Structure, activity, and inhibition of the Carboxyltransferase ß-subunit of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (AccD6) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the carboxylation of acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) to produce malonyl-CoA, a building block in long-chain fatty acid biosynthesis, is catalyzed by two enzymes working sequentially: a biotin carboxylase (AccA) and a carboxyltransferase (AccD). While the exact roles of the three different biotin carboxylases (AccA1 to -3) and the six carboxyltransferases (AccD1 to -6) in M. tuberculosis are still not clear, AccD6 in complex with AccA3 can synthesize malonyl-CoA from acetyl-CoA. A series of 10 herbicides that target plant acetyl-CoA carboxylases (ACC) were tested for inhibition of AccD6 and for whole-cell activity against M. tuberculosis. From the tested herbicides, haloxyfop, an arylophenoxypropionate, showed in vitro inhibition of M. tuberculosis AccD6, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 21.4 ± 1 µM. Here, we report the crystal structures of M. tuberculosis AccD6 in the apo form (3.0 Å) and in complex with haloxyfop-R (2.3 Å). The structure of M. tuberculosis AccD6 in complex with haloxyfop-R shows two molecules of the inhibitor bound on each AccD6 subunit. These results indicate the potential for developing novel therapeutics for tuberculosis based on herbicides with low human toxicity.

Tryptophan biosynthesis protects mycobacteria from CD4 T-cell-mediated killing.

Bacteria that cause disease rely on their ability to counteract and overcome host defenses. Here, we present a genome-scale study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) that uncovers the bacterial determinants of surviving host immunity, sets of genes we term "counteractomes." Through this analysis, we found that CD4 T cells attempt to contain Mtb growth by starving it of tryptophan--a mechanism that successfully limits infections by Chlamydia and Leishmania, natural tryptophan auxotrophs. Mtb, however, can synthesize tryptophan under stress conditions, and thus, starvation fails as an Mtb-killing mechanism. We then identify a small-molecule inhibitor of Mtb tryptophan synthesis, which converts Mtb into a tryptophan auxotroph and restores the efficacy of a failed host defense. Together, our findings demonstrate that the Mtb immune counteractomes serve as probes of host immunity, uncovering immune-mediated stresses that can be leveraged for therapeutic discovery.

Redefining the role of the quaternary shift in Bacillus stearothermophilus phosphofructokinase.

Bacillus stearothermophilus phosphofructokinase (BsPFK) is a homotetramer that is allosterically inhibited by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), which binds along one dimer-dimer interface. The substrate, fructose 6-phosphate (Fru-6-P), binds along the other dimer-dimer interface. Evans et al. observed that the structure with inhibitor (phosphoglycolate) bound, compared to the structure of wild-type BsPFK with substrate and activator bound, exhibits a 7° rotation about the substrate-binding interface, termed the quaternary shift [Schirmer, T., and Evans, P. R. (1990) Nature 343, 140-145]. We report that the variant D12A BsPFK exhibits a 100-fold increase in its binding affinity for PEP, a 50-fold decrease in its binding affinity for Fru-6-P, but an inhibitory coupling comparable to that of the wild type. Crystal structures of the apo and PEP-bound forms of D12A BsPFK have been determined (Protein Data Bank entries 4I36 and 4I7E , respectively), and both indicate a shifted structure similar to the inhibitor-bound structure of the wild type. D12 does not directly bind to either substrate or inhibitor and is located along the substrate-binding interface. A conserved hydrogen bond between D12 and T156 forms across the substrate-binding subunit-subunit interface in the substrate-bound form of BsPFK. The variant T156A BsPFK, when compared to the wild type, shows a 30-fold increase in PEP binding affinity, a 17-fold decrease in Fru-6-P binding affinity, and an estimated coupling that is also approximately equal to that of the wild type. In addition, the T156A BsPFK crystal structure bound to PEP is reported (Protein Data Bank entry 4I4I ), and it exhibits a shifted structure similar to that of D12A BsPFK and the inhibitor-bound structure of the wild type. The results suggest that the main role of the quaternary shift may be to influence ligand binding and not to cause the heterotropic allosteric inhibition per se.

Structure of the apo form of Bacillus stearothermophilus phosphofructokinase.

The crystal structure of the unliganded form of Bacillus stearothermophilus phosphofructokinase (BsPFK) was determined using molecular replacement to 2.8 Å resolution (Protein Data Bank entry 3U39 ). The apo BsPFK structure serves as the basis for the interpretation of any structural changes seen in the binary or ternary complexes. When the apo BsPFK structure is compared with the previously published liganded structures of BsPFK, the structural impact that the binding of the ligands produces is revealed. This comparison shows that the apo form of BsPFK resembles the substrate-bound form of BsPFK, a finding that differs from previous predictions.

Crystal structures of the apo and ATP bound Mycobacterium tuberculosis nitrogen regulatory PII protein.

PII constitutes a family of signal transduction proteins that act as nitrogen sensors in microorganisms and plants. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has a single homologue of PII whose precise role has as yet not been explored. We have solved the crystal structures of the Mtb PII protein in its apo and ATP bound forms to 1.4 and 2.4 A resolutions, respectively. The protein forms a trimeric assembly in the crystal lattice and folds similarly to the other PII family proteins. The Mtb PII:ATP binary complex structure reveals three ATP molecules per trimer, each bound between the base of the T-loop of one subunit and the C-loop of the neighboring subunit. In contrast to the apo structure, at least one subunit of the binary complex structure contains a completely ordered T-loop indicating that ATP binding plays a role in orienting this loop region towards target proteins like the ammonium transporter, AmtB. Arg38 of the T-loop makes direct contact with the gamma-phosphate of the ATP molecule replacing the Mg(2+) position seen in the Methanococcus jannaschii GlnK1 structure. The C-loop of a neighboring subunit encloses the other side of the ATP molecule, placing the GlnK specific C-terminal 3(10) helix in the vicinity. Homology modeling studies with the E. coli GlnK:AmtB complex reveal that Mtb PII could form a complex similar to the complex in E. coli. The structural conservation and operon organization suggests that the Mtb PII gene encodes for a GlnK protein and might play a key role in the nitrogen regulatory pathway.

Structural insights into the mechanism of the allosteric transitions of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cAMP receptor protein.

The cAMP receptor protein (CRP) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a cAMP-responsive global transcriptional regulator, responsible for the regulation of a multitude of diverse proteins. We have determined the crystal structures of the CRP.cAMP and CRP.N(6)-cAMP derivative-bound forms of the enzyme to 2.2- and 2.3 A-resolution, respectively, to investigate cAMP-mediated conformational and structural changes. The allosteric switch from the open, inactive conformation to the closed, active conformation begins with a number of changes in the ligand-binding cavity upon cAMP binding. These subtle structural changes and numerous non-bonding interactions between cAMP, the N-domain residues, and the C-domain helices demonstrate that the N-domain hairpin loop acts as a structural mediator of the allosteric switch. Based on the CRP.N(6)-cAMP crystal structure, binding of N(6)-cAMP with a bulkier methylphenylethyl extension from the N6 atom stabilizes the cAMP-binding domain, N-domain hairpin, and C-terminal domain in a similar manner as that of the CRP.cAMP structure, maintaining structural integrity within the subunits. However, the bulkier N6 extension of N(6)-cAMP (in R conformation) is accommodated only in subunit A with minor changes, whereas in subunit B, the N6 extension is in the S conformation hindering the hinge region of the central helix. As a result, the entire N-domain and the C-domain of subunit B integrated by the cAMP portion of this ligand, together tilt away ( approximately 7 degrees tilt) from central helix C, positioning the helix-turn-helix motif in an unfavorable position for the DNA substrate, asymmetrically. Together, these crystal structures demonstrate the mechanism of action of the cAMP molecule and its role in integrating the active CRP structure.

Crystal structures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase in ternary complex with substrate and inhibitors.

S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH) is a ubiquitous enzyme that plays a central role in methylation-based processes by maintaining the intracellular balance between S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) and S-adenosylmethionine. We report the first prokaryotic crystal structure of SAHH, from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), in complex with adenosine (ADO) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. Structures of complexes with three inhibitors are also reported: 3'-keto aristeromycin (ARI), 2-fluoroadenosine, and 3-deazaadenosine. The ARI complex is the first reported structure of SAHH complexed with this inhibitor, and confirms the oxidation of the 3' hydroxyl to a planar keto group, consistent with its prediction as a mechanism-based inhibitor. We demonstrate the in vivo enzyme inhibition activity of the three inhibitors and also show that 2-fluoradenosine has bactericidal activity. While most of the residues lining the ADO-binding pocket are identical between Mtb and human SAHH, less is known about the binding mode of the homocysteine (HCY) appendage of the full substrate. We report the 2.0 A resolution structure of the complex of SAHH cocrystallized with SAH. The most striking change in the structure is that binding of HCY forces a rotation of His363 around the backbone to flip out of contact with the 5' hydroxyl of the ADO and opens access to a nearby channel that leads to the surface. This complex suggests that His363 acts as a switch that opens up to permit binding of substrate, then closes down after release of the cleaved HCY. Differences in the entrance to this access channel between human and Mtb SAHH are identified.

Crystal structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis LrpA, a leucine-responsive global regulator associated with starvation response.

The bacterial leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp) is a global transcriptional regulator that controls the expression of many genes during starvation and the transition to stationary phase. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene Rv3291c encodes a 150-amino acid protein (designated here as Mtb LrpA) with homology with Escherichia coli Lrp. The crystal structure of the native form of Mtb LrpA was solved at 2.1 A. The Mtb LrpA structure shows an N-terminal DNA-binding domain with a helix-turn-helix (HTH) motif, and a C-terminal regulatory domain. In comparison to the complex of E. coli AsnC with asparagine, the effector-binding pocket (including loop 100-106) in LrpA appears to be largely preserved, with hydrophobic substitutions consistent with its specificity for leucine. The effector-binding pocket is formed at the interface between adjacent dimers, with an opening to the core of the octamer as in AsnC, and an additional substrate-access channel opening to the outer surface of the octamer. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays, purified Mtb LrpA protein was shown to form a protein-DNA complex with the lat promoter, demonstrating that the lat operon is a direct target of LrpA. Using computational analysis, a putative motif is identified in this region that is also present upstream of other operons differentially regulated under starvation. This study provides insights into the potential role of LrpA as a global regulator in the transition of M. tuberculosis to a persistent state.

High resolution crystal structures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis adenosine kinase: insights into the mechanism and specificity of this novel prokaryotic enzyme.

Adenosine kinase (ADK) catalyzes the phosphorylation of adenosine (Ado) to adenosine monophosphate (AMP). It is part of the purine salvage pathway that has been identified only in eukaryotes, with the single exception of Mycobacterium spp. Whereas it is not clear if Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) ADK is essential, it has been shown that the enzyme can selectively phosphorylate nucleoside analogs to produce products toxic to the cell. We have determined the crystal structure of Mtb ADK unliganded as well as ligand (Ado) bound at 1.5- and 1.9-A resolution, respectively. The structure of the binary complexes with the inhibitor 2-fluoroadenosine (F-Ado) bound and with the adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-methylene)triphosphate (AMP-PCP) (non-hydrolyzable ATP analog) bound were also solved at 1.9-A resolution. These four structures indicate that Mtb ADK is a dimer formed by an extended beta sheet. The active site of the unliganded ADK is in an open conformation, and upon Ado binding a lid domain of the protein undergoes a large conformation change to close the active site. In the closed conformation, the lid forms direct interactions with the substrate and residues of the active site. Interestingly, AMP-PCP binding alone was not sufficient to produce the closed state of the enzyme. The binding mode of F-Ado was characterized to illustrate the role of additional non-bonding interactions in Mtb ADK compared with human ADK.

Pretranslational control of Menkes disease gene expression.

The gene for Menkes disease codes for a Cu-transporting ATPase that regulates Cu homeostasis in all tissues with the exception of adult liver. The basis for developmental or tissue-specific regulation at present is not understood. To learn if the regulation is associated with the promoter, we cloned and sequenced a 2.2 kb genomic DNA fragment flanking exon 1. When ligated into a pGL2 luciferase reporter gene construct, the 2.2 kb showed promoter activity, but not nearly to the extent of a 1.3 kb fragment previously reporter by Levinson et al. Sequence analysis of the nucleotides spanning the region between 1.3 kb and 2.2 kb revealed a 13-nucleotide motif ACACAAAAAAATA 2059 bp upstream from the start site that duplicated the 'hunchback' binding site, a key site controlling developmental gene expression in Drosophila. Eliminating 129 bp containing the hunchback site (Hb) from the 5' end of the 2.2 kb stimulated promoter activity, suggesting the Hb site was basically suppressive. When ligated upstream of an SV40 and tested in SY5Y cells, however, the SV40 promoter activity was strongly stimulated, which conflicts with the site being suppressive. Mutating the site in the 2.2 kb weakened the promoter activity in SY5Y and HepG2 cells and a fragment with mutated sequence ligated upstream of the SV40 cancelled the activation of SV40 promoter activity. All data suggested the Hb site was a positive controlling site for Cu-ATPase expression. Nuclear extracts from SY5Y and HepG2 cells were observed to bind to a 106 bp probe with the Hb site in a gel-shift assay. Only SY5Y proteins, however, showed a slower moving shift band indicative of a secondary interaction. A probe with mutated sequences displayed the same shift pattern, suggesting other sites in the 106 bp DNA strand were also recognizing the nuclear proteins. A Southwestern analysis suggested that proteins of 125 kD, 70 kD, 50 kD and 42 kD bound to the wild type probe; a 60 kD and all with the exception of the 42 kD bound to the mutant probe. The data support the conclusion that the distal promoter of the Menkes disease gene contains elements that interact in combinatorial fashion to regulate Cu-ATPase expression and that tissue specificity may lie with the quantity or types of distinct DNA binding proteins in the nucleus.