Specific chemical modification explores dynamic structure of the NqrB subunit in Na+-pumping NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase from Vibrio cholerae

Cryo-EM structures of Na+-pumping NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase from Vibrio cholerae

The Na⁺-pumping NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Na⁺-NQR) couples electron transfer from NADH to ubiquinone with Na⁺-pumping, generating an electrochemical Na⁺ gradient that is essential for energy-consuming reactions in bacteria. Since Na⁺-NQR is exclusively found in prokaryotes, it is a promising target for highly selective antibiotics. However, the molecular mechanism of inhibition is not well-understood for lack of the atomic structural information about an inhibitor-bound state. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of Na⁺-NQR from Vibrio cholerae with or without a bound inhibitor at 2.5- to 3.1-Å resolution. The structures reveal the arrangement of all six redox cofactors including a herein identified 2Fe-2S cluster located between the NqrD and NqrE subunits. A large part of the hydrophilic NqrF is barely visible in the density map, suggesting a high degree of flexibility. This flexibility may be responsible to reducing the long distance between the 2Fe-2S centers in NqrF and NqrD/E. Two different types of specific inhibitors bind to the N-terminal region of NqrB, which is disordered in the absence of inhibitors. The present study provides a foundation for understanding the function of Na⁺-NQR and the binding manner of specific inhibitors.

Structural insights into the catalytic and inhibitory mechanisms of the flavin transferase FmnB in Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes, a food-borne Gram-positive pathogen, often causes diseases such as gastroenteritis, bacterial sepsis, and meningitis. Newly discovered extracellular electron transfer (EET) from L. monocytogenes plays critical roles in the generation of redox molecules as electron carriers in bacteria. A Mg2+-dependent protein flavin mononucleotide (FMN) transferase (FmnB; UniProt: LMRG_02181) in EET is responsible for the transfer of electrons from intracellular to extracellular by hydrolyzing cofactor flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and transferring FMN. FmnB homologs have been investigated in Gram-negative bacteria but have been less well studied in Gram-positive bacteria. In particular, the catalytic and inhibitory mechanisms of FmnB homologs remain elusive. Here, we report a series of crystal structures of apo-FmnB and FmnB complexed with substrate FAD, three inhibitors AMP, ADP, and ATP, revealing the unusual catalytic triad center (Asp301-Ser257-His273) of FmnB. The three inhibitors indeed inhibited the activity of FmnB in varying degrees by occupying the binding site of the FAD substrate. The key residue Arg262 of FmnB was profoundly affected by ADP but not AMP or ATP. Overall, our studies not only provide insights into the promiscuous ligand recognition behavior of FmnB but also shed light on its catalytic and inhibitory mechanisms.