Biological and Catalytic Properties of Selenoproteins.

Selenocysteine is a catalytic residue at the active site of all selenoenzymes in bacteria and mammals, and it is incorporated into the polypeptide backbone by a co-translational process that relies on the recoding of a UGA termination codon into a serine/selenocysteine codon. The best-characterized selenoproteins from mammalian species and bacteria are discussed with emphasis on their biological function and catalytic mechanisms. A total of 25 genes coding for selenoproteins have been identified in the genome of mammals. Unlike the selenoenzymes of anaerobic bacteria, most mammalian selenoenzymes work as antioxidants and as redox regulators of cell metabolism and functions. Selenoprotein P contains several selenocysteine residues and serves as a selenocysteine reservoir for other selenoproteins in mammals. Although extensively studied, glutathione peroxidases are incompletely understood in terms of local and time-dependent distribution, and regulatory functions. Selenoenzymes take advantage of the nucleophilic reactivity of the selenolate form of selenocysteine. It is used with peroxides and their by-products such as disulfides and sulfoxides, but also with iodine in iodinated phenolic substrates. This results in the formation of Se-X bonds (X = O, S, N, or I) from which a selenenylsulfide intermediate is invariably produced. The initial selenolate group is then recycled by thiol addition. In bacterial glycine reductase and D-proline reductase, an unusual catalytic rupture of selenium-carbon bonds is observed. The exchange of selenium for sulfur in selenoproteins, and information obtained from model reactions, suggest that a generic advantage of selenium compared with sulfur relies on faster kinetics and better reversibility of its oxidation reactions.

Oxidative Transformation of Dihydroflavonols and Flavan-3-ols by Anthocyanidin Synthase from Vitis vinifera.

Twelve polyphenols from three distinct families (dihydroflavonols, flavan-3-ols, and flavanones) were studied as potential substrates of anthocyanidin synthase from Vitis vinifera (VvANS). Only flavan-3-ols of (2R,3S) configuration having either a catechol or gallol group on ring B are accepted as substrates. Only dihydroflavonols of (2R,3R) configuration are accepted as substrates, but a catechol or gallol group is not mandatory. Flavanones are not substrates of VvANS. HPLC and MS/MS analyses of the enzymatic products showed that the VvANS-catalyzed oxidative transformation of (+)-dihydroflavonols, such as dihydroquercetin, dihydrokaempferol and dihydromyricetin, leads only to the corresponding flavonols. Among the flavan-3-ols recognized as substrates, (+)-gallocatechin was only transformed into delphinidin by VvANS, whereas (+)-catechin was transformed into three products, including two major products that were an ascorbate-cyanidin adduct and a dimer of oxidized catechin, and a minor product that was cyanidin. Data from real-time MS monitoring of the enzymatic transformation of (+)-catechin suggest that its products are all derived from the initial C3-hydroxylation intermediate, i.e., a 3,3-gem-diol, and their most likely formation mechanism is discussed.

Oxidative Transformation of Leucocyanidin by Anthocyanidin Synthase from Vitis vinifera Leads Only to Quercetin.

Anthocyanidin synthase from Vitis vinifera ( VvANS) catalyzes the in vitro transformation of the natural isomer of leucocyanidin, 2 R,3 S,4 S- cis-leucocyanidin, into 2 R,4 S-flavan-3,3,4-triol ([M + H]+, m/ z 323) and quercetin. The C3-hydroxylation product 2 R,4 S-flavan-3,3,4-triol is first produced and its C3,C4-dehydration product is in tautomeric equilibrium with (+)-dihydroquercetin. The latter undergoes a second VvANS-catalyzed C3-hydroxylation leading to a 4-keto-2 R-flavan-3,3-gem-diol which upon dehydration gives quercetin. The unnatural isomer of leucocyanidin, 2 R,3 S,4 R- trans-leucocyanidin, is similarly transformed into quercetin upon C3,C4-dehydration, but unlike 3,4- cis-leucocyanidin, it also undergoes some C2,C3-dehydration followed by an acid-catalyzed hydroxyl group extrusion at C4 to give traces of cyanidin. Overall, the C3,C4- trans isomer of leucocyanidin is transformed into 2 R,4 R-flavan-3,3,4-triol (M + 1, m/ z 323), (+)-DHQ, (-)-epiDHQ, quercetin, and traces of cyanidin. Our data bring the first direct observation of 3,4- cis-leucocyanidin- and 3,4- trans-leucocyanidin-derived 3,3-gem-diols, supporting the idea that the generic function of ANS is to catalyze the C3-hydroxylation of its substrates. No cyanidin is produced with the natural cis isomer of leucocyanidin, and only traces with the unnatural trans isomer, which suggests that anthocyanidin synthase requires other substrate(s) for the in vivo formation of anthocyanidins.

Production of 3,4-cis- and 3,4-trans-Leucocyanidin and Their Distinct MS/MS Fragmentation Patterns.

(+)-2,3-trans-3,4-cis-Leucocyanidin was produced by acidic epimerization of (+)-2,3-trans-3,4-trans-leucocyanidin synthesized by reduction of (+)-dihydroquercetin with NaBH4, and structures of the two stereoisomers purified by C18- and phenyl-reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. We confirm that only 3,4-cis-leucocyanidin is used by leucoanthocyanidin reductase as substrate. The two stereoisomers are quite stable in aqueous solution at -20 °C. Characterization of the two stereoisomers was also performed using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS), and we discuss here for the first time the corresponding MS/MS fragmentation pathways, which are clearly distinct. The main difference is that of the mode of dehydration of the 3,4-diol in positive ionization mode, which involves a loss of hydroxyl group at either C3 or C4 for the 3,4-cis isomer but only at C3 for the 3,4-trans isomer. Tandem mass spectrometry therefore proves useful as a complementary methodology to NMR to identify each of the two stereoisomers.

Crystal structure and catalytic mechanism of leucoanthocyanidin reductase from Vitis vinifera.

Leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR) catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reduction of 2R,3S,4S-flavan-3,4-diols into 2R,3S-flavan-3-ols, a subfamily of flavonoids that is important for plant survival and for human nutrition. LAR1 from Vitis vinifera has been co-crystallized with or without NADPH and one of its natural products, (+)-catechin. Crystals diffract to a resolution between 1.75 and 2.72 A. The coenzyme and substrate binding pocket is preformed in the apoprotein and not markedly altered upon NADPH binding. The structure of the abortive ternary complex, determined at a resolution of 2.28 A, indicates the ordering of a short 3(10) helix associated with substrate binding and suggests that His122 and Lys140 act as acid-base catalysts. Based on our 3D structures, a two-step catalytic mechanism is proposed, in which a concerted dehydration precedes an NADPH-mediated hydride transfer at C4. The dehydration step involves a Lys-catalyzed deprotonation of the phenolic OH7 through a bridging water molecule and a His-catalyzed protonation of the benzylic hydroxyl at C4. The resulting quinone methide serves as an electrophilic target for hydride transfer at C4. LAR belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily and to the PIP (pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductase, isoflavone reductase, and phenylcoumaran benzylic ether reductase) family. Our data support the concept that all PIP enzymes reduce a quinone methide intermediate and that the major role of the only residue that has been conserved from the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase catalytic triad (Ser...TyrXXXLys), that is, lysine, is to promote the formation of this intermediate by catalyzing the deprotonation of a phenolic hydroxyl. For some PIP enzymes, this lysine-catalyzed proton abstraction may be sufficient to trigger the extrusion of the leaving group, whereas in LAR, the extrusion of a hydroxide group requires a more sophisticated mechanism of concerted acid-base catalysis that involves histidine and takes advantage of the OH4, OH5, and OH7 substituents of leucoanthocyanidins.

The epimerase activity of anthocyanidin reductase from Vitis vinifera and its regiospecific hydride transfers.

Anthocyanidin reductase (ANR) from Vitis vinifera catalyzes an NADPH-dependent double reduction of anthocyanidins producing a mixture of (2S,3R)- and (2S,3S)-flavan-3-ols. At pH 7.5 and 30 degrees C, the first hydride transfer to anthocyanidin is irreversible, and no intermediate is released during catalysis. ANR reverse activity was assessed in the presence of excess NADP(+). Analysis of products by reverse phase and chiral phase HPLC demonstrates that ANR acts as a flavan-3-ol C(3)-epimerase under such conditions, but this is only observed with 2R-flavan-3-ols, not with 2S-flavan-3-ols produced by the enzyme in the forward reaction. In the presence of deuterated coenzyme 4S-NADPD, ANR transforms anthocyanidins into dideuterated flavan-3-ols. The regiospecificity of deuterium incorporation into catechin and afzelechin - derived from cyanidin and pelargonidin, respectively - was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with electro- spray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS), and it was found that deuterium was always incorporated at C(2) and C(4). We conclude that C(3)-epimerization should be achieved by tautomerization between the two hydride transfers and that this produces a quinone methide intermediate which serves as C(4) target of the second hydride transfer, thereby avoiding any stereospecific modification of carbon 3. The inversion of C(2) stereochemistry required for 'reverse epimerization' suggests that the 2S configuration induces an irreversible product dissociation.

Binding-equilibrium and kinetic studies of anthocyanidin reductase from Vitis vinifera.

Anthocyanidin reductase from Vitis vinifera catalyzes an NADPH-dependent double reduction of anthocyanidins. At pH 7.5 and 30 degrees C, steady-state kinetics support a hyperbolic and rapid-equilibrium ordered mechanism, with NADPH binding first, K(M(cyan))=2.82+/-0.66microM and K(i(NADPH))=111+/-23microM. The chromatographic method of Hummel and Dreyer was used for binding-equilibrium studies of NADPH, NADP(+) and catechin, at pH 7. This confirmed hyperbolic binding of NADPH and NADP(+) to the free enzyme, with a single binding site each and with dissociation constants K(NADPH)=45.9+/-2microM and K(NADP+)=83+/-5microM. There was no significant binding of catechin. We conclude (i) that the most likely mechanism is sequential ordered Bi Uni Uni Bi, with NADPH binding first and NADP(+) released last, and (ii) that internal conversion of the first ternary complex, i.e. that associated with the first hydride transfer, is rate-limiting.

Structure and epimerase activity of anthocyanidin reductase from Vitis vinifera.

Together with leucoanthocyanidin reductase, anthocyanidin reductase (ANR) is one of the two enzymes of the flavonoid-biosynthesis pathway that produces the flavan-3-ol monomers required for the formation of proanthocyanidins or condensed tannins. It has been shown to catalyse the double reduction of anthocyanidins to form 2R,3R-flavan-3-ols, which can be further transformed to the 2S,3R isomers by non-enzymatic epimerization. ANR from grape (Vitis vinifera) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Unexpectedly, RP-HPLC, LC-MS and NMR experiments clearly established that the enzyme produces a 50:50 mixture of 2,3-cis and 2,3-trans flavan-3-ols which have been identified by chiral chromatography to be 2S,3S- and 2S,3R-flavan-3-ols, i.e. the naturally rare (+)-epicatechin and (-)-catechin, when cyanidin is used as the substrate of the reaction. The first three-dimensional structure of ANR is described at a resolution of 2.2 A and explains the inactivity of the enzyme in the presence of high salt concentrations.

Structural evidence for the inhibition of grape dihydroflavonol 4-reductase by flavonols.

Dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) is a key enzyme of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway which catalyses the NADPH-dependent reduction of 2R,3R-trans-dihydroflavonols to leucoanthocyanidins. The latter are the precursors of anthocyans and condensed tannins, two major classes of phenolic compounds that strongly influence the organoleptic properties of wine. DFR has been investigated in many plant species, but little was known about its structural properties until the three-dimensional structure of the Vitis vinifera enzyme complexed with NADP(+) and its natural substrate dihydroquercetin (DHQ) was described. In the course of the study of substrate specificity, crystals of DFR-NADP(+)-flavonol (myricetin and quercetin) complexes were obtained. Their structures exhibit major changes with respect to that of the abortive DFR-NADP(+)-DHQ complex. Two flavonol molecules bind to the catalytic site in a stacking arrangement and alter its geometry, which becomes incompatible with enzymatic activity. The X-ray structures of both DFR-NADP(+)-myricetin and DFR-NADP(+)-quercetin are reported together with preliminary spectroscopic data. The results suggest that flavonols could be inhibitors of the activity of DFR towards dihydroflavonols.