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Impact of Negative Feedbacks on De Novo Pyrimidines Biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054806. [PMID: 36902235 PMCID: PMC10003070 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Earlier studies aimed at investigating the metabolism of endogenous nucleoside triphosphates in synchronous cultures of E. coli cells revealed an auto-oscillatory mode of functioning of the pyrimidine and purine nucleotide biosynthesis system, which the authors associated with the dynamics of cell division. Theoretically, this system has an intrinsic oscillatory potential, since the dynamics of its functioning are controlled through feedback mechanisms. The question of whether the nucleotide biosynthesis system has its own oscillatory circuit is still open. To address this issue, an integral mathematical model of pyrimidine biosynthesis was developed, taking into account all experimentally verified negative feedback in the regulation of enzymatic reactions, the data of which were obtained under in vitro conditions. Analysis of the dynamic modes of the model functioning has shown that in the pyrimidine biosynthesis system, both the steady-state and oscillatory functioning modes can be realized under certain sets of kinetic parameters that fit in the physiological boundaries of the investigated metabolic system. It has been demonstrated that the occurrence of the oscillatory nature of metabolite synthesis depended on the ratio of two parameters: the Hill coefficient, hUMP1-the nonlinearity of the UMP effect on the activity of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase, and the parameter r characterizing the contribution of the noncompetitive mechanism of UTP inhibition to the regulation of the enzymatic reaction of UMP phosphorylation. Thus, it has been theoretically shown that the E. coli pyrimidine biosynthesis system possesses its own oscillatory circuit whose oscillatory potential depends to a significant degree on the mechanism of regulation of UMP kinase activity.
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Crystal Structure of Allantoinase from Escherichia coli BL21: A Molecular Insight into a Role of the Active Site Loops in Catalysis. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28020827. [PMID: 36677881 PMCID: PMC9863593 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Allantoinase (ALLase; EC 3.5.2.5) possesses a binuclear metal center in which two metal ions are bridged by a posttranslationally carbamylated lysine. ALLase acts as a key enzyme for the biogenesis and degradation of ureides by catalyzing the conversion of allantoin into allantoate. Biochemically, ALLase belongs to the cyclic amidohydrolase family, which also includes dihydropyrimidinase, dihydroorotase, hydantoinase (HYDase), and imidase. Previously, the crystal structure of ALLase from Escherichia coli K-12 (EcALLase-K12) was reported; however, the two active site loops crucial for substrate binding were not determined. This situation would limit further docking and protein engineering experiments. Here, we solved the crystal structure of E. coli BL21 ALLase (EcALLase-BL21) at a resolution of 2.07 Å (PDB ID 8HFD) to obtain more information for structural analyses. The structure has a classic TIM barrel fold. As compared with the previous work, the two missed active site loops in EcALLase-K12 were clearly determined in our structure of EcALLase-BL21. EcALLase-BL21 shared active site similarity with HYDase, an important biocatalyst for industrial production of semisynthetic penicillin and cephalosporins. Based on this structural comparison, we discussed the functional role of the two active site loops in EcALLase-BL21 to better understand the substrate/inhibitor binding mechanism for further biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications.
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Lin ES, Huang YH, Yang PC, Peng WF, Huang CY. Complexed Crystal Structure of the Dihydroorotase Domain of Human CAD Protein with the Anticancer Drug 5-Fluorouracil. Biomolecules 2023; 13:149. [PMID: 36671534 PMCID: PMC9856072 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Dihydroorotase (DHOase) is the third enzyme in the pathway used for the biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides. In mammals, DHOase is active in a trifunctional enzyme, CAD, which also carries out the activities of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase and aspartate transcarbamoylase. Prior to this study, it was unknown whether the FDA-approved clinical drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), which is used as an anticancer therapy, could bind to the DHOase domain of human CAD (huDHOase). Here, we identified huDHOase as a new 5-FU binding protein, thereby extending the 5-FU interactome to this human enzyme. In order to investigate where 5-FU binds to huDHOase, we solved the complexed crystal structure at 1.97 Å (PDB ID 8GVZ). The structure of huDHOase complexed with malate was also determined for the sake of comparison (PDB ID 8GW0). These two nonsubstrate ligands were bound at the active site of huDHOase. It was previously established that the substrate N-carbamoyl-L-aspartate is either bound to or moves away from the active site, but it is the loop that is extended towards (loop-in mode) or moved away (loop-out mode) from the active site. DHOase also binds to nonsubstrate ligands via the loop-out mode. In contrast to the Escherichia coli DHOase model, our complexed structures revealed that huDHOase binds to either 5-FU or malate via the loop-in mode. We further characterized the binding of 5-FU to huDHOase using site-directed mutagenesis and the fluorescence quenching method. Considering the loop-in mode, the dynamic loop in huDHOase should be a suitable drug-targeting site for further designing inhibitors and clinical chemotherapies to suppress pyrimidine biosynthesis in cancer cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- En-Shyh Lin
- Department of Beauty Science, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung City 403, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- Department of Beauty Science, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung City 403, Taiwan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
| | - Po-Chun Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Feng Peng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yang Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
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Vitali J, Nix JC, Newman HE, Colaneri MJ. Crystal structure of Methanococcus jannaschii dihydroorotase. Proteins 2023; 91:91-98. [PMID: 35978488 PMCID: PMC9771888 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we report the structural analysis of dihydroorotase (DHOase) from the hyperthermophilic and barophilic archaeon Methanococcus jannaschii. DHOase catalyzes the reversible cyclization of N-carbamoyl-l-aspartate to l-dihydroorotate in the third step of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. DHOases form a very diverse family of enzymes and have been classified into types and subtypes with structural similarities and differences among them. This is the first archaeal DHOase studied by x-ray diffraction. Its structure and comparison with known representatives of the other subtypes help define the structural features of the archaeal subtype. The M. jannaschii DHOase is found here to have traits from all subtypes. Contrary to expectations, it has a carboxylated lysine bridging the two Zn ions in the active site, and a long catalytic loop. It is a monomeric protein with a large β sandwich domain adjacent to the TIM barrel. Loop 5 is similar to bacterial type III and the C-terminal extension is long.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Vitali
- Department of PhysicsCleveland State UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental SciencesCleveland State UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Jay C. Nix
- Molecular Biology Consortium, Advanced Light SourceLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Haley E. Newman
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental SciencesCleveland State UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Michael J. Colaneri
- Department of Chemistry and PhysicsThe State University of New York CollegeOld WestburyNew YorkUSA
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Lin ES, Huang CY. Cytotoxic Activities and the Allantoinase Inhibitory Effect of the Leaf Extract of the Carnivorous Pitcher Plant Nepenthes miranda. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11172265. [PMID: 36079647 PMCID: PMC9460348 DOI: 10.3390/plants11172265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Nepenthes are carnivorous pitcher plants that have several ethnobotanical uses, such as curing stomachache and fever. Here, we prepared different extracts from the stem, leaf, and pitcher of Nepenthes miranda to further investigate their pharmacological potential. The leaf extract of N. miranda obtained by 100% acetone (N. miranda-leaf-acetone) was used in this study to analyze the cytotoxic activities, antioxidation capacity, antibacterial activity, and allantoinase (ALLase) inhibitory effect of this plant. The cytotoxic effects of N. miranda-leaf-acetone on the survival, apoptosis, and migration of the cancer cell lines PC-9 pulmonary adenocarcinoma, B16F10 melanoma, and 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells were demonstrated. Based on collective data, the cytotoxic activities of N. miranda-leaf-acetone followed the order: B16F10 > 4T1 > PC-9 cells. In addition, the cytotoxic activities of N. miranda-leaf-acetone were synergistically enhanced when co-acting with the clinical anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil. N. miranda-leaf-acetone could also inhibit the activity of ALLase, a key enzyme in the catabolism pathway for purine degradation. Through gas chromatography−mass spectrometry, the 16 most abundant ingredients in N. miranda-leaf-acetone were identified. The top six compounds in N. miranda-leaf-acetone, namely, plumbagin, lupenone, palmitic acid, stigmast-5-en-3-ol, neophytadiene, and citraconic anhydride, were docked to ALLase, and their docking scores were compared. The docking results suggested plumbagin and stigmast-5-en-3-ol as potential inhibitors of ALLase. Overall, these results may indicate the pharmacological potential of N. miranda for further medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- En-Shyh Lin
- Department of Beauty Science, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung City 403, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yang Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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Huang YH, Chiang WY, Chen PJ, Lin ES, Huang CY. Anticancer and Antioxidant Activities of the Root Extract of the Carnivorous Pitcher Plant Sarracenia purpurea. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11131668. [PMID: 35807620 PMCID: PMC9269354 DOI: 10.3390/plants11131668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The carnivorous pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea exhibits many ethnobotanical uses, including the treatments of type 2 diabetes and tuberculosis-like symptoms. In this study, we prepared different extracts from the leaves (pitchers), stems, and roots of S. purpurea and investigated their antioxidant and anticancer properties. To evaluate the extraction efficiency, we individually used different solvents, namely methanol, ethanol, acetone, and distilled water, for S. purpurea extract preparations. The root extract of S. purpurea, obtained by 100% acetone (S. purpurea-root-acetone), had the highest anticancer activities, antioxidation capacity (the DPPH activity with IC50 of 89.3 ± 2.2 μg/mL), antibacterial activities, total phenolic content (33.4 ± 0.7 mg GAE/g), and total flavonoid content (107.9 ± 2.2 mg QUE/g). The most abundant compounds in S. purpurea-root-acetone were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; 7,8-Dihydro-α-ionone was the major compound present in S. purpurea-root-acetone. In addition, the co-cytotoxicity of S. purpurea-root-acetone (combined with the clinical anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on the survival, apoptosis, proliferation, and migration of the 4T1 mammary carcinoma) was examined. The combination of 5-FU with S. purpurea-root-acetone could be highly efficient for anti-4T1 cells. We also found that S. purpurea-root-acetone could inhibit the enzymatic activity of human dihydroorotase (huDHOase), an attractive target for potential anticancer chemotherapy. The sic most abundant compounds in S. purpurea-root-acetone were tested using an in silico analysis via MOE-Dock software for their binding affinities. The top-ranked docking conformations were observed for 7,8-dihydro-α-ionone and stigmast-5-en-3-ol, suggesting the inhibition potential against huDHOase. Overall, the collective data in this study may indicate the pharmacological potentials of S. purpurea-root-acetone for possible medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Hua Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan; (Y.-H.H.); (W.-Y.C.); (P.-J.C.)
| | - Wei-Yu Chiang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan; (Y.-H.H.); (W.-Y.C.); (P.-J.C.)
| | - Pin-Jui Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan; (Y.-H.H.); (W.-Y.C.); (P.-J.C.)
| | - En-Shyh Lin
- Department of Beauty Science, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung City 403, Taiwan;
| | - Cheng-Yang Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan; (Y.-H.H.); (W.-Y.C.); (P.-J.C.)
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 402, Taiwan
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An in silico hierarchal approach for drug candidate mining and validation of natural product inhibitors against pyrimidine biosynthesis enzyme in the antibiotic-resistant Shigella flexneri. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 98:105233. [PMID: 35104682 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2022.105233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Shigella flexneri is the main causative agent of the communicable diarrheal disease, shigellosis. It is estimated that about 80-165 million cases and > 1 million deaths occur every year due to this disease. S. flexneri causes dysentery mostly in young children, elderly and immunocompromised patients, all over the globe. Recently, due to the emergence of S. flexneri antibiotic resistance strains, it is a dire need to predict novel therapeutic drug targets in the bacterium and screen natural products against it, which could eliminate the curse of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, in current study, available antibiotic-resistant genomes (n = 179) of S. flexneri were downloaded from PATRIC database and a pan-genome and resistome analysis was conducted. Around 5059 genes made up the accessory, 2469 genes made up the core, and 1558 genes made up the unique genome fraction, with 44, 34, and 13 antibiotic-resistant genes in each fraction, respectively. Core genome fraction (27% of the pan-genome), which was common to all strains, was used for subtractive genomics and resulted in 384 non-homologous, and 85 druggable targets. Dihydroorotase was chosen for further analysis and docked with natural product libraries (Ayurvedic and Streptomycin compounds), while the control was orotic acid or vitamin B13 (which is a natural binder of this protein). Dynamics simulation of 50 ns was carried out to validate findings for top-scored inhibitors. The current study proposed dihydroorotase as a significant drug target in S. flexneri and 4-tritriacontanone & patupilone compounds as potent drugs against shigellosis. Further experiments are required to ascertain validity of our findings.
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Guan HH, Huang YH, Lin ES, Chen CJ, Huang CY. Structural Analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Dihydroorotase Reveals Molecular Insights into the Tetramerization Mechanism. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26237249. [PMID: 34885830 PMCID: PMC8659124 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26237249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dihydroorotase (DHOase), a dimetalloenzyme containing a carbamylated lysine within the active site, is a member of the cyclic amidohydrolase family, which also includes allantoinase (ALLase), dihydropyrimidinase (DHPase), hydantoinase, and imidase. Unlike most known cyclic amidohydrolases, which are tetrameric, DHOase exists as a monomer or dimer. Here, we report and analyze two crystal structures of the eukaryotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae DHOase (ScDHOase) complexed with malate. The structures of different DHOases were also compared. An asymmetric unit of these crystals contained four crystallographically independent ScDHOase monomers. ScDHOase shares structural similarity with Escherichia coli DHOase (EcDHOase). Unlike EcDHOase, ScDHOase can form tetramers, both in the crystalline state and in solution. In addition, the subunit-interacting residues of ScDHOase for dimerization and tetramerization are significantly different from those of other DHOases. The tetramerization pattern of ScDHOase is also different from those of DHPase and ALLase. Based on sequence analysis and structural evidence, we identify two unique helices (α6 and α10) and a loop (loop 7) for tetramerization, and discuss why the residues for tetramerization in ScDHOase are not necessarily conserved among DHOases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Hsiang Guan
- Life Science Group, Scientific Research Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 33076, Taiwan;
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City 402, Taiwan;
| | - En-Shyh Lin
- Department of Beauty Science, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, No.193, Sec.1, San-Min Rd., Taichung City 403, Taiwan;
| | - Chun-Jung Chen
- Life Science Group, Scientific Research Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 33076, Taiwan;
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan
- Department of Physics, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30043, Taiwan
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300193, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-J.C.); (C.-Y.H.)
| | - Cheng-Yang Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City 402, Taiwan;
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City 402, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-J.C.); (C.-Y.H.)
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Complexed Crystal Structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Dihydroorotase with Inhibitor 5-Fluoroorotate Reveals a New Binding Mode. Bioinorg Chem Appl 2021; 2021:2572844. [PMID: 34630544 PMCID: PMC8497156 DOI: 10.1155/2021/2572844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dihydroorotase (DHOase) possesses a binuclear metal center in which two Zn ions are bridged by a posttranslationally carbamylated lysine. DHOase catalyzes the reversible cyclization of N-carbamoyl aspartate (CA-asp) to dihydroorotate (DHO) in the third step of the pathway for the biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides and is an attractive target for potential anticancer and antimalarial chemotherapy. Crystal structures of ligand-bound DHOase show that the flexible loop extends toward the active site when CA-asp is bound (loop-in mode) or moves away from the active site, facilitating the product DHO release (loop-out mode). DHOase binds the product-like inhibitor 5-fluoroorotate (5-FOA) in a similar mode to DHO. In the present study, we report the crystal structure of DHOase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ScDHOase) complexed with 5-FOA at 2.5 Å resolution (PDB entry 7CA0). ScDHOase shares structural similarity with Escherichia coli DHOase (EcDHOase). However, our complexed structure revealed that ScDHOase bound 5-FOA differently from EcDHOase. 5-FOA ligated the Zn atoms in the active site of ScDHOase. In addition, 5-FOA bound to ScDHOase through the loop-in mode. We also characterized the binding of 5-FOA to ScDHOase by using the site-directed mutagenesis and fluorescence quenching method. Based on these lines of molecular evidence, we discussed whether these different binding modes are species- or crystallography-dependent.
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Rice AJ, Pesavento RP, Ren J, Youn I, Kwon Y, Ellepola K, Che CT, Johnson ME, Lee H. Identification of Small Molecule Inhibitors against Staphylococcus aureus Dihydroorotase via HTS. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22189984. [PMID: 34576147 PMCID: PMC8467647 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is an imminent threat to public health, increasing the importance of drug discovery utilizing unexplored bacterial pathways and enzyme targets. De novo pyrimidine biosynthesis is a specialized, highly conserved pathway implicated in both the survival and virulence of several clinically relevant pathogens. Class I dihydroorotase (DHOase) is a separate and distinct enzyme present in gram positive bacteria (i.e., S. aureus, B. anthracis) that converts carbamoyl-aspartate (Ca-asp) to dihydroorotate (DHO)-an integral step in the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway. This study sets forth a high-throughput screening (HTS) of 3000 fragment compounds by a colorimetry-based enzymatic assay as a primary screen, identifying small molecule inhibitors of S. aureus DHOase (SaDHOase), followed by hit validation with a direct binding analysis using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Competition SPR studies of six hit compounds and eight additional analogs with the substrate Ca-asp determined the best compound to be a competitive inhibitor with a KD value of 11 µM, which is 10-fold tighter than Ca-asp. Preliminary structure-activity relationship (SAR) provides the foundation for further structure-based antimicrobial inhibitor design against S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy J. Rice
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; (A.J.R.); (R.P.P.); (J.R.); (Y.K.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (I.Y.); (C.-T.C.)
| | - Russell P. Pesavento
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; (A.J.R.); (R.P.P.); (J.R.); (Y.K.)
- Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA;
| | - Jinhong Ren
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; (A.J.R.); (R.P.P.); (J.R.); (Y.K.)
| | - Isoo Youn
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (I.Y.); (C.-T.C.)
| | - Youngjin Kwon
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; (A.J.R.); (R.P.P.); (J.R.); (Y.K.)
- Biophysics Core at the Research Resource Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Kassapa Ellepola
- Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA;
| | - Chun-Tao Che
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (I.Y.); (C.-T.C.)
| | - Michael E. Johnson
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; (A.J.R.); (R.P.P.); (J.R.); (Y.K.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (I.Y.); (C.-T.C.)
- Correspondence: (M.E.J.); (H.L.); Tel.: +1-312-996-9114 (M.E.J.); +1-312-355-5292 (H.L.)
| | - Hyun Lee
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; (A.J.R.); (R.P.P.); (J.R.); (Y.K.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (I.Y.); (C.-T.C.)
- Biophysics Core at the Research Resource Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
- Correspondence: (M.E.J.); (H.L.); Tel.: +1-312-996-9114 (M.E.J.); +1-312-355-5292 (H.L.)
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Guan HH, Huang YH, Lin ES, Chen CJ, Huang CY. Plumbagin, a Natural Product with Potent Anticancer Activities, Binds to and Inhibits Dihydroorotase, a Key Enzyme in Pyrimidine Biosynthesis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6861. [PMID: 34202294 PMCID: PMC8267945 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dihydroorotase (DHOase) is the third enzyme in the de novo biosynthesis pathway for pyrimidine nucleotides, and an attractive target for potential anticancer chemotherapy. By screening plant extracts and performing GC-MS analysis, we identified and characterized that the potent anticancer drug plumbagin (PLU), isolated from the carnivorous plant Nepenthes miranda, was a competitive inhibitor of DHOase. We also solved the complexed crystal structure of yeast DHOase with PLU (PDB entry 7CA1), to determine the binding interactions and investigate the binding modes. Mutational and structural analyses indicated the binding of PLU to DHOase through loop-in mode, and this dynamic loop may serve as a drug target. PLU exhibited cytotoxicity on the survival, migration, and proliferation of 4T1 cells and induced apoptosis. These results provide structural insights that may facilitate the development of new inhibitors targeting DHOase, for further clinical anticancer chemotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Hsiang Guan
- Life Science Group, Scientific Research Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan;
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City 402, Taiwan;
| | - En-Shyh Lin
- Department of Beauty Science, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, No. 193, Sec.1, San-Min Rd., Taichung City 403, Taiwan;
| | - Chun-Jung Chen
- Life Science Group, Scientific Research Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan;
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan
- Department of Physics, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30043, Taiwan
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300193, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yang Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City 402, Taiwan;
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No. 110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City 402, Taiwan
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12
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Guan HH, Huang YH, Lin ES, Chen CJ, Huang CY. Structural basis for the interaction modes of dihydroorotase with the anticancer drugs 5-fluorouracil and 5-aminouracil. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 551:33-37. [PMID: 33714757 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Dihydroorotase (DHOase) is the third enzyme in the de novo biosynthesis pathway of pyrimidine nucleotides and considered an attractive target for potential antimalarial, anticancer, and antipathogen chemotherapy. Whether the FDA-approved clinical drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) that is used to target the enzyme thymidylate synthase for anticancer therapy can also bind to DHOase remains unknown. Here, we report the crystal structures of DHOase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ScDHOase) complexed with malate, 5-FU, and 5-aminouracil (5-AU). ScDHOase shares structural similarity with Escherichia coli DHOase. We also characterized the binding of 5-FU and 5-AU to ScDHOase by using the fluorescence quenching method. These complexed structures revealed that residues Arg18, Asn43, Thr106, and Ala275 of ScDHOase were involved in the 5-FU (PDB entry 6L0B) and 5-AU binding (PDB entry 6L0F). Overall, these results provide structural insights that may facilitate the development of new inhibitors targeting DHOase and constitute the 5-FU and 5-AU interactomes for further clinical chemotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Hsiang Guan
- Life Science Group, Scientific Research Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan
| | - En-Shyh Lin
- Department of Beauty Science, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, No.193, Sec.1, San-Min Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Jung Chen
- Life Science Group, Scientific Research Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan; Department of Physics, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
| | - Cheng-Yang Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan; Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No.110, Sec.1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan.
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13
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Screening and Molecular Docking of Novel Benzothiazole Derivatives as Potential Antimicrobial Agents. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9050221. [PMID: 32365587 PMCID: PMC7277330 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9050221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The burden of antibiotic resistance necessitates a continued search for new antimicrobials. We evaluated the antimicrobial activities of novel benzothiazoles synthesized by our group. Antibacterial activity was evaluated in vitro in Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli, while the antifungal activity was tested in Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger, and expressed as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC; µg/mL). MIC values of benzothiazole compounds ranged from 25 to 200 µg/mL. Compounds 3 and 4 gave high antibacterial and moderate antifungal activities, while 10 and 12 showed moderate activity against all tested organisms. In addition, some benzothiazole compounds significantly suppressed the activity of Escherichia coli dihydroorotase and inhibited the dimorphic transition of Candida albicans. Moreover, the active benzothiazole compounds induced DNA and protein leakage in Aspergillus niger spores. Molecular interactions of benzothiazole derivatives with dihydroorotase revealed the formation of hydrogen bonds with the active site residues LEU222 or ASN44. Strong hydrophobic interactions of the bulky thiazole and naphthalene rings at the entrance to the active site might interfere with the access of substrates to their binding sites, which results in dihydroorotase inhibition. Thus, inhibition of dihydroorotase might contribute to the observed antimicrobial actions of these compounds.
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14
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Lipowska J, Miks CD, Kwon K, Shuvalova L, Zheng H, Lewiński K, Cooper DR, Shabalin IG, Minor W. Pyrimidine biosynthesis in pathogens - Structures and analysis of dihydroorotases from Yersinia pestis and Vibrio cholerae. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 136:1176-1187. [PMID: 31207330 PMCID: PMC6686667 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.05.149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway is essential for the proliferation of many pathogens. One of the pathway enzymes, dihydroorotase (DHO), catalyzes the reversible interconversion of N-carbamoyl-l-aspartate to 4,5-dihydroorotate. The substantial difference between bacterial and mammalian DHOs makes it a promising drug target for disrupting bacterial growth and thus an important candidate to evaluate as a response to antimicrobial resistance on a molecular level. Here, we present two novel three-dimensional structures of DHOs from Yersinia pestis (YpDHO), the plague-causing pathogen, and Vibrio cholerae (VcDHO), the causative agent of cholera. The evaluations of these two structures led to an analysis of all available DHO structures and their classification into known DHO types. Comparison of all the DHO active sites containing ligands that are listed in DrugBank was facilitated by a new interactive, structure-comparison and presentation platform. In addition, we examined the genetic context of characterized DHOs, which revealed characteristic patterns for different types of DHOs. We also generated a homology model for DHO from Plasmodium falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Lipowska
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID), Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Charles Dylan Miks
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Keehwan Kwon
- Infectious Diseases Group, J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Ludmilla Shuvalova
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID), Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Heping Zheng
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID), Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | | | - David R Cooper
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID), Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Ivan G Shabalin
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID), Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
| | - Wladek Minor
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID), Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
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15
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Del Caño-Ochoa F, Grande-García A, Reverte-López M, D'Abramo M, Ramón-Maiques S. Characterization of the catalytic flexible loop in the dihydroorotase domain of the human multi-enzymatic protein CAD. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:18903-18913. [PMID: 30315107 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The dihydroorotase (DHOase) domain of the multifunctional protein carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamoylase, and dihydroorotase (CAD) catalyzes the third step in the de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides in animals. The crystal structure of the DHOase domain of human CAD (huDHOase) revealed that, despite evolutionary divergence, its active site components are highly conserved with those in bacterial DHOases, encoded as monofunctional enzymes. An important element for catalysis, conserved from Escherichia coli to humans, is a flexible loop that closes as a lid over the active site. Here, we combined mutagenic, structural, biochemical, and molecular dynamics analyses to characterize the function of the flexible loop in the activity of CAD's DHOase domain. A huDHOase chimera bearing the E. coli DHOase flexible loop was inactive, suggesting the presence of distinctive elements in the flexible loop of huDHOase that cannot be replaced by the bacterial sequence. We pinpointed Phe-1563, a residue absolutely conserved at the tip of the flexible loop in CAD's DHOase domain, as a critical element for the conformational equilibrium between the two catalytic states of the protein. Substitutions of Phe-1563 with Ala, Leu, or Thr prevented the closure of the flexible loop and inactivated the protein, whereas substitution with Tyr enhanced the interactions of the loop in the closed position and reduced fluctuations and the reaction rate. Our results confirm the importance of the flexible loop in CAD's DHOase domain and explain the key role of Phe-1563 in configuring the active site and in promoting substrate strain and catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Del Caño-Ochoa
- From the Department of Genome Dynamics and Function, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Araceli Grande-García
- the Structural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain, and
| | - María Reverte-López
- From the Department of Genome Dynamics and Function, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Marco D'Abramo
- the Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Santiago Ramón-Maiques
- From the Department of Genome Dynamics and Function, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid 28049, Spain,
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16
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Abstract
The gene that codes for the putative dihydroorotase in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Methanococcus jannaschii was subcloned in pET-21a and expressed in Escherichia coli. A purification protocol was devised. The purity of the protein was evaluated by SDS-PAGE and the protein was confirmed by sequencing using LC-MS. The calculated molecular mass is 48104 Da. SEC-LS suggested that the protein is a monomer in solution. ICP-MS showed that there are two Zn ions per monomer. Kinetic analysis of the recombinant protein gave hyperbolic kinetics with Vmax = 12.2 µmol/min/mg and Km = 0.14 mM at 25 °C. Furthermore the activity of the protein increased with temperature consistent with the hyperthermophilic nature of the organism. A homology model was constructed using the mesophilic Bacillus anthracis protein as the template. Residues known to be critical for Zn and substrate binding were conserved. The activity of the enzyme at 85 and 90 °C was found to be relatively constant over 160 min and this correlates with the temperature of optimal growth of the organism of 85 °C. The amino acid sequences and structures of the two proteins were compared and this gave insight into some of the factors that may confer thermostability-more Lys and Ile, fewer Ala, Thr, Gln and Gly residues, and shorter N- and C-termini. Additional and better insight into the thermostabilization strategies adopted by this enzyme will be provided when its crystal structure is determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Vitali
- Department of Physics, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, 44115, USA.
- Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, 44115, USA.
| | - Aditya K Singh
- Department of Physics, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, 44115, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Michael J Colaneri
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, State University of New York at Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, 11568, USA
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