Strain-level fitness in the gut microbiome is an emergent property of glycans and a single metabolite.

The human gut microbiota resides within a diverse chemical environment challenging our ability to understand the forces shaping this ecosystem. Here, we reveal that fitness of the Bacteroidales, the dominant order of bacteria in the human gut, is an emergent property of glycans and one specific metabolite, butyrate. Distinct sugars serve as strain-variable fitness switches activating context-dependent inhibitory functions of butyrate. Differential fitness effects of butyrate within the Bacteroides are mediated by species-level variation in Acyl-CoA thioesterase activity and nucleotide polymorphisms regulating an Acyl-CoA transferase. Using in vivo multi-omic profiles, we demonstrate Bacteroides fitness in the human gut is associated together, but not independently, with Acyl-CoA transferase expression and butyrate. Our data reveal that each strain of the Bacteroides exists within a unique fitness landscape based on the interaction of chemical components unpredictable by the effect of each part alone mediated by flexibility in the core genome.

Redefining the coenzyme A transferase superfamily with a large set of manually annotated proteins.

The coenzyme A (CoA) transferases are a superfamily of proteins central to the metabolism of acetyl-CoA and other CoA thioesters. They are diverse group, catalyzing over a 100 biochemical reactions and spanning all three domains of life. A deeply rooted idea, proposed two decades ago, is these enzymes fall into three families (I, II, and III). Here we find they fall into different families, which we achieve by analyzing all CoA transferases characterized to date. We manually annotated 94 CoA transferases with functional information (including rates of catalysis for 208 reactions) from 97 publications. This represents all enzymes we could find in the primary literature, and it is double the number annotated in four protein databases (BRENDA, KEGG, MetaCyc, UniProt). We found family I transferases are not closely related to each other in terms of sequence, structure, and reactions catalyzed. This family is not even monophyletic. These problems are solved by regrouping the three families into six, including one family with many non-CoA transferases. The problem (and solution) became apparent only by analyzing our large set of manually annotated proteins. It would have been missed if we had used the small number of proteins annotated in UniProt and other databases. Our work is important to understanding the biology of CoA transferases. It also warns investigators doing phylogenetic analyses of proteins to go beyond information in databases.

Butyryl/Caproyl-CoA:Acetate CoA-transferase: cloning, expression and characterization of the key enzyme involved in medium-chain fatty acid biosynthesis.

Coenzyme A transferases (CoATs) are important enzymes involved in carbon chain elongation, contributing to medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) biosynthesis. For example, butyryl-CoA:acetate CoA transferase (BCoAT) is responsible for the final step of butyrate synthesis from butyryl-CoA. However, little is known about caproyl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase (CCoAT), which is responsible for the final step of caproate synthesis from caproyl-CoA. In the present study, two CoAT genes from Ruminococcaceae bacterium CPB6 and Clostridium tyrobutyricum BEY8 were identified by gene cloning and expression analysis. Enzyme assays and kinetic studies were carried out using butyryl-CoA or caproyl-CoA as the substrate. CPB6-CoAT can catalyze the conversion of both butyryl-CoA into butyrate and caproyl-CoA into caproate, but its catalytic efficiency with caproyl-CoA as the substrate was 3.8-times higher than that with butyryl-CoA. In contrast, BEY8-CoAT had only BCoAT activity, not CCoAT activity. This demonstrated the existence of a specific CCoAT involved in chain elongation via the reverse ß-oxidation pathway. Comparative bioinformatics analysis showed the presence of a highly conserved motif (GGQXDFXXGAXX) in CoATs, which is predicted to be the active center. Single point mutations in the conserved motif of CPB6-CoAT (Asp346 and Ala351) led to marked decreases in the activity for butyryl-CoA and caproyl-CoA, indicating that the conserved motif is the active center of CPB6-CoAT and that Asp346 and Ala351 have a significant impact on the enzymatic activity. This work provides insight into the function of CCoAT in caproic acid biosynthesis and improves understanding of the chain elongation pathway for MCFA production.

Succinyl-CoA:3-oxoacid coenzyme A transferase (SCOT) deficiency: A rare and potentially fatal metabolic disease.

Succinyl-CoA:3-oxoacid coenzyme A transferase deficiency (SCOTD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of ketone body utilization caused by mutations in OXCT1. We performed a systematic literature search and evaluated clinical, biochemical and genetic data on 34 previously published and 10 novel patients with SCOTD. Structural mapping and in silico analysis of protein variants is also presented. All patients presented with severe ketoacidotic episodes. Age at first symptoms ranged from 36 h to 3 years (median 7 months). About 70% of patients manifested in the first year of life, approximately one quarter already within the neonatal period. Two patients died, while the remainder (95%) were alive at the time of the report. Almost all the surviving patients (92%) showed normal psychomotor development and no neurologic abnormalities. A total of 29 missense mutations are reported. Analysis of the published crystal structure of the human SCOT enzyme, paired with both sequence-based and structure-based methods to predict variant pathogenicity, provides insight into the biochemical consequences of the reported variants. Pathogenic variants cluster in SCOT protein regions that affect certain structures of the protein. The described pathogenic variants can be viewed in an interactive map of the SCOT protein at https://michelanglo.sgc.ox.ac.uk/r/oxct. This comprehensive data analysis provides a systematic overview of all cases of SCOTD published to date. Although SCOTD is a rather benign disorder with often favourable outcome, metabolic crises can be life-threatening or even fatal. As the diagnosis can only be made by enzyme studies or mutation analyses, SCOTD may be underdiagnosed.

The ASCT/SCS cycle fuels mitochondrial ATP and acetate production in Trypanosoma brucei.

Acetate:succinate CoA transferase (ASCT) is a mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes the production of acetate and succinyl-CoA, which is coupled to ATP production with succinyl-CoA synthetase (SCS) in a process called the ASCT/SCS cycle. This cycle has been studied in Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei), a pathogen of African sleeping sickness, and is involved in (i) ATP and (ii) acetate production and proceeds independent of oxygen and an electrochemical gradient. Interestingly, knockout of ASCT in procyclic form (PCF) of T. brucei cause oligomycin A-hypersensitivity phenotype indicating that ASCT/SCS cycle complements the deficiency of ATP synthase activity. In bloodstream form (BSF) of T. brucei, ATP synthase works in reverse to maintain the electrochemical gradient by hydrolyzing ATP. However, no information has been available on the source of ATP, although ASCT/SCS cycle could be a potential candidate. Regarding mitochondrial acetate production, which is essential for fatty acid biosynthesis and growth of T. brucei, ASCT or acetyl-CoA hydrolase (ACH) are known to be its source. Despite the importance of this cycle, direct evidence of its function is lacking, and there are no comprehensive biochemical or structural biology studies reported so far. Here, we show that in vitro-reconstituted ASCT/SCS cycle is highly specific towards acetyl-CoA and has a higher kcat than that of yeast and bacterial ATP synthases. Our results provide the first biochemical basis for (i) rescue of ATP synthase-deficient phenotype by ASCT/SCS cycle in PCF and (ii) a potential source of ATP for the reverse reaction of ATP synthase in BSF.

Rv3272 encodes a novel Family III CoA transferase that alters the cell wall lipid profile and protects mycobacteria from acidic and oxidative stress.

The availability of complete genome sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has provided an important tool to understand the mycobacterial biology with respect to host-pathogen interaction, which is an unmet need of the hour owing to continuous increasing drug resistance. Hypothetical proteins are often an overlooked pool though half the genome encodes for such proteins of unknown function that could potentially play vital roles in mycobacterial biology. In this context, we report the structural and functional characterization of the hypothetical protein Rv3272. Sequence analysis classifies Rv3272 as a Family III CoA transferase with the classical two domain structure and conserved Aspartate residue (D175). The crystal structure of the wild type protein (2.2 Å) demonstrated the associated inter-locked dimer while that of the D175A mutant co-crystallized with octanoyl-CoA demonstrated relative movement between the two domains. Isothermal titration calorimetry studies indicate that Rv3272 binds to fatty acyl-CoAs of varying carbon chain lengths, with palmitoyl-CoA (C16:0) exhibiting maximum affinity. To determine the functional relevance of Rv3272 in mycobacterial biology, we ectopically expressed Rv3272 in M. smegmatis and assessed that its expression encodes significant alteration in cell surface with marked differences in triacylglycerol accumulation. Additionally, Rv3272 expression protects mycobacteria from acidic, oxidative and antibiotic stress under in vitro conditions. Taken together, these studies indicate a significant role for Rv3272 in host-pathogen interaction.

Enzymology of Microbial Dimethylsulfoniopropionate Catabolism.

The biochemistry of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) catabolism is reviewed. The microbes that catalyze the reactions central to DMSP catabolic pathways are described, and the focus is on the enzymology of the process. Approximately 109tons of DMSP is released annually by marine eukaryotes as an osmolyte. A vast majority of DMSP is assimilated by bacteria through either a demethylation or lyase pathways, producing either the methane thiol or the volatile dimethylsulfide (DMS), respectively. Enzymatic breakdown of DMSP generates ~107tons of DMS annually, which may have impact on global climate. DMS also acts as a chemoattractant for zooplanktons and seabirds. Both DMSP and DMS play a key role in the global sulfur cycle and are key nutrients for marine microbial growth. Important enzymes in the biochemical pathways of DMSP catabolism are covered in this review, with a focus on the latest developments in their mechanism.

Acyl-CoA N-acyltransferase influences fertility by regulating lipid metabolism and jasmonic acid biogenesis in cotton.

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is an important economic crop and there is obvious heterosis in cotton, fertility has played an important role in this heterosis. However, the genes that exhibit critical roles in anther development and fertility are not well understood. Here, we report an acyl-CoA N-acyltransferase (EC2.3; GhACNAT) that plays a key role in anther development and fertility. Suppression of GhACNAT by virus-induced gene silencing in transgenic cotton (G. hirsutum L. cv. C312) resulted in indehiscent anthers that were full of pollen, diminished filaments and stamens, and plant sterility. We found GhACNAT was involved in lipid metabolism and jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis. The genes differentially expressed in GhACNAT-silenced plants and C312 were mainly involved in catalytic activity and transcription regulator activity in lipid metabolism. In GhACNAT-silenced plants, the expression levels of genes involved in lipid metabolism and jasmonic acid biosynthesis were significantly changed, the amount of JA in leaves and reproductive organs was significantly decreased compared with the amounts in C312. Treatments with exogenous methyl jasmonate rescued anther dehiscence and pollen release in GhACNAT-silenced plants and caused self-fertility. The GhACNAT gene may play an important role in controlling cotton fertility by regulating the pathways of lipid synthesis and JA biogenesis.

Structural snapshots along the reaction pathway of Yersinia pestis RipA, a putative butyryl-CoA transferase.

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of bubonic plague, is able to survive in both extracellular and intracellular environments within the human host, although its intracellular survival within macrophages is poorly understood. A novel Y. pestis three-gene rip (required for intracellular proliferation) operon, and in particular ripA, has been shown to be essential for survival and replication in interferon γ-induced macrophages. RipA was previously characterized as a putative butyryl-CoA transferase proposed to yield butyrate, a known anti-inflammatory shown to lower macrophage-produced NO levels. RipA belongs to the family I CoA transferases, which share structural homology, a conserved catalytic glutamate which forms a covalent CoA-thioester intermediate and a flexible loop adjacent to the active site known as the G(V/I)G loop. Here, functional and structural analyses of several RipA mutants are presented in an effort to dissect the CoA transferase mechanism of RipA. In particular, E61V, M31G and F60M RipA mutants show increased butyryl-CoA transferase activities when compared with wild-type RipA. Furthermore, the X-ray crystal structures of E61V, M31G and F60M RipA mutants, when compared with the wild-type RipA structure, reveal important conformational changes orchestrated by a conserved acyl-group binding-pocket phenylalanine, Phe85, and the G(V/I)G loop. Binary structures of M31G RipA and F60M RipA with two distinct CoA substrate conformations are also presented. Taken together, these data provide CoA transferase reaction snapshots of an open apo RipA, a closed glutamyl-anhydride intermediate and an open CoA-thioester intermediate. Furthermore, biochemical analyses support essential roles for both the catalytic glutamate and the flexible G(V/I)G loop along the reaction pathway, although further research is required to fully understand the function of the acyl-group binding pocket in substrate specificity.

Structure of succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid CoA transferase from Drosophila melanogaster.

Succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid CoA transferase (SCOT) plays a crucial role in ketone-body metabolism. SCOT from Drosophila melanogaster (DmSCOT) was purified and crystallized. The crystal structure of DmSCOT was determined at 2.64 Šresolution and belonged to space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a=76.638, b=101.921, c=122.457 Å, α=ß=γ=90°. Sequence alignment and structural analysis identified DmSCOT as a class I CoA transferase. Compared with Acetobacter aceti succinyl-CoA:acetate CoA transferase, DmSCOT has a different substrate-binding pocket, which may explain the difference in their substrate specificities.

Function and X-ray crystal structure of Escherichia coli YfdE.

Many food plants accumulate oxalate, which humans absorb but do not metabolize, leading to the formation of urinary stones. The commensal bacterium Oxalobacter formigenes consumes oxalate by converting it to oxalyl-CoA, which is decarboxylated by oxalyl-CoA decarboxylase (OXC). OXC and the class III CoA-transferase formyl-CoA:oxalate CoA-transferase (FCOCT) are widespread among bacteria, including many that have no apparent ability to degrade or to resist external oxalate. The EvgA acid response regulator activates transcription of the Escherichia coli yfdXWUVE operon encoding YfdW (FCOCT), YfdU (OXC), and YfdE, a class III CoA-transferase that is ~30% identical to YfdW. YfdW and YfdU are necessary and sufficient for oxalate-induced protection against a subsequent acid challenge; neither of the other genes has a known function. We report the purification, in vitro characterization, 2.1-Å crystal structure, and functional assignment of YfdE. YfdE and UctC, an orthologue from the obligate aerobe Acetobacter aceti, perform the reversible conversion of acetyl-CoA and oxalate to oxalyl-CoA and acetate. The annotation of YfdE as acetyl-CoA:oxalate CoA-transferase (ACOCT) expands the scope of metabolic pathways linked to oxalate catabolism and the oxalate-induced acid tolerance response. FCOCT and ACOCT active sites contain distinctive, conserved active site loops (the glycine-rich loop and the GNxH loop, respectively) that appear to encode substrate specificity.

Feedstocks affect the diversity and distribution of propionate CoA-transferase genes (pct) in anaerobic digesters.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an attractive microbiological technology for both waste treatment and energy production. Syntrophic acetogenic bacteria are an important guild because they are essential for maintaining efficient and stable AD operation. However, this guild is poorly understood due to difficulties to culture them. In this study, we developed specific PCR assays targeting the propionate-CoA transferase genes (pct) to investigate their diversity and distribution in several mesophilic anaerobic digesters and a bench-scale temperature-phased AD (TPAD) system. Phylogenetic analysis of sequenced pct amplicons revealed the occurrence of Syntrophobacter fumaroxidans and six other clusters of putative pct genes. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that pct diversity and abundance were largely correlated to the feedstocks of the digesters, while little difference was seen between the granular and the liquid fractions of each digester or between the two digesters of the TPAD system. Cluster-specific qPCR analysis revealed major impact of feedstocks and fractions on the abundance of pct genes. Readily fermentable substrates such as sugar- or starch-rich feedstocks selected for pct genes (Cluster I) related to Syntrophobacter, while manure feedstock selected for pct clusters related to pct of Clostridium spp. These results suggest that propionate metabolism can be affected by feedstocks and partition differently between solid and liquid phases in digesters. The PCR assays developed in this study may serve as a tool to investigate propionate-oxidizing bacteria in anaerobic digesters and other anaerobic environments.

Metallothionein prevents diabetes-induced cardiac pathological changes, likely via the inhibition of succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid coenzyme A transferase-1 nitration at Trp(374).

We previously demonstrated that metallothionein (MT)-mediated protection from diabetes-induced pathological changes in cardiac tissues is related to suppression of superoxide generation and protein nitration. The present study investigated which diabetes-nitrated protein(s) mediate the development of these pathological changes by identifying the panel of nitrated proteins present in diabetic hearts of wild-type (WT) mice and not in those of cardiac-specific MT-overexpressing transgenic (MT-TG) mice. At 2, 4, 8, and 16 wk after streptozotocin induction of diabetes, histopathological examination of the WT and MT-TG diabetic hearts revealed cardiac structure derangement and remodeling, significantly increased superoxide generation, and 3-nitrotyrosine accumulation. A nitrated protein of 58 kDa, succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid CoA transferase-1 (SCOT), was identified by mass spectrometry. Although total SCOT expression was not significantly different between the two types of mice, the diabetic WT hearts showed significantly increased nitration content and dramatically decreased catalyzing activity of SCOT. Although SCOT nitration sites were identified at Tyr(76), Tyr(117), Tyr(135), Tyr(226), Tyr(368), and Trp(374), only Tyr(76) and Trp(374) were found to be located in the active site by three-dimensional structure modeling. However, only Trp(374) showed a significantly different nitration level between the WT and MT-TG diabetic hearts. These results suggest that MT prevention of diabetes-induced pathological changes in cardiac tissues is most likely mediated by suppression of SCOT nitration at Trp(374).

A structural mapping of mutations causing succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid CoA transferase (SCOT) deficiency.

Succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid CoA transferase (SCOT) deficiency is a rare inherited metabolic disorder of ketone metabolism, characterized by ketoacidotic episodes and often permanent ketosis. To date there are ~20 disease-associated alleles on the OXCT1 gene that encodes the mitochondrial enzyme SCOT. SCOT catalyzes the first, rate-limiting step of ketone body utilization in peripheral tissues, by transferring a CoA moiety from succinyl-CoA to form acetoacetyl-CoA, for entry into the tricarboxylic acid cycle for energy production. We have determined the crystal structure of human SCOT, providing a molecular understanding of the reported mutations based on their potential structural effects. An interactive version of this manuscript (which may contain additional mutations appended after acceptance of this manuscript) may be found on the web address: http://www.thesgc.org/jimd/SCOT .

Specificity in transition state binding: the Pauling model revisited.

Linus Pauling proposed that the large rate accelerations for enzymes are caused by the high specificity of the protein catalyst for binding the reaction transition state. The observation that stable analogues of the transition states for enzymatic reactions often act as tight-binding inhibitors provided early support for this simple and elegant proposal. We review experimental results that support the proposal that Pauling's model provides a satisfactory explanation for the rate accelerations for many heterolytic enzymatic reactions through high-energy reaction intermediates, such as proton transfer and decarboxylation. Specificity in transition state binding is obtained when the total intrinsic binding energy of the substrate is significantly larger than the binding energy observed at the Michaelis complex. The results of recent studies that aimed to characterize the specificity in binding of the enolate oxygen at the transition state for the 1,3-isomerization reaction catalyzed by ketosteroid isomerase are reviewed. Interactions between pig heart succinyl-coenzyme A:3-oxoacid coenzyme A transferase (SCOT) and the nonreacting portions of coenzyme A (CoA) are responsible for a rate increase of 3 × 10(12)-fold, which is close to the estimated total 5 × 10(13)-fold enzymatic rate acceleration. Studies that partition the interactions between SCOT and CoA into their contributing parts are reviewed. Interactions of the protein with the substrate phosphodianion group provide an ~12 kcal/mol stabilization of the transition state for the reactions catalyzed by triosephosphate isomerase, orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase, and α-glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase. The interactions of these enzymes with the substrate piece phosphite dianion provide a 6-8 kcal/mol stabilization of the transition state for reaction of the appropriate truncated substrate. Enzyme activation by phosphite dianion reflects the higher dianion affinity for binding to the enzyme-transition state complex compared with that of the free enzyme. Evidence is presented that supports a model in which the binding energy of the phosphite dianion piece, or the phosphodianion group of the whole substrate, is utilized to drive an enzyme conformational change from an inactive open form E(O) to an active closed form E(C), by closure of a phosphodianion gripper loop. Members of the enolase and haloalkanoic acid dehalogenase superfamilies use variable capping domains to interact with nonreacting portions of the substrate and sequester the substrate from interaction with bulk solvent. Interactions of this capping domain with the phenyl group of mandelate have been shown to activate mandelate racemase for catalysis of deprotonation of α-carbonyl carbon. We propose that an important function of these capping domains is to utilize the binding interactions with nonreacting portions of the substrate to activate the enzyme for catalysis.

A propionate CoA-transferase of Ralstonia eutropha H16 with broad substrate specificity catalyzing the CoA thioester formation of various carboxylic acids.

In this study, we have investigated a propionate CoA-transferase (Pct) homologue encoded in the genome of Ralstonia eutropha H16. The corresponding gene has been cloned into the vector pET-19b to yield a histidine-tagged enzyme which was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). After purification, high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) analyses revealed that the enzyme exhibits a broad substrate specificity for carboxylic acids. The formation of the corresponding CoA-thioesters of acetate using propionyl-CoA as CoA donor, and of propionate, butyrate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxypropionate, crotonate, acrylate, lactate, succinate and 4-hydroxybutyrate using acetyl-CoA as CoA donor could be shown. According to the substrate specificity, the enzyme can be allocated in the family I of CoA-transferases. The apparent molecular masses as determined by gel filtration and detected by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were 228 and 64 kDa, respectively, and point to a quaternary structure of the native enzyme (α4). The enzyme exhibited similarities in sequence and structure to the well investigated Pct of Clostridium propionicum. It does not contain the typical conserved (S)ENG motif, but the derived motif sequence EXG with glutamate 342 to be, most likely, the catalytic residue. Due to the homo-oligomeric structure and the sequence differences with the subclasses IA-C of family I CoA-transferases, a fourth subclass of family I is proposed, comprising - amongst others - the Pcts of R. eutropha H16 and C. propionicum. A markerless precise-deletion mutant R. eutropha H16∆pct was generated. The growth and accumulation behaviour of this mutant on gluconate, gluconate plus 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid (DTDP), acetate and propionate was investigated but resulted in no observable phenotype. Both, the wild type and the mutant showed the same growth and storage behaviour with these carbon sources. It is probable that R. eutropha H16 is upregulating other CoA-transferase(s) or CoA-synthetase(s), thereby compensating for the lacking Pct. The ability of R. eutropha H16 to substitute absent enzymes by isoenzymes has been already shown in different other studies in the past.

Role of 4-hydroxybutyrate-CoA synthetase in the CO2 fixation cycle in thermoacidophilic archaea.

Metallosphaera sedula is an extremely thermoacidophilic archaeon that grows heterotrophically on peptides and chemolithoautotrophically on hydrogen, sulfur, or reduced metals as energy sources. During autotrophic growth, carbon dioxide is incorporated into cellular carbon via the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate cycle (3HP/4HB). To date, all of the steps in the pathway have been connected to enzymes encoded in specific genes, except for the one responsible for ligation of coenzyme A (CoA) to 4HB. Although several candidates for this step have been identified through bioinformatic analysis of the M. sedula genome, none have been shown to catalyze this biotransformation. In this report, transcriptomic analysis of cells grown under strict H(2)-CO(2) autotrophy was consistent with the involvement of Msed_0406 and Msed_0394. Recombinant versions of these enzymes catalyzed the ligation of CoA to 4HB, with similar affinities for 4HB (K(m) values of 1.9 and 1.5 mm for Msed_0406 and Msed_0394, respectively) but with different rates (1.69 and 0.22 µmol × min(-1) × mg(-1) for Msed_0406 and Msed_0394, respectively). Neither Msed_0406 nor Msed_0394 have close homologs in other Sulfolobales, although low sequence similarity is not unusual for acyl-adenylate-forming enzymes. The capacity of these two enzymes to use 4HB as a substrate may have arisen from simple modifications to acyl-adenylate-forming enzymes. For example, a single amino acid substitution (W424G) in the active site of the acetate/propionate synthetase (Msed_1353), an enzyme that is highly conserved among the Sulfolobales, changed its substrate specificity to include 4HB. The identification of the 4-HB CoA synthetase now completes the set of enzymes comprising the 3HP/4HB cycle.

Crystal structures of Acetobacter aceti succinyl-coenzyme A (CoA):acetate CoA-transferase reveal specificity determinants and illustrate the mechanism used by class I CoA-transferases.

Coenzyme A (CoA)-transferases catalyze transthioesterification reactions involving acyl-CoA substrates, using an active-site carboxylate to form covalent acyl anhydride and CoA thioester adducts. Mechanistic studies of class I CoA-transferases suggested that acyl-CoA binding energy is used to accelerate rate-limiting acyl transfers by compressing the substrate thioester tightly against the catalytic glutamate [White, H., and Jencks, W. P. (1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 1688-1699]. The class I CoA-transferase succinyl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase is an acetic acid resistance factor (AarC) with a role in a variant citric acid cycle in Acetobacter aceti. In an effort to identify residues involved in substrate recognition, X-ray crystal structures of a C-terminally His(6)-tagged form (AarCH6) were determined for several wild-type and mutant complexes, including freeze-trapped acetylglutamyl anhydride and glutamyl-CoA thioester adducts. The latter shows the acetate product bound to an auxiliary site that is required for efficient carboxylate substrate recognition. A mutant in which the catalytic glutamate was changed to an alanine crystallized in a closed complex containing dethiaacetyl-CoA, which adopts an unusual curled conformation. A model of the acetyl-CoA Michaelis complex demonstrates the compression anticipated four decades ago by Jencks and reveals that the nucleophilic glutamate is held at a near-ideal angle for attack as the thioester oxygen is forced into an oxyanion hole composed of Gly388 NH and CoA N2″. CoA is nearly immobile along its entire length during all stages of the enzyme reaction. Spatial and sequence conservation of key residues indicates that this mechanism is general among class I CoA-transferases.

Formyl-coenzyme A (CoA):oxalate CoA-transferase from the acidophile Acetobacter aceti has a distinctive electrostatic surface and inherent acid stability.

Bacterial formyl-CoA:oxalate CoA-transferase (FCOCT) and oxalyl-CoA decarboxylase work in tandem to perform a proton-consuming decarboxylation that has been suggested to have a role in generalized acid resistance. FCOCT is the product of uctB in the acidophilic acetic acid bacterium Acetobacter aceti. As expected for an acid-resistance factor, UctB remains folded at the low pH values encountered in the A. aceti cytoplasm. A comparison of crystal structures of FCOCTs and related proteins revealed few features in UctB that would distinguish it from nonacidophilic proteins and thereby account for its acid stability properties, other than a strikingly featureless electrostatic surface. The apparently neutral surface is a result of a "speckled" charge decoration, in which charged surface residues are surrounded by compensating charges but do not form salt bridges. A quantitative comparison among orthologs identified a pattern of residue substitution in UctB that may be a consequence of selection for protein stability by constant exposure to acetic acid. We suggest that this surface charge pattern, which is a distinctive feature of A. aceti proteins, creates a stabilizing electrostatic network without stiffening the protein or compromising protein-solvent interactions.