Acyl-adenylate motif of the acyl-adenylate/thioester-forming enzyme superfamily: a site-directed mutagenesis study with the Pseudomonas sp. strain CBS3 4-chlorobenzoate:coenzyme A ligase

Acetyl-CoA synthetase activity is enzymatically regulated by lysine acetylation using acetyl-CoA or acetyl-phosphate as donor molecule

The AMP-forming acetyl-CoA synthetase is regulated by lysine acetylation both in bacteria and eukaryotes. However, the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. The Bacillus subtilis acetyltransferase AcuA and the AMP-forming acetyl-CoA synthetase AcsA form an AcuA•AcsA complex, dissociating upon lysine acetylation of AcsA by AcuA. Crystal structures of AcsA from Chloroflexota bacterium in the apo form and in complex with acetyl-adenosine-5'-monophosphate (acetyl-AMP) support the flexible C-terminal domain adopting different conformations. AlphaFold2 predictions suggest binding of AcuA stabilizes AcsA in an undescribed conformation. We show the AcuA•AcsA complex dissociates upon acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) dependent acetylation of AcsA by AcuA. We discover an intrinsic phosphotransacetylase activity enabling AcuA•AcsA generating acetyl-CoA from acetyl-phosphate (AcP) and coenzyme A (CoA) used by AcuA to acetylate and inactivate AcsA. Here, we provide mechanistic insights into the regulation of AMP-forming acetyl-CoA synthetases by lysine acetylation and discover an intrinsic phosphotransacetylase allowing modulation of its activity based on AcP and CoA levels.

The Roles of Coenzyme A Binding Pocket Residues in Short and Medium Chain Acyl-CoA Synthetases

Short- and medium-chain acyl-CoA synthetases catalyze similar two-step reactions in which acyl substrate and ATP bind to form an enzyme-bound acyl-adenylate, then CoA binds for formation of the acyl-CoA product. We investigated the roles of active site residues in CoA binding in acetyl-CoA synthetase (Acs) and a medium-chain acyl-CoA synthetase (Macs) that uses 2-methylbutyryl-CoA. Three highly conserved residues, Arg193, Arg528, and Arg586 of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus Acs (AcsMt), are predicted to form important interactions with the 5'- and 3'-phosphate groups of CoA. Kinetic characterization of AcsMt variants altered at each of these positions indicates these Arg residues play a critical role in CoA binding and catalysis. The predicted CoA binding site of Methanosarcina acetivorans Macs (MacsMa) is structurally more closely related to that of 4-chlorobenzoate:coenzyme A ligase (CBAL) than Acs. Alteration of MacsMa residues Tyr460, Arg490, Tyr525, and Tyr527, which correspond to CoA binding pocket residues in CBAL, strongly affected CoA binding and catalysis without substantially affecting acyl-adenylate formation. Both enzymes discriminate between 3'-dephospho-CoA and CoA, indicating interaction between the enzyme and the 3'-phosphate group is important. Alteration of MacsMa residues Lys461 and Lys519, located at positions equivalent to AcsMt Arg528 and Arg586, respectively, had only a moderate effect on CoA binding and catalysis. Overall, our results indicate the active site architecture in AcsMt and MacsMa differs even though these enzymes catalyze mechanistically similar reactions. The significance of this study is that we have delineated the active site architecture with respect to CoA binding and catalysis in this important enzyme superfamily.

DltC acts as an interaction hub for AcpS, DltA and DltB in the teichoic acid D-alanylation pathway of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum

Teichoic acids (TA) are crucial for the homeostasis of the bacterial cell wall as well as their developmental behavior and interplay with the environment. TA can be decorated by different modifications, modulating thus their biochemical properties. One major modification consists in the esterification of TA by d-alanine, a process known as d-alanylation. TA d-alanylation is performed by the Dlt pathway, which starts in the cytoplasm and continues extracellularly after d-Ala transportation through the membrane. In this study, we combined structural biology and in vivo approaches to dissect the cytoplasmic steps of this pathway in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, a bacterial species conferring health benefits to its animal host. After establishing that AcpS, DltB, DltC1 and DltA are required for the promotion of Drosophila juvenile growth under chronic undernutrition, we solved their crystal structure and/or used NMR and molecular modeling to study their interactions. Our work demonstrates that the suite of interactions between these proteins is ordered with a conserved surface of DltC1 docking sequentially AcpS, DltA and eventually DltB. Altogether, we conclude that DltC1 acts as an interaction hub for all the successive cytoplasmic steps of the TA d-alanylation pathway.

Molecular and functional characterization of a jasmonate resistant gene of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Jasmonates play important roles in several plant developmental processes and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. This study identified a gene encoding jasmonate resistant 1 (JAR1) protein that catalyzes the production of bioactive jasmonoyl-isoleucine (JA-Ile) from hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L), designated as TaJAR1B. The nucleotide sequence of TaJAR1B and amino acid sequence of the corresponding protein exhibited high identity and similarity with other plant JAR1s. Feeding the culture of E. coli cells heterologously expressing TaJAR1B with jasmonic acid (JA) resulted in the production of JA-Ile, indicating the functionality of TaJAR1B in converting JA to JA-Ile. TaJAR1B was highly expressed in the internodes of adult plants and maturing seeds. Salt treatment induced the expression level of TaJAR1B in seedling tissues. Our results indicate that TaJAR1B encodes a functional JAR and is involved in the regulation of plant growth and developmental processes and response to salinity in wheat.

Aryl Coenzyme A Ligases, a Subfamily of the Adenylate-Forming Enzyme Superfamily

Aryl coenzyme A (CoA) ligases belong to class I of the adenylate-forming enzyme superfamily (ANL superfamily). They catalyze the formation of thioester bonds between aromatic compounds and CoA and occur in nearly all forms of life. These ligases are involved in various metabolic pathways degrading benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They are often necessary to produce the central intermediate benzoyl-CoA that occurs in various anaerobic pathways. The substrate specificity is very diverse between enzymes within the same class, while the dependency on Mg²⁺, ATP, and CoA as well as oxygen insensitivity are characteristics shared by the whole enzyme class. Some organisms employ the same aryl-CoA ligase when growing aerobically and anaerobically, while others induce different enzymes depending on the environmental conditions. Aryl-CoA ligases can be divided into two major groups, benzoate:CoA ligase-like enzymes and phenylacetate:CoA ligase-like enzymes. They are widely distributed between the phylogenetic clades of the ANL superfamily and show closer relationships within the subfamilies than to other aryl-CoA ligases. This, together with residual CoA ligase activity in various other enzymes of the ANL superfamily, leads to the conclusion that CoA ligases might be the ancestral proteins from which all other ANL superfamily enzymes developed.

Genome-Wide Identification and Gene Expression Analysis of Acyl-Activating Enzymes Superfamily in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Under Aluminum Stress

In response to changing environments, plants regulate gene expression and subsequent metabolism to acclimate and survive. A superfamily of acyl-activating enzymes (AAEs) has been observed in every class of creatures on planet. Some of plant AAE genes have been identified and functionally characterized to be involved in growth, development, biotic, and abiotic stresses via mediating diverse metabolic pathways. However, less information is available about AAEs superfamily in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), the highest value fruit and vegetable crop globally. In this study, we aimed to identify tomato AAEs superfamily and investigate potential functions with respect to aluminum (Al) stress that represents one of the major factors limiting crop productivity on acid soils worldwide. Fifty-three AAE genes of tomato were identified and named on the basis of phylogenetic relationships between Arabidopsis and tomato. The phylogenetic analysis showed that AAEs could be classified into six clades; however, clade III contains no AAE genes of tomato. Synteny analyses revealed tomato vegetable paralogs and Arabidopsis orthologs. The RNA-seq and quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis indicated that 9 out of 53 AAEs genes were significantly up- or downregulated by Al stress. Numerous cis-acting elements implicated in biotic and abiotic stresses were detected in the promoter regions of SlAAEs. As the most abundantly expressed gene in root apex and highly induced by Al, there are many potential STOP1 cis-acting elements present in the promoter of SlAAE3-1, and its expression in root apex was specific to Al. Finally, transgenic tobacco lines overexpressing SlAAE3-1 displayed increased tolerance to Al. Altogether, our results pave the way for further studies on the functional characterization of SlAAE genes in tomato with a wish of improvement in tomato crop in the future.

The crystal structure of AjiA1 reveals a novel structural motion mechanism in the adenylate-forming enzyme family

Adenylate-forming enzymes (AFEs) are a mechanistic superfamily of proteins that are involved in many cellular roles. In the biosynthesis of benzoxazole antibiotics, an AFE has been reported to play a key role in the condensation of cyclic molecules. In the biosynthetic gene cluster for the benzoxazole AJI9561, AjiA1 catalyzes the condensation of two 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3-HAA) molecules using ATP as a co-substrate. Here, the enzymatic activity of AjiA1 is reported together with a structural analysis of its apo form. The structure of AjiA1 was solved at 2.0 Å resolution and shows a conserved fold with other AFE family members. AjiA1 exhibits activity in the presence of 3-HAA (K m = 77.86 ± 28.36, k cat = 0.04 ± 0.004) and also with the alternative substrate 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (3-HBA; K m = 22.12 ± 31.35, k cat = 0.08 ± 0.005). The structure of AjiA1 in the apo form also reveals crucial conformational changes that occur during the catalytic cycle of this enzyme which have not been described for any other AFE member. Consequently, the results shown here provide insights into this protein family and a new subgroup is proposed for enzymes that are involved in benzoxazole-ring formation.

Phenolic metabolism in the hornwort Anthoceros agrestis: 4-coumarate CoA ligase and 4-hydroxybenzoate CoA ligase

4-Coumarate coenzyme A ligase and 4-hydroxybenzoate coenzyme A ligase from the hornwort Anthoceros agrestis expressed in E. coli were characterized on biochemical and molecular levels and showed interesting substrate specificities. Acyl-activating enzymes are associated with the biosynthesis or degradation of various metabolic products such as lipids, amino acids, sugars, and natural compounds. In this work, cDNA sequences encoding 4-coumarate coenzyme A ligase (4CL) and 4-hydroxybenzoate coenzyme A ligase (4HBCL) were amplified from the hornwort Anthoceros agrestis. The coding sequences were expressed in E. coli and purified by Ni-chelate chromatography. The CoA ligases exhibited different substrate specificities. 4CL catalyzed the activation of 4-coumaric acid, 3-coumaric acid, 2-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, isoferulic acid, ferulic acid, and cinnamic acid but lacked activities towards sinapic acid and benzoic acids. In contrast, 4HBCL preferred 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and benzoic acid, but also accepted other benzoic acid derivatives except salicylic acid and 3-aminosalicylic acid. Furthermore, 4HBCL also activated isoferulic acid, cinnamic acid, 2-coumaric acid, 3-coumaric acid, 4-coumaric acid and caffeic acid, but lacked affinity for ferulic acid and sinapic acid. These substrate specificities could be related to the phenolic compounds identified in Anthoceros agrestis.

A Priming Cassette Generates Hydroxylated Acyl Starter Units in Mupirocin and Thiomarinol Biosynthesis

Mupirocin, a commercially available antibiotic produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB 10586, and thiomarinol, isolated from the marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. SANK 73390, both consist of a polyketide-derived monic acid homologue esterified with either 9-hydroxynonanoic acid (mupirocin, 9HN) or 8-hydroxyoctanoic acid (thiomarinol, 8HO). The mechanisms of formation of these deceptively simple 9HN and 8HO fatty acid moieties in mup and tml, respectively, remain unresolved. To define starter unit generation, the purified mupirocin proteins MupQ, MupS, and MacpD and their thiomarinol equivalents (TmlQ, TmlS and TacpD) have been expressed and shown to convert malonyl coenzyme A (CoA) and succinyl CoA to 3-hydroxypropionoyl (3-HP) or 4-hydroxybutyryl (4-HB) fatty acid starter units, respectively, via the MupQ/TmlQ catalyzed generation of an unusual bis-CoA/acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioester, followed by MupS/TmlS catalyzed reduction. Mix and match experiments show MupQ/TmlQ to be highly selective for the correct CoA. MacpD/TacpD were interchangeable but alternate trans-acting ACPs from the mupirocin pathway (MacpA/TacpA) or a heterologous ACP (BatA) were nonfunctional. MupS and TmlS selectivity was more varied, and these reductases differed in their substrate and ACP selectivity. The solution structure of MacpD determined by NMR revealed a C-terminal extension with partial helical character that has been shown to be important for maintaining high titers of mupirocin. We generated a truncated MacpD construct, MacpD_T, which lacks this C-terminal extension but retains an ability to generate 3-HP with MupS and MupQ, suggesting further downstream roles in protein-protein interactions for this region of the ACP.

Characterization of Microalgal Acetyl-CoA Synthetases with High Catalytic Efficiency Reveals Their Regulatory Mechanism and Lipid Engineering Potential

Acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) plays a key role in microalgal lipid biosynthesis and acetyl-CoA industrial production. In the present study, two ACSs were cloned and characterized from the oleaginous microalga Chromochloris zofingiensis. In vitro kinetic analysis showed that the K_m values of CzACS1 and CzACS2 for potassium acetate were 0.99 and 0.81 mM, respectively. Moreover, CzACS1 and CzACS2 had outstanding catalytic efficiencies (k_cat/K_m), which were 70.67 and 79.98 s^-1 mM^-1, respectively, and these values were higher than that of other reported ACSs. CzACS1 and CzACS2 exhibited differential expression patterns at the transcriptional level under various conditions. Screening a recombinant library of 52 transcription factors (TFs) constructed in the present study via yeast one-hybrid assay pointed to seven TFs with potential involvement in the regulation of the two ACS genes. Expression correlation analysis implied that GATA20 was likely an important regulator of CzACS2 and that ERF9 could regulate two CzACSs simultaneously.

Altering the Substrate Specificity of Acetyl-CoA Synthetase by Rational Mutagenesis of the Carboxylate Binding Pocket

Acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) is a member of a large superfamily of enzymes that display diverse substrate specificities, with a common mechanism of catalyzing the formation of a thioester bond between Coenzyme A and a carboxylic acid, while hydrolyzing ATP to AMP and pyrophosphate. As an activated form of acetate, acetyl-CoA is a key metabolic intermediate that links many metabolic processes, including the TCA cycle, amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism and biosynthetic processes that generate many polyketides and some terpenes. We explored the structural basis of the specificity of ACS for only activating acetate, whereas other members of this superfamily utilize a broad range of other carboxylate substrates. By computationally modeling the structure of the Arabidopsis ACS and the Pseudomonas chlororaphis isobutyryl-CoA synthetase using the experimentally determined tertiary structures of homologous ACS enzymes as templates, we identified residues that potentially comprise the carboxylate binding pocket. These predictions were systematically tested by mutagenesis of four specific residues. The resulting rationally redesigned carboxylate binding pocket modified the size and chemo-physical properties of the carboxylate binding pocket. This redesign successfully switched a highly specific enzyme from using only acetate, to be equally specific for using longer linear (up to hexanoate) or branched chain (methylvalerate) carboxylate substrates. The significance of this achievement is that it sets a precedent for understanding the structure-function relationship of an enzyme without the need for an experimentally determined tertiary structure of that target enzyme, and rationally generates new biocatalysts for metabolic engineering of a broad range of metabolic processes.

Characterization of acetyl-CoA synthetase kinetics and ATP-binding

BACKGROUND

The superfamily of adenylating enzymes is a large family of enzymes broadly distributed from bacteria to humans. Acetyl-CoA synthetase (Acs), member of this family, is a metabolic enzyme with an essential role in Escherichia coli (E. coli) acetate metabolism, whose catalytic activity is regulated by acetylation/deacetylation in vivo.

METHODS

In this study, the kinetics and thermodynamic parameters of deacetylated and acetylated E. coli Acs were studied for the adenylating step. Moreover, the role of the T264, K270, D500 and K609 residues in catalysis and ATP-binding was also determined by Isothermal titration calorimetry.

RESULTS

The results showed that native Acs enzyme binds ATP in an endothermic way. The dissociation constant has been determined and ATP-binding showed no significant differences between acetylated and deacetylated enzyme, although k_cat was much higher for the deacetylated enzyme. However, K609 lysine mutation resulted in an increase in ATP-Acs-affinity and in a total loss of enzymatic activity, while T264 and D500 mutant proteins showed a total loss of ATP-binding ability and a decrease in catalytic activity. K609 site-specified acetylation induced a change in Acs conformation which resulted in an exothermic and more energetic ATP-binding.

CONCLUSIONS

The differences in ATP-binding could explain the broadly conserved inactivation of Acs when K609 is acetylated.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

The results presented in this study demonstrate the importance of the selected residues in Acs ATP-binding and represent an advance in our understanding of the adenylation step of the superfamily of adenylating enzymes and of their acetylation/deacetylation regulation.

The Gene Structure and Expression Level Changes of the GH3 Gene Family in Brassica napus Relative to Its Diploid Ancestors

The GH3 gene family plays a vital role in the phytohormone-related growth and developmental processes. The effects of allopolyploidization on GH3 gene structures and expression levels have not been reported. In this study, a total of 38, 25, and 66 GH3 genes were identified in Brassica rapa (A_rA_r), Brassica oleracea (C_oC_o), and Brassica napus (A_nAC_nC_n), respectively. BnaGH3 genes were unevenly distributed on chromosomes with 39 on A_n and 27 on C_n, in which six BnaGH3 genes may appear as new genes. The whole genome triplication allowed the GH3 gene family to expand in diploid ancestors, and allopolyploidization made the GH3 gene family re-expand in B. napus. For most BnaGH3 genes, the exon-intron compositions were similar to diploid ancestors, while the cis-element distributions were obviously different from its ancestors. After allopolyploidization, the expression patterns of GH3 genes from ancestor species changed greatly in B. napus, and the orthologous gene pairs between A_n/A_r and C_n/C_o had diverged expression patterns across four tissues. Our study provides a comprehensive analysis of the GH3 gene family in B. napus, and these results could contribute to identifying genes with vital roles in phytohormone-related growth and developmental processes.

In silico analysis of class I adenylate-forming enzymes reveals family and group-specific conservations

Luciferases, aryl- and fatty-acyl CoA synthetases, and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase proteins belong to the class I adenylate-forming enzyme superfamily. The reaction catalyzed by the adenylate-forming enzymes is categorized by a two-step process of adenylation and thioesterification. Although all of these proteins perform a similar two-step process, each family may perform the process to yield completely different results. For example, luciferase proteins perform adenylation and oxidation to produce the green fluorescent light found in fireflies, while fatty-acyl CoA synthetases perform adenylation and thioesterification with coenzyme A to assist in metabolic processes involving fatty acids. This study aligned a total of 374 sequences belonging to the adenylate-forming superfamily. Analysis of the sequences revealed five fully conserved residues throughout all sequences, as well as 78 more residues conserved in at least 60% of sequences aligned. Conserved positions are involved in magnesium and AMP binding and maintaining enzyme structure. Also, ten conserved sequence motifs that included most of the conserved residues were identified. A phylogenetic tree was used to assign sequences into nine different groups. Finally, group entropy analysis identified novel conservations unique to each enzyme group. Common group-specific positions identified in multiple groups include positions critical to coordinating AMP and the CoA-bound product, a position that governs active site shape, and positions that help to maintain enzyme structure through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. These positions could serve as excellent targets for future research.

Structures of the N-Terminal Domain of PqsA in Complex with Anthraniloyl- and 6-Fluoroanthraniloyl-AMP: Substrate Activation in Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal (PQS) Biosynthesis

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a prevalent pathogen in nosocomial infections and a major burden in cystic fibrosis, uses three interconnected quorum-sensing systems to coordinate virulence processes. At variance with other Gram-negative bacteria, one of these systems relies on 2-alkyl-4(1H)-quinolones (Pseudomonas quinolone signal, PQS) and might hence be an attractive target for new anti-infective agents. Here we report crystal structures of the N-terminal domain of anthranilate-CoA ligase PqsA, the first enzyme of PQS biosynthesis, in complex with anthraniloyl-AMP and with 6-fluoroanthraniloyl-AMP (6FABA-AMP) at 1.4 and 1.7 Å resolution. We find that PqsA belongs to an unrecognized subfamily of anthranilate-CoA ligases that recognize the amino group of anthranilate through a water-mediated hydrogen bond. The complex with 6FABA-AMP explains why 6FABA, an inhibitor of PQS biosynthesis, is a good substrate of PqsA. Together, our data might pave a way to new pathoblockers in P. aeruginosa infections.

Competing Pathways and Multiple Folding Nuclei in a Large Multidomain Protein, Luciferase

Proteins obtain their final functional configuration through incremental folding with many intermediate steps in the folding pathway. If known, these intermediate steps could be valuable new targets for designing therapeutics and the sequence of events could elucidate the mechanism of refolding. However, determining these intermediate steps is hardly an easy feat, and has been elusive for most proteins, especially large, multidomain proteins. Here, we effectively map part of the folding pathway for the model large multidomain protein, Luciferase, by combining single-molecule force-spectroscopy experiments and coarse-grained simulation. Single-molecule refolding experiments reveal the initial nucleation of folding while simulations corroborate these stable core structures of Luciferase, and indicate the relative propensities for each to propagate to the final folded native state. Both experimental refolding and Monte Carlo simulations of Markov state models generated from simulation reveal that Luciferase most often folds along a pathway originating from the nucleation of the N-terminal domain, and that this pathway is the least likely to form nonnative structures. We then engineer truncated variants of Luciferase whose sequences corresponded to the putative structure from simulation and we use atomic force spectroscopy to determine their unfolding and stability. These experimental results corroborate the structures predicted from the folding simulation and strongly suggest that they are intermediates along the folding pathway. Taken together, our results suggest that initial Luciferase refolding occurs along a vectorial pathway and also suggest a mechanism that chaperones may exploit to prevent misfolding.

Identification of Jasmonic Acid and Jasmonoyl-Isoleucine, and Characterization of AOS, AOC, OPR and JAR1 in the Model Lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii

Jasmonic acid (JA) is involved in a variety of physiological responses in seed plants. However, the detection and role of JA in lycophytes, a group of seedless vascular plants, have remained elusive until recently. This study provides the first evidence of 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), JA and jasmonoyl-isoleucine (JA-Ile) in the model lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii. Mechanical wounding stimulated the accumulation of OPDA, JA and JA-Ile. These data were corroborated by the detection of enzymatically active allene oxide synthase (AOS), allene oxide cyclase (AOC), 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid reductase 3 (OPR3) and JA-Ile synthase (JAR1) in S. moellendorffii. SmAOS2 is involved in the first committed step of JA biosynthesis. SmAOC1 is a crucial enzyme for generating the basic structure of jasmonates and is actively involved in the formation of OPDA. SmOPR5, a functionally active OPR3-like enzyme, is also vital for the reduction of (+)-cis-OPDA, the only isomer of the JA precursor. The conjugation of JA to Ile by SmJAR1 demonstrates that S. moellendorffii produces JA-Ile. Thus, the four active enzymes have characteristics similar to those in seed plants. Wounding and JA treatment induced the expression of SmAOC1 and SmOPR5. Furthermore, JA inhibited the growth of shoots in S. moellendorffii, which suggests that JA functions as a signaling molecule in S. moellendorffii. This study proposes that JA evolved as a plant hormone for stress adaptation, beginning with the emergence of vascular plants.

Structural basis of jasmonate-amido synthetase FIN219 in complex with glutathione S-transferase FIP1 during the JA signal regulation

Far-red (FR) light-coupled jasmonate (JA) signaling is necessary for plant defense and development. FR insensitive 219 (FIN219) is a member of the Gretchen Hagen 3 (GH3) family of proteins in Arabidopsis and belongs to the adenylate-forming family of enzymes. It directly controls biosynthesis of jasmonoyl-isoleucine in JA-mediated defense responses and interacts with FIN219-interacting protein 1 (FIP1) under FR light conditions. FIN219 and FIP1 are involved in FR light signaling and are regulators of the interplay between light and JA signaling. However, how their interactions affect plant physiological functions remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate the crystal structures of FIN219-FIP1 while binding with substrates at atomic resolution. Our results show an unexpected FIN219 conformation and demonstrate various differences between this protein and other members of the GH3 family. We show that the rotated C-terminal domain of FIN219 alters ATP binding and the core structure of the active site. We further demonstrate that this unique FIN219-FIP1 structure is crucial for increasing FIN219 activity and determines the priority of substrate binding. We suggest that the increased FIN219 activity resulting from the complex form, a conformation for domain switching, allows FIN219 to switch to its high-affinity mode and thereby enhances JA signaling under continuous FR light conditions.

Characterization and expression of AMP-forming Acetyl-CoA Synthetase from Dunaliella tertiolecta and its response to nitrogen starvation stress

AMP-forming acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) catalyzes the formation of acetyl-CoA. Here, a cDNA of ACS from Dunaliella tertiolecta (DtACS) was isolated using RACEs. The full-length DtACS cDNA (GenBank: KT692941) is 2,464 bp with a putative ORF of 2,184 bp, which encodes 727 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 79.72 kDa. DtACS has a close relationship with Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Volvox carteri f. nagariensis. ACSs existing in Bacteria, Archaea and Eukaryota share ten conserved motifs (A1–A10) and three signature motifs (I–III) of the acyl-adenylate/thioester forming enzyme superfamily. DtACS was expressed in E. coli BL21 as Trx-His-tagged fusion protein (~100 kDa) and the enzymatic activity was detected. The recombinant DtACS was purified by HisTrap^TM HP affinity chromatography to obtain a specific activity of 52.873 U/mg with a yield of 56.26%, which approached the specific activity of ACS isolated from other eukaryotes. Kinetic analysis indicated that the Km of DtACS was 3.59 mM for potassium acetate, and the purified DtACS exhibited a temperature optimum of 37 °C and a pH optimum of 8.0. In addition, the expression levels of DtACS were increased after nitrogen starvation cultivation, indicating that ACS activity may be related to the lipid accumulation under nitrogen deficient condition.

Structural Basis for Specificity and Flexibility in a Plant 4-Coumarate:CoA Ligase

Plant 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL) serves as a central catalyst in the phenylpropanoid pathway that provides precursors for numerous metabolites and regulates carbon flow. Here, we present several high-resolution crystal structures of Nicotiana tabacum 4CL isoform 2 (Nt4CL2) in complex with Mg(2+) and ATP, with AMP and coenzyme A (CoA), and with three different hydroxycinnamate-AMP intermediates: 4-coumaroyl-AMP, caffeoyl-AMP, and feruloyl-AMP. The Nt4CL2-Mg(2+)-ATP structure is captured in the adenylate-forming conformation, whereas the other structures are in the thioester-forming conformation. These structures represent a rare example of an ANL enzyme visualized in both conformations, and also reveal the binding determinants for both CoA and the hydroxycinnamate substrate. Kinetic studies of structure-based variants were used to identify residues crucial to catalysis, ATP binding, and hydroxycinnamate specificity. Lastly, we characterize a deletion mutant of Nt4CL2 that possesses the unusual sinapinate-utilizing activity. These studies establish a molecular framework for the engineering of this versatile biocatalyst.

Biosynthesis of Menaquinone (Vitamin K2) and Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q)

Escherichia coli and Salmonella contain the naphthoquinones menaquinone (MK; vitamin K2) and demethylmenaquinone and the benzoquinone ubiquinone (coenzyme Q; Q). Both quinones are derived from the shikimate pathway, which has been called a "metabolic tree with many branches." There are two different pathways for the biosynthesis of the naphthoquinones. The vast majority of prokaryotes, including E. coli and Salmonella, and the plants use the o-succinylbenzoate pathway, while a minority uses the futalosine pathway. The quinone nucleus of Q is derived directly from chorismate, while that of MK is derived from chorismate via isochorismate. The prenyl side chains of both quinones are from isopentenyl diphosphate formed by the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (non-mevalonate) pathway and the methyl groups are from S-adenosylmethionine. In addition, MK biosynthesis requires 2-ketoglutarate and cofactors ATP, coenzyme A, and thiamine pyrophosphate. Despite the fact that both quinones originate from the shikimate pathway, there are important differences in their biosyntheses. The prenyl side chain in MK biosynthesis is introduced at the penultimate step, accompanied by decarboxylation, whereas in Q biosynthesis it is introduced at the second step, with retention of the carboxyl group. In MK biosynthesis, all the reactions of the pathway up to prenylation are carried out by soluble enzymes, whereas all the enzymes involved in Q biosynthesis except the first are membrane bound. In MK biosynthesis, the last step is a C-methylation; in Q biosynthesis, the last step is an O-methylation. In Q biosynthesis a second C-methylation and O-methylation take place in the middle part of the pathway. Despite the fact that Q and MK biosyntheses diverge at chorismate, the C-methylations in both pathways are carried out by the same methyltransferase.

Kinetically and Crystallographically Guided Mutations of a Benzoate CoA Ligase (BadA) Elucidate Mechanism and Expand Substrate Permissivity

A benzoate CoA ligase (BadA), isolated from the bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris, catalyzes the conversion of benzoate to benzoyl CoA on the catabolic pathway of aromatic carboxylic acids. Herein, apparent Michaelis constants K(app)cat and K(app)M were determined for an expanded array of 31 substrates chosen to systematically probe the active site architecture of the enzyme and provide a baseline for expansion of wild-type substrate specificity. Acyl CoA products were observed for 25 of the 31 substrates; in general, BadA converted ortho-substituted substrates better than the corresponding meta and para regioisomers, and the turnover number was more affected by steric rather than electronic effects. The kinetic data are interpreted in relation to six crystal structures of BadA in complex with several substrates and a benzoyl-AMP reaction intermediate. In contrast to other known natural substrate-bound benzoate ligase structures, all substrate-bound BadA structures adopted the thiolation conformation instead of the adenylation conformation. We also observed all the aryl carboxylates to be uniquely oriented within the active site, relative to other structures. Together, the kinetics and structural data suggested a mechanism that involves substrate binding in the thiolation conformation, followed by substrate rotation to an active orientation upon the transition to the adenylation conformation. On the basis of this hypothesis and the structural data, sterically demanding active site residues were mutated, and the substrate specificity was expanded substantially versus that of BadA. Novel activities were seen for substrates with larger substituents, including phenyl acetate. Additionally, the mutant Lys427Ala identified this nonconserved residue as essential for the thiolation step of BadA, but not adenylation. These variously acylated CoAs can serve as novel substrates of acyl CoA-dependent acyltransferases in coupled enzyme assays to produce analogues of bioactive natural products.

Structural Basis for the ATP-dependent Configuration of Adenylation Active Site in Bacillus subtilis o-Succinylbenzoyl-CoA Synthetase

o-Succinylbenzoyl-CoA synthetase, or MenE, is an essential adenylate-forming enzyme targeted for development of novel antibiotics in the menaquinone biosynthesis. Using its crystal structures in a ligand-free form or in complex with nucleotides, a conserved pattern is identified in the interaction between ATP and adenylating enzymes, including acyl/aryl-CoA synthetases, adenylation domains of nonribosomal peptide synthetases, and luciferases. It involves tight gripping interactions of the phosphate-binding loop (P-loop) with the ATP triphosphate moiety and an open-closed conformational change to form a compact adenylation active site. In MenE catalysis, this ATP-enzyme interaction creates a new binding site for the carboxylate substrate, allowing revelation of the determinants of substrate specificities and in-line alignment of the two substrates for backside nucleophilic substitution reaction by molecular modeling. In addition, the ATP-enzyme interaction is suggested to play a crucial catalytic role by mutation of the P-loop residues hydrogen-bonded to ATP. Moreover, the ATP-enzyme interaction has also clarified the positioning and catalytic role of a conserved lysine residue in stabilization of the transition state. These findings provide new insights into the adenylation half-reaction in the domain alteration catalytic mechanism of the adenylate-forming enzymes.

AMP-acetyl CoA synthetase from Leishmania donovani: identification and functional analysis of 'PX4GK' motif

An adenosine monophosphate forming acetyl CoA synthetase (AceCS) which is the key enzyme involved in the conversion of acetate to acetyl CoA has been identified from Leishmania donovani for the first time. Sequence analysis of L. donovani AceCS (LdAceCS) revealed the presence of a 'PX4GK' motif which is highly conserved throughout organisms with higher sequence identity (96%) to lower sequence identity (38%). A ∼ 77 kDa heterologous protein with C-terminal 6X His-tag was expressed in Escherichia coli. Expression of LdAceCS in promastigotes was confirmed by western blot and RT-PCR analysis. Immunolocalization studies revealed that it is a cytosolic protein. We also report the kinetic characterization of recombinant LdAceCS with acetate, adenosine 5'-triphosphate, coenzyme A and propionate as substrates. Site directed mutagenesis of residues in conserved PX4GK motif of LdAceCS was performed to gain insight into its potential role in substrate binding, catalysis and its role in maintaining structural integrity of the protein. P646A, G651A and K652R exhibited more than 90% loss in activity signifying its indispensible role in the enzyme activity. Substitution of other residues in this motif resulted in altered substrate specificity and catalysis. However, none of them had any role in modulation of the secondary structure of the protein except G651A mutant.

Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of the jasmonate signalling pathway in response to abiotic and harvesting stress in Hevea brasiliensis

BACKGROUND

Latex harvesting in Hevea brasiliensis amounts to strong abiotic stress that can cause a halt in production in the most susceptible clones. Although the role of jasmonic acid has been suggested in laticifer differentiation, its role in latex production and in the response to harvesting stress has received very little attention. Only a few key genes acting in the COI-JAZ-MYC module have been isolated and studied at transcriptional level.

RESULTS

Use of a reference transcriptome obtained on rubber clone PB 260 covering a large number of tissues under different environmental conditions enabled us to identify 24 contigs implicated in the jasmonate signalling pathway in the rubber tree. An analysis of their expression profile by qPCR, combined with hierarchical clustering, suggested that the jasmonate signalling pathway is highly activated in laticifer cells and, more particularly, in the response to harvesting stress. By comparison with their genomic sequences, the existence of regulation by alternative splicing was discovered for JAZ transcripts in response to harvesting stress. Lastly, positive transcriptional regulation of the HbJAZ_1405 gene by MYC was demonstrated.

CONCLUSION

This study led to the identification of all actors of jasmonate signalling pathway and revealed a specific gene expression pattern in latex cells. In-depth analysis of this regulation showed alternative splicing that has been previously shown in Arabidopsis. Interestingly, genotypic variation was observed in Hevea clones with contrasting latex metabolism. This result suggests an involvement of jasmonate signalling pathway in latex production. The data suggest that specific variability of the JA pathway may have some major consequences for resistance to stress. The data support the hypothesis that a better understanding of transcriptional regulations of jasmonate pathway during harvesting stress, along with the use of genotypic diversity in response to such stress, can be used to improve resistance to stress and rubber production in Hevea.

Chaperones rescue luciferase folding by separating its domains

Over the last 50 years, significant progress has been made toward understanding how small single-domain proteins fold. However, very little is known about folding mechanisms of medium and large multidomain proteins that predominate the proteomes of all forms of life. Large proteins frequently fold cotranslationally and/or require chaperones. Firefly (Photinus pyralis) luciferase (Luciferase, 550 residues) has been a model of a cotranslationally folding protein whose extremely slow refolding (approximately days) is catalyzed by chaperones. However, the mechanism by which Luciferase misfolds and how chaperones assist Luciferase refolding remains unknown. Here we combine single-molecule force spectroscopy (atomic force microscopy (AFM)/single-molecule force spectroscopy) with steered molecular dynamic computer simulations to unravel the mechanism of chaperone-assisted Luciferase refolding. Our AFM and steered molecular dynamic results show that partially unfolded Luciferase, with the N-terminal domain remaining folded, can refold robustly without chaperones. Complete unfolding causes Luciferase to get trapped in very stable non-native configurations involving interactions between N- and C-terminal residues. However, chaperones allow the completely unfolded Luciferase to refold quickly in AFM experiments, strongly suggesting that chaperones are able to sequester non-natively contacting residues. More generally, we suggest that many chaperones, rather than actively promoting the folding, mimic the ribosomal exit tunnel and physically separate protein domains, allowing them to fold in a cotranslational-like sequential process.

Beyond D-luciferin: expanding the scope of bioluminescence imaging in vivo

The light-emitting chemical reaction catalyzed by the enzyme firefly luciferase is widely used for noninvasive imaging in live mice. However, photon emission from the luciferase is crucially dependent on the chemical properties of its substrate, D-luciferin. In this review, we describe recent work to replace the natural luciferase substrate with synthetic analogs that extend the scope of bioluminescence imaging.

Thiolation-enhanced substrate recognition by D-alanyl carrier protein ligase DltA from Bacillus cereus

D-alanylation of the lipoteichoic acid on Gram-positive cell wall is dependent on dlt gene-encoded proteins DltA, DltB, DltC and DltD. The D-alanyl carrier protein ligase DltA, as a remote homolog of acyl-(coenzyme A) (CoA) synthetase, cycles through two active conformations for the catalysis of adenylation and subsequent thiolation of D-alanine (D-Ala). The crystal structure of DltA in the absence of any substrate was observed to have a noticeably more disordered pocket for ATP which would explain why DltA has relatively low affinity for ATP in the absence of any D-alanyl carrier. We have previously enabled the thiolation of D-alanine in the presence of CoA as the mimic of D-alanyl carrier protein DltC which carries a 4’-phosphopantetheine group on a serine residue. Here we show that the resulting Michaelis constants in the presence of saturating CoA for both ATP and D-alanine were reduced more than 10 fold as compared to the values obtained in the absence of CoA. The presence of CoA also made DltA ~100-fold more selective on D-alanine over L-alanine. The CoA-enhanced substrate recognition further implies that the ATP and D-alanine substrates of the adenylation reaction are incorporated when the DltA enzyme cycles through its thiolation conformation.

Latent luciferase activity in the fruit fly revealed by a synthetic luciferin

Beetle luciferases are thought to have evolved from fatty acyl-CoA synthetases present in all insects. Both classes of enzymes activate fatty acids with ATP to form acyl-adenylate intermediates, but only luciferases can activate and oxidize d-luciferin to emit light. Here we show that the Drosophila fatty acyl-CoA synthetase CG6178, which cannot use d-luciferin as a substrate, is able to catalyze light emission from the synthetic luciferin analog CycLuc2. Bioluminescence can be detected from the purified protein, live Drosophila Schneider 2 cells, and from mammalian cells transfected with CG6178. Thus, the nonluminescent fruit fly possesses an inherent capacity for bioluminescence that is only revealed upon treatment with a xenobiotic molecule. This result expands the scope of bioluminescence and demonstrates that the introduction of a new substrate can unmask latent enzymatic activity that differs significantly from an enzyme's normal function without requiring mutation.

Salicyloyl-aspartate synthesized by the acetyl-amido synthetase GH3.5 is a potential activator of plant immunity in Arabidopsis

Salicylic acid (SA) plays a critical role in plant immunity responses against pathogen infection, especially in the establishment of systemic acquired resistance. Whether other forms of salicylates also function in plant immunity has not been explored. Our previous study has revealed that salicyloyl-aspartate (SA-Asp), the only reported endogenous SA-amino acid conjugate in plants, was highly accumulated in the Arabidopsis activation-tagged mutant gh3.5-1D after pathogen infection. In this study, we dissected SA-Asp production in Arabidopsis. In vitro biochemical experiments showed that the GH3.5 protein could catalyze the conjugation of SA with aspartic acid to form SA-Asp. SA-Asp is not converted into free SA and likely acts as a mobile molecule in plants. SA-Asp could induce pathogenesis-related (PR) gene expression and increase disease resistance to pathogenic Pseudomonas syringae. Our current study also supports the notion that GH3.5 is a multifunction enzyme in plant hormone metabolism.

FadD3 is an acyl-CoA synthetase that initiates catabolism of cholesterol rings C and D in actinobacteria

The cholesterol catabolic pathway occurs in most mycolic acid-containing actinobacteria, such as Rhodococcus jostii RHA1, and is critical for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) during infection. FadD3 is one of four predicted acyl-CoA synthetases potentially involved in cholesterol catabolism. A ΔfadD3 mutant of RHA1 grew on cholesterol to half the yield of wild-type and accumulated 3aα-H-4α(3'-propanoate)-7aβ-methylhexahydro-1,5-indanedione (HIP), consistent with the catabolism of half the steroid molecule. This phenotype was rescued by fadD3 of Mtb. Moreover, RHA1 but not ΔfadD3 grew on HIP. Purified FadD3(Mtb) catalysed the ATP-dependent CoA thioesterification of HIP and its hydroxylated analogues, 5α-OH HIP and 1β-OH HIP. The apparent specificity constant (k(cat) /K(m) ) of FadD3(Mtb) for HIP was 7.3 ± 0.3 × 10(5)  M(-1)  s(-1) , 165 times higher than for 5α-OH HIP, while the apparent K(m) for CoASH was 110 ± 10 μM. In contrast to enzymes involved in the catabolism of rings A and B, FadD3(Mtb) did not detectably transform a metabolite with a partially degraded C17 side-chain. Overall, these results indicate that FadD3 is a HIP-CoA synthetase that initiates catabolism of steroid rings C and D after side-chain degradation is complete. These findings are consistent with the actinobacterial kstR2 regulon encoding ring C/D degradation enzymes.

Role of motif III in catalysis by acetyl-CoA synthetase

The acyl-adenylate-forming enzyme superfamily, consisting of acyl- and aryl-CoA synthetases, the adenylation domain of the nonribosomal peptide synthetases, and luciferase, has three signature motifs (I–III) and ten conserved core motifs (A1–A10), some of which overlap the signature motifs. The consensus sequence for signature motif III (core motif A7) in acetyl-CoA synthetase is Y-X-S/T/A-G-D, with an invariant fifth position, highly conserved first and fourth positions, and variable second and third positions. Kinetic studies of enzyme variants revealed that an alteration at any position resulted in a strong decrease in the catalytic rate, although the most deleterious effects were observed when the first or fifth positions were changed. Structural modeling suggests that the highly conserved Tyr in the first position plays a key role in active site architecture through interaction with a highly conserved active-site Gln, and the invariant Asp in the fifth position plays a critical role in ATP binding and catalysis through interaction with the 2′- and 3′-OH groups of the ribose moiety. Interactions between these Asp and ATP are observed in all structures available for members of the superfamily, consistent with a critical role in substrate binding and catalysis for this invariant residue.

Molecular basis of the functional divergence of fatty acyl-AMP ligase biosynthetic enzymes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Activation of fatty acids as acyl-adenylates by fatty acyl-AMP ligases (FAALs) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a variant of a classical theme that involves formation of acyl-CoA (coenzyme A) by fatty acyl-CoA ligases (FACLs). Here, we show that FAALs and FACLs possess similar structural fold and substrate specificity determinants, and the key difference is the absence of a unique insertion sequence in FACL13 structure. A systematic analysis shows a conserved hydrophobic anchorage of the insertion motif across several FAALs. Strikingly, mutagenesis of two phenylalanine residues, which are part of the anchorage, to alanine converts FAAL32 to FACL32. This insertion-based in silico analysis suggests the presence of FAAL homologues in several other non-mycobacterial genomes including eukaryotes. The work presented here establishes an elegant mechanism wherein an insertion sequence drives the functional divergence of FAALs from canonical FACLs.

Evolutionary history of the GH3 family of acyl adenylases in rosids

GH3 amino acid conjugases have been identified in many plant and bacterial species. The evolution of GH3 genes in plant species is explored using the sequenced rosids Arabidopsis, papaya, poplar, and grape. Analysis of the sequenced non-rosid eudicots monkey flower and columbine, the monocots maize and rice, as well as spikemoss and moss is included to provide further insight into the origin of GH3 clades. Comparison of co-linear genes in regions surrounding GH3 genes between species helps reconstruct the evolutionary history of the family. Combining analysis of synteny with phylogenetics, gene expression and functional data redefines the Group III GH3 genes, of which AtGH3.12/PBS3, a regulator of stress-induced salicylic acid metabolism and plant defense, is a member. Contrary to previous reports that restrict PBS3 to Arabidopsis and its close relatives, PBS3 syntelogs are identified in poplar, grape, columbine, maize and rice suggesting descent from a common ancestral chromosome dating to before the eudicot/monocot split. In addition, the clade containing PBS3 has undergone a unique expansion in Arabidopsis, with expression patterns for these genes consistent with specialized and evolving stress-responsive functions.

Acyl substrate preferences of an IAA-amido synthetase account for variations in grape (Vitis vinifera L.) berry ripening caused by different auxinic compounds indicating the importance of auxin conjugation in plant development

Nine Gretchen Hagen (GH3) genes were identified in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) and six of these were predicted on the basis of protein sequence similarity to act as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-amido synthetases. The activity of these enzymes is thought to be important in controlling free IAA levels and one auxin-inducible grapevine GH3 protein, GH3-1, has previously been implicated in the berry ripening process. Ex planta assays showed that the expression of only one other GH3 gene, GH3-2, increased following the treatment of grape berries with auxinic compounds. One of these was the naturally occurring IAA and the other two were synthetic, α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and benzothiazole-2-oxyacetic acid (BTOA). The determination of steady-state kinetic parameters for the recombinant GH3-1 and GH3-2 proteins revealed that both enzymes efficiently conjugated aspartic acid (Asp) to IAA and less well to NAA, while BTOA was a poor substrate. GH3-2 gene expression was induced by IAA treatment of pre-ripening berries with an associated increase in levels of IAA-Asp and a decrease in free IAA levels. This indicates that GH3-2 responded to excess auxin to maintain low levels of free IAA. Grape berry ripening was not affected by IAA application prior to veraison (ripening onset) but was considerably delayed by NAA and even more so by BTOA. The differential effects of the three auxinic compounds on berry ripening can therefore be explained by the induction and acyl substrate specificity of GH3-2. These results further indicate an important role for GH3 proteins in controlling auxin-related plant developmental processes.

Bioinformatic Analysis of Leishmania donovani Long-Chain Fatty Acid-CoA Ligase as a Novel Drug Target

Fatty acyl-CoA synthetase (fatty acid: CoA ligase, AMP-forming; (EC 6.2.1.3)) catalyzes the formation of fatty acyl-CoA by a two-step process that proceeds through the hydrolysis of pyrophosphate. Fatty acyl-CoA represents bioactive compounds that are involved in protein transport, enzyme activation, protein acylation, cell signaling, and transcriptional control in addition to serving as substrates for beta oxidation and phospholipid biosynthesis. Fatty acyl-CoA synthetase occupies a pivotal role in cellular homeostasis, particularly in lipid metabolism. Our interest in fatty acyl-CoA synthetase stems from the identification of this enzyme, long-chain fatty acyl-CoA ligase (LCFA) by microarray analysis. We found this enzyme to be differentially expressed by Leishmania donovani amastigotes resistant to antimonial treatment. In the present study, we confirm the presence of long-chain fatty acyl-CoA ligase gene in the genome of clinical isolates of Leishmania donovani collected from the disease endemic area in India. We predict a molecular model for this enzyme for in silico docking studies using chemical library available in our institute. On the basis of the data presented in this work, we propose that long-chain fatty acyl-CoA ligase enzyme serves as an important protein and a potential target candidate for development of selective inhibitors against leishmaniasis.

A caffeyl-coenzyme A synthetase initiates caffeate activation prior to caffeate reduction in the acetogenic bacterium Acetobacterium woodii

The anaerobic acetogenic bacterium Acetobacterium woodii couples the reduction of caffeate with electrons derived from hydrogen to the synthesis of ATP by a chemiosmotic mechanism using sodium ions as coupling ions, but the enzymes involved remain to be established. Previously, the electron transfer flavoproteins EtfA and EtfB were found to be involved in caffeate respiration. By inverse PCR, we identified three genes upstream of etfA and etfB: carA, carB, and carC. carA encodes a potential coenzyme A (CoA) transferase, carB an acyl-CoA synthetase, and carC an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase. carA, -B, and -C are located together with etfA/carE and etfB/carD on one polycistronic message, indicating that CarA, CarB, and CarC are also part of the caffeate respiration pathway. The genetic data suggest an initial ATP-dependent activation of caffeate by CarB. To prove the proposed function of CarB, the protein was overproduced in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant protein was purified. Purified CarB activates caffeate to caffeyl-CoA in an ATP- and CoA-dependent reaction. The enzyme has broad pH and temperature optima and requires K(+) for activity. In addition to caffeate, it can use ρ-coumarate, ferulate, and cinnamate as substrates, with 50, 15, and 9%, respectively, of the activity obtained with caffeate. Expression of the car operon is induced not only by caffeate, ρ-coumarate, ferulate, and cinnamate but also by sinapate. There is no induction by ρ-hydroxybenzoate or syringate.

Characterization of an archaeal medium-chain acyl coenzyme A synthetase from Methanosarcina acetivorans

Short- and medium-chain acyl coenzyme A (acyl-CoA) synthetases catalyze the formation of acyl-CoA from an acyl substrate, ATP, and CoA. These enzymes catalyze mechanistically similar two-step reactions that proceed through an enzyme-bound acyl-AMP intermediate. Here we describe the characterization of a member of this enzyme family from the methane-producing archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans. This enzyme, a medium-chain acyl-CoA synthetase designated Macs(Ma), utilizes 2-methylbutyrate as its preferred substrate for acyl-CoA synthesis but cannot utilize acetate and thus cannot catalyze the first step of acetoclastic methanogenesis in M. acetivorans. When propionate or other less favorable acyl substrates, such as butyrate, 2-methylpropionate, or 2-methylvalerate, were utilized, the acyl-CoA was not produced or was produced at reduced levels. Instead, acyl-AMP and PP(i) were released in the absence of CoA, whereas in the presence of CoA, the intermediate was broken down into AMP and the acyl substrate, which were released along with PP(i). These results suggest that although acyl-CoA synthetases may have the ability to utilize a broad range of substrates for the acyl-adenylate-forming first step of the reaction, the intermediate may not be suitable for the thioester-forming second step. The Macs(Ma) structure has revealed the putative acyl substrate- and CoA-binding pockets. Six residues proposed to form the acyl substrate-binding pocket, Lys(256), Cys(298), Gly(351), Trp(259), Trp(237), and Trp(254), were targeted for alteration. Characterization of the enzyme variants indicates that these six residues are critical in acyl substrate binding and catalysis, and even conservative alterations significantly reduced the catalytic ability of the enzyme.

Sequestration of auxin by the indole-3-acetic acid-amido synthetase GH3-1 in grape berry (Vitis vinifera L.) and the proposed role of auxin conjugation during ripening

In fleshy fruit, levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), the most abundant auxin, decline towards the onset of ripening. The application of auxins to immature fruit can delay the ripening processes. However, the mechanisms by which the decrease in endogenous IAA concentrations and the maintenance of low auxin levels in maturing fruit are achieved remain elusive. The transcript of a GH3 gene (GH3-1), encoding for an IAA-amido synthetase which conjugates IAA to amino acids, was detected in grape berries (Vitis vinifera L.). GH3-1 expression increased at the onset of ripening (veraison), suggesting that it might be involved in the establishment and maintenance of low IAA concentrations in ripening berries. Furthermore, this grapevine GH3 gene, responded positively to the combined application of abscisic acid and sucrose and to ethylene, linking it to the control of ripening processes. Levels of IAA-aspartic acid (IAA-Asp), an in vitro product of recombinant GH3-1, rose after veraison and remained high during the following weeks of the ripening phase when levels of free IAA were low. A similar pattern of changes in free IAA and IAA-Asp levels was detected in developing tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.), where low concentrations of IAA and an increase in IAA-Asp concentrations coincided with the onset of ripening in this climacteric fruit. Since IAA-Asp might be involved in IAA degradation, the GH3 catalysed formation of this conjugate at, and after, the onset of ripening could represent a common IAA inactivation mechanism in climacteric and non-climacteric fruit which enables ripening.

Adenylate-forming enzymes

Thioesters, amides, and esters are common chemical building blocks in a wide array of natural products. The formation of these bonds can be catalyzed in a variety of ways. For chemists, the use of an activating group is a common strategy and adenylate enzymes are exemplars of this approach. Adenylating enzymes activate the otherwise unreactive carboxylic acid by transforming the normal hydroxyl leaving group into adenosine monophosphate. Recently there have been a number of studies of such enzymes and in this review we suggest a new classification scheme. The review highlights the diversity in enzyme fold, active site architecture, and metal coordination that has evolved to catalyze this particular reaction.

A tomato enzyme synthesizes (+)-7-iso-jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine in wounded leaves

Jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine (JA-Ile) is a key jasmonate signal that probably functions in all plant species. The JASMONATE RESISTANT 1 (JAR1) enzyme synthesizes JA-Ile in Arabidopsis [Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh.], but a similar enzyme from tomato [Solanum lycopersicum (L.)] was not previously described. Tomato SlJAR1 has 66% sequence identity with Arabidopsis JAR1 and the SlJAR1-GST fusion protein purified from Escherichia coli catalyzed the formation of JA-amino acid conjugates in vitro. Kinetic analysis showed the enzyme has a strong preference for Ile over Leu and Val and it was about 10-fold more active with (+)-7-iso-JA than with its epimer (-)-JA. Leaf wounding rapidly increased JA-Ile 50-fold to about 450 pmol g(-1) FW at 30 min after wounding, while conjugates with Leu, Phe, Val and Met were only marginally increased or not detected. Nearly all of the endogenous JA-Ile was the bioactive epimer (+)-7-iso-JA-Ile and there was no evidence for its conversion to (-)-JA-Ile up to 6 h after wounding. A transgenic RNAi approach was used to suppress SlJAR1 transcript that reduced JA-Ile accumulation by 50-75%, suggesting that other JA conjugating enzymes may be present. These results show that SlJAR1 synthesizes the bioactive conjugate (+)-7-iso-JA-Ile and this is the predominant isomer accumulated in wounded tomato leaves.

Conformational dynamics in the Acyl-CoA synthetases, adenylation domains of non-ribosomal peptide synthetases, and firefly luciferase

The ANL superfamily of adenylating enzymes contains acyl- and aryl-CoA synthetases, firefly luciferase, and the adenylation domains of the modular non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs). Members of this family catalyze two partial reactions: the initial adenylation of a carboxylate to form an acyl-AMP intermediate, followed by a second partial reaction, most commonly the formation of a thioester. Recent biochemical and structural evidence has been presented that supports the use by this enzyme family of a remarkable catalytic strategy for the two catalytic steps. The enzymes use a 140 degrees domain rotation to present opposing faces of the dynamic C-terminal domain to the active site for the different partial reactions. Support for this domain alternation strategy is presented along with an explanation of the advantage of this catalytic strategy for the reaction catalyzed by the ANL enzymes. Finally, the ramifications of this domain rotation in the catalytic cycle of the modular NRPS enzymes are discussed.

Chemical synthesis of bile acid acyl-adenylates and formation by a rat liver microsomal fraction

In mammals, unconjugated bile acids formed in the intestine by bacterial deconjugation are reconjugated (N-acylamidated) with taurine or glycine during hepatocyte transport. Activation of the carboxyl group of bile acids to form acyl-adenylates is a likely key intermediate step in bile acid N-acylamidation. To gain more insight into the process of bile acid adenylate formation, we first synthesized the adenylates of five common, natural bile acids (cholic, deoxycholic, chenodeoxycholic, ursodeoxycholic, and lithocholic acid), and confirmed their structure by proton NMR. We then investigated adenylate formation by subcellular fractions of rat liver (microsomes, mitochondria, cytosol) using a newly developed LC method for quantifying adenylate formation. The highest activity was observed in the microsomal fraction. The reaction required Mg(2+) and its optimum pH was about pH 7.0. In term of maximum velocity (V(max)) and the Michaelis constant (K(m)), the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme under the conditions used was highest with cholic acid of the bile acids tested. The formation of cholyl-adenylate was strongly inhibited by lithocholic and deoxycholic acid, as well as by palmitic acid; ibuprofen and valproic acid were weak inhibitors. In cholestatic disease, such adenylate formation might lead to subsequent bile acid conjugation with glutathione or proteins.

Biosynthesis of salicylic acid in plants

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important signal molecule in plants. Two pathways of SA biosynthesis have been proposed in plants. Biochemical studies using isotope feeding have suggested that plants synthesize SA from cinnamate produced by the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL). Silencing of PAL genes in tobacco or chemical inhibition of PAL activity in Arabidopsis, cucumber and potato reduces pathogen-induced SA accumulation. Genetic studies, on the other hand, indicate that the bulk of SA is produced from isochorismate. In bacteria, SA is synthesized from chorismate through two reactions catalyzed by isochorismate synthase (ICS) and isochorismate pyruvate lyase (IPL). Arabidopsis contains two ICS genes but has no gene encoding proteins similar to the bacterial IPL. Thus, how SA is synthesized in plants is not fully elucidated. Two recently identified Arabidopsis genes, PBS3 and EPS1, are important for pathogen-induced SA accumulation. PBS3 encodes a member of the acyl-adenylate/thioester-forming enzyme family and EPS1 encodes a member of the BAHD acyltransferase superfamily. PBS3 and EPS1 may be directly involved in the synthesis of an important precursor or regulatory molecule for SA biosynthesis. The pathways and regulation of SA biosynthesis in plants may be more complicated than previously thought.

The mechanism of domain alternation in the acyl-adenylate forming ligase superfamily member 4-chlorobenzoate: coenzyme A ligase

4-Chlorobenzoate:CoA ligase (CBL) belongs to the adenylate-forming family of enzymes that catalyze a two-step reaction to first activate a carboxylate substrate as an adenylate and then transfer the carboxylate to the pantetheine group of either coenzyme A or an acyl-carrier protein. The active site is located at the interface of a large N-terminal domain and a smaller C-terminal domain. Crystallographic structures have been determined at multiple steps along the reaction pathway and form the basis for a proposal that the C-terminal domain rotates by approximately 140 degrees between the two states that catalyze the adenylation and thioester-forming half-reactions. The domain rotation is accompanied by a change in the main chain torsional angles of Asp402, a conserved residue located at the interdomain hinge position. We have mutated the Asp402 residue to Pro in order to test the impact of reduced main chain flexibility at the putative hinge position. The crystal structure of the D402P mutant shows that the enzyme adopts the proposed adenylate-forming conformation with very little change to the overall structure. To examine the impact of this mutation on the ability of the enzyme to catalyze the complete reaction, single turnover kinetic experiments were performed. Whereas the ability of this mutant to catalyze the adenylate-forming half-reaction is reduced by approximately 3-fold, catalysis of the second half-reaction is reduced by 4 orders of magnitude. The impact of the alanine replacement of Asp402 on the thioester-forming reaction is significant, although not as dramatic as the proline mutation, and provides evidence that the Asp402 carboxylate group, through ion pair formation with N-terminal domain residue Arg400, assists in the transition to the thioester-forming conformer. Together these results support the domain alternation hypothesis.