1
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Almhjell PJ, Johnston KE, Porter NJ, Kennemur JL, Bhethanabotla VC, Ducharme J, Arnold FH. The β-subunit of tryptophan synthase is a latent tyrosine synthase. Nat Chem Biol 2024:10.1038/s41589-024-01619-z. [PMID: 38744987 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-024-01619-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Aromatic amino acids and their derivatives are diverse primary and secondary metabolites with critical roles in protein synthesis, cell structure and integrity, defense and signaling. All de novo aromatic amino acid production relies on a set of ancient and highly conserved chemistries. Here we introduce a new enzymatic transformation for L-tyrosine synthesis by demonstrating that the β-subunit of tryptophan synthase-which natively couples indole and L-serine to form L-tryptophan-can act as a latent 'tyrosine synthase'. A single substitution of a near-universally conserved catalytic residue unlocks activity toward simple phenol analogs and yields exclusive para carbon-carbon bond formation to furnish L-tyrosines. Structural and mechanistic studies show how a new active-site water molecule orients phenols for a nonnative mechanism of alkylation, with additional directed evolution resulting in a net >30,000-fold rate enhancement. This new biocatalyst can be used to efficiently prepare valuable L-tyrosine analogs at gram scales and provides the missing chemistry for a conceptually different pathway to L-tyrosine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J Almhjell
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kadina E Johnston
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Merck & Co., Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Porter
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Codexis, Inc., Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer L Kennemur
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Vignesh C Bhethanabotla
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Julie Ducharme
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Quebec Government Office, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Frances H Arnold
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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2
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Scheele R, Weber Y, Nintzel FEH, Herger M, Kaminski TS, Hollfelder F. Ultrahigh Throughput Evolution of Tryptophan Synthase in Droplets via an Aptamer Sensor. ACS Catal 2024; 14:6259-6271. [PMID: 38660603 PMCID: PMC11036396 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.4c00230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Tryptophan synthase catalyzes the synthesis of a wide array of noncanonical amino acids and is an attractive target for directed evolution. Droplet microfluidics offers an ultrahigh throughput approach to directed evolution (up to 107 experiments per day), enabling the search for biocatalysts in wider regions of sequence space with reagent consumption minimized to the picoliter volume (per library member). While the majority of screening campaigns in this format on record relied on an optically active reaction product, a new assay is needed for tryptophan synthase. Tryptophan is not fluorogenic in the visible light spectrum and thus falls outside the scope of conventional droplet microfluidic readouts, which are incompatible with UV light detection at high throughput. Here, we engineer a tryptophan DNA aptamer into a sensor to quantitatively report on tryptophan production in droplets. The utility of the sensor was validated by identifying five-fold improved tryptophan synthases from ∼100,000 protein variants. More generally, this work establishes the use of DNA-aptamer sensors with a fluorogenic read-out in widening the scope of droplet microfluidic evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remkes
A. Scheele
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K.
| | - Yanik Weber
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K.
| | | | - Michael Herger
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K.
| | - Tomasz S. Kaminski
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K.
- Department
of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Florian Hollfelder
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K.
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3
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Yong CC, Sakurai T, Kaneko H, Horigome A, Mitsuyama E, Nakajima A, Katoh T, Sakanaka M, Abe T, Xiao JZ, Tanaka M, Odamaki T, Katayama T. Human gut-associated Bifidobacterium species salvage exogenous indole, a uremic toxin precursor, to synthesize indole-3-lactic acid via tryptophan. Gut Microbes 2024; 16:2347728. [PMID: 38706226 PMCID: PMC11085991 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2347728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Indole in the gut is formed from dietary tryptophan by a bacterial tryptophan-indole lyase. Indole not only triggers biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance in gut microbes but also contributes to the progression of kidney dysfunction after absorption by the intestine and sulfation in the liver. As tryptophan is an essential amino acid for humans, these events seem inevitable. Despite this, we show in a proof-of-concept study that exogenous indole can be converted to an immunomodulatory tryptophan metabolite, indole-3-lactic acid (ILA), by a previously unknown microbial metabolic pathway that involves tryptophan synthase β subunit and aromatic lactate dehydrogenase. Selected bifidobacterial strains converted exogenous indole to ILA via tryptophan (Trp), which was demonstrated by incubating the bacterial cells in the presence of (2-13C)-labeled indole and l-serine. Disruption of the responsible genes variedly affected the efficiency of indole bioconversion to Trp and ILA, depending on the strains. Database searches against 11,943 bacterial genomes representing 960 human-associated species revealed that the co-occurrence of tryptophan synthase β subunit and aromatic lactate dehydrogenase is a specific feature of human gut-associated Bifidobacterium species, thus unveiling a new facet of bifidobacteria as probiotics. Indole, which has been assumed to be an end-product of tryptophan metabolism, may thus act as a precursor for the synthesis of a host-interacting metabolite with possible beneficial activities in the complex gut microbial ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Chung Yong
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co Ltd, Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Takuma Sakurai
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co Ltd, Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kaneko
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co Ltd, Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Ayako Horigome
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co Ltd, Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Eri Mitsuyama
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co Ltd, Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Aruto Nakajima
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Katoh
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | - Takaaki Abe
- Division of Nephrology, Endocrinology, and Vascular Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Jin-Zhong Xiao
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co Ltd, Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Miyuki Tanaka
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co Ltd, Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Toshitaka Odamaki
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co Ltd, Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takane Katayama
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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4
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Rix G, Williams RL, Spinner H, Hu VJ, Marks DS, Liu CC. Continuous evolution of user-defined genes at 1-million-times the genomic mutation rate. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.13.566922. [PMID: 38014077 PMCID: PMC10680746 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.13.566922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
When nature maintains or evolves a gene's function over millions of years at scale, it produces a diversity of homologous sequences whose patterns of conservation and change contain rich structural, functional, and historical information about the gene. However, natural gene diversity likely excludes vast regions of functional sequence space and includes phylogenetic and evolutionary eccentricities, limiting what information we can extract. We introduce an accessible experimental approach for compressing long-term gene evolution to laboratory timescales, allowing for the direct observation of extensive adaptation and divergence followed by inference of structural, functional, and environmental constraints for any selectable gene. To enable this approach, we developed a new orthogonal DNA replication (OrthoRep) system that durably hypermutates chosen genes at a rate of >10 -4 substitutions per base in vivo . When OrthoRep was used to evolve a conditionally essential maladapted enzyme, we obtained thousands of unique multi-mutation sequences with many pairs >60 amino acids apart (>15% divergence), revealing known and new factors influencing enzyme adaptation. The fitness of evolved sequences was not predictable by advanced machine learning models trained on natural variation. We suggest that OrthoRep supports the prospective and systematic discovery of constraints shaping gene evolution, uncovering of new regions in fitness landscapes, and general applications in biomolecular engineering.
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5
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Li Z, Deng Y, Yang GY. Growth-coupled high throughput selection for directed enzyme evolution. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 68:108238. [PMID: 37619825 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Directed enzyme evolution has revolutionized the rapid development of enzymes with desired properties. However, the lack of a high-throughput method to identify the most suitable variants from a large pool of genetic diversity poses a major bottleneck. To overcome this challenge, growth-coupled in vivo high-throughput selection approaches (GCHTS) have emerged as a novel selection system for enzyme evolution. GCHTS links the survival of the host cell with the properties of the target protein, resulting in a screening system that is easily measurable and has a high throughput-scale limited only by transformation efficiency. This allows for the rapid identification of desired variants from a pool of >109 variants in each experiment. In recent years, GCHTS approaches have been extensively utilized in the directed evolution of multiple enzymes, demonstrating success in catalyzing non-native substrates, enhancing catalytic activity, and acquiring novel functions. This review introduces three main strategies employed to achieve GCHTS: the elimination of toxic compounds via desired variants, enabling host cells to thrive in hazardous conditions; the complementation of an auxotroph with desired variants, where essential genes for cell growth have been eliminated; and the control of the transcription or expression of a reporter gene related to host cell growth, regulated by the desired variants. Additionally, we highlighted the recent developments in the in vivo continuous evolution of enzyme technology, including phage-assisted continuous evolution (PACE) and orthogonal DNA Replication (OrthoRep). Furthermore, this review discusses the challenges and future prospects in the field of growth-coupled selection for protein engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengqun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yuting Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Guang-Yu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
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6
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Wang Y, Wang X, Niu S, Cheng W, Liu X, Min Y, Qiu Y, Ma L, Rao B, Zhu L. Improving the Activity of Tryptophan Synthetase via a Nucleic Acid Scaffold. Molecules 2023; 28:7272. [PMID: 37959692 PMCID: PMC10648251 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28217272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Tryptophan synthetase (TSase), which functions as a tetramer, is a typical enzyme with a substrate channel effect, and shows excellent performance in the production of non-standard amino acids, histamine, and other biological derivatives. Based on previous work, we fused a mutant CE protein (colistin of E. coli, a polypeptide with antibacterial activity) sequence with the sequence of TSase to explore whether its catalytic activity could be enhanced, and we also analyzed whether the addition of a DNA scaffold was a feasible strategy. Here, dCE (CE protein without DNase activity) protein tags were constructed and fused to the TrapA and TrapB subunits of TSase, and the whole cell was used for the catalytic reaction. The results showed that after the dCE protein tag was fused to the TrapB subunit, its whole cell catalytic activity increased by 50%. Next, the two subunits were expressed separately, and the proteins were bound in vitro to ensure equimolar combination between the two subunits. After the dCE label was fused to TrapB, the activity of TSase assembled with TrapA also improved. A series of experiments revealed that the enzyme fused with dCE9 showed higher activity than the wild-type protein. In general, the activity of assembly TSase was optimal when the temperature was 50 °C and the pH was about 9.0. After a long temperature treatment, the enzyme maintained good activity. With the addition of exogenous nucleic acid, the activity of the enzyme increased. The maximum yield was 0.58 g/L, which was almost three times that of the wild-type TSase (0.21 g/L). The recombinant TSase constructed in this study with dCE fusion had the advantages of higher heat resistance and higher activity, and confirmed the feasibility of adding a nucleic acid scaffold, providing a new idea for the improvement of structurally similar enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Wang
- Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Center, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Biopesticide Branch of Hubei Innovation Centre of Agricultural Science and Technology, Wuhan 430064, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme, Engineering Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Biology Faculty of Hubei University, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Xiangyi Wang
- Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Center, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Biopesticide Branch of Hubei Innovation Centre of Agricultural Science and Technology, Wuhan 430064, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme, Engineering Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Biology Faculty of Hubei University, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Shuhui Niu
- Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Center, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Biopesticide Branch of Hubei Innovation Centre of Agricultural Science and Technology, Wuhan 430064, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme, Engineering Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Biology Faculty of Hubei University, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Center, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Biopesticide Branch of Hubei Innovation Centre of Agricultural Science and Technology, Wuhan 430064, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme, Engineering Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Biology Faculty of Hubei University, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Center, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Biopesticide Branch of Hubei Innovation Centre of Agricultural Science and Technology, Wuhan 430064, China
| | - Yong Min
- Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Center, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Biopesticide Branch of Hubei Innovation Centre of Agricultural Science and Technology, Wuhan 430064, China
| | - Yimin Qiu
- Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Center, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Biopesticide Branch of Hubei Innovation Centre of Agricultural Science and Technology, Wuhan 430064, China
| | - Lixin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme, Engineering Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Biology Faculty of Hubei University, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Ben Rao
- Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Center, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Biopesticide Branch of Hubei Innovation Centre of Agricultural Science and Technology, Wuhan 430064, China
| | - Lei Zhu
- Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Center, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Biopesticide Branch of Hubei Innovation Centre of Agricultural Science and Technology, Wuhan 430064, China
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7
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Villalona J, Higgins PM, Buller AR. Engineered Biocatalytic Synthesis of β-N-Substituted-α-Amino Acids. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202311189. [PMID: 37625129 PMCID: PMC10592029 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202311189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) are useful synthons for the development of new medicines, materials, and probes for bioactivity. Recently, enzyme engineering has been leveraged to produce a suite of highly active enzymes for the synthesis of β-substituted amino acids. However, there are few examples of biocatalytic N-substitution reactions to make α,β-diamino acids. In this study, we used directed evolution to engineer the β-subunit of tryptophan synthase, TrpB, for improved activity with diverse amine nucleophiles. Mechanistic analysis shows that high yields are hindered by product re-entry into the catalytic cycle and subsequent decomposition. Additional equivalents of l-serine can inhibit product reentry through kinetic competition, facilitating preparative scale synthesis. We show β-substitution with a dozen aryl amine nucleophiles, including demonstration on a gram scale. These transformations yield an underexplored class of amino acids that can serve as unique building blocks for chemical biology and medicinal chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jairo Villalona
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Peyton M Higgins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Andrew R Buller
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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8
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Zmich A, Perkins LJ, Bingman C, Acheson JF, Buller AR. Multiplexed Assessment of Promiscuous Non-Canonical Amino Acid Synthase Activity in a Pyridoxal Phosphate-Dependent Protein Family. ACS Catal 2023; 13:11644-11655. [PMID: 37720819 PMCID: PMC10501158 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c02498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes afford access to a variety of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs), which are premier buildings blocks for the construction of complex bioactive molecules. The vinylglycine ketimine (VGK) subfamily of PLP-dependent enzymes plays a critical role in sulfur metabolism and is home to a growing set of secondary metabolic enzymes that synthesize γ-substituted ncAAs. Identification of VGK enzymes for biocatalysis faces a distinct challenge because the subfamily contains both desirable synthases as well as lyases that break down ncAAs. Some enzymes have both activities, which may contribute to pervasive mis-annotation. To navigate this complex functional landscape, we used a substrate multiplexed screening approach to rapidly measure the substrate promiscuity of 40 homologs in the VGK subfamily. We found that enzymes involved in transsulfuration are less likely to have promiscuous activities and often possess undesirable lyase activity. Enzymes from direct sulfuration and secondary metabolism generally had a high degree of substrate promiscuity. From this cohort, we identified an exemplary γ-synthase from Caldicellulosiruptor hydrothermalis (CahyGS). This enzyme is thermostable and has high expression (~400 mg protein per L culture), enabling preparative scale synthesis of thioether containing ncAAs. When assayed with l-allylglycine, CahyGS catalyzes a stereoselective γ-addition reaction to afford access to a unique set of γ-methyl branched ncAAs. We determined high-resolution crystal structures of this enzyme that define an open-close transition associated with ligand binding and set the stage for future engineering within this enzyme subfamily.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Zmich
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Lydia J. Perkins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Craig Bingman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Justin F Acheson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Andrew R. Buller
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
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9
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Miles SA, Nillama JA, Hunter L. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: The Diverse Roles That Fluorine Can Play within Amino Acid Side Chains. Molecules 2023; 28:6192. [PMID: 37687021 PMCID: PMC10489206 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Side chain-fluorinated amino acids are useful tools in medicinal chemistry and protein science. In this review, we outline some general strategies for incorporating fluorine atom(s) into amino acid side chains and for elaborating such building blocks into more complex fluorinated peptides and proteins. We then describe the diverse benefits that fluorine can offer when located within amino acid side chains, including enabling 19F NMR and 18F PET imaging applications, enhancing pharmacokinetic properties, controlling molecular conformation, and optimizing target-binding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luke Hunter
- School of Chemistry, The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
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10
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Yang J, Ducharme J, Johnston KE, Li FZ, Yue Y, Arnold FH. DeCOIL: Optimization of Degenerate Codon Libraries for Machine Learning-Assisted Protein Engineering. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:2444-2454. [PMID: 37524064 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
With advances in machine learning (ML)-assisted protein engineering, models based on data, biophysics, and natural evolution are being used to propose informed libraries of protein variants to explore. Synthesizing these libraries for experimental screens is a major bottleneck, as the cost of obtaining large numbers of exact gene sequences is often prohibitive. Degenerate codon (DC) libraries are a cost-effective alternative for generating combinatorial mutagenesis libraries where mutations are targeted to a handful of amino acid sites. However, existing computational methods to optimize DC libraries to include desired protein variants are not well suited to design libraries for ML-assisted protein engineering. To address these drawbacks, we present DEgenerate Codon Optimization for Informed Libraries (DeCOIL), a generalized method that directly optimizes DC libraries to be useful for protein engineering: to sample protein variants that are likely to have both high fitness and high diversity in the sequence search space. Using computational simulations and wet-lab experiments, we demonstrate that DeCOIL is effective across two specific case studies, with the potential to be applied to many other use cases. DeCOIL offers several advantages over existing methods, as it is direct, easy to use, generalizable, and scalable. With accompanying software (https://github.com/jsunn-y/DeCOIL), DeCOIL can be readily implemented to generate desired informed libraries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Yang
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Julie Ducharme
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Kadina E Johnston
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Francesca-Zhoufan Li
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Yisong Yue
- Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Frances H Arnold
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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11
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Corbella M, Pinto GP, Kamerlin SCL. Loop dynamics and the evolution of enzyme activity. Nat Rev Chem 2023; 7:536-547. [PMID: 37225920 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-023-00495-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
In the early 2000s, Tawfik presented his 'New View' on enzyme evolution, highlighting the role of conformational plasticity in expanding the functional diversity of limited repertoires of sequences. This view is gaining increasing traction with increasing evidence of the importance of conformational dynamics in both natural and laboratory evolution of enzymes. The past years have seen several elegant examples of harnessing conformational (particularly loop) dynamics to successfully manipulate protein function. This Review revisits flexible loops as critical participants in regulating enzyme activity. We showcase several systems of particular interest: triosephosphate isomerase barrel proteins, protein tyrosine phosphatases and β-lactamases, while briefly discussing other systems in which loop dynamics are important for selectivity and turnover. We then discuss the implications for engineering, presenting examples of successful loop manipulation in either improving catalytic efficiency, or changing selectivity completely. Overall, it is becoming clearer that mimicking nature by manipulating the conformational dynamics of key protein loops is a powerful method of tailoring enzyme activity, without needing to target active-site residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Corbella
- Department of Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gaspar P Pinto
- Department of Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Cortex Discovery GmbH, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Shina C L Kamerlin
- Department of Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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12
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Cheng L, Li D, Mai BK, Bo Z, Cheng L, Liu P, Yang Y. Stereoselective amino acid synthesis by synergistic photoredox-pyridoxal radical biocatalysis. Science 2023; 381:444-451. [PMID: 37499030 PMCID: PMC10444520 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg2420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Developing synthetically useful enzymatic reactions that are not known in biochemistry and organic chemistry is an important challenge in biocatalysis. Through the synergistic merger of photoredox catalysis and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) biocatalysis, we developed a pyridoxal radical biocatalysis approach to prepare valuable noncanonical amino acids, including those bearing a stereochemical dyad or triad, without the need for protecting groups. Using engineered PLP enzymes, either enantiomeric product could be produced in a biocatalyst-controlled fashion. Synergistic photoredox-pyridoxal radical biocatalysis represents a powerful platform with which to discover previously unknown catalytic reactions and to tame radical intermediates for asymmetric catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Cheng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Dian Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Binh Khanh Mai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
| | - Zhiyu Bo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Lida Cheng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering (BMSE) Program, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
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13
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Casadevall G, Duran C, Osuna S. AlphaFold2 and Deep Learning for Elucidating Enzyme Conformational Flexibility and Its Application for Design. JACS AU 2023; 3:1554-1562. [PMID: 37388680 PMCID: PMC10302747 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
The recent success of AlphaFold2 (AF2) and other deep learning (DL) tools in accurately predicting the folded three-dimensional (3D) structure of proteins and enzymes has revolutionized the structural biology and protein design fields. The 3D structure indeed reveals key information on the arrangement of the catalytic machinery of enzymes and which structural elements gate the active site pocket. However, comprehending enzymatic activity requires a detailed knowledge of the chemical steps involved along the catalytic cycle and the exploration of the multiple thermally accessible conformations that enzymes adopt when in solution. In this Perspective, some of the recent studies showing the potential of AF2 in elucidating the conformational landscape of enzymes are provided. Selected examples of the key developments of AF2-based and DL methods for protein design are discussed, as well as a few enzyme design cases. These studies show the potential of AF2 and DL for allowing the routine computational design of efficient enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillem Casadevall
- Institut
de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament
de Química, Universitat de Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Cristina Duran
- Institut
de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament
de Química, Universitat de Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Sílvia Osuna
- Institut
de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament
de Química, Universitat de Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Spain
- ICREA, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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14
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Gu J, Xu Y, Nie Y. Role of distal sites in enzyme engineering. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 63:108094. [PMID: 36621725 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The limitations associated with natural enzyme catalysis have triggered the rise of the field of protein engineering. Traditional rational design was based on the analysis of protein structural information and catalytic mechanisms to identify key active sites or ligand binding sites to reshape the substrate pocket. The role and significance of functional sites in the active center have been studied extensively. With a deeper understanding of the structure-catalysis relationship map, the entire protein molecule can be filled with residues that play a substantial role in its structure and function. However, the catalytic mechanism underlying distal mutations remains unclear. The aim of this review was to highlight the criticality of the distal site in enzyme engineering based on the following three aspects: What can distal mutations exert on function from mutability landscape? How do distal sites influence enzyme function? How to predict and design distal mutations? This review provides insights into the catalytic mechanism of enzymes from the global interaction network, knowledge from sequence-structure-dynamics-function relationships, and strategies for distal mutation-based protein engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Gu
- Lab of Brewing Microbiology and Applied Enzymology, School of Biotechnology and Key laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Lab of Brewing Microbiology and Applied Enzymology, School of Biotechnology and Key laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Yao Nie
- Lab of Brewing Microbiology and Applied Enzymology, School of Biotechnology and Key laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; Suqian Industrial Technology Research Institute of Jiangnan University, Suqian 223814, China.
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15
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Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Indole-Containing Acyloin Derivatives. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 28:molecules28010354. [PMID: 36615552 PMCID: PMC9822442 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Indole-containing acyloins are either key intermediates of many antimicrobial/antiviral natural products or building blocks in the synthesis of biologically active molecules. As such, access to structurally diverse indole-containing acyloins has attracted considerable attention. In this report, we present a pilot study of using biotransformation to provide acyloins that contain various indole substituents. The biotransformation system contains the tryptophan synthase standalone β-subunit variant, PfTrpB6, generated from directed evolution in the literature; a commercially available L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO); and the thiamine-diphosphate (ThDP)-dependent enzyme NzsH, encoded in the biosynthetic gene cluster (nzs) of the bacterial carbazole alkaloid natural product named neocarazostatin A. The utilization of the first two enzymes, the PfTrpB variant and LAAO, is designed to provide structurally diverse indole 3-pyruvate derivatives as donor substrates for NzsH-catalysed biotransformation to provide acyloin derivatives. Our results demonstrate that NzsH displays a considerable substrate profile toward donor substrates for production of acyloins with different indole ring systems, suggesting that NzsH could be further explored as a potential biocatalyst via directed evolution to improve the catalytic efficiency in the future.
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16
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Allosteric rescue of catalytically impaired ATP phosphoribosyltransferase variants links protein dynamics to active-site electrostatic preorganisation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7607. [PMID: 36494361 PMCID: PMC9734150 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34960-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ATP phosphoribosyltransferase catalyses the first step of histidine biosynthesis and is controlled via a complex allosteric mechanism where the regulatory protein HisZ enhances catalysis by the catalytic protein HisGS while mediating allosteric inhibition by histidine. Activation by HisZ was proposed to position HisGS Arg56 to stabilise departure of the pyrophosphate leaving group. Here we report active-site mutants of HisGS with impaired reaction chemistry which can be allosterically restored by HisZ despite the HisZ:HisGS interface lying ~20 Å away from the active site. MD simulations indicate HisZ binding constrains the dynamics of HisGS to favour a preorganised active site where both Arg56 and Arg32 are poised to stabilise leaving-group departure in WT-HisGS. In the Arg56Ala-HisGS mutant, HisZ modulates Arg32 dynamics so that it can partially compensate for the absence of Arg56. These results illustrate how remote protein-protein interactions translate into catalytic resilience by restoring damaged electrostatic preorganisation at the active site.
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17
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Abstract
Many enzymes possess high catalytic efficiency and selectivity that far surpass classical organic or organometallic catalysts. However, the initial starting enzyme for a given transformation does not always possess the right properties needed for broad utilization. Searching in genome/protein sequence libraries for homologs, aided with powerful bioinformatic tools developed in recent years, provides an avenue to identify superior biocatalysts. Herein, we highlight several case studies to illustrate the power of this concept. A brief discussion on its complementarity with contemporary approaches in protein engineering (such as directed evolution) and possible future developments is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlong Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, BioScience Research Collaborative, Rice University, Houston, TX,77005, USA
| | - Hans Renata
- Department of Chemistry, BioScience Research Collaborative, Rice University, Houston, TX,77005, USA
- Lead Contact
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18
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Casadevall G, Duran C, Estévez‐Gay M, Osuna S. Estimating conformational heterogeneity of tryptophan synthase with a template‐based
Alphafold2
approach. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4426. [PMID: 36173176 PMCID: PMC9601780 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The three‐dimensional structure of the enzymes provides very relevant information on the arrangement of the catalytic machinery and structural elements gating the active site pocket. The recent success of the neural network Alphafold2 in predicting the folded structure of proteins from the primary sequence with high levels of accuracy has revolutionized the protein design field. However, the application of Alphafold2 for understanding and engineering function directly from the obtained single static picture is not straightforward. Indeed, understanding enzymatic function requires the exploration of the ensemble of thermally accessible conformations that enzymes adopt in solution. In the present study, we evaluate the potential of Alphafold2 in assessing the effect of the mutations on the conformational landscape of the beta subunit of tryptophan synthase (TrpB). Specifically, we develop a template‐based Alphafold2 approach for estimating the conformational heterogeneity of several TrpB enzymes, which is needed for enhanced stand‐alone activity. Our results show the potential of Alphafold2, especially if combined with molecular dynamics simulations, for elucidating the changes induced by mutation in the conformational landscapes at a rather reduced computational cost, thus revealing its plausible application in computational enzyme design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillem Casadevall
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi and Departament de Química Universitat de Girona Girona Spain
| | - Cristina Duran
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi and Departament de Química Universitat de Girona Girona Spain
| | - Miquel Estévez‐Gay
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi and Departament de Química Universitat de Girona Girona Spain
| | - Sílvia Osuna
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi and Departament de Química Universitat de Girona Girona Spain
- ICREA Barcelona Spain
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19
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Leveson‐Gower RB, Roelfes G. Biocatalytic Friedel-Crafts Reactions. ChemCatChem 2022; 14:e202200636. [PMID: 36606067 PMCID: PMC9804301 DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202200636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Friedel-Crafts alkylation and acylation reactions are important methodologies in synthetic and industrial chemistry for the construction of aryl-alkyl and aryl-acyl linkages that are ubiquitous in bioactive molecules. Nature also exploits these reactions in many biosynthetic processes. Much work has been done to expand the synthetic application of these enzymes to unnatural substrates through directed evolution. The promise of such biocatalysts is their potential to supersede inefficient and toxic chemical approaches to these reactions, with mild operating conditions - the hallmark of enzymes. Complementary work has created many bio-hybrid Friedel-Crafts catalysts consisting of chemical catalysts anchored into biomolecular scaffolds, which display many of the same desirable characteristics. In this Review, we summarise these efforts, focussing on both mechanistic aspects and synthetic considerations, concluding with an overview of the frontiers of this field and routes towards more efficient and benign Friedel-Crafts reactions for the future of humankind.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gerard Roelfes
- Stratingh Institute for ChemistryUniversity of Groningen9747 AGGroningenThe Netherlands
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20
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Ghosh RK, Hilario E, Chang CEA, Mueller LJ, Dunn MF. Allosteric regulation of substrate channeling: Salmonella typhimurium tryptophan synthase. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:923042. [PMID: 36172042 PMCID: PMC9512447 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.923042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The regulation of the synthesis of L-tryptophan (L-Trp) in enteric bacteria begins at the level of gene expression where the cellular concentration of L-Trp tightly controls expression of the five enzymes of the Trp operon responsible for the synthesis of L-Trp. Two of these enzymes, trpA and trpB, form an αββα bienzyme complex, designated as tryptophan synthase (TS). TS carries out the last two enzymatic processes comprising the synthesis of L-Trp. The TS α-subunits catalyze the cleavage of 3-indole D-glyceraldehyde 3′-phosphate to indole and D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate; the pyridoxal phosphate-requiring β-subunits catalyze a nine-step reaction sequence to replace the L-Ser hydroxyl by indole giving L-Trp and a water molecule. Within αβ dimeric units of the αββα bienzyme complex, the common intermediate indole is channeled from the α site to the β site via an interconnecting 25 Å-long tunnel. The TS system provides an unusual example of allosteric control wherein the structures of the nine different covalent intermediates along the β-reaction catalytic path and substrate binding to the α-site provide the allosteric triggers for switching the αββα system between the open (T) and closed (R) allosteric states. This triggering provides a linkage that couples the allosteric conformational coordinate to the covalent chemical reaction coordinates at the α- and β-sites. This coupling drives the α- and β-sites between T and R conformations to achieve regulation of substrate binding and/or product release, modulation of the α- and β-site catalytic activities, prevention of indole escape from the confines of the active sites and the interconnecting tunnel, and synchronization of the α- and β-site catalytic activities. Here we review recent advances in the understanding of the relationships between structure, function, and allosteric regulation of the complex found in Salmonella typhimurium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rittik K. Ghosh
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Eduardo Hilario
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Chia-en A. Chang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Leonard J. Mueller
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Leonard J. Mueller, ; Michael F. Dunn,
| | - Michael F. Dunn
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Leonard J. Mueller, ; Michael F. Dunn,
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21
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Substrate multiplexed protein engineering facilitates promiscuous biocatalytic synthesis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5242. [PMID: 36068220 PMCID: PMC9448781 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32789-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Enzymes with high activity are readily produced through protein engineering, but intentionally and efficiently engineering enzymes for an expanded substrate scope is a contemporary challenge. One approach to address this challenge is Substrate Multiplexed Screening (SUMS), where enzyme activity is measured on competing substrates. SUMS has long been used to rigorously quantitate native enzyme specificity, primarily for in vivo settings. SUMS has more recently found sporadic use as a protein engineering approach but has not been widely adopted by the field, despite its potential utility. Here, we develop principles of how to design and interpret SUMS assays to guide protein engineering. This rich information enables improving activity with multiple substrates simultaneously, identifies enzyme variants with altered scope, and indicates potential mutational hot-spots as sites for further engineering. These advances leverage common laboratory equipment and represent a highly accessible and customizable method for enzyme engineering. Efficient engineering of enzymes for expanded substrate scope is currently challenging. Here, the authors develop simple principles of how to design and interpret Substrate Multiplexed Screening assays to guide protein engineering to enable activity improvements with simultaneously with multiple substrates.
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22
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Liu AK, Pereira JH, Kehl AJ, Rosenberg DJ, Orr DJ, Chu SKS, Banda DM, Hammel M, Adams PD, Siegel JB, Shih PM. Structural plasticity enables evolution and innovation of RuBisCO assemblies. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadc9440. [PMID: 36026446 PMCID: PMC9417184 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adc9440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Oligomerization is a core structural feature that defines the form and function of many proteins. Most proteins form molecular complexes; however, there remains a dearth of diversity-driven structural studies investigating the evolutionary trajectory of these assemblies. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (RuBisCO) is one such enzyme that adopts multiple assemblies, although the origins and distribution of its different oligomeric states remain cryptic. Here, we retrace the evolution of ancestral and extant form II RuBisCOs, revealing a complex and diverse history of oligomerization. We structurally characterize a newly discovered tetrameric RuBisCO, elucidating how solvent-exposed surfaces can readily adopt new interactions to interconvert or give rise to new oligomeric states. We further use these principles to engineer and demonstrate how changes in oligomerization can be mediated by relatively few mutations. Our findings yield insight into how structural plasticity may give rise to new oligomeric states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert K. Liu
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jose H. Pereira
- Technology Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Alexander J. Kehl
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Daniel J. Rosenberg
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Douglas J. Orr
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Simon K. S. Chu
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Douglas M. Banda
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Michal Hammel
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Paul D. Adams
- Technology Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Justin B. Siegel
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Chemistry Department, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA 95616, USA
| | - Patrick M. Shih
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Feedstocks Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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23
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Catalytic Peptides: the Challenge between Simplicity and Functionality. Isr J Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ijch.202200029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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24
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Molina RS, Rix G, Mengiste AA, Alvarez B, Seo D, Chen H, Hurtado J, Zhang Q, Donato García-García J, Heins ZJ, Almhjell PJ, Arnold FH, Khalil AS, Hanson AD, Dueber JE, Schaffer DV, Chen F, Kim S, Ángel Fernández L, Shoulders MD, Liu CC. In vivo hypermutation and continuous evolution. NATURE REVIEWS. METHODS PRIMERS 2022; 2:37. [PMID: 37073402 PMCID: PMC10108624 DOI: 10.1038/s43586-022-00130-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rosana S. Molina
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Gordon Rix
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Amanuella A. Mengiste
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Beatriz Alvarez
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Darwin 3, Campus UAM Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Daeje Seo
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Haiqi Chen
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Juan Hurtado
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jorge Donato García-García
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingenieria y Ciencias, Av. General Ramon Corona 2514, Nuevo Mexico, C.P. 45138, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Zachary J. Heins
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Patrick J. Almhjell
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Frances H. Arnold
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Ahmad S. Khalil
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrew D. Hanson
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - John E. Dueber
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California Berkeley and San Francisco, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - David V. Schaffer
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California Berkeley and San Francisco, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Fei Chen
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Seokhee Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Luis Ángel Fernández
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Darwin 3, Campus UAM Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Matthew D. Shoulders
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Chang C. Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
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25
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l-Serine Biosensor-Controlled Fermentative Production of l-Tryptophan Derivatives by Corynebacterium glutamicum. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11050744. [PMID: 35625472 PMCID: PMC9138238 DOI: 10.3390/biology11050744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary l-tryptophan is an amino acid found in proteins. Its derivatives, such as hydroxylated or halogenated l-tryptophans, find applications in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, for example, in therapeutic peptides. Biotechnology provides a sustainable way for the production of l-tryptophan and its derivatives. In the final reaction of l-tryptophan biosynthesis in bacteria, such as Corynebacterium glutamicum, another amino acid, l-serine, is incorporated. Here, we show that C. glutamicum TrpB is able to convert indole derivatives, which were added to cells synthesizing l-serine, to the corresponding l-tryptophan derivatives. The gene trpB was expressed under the control of the l-serine-responsive transcriptional activator SerR in the C. glutamicum cells engineered for this fermentation process. Abstract l-Tryptophan derivatives, such as hydroxylated or halogenated l-tryptophans, are used in therapeutic peptides and agrochemicals and as precursors of bioactive compounds, such as serotonin. l-Tryptophan biosynthesis depends on another proteinogenic amino acid, l-serine, which is condensed with indole-3-glycerophosphate by tryptophan synthase. This enzyme is composed of the α-subunit TrpA, which catalyzes the retro-aldol cleavage of indole-3-glycerol phosphate, yielding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and indole, and the β-subunit TrpB that catalyzes the β-substitution reaction between indole and l-serine to water and l-tryptophan. TrpA is reported as an allosteric actuator, and its absence severely attenuates TrpB activity. In this study, however, we showed that Corynebacterium glutamicum TrpB is catalytically active in the absence of TrpA. Overexpression of C. glutamicumtrpB in a trpBA double deletion mutant supported growth in minimal medium only when exogenously added indole was taken up into the cell and condensed with intracellularly synthesized l-serine. The fluorescence reporter gene of an l-serine biosensor, which was based on the endogenous transcriptional activator SerR and its target promoter PserE, was replaced by trpB. This allowed for l-serine-dependent expression of trpB in an l-serine-producing strain lacking TrpA. Upon feeding of the respective indole derivatives, this strain produced the l-tryptophan derivatives 5-hydroxytryptophan, 7-bromotryptophan, and 5-fluorotryptophan.
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26
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Lee YJ, Lee S, Kim DM. Translational Detection of Indole by Complementary Cell-free Protein Synthesis Assay. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:900162. [PMID: 35646868 PMCID: PMC9136167 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.900162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The information encoded in a single copy of DNA is processed into a plethora of protein molecules via the cascade of transcription and translation. Thus, the molecular process of gene expression can be considered an efficient biological amplifier from the viewpoint of synthetic biology. Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) enables the implementation of this amplification module for in vitro analysis of important biomolecules and avoids many of the problems associated with whole cell-based approaches. Here, we developed a method to analyze indole by using a combination of enzymatic conversion of indole and amino acid-dependent CFPS. In this method, indole molecules in the assay sample are used to generate tryptophan, which is incorporated into signal-generating proteins in the subsequent cell-free synthesis reaction. The activity of cell-free synthesized proteins was successfully used to estimate the indole concentration in the assay sample. In principle, the developed method could be extended to analyses of other important bioactive compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Jin Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Soojin Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Dong-Myung Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Daejeon, Korea
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27
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Smith JL, Madrigal Harrison I, Bingman C, Buller AR. Investigation of β-substitution activity of O-acetylserine sulfhydrolase from Citrullus vulgaris. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202200157. [PMID: 35476889 PMCID: PMC9401013 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Pyridoxal‐5’‐phosphate (PLP)‐dependent enzymes have garnered interest for their ability to synthesize non‐standard amino acids (nsAAs). One such class of enzymes, O‐acetylserine sulfhydrylases (OASSs), catalyzes the final step in the biosynthesis of l‐cysteine. Here, we examine the β‐substitution capability of the OASS from Citrullus vulgaris (CvOASS), a putative l‐mimosine synthase. While the previously reported mimosine synthase activity was not reproducible in our hands, we successfully identified non‐native reactivity with a variety of O‐nucleophiles. Optimization of reaction conditions for carboxylate and phenolate substrates led to distinct conditions that were leveraged for the preparative‐scale synthesis of nsAAs. We further show this enzyme is capable of C−C bond formation through a β‐alkylation reaction with an activated nitroalkane. To facilitate understanding of this enzyme, we determined the crystal structure of the enzyme bound to PLP as the internal aldimine at 1.55 Å, revealing key features of the active site and providing information that may guide subsequent development of CvOASS as a practical biocatalyst.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Craig Bingman
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Biochemistry, UNITED STATES
| | - Andrew Richard Buller
- University of Wisconsin Madison, Chemistry, 1101 University Ave, 53706, Madison, UNITED STATES
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28
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Doyon TJ, Buller AR. Site-Selective Deuteration of Amino Acids through Dual-Protein Catalysis. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:7327-7336. [PMID: 35416652 PMCID: PMC10634506 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c00608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Deuterated amino acids have been recognized for their utility in drug development, for facilitating nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis, and as probes for enzyme mechanism. Small molecule-based methods for the site-selective synthesis of deuterated amino acids typically involve de novo synthesis of the compound from deuterated precursors. In comparison, enzymatic methods for introducing deuterium offer improved efficiency, operating directly on free amino acids to achieve hydrogen-deuterium (H/D) exchange. However, site selectivity remains a significant challenge for enzyme-mediated deuteration, limiting access to desirable deuteration motifs. Here, we use enzyme-catalyzed deuteration, combined with steady-state kinetic analysis and ultraviolet (UV)-vis spectroscopy to probe the mechanism of a two-protein system responsible for the biosynthesis of l-allo-Ile. We show that an aminotransferase (DsaD) can pair with a small partner protein (DsaE) to catalyze Cα and Cβ H/D exchange of amino acids, while reactions without DsaE lead exclusively to Cα-deuteration. With conditions for improved catalysis, we evaluate the substrate scope for Cα/Cβ-deuteration and demonstrate the utility of this system for preparative-scale, selective labeling of amino acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler J Doyon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Andrew R Buller
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
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29
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Tran JU, Brown BL. Structural Basis for Allostery in PLP-dependent Enzymes. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:884281. [PMID: 35547395 PMCID: PMC9081730 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.884281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes are found ubiquitously in nature and are involved in a variety of biological pathways, from natural product synthesis to amino acid and glucose metabolism. The first structure of a PLP-dependent enzyme was reported over 40 years ago, and since that time, there is a steady wealth of structural and functional information revealed for a wide array of these enzymes. A functional mechanism that is gaining more appreciation due to its relevance in drug design is that of protein allostery, where binding of a protein or ligand at a distal site influences the structure, organization, and function at the active site. Here, we present a review of current structure-based mechanisms of allostery for select members of each PLP-dependent enzyme family. Knowledge of these mechanisms may have a larger potential for identifying key similarities and differences among enzyme families that can eventually be exploited for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny U. Tran
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Breann L. Brown
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
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30
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Wu R, Ding W, Zhang Q. Consecutive Methylation catalyzed by
TsrM
, an atypical Class B radical
SAM
methylase. CHINESE J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/cjoc.202200174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Runze Wu
- Department of Chemistry Fudan University Shanghai 200433 China
| | - Wei Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200240 China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Chemistry Fudan University Shanghai 200433 China
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31
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Neuwald AF, Yang H, Tracy Nixon B. SPARC: Structural properties associated with residue constraints. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:1702-1715. [PMID: 35495120 PMCID: PMC9020082 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
SPARC facilitates the generation of plausible hypotheses regarding underlying biochemical mechanisms by structurally characterizing protein sequence constraints. Such constraints appear as residues co-conserved in functionally related subgroups, as subtle pairwise correlations (i.e., direct couplings), and as correlations among these sequence features or with structural features. SPARC performs three types of analyses. First, based on pairwise sequence correlations, it estimates the biological relevance of alternative conformations and of homomeric contacts, as illustrated here for death domains. Second, it estimates the statistical significance of the correspondence between directly coupled residue pairs and interactions at heterodimeric interfaces. Third, given molecular dynamics simulated structures, it characterizes interactions among constrained residues or between such residues and ligands that: (a) are stably maintained during the simulation; (b) undergo correlated formation and/or disruption of interactions with other constrained residues; or (c) switch between alternative interactions. We illustrate this for two homohexameric complexes: the bacterial enhancer binding protein (bEBP) NtrC1, which activates transcription by remodeling RNA polymerase (RNAP) containing σ54, and for DnaB helicase, which opens DNA at the bacterial replication fork. Based on the NtrC1 analysis, we hypothesize possible mechanisms for inhibiting ATP hydrolysis until ADP is released from an adjacent subunit and for coupling ATP hydrolysis to restructuring of σ54 binding loops. Based on the DnaB analysis, we hypothesize that DnaB 'grabs' ssDNA by flipping every fourth base and inserting it into cavities between subunits and that flipping of a DnaB-specific glutamine residue triggers ATP hydrolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F. Neuwald
- Institute for Genome Sciences and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 670 W. Baltimore Steet, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA,Corresponding author.
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Biology. Penn State University, 304A Frear South Building, University Park, PA 16802
| | - B. Tracy Nixon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 335 Frear South Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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32
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Zubi YS, Seki K, Li Y, Hunt AC, Liu B, Roux B, Jewett MC, Lewis JC. Metal-responsive regulation of enzyme catalysis using genetically encoded chemical switches. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1864. [PMID: 35387988 PMCID: PMC8987029 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29239-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Dynamic control over protein function is a central challenge in synthetic biology. To address this challenge, we describe the development of an integrated computational and experimental workflow to incorporate a metal-responsive chemical switch into proteins. Pairs of bipyridinylalanine (BpyAla) residues are genetically encoded into two structurally distinct enzymes, a serine protease and firefly luciferase, so that metal coordination biases the conformations of these enzymes, leading to reversible control of activity. Computational analysis and molecular dynamics simulations are used to rationally guide BpyAla placement, significantly reducing experimental workload, and cell-free protein synthesis coupled with high-throughput experimentation enable rapid prototyping of variants. Ultimately, this strategy yields enzymes with a robust 20-fold dynamic range in response to divalent metal salts over 24 on/off switches, demonstrating the potential of this approach. We envision that this strategy of genetically encoding chemical switches into enzymes will complement other protein engineering and synthetic biology efforts, enabling new opportunities for applications where precise regulation of protein function is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine S Zubi
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Kosuke Seki
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Andrew C Hunt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Bingqing Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Benoît Roux
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| | - Jared C Lewis
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA.
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33
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Wittmann BJ, Johnston KE, Almhjell PJ, Arnold FH. evSeq: Cost-Effective Amplicon Sequencing of Every Variant in a Protein Library. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:1313-1324. [PMID: 35172576 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Widespread availability of protein sequence-fitness data would revolutionize both our biochemical understanding of proteins and our ability to engineer them. Unfortunately, even though thousands of protein variants are generated and evaluated for fitness during a typical protein engineering campaign, most are never sequenced, leaving a wealth of potential sequence-fitness information untapped. Primarily, this is because sequencing is unnecessary for many protein engineering strategies; the added cost and effort of sequencing are thus unjustified. It also results from the fact that, even though many lower-cost sequencing strategies have been developed, they often require at least some access to and experience with sequencing or computational resources, both of which can be barriers to access. Here, we present every variant sequencing (evSeq), a method and collection of tools/standardized components for sequencing a variable region within every variant gene produced during a protein engineering campaign at a cost of cents per variant. evSeq was designed to democratize low-cost sequencing for protein engineers and, indeed, anyone interested in engineering biological systems. Execution of its wet-lab component is simple, requires no sequencing experience to perform, relies only on resources and services typically available to biology labs, and slots neatly into existing protein engineering workflows. Analysis of evSeq data is likewise made simple by its accompanying software (found at github.com/fhalab/evSeq, documentation at fhalab.github.io/evSeq), which can be run on a personal laptop and was designed to be accessible to users with no computational experience. Low-cost and easy-to-use, evSeq makes the collection of extensive protein variant sequence-fitness data practical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce J. Wittmann
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Kadina E. Johnston
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Patrick J. Almhjell
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Frances H. Arnold
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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34
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Schafer JW, Chen X, Schwartz SD. Engineered Tryptophan Synthase Balances Equilibrium Effects and Fast Dynamic Effects. ACS Catal 2022; 12:913-922. [PMID: 35719741 PMCID: PMC9202816 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.1c03913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Creating efficient and stable enzymes for catalysis in pharmaceutical and industrial laboratories is an important research goal. Arnold et al. used directed evolution to engineer a natural tryptophan synthase to create a mutant that is operable under laboratory conditions without the need for a natural allosteric effector. The use of directed evolution allows researchers to improve enzymes without understanding the structure-activity relationship. Here, we present a transition path sampling study of a key chemical transformation in the tryptophan synthase catalytic cycle. We observed that while directed evolution does mimic the natural allosteric effect from a stability perspective, fast protein dynamics associated with chemistry has been dramatically altered. This work provides further evidence of the role of protein dynamics in catalysis and clearly demonstrates the multifaceted complexity of mutations associated with protein engineering. This study also demonstrates a fascinating contrast between allosteric and stand-alone functions at the femtosecond time scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph W. Schafer
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Steven D. Schwartz
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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35
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Jakočiūnas T, Jensen MK, Keasling JD. CasPER: A CRISPR/Cas9-Based Method for Directed Evolution in Genomic Loci in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2513:23-37. [PMID: 35781198 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2399-2_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Here, in this chapter, we describe a detailed protocol for the method named Cas9-mediated protein evolution reaction or short CasPER. CasPER is based on the generation of large 300-600-bp mutagenized linear DNA fragments by error-prone PCR which are used as a donor for repair of double-strand break mediated by Cas9 and subsequently integrated to the genome. This method can be efficiently used for directed evolution of desired essential or nonessential genes in the genome and most importantly can be multiplexed. Altogether, the described method allows for heterogeneous DNA integration with successful transformation efficiencies of 98-100% for both single and multiplex targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadas Jakočiūnas
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Michael K Jensen
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Jay D Keasling
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Institute for Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes for Advanced Technologies, Shenzhen, China
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36
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Han J, Lyutenko NV, Sorochinsky AE, Okawara A, Konno H, White S, Soloshonok VA. Tailor-Made Amino Acids in Pharmaceutical Industry: Synthetic Approaches to Aza-Tryptophan Derivatives. Chemistry 2021; 27:17510-17528. [PMID: 34913215 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202102485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the recent years there has been a noticeable upsurge of interest in aza-analogs of tryptophan which are isosteric to the latter and found numerous applications in medicinal, bioorganic chemistry, and peptide research. In the present review article, five aza-tryptophan derivatives are profiled, including aza-substitution in the positions 2, on the five-membered ring, as well as in positions 4, 5, 6, and 7 on the six-membered ring. A detailed and comprehensive literature overview of the synthetic methods for the preparation of these aza-tryptophans is presented and general facets of the biological properties and most promising applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianlin Han
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, P. R. China
| | - Nataliya V Lyutenko
- Department of Fine Organic Synthesis V.P. Kukhar Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry, The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 1 Murmanska str., Kyiv, 02094, Ukraine
| | - Alexander E Sorochinsky
- Department of Fine Organic Synthesis V.P. Kukhar Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry, The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 1 Murmanska str., Kyiv, 02094, Ukraine
| | - Ayaka Okawara
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, 4-3-16, Jonan, Yonezawa, Yamagata, 992-8510, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Konno
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, 4-3-16, Jonan, Yonezawa, Yamagata, 992-8510, Japan
| | - Sarah White
- Oakwood Chemical, Inc., 730 Columbia Hwy. N, Estill, SC, 29918, USA
| | - Vadim A Soloshonok
- Department of Organic Chemistry I Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo Manuel Lardizábal 3, 20018, San Sebastián, Spain.,IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, María Díaz de Haro 3, Plaza Bizkaia, 48013, Bilbao, Spain
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37
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Ospina F, Schülke KH, Hammer SC. Biocatalytic Alkylation Chemistry: Building Molecular Complexity with High Selectivity. Chempluschem 2021; 87:e202100454. [PMID: 34821073 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202100454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Biocatalysis has traditionally been viewed as a field that primarily enables access to chiral centers. This includes the synthesis of chiral alcohols, amines and carbonyl compounds, often through functional group interconversion via hydrolytic or oxidation-reduction reactions. This limitation is partly being overcome by the design and evolution of new enzymes. Here, we provide an overview of a recently thriving research field that we summarize as biocatalytic alkylation chemistry. In the past 3-4 years, numerous new enzymes have been developed that catalyze sp3 C-C/N/O/S bond formations. These enzymes utilize different mechanisms to generate molecular complexity by coupling simple fragments with high activity and selectivity. In many cases, the engineered enzymes perform reactions that are difficult or impossible to achieve with current small-molecule catalysts such as organocatalysts and transition-metal complexes. This review further highlights that the design of new enzyme function is particularly successful when off-the-shelf synthetic reagents are utilized to access non-natural reactive intermediates. This underscores how biocatalysis is gradually moving to a field that build molecules through selective bond forming reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Ospina
- Faculty of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Kai H Schülke
- Faculty of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Stephan C Hammer
- Faculty of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
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38
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Maria-Solano MA, Kinateder T, Iglesias-Fernández J, Sterner R, Osuna S. In Silico Identification and Experimental Validation of Distal Activity-Enhancing Mutations in Tryptophan Synthase. ACS Catal 2021; 11:13733-13743. [PMID: 34777912 PMCID: PMC8576815 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.1c03950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Allostery is a central mechanism for the regulation of multi-enzyme complexes. The mechanistic basis that drives allosteric regulation is poorly understood but harbors key information for enzyme engineering. In the present study, we focus on the tryptophan synthase complex that is composed of TrpA and TrpB subunits, which allosterically activate each other. Specifically, we develop a rational approach for identifying key amino acid residues of TrpB distal from the active site. Those residues are predicted to be crucial for shifting the inefficient conformational ensemble of the isolated TrpB to a productive ensemble through intra-subunit allosteric effects. The experimental validation of the conformationally driven TrpB design demonstrates its superior stand-alone activity in the absence of TrpA, comparable to those enhancements obtained after multiple rounds of experimental laboratory evolution. Our work evidences that the current challenge of distal active site prediction for enhanced function in computational enzyme design has become within reach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Maria-Solano
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, Girona 17003, Spain
- Global AI Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Thomas Kinateder
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Javier Iglesias-Fernández
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, Girona 17003, Spain
- Nostrum Biodiscovery, Carrer de Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Reinhard Sterner
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Sílvia Osuna
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, Girona 17003, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain
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39
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Ghosh RK, Hilario E, Liu V, Wang Y, Niks D, Holmes JB, Sakhrani VV, Mueller LJ, Dunn MF. Mutation of βGln114 to Ala Alters the Stabilities of Allosteric States in Tryptophan Synthase Catalysis. Biochemistry 2021; 60:3173-3186. [PMID: 34595921 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The tryptophan synthase (TS) bienzyme complexes found in bacteria, yeasts, and molds are pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-requiring enzymes that synthesize l-Trp. In the TS catalytic cycle, switching between the open and closed states of the α- and β-subunits via allosteric interactions is key to the efficient conversion of 3-indole-d-glycerol-3'-phosphate and l-Ser to l-Trp. In this process, the roles played by β-site residues proximal to the PLP cofactor have not yet been fully established. βGln114 is one such residue. To explore the roles played by βQ114, we conducted a detailed investigation of the βQ114A mutation on the structure and function of tryptophan synthase. Initial steady-state kinetic and static ultraviolet-visible spectroscopic analyses showed the Q to A mutation impairs catalytic activity and alters the stabilities of intermediates in the β-reaction. Therefore, we conducted X-ray structural and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic studies to compare the wild-type and βQ114A mutant enzymes. These comparisons establish that the protein structural changes are limited to the Gln to Ala replacement, the loss of hydrogen bonds among the side chains of βGln114, βAsn145, and βArg148, and the inclusion of waters in the cavity created by substitution of the smaller Ala side chain. Because the conformations of the open and closed allosteric states are not changed by the mutation, we hypothesize that the altered properties arise from the lost hydrogen bonds that alter the relative stabilities of the open (βT state) and closed (βR state) conformations of the β-subunit and consequently alter the distribution of intermediates along the β-subunit catalytic path.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rittik K Ghosh
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Eduardo Hilario
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Viktoriia Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Yangyang Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Dimitri Niks
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Jacob B Holmes
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Varun V Sakhrani
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Leonard J Mueller
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Michael F Dunn
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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40
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Watkins-Dulaney EJ, Dunham NP, Straathof S, Turi S, Arnold FH, Buller AR. Asymmetric Alkylation of Ketones Catalyzed by Engineered TrpB. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:21412-21417. [PMID: 34269506 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202106938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The β-subunit of tryptophan synthase (TrpB) catalyzes a PLP-mediated β-substitution reaction between indole and serine to form L-Trp. A succession of TrpB protein engineering campaigns to expand the enzyme's nucleophile substrate range has enabled the biocatalytic production of diverse non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs). Here, we show that ketone-derived enolates can serve as nucleophiles in the TrpB reaction to achieve the asymmetric alkylation of ketones, an outstanding challenge in synthetic chemistry. We engineered TrpB by directed evolution to catalyze the asymmetric alkylation of propiophenone and 2-fluoroacetophenone with a high degree of selectivity. In reactions with propiophenone, preference for the opposite product diastereomer emerges over the course of evolution, demonstrating that full control over the stereochemistry at the new chiral center can be achieved. The addition of this new reaction to the TrpB platform is a crucial first step toward the development of efficient methods to synthesize non-canonical prolines and other chirally dense nitrogen heterocycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella J Watkins-Dulaney
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Noah P Dunham
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Sabine Straathof
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Soma Turi
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Frances H Arnold
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.,Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Andrew R Buller
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
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41
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Watkins‐Dulaney EJ, Dunham NP, Straathof S, Turi S, Arnold FH, Buller AR. Asymmetric Alkylation of Ketones Catalyzed by Engineered TrpB. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202106938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ella J. Watkins‐Dulaney
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41 1200 E. California Boulevard Pasadena CA 91125 USA
| | - Noah P. Dunham
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41 1200 E. California Boulevard Pasadena CA 91125 USA
| | - Sabine Straathof
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41 1200 E. California Boulevard Pasadena CA 91125 USA
| | - Soma Turi
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41 1200 E. California Boulevard Pasadena CA 91125 USA
| | - Frances H. Arnold
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41 1200 E. California Boulevard Pasadena CA 91125 USA
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering California Institute of Technology, MC 210-41 1200 E. California Boulevard Pasadena CA 91125 USA
| | - Andrew R. Buller
- Department of Chemistry University of Wisconsin—Madison 1101 University Avenue Madison WI 53706 USA
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42
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Shenshin VA, Lescanne C, Gines G, Rondelez Y. A small-molecule chemical interface for molecular programs. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:7765-7774. [PMID: 34223901 PMCID: PMC8287923 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro molecular circuits, based on DNA-programmable chemistries, can perform an increasing range of high-level functions, such as molecular level computation, image or chemical pattern recognition and pattern generation. Most reported demonstrations, however, can only accept nucleic acids as input signals. Real-world applications of these programmable chemistries critically depend on strategies to interface them with a variety of non-DNA inputs, in particular small biologically relevant chemicals. We introduce here a general strategy to interface DNA-based circuits with non-DNA signals, based on input-translating modules. These translating modules contain a DNA response part and an allosteric protein sensing part, and use a simple design that renders them fully tunable and modular. They can be repurposed to either transmit or invert the response associated with the presence of a given input. By combining these translating-modules with robust and leak-free amplification motifs, we build sensing circuits that provide a fluorescent quantitative time-response to the concentration of their small-molecule input, with good specificity and sensitivity. The programmability of the DNA layer can be leveraged to perform DNA based signal processing operations, which we demonstrate here with logical inversion, signal modulation and a classification task on two inputs. The DNA circuits are also compatible with standard biochemical conditions, and we show the one-pot detection of an enzyme through its native metabolic activity. We anticipate that this sensitive small-molecule-to-DNA conversion strategy will play a critical role in the future applications of molecular-level circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasily A Shenshin
- Laboratoire Gulliver, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 10 rue Vauquelin 75005 Paris, France
| | - Camille Lescanne
- Laboratoire Gulliver, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 10 rue Vauquelin 75005 Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Gines
- Laboratoire Gulliver, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 10 rue Vauquelin 75005 Paris, France
| | - Yannick Rondelez
- Laboratoire Gulliver, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 10 rue Vauquelin 75005 Paris, France
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43
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Henche S, Nestl BM, Hauer B. Enzymatic Friedel‐Crafts Alkylation Using Squalene‐Hopene Cyclases. ChemCatChem 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202100452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Henche
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry Department of Technical Biochemistry Universitaet Stuttgart Allmandring 31 70569 Stuttgart Germany
| | | | - Bernhard Hauer
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry Department of Technical Biochemistry Universitaet Stuttgart Allmandring 31 70569 Stuttgart Germany
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44
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Michalska K, Wellington S, Maltseva N, Jedrzejczak R, Selem-Mojica N, Rosas-Becerra LR, Barona-Gómez F, Hung DT, Joachimiak A. Catalytically impaired TrpA subunit of tryptophan synthase from Chlamydia trachomatis is an allosteric regulator of TrpB. Protein Sci 2021; 30:1904-1918. [PMID: 34107106 PMCID: PMC8376405 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular growth and pathogenesis of Chlamydia species is controlled by the availability of tryptophan, yet the complete biosynthetic pathway for l‐Trp is absent among members of the genus. Some representatives, however, preserve genes encoding tryptophan synthase, TrpAB – a bifunctional enzyme catalyzing the last two steps in l‐Trp synthesis. TrpA (subunit α) converts indole‐3‐glycerol phosphate into indole and glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate (α reaction). The former compound is subsequently used by TrpB (subunit β) to produce l‐Trp in the presence of l‐Ser and a pyridoxal 5′‐phosphate cofactor (β reaction). Previous studies have indicated that in Chlamydia, TrpA has lost its catalytic activity yet remains associated with TrpB to support the β reaction. Here, we provide detailed analysis of the TrpAB from C. trachomatis D/UW‐3/CX, confirming that accumulation of mutations in the active site of TrpA renders it enzymatically inactive, despite the conservation of the catalytic residues. We also show that TrpA remains a functional component of the TrpAB complex, increasing the activity of TrpB by four‐fold. The side chain of non‐conserved βArg267 functions as cation effector, potentially rendering the enzyme less susceptible to the solvent ion composition. The observed structural and functional changes detected herein were placed in a broader evolutionary and genomic context, allowing identification of these mutations in relation to their trp gene contexts in which they occur. Moreover, in agreement with the in vitro data, partial relaxation of purifying selection for TrpA, but not for TrpB, was detected, reinforcing a partial loss of TrpA functions during the course of evolution. PDB Code(s): 6V82;
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Michalska
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, USA
| | - Samantha Wellington
- Department of Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Natalia Maltseva
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Robert Jedrzejczak
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Nelly Selem-Mojica
- Evolution of Metabolic Diversity Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Cinvestav, Mexico
| | - L Rodrigo Rosas-Becerra
- Evolution of Metabolic Diversity Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Cinvestav, Mexico
| | - Francisco Barona-Gómez
- Evolution of Metabolic Diversity Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Cinvestav, Mexico
| | - Deborah T Hung
- Department of Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrzej Joachimiak
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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45
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D'Amico RN, Bosken YK, O'Rourke KF, Murray AM, Admasu W, Chang CEA, Boehr DD. Substitution of a Surface-Exposed Residue Involved in an Allosteric Network Enhances Tryptophan Synthase Function in Cells. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:679915. [PMID: 34124159 PMCID: PMC8187860 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.679915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Networks of noncovalent amino acid interactions propagate allosteric signals throughout proteins. Tryptophan synthase (TS) is an allosterically controlled bienzyme in which the indole product of the alpha subunit (αTS) is transferred through a 25 Å hydrophobic tunnel to the active site of the beta subunit (βTS). Previous nuclear magnetic resonance and molecular dynamics simulations identified allosteric networks in αTS important for its function. We show here that substitution of a distant, surface-exposed network residue in αTS enhances tryptophan production, not by activating αTS function, but through dynamically controlling the opening of the indole channel and stimulating βTS activity. While stimulation is modest, the substitution also enhances cell growth in a tryptophan-auxotrophic strain of Escherichia coli compared to complementation with wild-type αTS, emphasizing the biological importance of the network. Surface-exposed networks provide new opportunities in allosteric drug design and protein engineering, and hint at potential information conduits through which the functions of a metabolon or even larger proteome might be coordinated and regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N D'Amico
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Yuliana K Bosken
- Department of Chemistry, The University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Kathleen F O'Rourke
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Alec M Murray
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Woudasie Admasu
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Chia-En A Chang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - David D Boehr
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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46
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De novo biosynthesis of a nonnatural cobalt porphyrin cofactor in E. coli and incorporation into hemoproteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2017625118. [PMID: 33850014 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2017625118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Enzymes that bear a nonnative or artificially introduced metal center can engender novel reactivity and enable new spectroscopic and structural studies. In the case of metal-organic cofactors, such as metalloporphyrins, no general methods exist to build and incorporate new-to-nature cofactor analogs in vivo. We report here that a common laboratory strain, Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), biosynthesizes cobalt protoporphyrin IX (CoPPIX) under iron-limited, cobalt-rich growth conditions. In supplemented minimal media containing CoCl2, the metabolically produced CoPPIX is directly incorporated into multiple hemoproteins in place of native heme b (FePPIX). Five cobalt-substituted proteins were successfully expressed with this new-to-nature cobalt porphyrin cofactor: myoglobin H64V V68A, dye decolorizing peroxidase, aldoxime dehydratase, cytochrome P450 119, and catalase. We show conclusively that these proteins incorporate CoPPIX, with the CoPPIX making up at least 95% of the total porphyrin content. In cases in which the native metal ligand is a sulfur or nitrogen, spectroscopic parameters are consistent with retention of native metal ligands. This method is an improvement on previous approaches with respect to both yield and ease-of-implementation. Significantly, this method overcomes a long-standing challenge to incorporate nonnatural cofactors through de novo biosynthesis. By utilizing a ubiquitous laboratory strain, this process will facilitate spectroscopic studies and the development of enzymes for CoPPIX-mediated biocatalysis.
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47
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Libardo MDJ, Duncombe CJ, Green SR, Wyatt PG, Thompson S, Ray PC, Ioerger TR, Oh S, Goodwin MB, Boshoff HIM, Barry CE. Resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to indole 4-carboxamides occurs through alterations in drug metabolism and tryptophan biosynthesis. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:1180-1191.e20. [PMID: 33765439 PMCID: PMC8379015 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Tryptophan biosynthesis represents an important potential drug target for new anti-TB drugs. We identified a series of indole-4-carboxamides with potent antitubercular activity. In vitro, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) acquired resistance to these compounds through three discrete mechanisms: (1) a decrease in drug metabolism via loss-of-function mutations in the amidase that hydrolyses these carboxamides, (2) an increased biosynthetic rate of tryptophan precursors via loss of allosteric feedback inhibition of anthranilate synthase (TrpE), and (3) mutation of tryptophan synthase (TrpAB) that decreased incorporation of 4-aminoindole into 4-aminotryptophan. Thus, these indole-4-carboxamides act as prodrugs of a tryptophan antimetabolite, 4-aminoindole.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Daben J Libardo
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Caroline J Duncombe
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Simon R Green
- Drug Discovery Unit, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Paul G Wyatt
- Drug Discovery Unit, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Stephen Thompson
- Drug Discovery Unit, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Peter C Ray
- Drug Discovery Unit, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Thomas R Ioerger
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Sangmi Oh
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michael B Goodwin
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Helena I M Boshoff
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Clifton E Barry
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7935, South Africa.
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48
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Computational investigations of allostery in aromatic amino acid biosynthetic enzymes. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:415-429. [PMID: 33544132 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Allostery, in which binding of ligands to remote sites causes a functional change in the active sites, is a fascinating phenomenon observed in enzymes. Allostery can occur either with or without significant conformational changes in the enzymes, and the molecular basis of its mechanism can be difficult to decipher using only experimental techniques. Computational tools for analyzing enzyme sequences, structures, and dynamics can provide insights into the allosteric mechanism at the atomic level. Combining computational and experimental methods offers a powerful strategy for the study of enzyme allostery. The aromatic amino acid biosynthesis pathway is essential in microorganisms and plants. Multiple enzymes involved in this pathway are sensitive to feedback regulation by pathway end products and are known to use allostery to control their activities. To date, four enzymes in the aromatic amino acid biosynthesis pathway have been computationally investigated for their allosteric mechanisms, including 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase, anthranilate synthase, chorismate mutase, and tryptophan synthase. Here we review the computational studies and findings on the allosteric mechanisms of these four enzymes. Results from these studies demonstrate the capability of computational tools and encourage future computational investigations of allostery in other enzymes of this pathway.
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49
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Abstract
QM/MM simulations have become an indispensable tool in many chemical and biochemical investigations. Considering the tremendous degree of success, including recognition by a 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, are there still "burning challenges" in QM/MM methods, especially for biomolecular systems? In this short Perspective, we discuss several issues that we believe greatly impact the robustness and quantitative applicability of QM/MM simulations to many, if not all, biomolecules. We highlight these issues with observations and relevant advances from recent studies in our group and others in the field. Despite such limited scope, we hope the discussions are of general interest and will stimulate additional developments that help push the field forward in meaningful directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Cui
- Departments of Chemistry, Physics, and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Tanmoy Pal
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Luke Xie
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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50
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Kumar P, Meza A, Ellis JM, Carlson GA, Bingman CA, Buller AR. l-Threonine Transaldolase Activity Is Enabled by a Persistent Catalytic Intermediate. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:86-95. [PMID: 33337128 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
l-Threonine transaldolases (lTTAs) are a poorly characterized class of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of diverse β-hydroxy amino acids. Here, we study the catalytic mechanism of ObiH, an lTTA essential for biosynthesis of the β-lactone natural product obafluorin. Heterologously expressed ObiH purifies as a mixture of chemical states including a catalytically inactive form of the PLP cofactor. Photoexcitation of ObiH promotes the conversion of the inactive state of the enzyme to the active form. UV-vis spectroscopic analysis reveals that ObiH catalyzes the retro-aldol cleavage of l-threonine to form a remarkably persistent glycyl quinonoid intermediate, with a half-life of ∼3 h. Protonation of this intermediate is kinetically disfavored, enabling on-cycle reactivity with aldehydes to form β-hydroxy amino acids. We demonstrate the synthetic potential of ObiH via the single step synthesis of (2S,3R)-β-hydroxyleucine. To further understand the structural features underpinning this desirable reactivity, we determined the crystal structure of ObiH bound to PLP as the Schiff's base at 1.66 Å resolution. This high-resolution model revealed a unique active site configuration wherein the evolutionarily conserved Asp that traditionally H-bonds to the cofactor is swapped for a neighboring Glu. Molecular dynamics simulations combined with mutagenesis studies indicate that a structural rearrangement is associated with l-threonine entry into the catalytic cycle. Together, these data explain the basis for the unique reactivity of lTTA enzymes and provide a foundation for future engineering and mechanistic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prasanth Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Anthony Meza
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Jonathan M. Ellis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Grace A. Carlson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Craig A. Bingman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Andrew R. Buller
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin—Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
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