Proteolytic processing and primary structure of Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen-1.

Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen-1 (PfAMA-1) is a malaria merozoite integral membrane protein that plays an essential but poorly understood role in invasion of host erythrocytes. The PfAMA-1 ectodomain comprises three disulfide-constrained domains, the first of which (domain I) is preceded by an N-terminal prosequence. PfAMA-1 is initially routed to secretory organelles at the apical end of the merozoite, where the 83-kDa precursor (PfAMA-1(83)) is converted to a 66-kDa form (PfAMA-1(66)). At about the time of erythrocyte invasion, PfAMA-1(66) selectively translocates onto the merozoite surface. Here we use direct microsequencing and mass spectrometric peptide mass fingerprinting to characterize in detail the primary structure and proteolytic processing of PfAMA-1. We have determined the site at which processing takes place to convert PfAMA-1(83) to PfAMA-1(66) and have shown that both species possess a completely intact and unmodified transmembrane and cytoplasmic domain. Following relocation to the merozoite surface, PfAMA-1(66) is further proteolytically cleaved at one of two alternative sites, either between domains II and III, or at a membrane-proximal site following domain III. As a result, the bulk of the ectodomain is shed from the parasite surface in the form of two soluble fragments of 44 and 48 kDa. PfAMA-1 is not detectably modified by the addition of N-linked oligosaccharides.

Maturation and specificity of Plasmodium falciparum subtilisin-like protease-1, a malaria merozoite subtilisin-like serine protease.

Plasmodium falciparum subtilisin-like protease-1 (PfSUB-1) is a protein belonging to the subtilisin-like superfamily of serine proteases (subtilases). PfSUB-1 undergoes extensive posttranslational proteolytic processing. The primary translation product is converted in the parasite endoplasmic reticulum to p54. This is further processed to p47, which accumulates in secretory organelles within the merozoite. Here, we present a detailed study of this processing. In vitro translated PfSUB-1 showed no capacity to undergo autocatalytic processing. However, parasite extracts contain a protease that cleaves the in vitro translated proprotein between Asp(219) and Asn(220) to form two products of 31 (p31) and 54 kDa; the latter was indistinguishable from authentic p54 and remained complexed with p31 in a noncovalent interaction characteristic of that between a subtilase prodomain and its cognate catalytic domain. Cross-linking studies showed that this complex also exists in the parasite. Expression of PfSUB-1 in recombinant baculovirus also resulted in processing to p54. Mutation of the predicted active site serine abolished processing. Recombinant p54 was secreted in a complex with p31, and could be further converted to p47 in vitro. Conversion required calcium, was an intramolecular autocatalytic process, and involved a second cleavage between Asp(251) and Ala(252). A decapeptide based on sequence flanking Asp(219) was efficiently cleaved by recombinant PfSUB-1. We conclude that PfSUB-1 is a subtilase with an unusual substrate specificity and that it is activated by two autocatalytic processing steps.

PCR-based gene synthesis as an efficient approach for expression of the A+T-rich malaria genome.

The A+T-rich genome of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum encodes genes of biological importance that cannot be expressed efficiently in heterologous eukaryotic systems, owing to an extremely biased codon usage and the presence of numerous cryptic polyadenylation sites. In this work we have optimized an assembly polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the fast and extremely accurate synthesis of a 2.1 kb Plasmodium falciparum gene (pfsub-1) encoding a subtilisin-like protease. A total of 104 oligonucleotides, designed with the aid of dedicated computer software, were assembled in a single-step PCR. The assembly was then further amplified by PCR to produce a synthetic gene which has been cloned and successfully expressed in both Pichia pastoris and recombinant baculovirus-infected High Five(TM) cells. We believe this strategy to be of special interest as it is simple, accessible and has no limitation with respect to the size of the gene to be synthesized. Used as a systematic approach for the malarial genome or any other A + T-rich organism, the method allows the rapid synthesis of a nucleotide sequence optimized for expression in the system of choice and production of sufficiently large amounts of biological material for complete molecular and structural characterization.

PfSUB-2: a second subtilisin-like protein in Plasmodium falciparum merozoites.

Erythrocyte invasion by the malaria merozoite requires the activity of merozoite proteases. We have previously identified a Plasmodium falciparum protein belonging to the superfamily of subtilisin-like serine proteases, which is expressed in a subset of secretory organelles in free merozoites. Here we describe the identification of a second P. falciparum subtilisin-like merozoite protein. Called PfSUB-2, it is encoded by a single copy gene and is expressed as a large putative type I integral membrane protein which undergoes extensive post-translational processing. The terminal processing product is expressed in an apical location in merozoites. PfSUB-2 may mediate one or more of the serine protease activities known to be associated with erythrocyte invasion.

Structural basis for the substrate selectivity of pancreatic lipases and some related proteins.

The classical human pancreatic lipase (HPL), the guinea pig pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 (GPLRP2) and the phospholipase A1 from hornet venom (DolmI PLA1) illustrate three interesting steps in the molecular evolution of the pancreatic lipase gene family towards different substrate selectivities. Based on the known 3D structures of HPL and a GPLRP2 chimera, as well as the modeling of DolmI PLA1, we review here the structural features and the kinetic properties of these three enzymes for a better understanding of their structure-function relationships. HPL displays significant activity only on triglycerides, whereas GPLRP2 displays high phospholipase and galactolipase activities, together with a comparable lipase activity. GPLRP2 shows high structural homology with HPL with the exception of the lid domain which is made of five amino acid residues (mini-lid) instead of 23 in HPL. The lid domain deletion in GPLRP2 allows the free access to the active site and reduces the steric hindrance towards large substrates, such as galactolipids. The role of the lid domain in substrate selectivity has been investigated by site-directed mutagenesis and the substitution of HPL and GPLRP2 lid domains. The addition of a large-size lid domain in GPLRP2 increases the substrate selectivity for triglycerides by depressing the phospholipase activity. The phospholipase activity is, however, not induced in the case of the HPL mutant with GPLRP2 mini-lid. Therefore, the presence of a full-length lid domain is not the unique structural feature explaining the absence of phospholipase activity in HPL. The 3D structure of the GPLRP2 chimera and the model of DolmI PLA1 reveal a higher hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB) of the surface loops (beta5 loop, beta9 loop, lid domain) surrounding the active site, as compared to the homologous loops in HPL. This observation provides a potential explanation for the ability of GPLRP2 and DolmI PLA1 to hydrolyze polar lipids, such as phospholipids. In conclusion, the beta5 loop, the beta9 loop, and the lid domain play an essential role in substrate selectivity towards triglycerides, phospholipids and galactolipids.

Pancreatic lipase structure-function relationships by domain exchange.

We designed chimeric mutants by exchanging the lid domains of the classical human pancreatic lipase (HPL) and the guinea pig pancreatic lipase related protein 2 (GPLRP2). This latter enzyme possesses naturally a large deletion within the lid domain and is not activated by lipid/water interfaces. Furthermore, GPLRP2 exhibits phospholipase A1 and lipase activities in the same order of magnitude, whereas HPL has no significant phospholipase activity and displays a clear interfacial activation. An HPL mutant [HPL(-lid)] with GPLRP2 mini-lid domain does not display interfacial activation. Its specific activity toward triglycerides is, however, dramatically reduced. A GPLRP2 mutant [GPLRP2(+lid)] with HPL full-length lid domain is not interfacially activated, and its lid domain probably exists under a permanent open conformation. Therefore, the phenomenon of interfacial activation in HPL is not only due to the presence of a full-length lid domain but also to other structural elements which probably allow the existence of stabilized closed and open conformations of the lid. GPLRP2(+lid) phospholipase activity is significantly reduced as compared to GPLRP2, whereas its lipase activity remains at the same level. Therefore, the lid domain plays a major role in substrate selectivity and can be considered as part of the active site. However, the presence of a full-length lid domain is not sufficient to explain the absence of phospholipase activity in HPL since HPL(-lid) does not display any phospholipase activity. We also produced a chimeric GPLRP2 mutant in which the C-terminal domain was substituted by the HPL C-terminal domain. The colipase effects, i.e., anchoring and stabilization of the lipase at the interface, are clearly observed with the chimera, whereas GPLRP2 is insensitive to colipase. The kinetic characterization of this chimera reveals for the first time that the interfacial stability of pancreatic lipases depends on the structure of the C-terminal domain.

A pancreatic lipase with a phospholipase A1 activity: crystal structure of a chimeric pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 from guinea pig.

BACKGROUND: The guinea pig pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 (GPLRP2) differs from classical pancreatic lipases in that it displays both lipase and phospholipase A1 activities; classical pancreatic lipases have no phospholipase activity. The sequence of GPLRP2 is 63 % identical to that of human pancreatic lipase (HPL), but the so-called lid domain, is much reduced in GPLRP2. A phospholipase A1 from hornet venom (Dolml PLA1) is very similar to HPL and GPLRP2 but is devoid of lipase activity; Dolml PLA1 also contains a reduced lid domain and lacks a region termed the beta9 loop, which is located in the vicinity of the HPL and GPLRP2 active sites. The structure determination of a chimera of GPLRP2 and HPL and domain building of Dolml PLA1 were undertaken to gain a better understanding of the structural parameters responsible for the differences in lipase versus phospholipase activity among these structurally related enzymes. RESULTS: The crystal structure of a chimeric mutant of GPLRP2, consisting of the catalytic domain of GPLRP2 and the C-terminal domain of HPL, has been solved and refined to 2.1 A resolution. This enzyme belongs to the alpha/beta hydrolase fold family and shows high structural homology with classical pancreatic lipases. The active site is closely related to those of serine esterases, except for an unusual geometry of the catalytic triad. Due to the reduced size of the lid domain, the catalytic serine is fully accessible to solvent. Part of the beta9 loop, which stabilizes the lid domain in the closed conformation of the classical HPL, is totally exposed to the solvent and is not visible in the electron-density map. CONCLUSIONS: The structures of the related enzymes, GPLRP2 and HPL and the model of Dolml PLA1, provide insights into the role played by the loops located above the active site in controlling substrate selectivity towards triglycerides or phospholipids. In GPLRP2, the lid domain is reduced in size compared to HPL, and hydrophilic residues are exposed to solvent. GPLRP2 is thus able to accommodate the polar head of phospholipids. The beta9 loop is still present in GPLRP2, making it possible for this enzyme to still accommodate triglycerides. In Dolml PLA1, the beta9 loop is absent, and this enzyme is unable to process triglycerides retaining only the phospholipase A1 activity.