Intrinsic activity and stability of bifunctional human UMP synthase and its two separate catalytic domains, orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and orotidine-5'-phosphate decarboxylase

Structural and functional properties of uridine 5'-monophosphate synthase from Coffea arabica

In higher eukaryotes and plants, the last two sequential steps in the de novo biosynthesis of uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP) are catalyzed by a bifunctional natural chimeric protein called UMP synthase (UMPS). In higher plants, UMPS consists of two naturally fused enzymes: orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRTase) at N-terminal and orotidine-5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (ODCase) at C-terminal. In this work, we obtained the full functional recombinant protein UMPS from Coffea arabica (CaUMPS) and studied its structure-function relationships. A biochemical and structural characterization of a plant UMPS with its two functional domains is described together with the presentation of the first crystal structure of a plant ODCase at 1.4 Å resolution. The kinetic parameters measured of CaOPRTase and CaODCase domains were comparable to those reported. The crystallographic structure revealed that CaODCase is a dimer that conserves the typical fold observed in other ODCases from prokaryote and eukaryote with a 1-deoxy-ribofuranose-5'-phosphate molecule bound in the active site of one subunit induced a closed conformation. Our results add to the knowledge of one of the key enzymes of the de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidines in plant metabolism and open the door to future applications.

Selective activities of STAMPs against Streptococcus mutans

The present study aimed to design, synthesize and screen specifically targeted antimicrobial peptides (STAMPs) that can selectively kill Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) in the biofilm, and to detect protein metabolism, in order to investigate the mechanism of the antibacterial functions of STAMPs against S. mutans. A series of STAMPs were synthesized, and their effects on the selective antibacterial activity of S. mutans on single species and multi-species biofilms under the condition of the planktonic state were studied. The total protein of S. mutans was extracted before and after C11H, and matrix-assisted laser adsorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry identification was performed. The antibacterial activity on planktonic S. mutans was increased 3- to 4-fold via C8H, C11H, C12H, C13H, and C14H compared with hLF1-11 (H) alone, and there was no difference between Streptococcus gordonii (S. gordonii) and Streptococcus sanguis (S. sanguis). C8H, C11H, C12H, C13H, and C14H had significant inhibitory effects on the growth of S. mutans biofilm, but there were no significant effects on S. gordonii and S. sanguis biofilms. The number of S. mutans in biofilm decreased at 4 h after C8H, C11H, C12H, C13H and C14H and C8, C11, C12, C13 and C14 had no effect on the growth of planktonic and biofilm states of S. mutans, S. gordonii and S. sanguis species. C11H and C12H exhibited the most obvious effects, followed by C13H and C14H, and then C8H. A total of 21 protein spots with a mean change ratio of 1.5 were identified, all of which were downregulated after C11H. A total of 19 proteins were successfully identified, including cell cycle-relative proteins, nucleic acid metabolism-related enzymes and proteins, virulence factors, protein biosynthesis and regulation, proteins involved in energy metabolism, and proteins with unknown function. In the present study, STAMPs with selective antibacterial activity against S. mutans grown in planktonic or biofilm states but without obvious effects on oral Streptococci and multi-species biofilm were successfully designed and synthesized. Differential protein expression before and after C11H was identified. The mechanism of the antibacterial function was also discussed. Results of the present study laid the foundation for application of STAMPs in the prevention and treatment of dental caries.

Oxidized C5-methyl cytosine bases in DNA: 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine; 5-formylcytosine; and 5-carboxycytosine

Recent reports suggest that the Tet enzyme family catalytically oxidize 5-methylcytosine in mammalian cells. The oxidation of 5-methylcytosine can result in three chemically distinct species - 5-hydroxymethylcytsine, 5-formylcytosine, and 5-carboxycytosine. While the base excision repair machinery processes 5-formylcytosine and 5-carboxycytosine rapidly, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine is stable under physiological conditions. As a stable modification 5-hydroxymethylcytosine has a broad range of functions, from stem cell pluriopotency to tumorigenesis. The subsequent oxidation products, 5-formylcytosine and 5-carboxycytosine, are suggested to be involved in an active DNA demethylation pathway. This review provides an overview of the biochemistry and biology of 5-methylcytosine oxidation products.

Bifunctional activity of fused Plasmodium falciparum orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase

Fusion of the last two enzymes in the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway in the inversed order by having a COOH-terminal orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT) and an NH₂-terminal orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (OMPDC), as OMPDC-OPRT, are described in many organisms. Here, we produced gene fusions of Plasmodium falciparum OMPDC-OPRT and expressed the bifunctional protein in Escherichia coli. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity using affinity and anion-exchange chromatography, exhibited enzymatic activities and functioned as a dimer. The activities, although unstable, were stabilized by its substrate and product during purification and long-term storage. Furthermore, the enzyme expressed a perfect catalytic efficiency (k_cat/K_m). The k_cat was selectively enhanced up to three orders of magnitude, while the K_m was not much affected and remained at low μM levels when compared to the monofunctional enzymes. The fusion of the two enzymes, creating a "super-enzyme" with perfect catalytic power and more flexibility, reflects cryptic relationship of enzymatic reactivities and metabolic functions on molecular evolution.

Discovery of a Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Compound That Inhibits Pyrimidine Biosynthesis and Establishes a Type 1 Interferon-Independent Antiviral State

Viral emergence and reemergence underscore the importance of developing efficacious, broad-spectrum antivirals. Here, we report the discovery of tetrahydrobenzothiazole-based compound 1, a novel, broad-spectrum antiviral lead that was optimized from a hit compound derived from a cytopathic effect (CPE)-based antiviral screen using Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Compound 1 showed antiviral activity against a broad range of RNA viruses, including alphaviruses, flaviviruses, influenza virus, and ebolavirus. Mechanism-of-action studies with metabolomics and molecular approaches revealed that the compound inhibits host pyrimidine synthesis and establishes an antiviral state by inducing a variety of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Notably, the induction of the ISGs by compound 1 was independent of the production of type 1 interferons. The antiviral activity of compound 1 was cell type dependent with a robust effect observed in human cell lines and no observed antiviral effect in mouse cell lines. Herein, we disclose tetrahydrobenzothiazole compound 1 as a novel lead for the development of a broad-spectrum, antiviral therapeutic and as a molecular probe to study the mechanism of the induction of ISGs that are independent of type 1 interferons.

Orotidine Monophosphate Decarboxylase--A Fascinating Workhorse Enzyme with Therapeutic Potential

Orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (ODCase) is known as one of the most proficient enzymes. The enzyme catalyzes the last reaction step of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis, the conversion from orotidine 5'-monophosphate (OMP) to uridine 5'-monophosphate. The enzyme is found in all three domains of life, Bacteria, Eukarya and Archaea. Multiple sequence alignment of 750 putative ODCase sequences resulted in five distinct groups. While the universally conserved DxKxxDx motif is present in all the groups, depending on the groups, several characteristic motifs and residues can be identified. Over 200 crystal structures of ODCases have been determined so far. The structures, together with biochemical assays and computational studies, elucidated that ODCase utilized both transition state stabilization and substrate distortion to accelerate the decarboxylation of its natural substrate. Stabilization of the vinyl anion intermediate by a conserved lysine residue at the catalytic site is considered the largest contributing factor to catalysis, while bending of the carboxyl group from the plane of the aromatic pyrimidine ring of OMP accounts for substrate distortion. A number of crystal structures of ODCases complexed with potential drug candidate molecules have also been determined, including with 6-iodo-uridine, a potential antimalarial agent.

Study of orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase in complex with the top three OMP, BMP, and PMP ligands by molecular dynamics simulation

Catalytic mechanism of orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (OMPDC), one of the nature most proficient enzymes which provides large rate enhancement, has not been fully understood yet. A series of 30 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were run on X-ray structure of the OMPDC from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in its free form as well as in complex with different ligands, namely 1-(5'-phospho-D-ribofuranosyl) barbituric acid (BMP), orotidine 5'-monophosphate (OMP), and 6-phosphonouridine 5'-monophosphate (PMP). The importance of this biological system is justified both by its high rate enhancement and its potential use as a target in chemotherapy. This work focuses on comparing two physicochemical states of the enzyme (protonated and deprotonated Asp91) and three ligands (substrate OMP, inhibitor, and transition state analog BMP and substrate analog PMP). Detailed analysis of the active site geometry and its interactions is properly put in context by extensive comparison with relevant experimental works. Our overall results show that in terms of hydrogen bond occupancy, electrostatic interactions, dihedral angles, active site configuration, and movement of loops, notable differences among different complexes are observed. Comparison of the results obtained from these simulations provides some detailed structural data for the complexes, the enzyme, and the ligands, as well as useful insights into the inhibition mechanism of the OMPDC enzyme. Furthermore, these simulations are applied to clarify the ambiguous mechanism of the OMPDC enzyme, and imply that the substrate destabilization and transition state stabilization contribute to the mechanism of action of the most proficient enzyme, OMPDC.

Transition-state inhibitors of purine salvage and other prospective enzyme targets in malaria

Malaria is a leading cause of human death within the tropics. The gradual generation of drug resistance imposes an urgent need for the development of new and selective antimalarial agents. Kinetic isotope effects coupled to computational chemistry have provided the relevant details on geometry and charge of enzymatic transition states to facilitate the design of transition-state analogs. These features have been reproduced into chemically stable mimics through synthetic chemistry, generating inhibitors with dissociation constants in the pico- to femto-molar range. Transition-state analogs are expected to contribute to the control of malaria.

Transition state analogues of Plasmodium falciparum and human orotate phosphoribosyltransferases

The survival and proliferation of Plasmodium falciparum parasites and human cancer cells require de novo pyrimidine synthesis to supply RNA and DNA precursors. Orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT) is an indispensible component in this metabolic pathway and is a target for antimalarials and antitumor drugs. P. falciparum (Pf) and Homo sapiens (Hs) OPRTs are characterized by highly dissociative transition states with ribocation character. On the basis of the geometrical and electrostatic features of the PfOPRT and HsOPRT transition states, analogues were designed, synthesized, and tested as inhibitors. Iminoribitol mimics of the ribocation transition state in linkage to pyrimidine mimics using methylene or ethylene linkers gave dissociation constants (Kd) as low as 80 nM. Inhibitors with pyrrolidine groups as ribocation mimics displayed slightly weaker binding affinities for OPRTs. Interestingly, p-nitrophenyl riboside 5'-phosphate bound to OPRTs with Kd values near 40 nM. Analogues designed with a C5-pyrimidine carbon-carbon bond to ribocation mimics gave Kd values in the range of 80-500 nM. Acyclic inhibitors with achiral serinol groups as the ribocation mimics also displayed nanomolar inhibition against OPRTs. In comparison with the nucleoside derivatives, inhibition constants of their corresponding 5'-phosphorylated transition state analogues are largely unchanged, an unusual property for a nucleotide-binding site. In silico docking of the best inhibitor into the HsOPRT active site supported an extensive hydrogen bond network associated with the tight binding affinity. These OPRT transition state analogues identify crucial components of potent inhibitors targeting OPRT enzymes. Despite their tight binding to the targets, the inhibitors did not kill cultured P. falciparum.

Biochemical characterization of uracil phosphoribosyltransferase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (UPRT) catalyzes the conversion of uracil and 5-phosphoribosyl-α-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) to uridine 5′-monophosphate (UMP) and pyrophosphate (PP_i). UPRT plays an important role in the pyrimidine salvage pathway since UMP is a common precursor of all pyrimidine nucleotides. Here we describe cloning, expression and purification to homogeneity of upp-encoded UPRT from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MtUPRT). Mass spectrometry and N-terminal amino acid sequencing unambiguously identified the homogeneous protein as MtUPRT. Analytical ultracentrifugation showed that native MtUPRT follows a monomer-tetramer association model. MtUPRT is specific for uracil. GTP is not a modulator of MtUPRT ativity. MtUPRT was not significantly activated or inhibited by ATP, UTP, and CTP. Initial velocity and isothermal titration calorimetry studies suggest that catalysis follows a sequential ordered mechanism, in which PRPP binding is followed by uracil, and PP_i product is released first followed by UMP. The pH-rate profiles indicated that groups with pK values of 5.7 and 8.1 are important for catalysis, and a group with a pK value of 9.5 is involved in PRPP binding. The results here described provide a solid foundation on which to base upp gene knockout aiming at the development of strategies to prevent tuberculosis.

Proton transfer from C-6 of uridine 5'-monophosphate catalyzed by orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase: formation and stability of a vinyl carbanion intermediate and the effect of a 5-fluoro substituent

The exchange for deuterium of the C-6 protons of uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP) and 5-fluorouridine 5'-monophosphate (F-UMP) catalyzed by yeast orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (ScOMPDC) at pD 6.5-9.3 and 25 °C was monitored by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Deuterium exchange proceeds by proton transfer from C-6 of the bound nucleotide to the deprotonated side chain of Lys-93 to give the enzyme-bound vinyl carbanion. The pD-rate profiles for k(cat) give turnover numbers for deuterium exchange into enzyme-bound UMP and F-UMP of 1.2 × 10(-5) and 0.041 s(-1), respectively, so that the 5-fluoro substituent results in a 3400-fold increase in the first-order rate constant for deuterium exchange. The binding of UMP and F-UMP to ScOMPDC results in 0.5 and 1.4 unit decreases, respectively, in the pK(a) of the side chain of the catalytic base Lys-93, showing that these nucleotides bind preferentially to the deprotonated enzyme. We also report the first carbon acid pK(a) values for proton transfer from C-6 of uridine (pK(CH) = 28.8) and 5-fluorouridine (pK(CH) = 25.1) in aqueous solution. The stabilizing effects of the 5-fluoro substituent on C-6 carbanion formation in solution (5 kcal/mol) and at ScOMPDC (6 kcal/mol) are similar. The binding of UMP and F-UMP to ScOMPDC results in a greater than 5 × 10(9)-fold increase in the equilibrium constant for proton transfer from C-6, so that ScOMPDC stabilizes the bound vinyl carbanions, relative to the bound nucleotides, by at least 13 kcal/mol. The pD-rate profile for k(cat)/K(m) for deuterium exchange into F-UMP gives the intrinsic second-order rate constant for exchange catalyzed by the deprotonated enzyme as 2300 M(-1) s(-1). This was used to calculate a total rate acceleration for ScOMPDC-catalyzed deuterium exchange of 3 × 10(10) M(-1), which corresponds to a transition-state stabilization for deuterium exchange of 14 kcal/mol. We conclude that a large portion of the total transition-state stabilization for the decarboxylation of orotidine 5'-monophosphate can be accounted for by stabilization of the enzyme-bound vinyl carbanion intermediate of the stepwise reaction.

Molecular, kinetic and thermodynamic characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis orotate phosphoribosyltransferase

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infectious disease caused mainly by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The worldwide emergence of drug-resistant strains, the increasing number of infected patients among immune compromised populations, and the large number of latent infected individuals that are reservoir to the disease have underscored the urgent need of new strategies to treat TB. The nucleotide metabolism pathways provide promising molecular targets for the development of novel drugs against active TB and may, hopefully, also be effective against latent forms of the pathogen. The orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT) enzyme of the de novo pyrimidine synthesis pathway catalyzes the reversible phosphoribosyl transfer from 5'-phospho-α-D-ribose 1'-diphosphate (PRPP) to orotic acid (OA), forming pyrophosphate and orotidine 5'-monophosphate (OMP). Here we describe cloning and characterization of pyrE-encoded protein of M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain as a homodimeric functional OPRT enzyme. The M. tuberculosis OPRT true kinetic constants for forward reaction and product inhibition results suggest a Mono-Iso Ordered Bi-Bi kinetic mechanism, which has not been previously described for this enzyme family. Absence of detection of half reaction and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) data support the proposed mechanism. ITC data also provided thermodynamic signatures of non-covalent interactions between substrate/product and M. tuberculosis OPRT. These data provide a solid foundation on which to base target-based rational design of anti-TB agents and should inform us how to better design inhibitors of M. tuberculosis OPRT.

The Leishmania donovani UMP synthase is essential for promastigote viability and has an unusual tetrameric structure that exhibits substrate-controlled oligomerization

The final two steps of de novo uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP) biosynthesis are catalyzed by orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT) and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (OMPDC). In most prokaryotes and simple eukaryotes these two enzymes are encoded by separate genes, whereas in mammals they are expressed as a bifunctional gene product called UMP synthase (UMPS), with OPRT at the N terminus and OMPDC at the C terminus. Leishmania and some closely related organisms also express a bifunctional enzyme for these two steps, but the domain order is reversed relative to mammalian UMPS. In this work we demonstrate that L. donovani UMPS (LdUMPS) is an essential enzyme in promastigotes and that it is sequestered in the parasite glycosome. We also present the crystal structure of the LdUMPS in complex with its product, UMP. This structure reveals an unusual tetramer with two head to head and two tail to tail interactions, resulting in two dimeric OMPDC and two dimeric OPRT functional domains. In addition, we provide structural and biochemical evidence that oligomerization of LdUMPS is controlled by product binding at the OPRT active site. We propose a model for the assembly of the catalytically relevant LdUMPS tetramer and discuss the implications for the structure of mammalian UMPS.

Co-expression of human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and orotidine 5’-monophosphate decarboxylase as enzyme complex in Escherichia coli: a novel strategy for drug development

Background: Human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum operates de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway. The fifth and sixth enzymes of the pathway form a heterotetrameric complex, containing two molecules each of orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT) and orotidine 5’-monophosphate decarboxylase (OMPDC). Objective: Define the function of OPRT-OMPDC enzyme complex of P. falciparum by co-expressing the enzymes in Escherichia coli. Methods: The constructed plasmids containing either P. falciparum OPRT or OMPDC were cloned in E. coli by co-transformation. Both genes were co-expressed as OPRT-OMPDC enzyme complex and the complex was purified by chromatographic techniques, including N2+-NTA affinity, Hi Trap Q HP anion-exchange, uridine 5’- monophosphate affinity, and Superose 12 gel-filtration columns. Physical and kinetic properties of the enzyme complex were analyzed for its molecular mass. Results: Co-transformation of PfOPRT and PfOMPDC plasmids in E. coli were achieved with a clone containing DNA ratio of 1:2, respectively. Both plasmids remained stable and were functionally expressed in the E. coli cell for at least 20 weeks. The P. falciparum OPRT-OMPDC enzyme complex were co-expressed and the complex was co-eluted in all chromatographic columns during purification and physical analysis. The molecular mass of the complex was 130 kDa, whereas the PfOPRT and PfOMPDC component were 35.6 and 41.5 kDa, respectively. The enzymatic activities of the complex were competitively inhibited by their products of each enzyme component. Conclusion: P. falciparum OPRT and OMPDC in E. coli as an enzyme complex were co-transformed and functionally co-expressed. These have similar properties to the native enzyme purified directly from P. falciparum, and this character is different from that of the human host organism. The enzyme complex would be suitable as new target to research selective inhibitors as suitable drugs to better control this disease.

Kinetic benefits and thermal stability of orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase enzyme complex in human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

We have previously shown that orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT) and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (OMPDC) in human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum form an enzyme complex, containing two subunits each of OPRT and OMPDC. To enable further characterization, we expressed and purified P. falciparum OPRT-OMPDC enzyme complex in Escherichia coli. The OPRT and OMPDC activities of the enzyme complex co-eluted in the chromatographic columns used during purification. Kinetic parameters (K(m), k(cat) and k(cat)/K(m)) of the enzyme complex were 5- to 125-folds higher compared to the monofunctional enzyme. Interestingly, pyrophosphate was a potent inhibitor to the enzyme complex, but had a slightly inhibitory effect for the monofunctional enzyme. The enzyme complex resisted thermal inactivation at higher temperature than the monofunctional OPRT and OMPDC. The result suggests that the OPRT-OMPDC enzyme complex might have kinetic benefits and thermal stability significantly different from the monofunctional enzyme.

Functional analysis of pyrimidine biosynthesis enzymes using the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil in Caenorhabditis elegans

Pyrimidine biosynthesis enzymes function in many cellular processes and are closely associated with pyrimidine antagonists used in cancer chemotherapy. These enzymes are well characterized from bacteria to mammals, but not in a simple metazoan. To study the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans, we screened for mutants exhibiting resistance to the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). In several strains, mutations were identified in ZK783.2, the worm homolog of human uridine phosphorylase (UP). UP is a member of the pyrimidine biosynthesis family of enzymes and is a key regulator of uridine homeostasis. C. elegans UP homologous protein (UPP-1) exhibited both uridine and thymidine phosphorylase activity in vitro. Knockdown of other pyrimidine biosynthesis enzyme homologs, such as uridine monophosphate kinase and uridine monophosphate synthetase, also resulted in 5-FU resistance. Uridine monophosphate kinase and uridine monophosphate synthetase proteins are redundant, and show different, tissue-specific expression patterns in C. elegans. Whereas pyrimidine biosynthesis pathways are highly conserved between worms and humans, no human thymidine phosphorylase homolog has been identified in C. elegans. UPP-1 functions as a key regulator of the pyrimidine salvage pathway in C. elegans, as mutation of upp-1 results in strong 5-FU resistance.

Transition states of Plasmodium falciparum and human orotate phosphoribosyltransferases

Orotate phosphoribosyltransferases (OPRT) catalyze the formation of orotidine 5'-monophosphate (OMP) from alpha-D-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) and orotate, an essential step in the de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidines. Pyrimidine de novo biosynthesis is required in Plasmodium falciparum , and thus OPRT of the parasite (PfOPRT) is a target for antimalarial drugs. De novo biosynthesis of pyrimidines is also a feature of rapidly proliferating cancer cells. Human OPRT (HsOPRT) is therefore a target for neoplastic and autoimmune diseases. One approach to the inhibition of OPRTs is through analogues that mimic the transition states of PfOPRT and HsOPRT. The transition state structures of these OPRTs were analyzed by kinetic isotope effects (KIEs), substrate specificity, and computational chemistry. With phosphonoacetic acid (PA), an analogue of pyrophosphate, the intrinsic KIEs of [1'-(14)C], [1, 3-(15)N(2)], [3-(15)N], [1'-(3)H], [2'-(3)H], [4'-(3)H], and [5'-(3)H(2)] are 1.034, 1.028, 0.997, 1.261, 1.116, 0.974, and 1.013 for PfOPRT and 1.035, 1.025, 0.993, 1.199, 1.129, 0.962, and 1.019 for HsOPRT, respectively. Transition state structures of PfOPRT and HsOPRT were determined computationally by matching the calculated and intrinsic KIEs. The enzymes form late associative D(N)*A(N)(double dagger) transition states with complete orotate loss and partially associative nucleophile. The C1'-O(PA) distances are approximately 2.1 A at these transition states. The modest [1'-(14)C] KIEs and large [1'-(3)H] KIEs are characteristic of D(N)*A(N)(double dagger) transition states. The large [2'-(3)H] KIEs indicate a ribosyl 2'-C-endo conformation at the transition states. p-Nitrophenyl beta-D-ribose 5'-phosphate is a poor substrate of PfOPRT and HsOPRT but is a nanomolar inhibitor, supporting a reaction coordinate with strong leaving group activation.

Structure and inhibition of orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase from Plasmodium falciparum

Orotidine 5'-monophosphate (OMP) decarboxylase from Plasmodium falciparum (PfODCase, EC 4.1.1.23) has been overexpressed, purified, subjected to kinetic and biochemical analysis, and crystallized. The native enzyme is a homodimer with a subunit molecular mass of 38 kDa. The saturation curve for OMP as a substrate conformed to Michaelis-Menten kinetics with K m = 350 +/- 60 nM and V max = 2.70 +/- 0.10 micromol/min/mg protein. Inhibition patterns for nucleoside 5'-monophosphate analogues were linear competitive with respect to OMP with a decreasing potency of inhibition of PfODCase in the order: pyrazofurin 5'-monophosphate ( K i = 3.6 +/- 0.7 nM) > xanthosine 5'-monophosphate (XMP, K i = 4.4 +/- 0.7 nM) > 6-azauridine 5'-monophosphate (AzaUMP, K i = 12 +/- 3 nM) > allopurinol-3-riboside 5'-monophosphate ( K i = 240 +/- 20 nM). XMP is an approximately 150-fold more potent inhibitor of PfODCase compared with the human enzyme. The structure of PfODCase was solved in the absence of ligand and displays a classic TIM-barrel fold characteristic of the enzyme. Both the phosphate-binding loop and the betaalpha5-loop have conformational flexibility, which may be associated with substrate capture and product release along the reaction pathway.

QM/MM metadynamics study of the direct decarboxylation mechanism for orotidine-5'-monophosphate decarboxylase using two different QM regions: acceleration too small to explain rate of enzyme catalysis

Despite decades of study, the mechanism by which orotidine-5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (ODCase) catalyzes the decarboxylation of orotidine monophosphate remains unresolved. A computational investigation of the direct decarboxylation mechanism has been performed using mixed quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) dynamics simulations. The study was performed with the program CP2K that integrates classical dynamics and ab initio dynamics based on the Born-Oppenheimer approach. Two different QM regions were explored. The free energy barriers for direct decarboxylation of orotidine-5'-monophosphate (OMP) in solution and in the enzyme (using the larger QM region) were determined with the metadynamics method to be 40 and 33 kcal/mol, respectively. The calculated change in activation free energy (DeltaDeltaG++) on going from solution to the enzyme is therefore -7 kcal/mol, far less than the experimental change of -23 kcal/ mol (for k(cat.)/k(uncat.): Radzicka, A.; Wolfenden, R., Science 1995, 267, 90-92). These results do not support the direct decarboxylation mechanism that has been proposed for the enzyme. However, in the context of QM/MM calculations, it was found that the size of the QM region has a dramatic effect on the calculated reaction barrier.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase from the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Orotidine 5'-monophosphate (OMP) decarboxylase (OMPDC; EC 4.1.1.23) catalyzes the final step in the de novo synthesis of uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP) and defects in the enzyme are lethal in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Active recombinant P. falciparum OMPDC (PfOMPDC) was crystallized by the seeding method in a hanging drop using PEG 3000 as a precipitant. A complete set of diffraction data from a native crystal was collected to 2.7 A resolution at 100 K using synchrotron radiation at the Swiss Light Source. The crystal exhibits trigonal symmetry (space group R3), with hexagonal unit-cell parameters a = b = 201.81, c = 44.03 A. With a dimer in the asymmetric unit, the solvent content is 46% (V(M) = 2.3 A3 Da(-1)).

Inhibition of de novo pyrimidine synthesis in growing potato tubers leads to a compensatory stimulation of the pyrimidine salvage pathway and a subsequent increase in biosynthetic performance

Pyrimidine nucleotides are of general importance for many aspects of cell function, but their role in the regulation of biosynthetic processes is still unclear. In this study, we investigate the influence of a decreased expression of UMP synthase (UMPS), a key enzyme in the pathway of de novo pyrimidine synthesis, on biosynthetic processes in growing potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers. Transgenic plants were generated expressing UMPS in the antisense orientation under the control of the tuber-specific patatin promoter. Lines were selected with markedly decreased expression of UMPS in the tubers. Decreased expression of UMPS restricted the use of externally supplied orotate for de novo pyrimidine synthesis in tuber tissue, whereas the uridine-salvaging pathway was stimulated. This shift in the pathways of UMP synthesis was accompanied by increased levels of tuber uridine nucleotides, increased fluxes of [(14)C]sucrose to starch and cell wall synthesis, and increased amounts of starch and cell wall components in the tubers, whereas there were no changes in uridine nucleotide levels in leaves. Decreased expression of UMPS in tubers led to an increase in transcript levels of carbamoylphosphate synthase, uridine kinase, and uracil phosphoribosyltransferase, the latter two encoding enzymes in the pyrimidine salvage pathways. Thus, the results show that antisense inhibition of the de novo pathway of pyrimidine synthesis leads to a compensatory stimulation of the less energy-consuming salvage pathways, probably via increased expression and activity of uridine kinase and uracil phosphoribosyltransferase. This results in increased uridine nucleotide pool levels in tubers and improved biosynthetic performance.

A novel enzyme complex of orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase in human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum: physical association, kinetics, and inhibition characterization

Human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, can only synthesize pyrimidine nucleotides using the de novo pathway, whereas mammalian cells obtain pyrimidine nucleotides from both the de novo and salvage pathways. The parasite's orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (PfOPRT) and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (PfOMPDC) of the de novo pyrimidine pathway are attractive targets for antimalarial drug development. Previously, we have reported that the two enzymes in P. falciparum exist as a multienzyme complex containing two subunits each of 33-kDa PfOPRT and 38-kDa PfOMPDC. In this report, the gene encoding PfOPRT has been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. An open reading frame of PfOMPDC gene was identified in the malaria genome database, and PfOMPDC was cloned from P. falciparum cDNA, functionally expressed in E. coli, purified, and characterized. The protein sequence has <20% identity with human OMPDC and four microbial OMPDC for which crystal structures are known. Recombinant PfOMPDC was catalytically active in a dimeric form. Both recombinant PfOPRT and PfOMPDC monofunctional enzymes were kinetically different from the native multienzyme complex purified from P. falciparum. Oligomerization of PfOPRT and PfOMPDC cross-linked by dimethyl suberimidate indicated that they were tightly associated as the heterotetrameric 140-kDa complex, (PfOPRT)2(PfOMPDC)2. Kinetic analysis of the PfOPRT-PfOMPDC associated complex was similar to that of the native P. falciparum enzymes and was different from that of the bifunctional human enzymes. Interestingly, a nanomolar inhibitor of the yeast OMPDC, 6-thiocarboxamido-uridine 5'-monophosphate, was about 5 orders of magnitude less effective on the PfOMPDC than on the yeast enzyme. Our results support that the malaria parasite has unique structural and functional properties, sharing characteristics of the monofunctional pyrimidine-metabolizing enzymes in prokaryotes and bifunctional complexes in eukaryotes.

A proficient enzyme: insights on the mechanism of orotidine monophosphate decarboxylase from computer simulations

Decarboxylation of orotidine 5'-monophosphate (Omp) to uridine 5'-monophosphate by orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (ODCase) is currently the object of vivid debate. Here, we clarify its enzymatic activity with long time scale classical molecular dynamics and hybrid ab initio Car-Parrinello/molecular mechanics simulations. The lack of structural (experimental) information on the ground state of ODCase/Omp complex is overcome by a careful construction of the model and the analysis of three different strains of the enzyme. We find that the ODCase/substrate complex is characterized by a very stable charged network Omp-Lys-Asp-Lys-Asp, which is incompatible with the previously proposed direct decarboxylation driven by a ground-state destabilization. A direct decarboxylation induced by a transition-state electrostatic stabilization is consistent with our findings. The calculated activation free energy for the direct decarboxylation with the formation of a C6 carboanionic intermediate yields an overall rate enhancement by the enzyme (k(cat)/k(wat) = 3.5 x 10(16)) in agreement with experiments (k(cat)/k(wat) = 1.7 x 10(17)). The decarboxylation is accompanied by the movement of a fully conserved lysine residue toward the developing negative charge at the C6 position.

Orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase exist as multienzyme complex in human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the most lethal form of human malaria, totally depends on de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway. Orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT) and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (OMPDC), the fifth and sixth enzymes in the pathway catalyzing formation of uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP), remain largely uncharacterized in the protozoan parasite. In this study, we achieved purification of OPRT and OMPDC to near homogeneity from P. falciparum cultivated in vitro. The OPRT and OMPDC activities were co-eluted in all chromatographic columns during purification, suggesting the purified proteins exist as a multienzyme complex with a molecular mass of 140+/-8 kDa and contain two subunits each of OPRT and OMPDC. Monomeric forms of OPRT and OMPDC had molecular masses of 32+/-3 and 38+/-3 kDa, respectively, in agreement with those of proteins predicted from P. falciparum genome database. Interestingly, kinetic parameters and inhibitory constants of both OPRT and OMPDC activities were found to be different to those of the bifunctional human red cell UMP synthase. Our evidence provides the first example of OPRT and OMPDC existing as a multienzyme complex.

Human malaria parasite orotate phosphoribosyltransferase: functional expression, characterization of kinetic reaction mechanism and inhibition profile

Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the most lethal form of human malaria, relies on de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. A gene encoding orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT), the fifth enzyme of the de novo pathway catalyzing formation of orotidine 5'-monophosphate (OMP) and pyrophosphate (PP(i)) from 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) and orotate, was identified from P. falciparum (pfOPRT). The deduced amino acid sequence for pfOPRT was compared with OPRTs from other organisms and found to be most similar to that of Escherichia coli. The catalytic residues and consensus sequences for substrate binding in the enzyme were conserved among other organisms. The pfOPRT was exceptional in that it contained a unique insertion of 20 amino acids and an amino-terminal extension of 66 amino acids, making the longest amino acid sequence (281 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 33kDa). The cDNA of the pfOPRT gene was cloned, sequenced and functionally expressed in soluble form. The recombinant pfOPRT was purified from the E. coli lysate by two steps, nickel metal-affinity and gel-filtration chromatography. From 1l E. coli culture, 1.2-1.5mg of pure pfOPRT was obtained. SDS-PAGE revealed that the pfOPRT had a molecular mass of 33kDa and analytical gel-filtration chromatography showed that the enzyme activity eluted at approximately 67kDa. Using dimethyl suberimidate to cross-link neighboring subunits of the pfOPRT, it was confirmed that the native enzyme exists in a dimeric form. The steady state kinetics of initial velocity and product inhibition studies indicate that the enzyme pfOPRT follows a random sequential kinetic mechanism. Compounds aimed at the pfOPRT nexus may act against the parasite through at least two mechanisms: by directly inhibiting the enzyme activity, or be processed to an inhibitor of thymidylate synthase. This study provides a working system with which to investigate new antimalarial agents targeted against P. falciparum OPRT.

Catalytic proficiency: the unusual case of OMP decarboxylase

Enzymes are called upon to differ greatly in the difficulty of the tasks that they perform. The catalytic proficiency of an enzyme can be evaluated by comparing the second-order rate constant (kcat/Km) with the rate of the spontaneous reaction in neutral solution in the absence of a catalyst. The proficiencies of enzymes, measured in this way, are matched by their affinity constants for the altered substrate in the transition state. These values vary from approximately approximately 10(9) M(-1) for carbonic anhydrase to approximately 10(23) M(-1) for yeast orotidine 5'-phosphate decarboxylase (ODCase). ODCase turns its substrate over with a half-time of 18 ms, in a reaction that proceeds in its absence with a half-time of 78 million years in neutral solution. ODCase differs from other decarboxylases in that its catalytic activity does not depend on the presence of metals or other cofactors, or on the formation of a covalent bond to the substrate. Several mechanisms of transition state stabilization are considered in terms of ODCase crystal structures observed in the presence and absence of bound analogs of the substrate, transition state, and product. Very large connectivity effects are indicated by the results of experiments testing how transition state stabilization is affected by the truncation of binding determinants of the substrate and the active site.

Stress-induced aggregation profiles of GST-alpha-synuclein fusion proteins: role of the C-terminal acidic tail of alpha-synuclein in protein thermosolubility and stability

Alpha-synuclein is a well-known heat-resistant protein that does not aggregate upon heat treatment, whereas glutathione S-transferase (GST) is a heat-labile protein that easily precipitates as a result of thermal stress. This paper reports the role of the C-terminal acidic tail of alpha-synuclein in protein thermosolubility and stability. The region of alpha-synuclein that is responsible for the heat resistance was initially investigated using a series of deletion mutants, and the C-terminal acidic tail (residues 96-140) was found to be crucial for the thermosolubility of alpha-synuclein. The thermal behavior of the GST-alpha-synuclein fusion protein was next investigated, and the fusion protein was seen to be extremely heat-resistant. Using a series of GST-synuclein deletion mutants, the C-terminal acidic tail of alpha-synuclein was shown to play a critical role in conferring the heat resistance of the fusion proteins. Furthermore, the acidic tail appeared to protect the fusion protein from pH- and metal-induced protein aggregation, suggesting that the acidic tail can increase the virtual stability of the protein by protecting it from the aggregation induced by environmental stresses. Interestingly, the acidic tail also appeared to protect the GST enzyme from the thermal inactivation to a considerable extent. However, CD analysis of the heat-induced secondary structural changes of the GST-alpha-synuclein fusion protein revealed that the fusion protein is irreversibly denatured by heat treatment with a slightly lowered melting temperature (Tm). Thus, the results demonstrate that introducing an acidic tail into GST promotes the thermosolubility and virtual stability of the fusion protein, although it might be unfavorable for its intrinsic stability.

A nonradioactive high-performance liquid chromatographic microassay for uridine 5'-monophosphate synthase, orotate phosphoribosyltransferase, and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase

A novel nonradioactive, microassay method has been developed to determine simultaneously the two enzymatic activities of orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRTase) and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (ODCase), either as a bifunctional protein (uridine 5'-monophosphate synthase, UMPS) or as separate enzymes. Substrates (orotate for OPRTase or orotidine 5'-monophosphate for ODCase) and a product (UMP) of the enzymatic assay were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a reversed-phase column and an ion-pairing system; the amount of UMP was quantified by dual-wavelength uv detection at 260 and 278 nm. This HPLC assay can easily detect picomole levels of UMP in enzymatic reactions using low specific activity UMPS of mammalian cell extracts, which is difficult to do with the other nonradioactive assays that have been described. The HPLC assay is suitable for use in protein purification and for kinetic study of these enzymes.

The chemistry of the reaction determines the invariant amino acids during the evolution and divergence of orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase

Orotidine 5'-phosphate (OMP) decarboxylase has the largest rate enhancement for any known enzyme. For an average protein of 270 amino acids from more than 80 species, only 8 amino acids are invariant, and 7 of these correspond to ligand-binding residues in the crystal structures of the enzyme from four species. It appears that the chemistry required for catalysis determines the invariant residues for this enzyme structure. A motif of three invariant amino acids at the catalytic site (DXKXXD) is also found in the enzyme hexulose-phosphate synthase. Although the core of OMP decarboxylase is conserved, it has undergone a variety of changes in subunit size or fusion to other protein domains, such as orotate phosphoribosyltransferase, during evolution in different kingdoms. The phylogeny of OMP decarboxylase shows a unique subgroup distinct from the three kingdoms of life. The enzyme subunit size almost doubles from Archaea (average mass of 24.5 kDa) to certain fungi (average mass of 41.7 kDa). These observed changes in subunit size are produced by insertions at 12 sites, largely in loops and on the exterior of the core protein. The consensus for all sequences has a minimal size of <20 kDa.

Contribution of enzyme-phosphoribosyl contacts to catalysis by orotidine 5'-phosphate decarboxylase

The crystal structure of the complex formed between recombinant yeast orotidine 5'-phosphate decarboxylase and the competitive inhibitor 6-hydroxyuridine 5'-phosphate reveals the presence of four hydrogen bonds between active site residues Tyr-217 and Arg-235 and the phosphoryl group of this inhibitor. When Tyr-217 and Arg-235 are individually mutated to alanine, values of k(cat)/K(m) are reduced by factors of 3000- and 7300-fold, respectively. In the Y217A/R235A double mutant, activity is reduced more than 10(7)-fold. Experiments with highly enriched [(14)C]orotic acid show that when ribose 5'-phosphate is deleted from substrate orotidine 5'-phosphate, k(cat)/K(m) is reduced by more than 12 orders of magnitude, from 6.3 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1) for OMP to less than 2.5 x 10(-5) M(-1) s(-1) for orotic acid. Activity toward orotate is not "rescued" by 1 M inorganic phosphate. The K(i) value of ribose 5'-phosphate, representing the part of the natural substrate that is absent in orotic acid, is 8.1 x 10(-5) M. Thus, the effective concentration of the 5'-phosphoribosyl group, in stabilizing the transition state for enzymatic decarboxylation of OMP, is estimated to be >2 x 10(8) M, representing one of the largest connectivity effects that has been reported for an enzyme reaction.

Anatomy of a proficient enzyme: the structure of orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase in the presence and absence of a potential transition state analog

Orotidine 5'-phosphate decarboxylase produces the largest rate enhancement that has been reported for any enzyme. The crystal structure of the recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae enzyme has been determined in the absence and presence of the proposed transition state analog 6-hydroxyuridine 5'-phosphate, at a resolution of 2.1 A and 2.4 A, respectively. Orotidine 5'-phosphate decarboxylase folds as a TIM-barrel with the ligand binding site near the open end of the barrel. The binding of 6-hydroxyuridine 5'-phosphate is accompanied by protein loop movements that envelop the ligand almost completely, forming numerous favorable interactions with the phosphoryl group, the ribofuranosyl group, and the pyrimidine ring. Lysine-93 appears to be anchored in such a way as to optimize electrostatic interactions with developing negative charge at C-6 of the pyrimidine ring, and to donate the proton that replaces the carboxylate group at C-6 of the product. In addition, H-bonds from the active site to O-2 and O-4 help to delocalize negative charge in the transition state. Interactions between the enzyme and the phosphoribosyl group anchor the pyrimidine within the active site, helping to explain the phosphoribosyl group's remarkably large contribution to catalysis despite its distance from the site of decarboxylation.

Activity and stability of recombinant bifunctional rearranged and monofunctional domains of ATP-sulfurylase and adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate kinase

Murine adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) synthetase consists of a COOH-terminal ATP-sulfurylase domain covalently linked through a nonhomologous intervening sequence to an NH2-terminal adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (APS) kinase domain forming a bifunctional fused protein. Possible advantages of bifunctionality were probed by separating the domains on the cDNA level and expressing them as monofunctional proteins. Expressed protein generated from the ATP-sulfurylase domain alone was fully active in both the forward and reverse sulfurylase assays. APS kinase-only recombinants exhibited no kinase activity. However, extension of the kinase domain at the COOH terminus by inclusion of the 36 residue linker region restored kinase activity. An equimolar mixture of the two monofunctional enzymes catalyzed the overall reaction (synthesis of PAPS from ATP + SO42-) comparably to the fused bifunctional enzyme. The importance of the domain order and organization was demonstrated by generation of a series of rearranged recombinants in which the order of the two active domains was reversed or altered relative to the linker region. The critical role of the linker region was established by generation of recombinants that had the linker deleted or rearranged relative to the two active domains. The intrinsic stability of the various recombinants was also investigated by measuring enzyme deactivation as a function of time of incubation at 25 or 37 degrees C. The expressed monofunctional ATP-sulfurylase, which was initially fully active, was unstable compared with the fused bifunctional wild type enzyme, decaying with a t1/2 of 10 min at 37 degrees C. Progressive extension by addition of kinase sequence at the NH2-terminal side of the sulfurylase recombinant eventually stabilized sulfurylase activity. Sulfurylase activity was significantly destabilized in a time-dependent manner in the rearranged proteins as well. In contrast, no significant deactivation of any truncated kinase-containing recombinants or misordered kinase recombinants was observed at either temperature. It would therefore appear that fusion of the two enzymes enhances the intrinsic stability of the sulfurylase only.

A bifunctional enzyme catalyzes the first two steps in N-acetylneuraminic acid biosynthesis of rat liver. Purification and characterization of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase

Biosynthesis of N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), a prominent component of glycoconjugates, is initiated by the action of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase (UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase, EC 5.1. 3.14) and N-acetylmannosamine kinase (ManNAc kinase, EC 2.7.1.60). We demonstrate for the first time that the two activities are parts of one bifunctional enzyme in rat liver. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity from rat liver cytosol using salmine sulfate precipitation and chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose, ATP-agarose, and Mono Q. The purification resulted in one polypeptide with an apparent molecular mass of 75 kDa. Immunoprecipitation with a polyclonal antibody against the polypeptide reduced both enzyme activities in equal amounts. Gel filtration analysis of purified UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase/ManNAc kinase showed that the polypeptide self-associates as a dimer and as a hexamer with apparent molecular masses of 150 and 450 kDa, respectively. The hexamer was fully active for both enzyme activities, whereas the dimer catalyzed only the phosphorylation of N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc). Incubation of the dimer with UDP-N-acetylglucosamine led to reassembly of the fully active hexamer; maximal quantities of the hexamer were produced after incubation for 3 h. Kinetic analysis of purified hexameric and dimeric enzyme revealed significantly lower Michaelis constants (93 +/- 3 to 121 +/- 15 microM for ManNAc and 1.18 +/- 0. 13 to 1.67 +/- 0.20 mM for ATP) and higher cooperativity (Hill coefficients of 1.42 +/- 0.16 to 1.17 +/- 0.06 for ManNAc and 1.30 +/- 0.09 to 1.05 +/- 0.14 for ATP) for the hexamer for both substrates of ManNAc kinase. The Michaelis constant of UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase for its substrate was 11 +/- 2 microM. The Hill coefficient of 0.45 +/- 0.07 represents strongly negative cooperativity in substrate binding. UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase was feedback inhibited by CMP-Neu5Ac. Complete inhibition was achieved with 60 microM CMP-Neu5Ac, and highly positive cooperativity (Hill coefficient of 4.1) was found for inhibitor binding.

A reciprocal allosteric mechanism for efficient transfer of labile intermediates between active sites in CAD, the mammalian pyrimidine-biosynthetic multienzyme polypeptide

Carbamoyl phosphate is the product of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase (CPS II) activity and the substrate of the aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) activity, each of which is found in CAD, a large 240-kDa multienzyme polypeptide in mammals that catalyses the first three steps in pyrimidine biosynthesis. In our study of the transfer of the labile intermediate between the two active sites, we have used assays that differentiate the synthesis of carbamoyl phosphate from the overall reaction of CPS II and ATCase that produces carbamoyl aspartate. We provided excess exogenous carbamoyl phosphate and monitored its access to the respective active sites through the production of carbamoyl phosphate and carbamoyl aspartate from radiolabelled bicarbonate. Three features indicate interactions between the folded CPS II and ATCase domains causing reciprocal conformational changes. First, even in the presence of approximately 1 mM unlabelled carbamoyl phosphate, when the aspartate concentration is high ATCase uses endogenous carbamoyl phosphate for the synthesis of radiolabelled carbamoyl aspartate. In contrast, the isolated CPS II forward reaction is inhibited by excess unlabelled carbamoyl phosphate. Secondly, the affinity of the ATCase for carbamoyl phosphate and aspartate is modulated when substrates bind to CPS II. Thirdly, the transition-state analogue phosphonacetyl-L-aspartate is a less efficient inhibitor of the ATCase when the substrates for CPS II are present. All these effects operate when CPS II is in the more active P state, which is induced by high concentrations of ATP and magnesium ions and when 5'-phosphoribosyl diphosphate (the allosteric activator) is present with low concentrations of ATP; these are conditions that would be met during active biosynthesis in the cell. We propose a phenomenon of reciprocal allostery that encourages the efficient transfer of the labile intermediate within the multienzyme polypeptide CAD. In this model, binding of aspartate to the active site of ATCase causes a conformational change at the active site of the liganded form of CPS II, which protects it from inhibition by its product, carbamoyl phosphate; reciprocally, the substrates for CPS II affect the active site of ATCase by increasing the affinity for its substrates, endogenous carbamoyl phosphate and aspartate, and thus impede access of exogenous carbamoyl phosphate or the transition-state analogue. Reciprocal allostery justifies the close association of the enzyme activities within the polypeptide and ensures that carbamoyl phosphate is efficiently synthesised and is dedicated to the second step of pyrimidine biosynthesis. These conditions fulfill those required for metabolic channeling in the cell.