1
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Wątor E, Wilk P, Kochanowski P, Grudnik P. Structural characterization of the (deoxy)hypusination in Trichomonas vaginalis questions the bifunctionality of deoxyhypusine synthase. FEBS J 2024. [PMID: 38923395 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis, the causative agent of trichomoniasis, is a prevalent anaerobic protozoan parasite responsible for the most common nonviral sexually transmitted infection globally. While metronidazole and its derivatives are approved drugs for this infection, rising resistance necessitates the exploration of new antiparasitic therapies. Protein posttranslational modifications (PTMs) play crucial roles in cellular processes, and among them, hypusination, involving eukaryotic translation factor 5A (eIF5A), has profound implications. Despite extensive studies in various organisms, the role of hypusination in T. vaginalis and its potential impact on parasite biology and pathogenicity remain poorly understood. This study aims to unravel the structural basis of the hypusination pathway in T. vaginalis using X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. The results reveal high structural homology between T. vaginalis and human orthologs, providing insights into the molecular architecture of eIF5A and deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) and their interaction. Contrary to previous suggestions of bifunctionality, our analyses indicate that the putative hydroxylation site in tvDHS is nonfunctional, and biochemical assays demonstrate exclusive deoxyhypusination capability. These findings challenge the notion of tvDHS functioning as both deoxyhypusine synthase and hydroxylase. The study enhances understanding of the hypusination pathway in T. vaginalis, shedding light on its functional relevance and potential as a drug target, and contributing to the development of novel therapeutic strategies against trichomoniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elżbieta Wątor
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Piotr Wilk
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Paweł Kochanowski
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Przemysław Grudnik
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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2
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Kobayashi T, Sakamoto A, Hisano T, Kashiwagi K, Igarashi K, Takao K, Uemura T, Furuchi T, Sugita Y, Moriya T, Oshima T, Terui Y. Caldomycin, a new guanidopolyamine produced by a novel agmatine homocoupling enzyme involved in homospermidine biosynthesis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7566. [PMID: 38555406 PMCID: PMC10981699 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58296-0] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
An extreme thermophilic bacterium, Thermus thermophilus produces more than 20 unusual polyamines, but their biosynthetic pathways, including homospermidine, are not yet fully understood. Two types of homospermidine synthases have been identified in plants and bacteria, which use spermidine and putrescine or two molecules of putrescine as substrates. However, homospermidine synthases with such substrate specificity have not been identified in T. thermophilus. Here we identified a novel agmatine homocoupling enzyme that is involved in homospermidine biosynthesis in T. thermophilus. The reaction mechanism is different from that of a previously described homospermidine synthase, and involves conjugation of two molecules of agmatine, which produces a diamidino derivative of homospermidine (caldomycin) as an immediate precursor of homospermidine. We conclude that there is a homospermidine biosynthetic pathway from agmatine via caldomycin synthase followed by ureohydrolase in T. thermophilus. Furthermore, it is shown that caldomycin is a novel compound existing in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teruyuki Kobayashi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiba Institute of Science, 15-8 Shiomi-cho, Choshi, Chiba, 288-0025, Japan
| | - Akihiko Sakamoto
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiba Institute of Science, 15-8 Shiomi-cho, Choshi, Chiba, 288-0025, Japan
- Department of Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tamao Hisano
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), Tsurumi, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Keiko Kashiwagi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiba Institute of Science, 15-8 Shiomi-cho, Choshi, Chiba, 288-0025, Japan
| | - Kazuei Igarashi
- Amine Pharma Research Institute, Innovation Plaza at Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Koichi Takao
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, Sakado, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Uemura
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, Sakado, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takemitsu Furuchi
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, Sakado, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Sugita
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, Sakado, Saitama, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Moriya
- Institute of Environmental Biology, Kyowa-Kako, Machida, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tairo Oshima
- Institute of Environmental Biology, Kyowa-Kako, Machida, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Terui
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiba Institute of Science, 15-8 Shiomi-cho, Choshi, Chiba, 288-0025, Japan.
- School of Pharmacy, International University of Health and Welfare, Otawara, Tochigi, Japan.
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3
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Pérez-Pertejo Y, García-Estrada C, Martínez-Valladares M, Murugesan S, Reguera RM, Balaña-Fouce R. Polyamine Metabolism for Drug Intervention in Trypanosomatids. Pathogens 2024; 13:79. [PMID: 38251386 PMCID: PMC10820115 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010079] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases transmitted by trypanosomatids include three major human scourges that globally affect the world's poorest people: African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness, American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease and different types of leishmaniasis. Different metabolic pathways have been targeted to find antitrypanosomatid drugs, including polyamine metabolism. Since their discovery, the naturally occurring polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine, have been considered important metabolites involved in cell growth. With a complex metabolism involving biosynthesis, catabolism and interconversion, the synthesis of putrescine and spermidine was targeted by thousands of compounds in an effort to produce cell growth blockade in tumor and infectious processes with limited success. However, the discovery of eflornithine (DFMO) as a curative drug against sleeping sickness encouraged researchers to develop new molecules against these diseases. Polyamine synthesis inhibitors have also provided insight into the peculiarities of this pathway between the host and the parasite, and also among different trypanosomatid species, thus allowing the search for new specific chemical entities aimed to treat these diseases and leading to the investigation of target-based scaffolds. The main molecular targets include the enzymes involved in polyamine biosynthesis (ornithine decarboxylase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and spermidine synthase), enzymes participating in their uptake from the environment, and the enzymes involved in the redox balance of the parasite. In this review, we summarize the research behind polyamine-based treatments, the current trends, and the main challenges in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Pérez-Pertejo
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Carlos García-Estrada
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | | | - Sankaranarayanan Murugesan
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Pilani 333031, India;
| | - Rosa M. Reguera
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
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4
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Kaiser A. The Role of Spermidine and Its Key Metabolites in Important, Pathogenic Human Viruses and in Parasitic Infections Caused by Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma brucei. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050803. [PMID: 37238673 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050803] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The triamine spermidine is a key metabolite of the polyamine pathway. It plays a crucial role in many infectious diseases caused by viral or parasitic infections. Spermidine and its metabolizing enzymes, i.e., spermidine/spermine-N1-acetyltransferase, spermine oxidase, acetyl polyamine oxidase, and deoxyhypusine synthase, fulfill common functions during infection in parasitic protozoa and viruses which are obligate, intracellular parasites. The competition for this important polyamine between the infected host cell and the pathogen determines the severity of infection in disabling human parasites and pathogenic viruses. Here, we review the impact of spermidine and its metabolites in disease development of the most important, pathogenic human viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, HIV, Ebola, and in the human parasites Plasmodium and Trypanosomes. Moreover, state-of-the-art translational approaches to manipulate spermidine metabolism in the host and the pathogen are discussed to accelerate drug development against these threatful, infectious human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette Kaiser
- Medical Research Centre, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45147 Essen, Germany
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5
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Wątor E, Wilk P, Biela A, Rawski M, Zak KM, Steinchen W, Bange G, Glatt S, Grudnik P. Cryo-EM structure of human eIF5A-DHS complex reveals the molecular basis of hypusination-associated neurodegenerative disorders. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1698. [PMID: 36973244 PMCID: PMC10042821 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37305-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypusination is a unique post-translational modification of the eukaryotic translation factor 5A (eIF5A) that is essential for overcoming ribosome stalling at polyproline sequence stretches. The initial step of hypusination, the formation of deoxyhypusine, is catalyzed by deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS), however, the molecular details of the DHS-mediated reaction remained elusive. Recently, patient-derived variants of DHS and eIF5A have been linked to rare neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we present the cryo-EM structure of the human eIF5A-DHS complex at 2.8 Å resolution and a crystal structure of DHS trapped in the key reaction transition state. Furthermore, we show that disease-associated DHS variants influence the complex formation and hypusination efficiency. Hence, our work dissects the molecular details of the deoxyhypusine synthesis reaction and reveals how clinically-relevant mutations affect this crucial cellular process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elżbieta Wątor
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Piotr Wilk
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Artur Biela
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Michał Rawski
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Krzysztof M Zak
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Wieland Steinchen
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany
| | - Gert Bange
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Molecular Physiology of Microbes, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Glatt
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Przemysław Grudnik
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
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6
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Prakashrao AS, Beuerle T, Simões ARG, Hopf C, Çiçek SS, Stegemann T, Ober D, Kaltenegger E. The long road of functional recruitment-The evolution of a gene duplicate to pyrrolizidine alkaloid biosynthesis in the morning glories (Convolvulaceae). PLANT DIRECT 2022; 6:e420. [PMID: 35865076 PMCID: PMC9295680 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In plants, homospermidine synthase (HSS) is a pathway-specific enzyme initiating the biosynthesis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), which function as a chemical defense against herbivores. In PA-producing Convolvulaceae ("morning glories"), HSS originated from deoxyhypusine synthase at least >50 to 75 million years ago via a gene duplication event and subsequent functional diversification. To study the recruitment of this ancient gene duplicate to PA biosynthesis, the presence of putative hss gene copies in 11 Convolvulaceae species was analyzed. Additionally, various plant parts from seven of these species were screened for the presence of PAs. Although all of these species possess a putative hss copy, PAs could only be detected in roots of Ipomoea neei (Spreng.) O'Donell and Distimake quinquefolius (L.) A.R.Simões & Staples in this study. A precursor of PAs was detected in roots of Ipomoea alba L. Thus, despite sharing high sequence identities, the presence of an hss gene copy does not correlate with PA accumulation in particular species of Convolvulaceae. In vitro activity assays of the encoded enzymes revealed a broad spectrum of enzyme activity, further emphasizing a functional diversity of the hss gene copies. A recently identified HSS specific amino acid motif seems to be important for the loss of the ancestral protein function-the activation of the eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF5A). Thus, the motif might be indicative for a change of function but allows not to predict the new function. This emphasizes the challenges in annotating functions for duplicates, even for duplicates from closely related species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunraj Saranya Prakashrao
- Department Biochemical Ecology and Molecular Evolution, Botanical InstituteChristian‐Albrechts‐UniversityKielGermany
- Present address:
Heart Research Center GöttingenUniversity Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany.
| | - Till Beuerle
- Institute of Pharmaceutical BiologyTechnische Universität BraunschweigBraunschweigGermany
| | - Ana Rita G. Simões
- Royal Botanic Gardens, KewRichmondUK
- Systematic and Evolutionary Botany LabGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Christina Hopf
- Department of Structural Biology, Zoological InstituteChristian‐Albrechts‐UniversityKielGermany
| | - Serhat Sezai Çiçek
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Pharmaceutical InstituteChristian‐Albrechts‐UniversityKielGermany
| | - Thomas Stegemann
- Department Biochemical Ecology and Molecular Evolution, Botanical InstituteChristian‐Albrechts‐UniversityKielGermany
| | - Dietrich Ober
- Department Biochemical Ecology and Molecular Evolution, Botanical InstituteChristian‐Albrechts‐UniversityKielGermany
| | - Elisabeth Kaltenegger
- Department Biochemical Ecology and Molecular Evolution, Botanical InstituteChristian‐Albrechts‐UniversityKielGermany
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7
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Carter NS, Kawasaki Y, Nahata SS, Elikaee S, Rajab S, Salam L, Alabdulal MY, Broessel KK, Foroghi F, Abbas A, Poormohamadian R, Roberts SC. Polyamine Metabolism in Leishmania Parasites: A Promising Therapeutic Target. Med Sci (Basel) 2022; 10:24. [PMID: 35645240 PMCID: PMC9149861 DOI: 10.3390/medsci10020024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites of the genus Leishmania cause a variety of devastating and often fatal diseases in humans and domestic animals worldwide. The need for new therapeutic strategies is urgent because no vaccine is available, and treatment options are limited due to a lack of specificity and the emergence of drug resistance. Polyamines are metabolites that play a central role in rapidly proliferating cells, and recent studies have highlighted their critical nature in Leishmania. Numerous studies using a variety of inhibitors as well as gene deletion mutants have elucidated the pathway and routes of transport, revealing unique aspects of polyamine metabolism in Leishmania parasites. These studies have also shed light on the significance of polyamines for parasite proliferation, infectivity, and host-parasite interactions. This comprehensive review article focuses on the main polyamine biosynthetic enzymes: ornithine decarboxylase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, and spermidine synthase, and it emphasizes recent discoveries that advance these enzymes as potential therapeutic targets against Leishmania parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sigrid C. Roberts
- School of Pharmacy, Pacific University Oregon, Hillsboro, OR 97123, USA; (N.S.C.); (Y.K.); (S.S.N.); (S.E.); (S.R.); (L.S.); (M.Y.A.); (K.K.B.); (F.F.); (A.A.); (R.P.)
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8
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Glockzin K, Meek TD, Katzfuss A. Characterization of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) activity in Trypanosoma brucei brucei: Only one of the two isoforms is kinetically active. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0009926. [PMID: 35104286 PMCID: PMC8836349 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, is a Neglected Tropical Disease endemic to 36 African countries, with approximately 70 million people currently at risk for infection. Current therapeutics are suboptimal due to toxicity, adverse side effects, and emerging resistance. Thus, both effective and affordable treatments are urgently needed. The causative agent of HAT is the protozoan Trypanosoma brucei ssp. Annotation of its genome confirms previous observations that T. brucei is a purine auxotroph. Incapable of de novo purine synthesis, these protozoan parasites rely on purine phosphoribosyltransferases to salvage purines from their hosts for the synthesis of purine monophosphates. Complete and accurate genome annotations in combination with the identification and characterization of the catalytic activity of purine salvage enzymes enables the development of target-specific therapies in addition to providing a deeper understanding of purine metabolism in T. brucei. In trypanosomes, purine phosphoribosyltransferases represent promising drug targets due to their essential and central role in purine salvage. Enzymes involved in adenine and adenosine salvage, such as adenine phosphoribosyltransferases (APRTs, EC 2.4.2.7), are of particular interest for their potential role in the activation of adenine and adenosine-based pro-drugs. Analysis of the T. brucei genome shows two putative aprt genes: APRT1 (Tb927.7.1780) and APRT2 (Tb927.7.1790). Here we report studies of the catalytic activity of each putative APRT, revealing that of the two T. brucei putative APRTs, only APRT1 is kinetically active, thereby signifying a genomic misannotation of Tb927.7.1790 (putative APRT2). Reliable genome annotation is necessary to establish potential drug targets and identify enzymes involved in adenine and adenosine-based pro-drug activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla Glockzin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Thomas D. Meek
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (TDM); (AK)
| | - Ardala Katzfuss
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (TDM); (AK)
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9
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Jeelani G, Nozaki T. Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A and its posttranslational modifications play an important role in proliferation and potentially in differentiation of the human enteric protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1008909. [PMID: 33592076 PMCID: PMC7909649 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is a highly conserved protein and is essential in all eukaryotes. However, the specific roles of eIF5A in translation and in other biological processes remain elusive. In the present study, we described the role of eIF5A, its posttranslational modifications (PTM), and the biosynthetic pathway needed for the PTM in Entamoeba histolytica, the protozoan parasite responsible for amoebic dysentery and liver abscess in humans. E. histolytica encodes two isotypes of eIF5A and two isotypes of enzymes, deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS), responsible for their PTM. Both of the two eIF5A isotypes are functional, whereas only one DHS (EhDHS1, but not EhDHS2), is catalytically active. The DHS activity increased ~2000-fold when EhDHS1 was co-expressed with EhDHS2 in Escherichia coli, suggesting that the formation of a heteromeric complex is needed for full enzymatic activity. Both EhDHS1 and 2 genes were required for in vitro growth of E. histolytica trophozoites, indicated by small antisense RNA-mediated gene silencing. In trophozoites, only eIF5A2, but not eIF5A1, gene was actively transcribed. Gene silencing of eIF5A2 caused compensatory induction of expression of eIF5A1 gene, suggesting interchangeable role of the two eIF5A isotypes and also reinforcing the importance of eIF5As for parasite proliferation and survival. Furthermore, using a sibling species, Entamoeba invadens, we found that eIF5A1 gene was upregulated during excystation, while eIF5A2 was downregulated, suggesting that eIF5A1 gene plays an important role during differentiation. Taken together, these results have underscored the essentiality of eIF5A and DHS, for proliferation and potentially in the differentiation of this parasite, and suggest that the hypusination associated pathway represents a novel rational target for drug development against amebiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghulam Jeelani
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoyoshi Nozaki
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
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10
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Kaltenegger E, Prakashrao AS, Çiçek SS, Ober D. Development of an activity assay for characterizing deoxyhypusine synthase and its diverse reaction products. FEBS Open Bio 2021; 11:10-25. [PMID: 33247548 PMCID: PMC7780104 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Deoxyhypusine synthase transfers an aminobutyl moiety from spermidine to the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) in the first step of eIF5A activation. This exclusive post-translational modification is conserved in all eukaryotes. Activated eIF5A has been shown to be essential for cell proliferation and viability. Recent reports have linked the activation of eIF5A to several human diseases. Deoxyhypusine synthase, which is encoded by a single gene copy in most eukaryotes, was duplicated in several plant lineages during evolution, the copies being repeatedly recruited to pyrrolizidine alkaloid biosynthesis. However, the function of many of these duplicates is unknown. Notably, deoxyhypusine synthase is highly promiscuous and can catalyze various reactions, often of unknown biological relevance. To facilitate in-depth biochemical studies of this enzyme, we report here the development of a simple and robust in vitro enzyme assay. It involves precolumn derivatization of the polyamines taking part in the reaction and avoids the need for the previously used radioactively labeled tracers. The derivatized polyamines are quantified after high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array and fluorescence detectors. By performing kinetic analyses of deoxyhypusine synthase and its paralog from the pyrrolizidine alkaloid-producing plant Senecio vernalis, we demonstrate that the assay unequivocally differentiates the paralogous enzymes. Furthermore, it detects and quantifies, in a single assay, the side reactions that occur in parallel to the main reaction. The presented assay thus provides a detailed biochemical characterization of deoxyhypusine synthase and its paralogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Kaltenegger
- Biochemical Ecology and Molecular Evolution GroupBotanical Institute and Kiel Botanic GardensChristian‐Albrechts‐UniversityKielGermany
| | - Arunraj S. Prakashrao
- Biochemical Ecology and Molecular Evolution GroupBotanical Institute and Kiel Botanic GardensChristian‐Albrechts‐UniversityKielGermany
| | - Serhat S. Çiçek
- Pharmacognosy GroupPharmaceutical InstituteChristian‐Albrechts‐UniversityKielGermany
| | - Dietrich Ober
- Biochemical Ecology and Molecular Evolution GroupBotanical Institute and Kiel Botanic GardensChristian‐Albrechts‐UniversityKielGermany
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11
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Silva SF, Klippel AH, Ramos PZ, Santiago ADS, Valentini SR, Bengtson MH, Massirer KB, Bilsland E, Couñago RM, Zanelli CF. Structural features and development of an assay platform of the parasite target deoxyhypusine synthase of Brugia malayi and Leishmania major. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008762. [PMID: 33044977 PMCID: PMC7581365 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) catalyzes the first step of the post-translational modification of eukaryotic translation factor 5A (eIF5A), which is the only known protein containing the amino acid hypusine. Both proteins are essential for eukaryotic cell viability, and DHS has been suggested as a good candidate target for small molecule-based therapies against eukaryotic pathogens. In this work, we focused on the DHS enzymes from Brugia malayi and Leishmania major, the causative agents of lymphatic filariasis and cutaneous leishmaniasis, respectively. To enable B. malayi (Bm)DHS for future target-based drug discovery programs, we determined its crystal structure bound to cofactor NAD+. We also reported an in vitro biochemical assay for this enzyme that is amenable to a high-throughput screening format. The L. major genome encodes two DHS paralogs, and attempts to produce them recombinantly in bacterial cells were not successful. Nevertheless, we showed that ectopic expression of both LmDHS paralogs can rescue yeast cells lacking the endogenous DHS-encoding gene (dys1). Thus, functionally complemented dys1Δ yeast mutants can be used to screen for new inhibitors of the L. major enzyme. We used the known human DHS inhibitor GC7 to validate both in vitro and yeast-based DHS assays. Our results show that BmDHS is a homotetrameric enzyme that shares many features with its human homologue, whereas LmDHS paralogs are likely to form a heterotetrameric complex and have a distinct regulatory mechanism. We expect our work to facilitate the identification and development of new DHS inhibitors that can be used to validate these enzymes as vulnerable targets for therapeutic interventions against B. malayi and L. major infections. Target-based drug discovery strategies hold the promise to discover safer and more effective treatments for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Genetic manipulation techniques have been used to successfully identify essential genes in eukaryotic parasites. Unfortunately, the fact that a gene is essential under controlled laboratory conditions does not automatically make the corresponding gene-product vulnerable to pharmacological intervention in a clinical setting within the human host. To allow the discovery and development of small molecule tool compounds that can be used to validate pharmacologically vulnerable targets, one must first establish compound screening assays and obtain structural information for the candidate target. Eukaryotic cells lacking deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) function are not viable. DHS catalyzes the first step in a post-translational modification that is critical for the function of eIF5A. Presence of mature eIF5A is also essential for eukaryotic cell viability. Here we reported compound screening assays (yeast-based for Brugia malayi and Leishmania major; in vitro for B. malayi only) and provided further regulatory and structural insights we hope will aid in the identification and development of inhibitors for the DHS enzymes from two NTD-causing organisms—B. malayi, the causative agent of lymphatic filariasis and L. major, the causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Priscila Zonzini Ramos
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Center (CBMEG), Medicinal Chemistry Center (CQMED), Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC-UNICAMP), University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - André da Silva Santiago
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Center (CBMEG), Medicinal Chemistry Center (CQMED), Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC-UNICAMP), University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Mario Henrique Bengtson
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Center (CBMEG), Medicinal Chemistry Center (CQMED), Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC-UNICAMP), University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Katlin Brauer Massirer
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Center (CBMEG), Medicinal Chemistry Center (CQMED), Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC-UNICAMP), University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Bilsland
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas—UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafael Miguez Couñago
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Center (CBMEG), Medicinal Chemistry Center (CQMED), Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC-UNICAMP), University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- * E-mail: (RMC); (CFZ)
| | - Cleslei Fernando Zanelli
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University—UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
- * E-mail: (RMC); (CFZ)
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12
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Chen M, Gai Z, Okada C, Ye Y, Yu J, Yao M. Flexible NAD + Binding in Deoxyhypusine Synthase Reflects the Dynamic Hypusine Modification of Translation Factor IF5A. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21155509. [PMID: 32752130 PMCID: PMC7432094 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The eukaryotic and archaeal translation factor IF5A requires a post-translational hypusine modification, which is catalyzed by deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) at a single lysine residue of IF5A with NAD+ and spermidine as cofactors, followed by hydroxylation to form hypusine. While human DHS catalyzed reactions have been well characterized, the mechanism of the hypusination of archaeal IF5A by DHS is not clear. Here we report a DHS structure from Pyrococcus horikoshii OT3 (PhoDHS) at 2.2 Å resolution. The structure reveals two states in a single functional unit (tetramer): two NAD+-bound monomers with the NAD+ and spermidine binding sites observed in multi-conformations (closed and open), and two NAD+-free monomers. The dynamic loop region V288–P299, in the vicinity of the active site, adopts different positions in the closed and open conformations and is disordered when NAD+ is absent. Combined with NAD+ binding analysis, it is clear that PhoDHS can exist in three states: apo, PhoDHS-2 equiv NAD+, and PhoDHS-4 equiv NAD+, which are affected by the NAD+ concentration. Our results demonstrate the dynamic structure of PhoDHS at the NAD+ and spermidine binding site, with conformational changes that may be the response to the local NAD+ concentration, and thus fine-tune the regulation of the translation process via the hypusine modification of IF5A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meirong Chen
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan; (M.C.); (Z.G.); (C.O.); (Y.Y.); (J.Y.)
- College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zuoqi Gai
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan; (M.C.); (Z.G.); (C.O.); (Y.Y.); (J.Y.)
| | - Chiaki Okada
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan; (M.C.); (Z.G.); (C.O.); (Y.Y.); (J.Y.)
| | - Yuxin Ye
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan; (M.C.); (Z.G.); (C.O.); (Y.Y.); (J.Y.)
| | - Jian Yu
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan; (M.C.); (Z.G.); (C.O.); (Y.Y.); (J.Y.)
| | - Min Yao
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan; (M.C.); (Z.G.); (C.O.); (Y.Y.); (J.Y.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +81-11-706-4481
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13
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Half Way to Hypusine-Structural Basis for Substrate Recognition by Human Deoxyhypusine Synthase. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10040522. [PMID: 32235505 PMCID: PMC7226451 DOI: 10.3390/biom10040522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) is a transferase enabling the formation of deoxyhypusine, which is the first, rate-limiting step of a unique post-translational modification: hypusination. DHS catalyses the transfer of a 4-aminobutyl moiety of polyamine spermidine to a specific lysine of eukaryotic translation factor 5A (eIF5A) precursor in a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent manner. This modification occurs exclusively on one protein, eIF5A, and it is essential for cell proliferation. Malfunctions of the hypusination pathway, including those caused by mutations within the DHS encoding gene, are associated with conditions such as cancer or neurodegeneration. Here, we present a series of high-resolution crystal structures of human DHS. Structures were determined as the apoprotein, as well as ligand-bound states at high-resolutions ranging from 1.41 to 1.69 Å. By solving DHS in complex with its natural substrate spermidine (SPD), we identified the mode of substrate recognition. We also observed that other polyamines, namely spermine (SPM) and putrescine, bind DHS in a similar manner as SPD. Moreover, we performed activity assays showing that SPM could to some extent serve as an alternative DHS substrate. In contrast to previous studies, we demonstrate that no conformational changes occur in the DHS structure upon spermidine-binding. By combining mutagenesis and a light-scattering approach, we show that a conserved “ball-and-chain” motif is indispensable to assembling a functional DHS tetramer. Our study substantially advances our knowledge of the substrate recognition mechanism by DHS and may aid the design of pharmacological compounds for potential applications in cancer therapy.
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14
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Hashimoto H, Kafková L, Raczkowski A, Jordan KD, Read LK, Debler EW. Structural Basis of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase Activation by a Catalytically Dead Homolog (Prozyme). J Mol Biol 2020; 432:410-426. [PMID: 31726063 PMCID: PMC6995776 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Prozymes are pseudoenzymes that stimulate the function of weakly active enzymes through complex formation. The major Trypanosoma brucei protein arginine methyltransferase, TbPRMT1 enzyme (ENZ), requires TbPRMT1 prozyme (PRO) to form an active heterotetrameric complex. Here, we present the X-ray crystal structure of the TbPRMT1 ENZ-Δ52PRO tetrameric complex with the cofactor product S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine (AdoHcy) at 2.4 Å resolution. The individual ENZ and PRO units adopt the highly-conserved PRMT domain architecture and form an antiparallel heterodimer that corresponds to the canonical homodimer observed in all previously reported PRMTs. In turn, two such heterodimers assemble into a tetramer both in the crystal and in solution with twofold rotational symmetry. ENZ is unstable in absence of PRO and incapable of forming a homodimer due to a steric clash of an ENZ-specific tyrosine within the dimerization arm, rationalizing why PRO is required to complement ENZ to form a PRMT dimer that is necessary, but not sufficient for PRMT activity. The PRO structure deviates from other, active PRMTs in that it lacks the conserved η2 310-helix within the Rossmann fold, abolishing cofactor binding. In addition to its chaperone function for ENZ, PRO substantially contributes to substrate binding. Heterotetramerization is required for catalysis, as heterodimeric ENZ-PRO mutants lack binding affinity and methyltransferase activity toward the substrate protein TbRGG1. Together, we provide a structural basis for TbPRMT1 ENZ activation by PRO heterotetramer formation, which is conserved across all kinetoplastids, and describe a chaperone function of the TbPRMT1 prozyme, which represents a novel mode of PRMT regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideharu Hashimoto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas
Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Lucie Kafková
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Witebsky
Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203,
USA
| | - Ashleigh Raczkowski
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York Structural
Biology Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Kelsey D. Jordan
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York Structural
Biology Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Laurie K. Read
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Witebsky
Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203,
USA
| | - Erik W. Debler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas
Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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15
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Ribeiro AJM, Das S, Dawson N, Zaru R, Orchard S, Thornton JM, Orengo C, Zeqiraj E, Murphy JM, Eyers PA. Emerging concepts in pseudoenzyme classification, evolution, and signaling. Sci Signal 2019; 12:eaat9797. [PMID: 31409758 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aat9797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The 21st century is witnessing an explosive surge in our understanding of pseudoenzyme-driven regulatory mechanisms in biology. Pseudoenzymes are proteins that have sequence homology with enzyme families but that are proven or predicted to lack enzyme activity due to mutations in otherwise conserved catalytic amino acids. The best-studied pseudoenzymes are pseudokinases, although examples from other families are emerging at a rapid rate as experimental approaches catch up with an avalanche of freely available informatics data. Kingdom-wide analysis in prokaryotes, archaea and eukaryotes reveals that between 5 and 10% of proteins that make up enzyme families are pseudoenzymes, with notable expansions and contractions seemingly associated with specific signaling niches. Pseudoenzymes can allosterically activate canonical enzymes, act as scaffolds to control assembly of signaling complexes and their localization, serve as molecular switches, or regulate signaling networks through substrate or enzyme sequestration. Molecular analysis of pseudoenzymes is rapidly advancing knowledge of how they perform noncatalytic functions and is enabling the discovery of unexpected, and previously unappreciated, functions of their intensively studied enzyme counterparts. Notably, upon further examination, some pseudoenzymes have previously unknown enzymatic activities that could not have been predicted a priori. Pseudoenzymes can be targeted and manipulated by small molecules and therefore represent new therapeutic targets (or anti-targets, where intervention should be avoided) in various diseases. In this review, which brings together broad bioinformatics and cell signaling approaches in the field, we highlight a selection of findings relevant to a contemporary understanding of pseudoenzyme-based biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- António J M Ribeiro
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Sayoni Das
- Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Natalie Dawson
- Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Rossana Zaru
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Sandra Orchard
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Janet M Thornton
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Christine Orengo
- Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Elton Zeqiraj
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Astbury Building, Room 8.109, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - James M Murphy
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Patrick A Eyers
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK.
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16
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Abstract
A critical function of spermidine is in the formation of hypusine, an essential post-translational modification of eukaryotic initiation factor eIF5A. In this issue of Structure, Afandor et al. (2018) determine the crystal structure of trypanosomal deoxyhypusine synthase, which shows that gene duplication and subsequent mutations provide significant differences from the mammalian equivalent exploitable for drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony E Pegg
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, PA 17033, USA.
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17
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Abstract
Polyamines are polycationic organic amines that are required for all eukaryotic life, exemplified by the polyamine spermidine, which plays an essential role in translation. They also play more specialized roles that differ across species, and their chemical versatility has been fully exploited during the evolution of protozoan pathogens. These eukaryotic pathogens, which cause some of the most globally widespread infectious diseases, have acquired species-specific polyamine-derived metabolites with essential cellular functions and have evolved unique mechanisms that regulate their core polyamine biosynthetic pathways. Many of these parasitic species have lost enzymes and or transporters from the polyamine metabolic pathway that are found in the human host. These pathway differences have prompted drug discovery efforts to target the parasite polyamine pathways, and indeed, the only clinically approved drug targeting the polyamine biosynthetic pathway is used to manage human African trypanosomiasis. This Minireview will primarily focus on polyamine metabolism and function in Trypanosoma, Leishmania, and Plasmodium species, which are the causative agents of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) and Chagas disease, Leishmaniasis, and malaria, respectively. Aspects of polyamine metabolism across a diverse group of protozoan pathogens will also be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret A Phillips
- From the Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75390-9038
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