Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases as an example for comparative and evolutionary aspects of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases

Characterization of isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase from Staphylococcus aureus. I: Kinetic mechanism of the substrate activation reaction studied by transient and steady-state techniques

The kinetic mechanism for the amino acid activation reaction of Staphylococcus aureus isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase (IleRS; E) has been determined from stopped-flow measurements of the tryptophan fluorescence associated with the formation of the enzyme-bound aminoacyl adenylate (E.Ile-AMP; Scheme 1). Isoleucine (Ile) binds to the E.ATP complex (K4 = 1.7 +/- 0.9 microM) approximately 35-fold more tightly than to E (K1 = 50-100 microM), primarily due to a reduction in the Ile dissociation rate constant (k-1 approximately 100-150 s-1, cf. k-4 = 3 +/- 1.5 s-1). Similarly, ATP binds more tightly to E.Ile (K3 = approximately 70 microM) than to E (K2 = approximately 2.5 mM). The formation of the E.isoleucyl adenylate intermediate, E.Ile-AMP, resulted in a further increase in fluorescence allowing the catalytic step to be monitored (k+5 = approximately 60 s-1) and the reverse rate constant (k-5 = approximately 150-200 s-1) to be determined from pyrophosphorolysis of a pre-formed E.Ile-AMP complex (K6 = approximately 0.25 mM). Scheme 1 was able to globally predict all of the observed transient kinetic and steady-state PPi/ATP exchange properties of IleRS by simulation. A modification of Scheme 1 could also provide an adequate description of the kinetics of tRNA aminoacylation (kcat,tr = approximately 0.35 s-1) thus providing a framework for understanding the kinetic mechanism of aminoacylation in the presence of tRNA and of inhibitor binding to IleRS.

Glycyl-tRNA synthetase of Escherichia coli: immunological homology with phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase

Antibodies to Escherichia coli glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GlyRS) cross-react extensively with E. coli phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS). These data indicate that structural homology exists between these two enzymes, the only two aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in E. coli having an alpha 2 beta 2 subunit structure. Although only limited similarities are found in the protein sequences deduced from their known gene sequences, the presence of common epitopes in GlyRS and PheRS adds to a rather long list of physical and chemical similarities between those proteins. In addition, antibodies directed at the alpha- and beta-subunits of GlyRS inhibit both GlyRS and PheRS in the same relative manner, indicating that the function as well as the structure of subunits is similar in each enzyme. In contrast, GlyRS antibodies did not cross-react with a number of other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activities from E. coli, yeast, or Bacillus.

Isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase from baker's yeast and from Escherichia coli MRE 600. Discrimination of 20 amino acids in aminoacylation of tRNA(Ile)-C-C-A(3'NH2)

For discrimination between isoleucine and the other 19 naturally occurring amino acids by isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases from baker's yeast and from Escherichia coli MRE 600 discrimination factors have been determined from kcat and Km values in aminoacylation of the modified tRNA(Ile)-C-C-A(3'NH2). Discrimination factors D1 are products of an initial discrimination factor and a proof-reading factor: D1 = I1.II1. From discrimination factors and AMP formation stoichiometry factors I1 and II1 were calculated. D1 values obtained with the enzyme from E. coli are generally higher than those observed with the yeast enzyme, in some cases up to ten times. With both enzymes low D1 values are found for cysteine, valine, and tryptophan (20-200), the highest values for glycine, alanine, and serine (600-4000). I1 values calculated for the E. coli enzyme are slightly higher (4-145) than the factors observed with the yeast enzyme (1-85), proof-reading factors II1 of the E. coli enzyme are scattering about a mean value about 70, those of the yeast enzyme about a mean value about 50. Initial discrimination factors I1 are directly related to hydrophobic interaction forces between the substrates and the enzymes. Plots of Gibbs free energy differences calculated from these factors are linearly related to the accessible surface areas of the amino acids. A hypothetical model of the binding site can be given in which selection of amino acids is achieved by hydrophobic forces and removal of steric hindrance.