The Hydride Transfer Process in NADP-dependent Methylene-tetrahydromethanopterin Dehydrogenase.

NADP-dependent methylene-tetrahydromethanopterin (methylene-H4MPT) dehydrogenase (MtdA) catalyzes the reversible dehydrogenation of methylene-H4MPT to form methenyl-H4MPT+ by using NADP+ as a hydride acceptor. This hydride transfer reaction is involved in the oxidative metabolism from formaldehyde to CO2 in methylotrophic and methanotrophic bacteria. Here, we report on the crystal structures of the ternary MtdA-substrate complexes from Methylorubrum extorquens AM1 obtained in open and closed forms. Their conversion is accomplished by opening/closing the active site cleft via a 15° rotation of the NADP, relative to the pterin domain. The 1.08 Å structure of the closed and active enzyme-NADP-methylene-H4MPT complex allows a detailed geometric analysis of the bulky substrates and a precise prediction of the hydride trajectory. Upon domain closure, the bulky substrate rings become compressed resulting in a tilt of the imidazolidine group of methylene-H4MPT that optimizes the geometry for hydride transfer. An additional 1.5 Å structure of MtdA in complex with the nonreactive NADP+ and methenyl-H4MPT+ revealed an extremely short distance between nicotinamide-C4 and imidazoline-C14a of 2.5 Å, which demonstrates the strong pressure imposed. The pterin-imidazolidine-phenyl butterfly angle of methylene-H4MPT bound to MtdA is smaller than that in the enzyme-free state but is similar to that in H2- and F420-dependent methylene-H4MPT dehydrogenases. The concept of compression-driven hydride transfer including quantum mechanical hydrogen tunneling effects, which are established for flavin- and NADP-dependent enzymes, can be expanded to hydride-transferring H4MPT-dependent enzymes.

Structural properties of the peroxiredoxin AhpC2 from the hyperthermophilic eubacterium Aquifex aeolicus.

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are thiol peroxidases that scavenge various peroxide substrates such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), alkyl hydroperoxides and peroxinitrite. They also function as chaperones and are involved in signal transduction by H2O2 in eukaryotic cells. The genome of Aquifex aeolicus, a microaerophilic, hyperthermophilic eubacterium, encodes four Prxs, among them an alkyl hydroperoxide reductase AhpC2 which was found to be closely related to archaeal 1-Cys peroxiredoxins. We determined the crystal structure of AhpC2 at 1.8 Šresolution and investigated its oligomeric state in solution by electron microscopy. AhpC2 is arranged as a toroid-shaped dodecamer instead of the typically observed decamer. The basic folding topology and the active site structure are conserved and possess a high structural similarity to other 1-Cys Prxs. However, the C-terminal region adopts an opposite orientation. AhpC2 contains three cysteines, Cys49, Cys212, and Cys218. The peroxidatic cysteine CP49 was found to be hyperoxidized to the sulfonic acid (SO3H) form, while Cys212 forms an intra-monomer disulfide bond with Cys218. Mutagenesis experiments indicate that Cys212 and Cys218 play important roles in the oligomerization of AhpC2. Based on these structural characteristics, we proposed the catalytic mechanism of AhpC2. This study provides novel insights into the structure and reaction mechanism of 1-Cys peroxiredoxins.

DM9 Domain Containing Protein Functions As a Pattern Recognition Receptor with Broad Microbial Recognition Spectrum.

DM9 domain was first identified in Drosophila melanogaster, and it was subsequently found to integrate with or without other protein domains across a wide range of invertebrates and vertebrates. In the present study, a member of DM9 domain containing protein (DM9CP) family from marine invertebrate Crassostrea gigas (designated CgDM9CP-1), which was only composed of two DM9 domains, was taken as a protein model to study the biological functions of DM9 domain and its molecular determinants. CgDM9CP-1 was found to exhibit high binding specificity and avidity toward d-mannose residue. It served as a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) with a broad range of recognition spectrum to various pathogen-associated molecular patterns, including lipopolysaccharide, peptidylglycan, mannan, and ß-1, 3-glucan in a d-mannose-dependent manner, as well as bacteria and fungi. In order to reveal the molecular mechanism underlying its pattern recognition activity, the crystal structures of wild-type and loss-of-function mutants were solved, and Asp22 and Lys43 were found to be the critical residues for ligand recognition. Moreover, CgDM9CP-1 protein was found to mainly distribute on the surface of C. gigas hemocytes, and it could be translocated into cytoplasm and colocalized with the engulfed microbes during hemocyte phagocytosis. The present result clearly indicated that CgDM9CP-1 was a PRR, and it provided an important clue for the better understanding of DM9CP function.

A rare polyglycine type II-like helix motif in naturally occurring proteins.

Common structural elements in proteins such as α-helices or ß-sheets are characterized by uniformly repeating, energetically favorable main chain conformations which additionally exhibit a completely saturated hydrogen-bonding network of the main chain NH and CO groups. Although polyproline or polyglycine type II helices (PPII or PGII ) are frequently found in proteins, they are not considered as equivalent secondary structure elements because they do not form a similar self-contained hydrogen-bonding network of the main chain atoms. In this context our finding of an unusual motif of glycine-rich PGII -like helices in the structure of the acetophenone carboxylase core complex is of relevance. These PGII -like helices form hexagonal bundles which appear to fulfill the criterion of a (largely) saturated hydrogen-bonding network of the main-chain groups and therefore may be regarded in this sense as a new secondary structure element. It consists of a central PGII -like helix surrounded by six nearly parallel PGII -like helices in a hexagonal array, plus an additional PGII -like helix extending the array outwards. Very related structural elements have previously been found in synthetic polyglycine fibers. In both cases, all main chain NH and CO groups of the central PGII -helix are saturated by either intra- or intermolecular hydrogen-bonds, resulting in a self-contained hydrogen-bonding network. Similar, but incomplete PGII -helix patterns were also previously identified in a GTP-binding protein and an antifreeze protein.

Structure of the acetophenone carboxylase core complex: prototype of a new class of ATP-dependent carboxylases/hydrolases.

Degradation of the aromatic ketone acetophenone is initiated by its carboxylation to benzoylacetate catalyzed by acetophenone carboxylase (Apc) in a reaction dependent on the hydrolysis of two ATP to ADP and Pi. Apc is a large protein complex which dissociates during purification into a heterooctameric Apc(αα'ßγ)2 core complex of 482 kDa and Apcε of 34 kDa. In this report, we present the X-ray structure of the Apc(αα'ßγ)2 core complex from Aromatoleum aromaticum at ca. 3 Å resolution which reveals a unique modular architecture and serves as model of a new enzyme family. Apcß contains a novel domain fold composed of two ß-sheets in a barrel-like arrangement running into a bundle of eight short polyproline (type II)-like helical segments. Apcα and Apcα' possess ATP binding modules of the ASKHA superfamily integrated into their multidomain structures and presumably operate as ATP-dependent kinases for acetophenone and bicarbonate, respectively. Mechanistic aspects of the novel carboxylation reaction requiring massive structural rearrangements are discussed and criteria for specifically annotating the family members Apc, acetone carboxylase and hydantoinase are defined.

Identification and Characterization of the Novel Subunit CcoM in the cbb33Cytochrome c Oxidase from Pseudomonas stutzeri ZoBell.

UNLABELLED: Cytochrome c oxidases (CcOs), members of the heme-copper containing oxidase (HCO) superfamily, are the terminal enzymes of aerobic respiratory chains. The cbb3-type cytochrome c oxidases (cbb3-CcO) form the C-family and have only the central catalytic subunit in common with the A- and B-family HCOs. In Pseudomonas stutzeri, two cbb3 operons are organized in a tandem repeat. The atomic structure of the first cbb3 isoform (Cbb3-1) was determined at 3.2 Å resolution in 2010 (S. Buschmann, E. Warkentin, H. Xie, J. D. Langer, U. Ermler, and H. Michel, Science 329:327-330, 2010, http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1187303). Unexpectedly, the electron density map of Cbb3-1 revealed the presence of an additional transmembrane helix (TMH) which could not be assigned to any known protein. We now identified this TMH as the previously uncharacterized protein PstZoBell_05036, using a customized matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI)-tandem mass spectrometry setup. The amino acid sequence matches the electron density of the unassigned TMH. Consequently, the protein was renamed CcoM. In order to identify the function of this new subunit in the cbb3 complex, we generated and analyzed a CcoM knockout strain. The results of the biochemical and biophysical characterization indicate that CcoM may be involved in CcO complex assembly or stabilization. In addition, we found that CcoM plays a role in anaerobic respiration, as the ΔCcoM strain displayed altered growth rates under anaerobic denitrifying conditions. IMPORTANCE: The respiratory chain has recently moved into the focus for drug development against prokaryotic human pathogens, in particular, for multiresistant strains (P. Murima, J. D. McKinney, and K. Pethe, Chem Biol 21:1423-1432, 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2014.08.020). cbb3-CcO is an essential enzyme for many different pathogenic bacterial species, e.g., Helicobacter pylori, Vibrio cholerae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and represents a promising drug target. In order to develop compounds targeting these proteins, a detailed understanding of the molecular architecture and function is required. Here we identified and characterized a novel subunit, CcoM, in the cbb3-CcO complex and thereby completed the crystal structure of the Cbb3 oxidase from Pseudomonas stutzeri, a bacterium closely related to the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Structure of the GcpE-HMBPP complex from Thermus thermophilius.

Isoprenoid biosynthesis in many bacteria, plant chloroplasts and parasitic protozoa but not in humans proceeds via the mevalonate independent 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathway. Its penultimate reaction step is catalyzed by (E)-1-hydroxy-2-methyl-but-2-enyl-4-diphosphate (HMBPP) synthase (GcpE/IspG) which transforms 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-2, 4-cyclo-diphosphate (MEcPP) to HMBPP. In this report we present the structure of GcpE of Thermus thermophiles in complex with its product HMBPP at a resolution of 1.65 Å. The GcpE-HMBPP like the GcpE-MEcPP structure is found in a closed, the ligand-free GcpE structure in an open enzyme state. Imposed by the rigid protein scaffold inside the active site funnel, linear HMBPP and circular MEcPP adopt highly similar conformations. The confined space also determines the conformational freedom of transition state intermediates and the design of anti-infective drugs. The apical Fe of the [4Fe-4S] cluster is coordinated to MEcPP in the GcpE-MEcPP complex and to a hydroxyl/water ligand but not to HMBPP in the GcpE-HMBPP complex. The GcpE-HMBPP structure can be attributed to one step in the currently proposed GcpE reaction cycle.

Structural diversity of polyoxomolybdate clusters along the three-fold axis of the molybdenum storage protein.

The molybdenum storage protein (MoSto) can store more than 100 Mo or W atoms as discrete polyoxometalate (POM) clusters. Here, we describe the three POM cluster sites along the threefold axis of the protein complex based on four X-ray structures with slightly different polyoxomolybdate compositions between 1.35 and 2 Å resolution. In contrast to the Moα-out binding site occupied by an Mo3 cluster, the Moα-in and Moß binding sites contain rather weak and non-uniform electron density for the Mo atoms (but clearly identifiable by anomalous data), suggesting the presence of POM cluster ensembles and/or degradation products of larger aggregates. The "Moα-in cluster ensemble" was interpreted as an antiprism-like Mo6 species superimposed with an Mo7 pyramide and the "Moß cluster ensemble" as an Mo13 cluster (present mostly in a degraded form) composed of a pyramidal Mo7 and a Mo3 building block linked by three spatially separated MoOx units. Inside the ball-shaped Mo13 cluster sits an occluded central atom, perhaps a metal ion. POM cluster formation at the Moα-in and Moß sites appears to be driven by filtering out and binding/protecting self-assembled transient species complementary to the protein template.

The F420-reducing [NiFe]-hydrogenase complex from Methanothermobacter marburgensis, the first X-ray structure of a group 3 family member.

The reversible redox reaction between coenzyme F420 and H2 to F420H2 is catalyzed by an F420-reducing [NiFe]-hydrogenase (FrhABG), which is an enzyme of the energy metabolism of methanogenic archaea. FrhABG is a group 3 [NiFe]-hydrogenase with a dodecameric quaternary structure of 1.25MDa as recently revealed by high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy. We report on the crystal structure of FrhABG from Methanothermobacter marburgensis at 1.7Å resolution and compare it with the structures of group 1 [NiFe]-hydrogenases, the only group structurally characterized yet. FrhA is similar to the large subunit of group 1 [NiFe]-hydrogenases regarding its core structure and the embedded [NiFe]-center but is different because of the truncation of ca 160 residues that results in similar but modified H2 and proton transport pathways and in suitable interfaces for oligomerization. The small subunit FrhG is composed of an N-terminal domain related to group 1 enzymes and a new C-terminal ferredoxin-like domain carrying the distal and medial [4Fe-4S] clusters. FrhB adopts a novel fold, binds one [4Fe-4S] cluster as well as one FAD in a U-shaped conformation and provides the F420-binding site at the Si-face of the isoalloxazine ring. Similar electrochemical potentials of both catalytic reactions and the electron-transferring [4Fe-4S] clusters, determined to be E°'≈-400mV, are in full agreement with the equalized forward and backward rates of the FrhABG reaction. The protein might contribute to balanced redox potentials by the aspartate coordination of the proximal [4Fe-4S] cluster, the new ferredoxin module and a rather negatively charged FAD surrounding.

Structure of the (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl-diphosphate reductase from Plasmodium falciparum.

Terpenoid precursor biosynthesis occurs in human and many pathogenic organisms via the mevalonate and 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathways, respectively. We determined the X-ray structure of the Fe/S containing (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl-diphosphate reductase (LytB) of the pathogenic protozoa Plasmodium falciparum which catalyzes the terminal step of the MEP pathway. The cloverleaf fold and the active site of P. falciparum LytB corresponds to those of the Aquifex aeolicus and Escherichia coli enzymes. Its distinct electron donor [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin was modeled to its binding site by docking calculations. The presented structural data provide a platform for a rational search of anti-malarian drugs.

Structural, biochemical and genetic characterization of dissimilatory ATP sulfurylase from Allochromatium vinosum.

ATP sulfurylase (ATPS) catalyzes a key reaction in the global sulfur cycle by reversibly converting inorganic sulfate (SO4 (2-)) with ATP to adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (APS) and pyrophosphate (PPi). In this work we report on the sat encoded dissimilatory ATP sulfurylase from the sulfur-oxidizing purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum. In this organism, the sat gene is located in one operon and co-transcribed with the aprMBA genes for membrane-bound APS reductase. Like APS reductase, Sat is dispensible for growth on reduced sulfur compounds due to the presence of an alternate, so far unidentified sulfite-oxidizing pathway in A. vinosum. Sulfate assimilation also proceeds independently of Sat by a separate pathway involving a cysDN-encoded assimilatory ATP sulfurylase. We produced the purple bacterial sat-encoded ATP sulfurylase as a recombinant protein in E. coli, determined crucial kinetic parameters and obtained a crystal structure in an open state with a ligand-free active site. By comparison with several known structures of the ATPS-APS complex in the closed state a scenario about substrate-induced conformational changes was worked out. Despite different kinetic properties ATPS involved in sulfur-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing processes are not distinguishable on a structural level presumably due to the interference between functional and evolutionary processes.

Structural basis for a bispecific NADP+ and CoA binding site in an archaeal malonyl-coenzyme A reductase.

Autotrophic members of the Sulfolobales (crenarchaeota) use the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate cycle to assimilate CO2 into cell material. The product of the initial acetyl-CoA carboxylation with CO2, malonyl-CoA, is further reduced to malonic semialdehyde by an NADPH-dependent malonyl-CoA reductase (MCR); the enzyme also catalyzes the reduction of succinyl-CoA to succinic semialdehyde onwards in the cycle. Here, we present the crystal structure of Sulfolobus tokodaii malonyl-CoA reductase in the substrate-free state and in complex with NADP(+) and CoA. Structural analysis revealed an unexpected reaction cycle in which NADP(+) and CoA successively occupy identical binding sites. Both coenzymes are pressed into an S-shaped, nearly superimposable structure imposed by a fixed and preformed binding site. The template-governed cofactor shaping implicates the same binding site for the 3'- and 2'-ribose phosphate group of CoA and NADP(+), respectively, but a different one for the common ADP part: the ß-phosphate of CoA aligns with the α-phosphate of NADP(+). Evolution from an NADP(+) to a bispecific NADP(+) and CoA binding site involves many amino acid exchanges within a complex process by which constraints of the CoA structure also influence NADP(+) binding. Based on the paralogous aspartate-ß-semialdehyde dehydrogenase structurally characterized with a covalent Cys-aspartyl adduct, a malonyl/succinyl group can be reliably modeled into MCR and discussed regarding its binding mode, the malonyl/succinyl specificity, and the catalyzed reaction. The modified polypeptide surrounding around the absent ammonium group in malonate/succinate compared with aspartate provides the structural basis for engineering a methylmalonyl-CoA reductase applied for biotechnical polyester building block synthesis.

Active site analysis of yeast flavohemoglobin based on its structure with a small ligand or econazole.

UNLABELLED: Flavohemoglobins (flavoHbs) serve various microorganisms as the major protective enzymes against NO˙-mediated toxicity. FlavoHbs dominantly function as an NO˙ dioxygenase (O2+ NO→ NO3 -), the required electron being shuttled from NAD(P)H via FAD to the heme iron. The X-ray structures of the flavoHb from Saccharomyces cerevisae presented in complex with an unknown small ligand (Yhb) and with econazole (Yhb(E) ) at 2.1 and 3.0 Å resolutions, respectively, reveal a high architectural accordance between prokaryotic and eukaryotic family members. The active site is characterized by a proximal heme side with a strictly conserved histidine, glutamate and tyrosine triad and a highly variable distal heme side with helix shifts up to 10 Å mainly dependent on the presence/absence and size of the bound ligand. In yeast flavoHb, the small heme iron ligand adjusts a catalytically productive active site geometry that reliably suggests the NO and O(2) binding site. O(2) is activated by its ligation to an electron-rich heme iron and a hydrogen bond to Tyr29 and Gln53. High active site similarities between eukaryotic Yhb and bacterial single-domain globins argue for identical biochemical reactions. Binding of the bulky econazole implies a large-scale induced-fit process concerning, in particular, an outwards shift of helices B and E to increase the active site pocket. Yeast Yhb and Ralstonia eutropha flavoHb both structurally studied in complex with econazole indicate conformational differences between the inhibitors and the polypeptide primarily caused by stable binding of a phospholipid to the latter and by distinct loop D structures. DATABASE: Structural data and final coordinates of Yhb and Yhb-econazole are available in the Protein Data Bank under the accession numbers 4G1V and 4G1B.

Structure and catalytic mechanism of N(5),N(10)-methenyl-tetrahydromethanopterin cyclohydrolase.

Methenyltetrahydromethanopterin (methenyl-H(4)MPT(+)) cyclohydrolase (Mch) catalyzes the interconversion of methenyl-H(4)MPT(+) and formyl-H(4)MPT in the one-carbon energy metabolism of methanogenic, methanotrophic, and sulfate-reducing archaea and of methylotrophic bacteria. To understand the catalytic mechanism of this reaction, we kinetically characterized site-specific variants of Mch from Archaeoglobus fulgidus (aMch) and determined the X-ray structures of the substrate-free aMch(E186Q), the aMch:H(4)MPT complex, and the aMch(E186Q):formyl-H(4)MPT complex. (Formyl-)H(4)MPT is embedded inside a largely preformed, interdomain pocket of the homotrimeric enzyme with the pterin and benzyl rings being oriented nearly perpendicular to each other. The active site is primarily built up by the segment 93:95, Arg183 and Glu186 that either interact with the catalytic water attacking methenyl-H(4)MPT(+) or with the formyl oxygen of formyl-H(4)MPT. The catalytic function of the strictly conserved Arg183 and Glu186 was substantiated by the low enzymatic activities of the E186A, E186D, E186N, E186Q, R183A, R183Q, R183E, R183K, and R183E-E186Q variants. Glu186 most likely acts as a general base. Arg183 decisively influences the pK(a) value of Glu186 and the proposed catalytic water mainly by its positive charge. In addition, Glu186 appears to be also responsible for product specificity by donating a proton to the directly neighbored N(10) tertiary amine of H(4)MPT. Thus, N(10) becomes a better leaving group than N(5) which implies the generation of N(5)-formyl-H(4)MPT. For comparison, methenyltetrahydrofolate (H(4)F) cyclohydrolase produces N(10)-formyl-H(4)F in an analogous reaction. An enzymatic mechanism of Mch is postulated and compared with that of other cyclohydrolases.

Nature's polyoxometalate chemistry: X-ray structure of the Mo storage protein loaded with discrete polynuclear Mo-O clusters.

Some N(2)-fixing bacteria prolong the functionality of nitrogenase in molybdenum starvation by a special Mo storage protein (MoSto) that can store more than 100 Mo atoms. The presented 1.6 Å X-ray structure of MoSto from Azotobacter vinelandii reveals various discrete polyoxomolybdate clusters, three covalently and three noncovalently bound Mo(8), three Mo(5-7), and one Mo(3) clusters, and several low occupied, so far undefinable clusters, which are embedded in specific pockets inside a locked cage-shaped (αß)(3) protein complex. The structurally identical Mo(8) clusters (three layers of two, four, and two MoO(n) octahedra) are distinguishable from the [Mo(8)O(26)](4-) cluster formed in acidic solutions by two displaced MoO(n) octahedra implicating three kinetically labile terminal ligands. Stabilization in the covalent Mo(8) cluster is achieved by Mo bonding to Hisα156-N(ε2) and Gluα129-O(ε1). The absence of covalent protein interactions in the noncovalent Mo(8) cluster is compensated by a more extended hydrogen-bond network involving three pronounced histidines. One displaced MoO(n) octahedron might serve as nucleation site for an inhomogeneous Mo(5-7) cluster largely surrounded by bulk solvent. In the Mo(3) cluster located on the 3-fold axis, the three accurately positioned His140-N(ε2) atoms of the α subunits coordinate to the Mo atoms. The formed polyoxomolybdate clusters of MoSto, not detectable in bulk solvent, are the result of an interplay between self- and protein-driven assembly processes that unite inorganic supramolecular and protein chemistry in a host-guest system. Template, nucleation/protection, and catalyst functions of the polypeptide as well as perspectives for designing new clusters are discussed.

Crystal structure of a ring-cleaving cyclohexane-1,2-dione hydrolase, a novel member of the thiamine diphosphate enzyme family.

The thiamine diphosphate (ThDP) dependent flavoenzyme cyclohexane-1,2-dione hydrolase (CDH) (EC 3.7.1.11) catalyses a key step of a novel anaerobic degradation pathway for alicyclic alcohols by converting cyclohexane-1,2-dione (CDO) to 6-oxohexanoate and further to adipate using NAD(+) as electron acceptor. To gain insights into the molecular basis of these reactions CDH from denitrifying anaerobe Azoarcus sp. strain 22Lin was structurally characterized at 1.26 Å resolution. Notably, the active site funnel is rearranged in an unprecedented manner providing the structural basis for the specific binding and cleavage of an alicyclic compound. Crucial features include a decreased and displaced funnel entrance, a semi-circularly shaped loop segment preceding the C-terminal arm and the attachment of the C-terminal arm to other subunits of the CDH tetramer. Its structural scaffold and the ThDP activation is related to that observed for other members of the ThDP enzyme family. The selective binding of the competitive inhibitor 2-methyl-2,4-pentane-diol (MPD) to the open funnel of CDH reveals an asymmetry of the two active sites found also in the dimer of several other ThDP dependent enzymes. The substrate binding site is characterized by polar and non-polar moieties reflected in the structures of MPD and CDO and by three prominent histidine residues (His28, His31 and His76) that most probably play a crucial role in substrate activation. The NAD(+) dependent oxidation of 6-oxohexanoate remains enigmatic as the redox-active cofactor FAD seems not to participate in catalysis, and no obvious NAD(+) binding site is found. Based on the structural data both reactions are discussed.

Structure of Ralstonia eutropha flavohemoglobin in complex with three antibiotic azole compounds.

Flavohemoglobins (flavoHbs) are enzymes that operate primarily as nitric oxide dioxygenases and shuttle thereby electrons among NAD(P)H, FAD, heme, and a ligated redox-active substrate such as O(2). They function in the bacterial defense against nitrosative stress and are therefore considered as targets for new antibiotic drugs. Recently, azole derivatives were proven to be attractive nitric oxide dioxygenase inhibitors, and to explore their binding characteristics, we determined the X-ray structure of the flavoHb from Ralstonia eutropha in a complex with miconazole (FHP(M)), econazole (FHP(E)), and ketoconazole (FHP(K)). In agreement with UV-vis spectroscopic data, one azole compound binds inside the distal heme pocket and ligates to the heme iron by its imidazole substituent. The two additional substituents, mostly chlorinated phenyl groups, form a series of van der Waals contacts with the protein matrix. Both interactions explain their high affinity for flavoHbs, the binding constants being 2.6, 1.2, and 11.6 µM for miconazole, econazole, and ketoconazole, respectively. The FHP(M) and FHP(Lip) (flavoHbs originally loaded with a phospholipid) structures share an "open" state and the FHP(E) and FHP(K) structures a "closed" state. Although the azole compounds were able to push the lipid out of its binding site, a fatty acid fragment is still bound inside the heme pocket of FHP(E) and FHP(K) and dictates the state of the protein. The ligand-induced open-to-closed transition involves a reorientation of the NADH domain accompanied by conformational changes in the C-terminal arm, helix E, and the CE loop resulting in an encapsulation of the heme-binding pocket. Implications of the observed open-to-closed process on the catalytic cycle are discussed.

Structure of the E-1-hydroxy-2-methyl-but-2-enyl-4-diphosphate synthase (GcpE) from Thermus thermophilus.

Isoprenoids are biosynthesized via the mevalonate or the 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathways the latter being used by most pathogenic bacteria, some parasitic protozoa, plant plastids, but not by animals. We determined the X-ray structure of the homodimeric [4Fe-4S] cluster carrying E-1-hydroxy-2-methyl-but-2-enyl-4-diphosphate synthase (GcpE) of Thermus thermophilus which catalyzes the penultimate reaction of the MEP pathway and is therefore an attractive target for drug development. The [4Fe-4S] cluster ligated to three cysteines and one glutamate is encapsulated at the intersubunit interface. The substrate binding site lies in front of an (αß)(8) barrel. The great [4Fe-4S] cluster-substrate distance implicates large-scale domain rearrangements during the reaction cycle.