Characterization of the two-component, FAD-dependent monooxygenase SgcC that requires carrier protein-tethered substrates for the biosynthesis of the enediyne antitumor antibiotic C-1027

Late-Stage Tailoring Steps in the Biosynthesis of β-Rubromycin Involve Successive Terminal Oxidations, a Selective Hydroxyl Reduction, and Distinctive O-Methylations

β-Rubromycin (1) has a unique O-methylated naphthoquinone moiety and is an efficient inhibitor of human telomerase. Through in vivo and in vitro investigations, we elucidated the biosynthetic tailoring steps of compound 1, which involve the carboxyl terminal via successive oxidizations by RubU and RubO1/RubO2, O-methylation of the carboxyl terminal by RubX, and reduction of C-3' hydroxyl by RubK. The final tautomerization of the naphthoquinone moiety is mediated by RubO, which anchors the transitional intermediate through O-methylation to form the naphthoquinone tautomer. The structure-activity relationship further revealed the significant influences of the terminal modification status on anticancer activities of rubromycins.

Biosynthesis of 3-Hydroxyphloretin Using Rational Design of 4-Hydroxyphenylacetate 3-Monooxygenase

The compound 3-hydroxyphloretin is a typical dihydrochalcone that can be obtained in plants by the 3-hydroxylation of phloretin. Here, the flavin-dependent two-component monooxygenase (HpaBC) derived from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was used to convert phloretin into 3-hydroxyphloretin. Following molecular docking and sequence alignment, modifications to the substrate pocket and loop of PaHpaBC were rationally designed, and mutant residues were selected. The results showed that the mutant Q212G/F292A/Q376N gave the best yield of 3-hydroxyphloretin and showed improved catalytic efficiency. Under optimal reaction condition, 2.03 g/L of 3-hydroxyphloretin was produced in the whole-cell catalysis experiment. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were used to analyze mutants and elucidate the potential mechanism. It was found that the increase in 3-hydroxyphloretin yield was due to the improvement in the flexibility of the loop and the expansion of its substrate pocket. This strategy based on loop and substrate pocket modification has significance in the engineering of PaHpaB.

A novel catalytic heme cofactor in SfmD with a single thioether bond and a bis-His ligand set revealed by a de novo crystal structural and spectroscopic study

SfmD is a heme-dependent enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of saframycin A. Here, we present a 1.78 Å resolution de novo crystal structure of SfmD, which unveils a novel heme cofactor attached to the protein with an unusual Hx n HxxxC motif (n ∼ 38). This heme cofactor is unique in two respects. It contains a single thioether bond in a cysteine-vinyl link with Cys317, and the ferric heme has two axial protein ligands, i.e., His274 and His313. We demonstrated that SfmD heme is catalytically active and can utilize dioxygen and ascorbate for a single-oxygen insertion into 3-methyl-l-tyrosine. Catalytic assays using ascorbate derivatives revealed the functional groups of ascorbate essential to its function as a cosubstrate. Abolishing the thioether linkage through mutation of Cys317 resulted in catalytically inactive SfmD variants. EPR and optical data revealed that the heme center undergoes a substantial conformational change with one axial histidine ligand dissociating from the iron ion in response to substrate 3-methyl-l-tyrosine binding or chemical reduction by a reducing agent, such as the cosubstrate ascorbate. The labile axial ligand was identified as His274 through redox-linked structural determinations. Together, identifying an unusual heme cofactor with a previously unknown heme-binding motif for a monooxygenase activity and the structural similarity of SfmD to the members of the heme-based tryptophan dioxygenase superfamily will broaden understanding of heme chemistry.

Type II non-ribosomal peptide synthetase proteins: structure, mechanism, and protein-protein interactions

Covering: 1990 to 2019 Many medicinally-relevant compounds are derived from non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) products. Type I NRPSs are organized into large modular complexes, while type II NRPS systems contain standalone or minimal domains that often encompass specialized tailoring enzymes that produce bioactive metabolites. Protein-protein interactions and communication between the type II biosynthetic machinery and various downstream pathways are critical for efficient metabolite production. Importantly, the architecture of type II NRPS proteins makes them ideal targets for combinatorial biosynthesis and metabolic engineering. Future investigations exploring the molecular basis or protein-protein recognition in type II NRPS pathways will guide these engineering efforts. In this review, we consolidate the broad range of NRPS systems containing type II proteins and focus on structural investigations, enzymatic mechanisms, and protein-protein interactions important to unraveling pathways that produce unique metabolites, including dehydrogenated prolines, substituted benzoic acids, substituted amino acids, and cyclopropanes.

P450-Catalyzed Tailoring Steps in Leinamycin Biosynthesis Featuring Regio- and Stereoselective Hydroxylations and Substrate Promiscuities

Leinamycin (LNM) is a potent antitumor antibiotic produced by Streptomyces atroolivaceus S-140. Both in vivo and in vitro characterization of the LNM biosynthetic machinery have established the formation of the 18-membered macrolactam backbone and the C-3 alkyl branch; the nascent product, LNM E1, of the hybrid nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS)-acyltransferase (AT)-less type I polyketide synthase (PKS); and the generation of the thiol moiety at C-3 of LNM E1. However, the tailoring steps converting LNM E1 to LNM are still unknown. Based on gene inactivation and chemical investigation of three mutant strains, we investigated the tailoring steps catalyzed by two cytochromes P450 (P450s), LnmA and LnmZ, in LNM biosynthesis. Our studies revealed that (i) LnmA and LnmZ regio- and stereoselectively hydroxylate the C-8 and C-4' positions, respectively, on the scaffold of LNM; (ii) both LnmA and LnmZ exhibit substrate promiscuity, resulting in multiple LNM analogs from several shunt pathways; and (iii) the C-8 and C-4' hydroxyl groups play important roles in the cytotoxicity of LNM analogs against different cancer cell lines, shedding light on the structure-activity relationships of the LNM scaffold and the LNM-type natural products in general. These studies set the stage for future biosynthetic pathway engineering and combinatorial biosynthesis of the LNM family of natural products for structure diversity and drug discovery.

Molecular Basis for the Final Oxidative Rearrangement Steps in Chartreusin Biosynthesis

Oxidative rearrangements play key roles in introducing structural complexity and biological activities of natural products biosynthesized by type II polyketide synthases (PKSs). Chartreusin (1) is a potent antitumor polyketide that contains a unique rearranged pentacyclic aromatic bilactone aglycone derived from a type II PKS. Herein, we report an unprecedented dioxygenase, ChaP, that catalyzes the final α-pyrone ring formation in 1 biosynthesis using flavin-activated oxygen as an oxidant. The X-ray crystal structures of ChaP and two homologues, docking studies, and site-directed mutagenesis provided insights into the molecular basis of the oxidative rearrangement that involves two successive C-C bond cleavage steps followed by lactonization. ChaP is the first example of a dioxygenase that requires a flavin-activated oxygen as a substrate despite lacking flavin binding sites, and represents a new class in the vicinal oxygen chelate enzyme superfamily.

Anthranosides A-C, Anthranilate Derivatives from a Sponge-Derived Streptomyces sp. CMN-62

Three new derivatives, anthranosides A-C (1-3), were discovered from a marine sponge-derived actinomycete Streptomyces sp. CMN-62. Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated using MS and NMR spectroscopic data, X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis, and chemical synthesis. Compounds 1 and 2 are epimers composed by linking the anthranilate unit to the fructofuranose moiety via a carbon-nitrogen bond, while 3 possessed a unique indole-containing scaffold. All compounds were tested for cytotoxicity, anti-influenza H₁N₁ virus, and NFκB inhibitory activities, and 3 showed anti-influenza activity. A possible Amadori rearrangement-based biosynthetic pathway was proposed to generate compounds 1-3.

Two-Component FAD-Dependent Monooxygenases: Current Knowledge and Biotechnological Opportunities

Flavoprotein monooxygenases create valuable compounds that are of high interest for the chemical, pharmaceutical, and agrochemical industries, among others. Monooxygenases that use flavin as cofactor are either single- or two-component systems. Here we summarize the current knowledge about two-component flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent monooxygenases and describe their biotechnological relevance. Two-component FAD-dependent monooxygenases catalyze hydroxylation, epoxidation, and halogenation reactions and are physiologically involved in amino acid metabolism, mineralization of aromatic compounds, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. The monooxygenase component of these enzymes is strictly dependent on reduced FAD, which is supplied by the reductase component. More and more representatives of two-component FAD-dependent monooxygenases have been discovered and characterized in recent years, which has resulted in the identification of novel physiological roles, functional properties, and a variety of biocatalytic opportunities.

Structural Insights into the Free-Standing Condensation Enzyme SgcC5 Catalyzing Ester-Bond Formation in the Biosynthesis of the Enediyne Antitumor Antibiotic C-1027

C-1027 is a chromoprotein enediyne antitumor antibiotic, consisting of the CagA apoprotein and the C-1027 chromophore. The C-1027 chromophore features a nine-membered enediyne core appended with three peripheral moieties, including an ( S)-3-chloro-5-hydroxy-β-tyrosine. In a convergent biosynthesis of the C-1027 chromophore, the ( S)-3-chloro-5-hydroxy-β-tyrosine moiety is appended to the enediyne core by the free-standing condensation enzyme SgcC5. Unlike canonical condensation domains from the modular nonribosomal peptide synthetases that catalyze amide-bond formation, SgcC5 catalyzes ester-bond formation, as demonstrated in vitro, between SgcC2-tethered ( S)-3-chloro-5-hydroxy-β-tyrosine and ( R)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol, a mimic of the enediyne core as an acceptor substrate. Here, we report that (i) genes encoding SgcC5 homologues are widespread among both experimentally confirmed and bioinformatically predicted enediyne biosynthetic gene clusters, forming a new clade of condensation enzymes, (ii) SgcC5 shares a similar overall structure with the canonical condensation domains but forms a homodimer in solution, the active site of which is located in a cavity rather than a tunnel typically seen in condensation domains, and (iii) the catalytic histidine of SgcC5 activates the 2-hydroxyl group, while a hydrogen-bond network in SgcC5 prefers the R-enantiomer of the acceptor substrate, accounting for the regio- and stereospecific ester-bond formation between SgcC2-tethered ( S)-3-chloro-5-hydroxy-β-tyrosine and ( R)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol upon acid-base catalysis. These findings expand the catalytic repertoire and reveal new insights into the structure and mechanism of condensation enzymes.

Manipulating Protein-Protein Interactions in Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase Type II Peptidyl Carrier Proteins

In an effort to elucidate and engineer interactions in type II nonribosomal peptide synthetases, we analyzed biomolecular recognition between the essential peptidyl carrier proteins and adenylation domains using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, molecular dynamics, and mutational studies. Three peptidyl carrier proteins, PigG, PltL, and RedO, in addition to their cognate adenylation domains, PigI, PltF, and RedM, were investigated for their cross-species activity. Of the three peptidyl carrier proteins, only PigG showed substantial cross-pathway activity. Characterization of the novel NMR solution structure of holo-PigG and molecular dynamics simulations of holo-PltL and holo-PigG revealed differences in structures and dynamics of these carrier proteins. NMR titration experiments revealed perturbations of the chemical shifts of the loop 1 residues of these peptidyl carrier proteins upon their interaction with the adenylation domain. These experiments revealed a key region for the protein-protein interaction. Mutational studies supported the role of loop 1 in molecular recognition, as mutations to this region of the peptidyl carrier proteins significantly modulated their activities.

N-terminus determines activity and specificity of styrene monooxygenase reductases

Styrene monooxygenases (SMOs) are two-enzyme systems that catalyze the enantioselective epoxidation of styrene to (S)-styrene oxide. The FADH₂ co-substrate of the epoxidase component (StyA) is supplied by an NADH-dependent flavin reductase (StyB). The genome of Rhodococcus opacus 1CP encodes two SMO systems. One system, which we define as E1-type, displays homology to the SMO from Pseudomonas taiwanensis VLB120. The other system, originally reported as a fused system (RoStyA2B), is defined as E2-type. Here we found that E1-type RoStyB is inhibited by FMN, while RoStyA2B is known to be active with FMN. To rationalize the observed specificity of RoStyB for FAD, we generated an artificial reductase, designated as RoStyBart, in which the first 22 amino acid residues of RoStyB were joined to the reductase part of RoStyA2B, while the oxygenase part (A2) was removed. RoStyBart mainly purified as apo-protein and mimicked RoStyB in being inhibited by FMN. Pre-incubation with FAD yielded a turnover number at 30°C of 133.9±3.5s^-1, one of the highest rates observed for StyB reductases. RoStyBart holo-enzyme switches to a ping-pong mechanism and fluorescence analysis indicated for unproductive binding of FMN to the second (co-substrate) binding site. In summary, it is shown for the first time that optimization of the N-termini of StyB reductases allows the evolution of their activity and specificity.

Development of Halogenase Enzymes for Use in Synthesis

Nature has evolved halogenase enzymes to regioselectively halogenate a diverse range of biosynthetic precursors, with the halogens introduced often having a profound effect on the biological activity of the resulting natural products. Synthetic endeavors to create non-natural bioactive small molecules for pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications have also arrived at a similar conclusion: halogens can dramatically improve the properties of organic molecules for selective modulation of biological targets in vivo. Consequently, a high proportion of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals on the market today possess halogens. Halogenated organic compounds are also common intermediates in synthesis and are particularly valuable in metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. Despite the potential utility of organohalogens, traditional nonenzymatic halogenation chemistry utilizes deleterious reagents and often lacks regiocontrol. Reliable, facile, and cleaner methods for the regioselective halogenation of organic compounds are therefore essential in the development of economical and environmentally friendly industrial processes. A potential avenue toward such methods is the use of halogenase enzymes, responsible for the biosynthesis of halogenated natural products, as biocatalysts. This Review will discuss advances in developing halogenases for biocatalysis, potential untapped sources of such biocatalysts and how further optimization of these enzymes is required to achieve the goal of industrial scale biohalogenation.

Enzymatic Halogenation and Dehalogenation Reactions: Pervasive and Mechanistically Diverse

Naturally produced halogenated compounds are ubiquitous across all domains of life where they perform a multitude of biological functions and adopt a diversity of chemical structures. Accordingly, a diverse collection of enzyme catalysts to install and remove halogens from organic scaffolds has evolved in nature. Accounting for the different chemical properties of the four halogen atoms (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine) and the diversity and chemical reactivity of their organic substrates, enzymes performing biosynthetic and degradative halogenation chemistry utilize numerous mechanistic strategies involving oxidation, reduction, and substitution. Biosynthetic halogenation reactions range from simple aromatic substitutions to stereoselective C-H functionalizations on remote carbon centers and can initiate the formation of simple to complex ring structures. Dehalogenating enzymes, on the other hand, are best known for removing halogen atoms from man-made organohalogens, yet also function naturally, albeit rarely, in metabolic pathways. This review details the scope and mechanism of nature's halogenation and dehalogenation enzymatic strategies, highlights gaps in our understanding, and posits where new advances in the field might arise in the near future.

Crystal Structures of SgcE6 and SgcC, the Two-Component Monooxygenase That Catalyzes Hydroxylation of a Carrier Protein-Tethered Substrate during the Biosynthesis of the Enediyne Antitumor Antibiotic C-1027 in Streptomyces globisporus

C-1027 is a chromoprotein enediyne antitumor antibiotic produced by Streptomyces globisporus. In the last step of biosynthesis of the (S)-3-chloro-5-hydroxy-β-tyrosine moiety of the C-1027 enediyne chromophore, SgcE6 and SgcC compose a two-component monooxygenase that hydroxylates the C-5 position of (S)-3-chloro-β-tyrosine. This two-component monooxygenase is remarkable for two reasons. (i) SgcE6 specifically reacts with FAD and NADH, and (ii) SgcC is active with only the peptidyl carrier protein (PCP)-tethered substrate. To address the molecular details of substrate specificity, we determined the crystal structures of SgcE6 and SgcC at 1.66 and 2.63 Å resolution, respectively. SgcE6 shares a similar β-barrel fold with the class I HpaC-like flavin reductases. A flexible loop near the active site of SgcE6 plays a role in FAD binding, likely by providing sufficient space to accommodate the AMP moiety of FAD, when compared to that of FMN-utilizing homologues. SgcC shows structural similarity to a few other known FADH₂-dependent monooxygenases and sheds light on some biochemically but not structurally characterized homologues. The crystal structures reported here provide insights into substrate specificity, and comparison with homologues provides a catalytic mechanism of the two-component, FADH₂-dependent monooxygenase (SgcE6 and SgcC) that catalyzes the hydroxylation of a PCP-tethered substrate.

Biosynthesis of natural products containing β-amino acids

β-Amino acids are unique components involved in a wide variety of natural products such as anticancer agents taxol, bleomycin, cytotoxic microcystin, enediyne compound C-1027 chromophore, nucleoside antibiotic blasticidin S, and macrolactam antibiotic vicenistatin. The biosynthesis and incorporation mechanisms are reviewed.

Cloning and sequencing of the kedarcidin biosynthetic gene cluster from Streptoalloteichus sp. ATCC 53650 revealing new insights into biosynthesis of the enediyne family of antitumor antibiotics

Enediyne natural product biosynthesis is characterized by a convergence of multiple pathways, generating unique peripheral moieties that are appended onto the distinctive enediyne core. Kedarcidin (KED) possesses two unique peripheral moieties, a (R)-2-aza-3-chloro-β-tyrosine and an iso-propoxy-bearing 2-naphthonate moiety, as well as two deoxysugars. The appendage pattern of these peripheral moieties to the enediyne core in KED differs from the other enediynes studied to date with respect to stereochemical configuration. To investigate the biosynthesis of these moieties and expand our understanding of enediyne core formation, the biosynthetic gene cluster for KED was cloned from Streptoalloteichus sp. ATCC 53650 and sequenced. Bioinformatics analysis of the ked cluster revealed the presence of the conserved genes encoding for enediyne core biosynthesis, type I and type II polyketide synthase loci likely responsible for 2-aza-l-tyrosine and 3,6,8-trihydroxy-2-naphthonate formation, and enzymes known for deoxysugar biosynthesis. Genes homologous to those responsible for the biosynthesis, activation, and coupling of the l-tyrosine-derived moieties from C-1027 and maduropeptin and of the naphthonate moiety from neocarzinostatin are present in the ked cluster, supporting 2-aza-l-tyrosine and 3,6,8-trihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid as precursors, respectively, for the (R)-2-aza-3-chloro-β-tyrosine and the 2-naphthonate moieties in KED biosynthesis.

Complexity generation during natural product biosynthesis using redox enzymes

Redox enzymes such as FAD-dependent and cytochrome P450 oxygenases play indispensible roles in generating structural complexity during natural product biosynthesis. In the pre-assembly steps, redox enzymes can convert garden variety primary metabolites into unique starter and extender building blocks. In the post-assembly tailoring steps, redox cascades can transform nascent scaffolds into structurally complex final products. In this review, we will discuss several recently characterized redox enzymes in the biosynthesis of polyketides and nonribosomal peptides.

Specificity of the ester bond forming condensation enzyme SgcC5 in C-1027 biosynthesis

The SgcC5 condensation enzyme catalyzes the attachment of SgcC2-tethered (S)-3-chloro-5-hydroxy-β-tyrosine (2) to the enediyne core in C-1027 (1) biosynthesis. It is reported that SgcC5 (i) exhibits high stereospecificity toward the (S)-enantiomers of SgcC2-tethered β-tyrosine and analogues as donors, (ii) prefers the (R)-enantiomers of 1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol (3) and analogues, mimicking the enediyne core, as acceptors, and (iii) can recognize a variety of donor and acceptor substrates to catalyze their regio- and stereospecific ester bond formations.

Characterization of SfmD as a Heme peroxidase that catalyzes the regioselective hydroxylation of 3-methyltyrosine to 3-hydroxy-5-methyltyrosine in saframycin A biosynthesis

Saframycin A (SFM-A) is a potent antitumor antibiotic that belongs to the tetrahydroisoquinoline family. Biosynthetic studies have revealed that its unique pentacyclic core structure is derived from alanine, glycine, and non-proteinogenic amino acid 3-hydroxy-5-methyl-O-methyltyrosine (3-OH-5-Me-OMe-Tyr). SfmD, a hypothetical protein in the biosynthetic pathway of SFM-A, was hypothesized to be responsible for the generation of the 3-hydroxy group of 3-OH-5-Me-OMe-Tyr based on previously heterologous expression results. We now report the in vitro characterization of SfmD as a novel heme-containing peroxidase that catalyzes the hydroxylation of 3-methyltyrosine to 3-hydroxy-5-methyltyrosine using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant. In addition, we elucidated the biosynthetic pathway of 3-OH-5-Me-OMe-Tyr by kinetic studies of SfmD in combination with biochemical assays of SfmM2, a methyltransferase within the same pathway. Furthermore, SacD, a counterpart of SfmD involved in safracin B biosynthesis, was also characterized as a heme-containing peroxidase, suggesting that SfmD-like heme-containing peroxidases may be commonly involved in the biosynthesis of SFM-A and its analogs. Finally, we found that the conserved motif HXXXC is crucial for heme binding using comparative UV-Vis and Magnetic Circular Dichroism (MCD) spectra studies of SfmD wild-type and mutants. Together, these findings expand the category of heme-containing peroxidases and set the stage for further mechanistic studies. In addition, this study has critical implications for delineating the biosynthetic pathway of other related tetrahydroisoquinoline family members.

Stabilization of C4a-hydroperoxyflavin in a two-component flavin-dependent monooxygenase is achieved through interactions at flavin N5 and C4a atoms

p-Hydroxyphenylacetate (HPA) 3-hydroxylase is a two-component flavin-dependent monooxygenase. Based on the crystal structure of the oxygenase component (C(2)), His-396 is 4.5 Å from the flavin C4a locus, whereas Ser-171 is 2.9 Å from the flavin N5 locus. We investigated the roles of these two residues in the stability of the C4a-hydroperoxy-FMN intermediate. The results indicated that the rate constant for C4a-hydroperoxy-FMN formation decreased ~30-fold in H396N, 100-fold in H396A, and 300-fold in the H396V mutant, compared with the wild-type enzyme. Lesser effects of the mutations were found for the subsequent step of H(2)O(2) elimination. Studies on pH dependence showed that the rate constant of H(2)O(2) elimination in H396N and H396V increased when pH increased with pK(a) >9.6 and >9.7, respectively, similar to the wild-type enzyme (pK(a) >9.4). These data indicated that His-396 is important for the formation of the C4a-hydroperoxy-FMN intermediate but is not involved in H(2)O(2) elimination. Transient kinetics of the Ser-171 mutants with oxygen showed that the rate constants for the H(2)O(2) elimination in S171A and S171T were ~1400-fold and 8-fold greater than the wild type, respectively. Studies on the pH dependence of S171A with oxygen showed that the rate constant of H(2)O(2) elimination increased with pH rise and exhibited an approximate pK(a) of 8.0. These results indicated that the interaction of the hydroxyl group side chain of Ser-171 and flavin N5 is required for the stabilization of C4a-hydroperoxy-FMN. The double mutant S171A/H396V reacted with oxygen to directly form the oxidized flavin without stabilizing the C4a-hydroperoxy-FMN intermediate, which confirmed the findings based on the single mutation that His-396 was important for formation and Ser-171 for stabilization of the C4a-hydroperoxy-FMN intermediate in C(2).

pH-dependent studies reveal an efficient hydroxylation mechanism of the oxygenase component of p-hydroxyphenylacetate 3-hydroxylase

p-Hydroxyphenylacetate (HPA) 3-hydroxylase (HPAH) catalyzes the hydroxylation of HPA at the ortho-position to yield 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate. The enzyme is a flavin-dependent two-component monooxygenase that consists of a reductase component and an oxygenase component (C(2)). C(2) catalyzes the hydroxylation of HPA using oxygen and reduced FMN as co-substrates. To date, the effects of pH on the oxygenation of the two-component monooxygenases have never been reported. Here, we report the reaction kinetics of C(2)·FMNH(-) with oxygen at various pH values investigated by stopped-flow and rapid quenched-flow techniques. In the absence of HPA, the rate constant for the formation of C4a-hydroperoxy-FMN (∼1.1 × 10(6) m(-1)s(-1)) was unaffected at pH 6.2-9.9, which indicated that the pK(a) of the enzyme-bound reduced FMN was less than 6.2. The rate constant for the following H(2)O(2) elimination step increased with higher pH, which is consistent with a pK(a) of >9.4. In the presence of HPA, the rate constants for the formation of C4a-hydroperoxy-FMN (∼4.8 × 10(4) m(-1)s(-1)) and the ensuing hydroxylation step (15-17 s(-1)) were not significantly affected by the pH. In contrast, the following steps of C4a-hydroxy-FMN dehydration to form oxidized FMN occurred through two pathways that were dependent on the pH of the reaction. One pathway, dominant at low pH, allowed the detection of a C4a-hydroxy-FMN intermediate, whereas the pathway dominant at high pH produced oxidized FMN without an apparent accumulation of the intermediate. However, both pathways efficiently catalyzed hydroxylation without generating significant amounts of wasteful H(2)O(2) at pH 6.2-9.9. The decreased accumulation of the intermediate at higher pH was due to the greater rates of C4a-hydroxy-FMN decay caused by the abolishment of substrate inhibition in the dehydration step at high pH.

Characterization of the SgcF epoxide hydrolase supporting an (R)-vicinal diol intermediate for enediyne antitumor antibiotic C-1027 biosynthesis

C-1027 is a chromoprotein antitumor antibiotic consisting of an apoprotein and the C-1027 chromophore. The C-1027 chromophore possesses four distinct structural moieties-an enediyne core, a deoxy aminosugar, a benzoxazolinate, and an (S)-3-chloro-5-hydroxy-beta-tyrosine-the latter two of which are proposed to be appended to the enediyne core via a convergent biosynthetic strategy. Here we report the in vitro characterization of SgcF, an epoxide hydrolase from the C-1027 biosynthetic gene cluster that catalyzes regio- and stereospecific hydrolysis of styrene oxide, serving as an enediyne core epoxide intermediate mimic, to form a vicinal diol. Abolishment of C-1027 production in the DeltasgcF mutant strain Streptomyces globisporus SB1010 unambiguously establishes that sgcF plays an indispensable role in C-1027 biosynthesis. SgcF efficiently hydrolyzes (S)-styrene oxide, displaying an apparent K(m) of 0.6 +/- 0.1 mM and k(cat) of 48 +/- 1 min(-1), via attack at the alpha-position to exclusively generate the (R)-phenyl vicinal diol, consistent with the stereochemistry of the C-1027 chromophore. These findings support the role of SgcF in the proposed convergent pathway for C-1027 biosynthesis, unveiling an (R)-vicinal diol as a key intermediate. Interestingly, SgcF can also hydrolyze (R)-styrene oxide to afford preferentially the (R)-phenyl vicinal diol via attack at the beta-position, albeit with significantly reduced efficiency (apparent K(m) of 2.0 +/- 0.4 mM and k(cat) = 4.3 +/- 0.3 min(-1)). Although the latter activity unlikely contributes to C-1027 biosynthesis in vivo, such enantioconvergence arising from complementary regioselective hydrolysis of a racemic substrate could be exploited to engineer epoxide hydrolases with improved regio- and/or enantiospecificity.

PKS and NRPS release mechanisms

This review covers the recent literature on the release mechanisms for polyketides and nonribosomal peptides produced by microorganisms. The emphasis is on the novel enzymology and mechanistic insights revealed by the biosynthetic studies of new natural products.

Characterization of SgcE6, the flavin reductase component supporting FAD-dependent halogenation and hydroxylation in the biosynthesis of the enediyne antitumor antibiotic C-1027

The C-1027 enediyne antitumor antibiotic from Streptomyces globisporus possesses an (S)-3-chloro-5-hydroxy-beta-tyrosine moiety, the chloro- and hydroxy-substituents of which are installed by a flavin-dependent halogenase SgcC3 and monooxygenase SgcC, respectively. Interestingly, a single flavin reductase, SgcE6, can provide reduced flavin to both enzymes. Bioinformatics analysis reveals that, similar to other flavin reductases involved in natural product biosynthesis, SgcE6 belongs to the HpaC-like subfamily of the Class I flavin reductases. The present study describes the steady-state kinetic characterization of SgcE6 as a strictly NADH- and FAD-specific enzyme.

A free-standing condensation enzyme catalyzing ester bond formation in C-1027 biosynthesis

Nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) catalyze the biosynthesis of many biologically active peptides and typically are modular, with each extension module minimally consisting of a condensation, an adenylation, and a peptidyl carrier protein domain responsible for incorporation of an amino acid into the growing peptide chain. C-1027 is a chromoprotein antitumor antibiotic whose enediyne chromophore consists of an enediyne core, a deoxy aminosugar, a benzoxazolinate, and a beta-amino acid moiety. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that the activation and incorporation of the beta-amino acid moiety into C-1027 follows an NRPS mechanism whereby biosynthetic intermediates are tethered to the peptidyl carrier protein SgcC2. Here, we report the biochemical characterization of SgcC5, an NRPS condensation enzyme that catalyzes ester bond formation between the SgcC2-tethered (S)-3-chloro-5-hydroxy-beta-tyrosine and (R)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol, a mimic of the enediyne core. SgcC5 uses (S)-3-chloro-5-hydroxy-beta-tyrosyl-SgcC2 as the donor substrate and exhibits regiospecificity for the C-2 hydroxyl group of the enediyne core mimic as the acceptor substrate. Remarkably, SgcC5 is also capable of catalyzing amide bond formation, albeit with significantly reduced efficiency, between (S)-3-chloro-5-hydroxy-beta-tyrosyl-(S)-SgcC2 and (R)-2-amino-1-phenyl-1-ethanol, an alternative enediyne core mimic bearing an amine at its C-2 position. Thus, SgcC5 is capable of catalyzing both ester and amide bond formation, providing an evolutionary link between amide- and ester-forming condensation enzymes.