Biomedical subjects

G L Kenyon

Publications and source records attributed to G L Kenyon.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Mechanism of the reaction catalyzed by acetoacetate decarboxylase. Importance of lysine 116 in determining the pKa of active-site lysine 115.

Acetoacetate decarboxylase from Clostridium acetobutylicum (AAD) catalyzes the decarboxylation of acetoacetate via a Schiff base intermediate [Hamilton, G. A., & Westheimer, F. H. (1959) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 81, 6332; Fridovich, I., & Westheimer F. H. (1962) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 84, 3208]. The pKa of the active-site lysine (Lys 115) is 6.0, 4.5 pKa units less than the pKa of lysine in solution [Kokesh, F. C., & Westheimer, F. H. (1971) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 93, 7270; Frey, P. A., Kokesh, F. C., & Westheimer, F. H. (1971) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 93, 7266; Schmidt, D. E., Jr., & Westheimer, F. H. (1971) Biochemistry 10, 1249]. Westheimer and co-workers hypothesized that the pKa of Lys 115 is decreased by its spatial proximity to the epsilon-ammonium group of Lys 116. We have investigated this proposal by studying site-directed mutants of Lys 115 and Lys 116. Two substitutions for Lys 115 (K115C and K115Q) were both catalytically inactive at pH 5.95, the pH optimum of wild type AAD, demonstrating the importance of this residue in catalysis. Activity could be restored to K115C by aminoethylation with 2-bromoethyl-ammonium bromide (2-BEAB). Substitutions for Lys 116 (K116C, K116N, and K116R) had reduced but significant activities at pH 5.95. The effects of Lys 116 on the pKa of Lys 115 in the mutant AADs were evaluated following imine formation with 5-nitrosalicylaldehyde and reduction with NaBH4. Whereas the pKa of Lys 115 in K116R is similar to that observed for wild type AAD, the pKaS of Lys 115 in K116C and K116N were elevated to > 9.2. Alkylation of Cys 116 in K116C with 2-BEAB resulted in both significant activation and restoration of the pKa of Lys 115 to 5.9. These data support Westheimer's hypothesis that the pKa of the Schiff base-forming Lys 115 is decreased by its spatial proximity to the epsilon-ammonium group of Lys 116.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1996

Structure-based design of parasitic protease inhibitors.

To streamline the preclinical phase of pharmaceutical development, we have explored the utility of structural data on the molecular target and synergy between computational and medicinal chemistry. We have concentrated on parasitic infectious diseases with a particular emphasis on the development of specific noncovalent inhibitors of proteases that play a key role in the parasites' life cycles. Frequently, the structure of the enzyme target of pharmaceutical interest is not available. In this setting we have modeled the structure of the relevant enzyme by virtue of its sequence similarity with proteins of known structure. For example, we have constructed a homology-based model of falcipain, the trophozoite cysteine protease, and used the computational ligand identification algorithm DOCK to identify in compuo enzyme inhibitors including oxalic bis(2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl-methylene)hydrazide (1) [Ring, C. S.; Sun, E.; McKerow, J. H.; Lee, G.; Rosenthal, P. J., Kuntz, I. D.; Cohen, F. E., Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1993, 90, 3583]. Compound 1 inhibits falcipain (IC50 6 microM) and the organism in vitro as judged by hypoxanthine uptake (IC50 7 microM). Following this lead, to date, we have identified potent bis arylacylhydrazides (IC50 150 nM) and chalcones (IC50 200 nM) that are active against both chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant strains of malaria. In a second example, cruzain, the crystallographically determined structure of a papain-like cysteine protease, resolved to 2.35 A, was available. Aided by DOCK, we have identified a family of bis-arylacylhydrazides that are potent inhibitors of cruzain (IC50 600 microM). These compounds represent useful leads for pharmaceutical development over strict enzyme inhibition criteria in a structure-based design program.

Aldehydes↗

PubMed1995

In vitro antimalarial activity of chalcones and their derivatives.

A series of chalcones and their derivatives have been synthesized and identified as novel potential antimalarials using both molecular modeling and in vitro testing against the intact parasite. A large number of chalcones and their derivatives were prepared using one-step Claisen-Schmidt condensations of aldehydes with methyl ketones. These condensates were screened in vitro against both chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum and shown to be active at concentrations in the nanomolar range. The most active chalcone derivative, 1-(2,5-dichlorophenyl)-3-(4-quinolinyl)-2-propen-1-one (7), had an IC50 value of 200 nM against both a chloroquine-resistant strain (W2) and a chloroquine-sensitive strain (D6). The resistance indexes for all compounds were substantially lower than for chloroquine, suggesting that this series will be active against chloroquine-resistant malaria. Structure-activity relationships (SAR) of the chalcones in the context of a homology-based model structure of the malaria trophozoite cysteine protease, the most likely target enzyme, are presented.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Direct sequence data from heterogeneous creatine kinase (43 kDa) by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry.

Isoelectric focusing separation of recombinant rabbit muscle creatine kinase (CK) and its 282Cys-->282Ser mutant shows the presence of three and two isoforms, respectively, that exhibit equivalent enzymatic activity. Electrospray ionization coupled with Fourier-transform mass spectrometry (10(5) resolving power) of both CKs indicates that their major components are within +/- 2 Da of the M(r) value predicted from the cDNA sequences of these mixtures. Dissociation of (M + nH)n+ gives no evidence that the components of either CK are isomers; the masses of the 51 fragment ions correlate completely (+/- 1 Da) with the values predicted from the cDNA sequence and confirm the identities of 21 of the 380 amino acids and the 282Cys-->282Ser replacement in the mutant. The results are consistent with one or two steps of post-translational amidation/deamidation (NH2-->OH, 16 Da-->17 Da), each of which would produce only a 1 Da difference in M(r), with the fragment masses indicating that at least one modification occurs between residues 212 and 282.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Sequence verification of human creatine kinase (43 kDa) isozymes by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry.

Amino acid sequencing by recombinant DNA technology, although dramatically useful, is subject to base reading errors, is indirect, and is insensitive to posttranslational processing. Mass spectrometry techniques can provide molecular weight data from even relatively large proteins for such cDNA sequences and can serve as a check of an enzyme's purity and sequence integrity. Multiply-charged ions from electrospray ionization can be dissociated to yield structural information by tandem mass spectrometry, providing a second method for gaining additional confidence in primary sequence confirmation. Here, accurate (+/- 1 Da) molecular weight and molecular ion dissociation information for human muscle and brain creatine kinases has been obtained by electrospray ionization coupled with Fourier-transform mass spectrometry to help distinguish which of several published amino acid sequences for both enzymes are correct. The results herein are consistent with one published sequence for each isozyme, and the heterogeneity indicated by isoelectric focusing due to 1-Da deamidation changes. This approach appears generally useful for detailed sequence verification of recombinant proteins.

Artifacts↗

PubMed1995

A spectrophotometric determination of alpha-dicarbonyl compounds and its application to the enzymatic formation of alpha-ketobutyrate.

A simple, rapid, and sensitive spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of alpha-keto acids, alpha-diketones, and alpha-ketoaldehydes using o-phenylenediamine as a derivatizing reagent in acidic media to yield chromophoric quinoxaline derivatives. Application to the determination of alpha-ketobutyrate and the rate of its formation from isomerization of vinylglycolate catalyzed by mandelate racemase is described. Under optimal conditions 1 to 4 mM o-phenylenediamine in 80% acetic acid was incubated at 50 degrees C for 10 min with the alpha-dicarbonyl compounds. Solutions of alpha-ketobutyrate as low as 5 microM in the buffer solution can be measured quantitatively. This method has also been used for determining the rate of formation of the phenylglyoxalate from (S)-mandelate catalyzed by (S)-mandelate dehydrogenase.

Butyrates↗

PubMed1995

A novel activity of OmpT. Proteolysis under extreme denaturing conditions.

A novel property of the bacterial outer membrane protein T, OmpT, has been discovered. It is active under extreme denaturing conditions. This finding emerged during characterization of a protease associated with the degradation of recombinant proteins expressed as inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli. These inclusion body proteins are stable to proteolytic degradation until they are solubilized by denaturation. The protease that degrades them under denaturing conditions was identified as OmpT on the basis of substrate specificity, inhibitor profile, and confirmation that its N-terminal sequence is identical with that of OmpT. A previously unknown property of this enzyme, OmpT's preference for denatured substrates, may provide a clue to its physiological function. To facilitate further characterization of this proteolytic activity, we have optimized a system to extract and assay OmpT under denaturing conditions using a soluble substrate, rabbit muscle creatine kinase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1995

Mechanism of the reaction catalyzed by mandelate racemase: importance of electrophilic catalysis by glutamic acid 317.

In the high-resolution X-ray structure of mandelate racemase (MR) with the competitive inhibitor (S)-atrolactate bound in the active site [Landro, J. A., Gerlt, J. A., Kozarich, J. W., Koo, C. W., Shah, V. J., Kenyon, G. L., Neidhart, D. J., Fujita, J., & Petsko, G. A. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 635-643], the carboxylic acid group of Glu 317 is hydrogen-bonded to the carboxylate group of the bound inhibitor. This geometry suggests that the carboxylic acid functional group of Glu 317 participates as a general acid catalyst in the concerted general acid-general base catalyzed formation of a stabilized enolic tautomer of mandelic acid as a reaction intermediate. To test this hypothesis, the E317Q mutant of MR was constructed and subjected to high-resolution X-ray structural analysis in the presence of (S)-atrolactate. No conformational alterations were observed to accompany the E317Q substitution at 2.1 A resolution. The values for kcat were reduced 4.5 x 10(3)-fold for (R)-mandelate and 2.9 x 10(4)-fold for (S)-mandelate; the values for kcat/Km were reduced 3 x 10(4)-fold. The substrate and solvent deuterium isotope effects measured for both wild-type MR and the E317Q mutant are not multiplicative when deuteriated substrate is studied in D2O, which suggests that the reactions catalyzed by both enzymes are stepwise and involve the formation of stabilized enolic intermediates. In contrast to wild-type MR, E317Q does not catalyze detectable elimination of bromide ion from either enantiomer of p-(bromomethyl)mandelate. However, E317Q is irreversibly inactivated by racemic alpha-phenylglycidate at a rate comparable to that measured for wild-type MR. Taken together, these mechanistic properties confirm the importance of Glu 317 as a general acid catalyst in the reaction catalyzed by wild-type MR. The kcat for wild-type MR and the reduction in kcat observed for E317O are discussed in terms of the analysis recently described by Gerlt and Gassman for understanding the rates and mechanisms of enzyme-catalyzed proton abstraction reactions from carbon acids [Gerlt, J. A., & Gassman, P. G. (1993) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 115, 11552-11568; Gerlt, J. A., & Gassman, P. G. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 11943-11952].

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1995

Mechanism of the reaction catalyzed by mandelate racemase: structure and mechanistic properties of the K166R mutant.

On the basis of the available high-resolution structures of mandelate racemase (MR) from Pseudomonas putida [Landro, J. A., Gerlt, J. A., Kozarich, J. W., Koo, C. W., Shah, V. J., Kenyon, G. L., Neidhart, D. J., Fujita, J., & Petsko, G. A. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 635-643], Lys 166 and His 297 are positioned appropriately to participate in catalysis as acid/base catalysts that either abstract the alpha-proton from the enantiomers of mandelate to form an enolic intermediate or protonate the enolic intermediate to form the enantiomers of mandelate, with Lys 166 participating as the (S)-specific acid/base catalyst and His 297 participating as the (R)-specific acid/base catalyst. In this paper we report the structural and mechanistic properties of the mutant in which Lys 166 has been replaced with arginine (K166R). The structure of K166R has been determined at 1.85 A resolution with the substrate (S)-mandelate bound in the active site. The structure of this complex reveals no geometric alterations in the active site, with the exception that the longer side chain of Arg 166 is necessarily displaced upward from the position occupied by Lys 166 by steric interactions with the bound substrate. In contrast to the H297N mutant of MR [Landro, J. A., Kallarakal, A. T., Ransom, S. C., Gerlt, J. A., Kozarich, J. W., Neidhart, D. J., & Kenyon, G. L. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 9275-9281], the K166R exhibits low levels of racemase activity [kcat is reduced 5 x 10(3)-fold in the (R)- to (S)-direction and 1 x 10(3)-fold in the (S)- to (R)-direction]. The substrate and solvent deuterium isotope effects support a reaction coordinate for the K166R-catalyzed reaction in which the transition state for interconversion of bound (S)-mandelate and the stabilized enolic intermediate is higher in energy that the transition state for interconversion of bound (R)-mandelate and the stabilized enolic intermediate. The solvent deuterium isotope effect when (S)-mandelate is substrate (2.2 +/- 0.3) supports the proposal that the formation of the enolic intermediate involves partial transfer of a solvent-derived proton from Glu 317 to the substrate as the alpha-proton is abstracted [Mitra, B., Kallarakal, A. T., Kozarich, J. W., Gerlt, J. A., Clifton, J. G., Petsko, G. A., & Kenyon, G. L. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 2777-2787].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1995

A functionally diverse enzyme superfamily that abstracts the alpha protons of carboxylic acids.

Mandelate racemase and muconate lactonizing enzyme are structurally homologous but catalyze different reactions, each initiated by proton abstraction from carbon. The structural similarity to mandelate racemase of a previously unidentified gene product was used to deduce its function as a galactonate dehydratase. In this enzyme superfamily that has evolved to catalyze proton abstraction from carbon, three variations of homologous active site architectures are now represented: lysine and histidine bases in the active site of mandelate racemase, only a lysine base in the active site of muconate lactonizing enzyme, and only a histidine base in the active site of galactonate dehydratase. This discovery supports the hypothesis that new enzymatic activities evolve by recruitment of a protein catalyzing the same type of chemical reaction.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1995

Purification and crystallization of benzoylformate decarboxylase.

A new large-scale purification method for benzoylformate decarboxylase from Pseudomonas putida has allowed us to undertake an X-ray crystallographic study of the enzyme. The previously observed instability of the enzyme was overcome by addition of 100 microM thiamine pyrophosphate to buffers used in the purification. The final enzyme preparation was more than 97% pure, as determined by denaturing gel electrophoresis and densitometry. The mobility of the enzyme on a gel filtration column indicates that it is a tetramer of 57-kDa subunits. Large, single crystals of benzoylformate decarboxylase were grown from solutions of buffered polyethylene glycol 400, pH 8.5. The crystals diffract to beyond 1.6 A resolution and are stable for days to X-ray radiation. Analysis of X-ray data from the crystals, along with the newly determined quaternary structure, identifies the space group as I222. The unit cell dimensions are a = 82 A, b = 97 A, c = 138 A. An average Vm value for the crystals is consistent with one subunit per asymmetric unit. The subunits of the tetramer must be arranged with tetrahedral 222 symmetry.

Carboxy-Lyases↗

PubMed1994

The role of lysine 166 in the mechanism of mandelate racemase from Pseudomonas putida: mechanistic and crystallographic evidence for stereospecific alkylation by (R)-alpha-phenylglycidate.

The mechanism of irreversible inactivation of mandelate racemase (MR) from Pseudomonas putida by alpha-phenylglycidate (alpha PGA) has been investigated stereochemically and crystallographically. The (R) and (S) enantiomers of alpha PGA were synthesized in high enantiomeric excess (81% ee and 83% ee, respectively) using Sharpless epoxidation chemistry. (R)-alpha PGA was determined to be a stereospecific and stoichiometric irreversible inactivator of MR. (S)-alpha PGA does not inactivate MR and appears to bind noncovalently to the active site of MR with less affinity than that of (R)-alpha PGA. The X-ray crystal structure (2.0-A resolution) of MR inactivated by (R)-alpha PGA revealed the presence of a covalent adduct formed by nucleophilic attack of the epsilon-amino group of Lys 166 on the distal carbon on the epoxide ring of (R)-alpha PGA. The proximity of the alpha-proton of (S)-mandelate to Lys 166 [configurationally equivalent to (R)-alpha PGA] was corroborated by the crystal structure (2.1-A resolution) of MR complexed with the substrate analog/competitive inhibitor, (S)-atrolactate [(S)-alpha-methylmandelate]. These results support the proposal that Lys 166 is the polyvalent acid/base responsible for proton transfers on the (S) face of mandelate. In addition, the high-resolution structures also provide insight into the probable interactions of mandelate with the essential Mg2+ and functional groups in the active site.

Alkylation↗

PubMed1993

Solution structure of a conserved DNA sequence from the HIV-1 genome: restrained molecular dynamics simulation with distance and torsion angle restraints derived from two-dimensional NMR spectra.

The three-dimensional solution structure of a trisdecamer DNA duplex sequence, d(AGCTTGCCTTGAG).d(CTCAAGGCAAGCT), from a conserved region of HIV-1 genome's long terminal repeat, has been investigated using NMR spectroscopy and restrained molecular dynamics calculations. Interproton distances derived from two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement (2D NOE) experiments, using the iterative complete relaxation matrix algorithm MARDIGRAS, and torsion angles for sugar rings, estimated from stimulated fitting of double-quantum-filtered correlation (2QF-COSY) spectra, were obtained [Mujeeb, A., Kerwin, S. M., Egan, W. M., Kenyon, G. L., & James, T. L. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 9325-38]. These structural restraints have now been employed as the basis for structure refinement using restrained molecular dynamics (rMD) to search conformational space for structures consistent with the experimental restraints. Specifically, upper and lower bounds on the restraints were incorporated into the AMBER (version 4.0) total potential energy function of the system, the bounds being used to define the width of a flat-well penalty term in the AMBER force field. Confidence in the time-averaged structure obtained is engendered by convergence to essentially the same structure (root-mean-square deviation approximately 0.9 A) when two quite different DNA models, A-DNA and B-DNA (RMSD approximately 6.5 A), were employed as starting structures and when various initial trajectories were used for the rMD runs. The derived structure is further supported by the total energy calculated, the restraint violation energy, the restraint deviations, and the fit with experimental data. For the latter, the sixth-root residual index indicated a good fit of the determined structure with experimental 2D NOE spectral intensities (R1x < 0.07), and the RMS difference between vicinal proton coupling constants calculated for the derived structure and experimental coupling constants were also in reasonable agreement (JRMS = 0.9 Hz). While the structure of the trisdecamer is basically in the B-DNA family, some structural parameters manifest interesting local variations. The helix parameters indicate that, compared with classical B-DNA, the structure is longitudinally more compressed. Local structural variations at the two TG steps in particular together create bending into the major groove of the duplex. Comparison of the two-CTTG-tetrads in the duplex reveals that they have similar structures, with the TT moieties being almost identical; however, the -CTTG-pur sequence has a larger roll and slide for the -TG- step than for the -CTTG-pyr sequence, in accord with published X-ray crystallographic conclusions.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1993

A novel structural basis for membrane association of a protein: construction of a chimeric soluble mutant of (S)-mandelate dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida.

The (S)-mandelate dehydrogenase (MDH) from Pseudomonas putida (ATCC 12633) is the only membrane-associated member of a homologous family of FMN-dependent, alpha-hydroxy acid dehydrogenases/oxidases that includes the structurally characterized glycolate oxidase from spinach (GOX). We have correlated the membrane association of MDH to a polypeptide segment in the interior of the primary sequence. This has been accomplished by construction of a chimeric enzyme in which the putative membrane-binding segment in MDH has been deleted and replaced with the corresponding segment from the soluble GOX. The resulting chimera, MDH-GOX, is soluble and retains partial catalytic activity (approximately 1%) using (S)-mandelate as substrate. In contrast, the activities of both the membrane-associated wild-type MDH and the soluble MDH-GOX are nearly the same when (S)-phenyllactate is used as substrate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of a membrane-associated protein in which an internal polypeptide segment anchors the protein to the membrane.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

PubMed1993

The oxidation of aldehydes by horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase.

A lag phase in the spectrophotometric assay progress curve of aldehyde oxidation by HL-ADH was observed and characterised. The aldehyde oxidation and aldehyde dismutation reactions were shown to be related, and a mechanism to explain net aldehyde oxidation was proposed. The spectrophotometric assay was shown to be unsuitable for measurement of kinetic parameters for aldehyde oxidation by HL-ADH, and kinetic constants previously determined were shown to be in error. Existing data on the aldehyde dismutation reaction are insufficient to discount a role for HL-ADH in aldehyde transformation in vivo.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

PubMed1993

On the origin of enzymatic species.

The diversity of enzyme catalytic function is remarkable, particularly when one considers that ancestral life forms must have started with a much smaller ensemble of proteins. In this article, we discuss the evolution of the mandelate pathway in pseudomonads as an example of how catalytic diversity may have evolved. We suggest that existing enzymes that catalyse the chemistry needed to accomplish a transformation were recruited, followed by the evolution of specific binding.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed1992

A potential gene target in HIV-1: rationale, selection of a conserved sequence, and determination of NMR distance and torsion angle constraints.

Recently, the capability for determining the high-resolution, sequence-dependent structure of oligonucleotides in solution via careful analysis of multidimensional NMR spectra and structure refinement procedures has been developed. Consequently, the rationale for selection of a genome sequence as a target for drug design based on the detailed three-dimensional structure of the target is presented. The concept is illustrated by the successful search for a highly conserved region of the HIV-1 genome's long terminal repeat which could serve as a molecular target. A compound which could selectively bind the target sequence could inhibit both RNA transcription from the integrated provirus and the reverse transcription process. Of 148 unique HIV-1 sequences examined, 147 exhibit a 21-base conserved sequence (nucleotides 70-90 in HIVHXB2R) in the R region of the long terminal repeat. The only exception, a minor constituent for one individual, has a change in the penultimate base. A 13 base pair duplex sequence, [d(AGCTTGCCTTGAG).d(CTCAAGGCAAGCT)], from this conserved region was selected and synthesized for NMR structure studies. Phase-sensitive proton two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement (2D NOE) and double-quantum-filtered correlation (2QF-COSY) spectra were obtained at 500 MHz for the DNA duplex. Exchangeable and nonexchangeable proton resonances were assigned. Quantitative assessments of the 2D NOE cross-peak intensities for different mixing times were carried out using conventional Fourier transform NMR and the maximum likelihood method (MLM). Distance constraints, along with upper and lower bounds, were obtained from the 2D NOE intensities using the iterative complete relaxation matrix algorithm MARDIGRAS. Distances entailing both exchangeable and nonexchangeable protons were determined: 7-11 experimental distance constraints per residue including interresidue and interstrand distances. Simulations of the scalar coupling effects manifest in 2QF-COSY cross-peaks by means of the program SPHINX/LINSHA were compared with experimental data to yield torsion angle constraints for the sugar rings. A single conformer was inadequate to describe any of the sugar puckers, but a rapid two-state equilibrium with one conformer strongly dominant (75-95%) provided a good fit of the 2QF-COSY cross-peaks. The sugar pucker of the major conformer exhibited significant variability for the various nucleotides but was roughly 2'-endo. Though derived independently and subject to different time-averaging effects, the 2QF-COSY and 2D NOE results are in accord.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1992

4-Oxalocrotonate tautomerase, an enzyme composed of 62 amino acid residues per monomer.

The xylH gene encoding 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase (4-OT) has been located on a subclone of the Pseudomonas putida mt-2 TOL plasmid pWW0 and inserted into an Escherichia coli expression vector. Several of the genes of the metafission pathway encoded by pWW0 have been cloned in E. coli, but the overexpression of their gene products has met with limited success. By utilizing the E. coli alkaline phosphatase promoter (phoA) coupled with the proper positioning of a ribosome-binding region, we are able to express functional 4-OT in yields of at least 10 mg of pure enzyme/liter of culture. 4-OT has been previously characterized and shown to be an extremely efficient catalyst (Whitman, C. P., Aird, B. A., Gillespie, W. R., and Stolowich, N. J. (1991) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113, 3154-3162). Kinetic and physical characterization of the E. coli-expressed protein show that it is identical with that of the 4-OT isolated from P. putida. The functional unit is apparently a pentamer of identical subunits, each consisting of only 62 amino acid residues. This is the smallest enzyme subunit reported to date. The amino acid sequence, determined in part from automated Edman degradation and also deduced from the primary sequence of xylH, did not show homology with any of the sequences in the current data bases nor with any of the sequences of enzymes that catalyze similar reactions. We propose that the active site of 4-OT may be established by an overlap of subunits and comprised of amino acid residues belonging to several, if not all, of the subunits.

Amino Acid Sequence↗