Transduction of enzyme-ligand binding energy into catalytic driving force

Detecting "silent" allosteric coupling

Using isothermal calorimetry (ITC), we have found one case where a well-characterized allosteric activator showed no sign of allostery in its ΔG° of binding to successive sites on multiple subunits and another case where successive binding showed no ΔG° binding allostery but did show large entropy-compensated flip-flopping enthalpy changes. This behavior, which we have termed "isoergonic cooperativity" and others have referred to as "silent coupling" is quite simply explained by basic linkage theory when reactions are considered beyond the ΔG° level. Thus, direct calorimetric determination of all thermodynamic parameters including ΔH°, ΔS°, ΔG°, ΔC (p)°, and d(ΔC (p)°/dt) provides a more informative depiction of a ligand binding event and its consequences than does the mere measurement of ΔG° alone. We further discuss the benefits and limitations of methods that have previously been used to study silent coupling. In particular, ITC is free of the numerous pitfalls inherent in the application of van't Hoff and Årrhenius plots to allosteric phenomena. Aside from having a 30-fold advantage in precision, ITC is capable of measuring changes in enthalpy directly at five more levels of mathematical differentiation than are available to van't Hoff type approaches.

Enzymatic reaction sequences as coupled multiple traces on a multidimensional landscape

We propose that an enzyme-catalyzed reaction is best described by a large, three-dimensional potential energy surface, defined by the number of enzyme conformers in one dimension, the number of reaction steps as the second and Gibbs free energy as the third. Aside from accommodating experimental observations that do not fit current mechanistic paradigms, such a surface enables multiple intersecting reaction pathways, pathway funneling, ligand binding energy transduction and kinetic coupling between alternative reaction pathways. The landscape also confers flexibility, enabling an enzyme to seek out an optimal pathway for any reaction conditions that might occur. Thus, coupled pathways enable relatively minor differences in experimental conditions to result in abrupt phenomenological changes in the observed behavior of the reaction.

Detection of multiple active site domain motions in transient-state component time courses of the Clostridium symbiosum L-glutamate dehydrogenase-catalyzed oxidative deamination reaction

We present a multiwavelength, transient-state kinetic study of the oxidative deamination reaction catalyzed by Clostridium symbiosum glutamate dehydrogenase (csGDH) producing the real-time reaction courses of spectroscopically resolved kinetically competent intermediate complexes. The results show striking differences from a corresponding transient-state study of the same reaction by the structurally homologous enzyme from beef liver (blGDH). In addition to the highly blue-shifted alpha-iminoglutarate and highly red-shifted carbinolamine complexes observed in both reactions, the csGDH reaction appeared to show the release of free NADH at a very early and mechanistically unlikely point in the reaction. Using lactic acid dehydrogenase as a "reporter" for free NADH, we show that the early portion of this signal reflects previously unobserved spectrally unshifted enzyme-bound NADH complexes. We provide experimental evidence to show that such spectrally anomalous complexes must represent forms of the known alpha-imino and alpha-carbinolamine complexes in which the active site cleft is open. This evidence includes isothermal calorimetric measurements and pH-jump experiments that show the existence of differing two-state transitions in blGDH and csGDH and locate active site domain motions at differing points in the transient-state time courses of the two enzyme reactions. We prove the kinetic competence of a new and more highly detailed mechanism for the csGDH reaction that involves the alternation of open and closed enzyme complexes as integral steps. These findings, supported by the available X-ray crystal structure data, suggest the existence of a programmed time course of protein domain motions coordinated with the classically considered chemical time course. This new viewpoint may be presumed to be applicable to enzyme reactions other than those of the alpha-amino acid dehydrogenases.

The structure of apo human glutamate dehydrogenase details subunit communication and allostery

The structure of human glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) has been determined in the absence of active site and regulatory ligands. Compared to the structures of bovine GDH that were complexed with coenzyme and substrate, the NAD binding domain is rotated away from the glutamate-binding domain. The electron density of this domain is more disordered the further it is from the pivot helix. Mass spectrometry results suggest that this is likely due to the apo form being more dynamic than the closed form. The antenna undergoes significant conformational changes as the catalytic cleft opens. The ascending helix in the antenna moves in a clockwise manner and the helix in the descending strand contracts in a manner akin to the relaxation of an extended spring. A number of spontaneous mutations in this antenna region cause the hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia syndrome by decreasing GDH sensitivity to the inhibitor, GTP. Since these residues do not directly contact the bound GTP, the conformational changes in the antenna are apparently crucial to GTP inhibition. In the open conformation, the GTP binding site is distorted such that it can no longer bind GTP. In contrast, ADP binding benefits by the opening of the catalytic cleft since R463 on the pivot helix is pushed into contact distance with the beta-phosphate of ADP. These results support the previous proposal that purines regulate GDH activity by altering the dynamics of the NAD binding domain. Finally, a possible structural mechanism for negative cooperativity is presented.

The structure of bovine glutamate dehydrogenase provides insights into the mechanism of allostery

BACKGROUND

Bovine glutamate dehydrogenase (boGDH) is a homohexameric, mitochondrial enzyme that reversibly catalyzes the oxidative deamination of L-glutamate to 2-oxoglutarate using either NADP(H) or NAD(H) with comparable efficacy. GDH represents a key enzymatic link between catabolic and biosynthetic pathways, and is therefore ubiquitous in both higher and lower organisms. Only mammalian GDH exhibits strong negative cooperativity with respect to the coenzyme, however, and is regulated by a large number of allosteric effectors.

RESULTS

The atomic structure of boGDH in complex with NADH, glutamate, and the allosteric inhibitor GTP has been determined to 2.8 A resolution. The major difference between the bacterial and bovine GDH structures is the presence of an additional 'antenna' in boGDH that protrudes from each trimer, twisting counterclockwise along the threefold axis. NADH and glutamate are clearly observed in the active site, but the contacts differ slightly from those observed in Clostridium symbiosum GDH. A second, inhibitory NADH molecule lies buried in the core of the hexamer. Finally, two GTP molecules bind near the hinge region connecting the NAD(+)- and glutamate-binding domains.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose that the antenna serves as an intersubunit communication conduit during negative cooperativity and allosteric regulation. GTP and NADH inhibit GDH by keeping the catalytic cleft in a closed conformation. In contrast, ADP probably binds to the back of the NAD(+)-binding domain and activates the enzyme by keeping the catalytic cleft open. Extensive contacts between antennae within the crystal lattice may represent hexamer interactions in solution and, perhaps, with other enzymes within the mitochondrial matrix.

Synthesis of a self-contained concept of the molecular mechanism of energy interconversion by H(+)-transporting ATP synthase

The original aim of the review has been to probe into the validity of the paradigm on the high energy-carrier function of ATP. It seemed to be called into question on the basis of findings with H(+)-transporting ATP synthase suggesting the formation of ATP from ADP and Pi without energy input. Thus, ATP appeared as a low-energy compound. Starting from the current, rich knowledge of the molecular structure and the inviting thinking on the mechanism of H(+)-transporting ATP synthase, we have endeavoured to freshly interpret and integrate the pertinent observations in the light of the comprehensively derived model of the molecular mechanism of energy interconversion by Na+/K(+)-transporting ATPase. In this way, we have uncovered the common mechanistic elements of the two energy-interconverting enzymes. The emerging purpose of the present paper has been the 'synthesis' of a self-contained concept of the molecular mechanism of the interconversion of electrochemical and chemical Gibbs energies by H(+)-transporting ATP synthase. The outcome is reflected in the following tentative evaluations. 1. In ATP hydrolysis, the great Gibbs energy change which is observed in solution, is largely conserved by the F1 sector of ATP synthase as mechanical Gibbs energy in the enzyme's protein fabric, so that it can be utilized in the resynthesis of ATP from enzyme-bound ADP and Pi. The plainly measured low Gibbs energy change results from large compensating enthalpy and entropy changes that reflect the underlying changes in protein conformation. 2. In stoichiometric ATP synthesis by F1 sector from ADP and Pi bound to the catalytic centre, their intrinsic binding energy brings about a loss of peptide chain entropy that makes possible an entropy-driven ATP formation. 3. The driving force for ATP synthesis cannot be the high Gibbs energy change on binding of product ATP; the tight ATP-enzyme complex rather is a low Gibbs energy intermediate from which escape is difficult. 4. The catalytic centre exists either in an open state unable to firmly bind the substrate-product couple, or in a closed state protecting formed ATP from facile hydrolysis by ambient water. 5. The cleft closure, induced by binding of Pi and ADP or ATP, does not necessarily need external energy supply, because the cleft closure proceeds from rigid domain rotations which can occur rather spontaneously. In further analogy to adenylate kinase, the driving force of this domain movement presumably comes from the electrostatic interactions between phosphate moieties and arginine side chains in the catalytic centre.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)