Identification of active site residues in mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase: implications for a family of phosphotransferases

Integration of selective sweeps across the sheep genome: understanding the relationship between production and adaptation traits

BACKGROUND

Livestock populations are under constant selective pressure for higher productivity levels for different selective purposes. This pressure results in the selection of animals with unique adaptive and production traits. The study of genomic regions associated with these unique characteristics has the potential to improve biological knowledge regarding the adaptive process and how it is connected to production levels and resilience, which is the ability of an animal to adapt to stress or an imbalance in homeostasis. Sheep is a species that has been subjected to several natural and artificial selective pressures during its history, resulting in a highly specialized species for production and adaptation to challenging environments. Here, the data from multiple studies that aim at mapping selective sweeps across the sheep genome associated with production and adaptation traits were integrated to identify confirmed selective sweeps (CSS).

RESULTS

In total, 37 studies were used to identify 518 CSS across the sheep genome, which were classified as production (147 prodCSS) and adaptation (219 adapCSS) CSS based on the frequency of each type of associated study. The genes within the CSS were associated with relevant biological processes for adaptation and production. For example, for adapCSS, the associated genes were related to the control of seasonality, circadian rhythm, and thermoregulation. On the other hand, genes associated with prodCSS were related to the control of feeding behaviour, reproduction, and cellular differentiation. In addition, genes harbouring both prodCSS and adapCSS showed an interesting association with lipid metabolism, suggesting a potential role of this process in the regulation of pleiotropic effects between these classes of traits.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the genetic link between productivity and adaptability in sheep breeds. This information may provide insights into the genetic mechanisms that underlie undesirable genetic correlations between these two groups of traits and pave the way for a better understanding of resilience as a positive ability to respond to environmental stressors, where the negative effects on production level are minimized.

Strategies for the Enhancement of Secondary Metabolite Production via Biosynthesis Gene Cluster Regulation in Aspergillus oryzae

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae (A. oryzae) has been extensively used for the biosynthesis of numerous secondary metabolites with significant applications in agriculture and food and medical industries, among others. However, the identification and functional prediction of metabolites through genome mining in A. oryzae are hindered by the complex regulatory mechanisms of secondary metabolite biosynthesis and the inactivity of most of the biosynthetic gene clusters involved. The global regulatory factors, pathway-specific regulatory factors, epigenetics, and environmental signals significantly impact the production of secondary metabolites, indicating that appropriate gene-level modulations are expected to promote the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in A. oryzae. This review mainly focuses on illuminating the molecular regulatory mechanisms for the activation of potentially unexpressed pathways, possibly revealing the effects of transcriptional, epigenetic, and environmental signal regulation. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of secondary metabolite biosynthesis, strategies can be developed to enhance the production and utilization of these metabolites, and potential functions can be fully exploited.

A review of TNP-ATP in protein binding studies: benefits and pitfalls

We review 50 years of use of 2',3'-O-trinitrophenyl (TNP)-ATP, a fluorescently tagged ATP analog. It has been extensively used to detect binding interactions of ATP to proteins and to measure parameters of those interactions such as the dissociation constant, K_d, or inhibitor dissociation constant, K_i. TNP-ATP has also found use in other applications, for example, as a fluorescence marker in microscopy, as a FRET pair, or as an antagonist (e.g., of P2X receptors). However, its use in protein binding studies has limitations because the TNP moiety often enhances binding affinity, and the fluorescence changes that occur with binding can be masked or mimicked in unexpected ways. The goal of this review is to provide a clear perspective of the pros and cons of using TNP-ATP to allow for better experimental design and less ambiguous data in future experiments using TNP-ATP and other TNP nucleotides.

Visualizing the enzyme mechanism of mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase

Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylases (MDDs) catalyze the ATP-dependent-Mg²⁺-decarboxylation of mevalonate-5-diphosphate (MVAPP) to produce isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP), which is essential in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes for polyisoprenoid synthesis. The substrates, MVAPP and ATP, have been shown to bind sequentially to MDD. Here we report crystals in which the enzyme remains active, allowing the visualization of conformational changes in Enterococcus faecalis MDD that describe sequential steps in an induced fit enzymatic reaction. Initial binding of MVAPP modulates the ATP binding pocket with a large loop movement. Upon ATP binding, a phosphate binding loop bends over the active site to recognize ATP and bring the molecules to their catalytically favored configuration. Positioned substrates then can chelate two Mg²⁺ ions for the two steps of the reaction. Closure of the active site entrance brings a conserved lysine to trigger dissociative phosphoryl transfer of γ-phosphate from ATP to MVAPP, followed by the production of IPP.

Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MDD) is a key enzyme in the mevalonate pathway and catalyses the decarboxylation of mevalonate-5-diphosphate to isopentenyl diphosphate. Here, the authors provide insights into the conformational changes that occur during substrate binding of MDD and the subsequent enzymatic reaction steps by determining the substrate and intermediate bound crystal structures of Enterococcus faecalis MDD.

The phosphorylation mechanism of mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase: a QM/MM study

Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MDD) catalyses a crucial step of the mevalonate pathway via Mg2+-ATP-dependent phosphorylation and decarboxylation reactions to ultimately produce isopentenyl diphosphate, the precursor of isoprenoids, which is essential to bacterial functions and provides ideal building blocks for the biosynthesis of isopentenols. However, the metal ion(s) in MDD has not been unambiguously resolved, which limits the understanding of the catalytic mechanism and the exploitation of enzymes for the development of antibacterial therapies or the mevalonate metabolic pathway for the biosynthesis of biofuels. Here by analogizing structurally related kinases and molecular dynamics simulations, we constructed a model of the MDD-substrate-ATP-Mg2+ complex and proposed that MDD requires two Mg2+ ions for maintaining a catalytically active conformation. Subsequent QM/MM studies indicate that MDD catalyses the phosphorylation of its substrate mevalonate diphosphate (MVAPP) via a direct phosphorylation reaction, instead of the previously assumed catalytic base mechanism. The results here would shed light on the active conformation of MDD-related enzymes and their catalytic mechanisms and therefore be useful for developing novel antimicrobial therapies or reconstructing mevalonate metabolic pathways for the biosynthesis of biofuels.

On the Origin of Isoprenoid Biosynthesis

Isoprenoids and their derivatives represent the largest group of organic compounds in nature and are distributed universally in the three domains of life. Isoprenoids are biosynthesized from isoprenyl diphosphate units, generated by two distinctive biosynthetic pathways: mevalonate pathway and methylerthritol 4-phosphate pathway. Archaea and eukaryotes exclusively have the former pathway, while most bacteria have the latter. Some bacteria, however, are known to possess the mevalonate pathway genes. Understanding the evolutionary history of these two isoprenoid biosynthesis pathways in each domain of life is critical since isoprenoids are so interweaved in the architecture of life that they would have had indispensable roles in the early evolution of life. Our study provides a detailed phylogenetic analysis of enzymes involved in the mevalonate pathway and sheds new light on its evolutionary history. The results suggest that a potential mevalonate pathway is present in the recently discovered superphylum Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR), and further suggest a strong evolutionary relationship exists between archaea and CPR. Interestingly, CPR harbors the characteristics of both the bacterial-type and archaeal-type mevalonate pathways and may retain signatures regarding the ancestral isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway in the last universal common ancestor. Our study supports the ancient origin of the mevalonate pathway in the three domains of life as previously inferred, but concludes that the evolution of the mevalonate pathway was more complex.

Effects on Gene Transcription Profile and Fatty Acid Composition by Genetic Modification of Mevalonate Diphosphate Decarboxylase MVD/Erg19 in Aspergillus Oryzae

Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase MVD/Erg19 is required for ergosterol biosynthesis, growth, sporulation, and stress tolerance in Aspergillus oryzae. In this study, RNA-seq was used to analyze the gene transcription profile in AoErg19 overexpression (OE) and RNAi strains. There were 256 and 74 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in AoErg19 OE and RNAi strains, respectively, compared with the control strain (CK). The most common DEGs were transport- and metabolism-related genes. Only 22 DEGs were obtained that were regulated in both OE and RNAi strains. The transcriptomic comparison between CK and AoErg19 overexpression strain (CK vs. OE), and between CK and AoErg19 RNAi strain (CK vs. RNAi) revealed that the greatest difference existed in the number of genes belonging to the cytochrome P450 family; 12 were found in CK vs. OE, whereas 1 was found in CK vs. RNAi. The expression patterns of lipid biosynthesis and metabolism related genes were altered in OE and RNAi strains, either by gene induction or suppression. Moreover, the total fatty acid content in the RNAi strain was 12.1% greater than the control strain, but no difference in total acid content was found between the overexpression strain and the control strain. Therefore, this study highlights the gene expression regulation within mevalonate (MVA), ergosterol biosynthesis, and fatty acid biosynthesis pathways.

The Differential Expression of Mevalonate Pathway Genes in the Gut of the Bark Beetle Dendroctonus rhizophagus (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Is Unrelated to the de Novo Synthesis of Terpenoid Pheromones

Bark beetles commonly produce de novo terpenoid pheromones using precursors synthesized through the mevalonate pathway. This process is regulated by Juvenile Hormone III (JH III). In this work, the expression levels of mevalonate pathway genes were quantified after phloem feeding-to induce the endogenous synthesis of JH III-and after the topical application of a JH III solution. The mevalonate pathway genes from D. rhizophagus were cloned, molecularly characterized, and their expression levels were quantified. Also, the terpenoid compounds produced in the gut were identified and quantified by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The feeding treatment produced an evident upregulation, mainly in acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase (AACT), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase (HMGS), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR), phosphomevalonate kinase (PMK), and isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase (IPPI) genes, and males reached higher expression levels compared to females. In contrast, the JH III treatment did not present a clear pattern of upregulation in any sex or time. Notably, the genes responsible for the synthesis of frontalin and ipsdienol precursors (geranyl diphosphate synthase/farnesyl diphosphate synthase (GPPS/FPPS) and geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPPS)) were not clearly upregulated, nor were these compounds further identified. Furthermore, trans-verbenol and myrtenol were the most abundant compounds in the gut, which are derived from an α-pinene transformation rather than de novo synthesis. Hence, the expression of mevalonate pathway genes in D. rhizophagus gut is not directed to the production of terpenoid pheromones, regardless of their frequent occurrence in the genus Dendroctonus.

Substrate Specificity and Engineering of Mevalonate 5-Phosphate Decarboxylase

A bifurcation of the mevalonate (MVA) pathway was recently discovered in bacteria of the Chloroflexi phylum. In this alternative route for the biosynthesis of isopentenylpyrophosphate (IPP), the penultimate step is the decarboxylation of (R)-mevalonate 5-phosphate ((R)-MVAP) to isopentenyl phosphate (IP), which is followed by the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of IP to IPP catalyzed by isopentenyl phosphate kinase (IPK). Notably, the decarboxylation reaction is catalyzed by mevalonate 5-phosphate decarboxylase (MPD), which shares considerable sequence similarity with mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MDD) of the classical MVA pathway. We show that an enzyme originally annotated as an MDD from the Chloroflexi bacterium Anaerolinea thermophila possesses equal catalytic efficiency for (R)-MVAP and (R)-mevalonate 5-diphosphate ((R)-MVAPP). Further, the molecular basis for this dual specificity is revealed by near atomic-resolution X-ray crystal structures of A. thermophila MPD/MDD bound to (R)-MVAP or (R)-MVAPP. These findings, when combined with sequence and structural comparisons of this bacterial enzyme, functional MDDs, and several putative MPDs, delineate key active-site residues that confer substrate specificity and functionally distinguish MPD and MDD enzyme classes. Extensive sequence analyses identified functional MPDs in the halobacteria class of archaea that had been annotated as MDDs. Finally, no eukaryotic MPD candidates were identified, suggesting the absence of the alternative MVA (altMVA) pathway in all eukaryotes, including, paradoxically, plants, which universally encode a structural and functional homologue of IPK. Additionally, we have developed a viable engineered strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as an in vivo metabolic model and a synthetic biology platform for enzyme engineering and terpene biosynthesis in which the classical MVA pathway has been replaced with the altMVA pathway.

Mevalonate Diphosphate Decarboxylase MVD/Erg19 Is Required for Ergosterol Biosynthesis, Growth, Sporulation and Stress Tolerance in Aspergillus oryzae

Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MVD; EC 4.1.1.33) is a key enzyme of the mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway. In fungi, the MVA pathway functions as upstream of ergosterol biosynthesis, and MVD is also known as Erg19. Previously, we have identified Aoerg19 in Aspergillus oryzae using bioinformatic analysis. In this study, we showed that AoErg19 function is conserved using phylogenetic analysis and yeast complementation assay. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) indicated that Aoerg19 expression changed in different growth stages and under different forms of abiotic stress. Subcellular localization analysis showed that AoErg19 was located in the vacuole. Overexpression of Aoerg19 decreased the ergosterol content in A. oryzae, which may due to the feedback-mediated downregulation of Aoerg8. Consistent with the decrease in ergosterol content, both Aoerg19 overexpression and RNAi strains of A. oryzae are sensitive to abiotic stressors, including ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitor, temperature, salt and ethanol. Thus, we have identified the function of AoErg19 in A. oryzae, which may assist in genetic modification of MVA and the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway.

Catalytic mechanism of mevalonate kinase revisited, a QM/MM study

Mevalonate Kinase (MVK) catalyses the ATP-Mg2+ mediated phosphate transfer of mevalonate to produce mevalonate 5-phosphate and is a key kinase in the mevalonate pathway in the biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate, the precursor of isoprenoid-based biofuels. However, the crystal structure in complex with the native substrate mevalonate, ATP and Mg2+ has not been resolved, which has limited the understanding of its reaction mechanism and therefore its application in the production of isoprenoid-based biofuels. Here using molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and a hybrid QM/MM study, we revisited the location of Mg2+ resolved in the crystal structure of MVK and determined a catalytically competent MVK structure in complex with the native substrate mevalonate and ATP. We demonstrated that significant conformational change on a flexible loop connecting the α6 and α7 helix is induced by the substrate binding. Further, we found that Asp204 is coordinated to the Mg2+ ion. Arg241 plays a crucial role in organizing the triphosphoryl tail of ATP for in-line phosphate transfer and stabilizing the negative charge that accumulates at the β,γ-bridging oxygen of ATP upon bond cleavage. Remarkably, we revealed that the phosphorylation of mevalonate catalyzed by MVK occurs via a direct phosphorylation mechanism, instead of the conventionally postulated catalytic base mechanism. The catalytically competent complex structure of MVK as well as the mechanism of reaction will pave the way for the rational engineering of MVK to exploit its applications in the production of biofuels.

An estimate is worth about a thousand experiments: using order-of-magnitude estimates to identify cellular engineering targets

Biotechnological processes use microbes to convert abundant molecules, such as glucose, into high-value products, such as pharmaceuticals, commodity and fine chemicals, and energy. However, from the outset of the development of a new bioprocess, it is difficult to determine the feasibility, expected yields, and targets for engineering. In this review, we describe a methodology that uses rough estimates to assess the feasibility of a process, approximate the expected product titer of a biological system, and identify variables to manipulate in order to achieve the desired performance. This methodology uses estimates from literature and biological intuition, and can be applied in the early stages of a project to help plan future engineering. We highlight recent literature examples, as well as two case studies from our own work, to demonstrate the use and power of rough estimates. Describing and predicting biological function using estimates guides the research and development phase of new bioprocesses and is a useful first step to understand and build a new microbial factory.

Silver complex of salicylic acid and its hydrogel-cream in wound healing chemotherapy

The known metallotherapeutic [Ag(salH)]₂ (AGSAL-1) of salicylic acid (salH₂), was used for the development of new efficient silver based material for wounds healing. AGSAL-1 was characterized by spectroscopic techniques and X-ray crystallography. The wound healing epithelialization of AGSAL-1 was investigated by the means of scratch assay against immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells. The anti-inflammatory activity of AGSAL-1 was evaluated by monitoring the catalytic peroxidation of linoleic acid to hydroperoxylinoleic acid by the enzyme lipoxygenase (LOX). The antibacterial activity of AGSAL-1 was evaluated against bacterial species which colonize wounds, such as: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1), Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus, by the means of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) and their Inhibition Zone (IZ). Moreover, the influence of AGSAL-1 against the formation of biofilm of PAO1 and St. aureus was also evaluated by the mean of Biofilm Elimination Concentration (ΒΕC). A hydrogel material CMC@AGSAL-1, based on the dispersion of AGSAL-1 in to carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was tested for its antimicrobial activity. Molecular Docking was performed, to explore the molecular interaction of AGSAL-1 with (i) the transcriptional regulator of PAO1, LasR. (ii) the mevalonate pathway for the biosynthesis of isoprenoids which is essential for gram-positive bacteria St. epidermidis and St. aureus. The toxicity of AGSAL-1 was examined against the HaCaT cells. Its genotoxicity was evaluated using Allium cepa model, in vivo. No genotoxicity was detected, indicating that AGSAL-1 is a candidate towards the development on a new efficient medication of the silver based metallodrugs.

Mevalonate 5-diphosphate mediates ATP binding to the mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase from the bacterial pathogen Enterococcus faecalis

The mevalonate pathway produces isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP), a building block for polyisoprenoid synthesis, and is a crucial pathway for growth of the human bacterial pathogen Enterococcus faecalis The final enzyme in this pathway, mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MDD), acts on mevalonate diphosphate (MVAPP) to produce IPP while consuming ATP. This essential enzyme has been suggested as a therapeutic target for the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections. Here, we report functional and structural studies on the mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase from E. faecalis (MDD_EF). The MDD_EF crystal structure in complex with ATP (MDD_EF-ATP) revealed that the phosphate-binding loop (amino acids 97-105) is not involved in ATP binding and that the phosphate tail of ATP in this structure is in an outward-facing position pointing away from the active site. This suggested that binding of MDD_EF to MVAPP is necessary to guide ATP into a catalytically favorable position. Enzymology experiments show that the MDD_EF performs a sequential ordered bi-substrate reaction with MVAPP as the first substrate, consistent with the isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments. On the basis of ITC results, we propose that this initial prerequisite binding of MVAPP enhances ATP binding. In summary, our findings reveal a substrate-induced substrate-binding event that occurs during the MDD_EF-catalyzed reaction. The disengagement of the phosphate-binding loop concomitant with the alternative ATP-binding configuration may provide the structural basis for antimicrobial design against these pathogenic enterococci.

Applying asymptotic methods to synthetic biology: Modelling the reaction kinetics of the mevalonate pathway

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We investigate a kinetic model for the mevalonate pathway which includes inhibition effects and a sink of acetyl-CoA.

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Of the enzymes in the pathway, upregulating HMG-CoA reductase has the most significant positive effect on improving pathway efficiency.

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Upregulating pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and HMG-CoA synthase can also help, but only in conjunction with the upregulation of HMG-CoA reductase.

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We confirm our theoretical predictions by introducing the mevalonate pathway into Cupriavidus necator.

The mevalonate pathway is normally found in eukaryotes, and allows for the production of isoprenoids, a useful class of organic compounds. This pathway has been successfully introduced to Escherichia coli, enabling a biosynthetic production route for many isoprenoids. In this paper, we develop and solve a mathematical model for the concentration of metabolites in the mevalonate pathway over time, accounting for the loss of acetyl-CoA to other metabolic pathways. Additionally, we successfully test our theoretical predictions experimentally by introducing part of the pathway into Cupriavidus necator. In our model, we exploit the natural separation of time scales as well as of metabolite concentrations to make significant asymptotic progress in understanding the system. We confirm that our asymptotic results agree well with numerical simulations, the former enabling us to predict the most important reactions to increase isopentenyl diphosphate production whilst minimizing the levels of HMG-CoA, which inhibits cell growth. Thus, our mathematical model allows us to recommend the upregulation of certain combinations of enzymes to improve production through the mevalonate pathway.

2,3-Disubstituted-1,4-naphthoquinones containing an arylamine with trifluoromethyl group: synthesis, biological evaluation, and computational study

Antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities were evaluated. Two compounds (5b and 5e) were identified as the hits against S. epidermidis. Compounds 5b and 5e showed promising antibacterial and antibiofilm activities.

An Adaptation To Life In Acid Through A Novel Mevalonate Pathway

Extreme acidophiles are capable of growth at pH values near zero. Sustaining life in acidic environments requires extensive adaptations of membranes, proton pumps, and DNA repair mechanisms. Here we describe an adaptation of a core biochemical pathway, the mevalonate pathway, in extreme acidophiles. Two previously known mevalonate pathways involve ATP dependent decarboxylation of either mevalonate 5-phosphate or mevalonate 5-pyrophosphate, in which a single enzyme carries out two essential steps: (1) phosphorylation of the mevalonate moiety at the 3-OH position and (2) subsequent decarboxylation. We now demonstrate that in extreme acidophiles, decarboxylation is carried out by two separate steps: previously identified enzymes generate mevalonate 3,5-bisphosphate and a new decarboxylase we describe here, mevalonate 3,5-bisphosphate decarboxylase, produces isopentenyl phosphate. Why use two enzymes in acidophiles when one enzyme provides both functionalities in all other organisms examined to date? We find that at low pH, the dual function enzyme, mevalonate 5-phosphate decarboxylase is unable to carry out the first phosphorylation step, yet retains its ability to perform decarboxylation. We therefore propose that extreme acidophiles had to replace the dual-purpose enzyme with two specialized enzymes to efficiently produce isoprenoids in extremely acidic environments.

A Single Amino Acid Mutation Converts (R)-5-Diphosphomevalonate Decarboxylase into a Kinase

The biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate, a fundamental precursor for isoprenoids, via the mevalonate pathway is completed by diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase. This enzyme catalyzes the formation of isopentenyl diphosphate through the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of the 3-hydroxyl group of (R)-5-diphosphomevalonate followed by decarboxylation coupled with the elimination of the 3-phosphate group. In this reaction, a conserved aspartate residue has been proposed to be involved in the phosphorylation step as the general base catalyst that abstracts a proton from the 3-hydroxyl group. In this study, the catalytic mechanism of this rare type of decarboxylase is re-investigated by structural and mutagenic studies on the enzyme from a thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus The crystal structures of the archaeal enzyme in complex with (R)-5-diphosphomevalonate and adenosine 5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate or with (R)-5-diphosphomevalonate and ADP are newly solved, and theoretical analysis based on the structure suggests the inability of proton abstraction by the conserved aspartate residue, Asp-281. Site-directed mutagenesis on Asp-281 creates mutants that only show diphosphomevalonate 3-kinase activity, demonstrating that the residue is required in the process of phosphate elimination/decarboxylation, rather than in the preceding phosphorylation step. These results enable discussion of the catalytic roles of the aspartate residue and provide clear proof of the involvement of a long predicted intermediate, (R)-3-phospho-5-diphosphomevalonate, in the reaction of the enzyme.

Cholesterol Biosynthesis: A Mechanistic Overview

Cholesterol is an essential component of cell membranes and the precursor for the synthesis of steroid hormones and bile acids. The synthesis of this molecule occurs partially in a membranous world (especially the last steps), where the enzymes, substrates, and products involved tend to be extremely hydrophobic. The importance of cholesterol has increased in the past half-century because of its association with cardiovascular diseases, which are considered one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In light of the current need for new drugs capable of controlling the levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream, it is important to understand how cholesterol is synthesized in the organism and identify the main enzymes involved in this process. Taking this into account, this review presents a detailed description of several enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of cholesterol. In this regard, the structure and catalytic mechanism of the enzymes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, from the initial two-carbon acetyl-CoA building block, will be reviewed and their current pharmacological importance discussed. We believe that this review may contribute to a deeper level of understanding of cholesterol metabolism and that it will serve as a useful resource for future studies of the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway.

The Genomes of Three Uneven Siblings: Footprints of the Lifestyles of Three Trichoderma Species

The genus Trichoderma contains fungi with high relevance for humans, with applications in enzyme production for plant cell wall degradation and use in biocontrol. Here, we provide a broad, comprehensive overview of the genomic content of these species for "hot topic" research aspects, including CAZymes, transport, transcription factors, and development, along with a detailed analysis and annotation of less-studied topics, such as signal transduction, genome integrity, chromatin, photobiology, or lipid, sulfur, and nitrogen metabolism in T. reesei, T. atroviride, and T. virens, and we open up new perspectives to those topics discussed previously. In total, we covered more than 2,000 of the predicted 9,000 to 11,000 genes of each Trichoderma species discussed, which is >20% of the respective gene content. Additionally, we considered available transcriptome data for the annotated genes. Highlights of our analyses include overall carbohydrate cleavage preferences due to the different genomic contents and regulation of the respective genes. We found light regulation of many sulfur metabolic genes. Additionally, a new Golgi 1,2-mannosidase likely involved in N-linked glycosylation was detected, as were indications for the ability of Trichoderma spp. to generate hybrid galactose-containing N-linked glycans. The genomic inventory of effector proteins revealed numerous compounds unique to Trichoderma, and these warrant further investigation. We found interesting expansions in the Trichoderma genus in several signaling pathways, such as G-protein-coupled receptors, RAS GTPases, and casein kinases. A particularly interesting feature absolutely unique to T. atroviride is the duplication of the alternative sulfur amino acid synthesis pathway.

In Vivo Formation of the Protein Disulfide Bond That Enhances the Thermostability of Diphosphomevalonate Decarboxylase, an Intracellular Enzyme from the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

In the present study, the crystal structure of recombinant diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus was solved as the first example of an archaeal and thermophile-derived diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase. The enzyme forms a homodimer, as expected for most eukaryotic and bacterial orthologs. Interestingly, the subunits of the homodimer are connected via an intersubunit disulfide bond, which presumably formed during the purification process of the recombinant enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli. When mutagenesis replaced the disulfide-forming cysteine residue with serine, however, the thermostability of the enzyme was significantly lowered. In the presence of β-mercaptoethanol at a concentration where the disulfide bond was completely reduced, the wild-type enzyme was less stable to heat. Moreover, Western blot analysis combined with nonreducing SDS-PAGE of the whole cells of S. solfataricus proved that the disulfide bond was predominantly formed in the cells. These results suggest that the disulfide bond is required for the cytosolic enzyme to acquire further thermostability and to exert activity at the growth temperature of S. solfataricus.

IMPORTANCE

This study is the first report to describe the crystal structures of archaeal diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase, an enzyme involved in the classical mevalonate pathway. A stability-conferring intersubunit disulfide bond is a remarkable feature that is not found in eukaryotic and bacterial orthologs. The evidence that the disulfide bond also is formed in S. solfataricus cells suggests its physiological importance.

Mechanistic studies for tri-targeted inhibition of enzymes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis by green tea polyphenols

In the present study, we found that three enzymes, MVK, MDD and FPPS, in the mevalonate pathway (MVP) of cholesterol biosynthesis, can be simultaneously inhibited by two green tea polyphenols ((-)-epicatechin-3-gallate, ECG; (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, EGCG). Molecular dynamics simulations and pharmacophore studies were carried out to elucidate the tri-targeted inhibition mechanisms. Our results indicate that similar triangular binding pockets exist in all three enzymes, which is essential for their binding with polyphenols. Two distinct binding poses for ECG and EGCG were observed in our MD simulations. These results shed light on the potential for further selective and multi-targeted inhibitor design for the treatment of hyperlipidemia.

The Putative mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase from Picrophilus torridus is in reality a mevalonate-3-kinase with high potential for bioproduction of isobutene

Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MVD) is an ATP-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the phosphorylation/decarboxylation of (R)-mevalonate-5-diphosphate to isopentenyl pyrophosphate in the mevalonate (MVA) pathway. MVD is a key enzyme in engineered metabolic pathways for bioproduction of isobutene, since it catalyzes the conversion of 3-hydroxyisovalerate (3-HIV) to isobutene, an important platform chemical. The putative homologue from Picrophilus torridus has been identified as a highly efficient variant in a number of patents, but its detailed characterization has not been reported. In this study, we have successfully purified and characterized the putative MVD from P. torridus. We discovered that it is not a decarboxylase per se but an ATP-dependent enzyme, mevalonate-3-kinase (M3K), which catalyzes the phosphorylation of MVA to mevalonate-3-phosphate. The enzyme's potential in isobutene formation is due to the conversion of 3-HIV to an unstable 3-phosphate intermediate that undergoes consequent spontaneous decarboxylation to form isobutene. Isobutene production rates were as high as 507 pmol min⁻¹ g cells⁻¹ using Escherichia coli cells expressing the enzyme and 2,880 pmol min⁻¹ mg protein⁻¹ with the purified histidine-tagged enzyme, significantly higher than reported previously. M3K is a key enzyme of the novel MVA pathway discovered very recently in Thermoplasma acidophilum. We suggest that P. torridus metabolizes MVA by the same pathway.

Inhibition of bacterial mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase by eriochrome compounds

Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MDD; EC 4.1.1.33) catalyzes the irreversible decarboxylation of mevalonate diphosphate in the mevalonate pathway to form isopentenyl diphosphate, which is a precursor in the biosynthesis of many essential polyisoprenoid natural products, including sterols. In low G/C Gram-positive bacteria, which utilize the mevalonate pathway, MDD is required for cell viability and thus is a potential target for development of antibiotic drugs. To identify potential inhibitors of the enzyme, the National Cancer Institute's Mechanistic Diversity Set library of compounds was screened for inhibitors of Staphylococcus epidermidis MDD. From this screen, the compound Eriochrome Black A (EBA), an azo dye, was found to inhibit the enzyme with an IC50 value<5μM. Molecular docking of EBA into a crystal structure of S. epidermidis MDD suggested binding at the active site. EBA, along with the related Eriochrome B and T compounds, was evaluated for its ability to not only inhibit enzymatic activity but to inhibit bacterial growth as well. These compounds exhibited competitive inhibition towards the substrate mevalonate diphosphate, with Ki values ranging from 0.6 to 2.7μM. Non-competitive inhibition was observed versus ATP indicating binding of the inhibitor in the mevalonate diphosphate binding site, consistent with molecular docking predictions. Fluorescence quenching analyses also supported active site binding of EBA. These eriochrome compounds are effective at inhibiting S. epidermidis cell growth on both solid media and in liquid culture (MIC50 from 31 to 350μM) raising the possibility that they could be developed into antibiotic leads targeting pathogenic low-G/C Gram-positive cocci.

Structural analysis of mevalonate-3-kinase provides insight into the mechanisms of isoprenoid pathway decarboxylases

In animals, cholesterol is made from 5-carbon building blocks produced by the mevalonate pathway. Drugs that inhibit the mevalonate pathway such as atorvastatin (lipitor) have led to successful treatments for high cholesterol in humans. Another potential target for the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis is mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MDD), which catalyzes the phosphorylation of (R)-mevalonate diphosphate, followed by decarboxylation to yield isopentenyl pyrophosphate. We recently discovered an MDD homolog, mevalonate-3-kinase (M3K) from Thermoplasma acidophilum, which catalyzes the identical phosphorylation of (R)-mevalonate, but without concomitant decarboxylation. Thus, M3K catalyzes half the reaction of the decarboxylase, allowing us to separate features of the active site that are required for decarboxylation from features required for phosphorylation. Here we determine the crystal structure of M3K in the apo form, and with bound substrates, and compare it to MDD structures. Structural and mutagenic analysis reveals modifications that allow M3K to bind mevalonate rather than mevalonate diphosphate. Comparison to homologous MDD structures show that both enzymes employ analogous Arg or Lys residues to catalyze phosphate transfer. However, an invariant active site Asp/Lys pair of MDD previously thought to play a role in phosphorylation is missing in M3K with no functional replacement. Thus, we suggest that the invariant Asp/Lys pair in MDD may be critical for decarboxylation rather than phosphorylation.

Modulation of the mevalonate pathway by akt regulates macrophage survival and development of pulmonary fibrosis

Protein kinase B (Akt) is a key effector of multiple cellular processes, including cell survival. Akt, a serine/threonine kinase, is known to increase cell survival by regulation of the intrinsic pathway for apoptosis. In this study, we found that Akt modulated the mevalonate pathway, which is also linked to cell survival, by increasing Rho GTPase activation. Akt modulated the pathway by phosphorylating mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MDD) at Ser(96). This phosphorylation in macrophages increased activation of Rac1, which enhanced macrophage survival because mutation of MDD (MDDS96A) induced apoptosis. Akt-mediated activation in macrophages was specific for Rac1 because Akt did not increase activity of other Rho GTP-binding proteins. The relationship between Akt and Rac1 was biologically relevant because Akt(+/-) mice had significantly less active Rac1 in alveolar macrophages, and macrophages from Akt(+/-) mice had an increase in active caspase-9 and -3. More importantly, Akt(+/-) mice were significantly protected from the development of pulmonary fibrosis, suggesting that macrophage survival is associated with the fibrotic phenotype. These observations for the first time suggest that Akt plays a critical role in the development and progression of pulmonary fibrosis by enhancing macrophage survival via modulation of the mevalonate pathway.

Catalytic mechanism of bacteriophage T4 Rad50 ATP hydrolysis

Spontaneous double-strand breaks (DSBs) are one of the most deleterious forms of DNA damage, and their improper repair can lead to cellular dysfunction. The Mre11 and Rad50 proteins, a nuclease and an ATPase, respectively, form a well-conserved complex that is involved in the initial processing of DSBs. Here we examine the kinetic and catalytic mechanism of ATP hydrolysis by T4 Rad50 (gp46) in the presence and absence of Mre11 (gp47) and DNA. Single-turnover and pre-steady state kinetics on the wild-type protein indicate that the rate-limiting step for Rad50, the MR complex, and the MR-DNA complex is either chemistry or a conformational change prior to catalysis. Pre-steady state product release kinetics, coupled with viscosity steady state kinetics, also supports that the binding of DNA to the MR complex does not alter the rate-limiting step. The lack of a positive deuterium solvent isotope effect for the wild type and several active site mutants, combined with pH-rate profiles, implies that chemistry is rate-limiting and the ATPase mechanism proceeds via an asymmetric, dissociative-like transition state. Mutation of the Walker A/B and H-loop residues also affects the allosteric communication between Rad50 active sites, suggesting possible routes for cooperativity between the ATP active sites.

Evidence of a novel mevalonate pathway in archaea

Isoprenoids make up a remarkably diverse class of more than 25000 biomolecules that include familiar compounds such as cholesterol, chlorophyll, vitamin A, ubiquinone, and natural rubber. The two essential building blocks of all isoprenoids, isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP), are ubiquitous in the three domains of life. In most eukaryotes and archaea, IPP and DMAPP are generated through the mevalonate pathway. We have identified two novel enzymes, mevalonate-3-kinase and mevalonate-3-phosphate-5-kinase from Thermoplasma acidophilum, which act sequentially in a putative alternate mevalonate pathway. We propose that a yet unidentified ATP-independent decarboxylase acts upon mevalonate 3,5-bisphosphate, yielding isopentenyl phosphate, which is subsequently phosphorylated by the known isopentenyl phosphate kinase from T. acidophilum to generate the universal isoprenoid precursor, IPP.

(R)-mevalonate 3-phosphate is an intermediate of the mevalonate pathway in Thermoplasma acidophilum

The lack of a few conserved enzymes in the classical mevalonate pathway and the widespread existence of isopentenyl phosphate kinase suggest the presence of a partly modified mevalonate pathway in most archaea and in some bacteria. In the pathway, (R)-mevalonate 5-phosphate is thought to be metabolized to isopentenyl diphosphate via isopentenyl phosphate. The long anticipated enzyme that catalyzes the reaction from (R)-mevalonate 5-phosphate to isopentenyl phosphate was recently identified in a Cloroflexi bacterium, Roseiflexus castenholzii, and in a halophilic archaeon, Haloferax volcanii. However, our trial to convert the intermediates of the classical and modified mevalonate pathways into isopentenyl diphosphate using cell-free extract from a thermophilic archaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum implied that the branch point intermediate of these known pathways, i.e. (R)-mevalonate 5-phosphate, is unlikely to be the precursor of isoprenoid. Through the process of characterizing the recombinant homologs of mevalonate pathway-related enzymes from the archaeon, a distant homolog of diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase was found to catalyze the phosphorylation of (R)-mevalonate to yield (R)-mevalonate 3-phosphate. The product could be converted into isopentenyl phosphate, probably through (R)-mevalonate 3,5-bisphosphate, by the action of unidentified T. acidophilum enzymes fractionated by anion-exchange chromatography. These findings demonstrate the presence of a third alternative "Thermoplasma-type" mevalonate pathway, which involves (R)-mevalonate 3-phosphotransferase and probably both (R)-mevalonate 3-phosphate 5-phosphotransferase and (R)-mevalonate 3,5-bisphosphate decarboxylase, in addition to isopentenyl phosphate kinase.

Binding Stoichiometry of a Recombinant Selenophosphate Synthetase with One Synonymic Substitution E197D to a Fluorescent Nucleotide Analog of ATP, TNP-ATP

The transformation of the strain DH5α^TM-T1^R with plasmid vector pET11a containing the cloned gene of bacterial selenophosphate synthetase (SPS), selD, from the E. coli BL21-Gold (DE3) strain gives an overproducing strain of SPS with one synonymic substitution, E197D. The transformation efficiency was estimated as 8 × 10⁸ CFU/μg plasmid DNA. 28 mg of highly purified preparation of recombinant SPS capable of binding TNP-ATP was eluted from DEAE-Sephadex column in amount of 15 % from the total soluble protein in crude extract. The fluorescent derivative of ATP, 2′(3′)-O-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)adenosine-5′-triphosphate (TNP-ATP), was used as a synthetic analog of the substrate for the monitoring and quantitative analysis of the functional activity of SPS. The non-linear regression analysis of the saturation curve of TNP-ATP binding to D197 SPS with GraphPad Prism software fits to a model with 2 distinct binding sites with K_Ds different in order. The SPS existence in a form of tetramer in given reaction conditions, in accordance with the concentration stoichiometry of 4 moles of TNP-ATP to 1 mole of recombinant protein, is being discussed. The tetramer structure was predicted with molecular modelling software YASARA and modelled in vacuum using steepest descent minimization energy method. We hypothesize here the recombinant SPS exists as a dimer in solution with two active sites capable of ATP binding in each subunit.

Structural basis for nucleotide binding and reaction catalysis in mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase

Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MDD) catalyzes the final step of the mevalonate pathway, the Mg(2+)-ATP dependent decarboxylation of mevalonate 5-diphosphate (MVAPP), producing isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP). Synthesis of IPP, an isoprenoid precursor molecule that is a critical intermediate in peptidoglycan and polyisoprenoid biosynthesis, is essential in Gram-positive bacteria (e.g., Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Enterococcus spp.), and thus the enzymes of the mevalonate pathway are ideal antimicrobial targets. MDD belongs to the GHMP superfamily of metabolite kinases that have been extensively studied for the past 50 years, yet the crystallization of GHMP kinase ternary complexes has proven to be difficult. To further our understanding of the catalytic mechanism of GHMP kinases with the purpose of developing broad spectrum antimicrobial agents that target the substrate and nucleotide binding sites, we report the crystal structures of wild-type and mutant (S192A and D283A) ternary complexes of Staphylococcus epidermidis MDD. Comparison of apo, MVAPP-bound, and ternary complex wild-type MDD provides structural information about the mode of substrate binding and the catalytic mechanism. Structural characterization of ternary complexes of catalytically deficient MDD S192A and D283A (k(cat) decreased 10(3)- and 10(5)-fold, respectively) provides insight into MDD function. The carboxylate side chain of invariant Asp(283) functions as a catalytic base and is essential for the proper orientation of the MVAPP C3-hydroxyl group within the active site funnel. Several MDD amino acids within the conserved phosphate binding loop ("P-loop") provide key interactions, stabilizing the nucleotide triphosphoryl moiety. The crystal structures presented here provide a useful foundation for structure-based drug design.

Crystal structures of Staphylococcus epidermidis mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase bound to inhibitory analogs reveal new insight into substrate binding and catalysis

The polyisoprenoid compound undecaprenyl phosphate is required for biosynthesis of cell wall peptidoglycans in gram-positive bacteria, including pathogenic Enterococcus, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus spp. In these organisms, the mevalonate pathway is used to produce the precursor isoprenoid, isopentenyl 5-diphosphate. Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MDD) catalyzes formation of isopentenyl 5-diphosphate in an ATP-dependent irreversible reaction and is therefore an attractive target for inhibitor development that could lead to new antimicrobial agents. To facilitate exploration of this possibility, we report the crystal structure of Staphylococcus epidermidis MDD (1.85 Å resolution) and, to the best of our knowledge, the first structures of liganded MDD. These structures include MDD bound to the mevalonate 5-diphosphate analogs diphosphoglycolyl proline (2.05 Å resolution) and 6-fluoromevalonate diphosphate (FMVAPP; 2.2 Å resolution). Comparison of these structures provides a physical basis for the significant differences in K(i) values observed for these inhibitors. Inspection of enzyme/inhibitor structures identified the side chain of invariant Ser(192) as making potential contributions to catalysis. Significantly, Ser → Ala substitution of this side chain decreases k(cat) by ∼10(3)-fold, even though binding interactions between FMVAPP and this mutant are similar to those observed with wild type MDD, as judged by the 2.1 Å cocrystal structure of S192A with FMVAPP. Comparison of microbial MDD structures with those of mammalian counterparts reveals potential targets at the active site periphery that may be exploited to selectively target the microbial enzymes. These studies provide a structural basis for previous observations regarding the MDD mechanism and inform future work toward rational inhibitor design.

The role of the active site residues in human galactokinase: implications for the mechanisms of GHMP kinases

Galactokinase catalyses the phosphorylation of galactose at the expense of ATP. Like other members of the GHMP family of kinases it is postulated to function through an active site base mechanism in which Asp-186 abstracts a proton from galactose. This asparate residue was altered to alanine and to asparagine by site-directed mutagenesis of the corresponding gene. This resulted in variant enzyme with no detectable galactokinase activity. Alteration of Arg-37, which lies adjacent to Asp-186 and is postulated to assist the catalytic base, to lysine resulted in an active enzyme. However, alteration of this residue to glutamate abolished activity. All the variant enzymes, except the arginine to lysine substitution, were structurally unstable (as judged by native gel electrophoresis in the presence of urea) compared to the wild type. This suggests that the lack of activity results from this structural instability, in addition to any direct effects on the catalytic mechanism. Computational estimations of the pK(a) values of the arginine and aspartate residues, suggest that Arg-37 remains protonated throughout the catalytic cycle whereas Asp-186 has an abnormally high pK(a) value (7.18). Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations suggest that Asp-186 moves closer to the galactose molecule during catalysis. The experimental and theoretical studies presented here argue for a mechanism in which the C(1)-OH bond in the sugar is weakened by the presence of Asp-186 thus facilitating nucleophilic attack by the oxygen atom on the γ-phosphorus of ATP.

Formation of isobutene from 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate by diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase

Isobutene is an important commercial chemical used for the synthesis of butyl rubber, terephthalic acid, specialty chemicals, and a gasoline performance additive known as alkylate. Currently, isobutene is produced from petroleum and hence is nonrenewable. Here, we report that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (ScMDD) can convert 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate (3-HMB) to isobutene. Whole cells of Escherichia coli producing ScMDD with an N-terminal 6×His tag (His(6)-ScMDD) formed isobutene from 3-HMB at a rate of 154 pmol h(-1) g cells(-1). In contrast, no isobutene was detected from control cells lacking ScMDD. His(6)-ScMDD was purified by nickel affinity chromatography and shown to produce isobutene from 3-HMB at a rate of 1.33 pmol min(-1) mg(-1) protein. Controls showed that both His(6)-ScMDD and 3-HMB were required for detectable isobutene formation. Isobutene was identified by gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detection as well as by GC-mass spectrometry (MS). ScMDD was subjected to error-prone PCR, and two improved variants were characterized, ScMDD1 (I145F) and ScMDD2 (R74H). Whole cells of E. coli producing ScMDD1 and ScMDD2 produced isobutene from 3-HMB at rates of 3,000 and 5,888 pmol h(-1) g cells(-1), which are 19- and 38-fold increases compared to rates for cells producing His(6)-ScMDD. This showed that genetic modifications can be used to increase the rate at which ScMDD converts 3-HMB to isobutene. Because 3-HMB can be produced from l-leucine, ScMDD has a potential application for the production of renewable isobutene. Moreover, isobutene is a gas, which might simplify its purification from a fermentation medium, substantially reducing production costs.

Enzymes of the mevalonate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis

The mevalonate pathway accounts for conversion of acetyl-CoA to isopentenyl 5-diphosphate, the versatile precursor of polyisoprenoid metabolites and natural products. The pathway functions in most eukaryotes, archaea, and some eubacteria. Only recently has much of the functional and structural basis for this metabolism been reported. The biosynthetic acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase and HMG-CoA synthase reactions rely on key amino acids that are different but are situated in active sites that are similar throughout the family of initial condensation enzymes. Both bacterial and animal HMG-CoA reductases have been extensively studied and the contrasts between these proteins and their interactions with statin inhibitors defined. The conversion of mevalonic acid to isopentenyl 5-diphosphate involves three ATP-dependent phosphorylation reactions. While bacterial enzymes responsible for these three reactions share a common protein fold, animal enzymes differ in this respect as the recently reported structure of human phosphomevalonate kinase demonstrates. There are significant contrasts between observations on metabolite inhibition of mevalonate phosphorylation in bacteria and animals. The structural basis for these contrasts has also recently been reported. Alternatives to the phosphomevalonate kinase and mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase reactions may exist in archaea. Thus, new details regarding isopentenyl diphosphate synthesis from acetyl-CoA continue to emerge.

Simulation of structural and functional properties of mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MVD)

Mevalonate 5-diphosphate decarboxylase (MVD) is an important enzyme in the mevalonate pathway catalyzing the ATP-dependent decarboxylation of mevalonate 5-diphosphate (MDP) to yield isopentynyl diphosphate (IPP) which is an ubiquitous precursor for isoprenoids and sterols. Although there are studies to show the involvement of certain amino acid residues in MVD activity, the structure and the function of the active site is yet to be investigated. Therefore the objectives of this study were to elucidate the active site of Saccharomyces cerevisiae MVD (scMVD) using a molecular docking and simulation-based approach. The Cartesian coordinates of scMVD retrieved from the PDB database were used in the docking procedure. 3D atomic coordinates of MDP, ATP and an inhibitor trifluoromevalonate (TFMDP) were generated using Gaussian 98. ATP, MDP and TFMDP were docked into the potential active site identified by sequence analyses using Hex 4.2. The complexes obtained from docking procedure were subjected to 1.5 ns simulation by GROMACS 3.2. Investigation of complexes revealed that Ala15, Lys18, Ser121 & Ser155; Lys22, Ser153 & Ser155 and Tyr19, Ser121, Ser153, Gly154 & Thr209 of MVD are within hydrogen bond forming distances of MDP, ATP and TFMDP, respectively indicating their possible involvement in active site formation through H-bond formation. The presence of a water molecule between the carboxyl group of Asp302, a previously characterized active site residue and C3 region of MDP at a distance of 3 A suggests that deprotonation of the hydroxyl of the C3 takes place via a water molecule. Conjunction with reported crucial catalytic activity of Ser121 of MVD and our finding of the presence of this residue in hydrogen bond forming distance to MDP suggests that this hydrogen bond helps in proper orienting of MDP for phosphorylation /decarboxylation. We further suggest that the reported greater RMS deviation of Pro(79)- Leu mutated MVD with respect to native MVD of temperature sensitive mutant phenotype of S. cerevisiae is due to partial unfolding of MVD as a result of mutation. Finally, this study provides a tantalizing glimpse about hitherto unknown structural and functional properties of the active site of MVD.

Kinetic and functional analysis of L-threonine kinase, the PduX enzyme of Salmonella enterica

The PduX enzyme of Salmonella enterica is an l-threonine kinase used for the de novo synthesis of coenzyme B(12) and the assimilation of cobyric acid. PduX with an N-terminal histidine tag (His(8)-PduX) was produced in Escherichiacoli and purified. The recombinant enzyme was soluble and active. Kinetic analysis indicated a steady-state Ordered Bi Bi complex mechanism in which ATP is the first substrate to bind. Based on a multiple sequence alignment of PduX homologues and other GHMP (galactokinase, homoserine kinase, mevalonate kinase, and phosphomevalonate kinase) family members, 14 PduX variants having changes at 10 conserved serine/threonine and aspartate/glutamate sites were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis. Each variant was produced in E. coli and purified. Comparison of the circular dichroism spectra and kinetic properties of the PduX variants with those of the wild-type enzyme indicated that Glu-24 and Asp-135 are needed for proper folding, Ser-99 and Glu-132 are used for ATP binding, and Ser-253 and Ser-255 are critical to l-threonine binding whereas Ser-100 is essential to catalysis, but its precise role is uncertain. The studies reported here are the first to investigate the kinetic and catalytic mechanisms of l-threonine kinase from any organism.

Cholesterol biosynthesis modulation regulates dengue viral replication

We performed a focused siRNA screen in an A549 dengue type 2 New Guinea C subgenomic replicon cell line (Rluc-replicon) that contains a Renilla luciferase cassette. We found that siRNA mediated knock down of mevalonate diphospho decarboxylase (MVD) inhibited viral replication of the Rluc-replicon and DEN-2 NGC live virus replication in A549 cells. When the Rluc-replicon A459 cells were grown in delipidated media the replicon expression was suppressed and MVD knock down could further sensitize Renilla expression. Hymeglusin and zaragozic acid A could inhibit DEN-2 NGC live virus replication in K562 cells, while lovastatin could inhibit DEN-2 NGC live virus replication in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Renilla expression could be rescued in fluvastatin treated A549 Rluc-replicon cells after the addition of mevalonate, and partially restored with geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, or farnesyl pyrophosphate. Our data suggest genetic and pharmacological modulation of cholesterol biosynthesis can regulate dengue virus replication.

A molecular barcoded yeast ORF library enables mode-of-action analysis of bioactive compounds

We present a yeast chemical-genomics approach designed to identify genes that when mutated confer drug resistance, thereby providing insight about the modes of action of compounds. We developed a molecular barcoded yeast open reading frame (MoBY-ORF) library in which each gene, controlled by its native promoter and terminator, is cloned into a centromere-based vector along with two unique oligonucleotide barcodes. The MoBY-ORF resource has numerous genetic and chemical-genetic applications, but here we focus on cloning wild-type versions of mutant drug-resistance genes using a complementation strategy and on simultaneously assaying the fitness of all transformants with barcode microarrays. The complementation cloning was validated by mutation detection using whole-genome yeast tiling microarrays, which identified unique polymorphisms associated with a drug-resistant mutant. We used the MoBY-ORF library to identify the genetic basis of several drug-resistant mutants and in this analysis discovered a new class of sterol-binding compounds.

Functional studies of rat galactokinase

Galactokinase is an ATP-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the phosphorylation of galactose to form galactose-1-phosphate. The defect in human galactokinase can result in the disease of galactosemia. On the other hand, the control of galactose-1-phosphate production by inhibiting galactokinase is a potential therapy for another disease referred to as classic galactosemia. Many pharmaceutically important compounds derive from carbohydrate-containing natural products, and glycorandomization is one of the most efficient approaches for complex secondary metabolites. Therefore, it is important to further understand the interaction between galactokinase and its substrate or substrate analogs. In the present study, we cloned and purified both N- and C-terminal His-tagged rat galactokinase. We then constructed and purified a variety of variant enzymes, which were studied using kinetics with galactose and its analogs as substrates. We found that the binding of the ATP may induce conformational change to the enzyme so that the enzyme can bind galactose specifically. Asp186 was found to be a possible catalytic residue. The mutants were incubated with fluorescent trinitrophenyl-ATP for the characterization of their ATP binding sites. Various other substrate analogs, aminoglycosides and flavanoids were also tested and found to be competitive inhibitors of rat galactokinase.

Human mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase: characterization, investigation of the mevalonate diphosphate binding site, and crystal structure

Expression in Escherichia coli of his-tagged human mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (hMDD) has expedited enzyme isolation, characterization, functional investigation of the mevalonate diphosphate binding site, and crystal structure determination (2.4A resolution). hMDD exhibits V(max)=6.1+/-0.5 U/mg; K(m) for ATP is 0.69+/-0.07 mM and K(m) for (R,S) mevalonate diphosphate is 28.9+/-3.3 microM. Conserved polar residues predicted to be in the hMDD active site were mutated to test functional importance. R161Q exhibits a approximately 1000-fold diminution in specific activity, while binding the fluorescent substrate analog, TNP-ATP, comparably to wild-type enzyme. Diphosphoglycolyl proline (K(i)=2.3+/-0.3 uM) and 6-fluoromevalonate 5-diphosphate (K(i)=62+/-5 nM) are competitive inhibitors with respect to mevalonate diphosphate. N17A exhibits a V(max)=0.25+/-0.0 2U/mg and a 15-fold inflation in K(m) for mevalonate diphosphate. N17A's K(i) values for diphosphoglycolyl proline and fluoromevalonate diphosphate are inflated (>70-fold and 40-fold, respectively) in comparison with wild-type enzyme. hMDD structure indicates the proximity (2.8A) between R161 and N17, which are located in an interior pocket of the active site cleft. The data suggest the functional importance of R161 and N17 in the binding and orientation of mevalonate diphosphate.

Mutation and inhibition studies of mevalonate 5-diphosphate decarboxylase

Mevalonate 5-diphosphate decarboxylase plays an important role in regulating cholesterol biosynthesis, which was studied through incubation with various synthetic substrate analogs and characterization of mutated enzymes. The results are potentially useful for further developing inhibitors that block the mevalonate pathway which is a drug target for treating cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Effect of a disulfide bond on mevalonate kinase

Mevalonate kinase is one of ATP-dependent enzymes in the mevalonate pathway and catalyzes the phosphorylation of mevalonate to form mevalonate 5-phosphate. In animal cells, it plays a key role in regulating biosynthesis of cholesterol, while in microorganisms and plants, it is involved in the biosynthesis of isoprenoid derivatives that are one of the largest groups of natural products. Crystal structure and sequence alignment show that a unique disulfide bond exists in mevalonate kinase of thermostable species Methanococcus jannaschii, but not in rat mevalonate kinase. In the present study, we investigated the effect of the disulfide bond in M. jannaschii mevalonate kinase and an engineered disulfide bond in rat mevalonate kinase mutant A141C on the properties of enzymes through characterization of their wild-type and variant enzymes. Our result suggests that the Cys107-Cys281 disulfide bond is important for maintaining the conformation and the thermal activity of M. jannaschii mevalonate kinase. Other interactions could also have contributions. The thiol-titration and fluorescence experiment further indicate that rat mevalonate kinase A141C variant enzyme has a new disulfide bond, which makes the variant protein enhance its thermal activity and resist to urea denaturation.

Crystal structures of Trypanosoma brucei and Staphylococcus aureus mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase inform on the determinants of specificity and reactivity

Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MDD) catalyzes the ATP-dependent decarboxylation of mevalonate 5-diphosphate (MDP) to form isopentenyl pyrophosphate, a ubiquitous precursor for isoprenoid biosynthesis. MDD is a poorly understood component of this important metabolic pathway. Complementation of a temperature-sensitive yeast mutant by the putative mdd genes of Trypanosoma brucei and Staphylococcus aureus provides proof-of-function. Crystal structures of MDD from T. brucei (TbMDD, at 1.8 A resolution) and S. aureus (SaMDD, in two distinct crystal forms, each diffracting to 2.3 A resolution) have been determined. Gel-filtration chromatography and analytical ultracentrifugation experiments indicate that TbMDD is predominantly monomeric in solution while SaMDD is dimeric. The new crystal structures and comparison with that of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae enzyme (ScMDD) reveal the structural basis for this variance in quaternary structure. The presence of an ordered sulfate in the structure of TbMDD reveals for the first time details of a ligand binding in the MDD active site and, in conjunction with well-ordered water molecules, comparisons with the related enzyme mevalonate kinase, structural and biochemical data derived on ScMDD and SaMDD, allows us to model a ternary complex with MDP and ATP. This model facilitates discussion of the molecular determinants of substrate recognition and contributions made by specific residues to the enzyme mechanism.