Molecular cloning of chick lysyl hydroxylase. Little homology in primary structure to the two types of subunit of prolyl 4-hydroxylase

Secretion and assembly of type IV and VI collagens depend on glycosylation of hydroxylysines

Most lysines in type IV and VI collagens are hydroxylated and glycosylated, but the functions of these unique galactosylhydroxylysyl and glucosylgalactosylhydroxylysyl residues are poorly understood. The formation of glycosylated hydroxylysines is catalyzed by multifunctional lysyl hydroxylase 3 (LH3) in vivo, and we have used LH3-manipulated mice and cells as models to study the function of these carbohydrates. These hydroxylysine-linked carbohydrates were shown recently to be indispensable for the formation of basement membranes (Ruotsalainen, H., Sipilä, L., Vapola, M., Sormunen, R., Salo, A. M., Uitto, L., Mercer, D. K., Robins, S. P., Risteli, M., Aszodi, A., Fässler, R., and Myllylä, R. (2006) J. Cell Sci. 119, 625-635). Analysis of LH3 knock-out embryos and cells in this work indicated that loss of glycosylated hydroxylysines prevents the intracellular tetramerization of type VI collagen and leads to impaired secretion of type IV and VI collagens. Mice lacking the LH activity of LH3 produced slightly underglycosylated type IV and VI collagens with abnormal distribution. The altered distribution and aggregation of type VI collagen led to similar ultrastructural alterations in muscle to those detected in collagen VI knockout and some Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy patients. Our results provide new information about the function of hydroxylysine-linked carbohydrates of collagens, indicating that they play an important role in the secretion, assembly, and distribution of highly glycosylated collagen types.

Expanding the lysyl hydroxylase toolbox: New insights into the localization and activities of lysyl hydroxylase 3 (LH3)

Hydroxylysine and its glycosylated forms, galactosylhydroxylysine and glucosylgalactosylhydroxylysine, are post-translational modifications unique to collagenous sequences. They are found in collagens and in many proteins having a collagenous domain in their structure. Since the last published reviews, significant new data have accumulated regarding these modifications. One of the lysyl hydroxylase isoforms, lysyl hydroxylase 3 (LH3), has been shown to possess three catalytic activities required sequentially to produce hydroxylysine and its glycosylated forms, that is, the lysyl hydroxylase (LH), galactosyltransferase (GT), and glucosyltransferase (GGT) activities. Studies on mouse models have revealed the importance of these different activities of LH3 in vivo. LH3 is the main molecule responsible for GGT activity in mouse embryos. A lack of this activity causes intracellular accumulation of type IV collagen, which disrupts the formation of basement membranes (BMs) during mouse embryogenesis and leads to embryonic lethality. The specific inactivation of the LH activity of LH3 causes minor alterations in the structure of the BM and collagen fibril organization, but does not affect the lifespan of mutated mice. Recent data from zebrafish demonstrate that growth cone migration depends critically on the LH3 glycosyltransferase domain. LH3 is located in the ER loosely associated with the membranes, but, unlike the other isoforms, LH3 is also found in the extracellular space in some tissues. LH3 is able to adjust the amount of hydroxylysine and hydroxylysine-linked carbohydrates of extracellular proteins in their native conformation, suggesting that it may have a role in matrix remodeling.

Identification, expression, and tissue distribution of the three rat lysyl hydroxylase isoforms

Lysyl hydroxylases (LH) (procollagen-lysine 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase; PLOD) catalyse the hydroxylation of lysine residues during the post-translational modification of collagenous proteins. In this paper, we describe the first identification and cloning of LH isoforms 2 and 3 from the rat, including both LH2 splice variants (LH2a and LH2b). The rat LHs are expressed in almost all tissue and cell types examined, indicating a probable lack of tissue specificity for LH function. All LH isoforms were stably transfected into CHO-K1 cells and this represents the first example of recombinant LH production in a eukaryotic cell line. Expression and production of all LH isoforms led to an increase in total collagen synthesis. LH1 and LH2a expression and production led to an increase in total pyridinium cross-link production. Evidence that LH2a possesses telopeptide lysyl hydroxylase activity, previously thought to be a novel enzyme, is presented.

Cloning of parsley flavone synthase I

A cDNA encoding flavone synthase I was amplified by RT-PCR from leaflets of Petroselinum crispum cv. Italian Giant seedlings and functionally expressed in yeast cells. The identity of the recombinant, 2-oxoglutarate-dependent enzyme was verified in assays converting (2S)-naringenin to apigenin.

Inhibition of lysyl hydroxylase by malathion and malaoxon

The inhibition of lysyl hydroxylation in newly synthesized collagen by malathion and its oxidation product malaoxon were studied with cultured rat fetal lung fibroblasts. Exposure of these cells to 125 microM malathion or malaoxon for 96 h resulted in a 25 and a 30% decrease in the ratio of hydroxylated lysine/lysine residues, respectively, in acid hydrolyzed cell lysates compared to control values. This relative decrease in hydroxylysine was not caused by cytotoxicity or changes in total collagen content, which were found to remain constant as measured by Alamar Blue metabolism and Sircol dye binding assays. Direct inhibition of lysyl hydroxylase by malathion and malaoxon was observed using an in vitro enzyme assay with recombinant lysyl hydroxylase with a baculoviral system. The IC50 values for malathion and malaoxon were estimated to be approximately 60 and 45 microM, respectively. These observed IC50 values are consistent with calculated values for the intracellular concentration of malathion in the cell culture experiments. These results support a significant role for inhibition of lysyl hydroxylase activity as causing, or contributing to, the teratogenic effects of malathion and malaoxon.

Identification of a novel saturable endoplasmic reticulum localization mechanism mediated by the C-terminus of a Dictyostelium protein disulfide isomerase

Localization of soluble endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident proteins is likely achieved by the complementary action of retrieval and retention mechanisms. Whereas the machinery involving the H/KDEL and related retrieval signals in targeting escapees back to the ER is well characterized, other mechanisms including retention are still poorly understood. We have identified a protein disulfide isomerase (Dd-PDI) lacking the HDEL retrieval signal normally found at the C terminus of ER residents in Dictyostelium discoideum. Here we demonstrate that its 57 residue C-terminal domain is necessary for intracellular retention of Dd-PDI and sufficient to localize a green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimera to the ER, especially to the nuclear envelope. Dd-PDI and GFP-PDI57 are recovered in similar cation-dependent complexes. The overexpression of GFP-PDI57 leads to disruption of endogenous PDI complexes and induces the secretion of PDI, whereas overexpression of a GFP-HDEL chimera induces the secretion of endogenous calreticulin, revealing the presence of two independent and saturable mechanisms. Finally, low-level expression of Dd-PDI but not of PDI truncated of its 57 C-terminal residues complements the otherwise lethal yeast TRG1/PDI1 null mutation, demonstrating functional disulfide isomerase activity and ER localization. Altogether, these results indicate that the PDI57 peptide contains ER localization determinants recognized by a conserved machinery present in D. discoideum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Site-directed mutagenesis and biochemical analysis of the endogenous ligands in the ferrous active site of clavaminate synthase. The His-3 variant of the 2-His-1-carboxylate model

The facial 2-His-1-carboxylate (Asp/Glu) motif has emerged as the structural paradigm for metal binding in the alpha-ketoglutarate (alpha-KG)-dependent nonheme iron oxygenases. Clavaminate synthase (CS2) is an unusual member of this enzyme family that mediates three different, nonsequential reactions during the biosynthesis of the beta-lactamase inhibitor clavulanic acid. In this study, covalent modification of CS2 by the affinity label N-bromoacetyl-L-arginine near His297, which is within the HRV signature of a His-2 motif, suggested this histidine could play a role in metal coordination. However, site-specific mutagenesis of eight His residues to Gln identified His145 and His280, but not His297, as involved in iron binding. Weak homology of His145 and its flanking sequence and the presence of Glu147 fitting the canonical acidic residue of the His-Xaa-Asp/Glu signature are consistent with His145 being a coordinating ligand (His-1). His280 and its flanking sequence, which give poor alignments to most other members of this enzyme family, are similar among a subset of these enzymes and notably to CarC, an apparent oxygenase involved in carbapenem biosynthesis. The separation of His145 and His280 is more than twice that seen in the current 2-His-1-carboxylate model and may define an alternative iron binding motif, which we propose as His-3. These ligand assignments, based on kinetic measurements of both oxidative cyclization/desaturation and hydroxylation assays, establish that no histidine ligand switching occurs during the catalytic cycle. These results are confirmed in a recent X-ray crystal structure of CS1, a highly similar isozyme of CS2 (81% identical). Tyr299, Tyr300 in CS2 modified by N-bromoacetyl-L-arginine, is hydrogen bonded to Glu146 (Glu147 in CS2) in this structure and well-positioned for reaction with the affinity label.

A compound heterozygote patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VI has a deletion in one allele and a splicing defect in the other allele of the lysyl hydroxylase gene

We report the first deletion mutation and the first splicing defect in the lysyl hydroxylase gene in a compound heterozygote patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VI with markedly reduced lysyl hydroxylase activity. Northern analysis of the RNA isolated from skin fibroblasts of the patient demonstrated the presence of a truncated lysyl hydroxylase mRNA. PCR and sequence analysis confirmed the truncation and indicated that the cells contain two types of shortened mRNAs, one lacking the sequences corresponding to exon 16 and the other lacking that corresponding to exon 17 of the lysyl hydroxylase gene. Analysis of genomic DNA revealed deletion of the penultimate adenosine from the 3' end of intron 15 from one allele. This defect was probably responsible for the skipping of exon 16 sequences from the transcript. The other allele, inherited from the mother, contains an Alu-Alu recombination with a deletion of about 3,000 nucleotides from the gene; this abnormality explains the lack of exon 17 sequences. The identified mutations in exon 16 and exon 17 do not alter the reading frame of the transcripts.

Microbial proline 4-hydroxylase screening and gene cloning

Microbial proline 4-hydroxylases, which hydroxylate free L-proline to trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline, were screened in order to establish an industrial system for biotransformation of L-proline to trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline. Enzyme activities were detected in eight strains, including strains of Dactylosporangium spp. and Amycolatopsis spp. The Dactylosporangium sp. strain RH1 enzyme was partially purified 3,300-fold and was estimated to be a monomer polypeptide with an apparent molecular mass of 31 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Degenerate primers based on the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 31-kDa polypeptide were synthesized in order to amplify the corresponding 71-bp DNA fragment. A 5.5-kbp DNA fragment was isolated by using the 71-bp fragment labeled with digoxigenin as a probe for a genomic library of Dactylosporangium sp. strain RH1 constructed in Escherichia coli. One of the open reading frames found in the cloned DNA, which encoded a 272-amino-acid polypeptide (molecular mass, 29, 715 daltons), was thought to be a proline 4-hydroxylase gene. The gene was expressed in E. coli as a fused protein with the N-terminal 34 amino acids of the beta-galactosidase alpha-fragment. The E. coli recombinant exhibited proline 4-hydroxylase activity that was 13. 6-fold higher than the activity in the original strain, Dactylosporangium sp. strain RH1. No homology was detected with other 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases when databases were searched; however, the histidine motif conserved in 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases was found in the gene.

Cloning of the alpha subunit of prolyl 4-hydroxylase from Drosophila and expression and characterization of the corresponding enzyme tetramer with some unique properties

Prolyl 4-hydroxylase catalyzes the formation of 4-hydroxyproline in collagens. The vertebrate enzymes are alpha2beta2 tetramers, whereas the Caenorhabditis elegans enzyme is an alphabeta dimer, the beta subunit being identical to protein-disulfide isomerase (PDI). We report here that the processed Drosophila melanogaster alpha subunit is 516 amino acid residues in length and shows 34 and 35% sequence identities to the two types of human alpha subunit and 31% identity to the C. elegans alpha subunit. Its coexpression in insect cells with the Drosophila PDI polypeptide produced an active enzyme tetramer, and small amounts of a hybrid tetramer were also obtained upon coexpression with human PDI. Four of the five recently identified critical residues at the catalytic site were conserved, but a histidine that probably helps the binding of 2-oxoglutarate to the Fe2+ and its decarboxylation was replaced by arginine 490. The enzyme had a higher Km for 2-oxoglutarate, a lower reaction velocity, and a higher percentage of uncoupled decarboxylation than the human enzymes. The mutation R490H reduced the percentage of uncoupled decarboxylation, whereas R490S increased the Km for 2-oxoglutarate, reduced the reaction velocity, and increased the percentage of uncoupled decarboxylation. The recently identified peptide-binding domain showed a relatively low identity to those from other species, and the Km of the Drosophila enzyme for (Pro-Pro-Gly)10 was higher than that of any other animal prolyl 4-hydroxylase studied. A 1. 9-kilobase mRNA coding for this alpha subunit was present in Drosophila larvae.

Cloning and characterization of a third human lysyl hydroxylase isoform

Lysyl hydroxylase (EC 1.14.11.4), a homodimer, catalyzes the formation of hydroxylysine in collagens. Recently, an isoenzyme termed lysyl hydroxylase 2 has been cloned from human sources [M. Valtavaara, H. Papponen, A.-M. Pirttilä, K. Hiltunen, H. Helander and R. Myllylä (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 6831-6834]. We report here on the cloning of a third human lysyl hydroxylase isoenzyme, termed lysyl hydroxylase 3. The cDNA clones encode a 738 amino acid polypeptide, including a signal peptide of 24 residues. The overall amino acid sequence identity between the processed human lysyl hydroxylase 3 and 1 polypeptides is 59%, and that between the processed lysyl hydroxylase 3 and 2 polypeptides is 57%, whereas the identity to the processed Caenorhabditis elegans polypeptide is only 45%. All four recently identified critical residues at the catalytic site, two histidines, one aspartate, and one arginine, are conserved in all these polypeptides. The mRNA for lysyl hydroxylase 3 was found to be expressed in a variety of tissues, but distinct differences appear to exist in the expression patterns of the three isoenzyme mRNAs. Recombinant lysyl hydroxylase 3 expressed in insect cells by means of a baculovirus vector was found to be more soluble than lysyl hydroxylase 1 expressed in the same cell type. No differences in catalytic properties were found between the recombinant lysyl hydroxylase 3 and 1 isoenzymes. Deficiency in lysyl hydroxylase 1 activity is known to cause the type VI variant of the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and it is therefore possible that deficiency in lysyl hydroxylase 3 activity may lead to some other variant of this syndrome or to some other heritable connective tissue disorder.

Identification of arginine-700 as the residue that binds the C-5 carboxyl group of 2-oxoglutarate in human lysyl hydroxylase 1

Lysyl hydroxylase catalyzes the formation of hydroxylysine in collagens by a reaction that involves oxidative decarboxylation of 2-oxoglutarate. Its binding site can be divided into two main subsites: subsite I consists of a positively charged side-chain which binds the C-5 carboxyl group, while subsite II consists of two coordination sites of the enzyme-bound Fe2+ and is chelated by the C-1-C-2 moiety. In order to identify subsite I, we converted Arg-697, Arg-700 and Ser-705 individually to alanine and Arg-700 also to lysine, and expressed the mutant enzymes in insect cells. Arg-700-Ala inactivated lysyl hydroxylase completely, whereas Arg-697-Ala and Ser-723-Ala had only a relatively minor effect. Arg-700-Lys produced 93% inactivation under standard assay conditions, the main effect being a 10-fold increase in the Km for 2-oxoglutarate, whereas the Vmax was unchanged. Arg-700 thus provides the positively charged residue that binds the C-5 carboxyl group of 2-oxoglutarate, whereas Ser-705 appears to be of no functional significance in this binding.

Collagen hydroxylases and the protein disulfide isomerase subunit of prolyl 4-hydroxylases

Prolyl 4-hydroxylases catalyze the formation of 4-hydroxyproline in collagens and other proteins with an appropriate collagen-like stretch of amino acid residues. The enzyme requires Fe(II), 2-oxoglutarate, molecular oxygen, and ascorbate. This review concentrates on recent progress toward understanding the detailed mechanism of 4-hydroxylase action, including: (a) occurrence and function of the enzyme in animals; (b) general molecular properties; (c) intracellular sites of hydroxylation; (d) peptide substrates and mechanistic roles of the cosubstrates; (e) insights into the development of antifibrotic drugs; (f) studies of the enzyme's subunits and their catalytic function; and (g) mutations that lead to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. An account of the regulation of collagen hydroxylase activities is also provided.

A splice-site mutation that induces exon skipping and reduction in lysyl hydroxylase mRNA levels but does not create a nonsense codon in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VI

The type VI variant of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a heritable connective tissue disorder caused by a deficiency in the activity of lysyl hydroxylase, an enzyme required for the post-translational processing of collagens. We have characterized a novel type of mutation in a young female patient with type VI EDS, in which cells possess only 12% of the lysyl hydroxylase activity that is detected in unaffected cells. The syndrome was found to be caused by a homozygous insertion of two thymidines at the 5' splice site consensus sequence of intron 9 in the lysyl hydroxylase gene. The insertion interfered with normal splicing of the primary RNA transcript and resulted in an inframe deletion of the 132 nucleotides coded by exon 9 from the lysyl hydroxylase mRNA. In addition, the mutation caused a marked reduction in the steady-state level of the truncated mRNA, which was less than 15% of the level found in unaffected cells. The mutation also reduced the amount of the enzyme protein produced, which was estimated to be about 20% of that in control cells. However, the mutation did not affect the stability of the abnormally spliced mRNA nor the normal localization of the enzyme protein in the endoplasmic reticulum. According to our results, the reduction in enzymatic activity observed in this patient is caused by low levels of both lysyl hydroxylase mRNA and enzyme protein. The primary cellular defect associated with this mutation, therefore, appears to be at the level of nuclear mRNA metabolism even though the mutation did not create a premature translation termination codon.

Cloning and characterization of a novel human lysyl hydroxylase isoform highly expressed in pancreas and muscle

We report the isolation and characterization of cDNA clones for a novel isoform of lysyl hydroxylase (lysyl hydroxylase 2), a posttranslational enzyme of collagen biosynthesis. The open reading frame predicted a protein of 737 amino acids, including an amino-terminal signal peptide. The amino acid sequence has overall similarity of over 75% to the lysyl hydroxylase (lysyl hydroxylase 1) characterized earlier. This similarity is even higher in the carboxyl-terminal end of the molecules. Lysyl hydroxylase 2 contains nine cysteine residues, which are conserved in lysyl hydroxylase 1. Furthermore, the conserved histidines and aspartate residues required for lysyl hydroxylase activity are present in the sequence. Northern analysis identified a transcript of 4.2 kilobases, which was highly expressed in pancreas and muscle tissues. Expression of cDNA in insect cells using a baculovirus vector yielded proteins with lysyl hydroxylase activity and an antiserum against a synthetic peptide of the deduced amino acid sequence recognized proteins with molecular weights of 88 and 97 kDa in homogenates of the transfected cells.

Basement-membrane stromal relationships: interactions between collagen fibrils and the lamina densa

Collagens, the most abundant molecules in the extracellular space, predominantly form either fibrillar or sheet-like structures-the two major supramolecular conformations that maintain tissue integrity. In connective tissues, other than cartilage, collagen fibrils are mainly composed of collagens I, III, and V at different molecular ratios, exhibiting a D-periodic banding pattern, with diameters ranging from 30 to 150 nm, that can form a coarse network in the extracellular matrix in comparison with a fine meshwork of lamina densa. The lamina densa represents a stable sheet-like meshwork composed of collagen IV, laminin, nidogen, and perlecan compartmentalizing tissue from one another. We hypothesize that the interactions between collagen fibrils and the lamina densa are crucial for maintaining tissue-tissue interactions. A detailed analysis of these interactions forms the basis of this review article. Here, we demonstrate that there is a direct connection between collagen fibrils and the lamina densa and propose that collagen V may play a crucial role in this connection. Collagen V might also be involved in regulation of collagen fibril diameter and anchoring of epithelia to underlying connective tissues.

Lung collagen cross-links in rats with experimentally induced pulmonary fibrosis

Rats were intratracheally instilled with bleomycin or with silica (quartz) dust to induce lung fibrosis. Several weeks later, purified collagen chains (or collagen digests) were isolated from the lungs of these animals and from age-matched controls instilled intratracheally with saline solution, and the ratios of hydroxylysine to lysine and of the dysfunctional cross-links DHLNL to HLNL were quantified. Collagen from fibrotic lungs had significantly higher ratios of DHLNL:HLNL than did control lungs, 15.5 +/- 4.8 and 17.1 +/- 4.8 vs. 2.3 +/- 0.5 for the silica-instilled and the bleomycin-instilled animals, respectively. The hydroxylysine:lysine ratio was significantly increased for the alpha 1(I) chain, to a value 170% of that of lung collagen from control animals, and for several of its constituent CNBr peptides. Lung tissue was exhaustively digested with collagenase and specific cross-linked peptides were isolated and characterized. The cross-linked alpha 1(I) x alpha 1(I) peptide linked by the residues 87 x 16C, with a ratio of DHLNL:HLNL of 17:1, demonstrated that the increased hydroxylation of the dysfunctional cross-links in fibrotic lung collagen could be accounted for in part by increased hydroxylation of the lysine residue at position 16C of the C-terminal telopeptide of the collagen alpha 1(I) chain. It proved impossible to locate the corresponding N-terminal cross-linked fragment from alpha 1(I) x alpha 1(I) chains, 9N x 930, possibly due to further reactions of this material to form the material referred to as poly(CB6). Isolated poly (CB6) accounted for more than half of the total alpha 1(I)CB6 peptide expected in lung collagen, and had a hydroxylysine:lysine content 2.8 times greater in bleomycin-treated animals than in their age-matched controls. Evidence was also found for a cross-linked alpha 1(III) x alpha 1(I) peptide linking residue 87 from the alpha 1(III) chain with residue 16C from the alpha 1(I) chain; it also had an increased ratio of DHLNL:HLNL. We conclude that the increased hydroxylation of lysine observed in two different animal models of lung fibrosis occurs preferentially at the N- and C-terminal nonhelical extension peptides of the alpha 1(I) collagen chains, and that this apparent specificity of overhydroxylation of fibrotic collagen may have important structural and pathological consequences.

Site-directed mutagenesis of human lysyl hydroxylase expressed in insect cells. Identification of histidine residues and an aspartic acid residue critical for catalytic activity

Lysyl hydroxylase (EC 1.14.11.4), an alpha 2 homodimer, catalyzes the formation of hydroxylysine in collagens. We expressed here human lysyl hydroxylase in insect cells by baculovirus vectors. About 90% of the enzyme produced was soluble 32 h after infection, whereas only 10% was soluble at 72 h. Twelve histidines, five aspartates, and all four asparagines that may act as N-glycosylation sites were converted individually to serine, alanine, or glutamine, respectively, and the mutant enzymes were expressed in insect cells. Three histidine mutations and one aspartate mutation appeared to inactivate the enzyme completely. These and other data suggest that histidines 656 and 708 and aspartate 658 provide the three ligands required for the binding of Fe2+ to a catalytic site, whereas the role of the third critical histidine (residue 706) remains to be established. Three additional histidine mutations also had a major effect, although they did not inactivate the enzyme completely, whereas six further histidine mutations and four out of five aspartate mutations had a much more minor effect. Data on the four asparagine mutations suggested that only two of the potential N-glycosylation sites may be fully glycosylated in insect cells and that one of these carbohydrate units may be needed for full enzyme activity.

A neuroendocrine-specific protein localized to the endoplasmic reticulum by distal degradation

Regulated endocrine-specific protein, 18-kDa (RESP18), was previously cloned from rat neurointermediate pituitary based on its coordinate regulation with proopiomelanocortin and neuroendocrine specificity. RESP18 has no homology to any known protein. Although RESP18 is translocated across microsomal membranes after in vitro translation, AtT-20 pituitary tumor cells, which endogenously synthesize RESP18, do not release it into the culture medium. In this work, immunostaining and subcellular fractionation have identified RESP18 as an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein. Biosynthetic labeling and temperature block studies of AtT-20 cells demonstrated the localization of RESP18 to the ER lumen by a unique mechanism, degradation by proteolysis in a post-ER pre-Golgi compartment. Proteases in this compartment were saturated by exogenous RESP18 overexpression in AtT-20 cells. Furthermore, a calpain protease inhibitor enhanced secretion of RESP18 from AtT-20 cells overexpressing RESP18. Saturation and inhibition of the RESP18 degrading proteases allowed RESP18 to enter secretory granules and acquire a post-translational modification, likely O-glycosylation; this modified 21-kDa RESP18 isoform was the only RESP18 secreted. Rat anterior pituitary extracts contain 18-kDa and O-glycosylated RESP18 with similar properties. Exogenous RESP18 expression in hEK-293 cells demonstrated ER localization and RESP18 metabolism similar to AtT-20 cells, indicating that the cellular machinery involved in localizing RESP18 is not specific to neuroendocrine cells. The data implicate a novel ER localization mechanism for this neuroendocrine-specific luminal ER resident.

Rat lysyl hydroxylase: molecular cloning, mRNA distribution and expression in a baculovirus system

A cDNA library from rat lung was screened with a chicken lysyl hydroxylase cDNA, and several overlapping rat lysyl hydroxylase cDNAs were isolated. The complete cDNA was 91 and 77% identical, respectively, to the human and chicken lysyl hydroxylase cDNAs at the protein level. By Northern blot, the rat lysyl hydroxylase cDNA recognized a single 3.2 kb mRNA that was present in a wide variety of rat tissues. In order to further confirm the identity of this cDNA, the cDNA was expressed in insect cells via a baculovirus vector. These cells produced an 85 kDa protein with lysyl hydroxylase activity. The recombinant lysyl hydroxylase had a specific activity and Km values for its substrates that were similar to those of the enzyme isolated from chick embryos. The fact that this single lysyl hydroxylase cDNA encodes a protein sufficient for lysyl hydroxylase activity is consistent with previous biochemical findings that lysyl hydroxylase only requires a single type of subunit for its activity.

A homozygous stop codon in the lysyl hydroxylase gene in two siblings with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VI

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is characterized by joint hypermobility, alterations in the skin and additional signs of connective tissue involvement. EDS type VI was the first connective tissue disorder for which a specific defect in collagen metabolism was identified, namely a deficiency of lysyl hydroxylase activity. We now report a homozygous single basepair substitution converting the CGA codon (Arg319) to a TGA termination codon in two siblings with EDS type VI. The healthy parents, who are first cousins, and two of the three healthy siblings of the patients are heterozygous. The mutation leads to an almost complete absence of lysyl hydroxylase activity in extracts derived from fibroblasts of the patients.

2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase and related enzymes: biochemical characterization

Hydroxylation reactions are catalysed by a few major subclasses of enzymes which are ubiquitously distributed in nature. Dioxygenases generally occur as soluble enzymes where they catalyse a diversity of oxygenation reactions in a large number of metabolic pathways in animals, plants and micro-organisms. This review discusses recent advances in the biochemistry and molecular biology of dioxygenases occurring in different biological systems.

The functionalisation of saturated hydrocarbons--XXX. Model studies on the mechanism of some oxygenases

In harmony with our studies on the activation of hydrocarbons by Gif chemistry, we have, in the first part of this paper, studied the mechanism of the lipoxygenase enzymes using soybean lipoxygenase as a model. We have shown with trimethyl phosphite that no free radical is released by the enzyme. In a second part, we have studied the mechanism of the alpha-ketoglutarate dependent enzymes and shown evidence for a mechanism involving the reduction of an intermediate hydroperoxide by the alpha-ketoglutaric acid.

Molecular characterization of flavanone 3 beta-hydroxylases. Consensus sequence, comparison with related enzymes and the role of conserved histidine residues

A heterologous cDNA probe from Petunia hybrida was used to isolate flavanone-3 beta-hydroxylase-encoding cDNA clones from carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), china aster (Callistephus chinensis) and stock (Matthiola incana). The deduced protein sequences together with the known sequences of the enzyme from P. hybrida, barley (Hordeum vulgare) and snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) enabled the determination of a consensus sequence which revealed an overall 84% similarity (53% identity) of flavanone 3 beta-hydroxylases from the different sources. Alignment with the sequences of other known enzymes of the same class and to related non-heme iron-(II) enzymes demonstrated the strict genetic conservation of 14 amino acids, in particular, of three histidines and an aspartic acid. The conservation of the histidine motifs provides strong support for the possible conservation of structurally similar iron-binding sites in these enzymes. The putative role of histidines as chelators of ferrous ions in the active site of flavanone 3 beta-hydroxylases was corroborated by diethyl-pyrocarbonate modification of the partially purified recombinant Petunia enzyme.

gamma-Butyrobetaine hydroxylase. Structural characterization of the Pseudomonas enzyme

gamma-Butyrobetaine hydroxylase is a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase that catalyzes the hydroxylation of gamma-butyrobetaine to carnitine, the last step in the biosynthesis of carnitine from lysine. The primary structure of the enzyme from Pseudomonas sp. AK1 has been determined. Sequence analysis of the intact protein and of peptides from essentially three different digests established the presence of a peptide chain containing 383 residues, and an N-terminal truncated form of 382 residues. The two chains have molecular masses of 43,321 Da and 43,207 Da, respectively, and are identical except for the presence or absence of an N-terminal asparagine residue; the shorter form starts with an alanine residue. In preparations of the dimeric protein, the two chains occur in an approximate ratio of 1:1. There are nine cysteine residues and 13 histidine residues, i.e. amino acids which have been postulated as ligands for iron binding. In spite of functional similarities, there appears to be no clear sequence similarities with any of the other mammalian 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases so far characterized.

Human 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase. Primary structure and chromosomal localization of the gene

We report the primary structure of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase [4-hydroxyphenyl-pyruvate:oxygen oxidoreductase (hydroxylating, decarboxylating)]. The work is based on the isolation of cDNA clones from human liver lambda gt11 libraries. Several overlapping clones covering the coding sequence were characterized. In parallel, peptides from four different digests of the purified protein were analysed for their amino-acid sequence. These peptide sequences covered 86% of the cDNA-derived amino-acid sequence. This gives the sequence for a polypeptide of 392 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 44.8 kDa. There is more than 80% identity between the human and the pig enzymes and also between these enzymes and the F antigen from rat and the two allelic forms of this antigen from mouse. The enzyme has 53% conserved amino acids and 27% identical amino acids in common with 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase from Pseudomonas sp. P.J. 874 and 52% conserved and 28% identical residues, with a protein from Shewanella colwelliana. At the C-terminus there is 61% identity between the seven proteins. These results indicate that these proteins are all 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenases. The identity of the C-terminus makes this part of the molecule a candidate for a functional role in the catalytic process. At conserved positions in all seven enzymes, there are two tyrosine residues and three histidine residues, i.e. amino acids which have been implicated as ligands for iron in 2-oxoacid-dependent dioxygenases. The gene encoding the enzyme was localized to chromosome 12q14-->qter by Southern-blot analysis of human-rodent somatic-cell hybrids.

Alcaligenes eutrophus JMP134 "2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate monooxygenase" is an alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase

The Alcaligenes eutrophus JMP134 tfdA gene, encoding the enzyme responsible for the first step in 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) biodegradation, was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and several enzymatic properties of the partially purified gene product were examined. Although the tfdA-encoded enzyme is typically referred to as 2,4-D monooxygenase, we were unable to observe any reductant-dependent activity. Rather, we demonstrate that this enzyme is a ferrous ion-dependent dioxygenase that uses alpha-ketoglutarate as a cosubstrate. The alpha-ketoglutarate is converted to succinate concomitant with 2,4-D conversion to 2,4-dichlorophenol. By using [1-14C]alpha-ketoglutarate, we established that carbon dioxide is the second product derived from alpha-ketoglutarate. Finally, we verified the proposal that glyoxylate is the second product derived from 2,4-D.

Collagens and their abnormalities in a wide spectrum of diseases

Collagens are a family of extracellular matrix proteins that play a dominant role in maintaining the structural integrity of various tissues. Nineteen collagen types containing altogether more than 30 distinct polypeptide chains have now been identified, and their genes have been found to be dispersed among at least 12 chromosomes. Mutations in collagen genes or deficiencies in the activities of specific post-translational enzymes of collagen synthesis have been characterized in many heritable disorders such as osteogenesis imperfecta, several chondrodysplasias, several subtypes of the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, the X-linked Alport syndrome and dystrophic forms of epidermolysis bullosa. In addition, collagen mutations have been found in certain common diseases, namely osteoporosis, osteoarthrosis and aortic aneurysms, and it is now evident that subsets of patients with these diseases have defects in types I, II or III collagen, respectively, as a predisposing factor. Mutations have so far been identified in only six of the more than 30 collagen genes, and thus research into collagen defects is only in its early stages. Transgenic mice have been shown to offer an excellent tool for investigating the consequences of mutations in collagen genes and identifying additional diseases caused by collagen defects. Excessive collagen accumulation also poses a common problem in medicine, leading to fibrosis with impairment of the normal functioning of the affected tissue. This has prompted attempts to develop drugs which inhibit collagen synthesis. Prolyl 4-hydroxylase would seem a particularly suitable target for antifibrotic therapy, and several compounds are now known that inhibit this enzyme. In particular, derivatives of pyridine 2,4-dicarboxylate have been shown to inhibit hepatic collagen accumulation in rats with two models of liver fibrosis.

Conformation of a synthetic hexapeptide substrate of collagen lysyl hydroxylase

The hexapeptide Hyp-Gly-Pro-Lys-Gly-Glu was synthesized as a potential substrate for collagen lysyl hydroxylase. Kinetic data on the interaction of this peptide with purified chicken embryo lysyl hydroxylase showed that the hexapeptide is a moderately good substrate having Km, Vmax, and Kcat/Km values comparable to those of synthetic peptide substrates having longer chain lengths. Circular dichroism spectral data suggested a consecutive beta turn or 3(10) helical conformation for the peptide in trifluoroethanol. The two-dimensional 1H-TOCSY spectrum of the peptide in dimethylsulfoxide permitted complete assignment of all the protons in the hexapeptide. Through-space connectivities between protons in the peptide molecule were obtained from two-dimensional 1H-NOESY spectral data on the peptide. Using the distances calculated from these data as input constraints, the minimum-energy conformation of the peptide was computed. These calculations and an unconstrained Monte Carlo molecular simulation both led to a folded conformation for the hexapeptide with dihedral angles close to a set of consecutive beta turns as the lowest-energy conformer. This structure is stabilized further by a salt bridge between the side chains of Lys4 and Glu6. Several other conformers energetically close to the minimum-energy conformer exhibited the structural features of the latter except for variations at the N-terminal end and in the side chains. In conjunction with data obtained earlier on lysyl hydroxylase (P. Jiang and V. S. Ananthanarayanan, 1991, J. Biol. Chem. 266, 22960-22967) and the functionally related prolyl hydroxylase (P. L. Atreya and V. S. Ananthanarayanan, 1991, J. Biol. Chem. 266, 2852-2858), the present results suggest that the folded beta turn in the respective peptide substrate may be the structural determinant at the catalytic sites of these enzymes. Additional structural features may govern the effective binding of the peptide at the enzymes' active sites.

Cloning of human lysyl hydroxylase: complete cDNA-derived amino acid sequence and assignment of the gene (PLOD) to chromosome 1p36.3----p36.2

Lysyl hydroxylase (EC 1.14.11.4), an alpha 2 dimer, catalyzes the formation of hydroxylysine in collagens by the hydroxylation of lysine residues in peptide linkages. A deficiency in this enzyme activity is known to exist in patients with the type VI variant of the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, but no amino acid sequence data have been available for the wildtype or mutated human enzyme from any source. We report the isolation and characterization of cDNA clones for lysyl hydroxylase from a human placenta lambda gt11 cDNA library. The cDNA clones cover almost all of the 3.2-kb mRNA, including all the coding sequences. These clones encode a polypeptide of 709 amino acid residues and a signal peptide of 18 amino acids. The human coding sequences are 72% identical to the recently reported chick sequences at the nucleotide level and 76% identical at the amino acid level. The C-terminal region is especially well conserved, a 139-amino-acid region, residues 588-727 (C-terminus), being 94% identical between the two species and a 76-amino-acid region, residues 639-715, 99% identical. These comparisons, together with other recent data, suggest that lysyl hydroxylase may contain functionally significant sequences especially in its C-terminal region. The human lysyl hydroxylase gene (PLOD) was mapped to chromosome 1 by Southern blot analysis of human-mouse somatic cell hybrids, to the 1p34----1pter region by using cell hybrids that contain various translocations of human chromosome 1, and by in situ hybridization to 1p36.2----1p36.3. This gene is thus not physically linked to those for the alpha and beta subunits of prolyl 4-hydroxylase, which are located on chromosomes 10 and 17, respectively.

Prolyl 4-hydroxylase and its role in collagen synthesis

Excessive accumulation of collagen in the extracellular matrix has a crucial role in fibrosis. Thus pharmacological inhibition of collagen deposition is likely to be beneficial for patients suffering from fibrotic disorders such as liver cirrhosis. Prolyl 4-hydroxylase catalyzes the formation of 4-hydroxyproline in collagens and other proteins with collagen-like amino acid sequences by the hydroxylation of proline residues in -X-Pro-Gly- sequences. The reaction products, 4-hydroxyproline residues, serve to stabilize the collagen triple helices under physiological conditions. Conversely, collagen chains that contain no 4-hydroxyproline cannot fold into triple helical molecules that are stable at body temperature. The prolyl 4-hydroxylase reaction therefore seems to be a particularly suitable target for the pharmological regulation of excessive collagen formation. The reaction catalyzed by prolyl 4-hydroxylase requires Fe2+, 2-oxoglutarate, O2 and ascorbate and involves an oxidative decarboxylation of 2-oxoglutarate. The active enzyme is an alpha 2 beta 2 tetramer that consists of two types of inactive monomer and has two catalytic sites. Some parts of the catalytic sites may be built up cooperatively of both the alpha and beta subunits, but the alpha subunit appears to contribute the major part. The beta subunit contains the carboxyl-terminal tetrapeptide sequence -Lys-Asp-Glu-Leu which is essential for the retention of a polypeptide within the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. Since the alpha subunit lacks the carboxyl-terminal retention signal, one function of the beta subunit in the prolyl 4-hydroxylase tetramer may be to retain the enzyme within the endoplasmic reticulum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)