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A S Mildvan

Publications and source records attributed to A S Mildvan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Vaccinia DNA topoisomerase I: evidence supporting a free rotation mechanism for DNA supercoil relaxation.

The Vaccinia type I topoisomerase catalyzes site-specific DNA strand cleavage and religation by forming a transient phosphotyrosyl linkage between the DNA and Tyr-274, resulting in the release of DNA supercoils. For type I topoisomerases, two mechanisms have been proposed for supercoil release: (I) a coupled mechanism termed strand passage, in which a single supercoil is removed per cleavage/religation cycle, resulting in multiple topoisomer intermediates and late product formation, or (2) an uncoupled mechanism termed free rotation, where multiple supercoils are removed per cleavage/religation cycle, resulting in few intermediates and early product formation. To determine the mechanism, single-turnover experiments were done with supercoiled plasmid DNA under conditions in which the topoisomerase cleaves predominantly at a single site per DNA molecule. The concentrations of supercoiled substrate, intermediate topoisomers, and relaxed product vs time were measured by fluorescence imaging, and the rate constants for their interconversion were determined by kinetic simulation. Few intermediates and early product formation were observed. From these data, the rate constants for cleavage (0.3 s(-1)), religation (4 s(-1)), and the cleavage equilibrium constant on the enzyme (0.075) at 22 degrees C are in reasonable agreement with those obtained with small oligonucleotide substrates, while the rotation rate of the cleaved DNA strand is fast (approximately 20 rotations/s). Thus, the average number of supercoils removed for each cleavage event greatly exceeds unity (delta n = 5) and depends on kinetic competition between religation and supercoil release, establishing a free rotation mechanism. This free rotation mechanism for a type I topoisomerase differs from the strand passage mechanism proposed for the type II enzymes.

DNA Topoisomerases, Type I↗

NMR studies of the secondary structure in solution and the steroid binding site of delta5-3-ketosteroid isomerase in complexes with diamagnetic and paramagnetic steroids.

Backbone and side chain resonances of steroid-bound delta5-3-ketosteroid isomerase (EC 5.3.3.1), a homodimeric enzyme with 125 residues per monomer, have been assigned by heteronuclear NMR methods with the 15N- and 13C-labeled enzyme. The secondary structure in solution of steroid-bound isomerase, based on interproton NOE's and differences in chemical shifts of backbone H alpha, C alpha, C beta, and CO resonances from random coil values, consists of two alpha-helices (residues 5-21, 48-60), one 3(10) helix (residues 23-30), seven beta-strands (residues 34-38, 44-47, 62-67, 71-73, 78-87, 92-104, and 111-116), and five turns (residues 39-42, 74-77, 88-91, 105-108, and 119-122). Thus isomerase consists of 30% helix, 38% beta-sheet, and 16% turns. The remaining 20 residues (16%) are assumed to form coils. With the exception of a parallel interaction between beta-strands 1 and 7, all beta-strand interactions are antiparallel, forming both a beta-hairpin (beta1, beta2) and a four-stranded beta-sheet in which the first strand is interrupted (beta3-beta4, beta5, beta6, beta7). 1H-15N HSQC titrations of the free enzyme with the substrate analog 19-nortestosterone hemisuccinate revealed steroid-induced changes in backbone 15N and NH chemical shifts throughout the enzyme, with maximal effects on helix I (Val-15), beta-strand 1 of the beta-hairpin (Asp-38), the loop between helix 3 and beta-strand 3 (Leu-61), beta-strand 3 (Ala-64), beta-strand 5 (Phe-82, Ser-85, Glu-87), beta-strand 6 (Ile-98), and beta-strand 7 (Ala-114, Phe-116) of the beta-sheet, thus indicating the secondary structural components involved in steroid binding. These effects include regions near the catalytic residues Tyr-14 and Asp-38 which function as the general acid and base, respectively, in the ketosteroid isomerase reaction. Intermolecular NOE's between 19-nortestosterone hemisuccinate and isomerase indicate that the steroid binds near alpha-helices 1 and 3, which form one wall of the active site, and one end of the four-stranded beta-sheet which forms the other wall. Consistent with these observations, doxyldihydrotestosterone, a steroid that is spin-labeled at its solvent-exposed end [Kuliopulos, A., Westbrook, E. M., Talalay, P., & Mildvan, A. S. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 3927-3937], induced the selective attenuation in the 1H-15N HSQC spectra of cross peaks of residues at the end of helix 3 (Ser-58, Leu-59, Lys-60, Leu-61), beta-strand 5 (Val-84, Ser-85), and beta-strand 6 (Val-95), due to the proximity of the nitroxide radical to the backbone 15N and NH nuclei of these residues, thus confirming the location of the D ring of the bound steroid and defining the mouth of the active site.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Solution structure of the quaternary MutT-M2+-AMPCPP-M2+ complex and mechanism of its pyrophosphohydrolase action.

The MutT enzyme (129 residues) catalyzes the hydrolysis of nucleoside triphosphates (NTP) by substitution at the rarely attacked beta-P, to yield NMP and pyrophosphate. It requires two divalent cations, forming an active E-M2+-NTP-M2+ complex. The solution structure of the free enzyme consists of a five-stranded mixed beta-sheet connected by loop I-alpha-helix I-loop II, by two tight turns, and by loop III and terminated by loop IV-alpha-helix II [Abeygunawardana, C., et al. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 14997-15005]. Assignments of backbone 15N and NH resonances and side chain 15N and NH2 resonances of the quaternary complex were made by 1H-15N HSQC titrations of the free enzyme with MgCl2 followed by equimolar AMPCPP/MgCl2. H(alpha) assignments were made by 1H-15N 3D TOCSY HSQC, and 1H-13C CT-HSQC spectra and backbone and side chain 1H and 13C assignments were made by 3D HCCH TOCSY experiments. Ligands donated by the protein to the enzyme-bound divalent cation, identified by paramagnetic effects of Co2+ and Mn2+ on CO(C)H spectra, are the carboxylate groups of Glu-56, -57, and -98 and the amide carbonyl of Gly-38. The solution structure of the complex was computed with XPLOR using a total of 2168 NOE and 83 phi restraints for the protein, 11 intramolecular NOEs for bound Mg2+ AMPCPP, 22 intermolecular NOEs between MutT and AMPCPP, and distances from the enzyme-bound Co2+ to the three phosphorus atoms of Co3+(NH3)4AMPCPP from paramagnetic effects of Co2+ on their T1 values. The fold of the MutT enzyme in the complex is very similar to that of the free enzyme, with minor changes in the metal and substrate binding sites. The adenine ring binds in a hydrophobic cleft, interacting with Leu-4 and Ile-6 on beta-strand A and with Ile-80 on beta-strand D. The 6-NH2 group of adenine approaches the side chain NH2 of Asn-119. This unfavorable interaction is consistent with the stronger binding by MutT of guanine nucleotides, which have a 6-keto group. The ribose binds with its hydroxyl groups oriented toward the solvent and its hydrophobic face interacting with Leu-4, Ile-6, and the gamma-CH2 of Lys-39 of loop I. The metal-triphosphate moiety appears to bind in the second coordination sphere of the enzyme-bound divalent cation. One of two intervening water ligands is well positioned to attack P(beta) with inversion and to donate a hydrogen bond to the conserved residue, Glu-53, which may deprotonate or orient the attacking water ligand. Lys-39 which is positioned to interact electrostatically with the alpha-phosphoryl group may facilitate the departure of the leaving NMP. On the basis of the structure of the quaternary complex, a mechanism of the MutT reaction is proposed which is qualitatively and quantitatively consistent with kinetic and mutagenesis studies. It is suggested that similar mechanisms may be operative for other enzymes that catalyze substitution at P(beta) of NTP substrates.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Mechanisms of signaling and related enzymes.

Most enzymes involved in cell signaling, such as protein kinases, protein phosphatases, GTPases, and nucleotide cyclases catalyze nucleophilic substitutions at phosphorus. When possible, the mechanisms of such enzymes are most clearly described quantitatively in terms of how associative or dissociative they are. The mechanisms of cell signaling enzymes range from < or = 8% associative (cAMP-dependent protein kinase) to approximately 50% associative (G protein Gi alpha 1). Their catalytic powers range from 10(5.7) (p21ras) to 10(11.7) (lambda Ser-Thr protein phosphatase), usually comparable in magnitude with those of nonsignaling enzymes of the same mechanistic class. Exceptions are G proteins, which are 10(3)- to 10(5)-fold poorer catalysts than F1 and myosin ATPases. The lower catalytic powers of G proteins may be ascribed to the absence of general base catalysis, and additionally in the case of p21ras, to the absence of a catalytic Arg residue, which interacts with the transition state. From kinetic studies of mutant and metal ion substituted enzymes, the catalytic powers of cell signaling and related enzymes can be rationalized quantitatively by factors contributed by metal ion catalysis (> or = 10(5), general acid catalysis (approximately 10(3 +/- 1)), general base catalysis (approximately 10(3 +/- 1)), and transition-state stabilization by cationic and hydrogen bond donating residues (approximately 10(3 +/- 1)).

Animals↗

15N NMR relaxation studies of free and inhibitor-bound 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase: backbone dynamics and entropy changes of an enzyme upon inhibitor binding.

The solution secondary structure of 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase (4-OT), a 41 kDa homohexamer with 62 residues per subunit, consists of an alpha-helix, two beta-strands, a beta-hairpin, two loops, two turns, and a C-terminal coil [Stivers et al. (1996) Protein Sci. 5, 729-741]. The general base, proline-1, as well as the two loops and the beta-hairpin have been shown to comprise the active site [Stivers et al. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 814-823]. The backbone dynamics of both the free enzyme and its complex with a substrate analog have been studied by 1H-detected 15N relaxation rates and NOE determinations at 500 and 600 MHz. Analysis of the data using the model-free formalism showed that the nanosecond to picosecond motion of 53 of the 60 backbone 15N-H vectors was highly restricted with a mean order parameter mean value of S2 = 0.87 +/- 0.03. The lowest backbone mobility (S2 > 0.90) is found in the beta 1-strand, loop 2, and turn 2. Greater backbone mobility is found in the active site (0.5 < or = S2 < or = 0.83) and at C-terminal residues 58-62 (0.03 < or = S2 < or = 0.70). A tau m value for the free hexamer of 13.7 ns at 42 degrees C was determined, consistent with a compact globular molecule of 41 kDa. Saturation of 4-OT with the analog of the dienolic intermediate and linear competitive inhibitor cis, cis-muconate (4) (KD = 0.59 mM) increased the backbone S2 of seven residues and decreased the backbone S2 of another eight residues, both at the active site and at the antiparallel beta 1-beta 1 interface. The S2 values of the other 44 detectable NH vectors were not altered by the binding of 4. The increases in S2, resulting from the "freezing" of the backbone NH vectors of seven residues upon the binding of 4, correspond to an unfavorable entropic contribution to delta Gbinding of 3.2 +/- 1.1 kcal/mol. This freezing is partially compensated for by the mobilization of the other eight residues, since the decreases in S2 for these residues correspond to an entropic contribution to binding of -1.9 +/- 0.1 kcal/mol. These entropy changes, resulting solely from alterations in high-frequency motion, are significant compared to the overall delta Gbinding = -4.6 kcal/mol for 4. Other effects of the binding of 4 include (1) changes in 15N and NH chemical shifts localized to the active site and (2) increases in the exchange contributions (R(ex)) to 1/T2 of backbone 15N resonances at the active site and at the subunit interface, reflecting microsecond to millisecond motions which may play a role in substrate binding (k(on) > or = 4 x 10(6) M-1 s-1) and/or catalysis (kcat = 10(3) s-1).

Binding Sites↗

Escherichia coli orf17 codes for a nucleoside triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase member of the MutT family of proteins. Cloning, purification, and characterization of the enzyme.

The product of the Escherichia coli orf17 gene is a novel nucleoside triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase with a preference for dATP over the other canonical (deoxy)nucleoside triphosphates, and it catalyzes the hydrolysis of dATP through a nucleophilic attack at the beta-phosphorus to produce dAMP and inorganic pyrophosphate. It has a pH optimum between 8.5 and 9.0, a divalent metal ion requirement with optimal activity at 5 mM Mg2+, a Km of 0.8 mM and a kcat of 5.2 s-1 at 37 degrees C for dATP. dAMP is a weak competitive inhibitor with a Ki of approximately 4 mM, while PPi is a much stronger inhibitor with an apparent Ki of approximately 20 microM. The enzyme contains the highly conserved signature sequence GXVEX2ETX6REVXEEX2I designating the MutT family of proteins. However, unlike the other nucleoside triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolases with this conserved sequence, the Orf17 protein does not complement the mutT- mutator phenotype, and thus must serve a different biological role in the cell.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

NMR evidence for the participation of a low-barrier hydrogen bond in the mechanism of delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase.

Delta 5-3-Ketosteroid isomerase (EC 5.3.3.1) promotes an allylic rearrangement involving intramolecular proton transfer via a dienolic intermediate. This enzyme enhances the catalytic rate by a factor of 10(10). Two residues, Tyr-14, the general acid that polarizes the steroid 3-carbonyl group and facilitates enolization, and Asp-38 the general base that abstracts and transfers the 4 beta-proton to the 6 beta-position, contribute 10(4.7) and 10(5.6) to the rate increase, respectively. A major mechanistic enigma is the huge disparity between the pKa values of the catalytic groups and their targets. Upon binding of an analog of the dienolate intermediate to isomerase, proton NMR detects a highly deshielded resonance at 18.15 ppm in proximity to aromatic protons, and with a 3-fold preference for protium over deuterium (fractionation factor, phi = 0.34), consistent with formation of a short, strong (low-barrier) hydrogen bond to Tyr-14. The strength of this hydrogen bond is estimated to be at least 7.1 kcal/mol. This bond is relatively inaccessible to bulk solvent and is pH insensitive. Low-barrier hydrogen bonding of Tyr-14 to the intermediate, in conjunction with the previously demonstrated tunneling contribution to the proton transfer by Asp-38, provide a plausible and quantitative explanation for the high catalytic power of this isomerase.

Bacterial Proteins↗

The role of Glu 57 in the mechanism of the Escherichia coli MutT enzyme by mutagenesis and heteronuclear NMR.

The role of the conserved residue Glu-57 in the mechanism of the MutT enzyme from Escherichia coli was investigated by mutagenesis and heteronuclear NMR methods. The enzymatic activity of the E57Q mutant is at least 10(5)-fold lower than that of the wild type enzyme. The solution structure of the E57Q mutant, based on comparisons of 1H-15N NOESY HSQC spectra and 1H-15N HSQC spectra to those of the wild type enzyme, differs in a region near Glu-57. The dissociation constants (KD) of the E-Mg2+ and E-Mn2+ complexes increased 3.3- and 3.6-fold, respectively, in the E57Q mutant, while the KD of E-dGTP is unaltered from that of the wild type enzyme. The enhanced paramagnetic effect of enzyme-bound Mn2+ on 1/T1 of water protons is halved in the E57Q mutant indicating an altered metal-binding site. 1H-15N HSQC titrations of E57Q with MnCl2 show selective attenuation of the side chain NH signals of Gln-57 and the backbone NH signals of Gly-37, Gly-38, Lys-39, Glu-53, Glu-56, Gln-57, and Glu-98, indicating proximity of bound Nm2+ to these residues. The same resonances of the wild type and the E57Q mutant enzymes are attenuated by Mn2+, but significantly smaller paramagnetic effects (relative to the largest effect on Lys-39) are found on Gly-37, Gly-38, Val-58, and Glu-98 of the mutant, indicating an altered position of the bound divalent cation. Thus Glu-57 is probably a ligand to the enzyme-bound metal, and the profound loss of catalytic activity in the E57Q mutant results from structural and electronic changes at the site of the enzyme-bound divalent cation. 1H-15N HSQC titrations of the wild type enzyme with MgCl2 show changes in chemical shifts of 15N and NH resonances in regions closely overlapping those induced by the E57Q mutation itself, suggesting that the loss of the negative charge at Glu-57, either by mutation or by neutralization with Mg2+, induces a similar effect. In the E57Q mutant, the slow exchange of the side chain NH2 protons of Gln-57 and NOE's from the NH2 protons of Gln-57 to the beta and gamma protons of Glu-98 suggests hydrogen bonding of Gln-57 to Glu-98 in the free enzyme. 1H-15N HSQC titrations of both the wild type and mutant enzymes with dGTP show changes in 15N and NH chemicals shifts of residues in a cleft formed by beta-strands A, C, and D on one side and loop I, the end of loop IV, and the beginning of helix II on the other side, suggesting this cleft to be the nucleotide binding site. These changes in chemical shift were smaller or absent in titrations of the wild type or mutant enzymes with AMPCPP or Mg2+-AMPCPP, in accord with the strong preference of the MutT enzyme for guanine over adenine nucleotide substrates.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

13C NMR relaxation studies of backbone and side chain motion of the catalytic tyrosine residue in free and steroid-bound delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase.

Side chain and backbone dynamics of the catalytic residue, Tyr-14, in free and steroid-bound delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase (EC 5.3.3.1, homodimer, M(r) = 26.8 kDa) have been examined by measurements of longitudinal and transverse 13C relaxation rates and nuclear Overhauser effects at both 500 and 600 MHz (proton frequencies). The data, analyzed using the model-free formalism, yielded an optimized correlation time for overall molecular rotation (tau m) of 17.9 ns, in agreement with the result (18 ns) of fluorescence anisotropy decay measurements [Wu, P., Li, Y.-K., Talalay, P., & Brand, L. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 7415-7422] and Stokes' law calculation (20 ns). The order parameter of the side chain C epsilon of Tyr-14 (S2 = 0.74), which is a measure of the restriction of its high-frequency (nanosecond to picosecond) motion, was significantly lower than that of the backbone C alpha (S2 = 0.82), indicating greater restriction of backbone motion. Upon binding of the steroid ligand, 19-nortestosterone hemisuccinate, a product analog and substrate of the reverse isomerase reaction, S2 of the side chain C epsilon increased from 0.74 to 0.86, while that of the backbone C alpha did not change significantly. Thus, in the steroid complex, the amplitude of high-frequency side chain motion of Tyr-14 became more restricted than that of its backbone which could lower the entropy barrier to catalysis. Lower-frequency (millisecond to microsecond) motion of Tyr-14 at rates comparable to kcat were detected by exchange contributions to transverse relaxation of both C epsilon and C alpha. Steroid binding produced no change in this low-frequency motion of the side chain of Tyr-14, which could contribute to substrate binding and product release, but decreased the exchange contribution to transverse relaxation of the backbone.

Androstenedione↗

Mechanism of inhibition of vaccinia DNA topoisomerase by novobiocin and coumermycin.

Vaccinia DNA topoisomerase, a eukaryotic type I enzyme, has unique pharmacological properties, including sensitivity to the coumarin drugs novobiocin and coumermycin, which are classical inhibitors of DNA gyrase, a type II enzyme. Whereas coumarins inhibit gyrase by binding the GyrB subunit and thereby blocking the ATP-binding site, they inhibit vaccinia topoisomerase by binding to the protein and blocking the interaction of enzyme with DNA. Noncovalent DNA binding and single-turnover DNA cleavage by topoisomerase are inhibited with K1 values of 10-25 microM for coumermycin and 350 microM for novobiocin. Spectroscopic and fluorescence measurements of drug binding t enzyme indicate a single binding site on vaccinia topoisomerase for coumermycin (KD = 27 +/- 5 microM) and two classes of binding sites for novobiocin, one tight site (KD1 = 20 +/- 5 microM) and several weak sites (KD2 = 513 +/- 125 microM; n = 4.9 +/- 0.7). Addition of a stoichiometric amount of DNA to a performed coumermycin-topoisomerase complex quantitatively displaces the drug, indicating that coumermycin binding and DNA binding to topoisomerase are mutually exclusive. A simple interpretation is that the site of drug binding coincides or overlaps with the DNA-binding site on the topoisomerase. Both novobiocin and coumermycin alter the susceptibility of vaccinia topoisomerase to proteolysis with either chymotrypsin or trypsin; similar effects occur when topoisomerase binds to duplex DNA.

Aminocoumarins↗

Catalytic role of the amino-terminal proline in 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase: affinity labeling and heteronuclear NMR studies.

4-Oxalocrotonate tautomerase (EC 5.3.2-; 4-OT), a hexamer consisting of 62 residues per subunit, catalyzes the isomerization of unsaturated alpha-keto acids, converting unconjugated ketones to the conjugated isomers via a dienolic intermediate. The recently solved crystal structure of an isozyme of 4-OT suggests that the amino-terminal proline is the catalytic base [Subramanya, H. S., Roper, D. I., Dauter, Z., Dodson, E. J., Davies, G. J., Wilson, K. S., & Wigley, D. B. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 792-802]. In support of this proposed role, we have found that the active-site-directed irreversible inhibitor 3-bromopyruvate (3-BP) blocks the amino terminus of 4-OT to Edman degradation and results in the disappearance of the 15N resonance of Pro-1 (delta = 49.2 ppm at pH 6.40 and 42 degrees C) in the 15N NMR spectrum of uniformly 15N-labeled 4-OT. Furthermore, covalent bonding between a 15N resonance of 4-OT and the methylene carbon of the reduced, 3-(13)C-labeled lactyl adduct derived from [3-(13)C]-bromopyruvate was then directly demonstrated using two heteronuclear NMR methods, an 1H-(13)C HSQC experiment and a novel inverse correlation experiment which we call H(C)N. The chemical shift of the modified 15N resonance (delta = 86.5 ppm) is consistent with that of an alkylated and cationic, amino-terminal proline. Affinity labeling with 2-(14)C-labeled bromopyruvate indicates that the ultimate stoichiometry of modification is I equiv of 3-BP per 4-OT monomer. However, an analysis of the residual enzyme activity after differing extents of fractional modification with 3-BP indicates that modification of three active sites per hexamer abolishes essentially all activity of the hexamer. Thus, 4-OT exhibits half-of-the-sites stoichiometry with 3-BP. Finally, the pH dependence of kinact/KI for affinity labeling by 3-BP yields a pKa value of 6.7 +/- 0.3, in reasonable agreement with the pKa values found for kcat/KM for the non-sticky substrate 2-hydroxy-2,4-pentadienoate and by direct NMR titration of Pro-1 [Stivers, J. T., Abeygunawardana, C., Mildvan, A. S., Hajipour, G., & Whitman, C. P. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 814-823]. These results strongly implicate the amino-terminal proline as the general-base catalyst on 4-OT.

Affinity Labels↗

4-Oxalocrotonate tautomerase: pH dependence of catalysis and pKa values of active site residues.

The pH-rate profiles for the kinetic parameters of 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase (4-OT) have been measured using 2-hydroxy-2,4-hexadiendioate (2a) and 2-hydroxy-2,4-pentadienoate (2b) as substrates. The pH dependences of log (kcat/Km) and of log kcat for the slow, nonsticky substrate 2b, which lacks a 6-carboxyl group, were bell-shaped with limiting slopes of unity on both sides of the pH optimum. For 2b, pKa values of 6.2 +/- 0.3 and 9.0 +/- 0.3 for the free enzyme (pKE) and 7.7 +/- 0.3 and 8.5 +/- 0.3 for the ES complex (pKES) were obtained. The pKE of 6.2 +/- 0.3 for 2b represents a true pKa for a basic group on the enzyme and is most likely Pro-1 on the basis of inhibition studies with the substrate-based affinity label 3-bromopyruvate (3-BP) [Stivers et al. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 803-813]. Accordingly, 15N NMR titration of the uniformly 15N-labeled enzyme showed that the pKa of the amino group of Pro-1 is 6.4 +/- 0.2, in reasonable agreement with those found by the effect of pH on kcat/Km for 2b (6.2 +/- 0.3) and on kinact/K1 for 3-BP (6.7 +/- 0.3), but three units lower than the pKa of the model compound proline amide (pKa = 9.4 +/- 0.2). The pKa values for the two histidine residues of 4-OT, which were measured by 1H NMR (His-6, pKa < or = 5; His-49, pKa = 5.2 +/- 0.2), are at least one pK unit lower than the pKE, excluding these residues as candidates for the general base. A plot of log (kcat/Km) vs pH for the 10(4)-fold more reactive, but sticky substrate 2a [(kcat/Km)max = 3.9 x 10(6) M-1 s-1] shows a limiting slope of two on the ascending limb indicating the ionization of two essential groups on the free enzyme and/or substrate. One of these groups, with a pKa value of 5.4, is reasonably assigned to the 6-carboxylate moiety of 2a (pKaCOOH = 5.4). This assignment is supported by the slope of unity for the ascending limb of log (kcat/Km) versus pH for 2b which lacks this group. Thus a negative charge at the 6-position is important for substrate binding and catalysis. The other group (pKa2 = 5.2) most likely represents a perturbed pKa for the general base Pro-1 (pKatrue = 6.4). The descending limb of log kcat/Km vs pH for 2a has a slope of unity and was fit to a single pKa3 = 10.3 +/- 0.2. The pH dependence of kcat for 2a gives pKa values for the ES complex (pKES) of 6.5 and 9.6. On the basis of these results, an isomerization mechanism involving general-base catalysis by a low pKa proline-1 and electrophilic catalysis by an as yet unidentified enzymic general-acid (pKa = 9.0) is proposed.

Binding Sites↗

4-Oxalocrotonate tautomerase, a 41-kDa homohexamer: backbone and side-chain resonance assignments, solution secondary structure, and location of active site residues by heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy.

4-Oxalocrotonate tautomerase (4-OT), a homohexamer consisting of 62 residues per subunit, catalyzes the isomerization of unsaturated alpha-keto acids using Pro-1 as a general base (Stivers et al., 1996a, 1996b). We report the backbone and side-chain 1H, 15N, and 13C NMR assignments and the solution secondary structure for 4-OT using 2D and 3D homonuclear and heteronuclear NMR methods. The subunit secondary structure consists of an alpha-helix (residues 13-30), two beta-strands (beta 1, residues 2-8; beta 2, residues 39-45), a beta-hairpin (residues 50-57), two loops (I, residues 9-12; II, 34-38), and two turns (I, residues 30-33; II, 47-50). The remaining residues form coils. The beta 1 strand is parallel to the beta 2 strand of the same subunit on the basis of cross stand NH(i)-NH(j) NOEs in a 2D 15N-edited 1H-NOESY spectrum of hexameric 4-OT containing two 15N-labeled subunits/hexamer. The beta 1 strand is also antiparallel to another beta 1 strand from an adjacent subunit forming a subunit interface. Because only three such pairwise interactions are possible, the hexamer is a trimer of dimers. The diffusion constant, determined by dynamic light scattering, and the rotational correlation time (14.5 ns) estimated from 15N T1/T2 measurements, are consistent with the hexameric molecular weight of 41 kDa. Residue Phe-50 is in the active site on the basis of transferred NOEs to the bound partial substrate 2-oxo-1,6-hexanedioate. Modification of the general base, Pro-1, with the active site-directed irreversible inhibitor, 3-bromopyruvate, significantly alters the amide 15N and NH chemical shifts of residues in the beta-hairpin and in loop II, providing evidence that these regions change conformation when the active site is occupied.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Solution structure of the MutT enzyme, a nucleoside triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase.

The MutT enzyme (129 residues) catalyzes the hydrolysis of normal and mutagenic nucleoside triphosphates, such as 8-oxo-dGTP, by substitution at the rarely attacked beta-P, to yield NMP and pyrophosphate. Previous heteronuclear NMR studies of MutT have shown the secondary structure to consist of a five-stranded mixed beta-sheet connected by the loop I-alpha-helix I--loop II motif, by two tight turns, and by loop III, and terminated by loop IV--alpha-helix II [Abeygunawardana et al. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 13071-13080; Weber et al. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 13081-13087). Complete side-chain assignments of 1H and 13C resonances have now been made by 3D C(CO)NH and HCCH-TOCSY experiments. A total of 1461 interproton proximities (11 per residue), obtained by 3D 15N-resolved NOESY-HSQC and 3D 13C-resolved NOESY-HSQC spectra, including 372 long-range NOEs, as well as 65 dihedral angle (phi) restraints and 34 backbone hydrogen bond restraints were used to determine the tertiary structure of MutT by distance geometry, simulated annealing, and energy minimization with the program X-PLOR. The structure is globular and compact with the parallel portion of the beta-sheet sandwiched between the two alpha-helices, forming an alpha+beta fold. The essential divalent cation has previously been shown to bind near residues Gly-37, Gly-38, Lys-39, and Glu-57, and nucleotides have been shown to bind near residues Leu-54 and Val-58 by NMR relaxation methods [Frick et al. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 5577-5586].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bacterial Proteins↗

Ultraviolet spectroscopic evidence for decreased motion of the active site tyrosine residue of delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase by steroid binding.

delta 5-3-Ketosteroid isomerase (EC 5.3.3.1) from Pseudomonas testosteroni catalyzes the highly efficient conversion of delta 5-3-ketosteroids to delta 4-3-ketosteroids by a stereoselective and intramolecular transfer of the 4 beta-proton to the 6 beta-position. Tyr-14 is the critical general acid and Asp-38 is the general base involved in catalysis. The UV absorption bandwidths of Tyr-14 were much narrower than those of the other two tyrosines (Tyr-55 and Tyr-88) of isomerase or of the N-acetyltyrosine ethyl ester in aqueous solution, suggesting that Tyr-14 is restricted in its mobility. Further immobilization of this residue occurs upon steroid binding. Thus, 5 alpha-estrane-3,17-dione, an A-ring saturated steroid, induces significant narrowing of the tyrosine absorption bands (pi-->pi*) of the main peak (279.5 nm) and the shoulder (285.5 nm) of Tyr-14, with no significant changes in lambda max. No effects of steroid binding were found on the absorption bandwidths of Tyr-55, Tyr-88, or the phenylalanine residues. The ratio of the absorbance (Amax) at the absorption maximum (lambda max) to that at lambda max plus 4 nm (Amax +4) was used as a measure of peak sharpness. Specifically, the ratios of A279.5/A283.5 (main peak) and A285.5/A289.5 (shoulder) of Tyr-14 of the free enzyme at 25 degrees C were 1.25 and 1.89, respectively, and they increased to 1.41 and 2.70, respectively, in the complex. A more precise measurement of the band narrowing from 4.2 to 3.1 nm between the inflection points was obtained from the derivative spectra. The absorption bands of free and steroid-bound isomerase were narrowed significantly by lowering the temperature and were broadened by denaturation, suggesting that the unusual peak-sharpening effects induced by steroid binding arise from the restricted motion of Tyr-14, as well as from more directional hydrogen bonding resulting from the displacement of water molecules from the active site and decreased flexibility of the protein. Larger enthalpy of the sharpening effects was observed for the steroid-bound enzyme (-0.527 +/- 0.016 kcal/mol) than for the free enzyme (-0.250 +/- 0.018 kcal/mol) by lowering the temperature, indicating that interactions of Tyr-14 with its environment, which restrain its motion, are stronger in the steroid-bound enzyme than in the free enzyme. Hydrogen-bonding modes of Tyr-14, mobility of the active site, and protein flexibility are the environmental factors determining the absorption bandwidths of the critical Tyr-14 residue.

Binding Sites↗

Solution structure and function in trifluoroethanol of PP-50, an ATP-binding peptide from F1ATPase.

PP-50, a synthetic peptide, based on residues 141-190 of the beta-subunit of mitochondrial F1ATPase, containing the GX4GKT consensus sequence for nucleoside triphosphate binding, binds ATP tightly (Kd = 17.5 microM) as found by fluorescence titration at pH 4.0. CD and 2D proton NMR studies at pH 4.0 revealed two beta-turns, regions of extended secondary structure, transient tertiary structure, and flexibility in the GX4GKT region (W.J. Chuang, C. Abeygunawardana, P. L. Pedersen, and A. S. Mildvan, 1992, Biochemistry 31, 7915-7921). CD titration of PP-50 with trifluoroethanol (TFE) reveals a decrease in ellipticity at 208 and 222 nm, saturating at 25% TFE. Computer analysis indicates that 25% TFE increases the helix content from 5.8 to 28.6%, decreases the beta-structure from 30.2 to 20.2% and decreases the coil content from 64 to 51.2%. Fluorescence titrations of H2ATP2- with PP-50 in 25% TFE yields a Kd of 7.3 microM, 2.4-fold tighter than in H2O, probably due to TFE increasing the activity of H2ATP2- . PP-50 completely quenches the fluorescence of H2ATP2- in 25% TFE, while in H2O the fluorescence quenching is only 62%. In H2O the binding of H2ATP2- increases the structure of PP-50 as detected by CD, but in 25% TFE no significant change in CD is found on binding either H2ATP2- or Mg2+ HATP (Kd = 14 microM). The complete proton NMR spectrum of PP-50 in 25% TFE has been assigned. The solution structure, determined by distance geometry, molecular dynamics with simulated annealing, and energy minimization, consists of a coil (residues 1-8), a strand (residues 9-12), a loop (residues 13-22) containing the GX4GKT consensus sequence (residues 16-23), an alpha-helix (residues 23-36), a turn (residues 38-41), and a coil (residues 42-50), similar to that of the corresponding region of the X-ray structure of F1ATPase (J.P. Abrahams, A.G.W. Leslie, R. Lutter, and J. E. Walker, 1994 Nature 370, 621-628) and to the structure of a homologous peptide from the ATP-binding site of adenylate kinase (D. C. Fry, D. M. Byler, H. Susi, E. M. Brown, S. A. Kuby, and A. S. Mildvan, 1988 Biochemistry 27, 3588-3598), beta, gamma-Bidentate Cr3+ ATP binds to PP-50 with the Cr3+ pyrophosphate moiety approaching the epsilon-methylene group of K22 in the GX4GKT consensus sequence, in agreement with the X-ray structure of the Mg2+ AMPPNP complex of F1ATPase.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

NMR studies of the conformations and location of nucleotides bound to the Escherichia coli MutT enzyme.

The MutT enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of nucleoside triphosphates to nucleoside monophosphates and pyrophosphate by substitution at the rarely attacked beta-phosphorus. Nucleotides containing bulky substituents at the 8 position of the purine ring are preferentially hydrolyzed. The conformation of the MutT-bound nonhydrolyzable substrate analog Mg(2+)-AMPCPP, determined by 10 intramolecular NOEs and molecular dynamics refinement using a full relaxation matrix analysis with back-calculation of the NOESY intensities, is high anti (chi = 53 +/- 9 degrees), with a C2'-exo, O1'-endo sugar pucker. Similarly, the product of dGTP hydrolysis, dGMP, also binds MutT in a high anti (chi = 73 +/- 9 degrees) C1'-endo conformation based on seven intramolecular NOEs. Such high anti rotations of the base would allow MutT to accommodate nucleotides substituted at the C-8 position with no intramolecular clashes. Changes in chemical shifts in the 1H-15N spectra of the enzyme induced by Mg2+ and Mg2+ AMPCPP suggest that the metal activator and nucleotide interact with residues in loop I, at the carboxyl end of helix I, loop II, loop III, and beta-strands A and B of the secondary structure of MutT. The displacement of Mg2+ by Mn2+ causes the selective disappearance due to paramagnetic broadening of 1H-15N cross peaks from G37, G38, and K39 in loop I and E57 in helix I. Eleven intermolecular NOEs between Mg2+AMPCPP and hydrophobic residues of MutT are found, three of which are tentatively assigned to L67 in loop II and three to L54 in helix I. Similarly, seven intermolecular NOEs between dGMP and hydrophobic residues of the enzyme are found, four of which are tentatively assigned to L54 and two to V58, both in helix I. These interactions indicate that the loop I-helix I-loop II motif contributes significantly to the active site of MutT in accord with mutagenesis studies and with sequence homologies among MutT-like NTP pyrophosphohydrolases.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy of delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase revisited: substrate polarization by active-site residues.

The delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase (EC 5.3.3.1) of Pseudomonas testosteroni promotes extremely rapid conversion of delta 5- to delta 4-3-ketosteroids by a conservative intramolecular proton transfer via an enolic intermediate. The competitive inhibitor 19-nortestosterone displays marked spectroscopic changes upon binding to the enzyme, but the mechanisms responsible for these changes have not been unequivocally established. Ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) spectra are reported for 19-nortestosterone in acid solutions and for this ligand when bound to delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase, as well as to its D38N and Y14F/D38N mutants. The frequencies of UVRR bands associated with C = O and C = C stretching can be used to monitor the state of polarization of the enone fragment of the steroid and the effects of the catalytic side chains, Tyr-14 and Asp-38, on these polarizations. Strong polarization is indicated by marked frequency downshifts of the C = O and C = C bands in the native protein; the downshifts are diminished by the mutations of these catalytic residues. The lower polarizing effects of the Y14F and D38N single mutants and the Y14F/D38N double mutant indicate that most of the polarization of the conjugated ketone is attributable to hydrogen-bond donation by the hydroxyl group of Tyr-14. A smaller contribution of Asp-38 is detected which is, in part, cooperative with that of Tyr-14. Reference spectra of hydrogen-bonded and protonated forms of 19-nortestosterone are reassigned, on the basis of the species identification of D. C. Hawkinson and R. M. Pollack [(1993) Biochemistry 32, 694-698].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Binding Sites↗