

The TK2285 protein from Thermococcus kodakarensis was recently characterized as an enzyme catalyzing the phosphorylation of myo-inositol. Only two myo-inositol kinases have been identified so far, the TK2285 protein and Lpa3 from Zea mays, both of which belong to the ribokinase family. In either case, which of the six hydroxyl groups of myo-inositol is phosphorylated is still unknown. In addition, little is known about the myo-inositol binding mechanism of these enzymes. In this work, we determined two crystal structures: those of the TK2285 protein complexed with the substrates (ATP analogue and myo-inositol) or the reaction products formed by the enzyme. Analysis of the ternary substrates-complex structure and site-directed mutagenesis showed that five residues were involved in the interaction with myo-inositol. Structural comparison with other ribokinase family enzymes indicated that two of the five residues, Q136 and R140, are characteristic of myo-inositol kinase. The crystal structure of the ternary products-complex, which was prepared by incubating the TK2285 protein with myo-inositol and ATP, holds 1d-myo-inositol 3-phosphate (Ins(3)P) in the active site. NMR and HPLC analyses with a chiral column also indicated that the TK2285 reaction product was Ins(3)P. The results obtained here showed that the TK2285 protein specifically catalyzes the phosphorylation of the 3-OH of myo-inositol. We thus designated TK2285 as myo-inositol 3-kinase (MI3K). The precise identification of the reaction product should provide a sound basis to further explore inositol metabolism in Archaea.

Structural characterization of a ligand-bound form of Bacillus subtilis FadR involved in the regulation of fatty acid degradation.

Bacillus subtilis FadR (FadR(Bs)), a member of the TetR family of bacterial transcriptional regulators, represses five fad operons including 15 genes, most of which are involved in ß-oxidation of fatty acids. FadR(Bs) binds to the five FadR(Bs) boxes in the promoter regions and the binding is specifically inhibited by long-chain (C14-C20 ) acyl-CoAs, causing derepression of the fad operons. To elucidate the structural mechanism of this regulator, we have determined the crystal structures of FadR(Bs) proteins prepared with and without stearoyl(C18)-CoA. The crystal structure without adding any ligand molecules unexpectedly includes one small molecule, probably dodecyl(C12)-CoA derived from the Escherichia coli host, in its homodimeric structure. Also, we successfully obtained the structure of the ligand-bound form of the FadR(Bs) dimer by co-crystallization, in which two stearoyl-CoA molecules are accommodated, with the binding mode being essentially equivalent to that of dodecyl-CoA. Although the acyl-chain-binding cavity of FadR(Bs) is mainly hydrophobic, a hydrophilic patch encompasses the C1-C10 carbons of the acyl chain. This accounts for the previous report that the DNA binding of FadR(Bs) is specifically inhibited by the long-chain acyl-CoAs but not by the shorter ones. Structural comparison of the ligand-bound and unliganded subunits of FadR(Bs) revealed three regions around residues 21-31, 61-76, and 106-119 that were substantially changed in response to the ligand binding, and particularly with respect to the movements of Leu108 and Arg109. Site-directed mutagenesis of these residues revealed that Arg109, but not Leu108, is a key residue for maintenance of the DNA-binding affinity of FadR(Bs).

Substrate distortion contributes to the catalysis of orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase.

Orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (ODCase) accelerates the decarboxylation of orotidine 5'-monophosphate (OMP) to uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP) by 17 orders of magnitude. Eight new crystal structures with ligand analogues combined with computational analyses of the enzyme's short-lived intermediates and the intrinsic electronic energies to distort the substrate and other ligands improve our understanding of the still controversially discussed reaction mechanism. In their respective complexes, 6-methyl-UMP displays significant distortion of its methyl substituent bond, 6-amino-UMP shows the competition between the K72 and C6 substituents for a position close to D70, and the methyl and ethyl esters of OMP both induce rotation of the carboxylate group substituent out of the plane of the pyrimidine ring. Molecular dynamics and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics computations of the enzyme-substrate complex also show the bond between the carboxylate group and the pyrimidine ring to be distorted, with the distortion contributing a 10-15% decrease of the ΔΔG(⧧) value. These results are consistent with ODCase using both substrate distortion and transition-state stabilization, primarily exerted by K72, in its catalysis of the OMP decarboxylation reaction.

An uncharacterized member of the ribokinase family in Thermococcus kodakarensis exhibits myo-inositol kinase activity.

Here we performed structural and biochemical analyses on the TK2285 gene product, an uncharacterized protein annotated as a member of the ribokinase family, from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis. The three-dimensional structure of the TK2285 protein resembled those of previously characterized members of the ribokinase family including ribokinase, adenosine kinase, and phosphofructokinase. Conserved residues characteristic of this protein family were located in a cleft of the TK2285 protein as in other members whose structures have been determined. We thus examined the kinase activity of the TK2285 protein toward various sugars recognized by well characterized ribokinase family members. Although activity with sugar phosphates and nucleosides was not detected, kinase activity was observed toward d-allose, d-lyxose, d-tagatose, d-talose, d-xylose, and d-xylulose. Kinetic analyses with the six sugar substrates revealed high Km values, suggesting that they were not the true physiological substrates. By examining activity toward amino sugars, sugar alcohols, and disaccharides, we found that the TK2285 protein exhibited prominent kinase activity toward myo-inositol. Kinetic analyses with myo-inositol revealed a greater kcat and much lower Km value than those obtained with the monosaccharides, resulting in over a 2,000-fold increase in kcat/Km values. TK2285 homologs are distributed among members of Thermococcales, and in most species, the gene is positioned close to a myo-inositol monophosphate synthase gene. Our results suggest the presence of a novel subfamily of the ribokinase family whose members are present in Archaea and recognize myo-inositol as a substrate.

Atomic resolution structure of the orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase product complex combined with surface plasmon resonance analysis: implications for the catalytic mechanism.

Orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (ODCase) accelerates the decarboxylation of its substrate by 17 orders of magnitude. One argument brought forward against steric/electrostatic repulsion causing substrate distortion at the carboxylate substituent as part of the catalysis has been the weak binding affinity of the decarboxylated product (UMP). The crystal structure of the UMP complex of ODCase at atomic resolution (1.03 Å) shows steric competition between the product UMP and the side chain of a catalytic lysine residue. Surface plasmon resonance analysis indicates that UMP binds 5 orders of magnitude more tightly to a mutant in which the interfering side chain has been removed than to wild-type ODCase. These results explain the low affinity of UMP and counter a seemingly very strong argument against a contribution of substrate distortion to the catalytic reaction mechanism of ODCase.

Dynamic, ligand-dependent conformational change triggers reaction of ribose-1,5-bisphosphate isomerase from Thermococcus kodakarensis KOD1.

Ribose-1,5-bisphosphate isomerase (R15Pi) is a novel enzyme recently identified as a member of an AMP metabolic pathway in archaea. The enzyme converts d-ribose 1,5-bisphosphate into ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate, providing the substrate for archaeal ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenases. We here report the crystal structures of R15Pi from Thermococcus kodakarensis KOD1 (Tk-R15Pi) with and without its substrate or product. Tk-R15Pi is a hexameric enzyme formed by the trimerization of dimer units. Biochemical analyses show that Tk-R15Pi only accepts the α-anomer of d-ribose 1,5-bisphosphate and that Cys(133) and Asp(202) residues are essential for ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate production. Comparison of the determined structures reveals that the unliganded and product-binding structures are in an open form, whereas the substrate-binding structure adopts a closed form, indicating domain movement upon substrate binding. The conformational change to the closed form optimizes active site configuration and also isolates the active site from the solvent, which may allow deprotonation of Cys(133) and protonation of Asp(202) to occur. The structural features of the substrate-binding form and biochemical evidence lead us to propose that the isomerase reaction proceeds via a cis-phosphoenolate intermediate.

Structure and mutation analysis of archaeal geranylgeranyl reductase.

The crystal structure of geranylgeranyl reductase (GGR) from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius was determined in order to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the catalytic reaction. The enzyme is a flavoprotein and is involved in saturation of the double bonds on the isoprenoid moiety of archaeal membranes. The structure determined in this study belongs to the p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase family in the glutathione reductase superfamily. GGR functions as a monomer and is divided into the FAD-binding, catalytic and C-terminal domains. The catalytic domain has a large cavity surrounded by a characteristic YxWxFPx(7-8)GxG motif and by the isoalloxazine ring of an FAD molecule. The cavity holds a lipid molecule, which is probably derived from Escherichia coli cells used for over-expression. One of the two forms of the structure clarifies the presence of an anion pocket holding a pyrophosphate molecule, which might anchor the phosphate head of the natural ligands. Mutational analysis supports the suggestion that the three aromatic residues of the YxWxFPx(7-8)GxG motif hold the ligand in the appropriate position for reduction. Cys47, which is widely conserved in GGRs, is located at the si-side of the isoalloxazine ring of FAD and is shown by mutational analysis to be involved in catalysis. The catalytic cycle, including the FAD reducing factor binding site, is proposed on the basis of the detailed analysis of the structure.

Crystal structure of heterodimeric hexaprenyl diphosphate synthase from Micrococcus luteus B-P 26 reveals that the small subunit is directly involved in the product chain length regulation.

Hexaprenyl diphosphate synthase from Micrococcus luteus B-P 26 (Ml-HexPPs) is a heterooligomeric type trans-prenyltransferase catalyzing consecutive head-to-tail condensations of three molecules of isopentenyl diphosphates (C(5)) on a farnesyl diphosphate (FPP; C(15)) to form an (all-E) hexaprenyl diphosphate (HexPP; C(30)). Ml-HexPPs is known to function as a heterodimer of two different subunits, small and large subunits called HexA and HexB, respectively. Compared with homooligomeric trans-prenyltransferases, the molecular mechanism of heterooligomeric trans-prenyltransferases is not yet clearly understood, particularly with respect to the role of the small subunits lacking the catalytic motifs conserved in most known trans-prenyltransferases. We have determined the crystal structure of Ml-HexPPs both in the substrate-free form and in complex with 7,11-dimethyl-2,6,10-dodecatrien-1-yl diphosphate ammonium salt (3-DesMe-FPP), an analog of FPP. The structure of HexB is composed of mostly antiparallel α-helices joined by connecting loops. Two aspartate-rich motifs (designated the first and second aspartate-rich motifs) and the other characteristic motifs in HexB are located around the diphosphate part of 3-DesMe-FPP. Despite the very low amino acid sequence identity and the distinct polypeptide chain lengths between HexA and HexB, the structure of HexA is quite similar to that of HexB. The aliphatic tail of 3-DesMe-FPP is accommodated in a large hydrophobic cleft starting from HexB and penetrating to the inside of HexA. These structural features suggest that HexB catalyzes the condensation reactions and that HexA is directly involved in the product chain length control in cooperation with HexB.

Structure-based catalytic optimization of a type III Rubisco from a hyperthermophile.

The Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle is responsible for carbon dioxide fixation in all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. The enzyme that catalyzes the carbon dioxide-fixing reaction is ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). Rubisco from a hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis (Tk-Rubisco) belongs to the type III group, and shows high activity at high temperatures. We have previously found that replacement of the entire α-helix 6 of Tk-Rubisco with the corresponding region of the spinach enzyme (SP6 mutant) results in an improvement of catalytic performance at mesophilic temperatures, both in vivo and in vitro, whereas the former and latter half-replacements of the α-helix 6 (SP4 and SP5 mutants) do not yield such improvement. We report here the crystal structures of the wild-type Tk-Rubisco and the mutants SP4 and SP6, and discuss the relationships between their structures and enzymatic activities. A comparison among these structures shows the movement and the increase of temperature factors of α-helix 6 induced by four essential factors. We thus supposed that an increase in the flexibility of the α-helix 6 and loop 6 regions was important to increase the catalytic activity of Tk-Rubisco at ambient temperatures. Based on this structural information, we constructed a new mutant, SP5-V330T, which was designed to have significantly greater flexibility in the above region, and it proved to exhibit the highest activity among all mutants examined to date. The thermostability of the SP5-V330T mutant was lower than that of wild-type Tk-Rubisco, providing further support on the relationship between flexibility and activity at ambient temperatures.

Structural characterization of the molecular events during a slow substrate-product transition in orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase.

Crystal structures of substrate-product complexes of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase, obtained at various steps in its catalysis of the unusual transformation of 6-cyano-uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP) into barbituric acid ribosyl monophosphate, show that the cyano substituent of the substrate, when bound to the active site, is first bent significantly from the plane of the pyrimidine ring and then replaced by an oxygen atom. Although the K72A and D70A/K72A mutants are either catalytically impaired or even completely inactive, they still display bending of the C6 substituent. Interestingly, high-resolution structures of the D70A and D75N mutants revealed a covalent bond between C6 of UMP and the Lys72 side chain after the -CN moiety's release. The same covalent bond was observed when the native enzyme was incubated with 6-azido-UMP and 6-iodo-UMP; in contrast, the K72A mutant transformed 6-iodo-UMP to barbituric acid ribosyl 5'-monophosphate. These results demonstrate that, given a suitable environment, native orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase and several of its mutants are not restricted to the physiologically relevant decarboxylation; they are able to catalyze even nucleophilic substitution reactions but consistently maintain distortion on the C6 substituent as an important feature of catalysis.