Catechol dioxygenases from Escherichia coli (MhpB) and Alcaligenes eutrophus (MpcI): sequence analysis and biochemical properties of a third family of extradiol dioxygenases

Structural and catalytic insights into MhpB: A dioxygenase enzyme for degrading catecholic pollutants

The increasing environmental pollution from persistent aromatic compounds requires effective biodegradation strategies. In this study, we focused on MhpB, an extradiol dioxygenase (EDO) from Escherichia coli. It is known for its role in the degradation of catechols, key intermediates in the degradation of aromatic compounds. We report the high-resolution structure of MhpB determined by cryo-electron microscopy, revealing a decameric conformation with the catalytic chamber at the side. The structure-based analysis allowed us to investigate the substrate-enzyme interaction and the substrate selectivity, which are crucial for its catalytic function. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to modulate the in vitro and in vivo substrate preference of MhpB, enhancing its potential for industrial applications in pollutant degradation. The study provides insight into the mechanism of the enzyme and paves the way for the development of engineered EDOs for environmental remediation of aromatic pollutants.

Structure and biochemical characterization of an extradiol 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate 2,3-dioxygenase from Acinetobacter baumannii

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetate (DHPA) 2,3-dioxygenase (EC 1.13.11.15) from Acinetobacter baumannii (AbDHPAO) is an enzyme that catalyzes the 2,3-extradiol ring-cleavage of DHPA in the p-hydroxyphenylacetate (HPA) degradation pathway. While the biochemical reactions of various DHPAOs have been reported, only structures of DHPAO from Brevibacterium fuscum and their homologs are available. Here, we report the X-ray structure and biochemical characterization of an Fe2+-specific AbDHPAO that shares 12% sequence identity to the enzyme from B. fuscum. The 1.8 Å X-ray structure of apo-AbDHPAO was determined with four subunits per asymmetric unit, consistent with a homotetrameric structure. Interestingly, the αβ-sandwiched fold of the AbDHPAO subunit is different from the dual β-barrel-like motif of the well-characterized B. fuscum DHPAO structures; instead, it is similar to the structures of non-DHPA extradiol dioxygenases from Comamonas sp. and Sphingomonas paucimobilis. Similarly, these extradiol dioxygenases share the same chemistry owing to a conserved 2-His-1-carboxylate catalytic motif. Structure analysis and molecular docking suggested that the Fe2+ cofactor and substrate binding sites consist of the conserved residues His12, His57, and Glu238 forming a 2-His-1-carboxylate motif ligating to Fe2+ and DHPA bound with Fe2+ in an octahedral coordination. In addition to DHPA, AbDHPAO can also use other 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate derivatives with different aliphatic carboxylic acid substituents as substrates, albeit with low reactivity. Altogether, this report provides a better understanding of the structure and biochemical properties of AbDHPAO and its homologs, which is advancing further modification of DHPAO in future applications.

Bioconversion of 4-hydroxyestradiol by extradiol ring-cleavage dioxygenases from Novosphingobium sp. PP1Y

Livestock breeding activities and pharmaceutical wastes lead to considerable accumulation of steroid hormones and estrogens in wastewaters. Here estrogens act as pro-cancerogenic agents and endocrine disruptors interfering with the sexual development of aquatic animals and having toxic effects in humans. Environmental bacteria play a vital role in estrogens degradation. Their wide reservoir of enzymes, such as ring cleavage dioxygenases (RCDs), can degrade the steroid nucleus, catalyzing the meta-cleavage of A, B or D steroid rings. In this work, 4 extra-diol ring cleavage dioxygenases (ERCDs), PP28735, PP26077, PP00124 and PP00193, were isolated from the marine sphingomonad Novosphingobium sp. PP1Y and characterized. Enzymes kinetic parameters were determined on different synthetic catecholic substrates. Then, the bioconversion of catechol estrogens was evaluated. PP00124 showed to be an efficient catalyst for the degradation of 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE2), a carcinogenic hydroxylated derivate of E2. 4-OHE2 complete cleavage was obtained using PP00124 both in soluble form and in whole recombinant E. coli cells. LC-MS/MS analyses confirmed the generation of a semialdehyde product, through A-ring meta cleavage. To the best of our knowledge, PP00124 is the first characterized enzyme able to directly degrade 4-OHE2 via meta cleavage. Moreover, the complete 4-OHE2 biodegradation using recombinant whole cells highlighted advantages for bioremediation purposes.

Charge Maintenance during Catalysis in Nonheme Iron Oxygenases

Here, the choice of the first coordination shell of the metal center is analyzed from the perspective of charge maintenance in a binary enzyme-substrate complex and an O₂-bound ternary complex in the nonheme iron oxygenases. Comparing homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase and gentisate dioxygenase highlights the significance of charge maintenance after substrate binding as an important factor that drives the reaction coordinate. We then extend the charge analysis to several common types of nonheme iron oxygenases containing either a 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad or a 3-His or 4-His ligand motif, including extradiol and intradiol ring-cleavage dioxygenases, thiol dioxygenases, α-ketoglutarate-dependent oxygenases, and carotenoid cleavage oxygenases. After forming the productive enzyme-substrate complex, the overall charge of the iron complex at the 0, +1, or +2 state is maintained in the remaining catalytic steps. Hence, maintaining a constant charge is crucial to promote the reaction of the iron center beginning from the formation of the Michaelis or ternary complex. The charge compensation to the iron ion is tuned not only by protein-derived carboxylate ligands but also by substrates. Overall, these analyses indicate that charge maintenance at the iron center is significant when all the necessary components form a productive complex. This charge maintenance concept may apply to most oxygen-activating metalloenzymes systems that do not draw electrons and protons step-by-step from a separate reactant, such as NADH, via a reductase. The charge maintenance perception may also be useful in proposing catalytic pathways or designing prototypical reactions using artificial or engineered enzymes for biotechnological applications.

Predominant Biphenyl Dioxygenase From Legacy Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB)-Contaminated Soil Is a Part of Unusual Gene Cluster and Transforms Flavone and Flavanone

In this study, the diversity of bphA genes was assessed in a ¹³C-enriched metagenome upon stable isotope probing (SIP) of microbial populations in legacy PCB-contaminated soil with ¹³C-biphenyl (BP). In total, 13 bphA sequence variants (SVs) were identified in the final amplicon dataset. Of these, one SV comprised 59% of all sequences, and when it was translated into a protein sequence, it exhibited 87, 77.4, and 76.7% identity to its homologs from Pseudomonas furukawaii KF707, Cupriavidus sp. WS, and Pseudomonas alcaliphila B-367, respectively. This same BphA sequence also contained unusual amino acid residues, Alanine, Valine, and Serine in region III, which had been reported to be crucial for the substrate specificity of the corresponding biphenyl dioxygenase (BPDO), and was accordingly designated BphA_AVS. The DNA locus of 18 kbp containing the BphA_AVS-coding sequence retrieved from the metagenome was comprised of 16 ORFs and was most likely borne by Paraburkholderia sp. The BPDO corresponding to bphAE_AVS was cloned and heterologously expressed in E. coli, and its substrate specificity toward PCBs and a spectrum of flavonoids was assessed. Although depleting a rather narrow spectrum of PCB congeners, the efficient transformation of flavone and flavanone was demonstrated through dihydroxylation of the B-ring of the molecules. The homology-based functional assignment of the putative proteins encoded by the rest of ORFs in the AVS region suggests their potential involvement in the transformation of aromatic compounds, such as flavonoids. In conclusion, this study contributes to the body of information on the involvement of soil-borne BPDOs in the metabolism of flavonoid compounds, and our paper provides a more advanced context for understanding the interactions between plants, microbes and anthropogenic compounds in the soil.

MhpA Is a Hydroxylase Catalyzing the Initial Reaction of 3-(3-Hydroxyphenyl)Propionate Catabolism in Escherichia coli K-12

Escherichia coli K-12 and some other strains have been reported to be capable of utilizing 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)propionate (3HPP), one of the phenylpropanoids from lignin. Although other enzymes involved in 3HPP catabolism and their corresponding genes from its degraders have been identified, 3HPP 2-hydroxylase, catalyzing the first step of its catabolism, has yet to be functionally identified at biochemical and genetic levels. In this study, we investigated the function and characteristics of MhpA from E. coli strain K-12 (MhpA_K-12). Gene deletion and complementation showed that mhpA was vital for its growth on 3HPP, but the mhpA deletion strain was still able to grow on 3-(2,3-dihydroxyphenyl)propionate (DHPP), the hydroxylation product transformed from 3HPP by MhpA_K-12 MhpA_K-12 was overexpressed and purified, and it was likely a polymer and tightly bound with an approximately equal number of moles of FAD. Using NADH or NADPH as a cofactor, purified MhpA_K-12 catalyzed the conversion of 3HPP to DHPP at a similar efficiency. The conversion from 3HPP to DHPP by purified MhpA_K-12 was confirmed using high-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that MhpA_K-12 and its putative homologues belonged to taxa that were phylogenetically distant from functionally identified FAD-containing monooxygenases (hydroxylases). Interestingly, MhpA_K-12 has approximately an extra 150 residues at its C terminus in comparison to its close homologues, but its truncated versions MhpA_K-12 ⁴⁰⁰ and MhpA_K-12 ⁴⁸⁰ (with 154 and 74 residues deleted from the C terminus, respectively) both lost their activities. Thus, MhpA_K-12 has been confirmed to be a 3HPP 2-hydroxylase catalyzing the conversion of 3HPP to DHPP, the initial reaction of 3HPP degradation.IMPORTANCE Phenylpropionate and its hydroxylated derivatives resulted from lignin degradation ubiquitously exist on the Earth. A number of bacterial strains have the ability to grow on 3HPP, one of the above derivatives. The hydroxylation was thought to be the initial and vital step for its aerobic catabolism via the meta pathway. The significance of our research is the functional identification and characterization of the purified 3HPP 2-hydroxylase MhpA from Escherichia coli K-12 at biochemical and genetic levels, since this enzyme has not previously been expressed from its encoding gene, purified, and characterized in any bacteria. It will not only fill a gap in our understanding of 3HPP 2-hydroxylase and its corresponding gene for the critical step in microbial 3HPP catabolism but also provide another example of the diversity of microbial degradation of plant-derived phenylpropionate and its hydroxylated derivatives.

Structure Elucidation and Biochemical Characterization of Environmentally Relevant Novel Extradiol Dioxygenases Discovered by a Functional Metagenomics Approach

The release of synthetic chemical pollutants in the environment is posing serious health risks. Enzymes, including oxygenases, play a crucial role in xenobiotic degradation. In the present study, we employed a functional metagenomics approach to overcome the limitation of cultivability of microbes under standard laboratory conditions in order to isolate novel dioxygenases capable of degrading recalcitrant pollutants. Fosmid clones possessing dioxygenase activity were further sequenced, and their genes were identified using bioinformatics tools. Two positive fosmid clones, SD3 and RW1, suggested the presence of 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase (BphC-SD3) and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O-RW1), respectively. Recombinant versions of these enzymes were purified to examine their pollutant-degrading abilities. The crystal structure of BphC-SD3 was determined at 2.6-Å resolution, revealing a two-domain architecture, i.e., N-terminal and C-terminal domains, with the sequential arrangement of βαβββ in each domain, characteristic of Fe-dependent class II type I extradiol dioxygenases. The structure also reveals the presence of conserved amino acids lining the catalytic pocket and Fe³⁺ metal ion in the large funnel-shaped active site in the C-terminal domain. Further studies suggest that Fe³⁺ bound in the BphC-SD3 active site probably imparts aerobic stability. We further demonstrate the potential application of BphC-SD3 in biosensing of catecholic compounds. The halotolerant and oxygen-resistant properties of these enzymes reported in this study make them potential candidates for bioremediation and biosensing applications.IMPORTANCE The disposal and degradation of xenobiotic compounds have been serious issues due to their recalcitrant properties. Microbial oxygenases are the fundamental enzymes involved in biodegradation that oxidize the substrate by transferring oxygen from molecular oxygen. Among oxygenases, catechol dioxygenases are more versatile in biodegradation and are well studied among the bacterial world. The use of catechol dioxygenases in the field is currently not practical due to their aerobically unstable nature. The significance of our research lies in the discovery of aerobically stable and halotolerant catechol dioxygenases that are efficient in degrading the targeted environmental pollutants and, hence, could be used as cost-effective alternatives for the treatment of hypersaline industrial effluents. Moreover, the structural determination of novel catechol dioxygenases would greatly enhance our knowledge of the function of these enzymes and facilitate directed evolution to further enhance or engineer desired properties.

Oxidative opening of the aromatic ring: Tracing the natural history of a large superfamily of dioxygenase domains and their relatives

A diverse collection of enzymes comprising the protocatechuate dioxygenases (PCADs) has been characterized in several extradiol aromatic compound degradation pathways. Structural studies have shown a relationship between PCADs and the more broadly-distributed, functionally enigmatic Memo domain linked to several human diseases. To better understand the evolution of this PCAD-Memo protein superfamily, we explored their structural and functional determinants to establish a unified evolutionary framework, identifying 15 clearly-delineable families, including a previously-underappreciated diversity in five Memo clade families. We place the superfamily's origin within the greater radiation of the nucleoside phosphorylase/hydrolase-peptide/amidohydrolase fold prior to the last universal common ancestor of all extant organisms. In addition to identifying active-site residues across the superfamily, we describe three distinct, structurally-variable regions emanating from the core scaffold often housing conserved residues specific to individual families. These were predicted to contribute to the active-site pocket, potentially in substrate specificity and allosteric regulation. We also identified several previously-undescribed conserved genome contexts, providing insight into potentially novel substrates in PCAD clade families. We extend known conserved contextual associations for the Memo clade beyond previously-described associations with the AMMECR1 domain and a radical S-adenosylmethionine family domain. These observations point to two distinct yet potentially overlapping contexts wherein the elusive molecular function of the Memo domain could be finally resolved, thereby linking it to nucleotide base and aliphatic isoprenoid modification. In total, this report throws light on the functions of large swaths of the experimentally-uncharacterized PCAD-Memo families.

Biodegradation of 7-Hydroxycoumarin in Pseudomonas mandelii 7HK4 via ipso-Hydroxylation of 3-(2,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-propionic Acid

A gene cluster, denoted as hcdABC, required for the degradation of 3-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid has been cloned from 7-hydroxycoumarin-degrading Pseudomonas mandelii 7HK4 (DSM 107615), and sequenced. Bioinformatic analysis shows that the operon hcdABC encodes a flavin-binding hydroxylase (HcdA), an extradiol dioxygenase (HcdB), and a putative hydroxymuconic semialdehyde hydrolase (HcdC). The analysis of the recombinant HcdA activity in vitro confirms that this enzyme belongs to the group of ipso-hydroxylases. The activity of the proteins HcdB and HcdC has been analyzed by using recombinant Escherichia coli cells. Identification of intermediate metabolites allowed us to confirm the predicted enzyme functions and to reconstruct the catabolic pathway of 3-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid. HcdA catalyzes the conversion of 3-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid to 3-(2,3,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid through an ipso-hydroxylation followed by an internal (1,2-C,C)-shift of the alkyl moiety. Then, in the presence of HcdB, a subsequent oxidative meta-cleavage of the aromatic ring occurs, resulting in the corresponding linear product (2E,4E)-2,4-dihydroxy-6-oxonona-2,4-dienedioic acid. Here, we describe a Pseudomonas mandelii strain 7HK4 capable of degrading 7-hydroxycoumarin via 3-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid pathway.

Oxygen activation by mononuclear nonheme iron dioxygenases involved in the degradation of aromatics

Molecular oxygen is utilized in numerous metabolic pathways fundamental for life. Mononuclear nonheme iron-dependent oxygenase enzymes are well known for their involvement in some of these pathways, activating O₂ so that oxygen atoms can be incorporated into their primary substrates. These reactions often initiate pathways that allow organisms to use stable organic molecules as sources of carbon and energy for growth. From the myriad of reactions in which these enzymes are involved, this perspective recounts the general mechanisms of aromatic dihydroxylation and oxidative ring cleavage, both of which are ubiquitous chemical reactions found in life-sustaining processes. The organic substrate provides all four electrons required for oxygen activation and insertion in the reactions mediated by extradiol and intradiol ring-cleaving catechol dioxygenases. In contrast, two of the electrons are provided by NADH in the cis-dihydroxylation mechanism of Rieske dioxygenases. The catalytic nonheme Fe center, with the aid of active site residues, facilitates these electron transfers to O₂ as key elements of the activation processes. This review discusses some general questions for the catalytic strategies of oxygen activation and insertion into aromatic compounds employed by mononuclear nonheme iron-dependent dioxygenases. These include: (1) how oxygen is activated, (2) whether there are common intermediates before oxygen transfer to the aromatic substrate, and (3) are these key intermediates unique to mononuclear nonheme iron dioxygenases?

Functional Metagenomics of a Biostimulated Petroleum-Contaminated Soil Reveals an Extraordinary Diversity of Extradiol Dioxygenases

A metagenomic library of a petroleum-contaminated soil was constructed in a fosmid vector that allowed heterologous expression of metagenomic DNA. The library, consisting of 6.5 Gb of metagenomic DNA, was screened for extradiol dioxygenase (Edo) activity using catechol and 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl as the substrates. Fifty-eight independent clones encoding extradiol dioxygenase activity were identified. Forty-one different Edo-encoding genes were identified. The population of Edo genes was not dominated by a particular gene or by highly similar genes; rather, the genes had an even distribution and high diversity. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that most of the genes could not be ascribed to previously defined subfamilies of Edos. Rather, the Edo genes led to the definition of 10 new subfamilies of type I Edos. Phylogenetic analysis of type II enzymes defined 7 families, 2 of which harbored the type II Edos that were found in this work. Particularly striking was the diversity found in family I.3 Edos; 15 out of the 17 sequences assigned to this family belonged to 7 newly defined subfamilies. A strong bias was found that depended on the substrate used for the screening: catechol mainly led to the detection of Edos belonging to the I.2 family, while 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl led to the detection of most other Edos. Members of the I.2 family showed a clear substrate preference for monocyclic substrates, while those from the I.3 family showed a broader substrate range and high activity toward 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl. This metagenomic analysis has substantially increased our knowledge of the existing biodiversity of Edos.

HosA, a MarR Family Transcriptional Regulator, Represses Nonoxidative Hydroxyarylic Acid Decarboxylase Operon and Is Modulated by 4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid

Members of the Multiple antibiotic resistance Regulator (MarR) family of DNA binding proteins regulate transcription of a wide array of genes required for virulence and pathogenicity of bacteria. The present study reports the molecular characterization of HosA (Homologue of SlyA), a MarR protein, with respect to its target gene, DNA recognition motif, and nature of its ligand. Through a comparative genomics approach, we demonstrate that hosA is in synteny with nonoxidative hydroxyarylic acid decarboxylase (HAD) operon and is present exclusively within the mutS-rpoS polymorphic region in nine different genera of Enterobacteriaceae family. Using molecular biology and biochemical approach, we demonstrate that HosA binds to a palindromic sequence downstream to the transcription start site of divergently transcribed nonoxidative HAD operon and represses its expression. Furthermore, in silico analysis showed that the recognition motif for HosA is highly conserved in the upstream region of divergently transcribed operon in different genera of Enterobacteriaceae family. A systematic chemical search for the physiological ligand revealed that 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA) interacts with HosA and derepresses HosA mediated repression of the nonoxidative HAD operon. Based on our study, we propose a model for molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of nonoxidative HAD operon by HosA in Enterobacteriaceae family.

A role for Saccharomyces cerevisiae Tpa1 protein in direct alkylation repair

Alkylating agents induce cytotoxic DNA base adducts. In this work, we provide evidence to suggest, for the first time, that Saccharomyces cerevisiae Tpa1 protein is involved in DNA alkylation repair. Little is known about Tpa1 as a repair protein beyond the initial observation from a high-throughput analysis indicating that deletion of TPA1 causes methyl methane sulfonate sensitivity in S. cerevisiae. Using purified Tpa1, we demonstrate that Tpa1 repairs both single- and double-stranded methylated DNA. Tpa1 is a member of the Fe(II) and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase family, and we show that mutation of the amino acid residues involved in cofactor binding abolishes the Tpa1 DNA repair activity. Deletion of TPA1 along with the base excision repair pathway DNA glycosylase MAG1 renders the tpa1Δmag1Δ double mutant highly susceptible to methylation-induced toxicity. We further demonstrate that the trans-lesion synthesis DNA polymerase Polζ (REV3) plays a key role in tolerating DNA methyl-base lesions and that tpa1Δmag1revΔ3 triple mutant is extremely susceptible to methylation-induced toxicity. Our results indicate a synergism between the base excision repair pathway and direct alkylation repair by Tpa1 in S. cerevisiae. We conclude that Tpa1 is a hitherto unidentified DNA repair protein in yeast and that it plays a crucial role in reverting alkylated DNA base lesions and cytotoxicity.

A nonradioactive restriction enzyme-mediated assay to detect DNA repair by Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase

The Escherichia coli DNA repair enzyme AlkB belongs to the Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase family. It removes methyl groups from 1-methyl adenine (1-meA) and 3-methyl cytosine (3-meC) lesions present in single-stranded DNA by oxidative decarboxylation. In the current article, we describe an in vitro assay that permits rapid detection of AlkB activity. To achieve this, we generated methylated oligonucleotide using methyl methanesulfonate and then monitored DNA repair using a methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme and novel agarose gel electrophoresis system capable of resolving small oligonucleotides. Our approach overcomes several drawbacks of NAD(+)-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase-coupled assay and radioisotope-based assay for determining AlkB DNA repair activity.

Characterizing the promiscuity of LigAB, a lignin catabolite degrading extradiol dioxygenase from Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6

LigAB from Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6 is the only structurally characterized dioxygenase of the largely uncharacterized superfamily of Type II extradiol dioxygenases (EDO). This enzyme catalyzes the oxidative ring-opening of protocatechuate (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid or PCA) in a pathway allowing the degradation of lignin derived aromatic compounds (LDACs). LigAB has also been shown to utilize two other LDACs from the same metabolic pathway as substrates, gallate, and 3-O-methyl gallate; however, kcat/KM had not been reported for any of these compounds. In order to assess the catalytic efficiency and get insights into the observed promiscuity of this enzyme, steady-state kinetic analyses were performed for LigAB with these and a library of related compounds. The dioxygenation of PCA by LigAB was highly efficient, with a kcat of 51 s(-1) and a kcat/KM of 4.26 × 10(6) M(-1)s(-1). LigAB demonstrated the ability to use a variety of catecholic molecules as substrates beyond the previously identified gallate and 3-O-methyl gallate, including 3,4-dihydroxybenzamide, homoprotocatechuate, catechol, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzonitrile. Interestingly, 3,4-dihydroxybenzamide (DHBAm) behaves in a manner similar to that of the preferred benzoic acid substrates, with a kcat/Km value only ∼4-fold lower than that for gallate and ∼10-fold higher than that for 3-O-methyl gallate. All of these most active substrates demonstrate mechanistic inactivation of LigAB. Additionally, DHBAm exhibits potent product inhibition that leads to an inactive enzyme, being more highly deactivating at lower substrate concentration, a phenomena that, to our knowledge, has not been reported for another dioxygenase substrate/product pair. These results provide valuable catalytic insight into the reactions catalyzed by LigAB and make it the first Type II EDO that is fully characterized both structurally and kinetically.

mhpT encodes an active transporter involved in 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)propionate catabolism by Escherichia coli K-12

Escherichia coli K-12 utilizes 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)propionate (3HPP) as a sole carbon and energy source. Among the genes in its catabolic cluster in the genome, mhpT was proposed to encode a hypothetical transporter. Since no transporter for 3HPP uptake has been identified, we investigated whether MhpT is responsible for 3HPP uptake. MhpT fused with green fluorescent protein was found to be located at the periphery of cells by confocal microscopy, consistent with localization to the cytoplasmic membrane. Gene knockout and complementation studies clearly indicated that mhpT is essential for 3HPP catabolism in E. coli K-12 W3110 at pH 8.2. Uptake assays with (14)C-labeled substrates demonstrated that strain W3110 and strain W3110ΔmhpT containing recombinant MhpT specifically transported 3HPP but not benzoate, 3-hydroxybenzoate, or gentisate into cells. Energy dependence assays suggested that MhpT-mediated 3HPP transport was driven by the proton motive force. The change of Ala-272 of MhpT to a histidine, surprisingly, resulted in enhanced transport activity, and strain W3110ΔmhpT containing the MhpT A272H mutation had a slightly higher growth rate than the wild-type strain at pH 8.2. Hence, we demonstrated that MhpT is a specific 3HPP transporter and vital for E. coli K-12 W3110 growth on this substrate under basic conditions.

Addition of an external electron donor to in vitro assays of cysteine dioxygenase precludes the need for exogenous iron

Cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) utilizes a 3-His facial triad for coordination of its metal center. Recombinant CDO present in cellular lysate exists primarily in the ferrous form and exhibits significant catalytic activity. Removal of CDO from the reducing cellular environment during purification results in the loss of bound iron and oxidation of greater than 99% of the remaining metal centers. The as-isolated recombinant enzyme has comparable activity as the background level of L-cysteine oxidation confirming that CDO is inactive under the aerobic conditions required for catalysis. Including exogenous ferrous iron in assays resulted in non-enzymatic product formation; however, addition of an external reductant in assays of the purified protein resulted in the recovery of CDO activity. EPR spectroscopy of CDO in the presence of a reductant confirms that the recovered activity is consistent with reduction of iron to the ferrous form. The as-isolated enzyme in the presence of L-cysteine was nearly unreactive with the dioxygen analog, but had increased affinity when pre-incubated with an external reductant. These studies shed light on the discrepancies among reported kinetic parameters for CDO and also juxtapose the stability of the 3-His and 2-His/1-carboxylate ferrous enzymes in the presence of dioxygen.

F420H2-dependent degradation of aflatoxin and other furanocoumarins is widespread throughout the actinomycetales

Two classes of F₄₂₀-dependent reductases (FDR-A and FDR-B) that can reduce aflatoxins and thereby degrade them have previously been isolated from Mycobacterium smegmatis. One class, the FDR-A enzymes, has up to 100 times more activity than the other. F₄₂₀ is a cofactor with a low reduction potential that is largely confined to the Actinomycetales and some Archaea and Proteobacteria. We have heterologously expressed ten FDR-A enzymes from diverse Actinomycetales, finding that nine can also use F₄₂₀H₂ to reduce aflatoxin. Thus FDR-As may be responsible for the previously observed degradation of aflatoxin in other Actinomycetales. The one FDR-A enzyme that we found not to reduce aflatoxin belonged to a distinct clade (herein denoted FDR-AA), and our subsequent expression and analysis of seven other FDR-AAs from M. smegmatis found that none could reduce aflatoxin. Certain FDR-A and FDR-B enzymes that could reduce aflatoxin also showed activity with coumarin and three furanocoumarins (angelicin, 8-methoxysporalen and imperatorin), but none of the FDR-AAs tested showed any of these activities. The shared feature of the compounds that were substrates was an α,β-unsaturated lactone moiety. This moiety occurs in a wide variety of otherwise recalcitrant xenobiotics and antibiotics, so the FDR-As and FDR-Bs may have evolved to harness the reducing power of F₄₂₀ to metabolise such compounds. Mass spectrometry on the products of the FDR-catalyzed reduction of coumarin and the other furanocoumarins shows their spontaneous hydrolysis to multiple products.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of manganese(II)-dependent 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase from Bacillus sp. JF8

A thermostable manganese(II)-dependent 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl-1,2-dioxygenase derived from Bacillus sp. JF8 was crystallized. The initial screening for crystallization was performed by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using a crystallization robot, resulting in the growth of two crystal forms. The first crystal belonged to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 62.7, b = 71.4, c = 93.6 A, alpha = 71.2, beta = 81.0, gamma = 64.0 degrees, and diffracted to 1.3 A resolution. The second crystal belonged to space group I222, with unit-cell parameters a = 74.2, b = 90.8, c = 104.3 A, and diffracted to 1.3 A resolution. Molecular-replacement trials using homoprotocatechuate 2,3-dioxygenase from Arthrobacter globiformis (28% amino-acid sequence identity) as a search model provided a satisfactory solution for both crystal forms.

Pathway and evolutionary implications of diphenylamine biodegradation by Burkholderia sp. strain JS667

Diphenylamine (DPA) is a common contaminant at munitions-contaminated sites as well as at aniline manufacturing sites. Little is known about the biodegradation of the compound, and bacteria able to use DPA as the growth substrate have not been reported. Burkholderia sp. strain JS667 and Ralstonia sp. strain JS668 were isolated by selective enrichment from DPA-contaminated sediment. The isolates grew aerobically with DPA as the sole carbon, nitrogen, and energy source. During induction of DPA degradation, stoichiometric amounts of aniline accumulated and then disappeared, which suggested that aniline is on the DPA degradation pathway. Genes encoding the enzymes that catalyze the initial steps in DPA degradation were cloned from the genomic DNA of strain JS667. The Escherichia coli clone catalyzed stoichiometric transformation of DPA to aniline and catechol. Transposon mutagenesis, the sequence similarity of putative open reading frames to those of well-characterized dioxygenases, and (18)O(2) experiments support the conclusion that the initial reaction in DPA degradation is catalyzed by a multicomponent ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase. DPA is converted to aniline and catechol via dioxygenation at the 1,2 position of the aromatic ring and spontaneous rearomatization. Aniline and catechol are further biodegraded by the well-established aniline degradation pathway. Genes that encode the complete aniline degradation pathway were found 12 kb downstream of the genes that encode the initial dioxygenase. Expression of the relevant dioxygenases was confirmed by reverse transcription-PCR analysis. Both the sequence similarity and the gene organization suggest that the DPA degradation pathway evolved recently by the recruitment of two gene clusters that encode the DPA dioxygenase and aniline degradation pathway.

The Ins and Outs of Ring-Cleaving Dioxygenases

Ring-cleaving dioxygenases catalyze the oxygenolytic fission of catecholic compounds, a critical step in the aerobic degradation of aromatic compounds by bacteria. Two classes of these enzymes have been identified, based on the mode of ring cleavage: intradiol dioxygenases utilize non-heme Fe(III) to cleave the aromatic nucleus ortho to the hydroxyl substituents; and extradiol dioxygenases utilize non-heme Fe(II) or other divalent metal ions to cleave the aromatic nucleus meta to the hydroxyl substituents. Recent genomic, structural, spectroscopic, and kinetic studies have increased our understanding of the distribution, evolution, and mechanisms of these enzymes. Overall, extradiol dioxygenases appear to be more versatile than their intradiol counterparts. Thus, the former cleave a wider variety of substrates, have evolved on a larger number of structural scaffolds, and occur in a wider variety of pathways, including biosynthetic pathways and pathways that degrade non-aromatic compounds. The catalytic mechanisms of the two enzymes proceed via similar iron-alkylperoxo intermediates. The ability of extradiol enzymes to act on a variety of non-catecholic compounds is consistent with proposed differences in the breakdown of this iron-alkylperoxo intermediate in the two enzymes, involving alkenyl migration in extradiol enzymes and acyl migration in intradiol enzymes. Nevertheless, despite recent advances in our understanding of these fascinating enzymes, the major determinant of the mode of ring cleavage remains unknown.

Isolation and characterization of a gene cluster involved in PAH degradation in Mycobacterium sp. strain SNP11: Expression in Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155

Mycobacterium sp. strain SNP11 is able to grow with pyrene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene and fluorene the sole carbon and energy sources. A probe based on the previously described gene pdoA2, which encodes the alpha subunit of a PAH ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase in Mycobacterium sp. strain 6PY1 [S. Krivobok et al., Identification of pyrene-induced proteins in Mycobacterium sp. strain 6PY1: evidence for two ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases, J. Bacteriol. 185(13) (2003) 3828-3841], was used to isolate a 14kb DNA fragment from strain SNP11. Twelve putative open reading frames (ORFs), divided into two groups by a promoter intergenic region, were detected in this DNA sequence. The first gene cluster, located upstream of the promoter region, showed low but significant deduced amino acid sequence homologies with enzymes involved in aromatic degradation. The second gene cluster, under control of the promoter, contained pdoA2 (designated phdA in this study) and several other ORFs with deduced amino acid sequences closely related to enzymes involved in the phenanthrene-degrading pathway of Nocardioides sp. strain KP7. Gene expression analysis in Mycobacterium smegmatis mc(2)155 revealed broad substrate specificity of the ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase, since transformant cells containing phdAB strongly oxidized fluoranthene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluorine and dibenzofuran. Laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-ToF MS) analyses of culture media after PAH degradation by M. smegmatis transformants also revealed that the second gene cluster, located downstream of the promoter, takes an active share in initial phenanthrene and anthracene degradation by allowing transformation of these two PAHs in aromatic ring-cleaved metabolites.

Directed Evolution of a Non-Heme-Iron-Dependent Extradiol Catechol Dioxygenase: Identification of Mutants with Intradiol Oxidative Cleavage Activity

The non-heme-iron(II)-dependent extradiol catechol dioxygenases catalyse the oxidative cleavage of substituted catechols found on bacterial aromatic degradation pathways. The reaction mechanism of the extradiol dioxygenases is believed to proceed through the same proximal hydroperoxide intermediate as the iron(III)-dependent intradiol catechol dioxygenases. Directed evolution was carried out on members of the class III extradiol catechol dioxygenases, by using 1) error-prone polymerase chain reaction, 2) a primer-based cross-over method; the mutant dioxygenases were then screened for their ability to process a range of substituted catechols. Several mutant enzymes were found to show higher activity towards certain substituted catechols, including 4-chlorocatechol, and higher affinity for the iron(II) cofactor. Two mutants isolated from error-prone PCR of Escherichia coli MhpB (mutants R215W and K273R) were found to produce a mixture of extradiol and intradiol cleavage products, as detected by GC-MS and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The residue corresponding to K273 in protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenase (LigAB), Val244, is located approximately 12 A from the iron(II) centre, but close to the putative dioxygen channel; R215 is found on a sequence loop not present in LigB.

The role of residue Thr249 in modulating the catalytic efficiency and substrate specificity of catechol-2,3-dioxygenase from Pseudomonas stutzeri OX1

Bioremediation strategies use microorganisms to remove hazardous substances, such as aromatic molecules, from polluted sites. The applicability of these techniques would greatly benefit from the expansion of the catabolic ability of these bacteria in transforming a variety of aromatic compounds. Catechol-2,3-dioxygenase (C2,3O) from Pseudomonas stutzeri OX1 is a key enzyme in the catabolic pathway for aromatic molecules. Its specificity and regioselectivity control the range of molecules degraded through the catabolic pathway of the microorganism that is able to use aromatic hydrocarbons as growth substrates. We have used in silico substrate docking procedures to investigate the molecular determinants that direct the enzyme substrate specificity. In particular, we looked for a possible molecular explanation of the inability of catechol-2,3-dioxygenase to cleave 3,5-dimethylcatechol and 3,6-dimethylcatechol and of the efficient cleavage of 3,4-dimethylcatechol. The docking study suggested that reduction in the volume of the side chain of residue 249 could allow the binding of 3,5-dimethylcatechol and 3,6-dimethylcatechol. This information was used to prepare and characterize mutants at position 249. The kinetic and regiospecificity parameters of the mutants confirm the docking predictions, and indicate that this position controls the substrate specificity of catechol-2,3-dioxygenase. Moreover, our results suggest that Thr249 also plays a previously unsuspected role in the catalytic mechanism of substrate cleavage. The hypothesis is advanced that a water molecule bound between one of the hydroxyl groups of the substrate and the side chain of Thr249 favors the deprotonation/protonation of this hydroxyl group, thus assisting the final steps of the cleavage reaction.

Crystal structure of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid 3,4-dioxygenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a special subgroup of the type III extradiol dioxygenases

3-Hydroxyanthranilic acid 3,4-dioxygenase (3HAO) is a non-heme ferrous extradiol dioxygenase in the kynurenine pathway from tryptophan. It catalyzes the conversion of 3-hydroxyanthranilate (HAA) to quinolinic acid (QUIN), an endogenous neurotoxin, via the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and the precursor of NAD(+) biosynthesis. The crystal structure of 3HAO from S. cerevisiae at 2.4 A resolution shows it to be a member of the functionally diverse cupin superfamily. The structure represents the first eukaryotic 3HAO to be resolved. The enzyme forms homodimers, with two nickel binding sites per molecule. One of the bound nickel atoms occupies the proposed ferrous-coordinated active site, which is located in a conserved double-strand beta-helix domain. Examination of the structure reveals the participation of a series of residues in catalysis different from other extradiol dioxygenases. Together with two iron-binding residues (His49 and Glu55), Asp120, Asn51, Glu111, and Arg114 form a hydrogen-bonding network; this hydrogen-bond network is key to the catalysis of 3HAO. Residues Arg101, Gln59, and the substrate-binding hydrophobic pocket are crucial for substrate specificity. Structure comparison with 3HAO from Ralstonia metallidurans reveals similarities at the active site and suggests the same catalytic mechanism in prokaryotic and eukaryotic 3HAO. Based on sequence comparison, we suggest that bicupin of human 3HAO is the first example of evolution from a monocupin dimer to bicupin monomer in the diverse cupin superfamilies. Based on the model of the substrate HAA at the active site of Y3HAO, we propose a mechanism of catalysis for 3HAO.

Plasmid-mediated degradation of 4-chloronitrobenzene by newly isolated Pseudomonas putida strain ZWL73

A strain of Pseudomonas putida ZWL73 was isolated from soil contaminated with chloronitrobenzenes and identified by 16S rDNA sequencing. This bacterium released chloride and ammonia into the medium when grown on 4-chloronitrobenzene (4CNB) as the sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy. A plasmid designated pZWL73 of approximately 100 kb in this strain was found to be responsible for 4CNB degradation. This was based on the fact that the plasmid-cured strains showed 4CNB- phenotype and the 4CNB+ phenotype could be conjugally transferred. The cell-free extracts of strain ZWL73 exhibited chloronitrobenzene nitroreductase and 2-amino-5-chlorophenol 1, 6-dioxygenase (2A5CPDO) activities, but neither activity was found from that of the plasmid-cured strain. We have also cloned a 4.9-kb EcoRI fragment exhibiting 2A5CPDO activity. Sequencing results revealed beta-subunit (cnbCa) and alpha subunit (cnbCb) of a meta-cleavage dioxygenase, which were subsequently expressed in E. coli with 2A5CPDO activity. The phylogenetic analysis suggested that 2A5CPDO may form a new subgroup in class III meta-cleavage dioxygenase with its close homologs.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase PheB from Bacillus stearothermophilus BR219

Class II extradiol-cleaving catecholic dioxygenase, a key enzyme of aromatic compound degradation in bacteria, cleaves the aromatic ring of catechol by adding two O atoms. PheB is one of the class II extradiol-cleaving catecholic dioxygenases and shows a high substrate specificity for catechol derivatives, which have one aromatic ring. In order to reveal the mechanism of the substrate specificity of PheB, PheB has been crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 4000 as a precipitant. The space group of the obtained crystal was P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 65.5, b = 119.2, c = 158.7 A. The crystal diffracted to 2.3 A resolution.

Characterization of methylhydroquinone-metabolizing oxygenase genes encoded on plasmid in Burkholderia sp. NF100

Methylhydroquinone is an intermediate in the degradation of fenitrothion by Burkholderia sp. NF100. The catabolic gene (mhq) for methylhydroquinone degradation encoded on the plasmid pNF1 in the strain was cloned and sequenced. The mhq clone contained two ORFs, mhqA and mhqB, of which the deduced amino acid sequence shared significant homology with NAD(P)H-dependent flavoprotein monooxygenases and extradiol dioxygenases, respectively. Parts of the consensus sequences of the monooxygenase gene and dioxygenase gene have been identified in MhqA and MhqB from strain NF100, respectively. MhqA was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and partially purified MhqA catalyzed the NADPH-dependent hydroxylation of methylhydroquinone. MhqB was also overexpressed in E. coli, and the purified enzyme showed an extradiol ring cleavage activity toward 3-methylcatechol but a very low activity was observed toward 4-methylcatechol.

Molecular characterization of the gallate dioxygenase from Pseudomonas putida KT2440. The prototype of a new subgroup of extradiol dioxygenases

In this work we have characterized the galA gene product from Pseudomonas putida KT2440, a ring-cleavage dioxygenase that acts specifically on gallate to produce 4-oxalomesaconate. The protein is a trimer composed by three identical subunits of 47.6 kDa (419 amino acids) that uses Fe2+ as the main cofactor. The gallate dioxygenase showed maximum activity at pH 7.0, and the Km and Vmax values for gallate were 144 microM and 53.2 micromol/min/mg of protein, respectively. A phylogenetic study suggests that the gallate dioxygenase from P. putida KT2440 is the prototype of a new subgroup of type II extradiol dioxygenases that share a common ancestor with protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenases and whose two-domain architecture might have evolved from the fusion of the large and small subunits of the latter. A three-dimensional model for the N-terminal domain (residues 1-281) and C-terminal domain (residues 294-420) of the gallate dioxygenase from P. putida KT2440 was generated by comparison with the crystal structures of the large (LigB) and small (LigA) subunits of the protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenase from Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6. The expression of the galA gene was specifically induced when P. putida KT2440 cells grew in the presence of gallate. A P. putida KT2440 galA mutant strain was unable to use gallate as the sole carbon source and it did not show gallate dioxygenase activity, suggesting that the GalA protein is the only dioxygenase involved in gallate cleavage in this bacterium. This work points to the existence of a new pathway that is devoted to the catabolism of gallic acid and that remained unknown in the paradigmatic P. putida KT2440 strain.

The 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad: a versatile platform for dioxygen activation by mononuclear non-heme iron(II) enzymes

General knowledge of dioxygen-activating mononuclear non-heme iron(II) enzymes containing a 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad has significantly expanded in the last few years, due in large part to the extensive library of crystal structures that is now available. The common structural motif utilized by this enzyme superfamily acts as a platform upon which a wide assortment of substrate transformations are catalyzed. The facial triad binds a divalent metal ion at the active site, which leaves the opposite face of the octahedron available to coordinate a variety of exogenous ligands. The binding of substrate activates the metal center for attack by dioxygen, which is subsequently converted to a high-valent iron intermediate, a formidable oxidizing species. Herein, we summarize crystallographic and mechanistic features of this metalloenzyme superfamily, which has enabled the proposal of a common but flexible pathway for dioxygen activation.

Protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenase from Comamonas testosteroni T-2: biochemical and molecular properties of a new subgroup within class III of extradiol dioxygenases

Comamonas testosteroni T-2 degraded at least eight aromatic compounds via protocatechuate (PCA), whose extradiol ring cleavage to 2-hydroxy-4-carboxymuconate semialdehyde (HCMS) was catalysed by PCA 4,5-dioxygenase (PmdAB). This inducible, heteromultimeric enzyme was purified. It contained two subunits, alpha (PmdA) and beta (PmdB), and the molecular masses of the denatured proteins were 18 kDa and 31 kDa, respectively. PCA was converted stoichiometrically to HCMS with an apparent K(m) of 55 muM and at a maximum velocity of 1.5 mukat. Structure-activity-relationship analysis by testing 16 related compounds as substrate for purified PmdAB revealed an absolute requirement for the vicinal diol and for the carboxylate group of PCA. Besides PCA, only 5'-hydroxy-PCA (gallate) induced oxygen uptake. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of each subunit was identical to the corresponding sequences in C. testosteroni BR6020, which facilitated sequencing of the pmdAB genes in strain T-2. Small differences in the amino acid sequence had significant effects on enzyme stability. Several homologues of pmdAB were found in sequence databases. Residues involved in substrate binding are highly conserved among the homologues. Their sequences grouped within the class III extradiol dioxygenases. Based on our biochemical and genetic analyses, we propose a new branch of the heteromultimeric enzymes within that class.

Lactone synthesis activity in a site-directed mutant of an extradiol catechol dioxygenase enzyme

A H115Y site-directed mutant of extradiol catechol dioxygenase MhpB catalyses an intramolecular lactonisation reaction upon its natural substrate.

A novel 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenase involved in the degradation of p-chloronitrobenzene by Comamonas strain CNB-1: purification, properties, genetic cloning and expression in Escherichia coli

Comamonas strain CNB-1 was isolated from a biological reactor treating wastewater from a p-chloronitrobenzene production factory. Strain CNB-1 used p-chloronitrobenzene as sole source of carbon, nitrogen, and energy. A 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenase was purified from cells of strain CNB-1. The purified 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenase had a native molecular mass of 130 kDa and was composed of alpha- and beta-subunits of 33 and 38 kDa, respectively. This enzyme is different from currently known 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenases in that it: (a) has a higher affinity for 2-amino-5-chlorophenol (K(m)=0.77 microM) than for 2-aminophenol (K(m)=0.89 microM) and (b) utilized protocatechuate as a substrate. These results suggested that 2-amino-5-chlorophenol, an intermediate during p-chloronitrobenzene degradation, is the natural substrate for this enzyme. N-terminal amino acids of the alpha- and beta-subunits were determined to be T-V-V-S-A-F-L-V and M-Q-G-E-I-I-A-E, respectively. A cosmid library was constructed from the total DNA of strain CNB-1 and three clones (BG-1, BG-2, and CG-13) with 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenase activities were obtained. DNA sequencing of clone BG-2 revealed a 15-kb fragment that contained two ORFs, ORF9 and ORF10, with N-terminal amino acid sequences identical to those of the beta- and alpha-subunits, respectively, from the purified 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenase. The enzyme was actively synthesized when the genes coding for the ORF9 and ORF10 were cloned into Escherichia coli.

The Role of the Conserved Residues His-246, His-199, and Tyr-255 in the Catalysis of Catechol 2,3-Dioxygenase from Pseudomonas stutzeri OX1

Catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C2,3O) from Pseudomonas stutzeri OX1, which is able to grow on various aromatic substrates as the sole source of carbon and energy, has been expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, characterized, and found to be very similar to other dioxygenases from Pseudomonas species. Interestingly, the activity of the protein shows a rather unusual pH dependence when assayed on catechol. A model of the catalytic mechanism was developed that is able to reproduce the catalytic behavior of the protein as a function of the pH. The model includes multiple equilibria and four productive intermediates with different ionization states of the enzyme-substrate complex. The fitting of the theoretical curve to the experimental data suggests that a tyrosine and two histidine residues are involved in catalysis. Mutants (H246N)-, (H246A)-, (H199N)- and (Y255F)-C2,3O were produced to investigate the role of highly conserved His-199, His-246, and Tyr-255. The strongly reduced activity of the mutants suggests a primary catalytic role for each of these residues. Moreover, mutants at positions 199 and 246 display pH profiles different from that of the wild-type protein, thus indicating that residues His-246 and His-199 play a role in determining the unusual pH dependence of the enzyme. In addition, electron-withdrawing groups on catechol, which increase the acidity of the phenolic hydroxyl group, are able to counterbalance the effect of the mutation H246N in reducing catalytic activity but cause a further reduction of the activity of (H199N)-C2,3O. This finding suggests that His-246 is involved in the initial catechol deprotonation, whereas His-199 promotes the reaction between oxygen and the aromatic ring.

Crystallographic comparison of manganese- and iron-dependent homoprotocatechuate 2,3-dioxygenases

The X-ray crystal structures of homoprotocatechuate 2,3-dioxygenases isolated from Arthrobacter globiformis and Brevibacterium fuscum have been determined to high resolution. These enzymes exhibit 83% sequence identity, yet their activities depend on different transition metals, Mn2+ and Fe2+, respectively. The structures allow the origins of metal ion selectivity and aspects of the molecular mechanism to be examined in detail. The homotetrameric enzymes belong to the type I family of extradiol dioxygenases (vicinal oxygen chelate superfamily); each monomer has four betaalphabetabetabeta modules forming two structurally homologous N-terminal and C-terminal barrel-shaped domains. The active-site metal is located in the C-terminal barrel and is ligated by two equatorial ligands, H214NE1 and E267OE1; one axial ligand, H155NE1; and two to three water molecules. The first and second coordination spheres of these enzymes are virtually identical (root mean square difference over all atoms, 0.19 A), suggesting that the metal selectivity must be due to changes at a significant distance from the metal and/or changes that occur during folding. The substrate (2,3-dihydroxyphenylacetate [HPCA]) chelates the metal asymmetrically at sites trans to the two imidazole ligands and interacts with a unique, mobile C-terminal loop. The loop closes over the bound substrate, presumably to seal the active site as the oxygen activation process commences. An "open" coordination site trans to E267 is the likely binding site for O2. The geometry of the enzyme-substrate complexes suggests that if a transiently formed metal-superoxide complex attacks the substrate without dissociation from the metal, it must do so at the C-3 position. Second-sphere active-site residues that are positioned to interact with the HPCA and/or bound O2 during catalysis are identified and discussed in the context of current mechanistic hypotheses.

Characterization and functional identification of a novel plant 4,5-extradiol dioxygenase involved in betalain pigment biosynthesis in Portulaca grandiflora

Betalains are pigments that replace anthocyanins in the majority of families of the plant order Caryophyllales. Betalamic acid is the common chromophore of betalains. The key enzyme of the betalain biosynthetic pathway is an extradiol dioxygenase that opens the cyclic ring of dihydroxy-phenylalanine (DOPA) between carbons 4 and 5, thus producing an unstable seco-DOPA that rearranges nonenzymatically to betalamic acid. A gene for a 4,5-DOPA-dioxygenase has already been isolated from the fungus Amanita muscaria, but no homolog was ever found in plants. To identify the plant gene, we constructed subtractive libraries between different colored phenotypes of isogenic lines of Portulaca grandiflora (Portulacaceae) and between different stages of flower bud formation. Using in silico analysis of differentially expressed cDNAs, we identified a candidate showing strong homology at the level of translated protein with the LigB domain present in several bacterial extradiol 4,5-dioxygenases. The gene was expressed only in colored flower petals. The function of this gene in the betalain biosynthetic pathway was confirmed by biolistic genetic complementation in white petals of P. grandiflora genotypes lacking the gene for color formation. This gene named DODA is the first characterized member of a novel family of plant dioxygenases phylogenetically distinct from Amanita sp. DOPA-dioxygenase. Homologs of DODA are present not only in betalain-producing plants but also, albeit with some changes near the catalytic site, in other angiosperms and in the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens. These homologs are part of a novel conserved plant gene family probably involved in aromatic compound metabolism.

Conversion of extradiol aromatic ring-cleaving homoprotocatechuate 2,3-dioxygenase into an intradiol cleaving enzyme

The intra- and extradiol subfamilies of catechol-adduct ring-cleaving dioxygenases each exhibit nearly absolute fidelity for the ring cleavage position. This is often attributed to the fact that the oxygen activation mechanism of intradiol dioxygenases utilizes Fe3+ while that of the extradiol enzymes employs Fe2+, but the subfamilies also differ in primary sequence, structural fold, iron ligands, and second sphere active site amino acid residues. Here, we examine the effects of the second sphere residue H200 in the active site of homoprotocatechuate 2,3-dioxygenase (2,3-HPCD), an extradiol-cleaving enzyme. It is shown that the H200F mutant enzyme catalyzes extradiol cleavage of the normal substrate, homoprotocatechuate (HPCA), but intradiol cleavage of the alternative substrate 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate (2,3-DHB) while in the Fe2+ oxidation state. Wild-type 2,3-HPCD catalyzes extradiol cleavage of both substrates. This is the first report of intradiol cleavage by an extradiol dioxygenase. It suggests that intradiol cleavage can occur with the iron in the Fe2+ state, with the iron ligand set characteristic of extradiol dioxygenases, and through a mechanism in which oxygen is activated by binding to the iron rather than directly attacking the substrate as in true intradiol dioxygenases. This indicates that substrate binding geometry and acid/base chemistry of second sphere residues play important roles in determining the course of the dioxygenase reaction.

Prokaryotic homologs of the eukaryotic 3-hydroxyanthranilate 3,4-dioxygenase and 2-amino-3-carboxymuconate-6-semialdehyde decarboxylase in the 2-nitrobenzoate degradation pathway of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain KU-7

The 2-nitrobenzoic acid degradation pathway of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain KU-7 proceeds via a novel 3-hydroxyanthranilate intermediate. In this study, we cloned and sequenced a 19-kb DNA locus of strain KU-7 that encompasses the 3-hydroxyanthranilate meta-cleavage pathway genes. The gene cluster, designated nbaEXHJIGFCDR, is organized tightly and in the same direction. The nbaC and nbaD gene products were found to be novel homologs of the eukaryotic 3-hydroxyanthranilate 3,4-dioxygenase and 2-amino-3-carboxymuconate-6-semialdehyde decarboxylase, respectively. The NbaC enzyme carries out the oxidation of 3-hydroxyanthranilate to 2-amino-3-carboxymuconate-6-semialdehyde, while the NbaD enzyme catalyzes the decarboxylation of the latter compound to 2-aminomuconate-6-semialdehyde. The NbaC and NbaD proteins were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and characterized. The substrate specificity of the 23.8-kDa NbaC protein was found to be restricted to 3-hydroxyanthranilate. In E. coli, this enzyme oxidizes 3-hydroxyanthranilate with a specific activity of 8 U/mg of protein. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments revealed the essential role of two conserved histidine residues (His52 and His96) in the NbaC sequence. The NbaC activity is also dependent on the presence of Fe(2+) but is inhibited by other metal ions, such as Zn(2+), Cu(2+), and Cd(2+). The NbaD protein was overproduced as a 38.7-kDa protein, and its specific activity towards 2-amino-3-carboxymuconate-6-semialdehyde was 195 U/mg of protein. Further processing of 2-aminomuconate-6-semialdehyde to pyruvic acid and acetyl coenzyme A was predicted to proceed via the activities of NbaE, NbaF, NbaG, NbaH, NbaI, and NbaJ. The predicted amino acid sequences of these proteins are highly homologous to those of the corresponding proteins involved in the metabolism of 2-aminophenol (e.g., AmnCDEFGH in Pseudomonas sp. strain AP-3). The NbaR-encoding gene is predicted to have a regulatory function of the LysR family type. The function of the product of the small open reading frame, NbaX, like the homologous sequences in the nitrobenzene or 2-aminophenol metabolic pathway, remains elusive.

Crystal structures of the reaction intermediate and its homologue of an extradiol-cleaving catecholic dioxygenase

BphC derived from Pseudomonas sp. strain KKS102 is an extradiol-cleaving catecholic dioxygenase. This enzyme contains a non-heme iron atom and plays an important role in degrading biphenyl/polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the microbe. To elucidate detailed structures of BphC reaction intermediates, crystal structures of the substrate-free form, the BphC-substrate complex, and the BphC-substrate-NO (nitric oxide) complex were determined. These crystal structures revealed (1) the binding site of the O(2) molecule in the coordination sphere and (2) conformational changes of His194 during the catalytic reaction. On the basis of these findings, we propose a catalytic mechanism for the extradiol-cleaving catecholic dioxygenase in which His194 seems to play three distinct roles. At the early stage of the catalytic reaction, His194 appears to act as a catalytic base, which likely deprotonates the hydroxyl group of the substrate. At the next stage, the protonated His194 seems to stabilize a negative charge on the O2 molecule located in the hydrophobic O2-binding cavity. Finally, protonated His194 seems to function as a proton donor, whose existence has been proposed.

Biodegradation of aromatic compounds by Escherichia coli

Although Escherichia coli has long been recognized as the best-understood living organism, little was known about its abilities to use aromatic compounds as sole carbon and energy sources. This review gives an extensive overview of the current knowledge of the catabolism of aromatic compounds by E. coli. After giving a general overview of the aromatic compounds that E. coli strains encounter and mineralize in the different habitats that they colonize, we provide an up-to-date status report on the genes and proteins involved in the catabolism of such compounds, namely, several aromatic acids (phenylacetic acid, 3- and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, phenylpropionic acid, 3-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid, and 3-hydroxycinnamic acid) and amines (phenylethylamine, tyramine, and dopamine). Other enzymatic activities acting on aromatic compounds in E. coli are also reviewed and evaluated. The review also reflects the present impact of genomic research and how the analysis of the whole E. coli genome reveals novel aromatic catabolic functions. Moreover, evolutionary considerations derived from sequence comparisons between the aromatic catabolic clusters of E. coli and homologous clusters from an increasing number of bacteria are also discussed. The recent progress in the understanding of the fundamentals that govern the degradation of aromatic compounds in E. coli makes this bacterium a very useful model system to decipher biochemical, genetic, evolutionary, and ecological aspects of the catabolism of such compounds. In the last part of the review, we discuss strategies and concepts to metabolically engineer E. coli to suit specific needs for biodegradation and biotransformation of aromatics and we provide several examples based on selected studies. Finally, conclusions derived from this review may serve as a lead for future research and applications.

Genetic and structural organization of the aminophenol catabolic operon and its implication for evolutionary process

The aminophenol (AP) catabolic operon in Pseudomonas putida HS12 mineralizing nitrobenzene was found to contain all the enzymes responsible for the conversion of AP to pyruvate and acetyl coenzyme A via extradiol meta cleavage of 2-aminophenol. The sequence and functional analyses of the corresponding genes of the operon revealed that the AP catabolic operon consists of one regulatory gene, nbzR, and the following nine structural genes, nbzJCaCbDGFEIH, which encode catabolic enzymes. The NbzR protein, which is divergently transcribed with respect to the structural genes, possesses a leucine zipper motif and a MarR homologous domain. It was also found that NbzR functions as a repressor for the AP catabolic operon through binding to the promoter region of the gene cluster in its dimeric form. A comparative study of the AP catabolic operon with other meta cleavage operons led us to suggest that the regulatory unit (nbzR) was derived from the MarR family and that the structural unit (nbzJCaCbDGFEIH) has evolved from the ancestral meta cleavage gene cluster. It is also proposed that these two functional units assembled through a modular type gene transfer and then have evolved divergently to acquire specialized substrate specificities (NbzCaCb and NbzD) and catalytic function (NbzE), resulting in the creation of the AP catabolic operon. The evolutionary process of the AP operon suggests how bacteria have efficiently acquired genetic diversity and expanded their metabolic capabilities by modular type gene transfer.

Comamonas testosteroni BR6020 possesses a single genetic locus for extradiol cleavage of protocatechuate

A key intermediate for biodegradation of various distinct aromatic growth substrates in Comamonas testosteroni is protocatechuate (Pca), which is metabolized by the 4,5-extradiol (meta) ring fission pathway. A locus harbouring genes from C. testosteroni BR6020 was cloned, dubbed pmd, which encodes the enzymes that degrade Pca. The identity of pmdAB, encoding respectively the alpha- and beta-subunit of the Pca ring-cleavage enzyme, was confirmed by N-terminal sequencing and molecular mass determination of both subunits from the separated enzyme. Disruption of pmdA resulted in a strain unable to grow on Pca and a variety of aromatic substrates funnelled through this compound (m- and p-hydroxybenzoate, p-sulfobenzoate, phthalate, isophthalate, terephthalate, vanillate, isovanillate and veratrate). Growth on benzoate and o-aminobenzoate (anthranilate) was not affected in this strain, indicating that these substrates are metabolized via a different lower pathway. Tentative functions for the products of other pmd genes were assigned based on sequence identity and/or similarity to proteins from other proteobacteria involved in uptake or metabolism of aromatic compounds. This study provides evidence for a single lower pathway in C. testosteroni for metabolism of Pca, which is generated by different upper pathways acting on a variety of aromatic substrates.

Mass spectrometric study of the Escherichia coli repressor proteins, Ic1R and Gc1R, and their complexes with DNA

In Escherichia coli, the IclR protein regulates both the aceBAK operon and its own synthesis. Database homology searches have identified many IclR-like proteins, now known as the IclR family, which can be identified by a conserved C-terminal region. We have cloned and purified one of these proteins, which we have named GclR (glyoxylate carboligase repressor). Although purification is straightforward, both the IclR and GclR proteins are difficult to manipulate, requiring high salt (up to 0.6 M KCl) for solubility. With the advent of nanospray ionization, we could transfer the proteins into much higher concentrations of volatile buffer than had been practical with ordinary electrospray. In 0.5 M ammonium bicarbonate buffer, both proteins were stable as tetramers, with a small amount of dimer. In a separate experiment, we found that IclR protein selected from a random pool a sequence which matched exactly that of the presumed binding region of the GclR protein, although IclR does not regulate the gcl gene. We designed a 29 bp synthetic DNA to which IclR and GclR bind, and with which we were able to form noncovalent DNA-protein complexes for further mass spectrometry analysis. These complexes were far more stable than the proteins alone, and we have evidence of a stoichiometry which has not been described previously with (protein monomer : dsDNA) = (4 : 1).

Crystal structures of substrate free and complex forms of reactivated BphC, an extradiol type ring-cleavage dioxygenase

BphC derived from Pseudomonas sp. strain KKS102, an extradiol type catecholic dioxygenase, is a non-heam iron-containing enzyme, playing an important role in the degradation of biphenyl/PCB (Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls) in the microbe. Although we had earlier solved the crystal structure of KKS102 BphC, it was the inactive form with Fe(III) in the active site. In order to determine the active form structure, BphC was re-activated by anaerobic incubation with Fe(II) and ascorbate, and crystallized anaerobically. The crystal structures of activated BphC and its substrate complex (E x S complex) were determined at 2.0 A resolution under cryogenic condition. In addition, crystal structures of unactivated BphC in substrate free and complex forms were also re-determined. Comparison of activated and unactivated E x S complexes reveals that the orientation of the bound substrate in the active site is significantly different between the two. The structural comparison of the substrate free and complex forms of activated BphC show certain small conformational shifts around the active site upon substrate binding. As a result of the conformational shifts, His194, which has been suggested as the catalytic base, takes part in a weak hydrogen bond with hydroxyl group of the substrate.