13C NMR snapshots of the complex reaction coordinate of pyridoxal phosphate synthase

Sterically chained amino acid-rich water-soluble carbon quantum dots as a robust tumor-targeted drug delivery platform

Effective antitumor nanomedicines maximize therapeutic efficacy by prolonging drug circulation time and transporting drugs to target sites. Although numerous nanocarriers have been developed for accurate tumor targeting, their limited water solubility makes their stable storage challenging, and poses biosafety risks in clinical translation. Herein, we choose reduced glutathione (GSH) to quick synthesize gram-scale water-soluble large amino acids mimicking carbon quantum dots (LAAM GSH-CQDs) enriched in steric chain amino acid groups with solubility of up to 2.0 g mL-1. The water-solubility arises from a hexagonal arrangement formed between amino acid groups and water molecules through hydrogen bonding, producing chair-form hexamer hydration layers covering LAAM GSH-CQDs. This endows a noticeable stability against long-term storage and adding electrolytes. Specifically, they exhibit negligible protein absorption, immunogenicity, and hemolysis, with stealth effect, showing an extraordinarily tolerated dose (5000 mg kg-1) in female mice. The rich amino acid groups simultaneously endow them considerable tumor-specific targeting. The loading of first-line chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin onto LAAM GSH-CQDs through π-π stacking without sacrificing their merits achieves superior tumor inhibition and minimal side effects compared to commercial doxorubicin liposomal. The tumor-targeted drug delivery platform offered by LAAM GSH-CQDs holds significant promise for advancing clinical applications in cancer treatment.

Cryptic Cerulenin Rearrangement in Ketosynthase Covalent Inhibition

The antibiotic cerulenin is a fungal natural product identified as a covalent inhibitor of ketosynthases within fatty acid and polyketide biosynthesis. Due to its selective and potent inhibitory activity, cerulenin has found significant utility in multidisciplinary biochemical, biomedical, and clinical studies. Although its covalent inhibition profile has been confirmed, cerulenin's mechanism has not been fully determined at a molecular level, frustrating the drug development of related analogues. Herein, we describe the use of stable isotopic tracking with NMR and MS methods to unravel the covalent mechanism of cerulenin against type II fatty acid ketosynthases. We detail the discovery of a unique C2-C3 retro-aldol bond cleavage and a structural rearrangement upon covalent inhibition of cerulenin at the active cysteine residue in E. coli type II fatty acid ketosynthases FabB and FabF.

Shared Hydrogen Atom Location and Chemical Composition in Picolinic Acid and Pyridoxal Hydrochloride Derivatives Determined by X-ray Crystallography

Three new single-crystal structures were isolated for picolinic acid (2), the trifluoroacetate salt of picolinic acid (1), and pyridoxal hydrochloride (3). These compounds displayed unconventional crystallographic features that must be considered when structural refinements are carried out. Thus, the generated Fourier differences map obtained with the diffraction data collected at 100 K was crucial to visualize electron densities, which were balanced by either one hydrogen atom or a hydrogen atom with an occupancy factor of 1/2 located between either two carboxylate moieties, two phenolic oxygen atoms, or two pyridinic nitrogen atoms. Moreover, NMR studies were conducted to analyze the bulk chemical composition of single crystals of 2-pyridinecarboxylic acid obtained from the gem-diol/hemiacetal forms and the polymerization products after the treatment of 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde with TFA:H₂O (1) or a diluted Cu(NO₃)₂ solution (2). The quantitative yield of the pyridoxal hydrochloride crystalline material (3) obtained from a diluted CuCl₂ solution was exhaustively characterized by solid-state NMR methods. These methods allowed the resolution of the signals corresponding to the protons of the hydroxyl moiety of the intramolecular hemiacetal group and the phenolic hydrogen. Theoretical calculations using DFT methods were done to complement the atomic location of the hydrogen atoms obtained from the X-ray analysis.

Trapping and structural characterisation of a covalent intermediate in vitamin B6 biosynthesis catalysed by the Pdx1 PLP synthase

The Pdx1 enzyme catalyses condensation of two carbohydrates and ammonia to form pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP) via an imine relay mechanism of carbonyl intermediates. The I₃₃₃ intermediate characterised here using structural, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and mass spectrometry analyses rationalises stereoselective deprotonation and subsequent substrate assisted phosphate elimination, central to PLP biosynthesis.

Explaining stereoselective deprotonation and phosphate elimination in PLP biosynthesis through crystal structure, UV-vis absorption spectroscopic and mass spectrometric characterisation of a chromophoric intermediate.

Altered Gut Microbial Metabolism of Essential Nutrients in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

To influence host and disease phenotype, compositional microbiome changes, which have been demonstrated in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), must be accompanied by functional changes. We therefore aimed to characterize the genetic potential of the gut microbiome in patients with PSC compared with healthy controls (HCs) and patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS

Fecal DNA from 2 cohorts (1 Norwegian and 1 German), in total comprising 136 patients with PSC (58% with IBD), 158 HCs, and 93 patients with IBD without PSC, were subjected to metagenomic shotgun sequencing, generating 17 billion paired-end sequences, which were processed using HUMAnN2 and MetaPhlAn2, and analyzed using generalized linear models and random effects meta-analyses.

RESULTS

Patients with PSC had fewer microbial genes compared with HCs (P < .0001). Compared with HCs, patients with PSC showed enrichment and increased prevalence of Clostridium species and a depletion of, for example, Eubacterium spp and Ruminococcus obeum. Patients with PSC showed marked differences in the abundance of genes related to vitamin B6 synthesis and branched-chain amino acid synthesis (Q_fdr < .05). Targeted metabolomics of plasma from an independent set of patients with PSC and controls found reduced concentrations of vitamin B6 and branched-chain amino acids in PSC (P < .0001), which strongly associated with reduced liver transplantation-free survival (log-rank P < .001). No taxonomic or functional differences were detected between patients with PSC with and without IBD.

CONCLUSIONS

The gut microbiome in patients with PSC exhibits large functional differences compared with that in HCs, including microbial metabolism of essential nutrients. Alterations in related circulating metabolites associated with disease course, suggesting that microbial functions may be relevant for the disease process in PSC.

SNZ3 Encodes a PLP Synthase Involved in Thiamine Synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (the active form of vitamin B₆) is a cofactor that is important for a broad number of biochemical reactions and is essential for all forms of life. Organisms that can synthesize pyridoxal 5′-phosphate use either the deoxyxylulose phosphate-dependent or -independent pathway, the latter is encoded by a two-component pyridoxal 5′-phosphate synthase. Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains three paralogs of the two-component SNZ/SNO pyridoxal 5′-phosphate synthase. Past work identified the biochemical activity of Snz1p, Sno1p and provided in vivo data that SNZ1 was involved in pyridoxal 5′-phosphate biosynthesis. Snz2p and Snz3p were considered redundant isozymes and no growth condition requiring their activity was reported. Genetic data herein showed that either SNZ2 or SNZ3 are required for efficient thiamine biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Further, SNZ2 or SNZ3 alone could satisfy the cellular requirement for pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (and thiamine), while SNZ1 was sufficient for pyridoxal 5′-phosphate synthesis only if thiamine was provided. qRT-PCR analysis determined that SNZ2,3 are repressed ten-fold by the presence thiamine. In total, the data were consistent with a requirement for PLP in thiamine synthesis, perhaps in the Thi5p enzyme, that could only be satisfied by SNZ2 or SNZ3. Additional data showed that Snz3p is a pyridoxal 5′-phosphate synthase in vitro and is sufficient to satisfy the pyridoxal 5′-phosphate requirement in Salmonella enterica when the medium has excess ammonia.

Lysine relay mechanism coordinates intermediate transfer in vitamin B6 biosynthesis

Substrate channeling has emerged as a common mechanism for enzymatic intermediate transfer. A conspicuous gap in knowledge concerns the use of covalent lysine imines in the transfer of carbonyl-group-containing intermediates, despite their wideuse in enzymatic catalysis. Here we show how imine chemistry operates in the transfer of covalent intermediates in pyridoxal 5'-phosphate biosynthesis by the Arabidopsis thaliana enzyme Pdx1. An initial ribose 5-phosphate lysine imine is converted to the chromophoric I320 intermediate, simultaneously bound to two lysine residues and partially vacating the active site, which creates space for glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate to bind. Crystal structures show how substrate binding, catalysis and shuttling are coupled to conformational changes around strand β6 of the Pdx1 (βα)8-barrel. The dual-specificity active site and imine relay mechanism for migration of carbonyl intermediates provide elegant solutions to the challenge of coordinating a complex sequence of reactions that follow a path of over 20 Å between substrate- and product-binding sites.

Improvement of whole-cell transamination with Saccharomyces cerevisiae using metabolic engineering and cell pre-adaptation

Background

Whole-cell biocatalysis based on metabolically active baker’s yeast with engineered transamination activity can be used to generate molecules carrying a chiral amine moiety. A prerequisite is though to express efficient ω-transaminases and to reach sufficient intracellular precursor levels.

Results

Herein, the efficiency of three different ω-transaminases originating from Capsicum chinense, Chromobacterium violaceum, and Ochrobactrum anthropi was compared for whole-cell catalyzed kinetic resolution of racemic 1-phenylethylamine to (R)-1-phenylethylamine. The gene from the most promising candidate, C. violaceum ω-transaminase (CV-TA), was expressed in a strain lacking pyruvate decarboxylase activity, which thereby accumulate the co-substrate pyruvate during glucose assimilation. However, the conversion increased only slightly under the applied reaction conditions. In parallel, the effect of increasing the intracellular pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP) level by omission of thiamine during cultivation was investigated. It was found that without thiamine, PLP supplementation was redundant to keep high in vivo transamination activity. Furthermore, higher reaction rates were achieved using a strain containing several copies of CV-TA gene, highlighting the necessity to also increase the intracellular transaminase level. At last, this strain was also investigated for asymmetric whole-cell bioconversion of acetophenone to (S)-1-phenylethylamine using l-alanine as amine donor. Although functionality could be demonstrated, the activity was extremely low indicating that the native co-product removal system was unable to drive the reaction towards the amine under the applied reaction conditions.

Conclusions

Altogether, our results demonstrate that (R)-1-phenylethylamine with >99% ee can be obtained via kinetic resolution at concentrations above 25 mM racemic substrate with glucose as sole co-substrate when combining appropriate genetic and process engineering approaches. Furthermore, the engineered yeast strain with highest transaminase activity was also shown to be operational as whole-cell catalyst for the production of (S)-1-phenylethylamine via asymmetric transamination of acetophenone, albeit with very low conversion.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12934-016-0615-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Structural definition of the lysine swing in Arabidopsis thaliana PDX1: Intermediate channeling facilitating vitamin B6 biosynthesis

Vitamin B₆ is indispensible for all organisms, notably as the coenzyme form pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. Plants make the compound de novo using a relatively simple pathway comprising pyridoxine synthase (PDX1) and pyridoxine glutaminase (PDX2). PDX1 is remarkable given its multifaceted synthetic ability to carry out isomerization, imine formation, ammonia addition, aldol-type condensation, cyclization, and aromatization, all in the absence of coenzymes or recruitment of specialized domains. Two active sites (P1 and P2) facilitate the plethora of reactions, but it is not known how the two are coordinated and, moreover, if intermediates are tunneled between active sites. Here we present X-ray structures of PDX1.3 from Arabidopsis thaliana, the overall architecture of which is a dodecamer of (β/α)₈ barrels, similar to the majority of its homologs. An apoenzyme structure revealed that features around the P1 active site in PDX1.3 have adopted inward conformations consistent with a catalytically primed state and delineated a substrate accessible cavity above this active site, not noted in other reported structures. Comparison with the structure of PDX1.3 with an intermediate along the catalytic trajectory demonstrated that a lysine residue swings from the distinct P2 site to the P1 site at this stage of catalysis and is held in place by a molecular catch and pin, positioning it for transfer of serviced substrate back to P2. The study shows that a simple lysine swinging arm coordinates use of chemically disparate sites, dispensing with the need for additional factors, and provides an elegant example of solving complex chemistry to generate an essential metabolite.

Crystal structures capture three states in the catalytic cycle of a pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) synthase

PLP synthase (PLPS) is a remarkable single-enzyme biosynthetic pathway that produces pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) from glutamine, ribose 5-phosphate, and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. The intact enzyme includes 12 synthase and 12 glutaminase subunits. PLP synthesis occurs in the synthase active site by a complicated mechanism involving at least two covalent intermediates at a catalytic lysine. The first intermediate forms with ribose 5-phosphate. The glutaminase subunit is a glutamine amidotransferase that hydrolyzes glutamine and channels ammonia to the synthase active site. Ammonia attack on the first covalent intermediate forms the second intermediate. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate reacts with the second intermediate to form PLP. To investigate the mechanism of the synthase subunit, crystal structures were obtained for three intermediate states of the Geobacillus stearothermophilus intact PLPS or its synthase subunit. The structures capture the synthase active site at three distinct steps in its complicated catalytic cycle, provide insights into the elusive mechanism, and illustrate the coordinated motions within the synthase subunit that separate the catalytic states. In the intact PLPS with a Michaelis-like intermediate in the glutaminase active site, the first covalent intermediate of the synthase is fully sequestered within the enzyme by the ordering of a generally disordered 20-residue C-terminal tail. Following addition of ammonia, the synthase active site opens and admits the Lys-149 side chain, which participates in formation of the second intermediate and PLP. Roles are identified for conserved Asp-24 in the formation of the first intermediate and for conserved Arg-147 in the conversion of the first to the second intermediate.

The pseudoenzyme PDX1.2 boosts vitamin B6 biosynthesis under heat and oxidative stress in Arabidopsis

Vitamin B6 is an indispensable compound for survival, well known as a cofactor for numerous central metabolic enzymes and more recently for playing a role in several stress responses, particularly in association with oxidative stress. Regulatory aspects for the use of the vitamin in these roles are not known. Here we show that certain plants carry a pseudoenzyme (PDX1.2), which is involved in regulating vitamin B6 biosynthesis de novo under stress conditions. Specifically, we demonstrate that Arabidopsis PDX1.2 enhances the activity of its catalytic paralogs by forming a heterododecameric complex. PDX1.2 is strongly induced by heat as well as singlet oxygen stress, concomitant with an enhancement of vitamin B6 production. Analysis of pdx1.2 knockdown lines demonstrates that boosting vitamin B6 content is dependent on PDX1.2, revealing that this pseudoenzyme acts as a positive regulator of vitamin B6 biosynthesis during such stress conditions in plants.

Exploring inhibition of Pdx1, a component of the PLP synthase complex of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Malaria tropica is a devastating infectious disease caused by Plasmodium falciparum. This parasite synthesizes vitamin B6 de novo via the PLP (pyridoxal 5'-phosphate) synthase enzymatic complex consisting of PfPdx1 and PfPdx2 proteins. Biosynthesis of PLP is largely performed by PfPdx1, ammonia provided by PfPdx2 subunits is condensed together with R5P (D-ribose 5-phosphate) and G3P (DL-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate). PfPdx1 accommodates both the R5P and G3P substrates and intricately co-ordinates the reaction mechanism, which is composed of a series of imine bond formations, leading to the production of PLP. We demonstrate that E4P (D-erythrose 4-phosphate) inhibits PfPdx1 in a dose-dependent manner. We propose that the acyclic phospho-sugar E4P, with a C1 aldehyde group similar to acyclic R5P, could interfere with R5P imine bond formations in the PfPdx1 reaction mechanism. Molecular docking and subsequent screening identified the E4P hydrazide analogue 4PEHz (4-phospho-D-erythronhydrazide), which selectively inhibited PfPdx1 with an IC50 of 43 μM. PfPdx1 contained in the heteromeric PLP synthase complex was shown to be more sensitive to 4PEHz and was inhibited with an IC50 of 16 μM. Moreover, the compound had an IC50 value of 10 μM against cultured P. falciparum intraerythrocytic parasites. To analyse further the selectivity of 4PEHz, transgenic cell lines overexpressing PfPdx1 and PfPdx2 showed that additional copies of the protein complex conferred protection against 4PEHz, indicating that the PLP synthase is directly affected by 4PEHz in vivo. These PfPdx1 inhibitors represent novel lead scaffolds which are capable of targeting PLP biosynthesis, and we propose this as a viable strategy for the development of new therapeutics against malaria.

Assembly of the eukaryotic PLP-synthase complex from Plasmodium and activation of the Pdx1 enzyme

Biosynthesis of vitamins is fundamental to malaria parasites. Plasmodia synthesize the active form of vitamin B(6) (pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, PLP) using a PLP synthase complex. The EM analysis shown here reveals a random association pattern of up to 12 Pdx2 glutaminase subunits to the dodecameric Pdx1 core complex. Interestingly, Plasmodium falciparum PLP synthase organizes in fibers. The crystal structure shows differences in complex formation to bacterial orthologs as interface variations. Alternative positioning of an α helix distinguishes an open conformation from a closed state when the enzyme binds substrate. The pentose substrate is covalently attached through its C1 and forms a Schiff base with Lys84. Ammonia transfer between Pdx2 glutaminase and Pdx1 active sites is regulated by a transient tunnel. The mutagenesis analysis allows defining the requirement for conservation of critical methionines, whereas there is also plasticity in ammonia tunnel construction as seen from comparison across different species.

Pyridoxal phosphate: biosynthesis and catabolism

Vitamin B(6) is an essential cofactor that participates in a large number of biochemical reactions. Pyridoxal phosphate is biosynthesized de novo by two different pathways (the DXP dependent pathway and the R5P pathway) and can also be salvaged from the environment. It is one of the few cofactors whose catabolic pathway has been comprehensively characterized. It is also known to function as a singlet oxygen scavenger and has protective effects against oxidative stress in fungi. Enzymes utilizing vitamin B(6) are important targets for therapeutic agents. This review provides a concise overview of the mechanistic enzymology of vitamin B(6) biosynthesis and catabolism. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Pyridoxal Phosphate Enzymology.

It takes two to tango: defining an essential second active site in pyridoxal 5'-phosphate synthase

The prevalent de novo biosynthetic pathway of vitamin B6 involves only two enzymes (Pdx1 and Pdx2) that form an ornate multisubunit complex functioning as a glutamine amidotransferase. The synthase subunit, Pdx1, utilizes ribose 5-phosphate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, as well as ammonia derived from the glutaminase activity of Pdx2 to directly form the cofactor vitamer, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Given the fact that a single enzyme performs the majority of the chemistry behind this reaction, a complicated mechanism is anticipated. Recently, the individual steps along the reaction co-ordinate are beginning to be unraveled. In particular, the binding of the pentose substrate and the first steps of the reaction have been elucidated but it is not known if the latter part of the chemistry, involving the triose sugar, takes place in the same or a disparate site. Here, we demonstrate through the use of enzyme assays, enzyme kinetics, and mutagenesis studies that indeed a second site is involved in binding the triose sugar and moreover, is the location of the final vitamin product, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Furthermore, we show that product release is triggered by the presence of a PLP-dependent enzyme. Finally, we provide evidence that a single arginine residue of the C terminus of Pdx1 is responsible for coordinating co-operativity in this elaborate protein machinery.

Defining the structural requirements for ribose 5-phosphate-binding and intersubunit cross-talk of the malarial pyridoxal 5-phosphate synthase

Most organisms synthesise the B(6) vitamer pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP) via the glutamine amidotransferase PLP synthase, a large enzyme complex of 12 Pdx1 synthase subunits with up to 12 Pdx2 glutaminase subunits attached. Deletion analysis revealed that the C-terminus has four distinct functionalities: assembly of the Pdx1 monomers, binding of the pentose substrate (ribose 5-phosphate), formation of the reaction intermediate I(320), and finally PLP synthesis. Deletions of distinct C-terminal regions distinguish between these individual functions. PLP formation is the only function that is conferred to the enzyme by the C-terminus acting in trans, explaining the cooperative nature of the complex.

X-ray crystal structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pdx1 provides insights into the oligomeric nature of PLP synthases

The universal enzymatic cofactor vitamin B6 can be synthesized as pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP) by the glutamine amidotransferase Pdx1. We show that Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pdx1 is hexameric by analytical ultracentrifugation and by crystallographic 3D structure determination. Bacterial homologues were previously reported to exist in hexamer:dodecamer equilibrium. A small sequence insertion found in yeast Pdx1 elevates the dodecamer dissociation constant when introduced into Bacillus subtilis Pdx1. Further, we demonstrate that the yeast Pdx1 C-terminus contacts an adjacent subunit, and deletion of this segment decreases enzymatic activity 3.5-fold, suggesting a role in catalysis.