Characterization of two site-specifically mutated human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenases (His-452—-Gln and Glu-457—-Gln)

Mutational studies on Leishmania donovani dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (LdBPK291950.1) indicates that the enzyme may not be classical class-I pyridine nucleotide-disulfide oxidoreductase

We report biochemical studies on two Cys residues mutation (Cys15Thr, Cys38Gly) nearest to the active site and three other amino acid substitution mutations expected to be the part of active site of LdDLDH_Variant1. Our biochemical studies show that the replacement of Cys15 increases the K_m for dihydrolipoamide (DLD) substrate by five folds and NAD⁺ by three fold indicating that this mutation affects the binding of DLD and NAD⁺ significantly. Cys38 was also mutated to 'Gly' which resulted in nine fold greater K_m for NAD⁺ without affecting K_m for DLD. However, even after these mutations (Cys15Thr and Cys38Gly), reduced enzyme activity suggests that both the 'Cys' residues are not involved in disulfide bond formation but affect the binding of substrates. The data hints towards the possibility of a different catalytic mechanism from the classical class I - pyridine nucleotide-disulfide oxidoreductase. Remaining other mutated residues Ala48Ile, Asp49Gly, and Ala54Ile showed an increase in two to three-folds K_m value for NAD⁺, which means these residues are important for the binding of NAD⁺ to the enzyme. However, Ala48Ile and Asp49Gly mutations showed a decrease of K_m for DLD. Apart from the mutational studies, localization of LdDLDH_Variant2 of LdDLDH was also analyzed.

Underlying molecular alterations in human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase deficiency revealed by structural analyses of disease-causing enzyme variants

Human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (hLADH, hE3) deficiency (OMIM# 246900) is an often prematurely lethal genetic disease usually caused by inactive or partially inactive hE3 variants. Here we report the crystal structure of wild-type hE3 at an unprecedented high resolution of 1.75 Å and the structures of six disease-causing hE3 variants at resolutions ranging from 1.44 to 2.34 Å. P453L proved to be the most deleterious substitution in structure as aberrations extensively compromised the active site. The most prevalent G194C-hE3 variant primarily exhibited structural alterations close to the substitution site, whereas the nearby cofactor-binding residues were left unperturbed. The G426E substitution mainly interfered with the local charge distribution introducing dynamics to the substitution site in the dimer interface; G194C and G426E both led to minor structural changes. The R460G, R447G and I445M substitutions all perturbed a solvent accessible channel, the so-called H+/H2O channel, leading to the active site. Molecular pathomechanisms of enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and impaired binding to multienzyme complexes were also addressed according to the structural data for the relevant mutations. In summary, we present here for the first time a comprehensive study that links three-dimensional structures of disease-causing hE3 variants to residual hLADH activities, altered capacities for ROS generation, compromised affinities for multienzyme complexes and eventually clinical symptoms. Our results may serve as useful starting points for future therapeutic intervention approaches.

An Updated View on the Molecular Pathomechanisms of Human Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency in Light of Novel Crystallographic Evidence

Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (LADH, E3) deficiency is a rare (autosomal, recessive) genetic disorder generally presenting with an onset in the neonatal age and early death; the highest carrier rate has been found among Ashkenazi Jews. Acute clinical episodes usually involve severe metabolic decompensation and lactate acidosis that result in neurological, cardiological, and/or hepatological manifestations. Clinical severity is due to the fact that LADH is a common E3 subunit to the alpha-ketoglutarate, pyruvate, alpha-ketoadipate, and branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complexes, and is also a constituent in the glycine cleavage system, thus a loss in LADH function adversely affects multiple key metabolic routes. However, the severe clinical pictures frequently still do not parallel the LADH activity loss, which implies the involvement of auxiliary biochemical mechanisms; enhanced reactive oxygen species generation as well as affinity loss for multienzyme complexes proved to be key auxiliary exacerbating pathomechanisms. This review provides an overview and an up-to-date molecular insight into the pathomechanisms of this disease in light of the structural conclusions drawn from the first crystal structure of a disease-causing hE3 variant determined recently in our laboratory.

Interaction of chlorpropamide with serum albumin: Effect on advanced glycated end (AGE) product fluorescence

Carrier proteins like bovine or human serum albumin (BSA and HSA, respectively) are prone to glycation as compared to the other available proteins. In this study, reducing sugars such as l-arabinose (ara), d-(-) galactose (gal) and d-(-) fructose (fru) were used to create model glycated serum albumins and binding ability of these with well-known antidiabetic drug chlorpropamide (CPM) was monitored. Fluorescence quenching experiment revealed that interaction of CPM with native as well as glycated albumins undergoes through a ground state complex formation. CPM binds strongly to glycated HSA with arabinose (gHSA_ara) as compared to other glycated systems and to the native proteins. CPM interacts through Van der Waals and hydrogen bonding interaction to glycated BSA by d-(-) fructose (gBSA_fru) and also with native HSA; whereas, it's interaction with BSA and others glycated systems like gBSA_ara, gBSA_gal and gHSA_ara occurs primarily through hydrophobic interaction. CPM showed an enhancement in the production of the advanced glycated end products (AGE) in all the glycated proteins. The difference in the binding capability of CPM to differently glycated albumins could be a major model to understand the drug carrying capacity of the glycated serum albumins.

Human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (E3) deficiency: Novel insights into the structural basis and molecular pathomechanism

This review summarizes our present view on the molecular pathogenesis of human (h) E3-deficiency caused by a variety of genetic alterations with a special emphasis on the moonlighting biochemical phenomena related to the affected (dihydro)lipoamide dehydrogenase (LADH, E3, gene: dld), in particular the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). E3-deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder frequently presenting with a neonatal onset and premature death; the highest carrier rate of a single pathogenic dld mutation (1:94-1:110) was found among Ashkenazi Jews. Patients usually die during acute episodes that generally involve severe metabolic decompensation and lactic acidosis leading to neurological, cardiological, and/or hepatological manifestations. The disease owes its severity to the fact that LADH is the common E3 subunit of the alpha-ketoglutarate (KGDHc), pyruvate (PDHc), and branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complexes and is also part of the glycine cleavage system, hence the malfunctioning of LADH simultaneously incapacitates several central metabolic pathways. Nevertheless, the clinical pictures are usually not unequivocally portrayed through the loss of LADH activities and imply auxiliary mechanisms that exacerbate the symptoms and outcomes of this disorder. Enhanced ROS generation by disease-causing hE3 variants as well as by the E1-E2 subcomplex of the hKGDHc likely contributes to selected pathogeneses of E3-deficiency, which could be targeted by specific drugs or antioxidants; lipoic acid was demonstrated to be a potent inhibitor of ROS generation by hE3 in vitro. Flavin supplementation might prove to be beneficial for those mutations triggering FAD loss in the hE3 component. Selected pathogenic hE3 variants lose their affinity for the E2 component of the hPDHc, a mechanism which warrants scrutiny also for other E3-haboring complexes.

Structural alterations induced by ten disease-causing mutations of human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase analyzed by hydrogen/deuterium-exchange mass spectrometry: Implications for the structural basis of E3 deficiency

Pathogenic amino acid substitutions of the common E3 component (hE3) of the human alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and the pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes lead to severe metabolic diseases (E3 deficiency), which usually manifest themselves in cardiological and/or neurological symptoms and often cause premature death. To date, 14 disease-causing amino acid substitutions of the hE3 component have been reported in the clinical literature. None of the pathogenic protein variants has lent itself to high-resolution structure elucidation by X-ray or NMR. Hence, the structural alterations of the hE3 protein caused by the disease-causing mutations and leading to dysfunction, including the enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species by selected disease-causing variants, could only be speculated. Here we report results of an examination of the effects on the protein structure of ten pathogenic mutations of hE3 using hydrogen/deuterium-exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), a new and state-of-the-art approach of solution structure elucidation. On the basis of the results, putative structural and mechanistic conclusions were drawn regarding the molecular pathogenesis of each disease-causing hE3 mutation addressed in this study.

Structural alterations by five disease-causing mutations in the low-pH conformation of human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (hLADH) analyzed by molecular dynamics - Implications in functional loss and modulation of reactive oxygen species generation by pathogenic hLADH forms

Human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (hLADH) is a flavoenzyme component (E3) of the human alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (α-KGDHc) and few other dehydrogenase complexes. Pathogenic mutations of hLADH cause severe metabolic diseases (atypical forms of E3 deficiency) that often escalate to cardiological or neurological presentations and even premature death; the pathologies are generally accompanied by lactic acidosis. hLADH presents a distinct conformation under acidosis (pH 5.5–6.8) with lower physiological activity and the capacity of generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). It has been shown by our laboratory that selected pathogenic mutations, besides lowering the physiological activity of hLADH, significantly stimulate ROS generation by hLADH, especially at lower pH, which might play a role in the pathogenesis of E3-deficiency in respective cases. Previously, we generated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation the low-pH hLADH structure and analyzed the structural changes induced in this structure by eight of the pathogenic mutations of hLADH. In the absence of high resolution mutant structures these pieces of information are crucial for the mechanistic investigation of the molecular pathogeneses of the hLADH protein. In the present work we analyzed by molecular dynamics simulation the structural changes induced in the low-pH conformation of hLADH by five pathogenic mutations of hLADH; the structures of these disease-causing mutants of hLADH have never been examined before.

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5 disease-causing mutants of hLADH were subjected to MD to reveal structural changes.

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MD simulations were carried out both in vacuum and in water supplemented with ions.

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Functional regions significantly affected by mutation were identified.

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Implicated residues are to be targeted in mechanistic studies of hLADH dysfunction.

A pH-dependent kinetic model of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase from multiple organisms

Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase is a flavoenzyme that reversibly catalyzes the oxidation of reduced lipoyl substrates with the reduction of NAD(+) to NADH. In vivo, the dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase component (E3) is associated with the pyruvate, α-ketoglutarate, and glycine dehydrogenase complexes. The pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex connects the glycolytic flux to the tricarboxylic acid cycle and is central to the regulation of primary metabolism. Regulation of PDH via regulation of the E3 component by the NAD(+)/NADH ratio represents one of the important physiological control mechanisms of PDH activity. Furthermore, previous experiments with the isolated E3 component have demonstrated the importance of pH in dictating NAD(+)/NADH ratio effects on enzymatic activity. Here, we show that a three-state mechanism that represents the major redox states of the enzyme and includes a detailed representation of the active-site chemistry constrained by both equilibrium and thermodynamic loop constraints can be used to model regulatory NAD(+)/NADH ratio and pH effects demonstrated in progress-curve and initial-velocity data sets from rat, human, Escherichia coli, and spinach enzymes. Global fitting of the model provides stable predictions to the steady-state distributions of enzyme redox states as a function of lipoamide/dihydrolipoamide, NAD(+)/NADH, and pH. These distributions were calculated using physiological NAD(+)/NADH ratios representative of the diverse organismal sources of E3 analyzed in this study. This mechanistically detailed, thermodynamically constrained, pH-dependent model of E3 provides a stable platform on which to accurately model multicomponent enzyme complexes that implement E3 from a variety of organisms.

Molecular dynamics study of the structural basis of dysfunction and the modulation of reactive oxygen species generation by pathogenic mutants of human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase

Human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (LADH, E3) is a component in the pyruvate-, alpha-ketoglutarate- and branched-chain ketoacid dehydrogenase complexes and in the glycine cleavage system. The pathogenic mutations of LADH cause severe metabolic disturbances, called E3 deficiency that often involve cardiological and neurological symptoms and premature death. Our laboratory has recently shown that some of the known pathogenic mutations augment the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capacity of LADH, which may contribute to the clinical presentations. A recent report concluded that elevated oxidative stress generated by the above mutants turns the lipoic acid cofactor on the E2 subunits dysfunctional. In the present contribution we generated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation the conformation of LADH that is proposed to be compatible with ROS generation. We propose here for the first time the structural changes, which are likely to turn the physiological LADH conformation to its ROS-generating conformation. We also created nine of the pathogenic mutants of the ROS-generating conformation and again used MD simulation to detect structural changes that the mutations induced in this LADH conformation. We propose the structural changes that may lead to the modulation in ROS generation of LADH by the pathogenic mutations.

Mutations in the dimer interface of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase promote site-specific oxidative damages in yeast and human cells

Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (DLD) is a multifunctional protein well characterized as the E3 component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complexes. Previously, conditions predicted to destabilize the DLD dimer revealed that DLD could also function as a diaphorase and serine protease. However, the relevance of these cryptic activities remained undefined. We analyzed human DLD mutations linked to strikingly different clinical phenotypes, including E340K, D444V, R447G, and R460G in the dimer interface domain that are responsible for severe multisystem disorders of infancy and G194C in the NAD(+)-binding domain that is typically associated with milder presentations. In vitro, all of these mutations decreased to various degrees dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase activity, whereas dimer interface mutations also enhanced proteolytic and/or diaphorase activity. Human DLD proteins carrying each individual mutation complemented fully the respiratory-deficient phenotype of yeast cells lacking endogenous DLD even when residual dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase activity was as low as 21% of controls. However, under elevated oxidative stress, expression of DLD proteins with dimer interface mutations greatly accelerated the loss of respiratory function, resulting from enhanced oxidative damage to the lipoic acid cofactor of pyruvate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and other mitochondrial targets. This effect was not observed with the G194C mutation or a mutation that disrupts the proteolytic active site of DLD. As in yeast, lipoic acid cofactor was damaged in human D444V-homozygous fibroblasts after exposure to oxidative stress. We conclude that the cryptic activities of DLD promote oxidative damage to neighboring molecules and thus contribute to the clinical severity of DLD mutations.

Interaction of E1 and E3 components with the core proteins of the human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

The human (h) pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (hPDC) consists of multiple copies of several components: pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1), dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (E2), dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (E3), E3-binding protein (BP), and specific kinases and phosphatases. Mammalian PDC has a well organized structure with an icosahedral symmetry of the central E2/BP core to which the other component proteins bind non-covalently. Both hE2 and hBP consist of three well defined domains, namely the lipoyl domain, the subunit-binding domain and the inner domain, connected with flexible linkers. hE1 (alpha(2)beta(2)) binds to the subunit-binding domain of hE2; whereas hE3 binds to the E3-binding domain of hBP. Among several residues of the C-terminal surface of the hE1beta E1betaD289 was found to interact with hE2K276. The C-terminal residue I329 of the hE1beta did not participate in binding to hE2. This latter finding shows specificity in the interaction between E1beta and E2 in hPDC. The selective binding between hE3 and the E3-binding domain of hBP was investigated using specific mutants. E3R460G and E3340K showed significant reductions in affinity for hBP as determined by surface plasmon resonance. Both residues are involved in the structural organization of the binding site on hE3. Substitution of I157, N137 and R155 of hBP resulted in variable increases in the K(D) for binding with wild-type hE3, suggesting that the binding results from several weak electrostatic bonds and hydrophobic interactions among residues of hBP with residues at the interface of dimeric hE3. These results provide insight in the mono-specificity of binding of E1 to E2 and E3 to BP in hPDC and showed the differences in the binding of peripheral components (E1 and E3) in human and bacterial PDCs.

The role of amino acids T148 and R281 in human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase

Human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (hE3) is a common component of alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complexes. Mutations of this homodimeric protein cause E3 deficiency and are always fatal. To investigate its reaction mechanism, we first performed multiple sequence alignment with other 17 eukaryotic E3s. According to hE3 structure and the result of multiple sequence alignment, two amino acids, T148 and R281, were subjected to mutagenesis and four hE3 mutants, T148G, T148S, R281N, and R281K, were expressed and assayed. The specific activities of T148G, T148S, R281N, and R281K are 76.34%, 88.62%, 12.50%, and 11.93% to that of wild-type E3, respectively. The FAD content analysis indicated that the FAD content of these mutant E3s were about 71.0%, 92%, 96%, and 93% that of wild-type E3, respectively. The molecular weight analysis showed that these three mutant proteins form the dimer. Kinetic data demonstrated that the K(cat) of forward reaction of all mutants, except T148 mutants, were decreased dramatically. The results of kinetic study suggest that T148 is not important to E3 catalytic function and R281 play a role in the catalytic function of the E3.

A new level of architectural complexity in the human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

Mammalian pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (PDC) is a key metabolic assembly comprising a 60-meric pentagonal dodecahedral E2 (dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase) core attached to which are 30 pyruvate decarboxylase E1 heterotetramers and 6 dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase E3 homodimers at maximal occupancy. Stable E3 integration is mediated by an accessory E3-binding protein (E3BP) located on each of the 12 E2 icosahedral faces. Here, we present evidence for a novel subunit organization in which E3 and E3BP form subcomplexes with a 1:2 stoichiometry implying the existence of a network of E3 "cross-bridges" linking pairs of E3BPs across the surface of the E2 core assembly. We have also determined a low resolution structure for a truncated E3BP/E3 subcomplex using small angle x-ray scattering showing one of the E3BP lipoyl domains docked into the E3 active site. This new level of architectural complexity in mammalian PDC contrasts with the recently published crystal structure of human E3 complexed with its cognate subunit binding domain and provides important new insights into subunit organization, its catalytic mechanism and regulation by the intrinsic PDC kinase.

Crystal structure of human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase: NAD+/NADH binding and the structural basis of disease-causing mutations

Human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (hE3) is an enzymatic component common to the mitochondrial alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase and glycine decarboxylase complexes. Mutations to this homodimeric flavoprotein cause the often-fatal human disease known as E3 deficiency. To catalyze the oxidation of dihydrolipoamide, hE3 uses two molecules: non-covalently bound FAD and a transiently bound substrate, NAD+. To address the catalytic mechanism of hE3 and the structural basis for E3 deficiency, the crystal structures of hE3 in the presence of NAD+ or NADH have been determined at resolutions of 2.5A and 2.1A, respectively. Although the overall fold of the enzyme is similar to that of yeast E3, these two structures differ at two loops that protrude from the proteins and at their FAD-binding sites. The structure of oxidized hE3 with NAD+ bound demonstrates that the nicotinamide moiety is not proximal to the FAD. When NADH is present, however, the nicotinamide base stacks directly on the isoalloxazine ring system of the FAD. This is the first time that this mechanistically requisite conformation of NAD+ or NADH has been observed in E3 from any species. Because E3 structures were previously available only from unicellular organisms, speculations regarding the molecular mechanisms of E3 deficiency were based on homology models. The current hE3 structures show directly that the disease-causing mutations occur at three locations in the human enzyme: the dimer interface, the active site, and the FAD and NAD(+)-binding sites. The mechanisms by which these mutations impede the function of hE3 are discussed.

The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum possesses two distinct dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenases

The Plasmodium falciparum genome contains genes encoding three alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase multienzyme complexes (KADHs) that have central metabolic functions. The parasites possess two distinct genes encoding dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenases (LipDH), which are indispensable subunits of KADHs. This situation is reminiscent of that in plants, where two distinct LipDHs are found in mitochondria and chloroplasts, respectively, that are part of the organelle-specific KADHs. In this study, we show by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) that the genes encoding subunits of all three KADHs, including both LipDHs, are transcribed during the erythrocytic development of P. falciparum. Protein expression of mitochondrial LipDH and mitochondrial branched chain alpha-ketoacid dihydrolipoamide transacylase in these parasite stages was confirmed by Western blotting. The localization of the two LipDHs to the parasite's apicoplast and mitochondrion, respectively, was shown by expressing the LipDH N-terminal presequences fused to green fluorescent protein in erythrocytic stages of P. falciparum and by immunofluorescent colocalization with organelle-specific markers. Biochemical characterization of recombinantly expressed mitochondrial LipDH revealed that the protein has kinetic and physicochemical characteristics typical of these flavo disulphide oxidoreductases. We propose that the mitochondrial LipDH is part of the mitochondrial alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complexes and that the apicoplast LipDH is an integral part of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex which occurs only in the apicoplast in P. falciparum.

Purification of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of Zymomonas mobilis and identification and sequence analysis of the corresponding genes

The pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex of the gram-negative bacterium Zymomonas mobilis was purified to homogeneity. From 250 g of cells, we isolated 1 mg of PDH complex with a specific activity of 12.6 U/mg of protein. Analysis of subunit composition revealed a PDH (E1) consisting of the two subunits E1alpha (38 kDa) and E1beta (56 kDa), a dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (E2) of 48 kDa, and a lipoamide dehydrogenase (E3) of 50 kDa. The E2 core of the complex is arranged to form a pentagonal dodecahedron, as shown by electron microscopic images, resembling the quaternary structures of PDH complexes from gram-positive bacteria and eukaryotes. The PDH complex-encoding genes were identified by hybridization experiments and sequence analysis in two separate gene regions in the genome of Z. mobilis. The genes pdhAalpha (1,065 bp) and pdhAbeta (1,389 bp), encoding the E1alpha and E1beta subunits of the E1 component, were located downstream of the gene encoding enolase. The pdhB (1,323 bp) and lpd (1,401 bp) genes, encoding the E2 and E3 components, were identified in an unrelated gene region together with a 450-bp open reading frame (ORF) of unknown function in the order pdhB-ORF2-lpd. Highest similarities of the gene products of the pdhAalpha, pdhAbeta, and pdhB genes were found with the corresponding enzymes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other eukaryotes. Like the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferases of S. cerevisiae and numerous other organisms, the product of the pdhB gene contains a single lipoyl domain. The E1beta subunit PDH was found to contain an amino-terminal lipoyl domain, a property which is unique among PDHs.

Targeted disruption of the murine dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase gene (Dld) results in perigastrulation lethality

The Dld gene product, known as dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase or the E3 component, catalyzes the oxidation of dihydrolipoyl moieties of four mitochondrial multienzyme complexes: pyruvate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase, and the glycine cleavage system. Deficiency of E3 activity in humans results in various degrees of neurological dysfunction and organic acidosis caused by accumulation of branched-chain amino acids and lactic acid. In this study, we have introduced a null mutation into the murine Dld gene (Dldtm1mjp). The heterozygous animals are shown to have approximately half of wild-type activity levels for E3 and all affected multienzyme complexes but are phenotypically normal. In contrast, the Dld-/- class dies prenatally with apparent developmental delay at 7.5 days postcoitum followed by resorption by 9.5 days postcoitum. The Dld-/- embryos cease to develop at a time shortly after implantation into the uterine wall when most of the embryos have begun to gastrulate. This null phenotype provides in vivo evidence for the requirement of a mitochondrial oxidative pathway during the perigastrulation period. Furthermore, the early prenatal lethal condition of the complete deficiency state may explain the low incidence of detectable cases of E3 deficiency in humans.

Cloning, sequencing and functional expression of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase from the human pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi

This work presents the complete sequences of a cDNA and the two allelic genes of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (LipDH) from Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis). The full-length cDNA has an ORF of 1431 bp and encodes a protein of 477 amino acid residues. LipDH is a homodimeric protein with FAD as prosthetic group. The calculated molecular mass of the subunit of the mature protein with bound FAD is 50,066. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of LipDH from T. cruzi with that of Trypanosoma brucei and man shows identities of 81% and 50%, respectively. An N-terminal nonapeptide, not present in the mature enzyme, represents a mitochondrial targeting sequence so far found only in trypanosomatids. The gene lpd1 of T. cruzi LipDH was expressed without the targeting sequence in Escherichia coli JRG1342 cells which are deficient for LipDH. For this purpose an ATG codon was introduced directly upstream the codon for Asn10 which represents the N-terminus of the mature protein. This system allowed the synthesis of 1000 U T. cruzi LipDH/1 bacterial cell culture. The recombinant protein was purified to homogeneity by (NH4)2SO4-precipitation and affinity chromatography on 5' AMP-Sepharose. The K(m) values for NAD+, NADH, lipoamide and dihydrolipoamide are identical with those of the enzyme isolated from the parasite. LipDH is present in all major developmental stages of T. cruzi as shown by northern and western blot analyses. This finding is in agreement with the citric acid cycle being active throughout the whole life cycle of the parasite. In vitro studies on a mammalian LipDH revealed the ability of the flavoenzyme to catalyze the redoxcycling and superoxide anion production of nitrofuran derivatives including the antitrypanosomal drug Nifurtimox. For that reason T. cruzi LipDH is regarded as a promising target for the structure-based development of new antiparasitic drugs. The bacterial expression system for the parasite enzyme will now allow the study of the role of T. cruzi LipDH in drug activation and the crystallization of the protein.

Spectroscopic studies of the characterization of recombinant human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase and its site-directed mutants

In this paper, we report the overexpression and single-step purification of recombinant wild-type and site-directed mutants of human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase in Escherichia coli and detailed spectroscopic studies aimed at understanding the catalytic mechanism of this enzyme. One mutation (K37E) has been identified in a patient lacking dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase activity and has been reported previously (Liu, T.-C., Kim, H., Arizmendi, C., Kitano, A., and Patel, M. S. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 90, 5186-5190), while the other two mutations were previously generated specifically to address the role of the active-site base (His-452) and its ion pair (Glu-457). Circular dichroic and fluorescence spectroscopic data illustrate the role of these amino acids in maintaining the structure and function of human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase. While mutant H452Q is severely crippled in catalysis of the physiological reaction, the reverse reaction is affected in the E457Q mutant. The K37E mutant shows very little deviation from the wild-type enzyme.

Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase: activity assays

We have described the most commonly used assay procedures determination of the DHLipDH activities from prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. We have also described the procedures for the preparation of tissue extracts to determine the enzymatic activity. We have briefly alluded to the problems inherent in these assay procedures and suggested some precautions for using the assays to determine DHLipDH activity. We have also included a statement about the purification procedures and described some of the properties of this enzyme, which might help the reader in planning studies. We have, by no means, attempted to be comprehensive in this regard; therefore, the reader should consult the appropriate references (and references therein).