Kinetic analysis of NAD(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase with altered isocitrate binding sites: contribution of IDH1 and IDH2 subunits to regulation and catalysis

Structures of a constitutively active mutant of human IDH3 reveal new insights into the mechanisms of allosteric activation and the catalytic reaction

Human NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase or IDH3 (HsIDH3) catalyzes the decarboxylation of isocitrate into α-ketoglutarate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. It consists of three types of subunits (α, β, and γ) and exists and functions as the (αβαγ)₂ heterooctamer. HsIDH3 is regulated allosterically and/or competitively by numerous metabolites including CIT, ADP, ATP, and NADH. Our previous studies have revealed the molecular basis for the activity and regulation of the αβ and αγ heterodimers. However, the molecular mechanism for the allosteric activation of the HsIDH3 holoenzyme remains elusive. In this work, we report the crystal structures of the αβ and αγ heterodimers and the (αβαγ)₂ heterooctamer containing an α-Q139A mutation in the clasp domain, which renders all the heterodimers and the heterooctamer constitutively active in the absence of activators. Our structural analysis shows that the α-Q139A mutation alters the hydrogen-bonding network at the heterodimer-heterodimer interface in a manner similar to that in the activator-bound αγ heterodimer. This alteration not only stabilizes the active sites of both α_Q139Aβ and α_Q139Aγ heterodimers in active conformations but also induces conformational changes of the pseudo-allosteric site of the α_Q139Aβ heterodimer enabling it to bind activators. In addition, the α_Q139A^ICT+Ca+NADβ^NAD structure presents the first pseudo-Michaelis complex of HsIDH3, which allows us to identify the key residues involved in the binding of cofactor, substrate, and metal ion. Our structural and biochemical data together reveal new insights into the molecular mechanisms for allosteric regulation and the catalytic reaction of HsIDH3.

Structure and allosteric regulation of human NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase

Human NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase or HsIDH3 catalyzes the decarboxylation of isocitrate into α-ketoglutarate in the TCA cycle. HsIDH3 exists and functions as a heterooctamer composed of the αβ and αγ heterodimers, and is regulated allosterically and/or competitively by numerous metabolites including CIT, ADP, ATP, and NADH. In this work, we report the crystal structure of HsIDH3 containing a β mutant in apo form. In the HsIDH3 structure, the αβ and αγ heterodimers form the α₂βγ heterotetramer via their clasp domains, and two α₂βγ heterotetramers form the (α₂βγ)₂ heterooctamer through insertion of the N-terminus of the γ subunit of one heterotetramer into the back cleft of the β subunit of the other heterotetramer. The functional roles of the key residues at the allosteric site, the pseudo allosteric site, the heterodimer and heterodimer-heterodimer interfaces, and the N-terminal of the γ subunit are validated by mutagenesis and kinetic studies. Our structural and biochemical data together demonstrate that the allosteric site plays an important role but the pseudo allosteric site plays no role in the allosteric activation of the enzyme; the activation signal from the allosteric site is transmitted to the active sites of both αβ and αγ heterodimers via the clasp domains; and the N-terminal of the γ subunit plays a critical role in the formation of the heterooctamer to ensure the optimal activity of the enzyme. These findings reveal the molecular mechanism of the assembly and allosteric regulation of HsIDH3.

Essentiality of the glnA gene in Haloferax mediterranei: gene conversion and transcriptional analysis

Glutamine synthetase is an essential enzyme in ammonium assimilation and glutamine biosynthesis. The Haloferax mediterranei genome has two other glnA-type genes (glnA2 and glnA3) in addition to the glutamine synthetase gene glnA. To determine whether the glnA2 and glnA3 genes can replace glnA in nitrogen metabolism, we generated deletion mutants of glnA. The glnA deletion mutants could not be generated in a medium without glutamine, and thus, glnA is an essential gene in H. mediterranei. The glnA deletion mutant was achieved by adding 40 mM glutamine to the selective medium. This conditional HM26-ΔglnA mutant was characterised with different approaches in the presence of distinct nitrogen sources and nitrogen starvation. Transcriptomic analysis was performed to compare the expression profiles of the strains HM26-ΔglnA and HM26 under different growth conditions. The glnA deletion did not affect the expression of glnA2, glnA3 and nitrogen assimilation genes under nitrogen starvation. Moreover, the results showed that glnA, glnA2 and glnA3 were not expressed under the same conditions. These results indicated that glnA is an essential gene for H. mediterranei and, therefore, glnA2 and glnA3 cannot replace glnA in the conditions analysed.

Molecular basis for the function of the αβ heterodimer of human NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase

Mammalian mitochondrial NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD-IDH) catalyzes the decarboxylation of isocitrate into α-ketoglutarate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. It exists as the α₂βγ heterotetramer composed of the αβ and αγ heterodimers. Different from the αγ heterodimer that can be allosterically activated by CIT and ADP, the αβ heterodimer cannot be allosterically regulated by the activators; however, the molecular mechanism is unclear. We report here the crystal structures of the αβ heterodimer of human NAD-IDH with the α subunit in apo form and in Ca²⁺-bound, NAD-bound, and NADH-bound forms. Structural analyses and comparisons reveal that the αβ heterodimer has a similar yet more compact overall structure compared with the αγ heterodimer and contains a pseudo-allosteric site that is structurally different from the allosteric site. In particular, the β3-α3 and β12-α8 loops of the β subunit at the pseudo-allosteric site adopt significantly different conformations from those of the γ subunit at the allosteric site and hence impede the binding of the activators, explaining why the αβ heterodimer cannot be allosterically regulated by the activators. The structural data also show that NADH can compete with NAD to bind to the active site and inhibits the activity of the αβ heterodimer. These findings together with the biochemical data reveal the molecular basis for the function of the αβ heterodimer of human NAD-IDH.

SIRT3-Mediated Dimerization of IDH2 Directs Cancer Cell Metabolism and Tumor Growth

The isocitrate dehydrogenase IDH2 produces α-ketoglutarate by oxidizing isocitrate, linking glucose metabolism to oxidative phosphorylation. In this study, we report that loss of SIRT3 increases acetylation of IDH2 at lysine 413 (IDH2-K413-Ac), thereby decreasing its enzymatic activity by reducing IDH2 dimer formation. Expressing a genetic acetylation mimetic IDH2 mutant (IDH2^K413Q) in cancer cells decreased IDH2 dimerization and enzymatic activity and increased cellular reactive oxygen species and glycolysis, suggesting a shift in mitochondrial metabolism. Concurrently, overexpression of IDH2^K413Q promoted cell transformation and tumorigenesis in nude mice, resulting in a tumor-permissive phenotype. IHC staining showed that IDH2 acetylation was elevated in high-risk luminal B patients relative to low-risk luminal A patients. Overall, these results suggest a potential relationship between SIRT3 enzymatic activity, IDH2-K413 acetylation-determined dimerization, and a cancer-permissive phenotype. Cancer Res; 77(15); 3990-9. ©2017 AACR.

Molecular mechanism of the allosteric regulation of the αγ heterodimer of human NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase

Human NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase catalyzes the decarboxylation of isocitrate (ICT) into α-ketoglutarate in the Krebs cycle. It exists as the α2βγ heterotetramer composed of the αβ and αγ heterodimers. Previously, we have demonstrated biochemically that the α2βγ heterotetramer and αγ heterodimer can be allosterically activated by citrate (CIT) and ADP. In this work, we report the crystal structures of the αγ heterodimer with the γ subunit bound without or with different activators. Structural analyses show that CIT, ADP and Mg2+ bind adjacent to each other at the allosteric site. The CIT binding induces conformational changes at the allosteric site, which are transmitted to the active site through the heterodimer interface, leading to stabilization of the ICT binding at the active site and thus activation of the enzyme. The ADP binding induces no further conformational changes but enhances the CIT binding through Mg2+-mediated interactions, yielding a synergistic activation effect. ICT can also bind to the CIT-binding subsite, which induces similar conformational changes but exhibits a weaker activation effect. The functional roles of the key residues are verified by mutagenesis, kinetic and structural studies. Our structural and functional data together reveal the molecular mechanism of the allosteric regulation of the αγ heterodimer.

Ligand binding and structural changes associated with allostery in yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an octameric enzyme composed of four each of regulatory IDH1 and catalytic IDH2 subunits that share 42% sequence identity. IDH2 contains catalytic isocitrate/Mg2+ and NAD+ binding sites whereas IDH1 contains homologous binding sites, respectively, for cooperative binding of isocitrate and for allosteric binding of AMP. Ligand binding is highly ordered in vitro, and IDH exhibits the unusual property of half-site binding for all ligands. The structures of IDH solved in the absence or presence of ligands have shown: (a) a heterodimer to be the basic structural/functional unit of the enzyme, (b) the organization of heterodimers to form tetramer and octamer structures, (c) structural differences that may underlie cooperative and allosteric regulatory mechanisms, and (d) the possibility for formation of a disulfide bond that could reduce catalytic activity. In vivo analyses of mutant enzymes have elucidated the physiological importance of catalytic activity and allosteric regulation of this tricarboxylic acid cycle enzyme. Other studies have established the importance of a disulfide bond in regulation of IDH activity in vivo, as well as contributions of this bond to the property of half-site ligand binding exhibited by the wild-type enzyme.

Construction and analyses of tetrameric forms of yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an octameric enzyme composed of four heterodimers of regulatory IDH1 and catalytic IDH2 subunits. The crystal structure suggested that the interactions between tetramers in the octamer are restricted to defined regions in IDH1 subunits from each tetramer. Using truncation and mutagenesis, we constructed three tetrameric forms of IDH. Truncation of five residues from the amino terminus of IDH1 did not alter the octameric form of the enzyme, but this truncation with an IDH1 G15D or IDH1 D168K residue substitution produced tetrameric enzymes as assessed by sedimentation velocity ultracentrifugation. The IDH1 G15D substitution in the absence of any truncation of IDH1 was subsequently found to be sufficient for production of a tetrameric enzyme. The tetrameric forms of IDH exhibited ∼50% reductions in V(max) and in cooperativity with respect to isocitrate relative to those of the wild-type enzyme, but they retained the property of allosteric activation by AMP. The truncated (-5)IDH1/IDH2 and tetrameric enzymes were much more sensitive than the wild-type enzyme to inhibition by the oxidant diamide and concomitant formation of a disulfide bond between IDH2 Cys-150 residues. Binding of ligands reduced the sensitivity of the wild-type enzyme to diamide but had no effect on inhibition of the truncated or tetrameric enzymes. These results suggest that the octameric structure of IDH has in part evolved for regulation of disulfide bond formation and activity by ensuring the proximity of the amino terminus of an IDH1 subunit of one tetramer to the IDH2 Cys-150 residues in the other tetramer.

Hetero-oligomeric glutamate dehydrogenase from Thermus thermophilus

An extremely thermophilic bacterium, Thermus thermophilus, possesses two glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) genes, gdhA and gdhB, putatively forming an operon on the genome. To elucidate the functions of these genes, the gene products were purified and characterized. GdhA showed no GDH activity, while GdhB showed GDH activity for reductive amination 1.3-fold higher than that for oxidative deamination. When GdhA was co-expressed with His-tag-fused GdhB, GdhA was co-purified with His-tagged GdhB. Compared with GdhB alone, co-purified GdhA-GdhB had decreased reductive amination activity and increased oxidative deamination activity, resulting in a 3.1-fold preference for oxidative deamination over reductive amination. Addition of hydrophobic amino acids affected the GDH activity of the co-purified GdhA-GdhB hetero-complex. Among the amino acids, leucine had the largest effect on activity: addition of 1 mM leucine elevated the GDH activity of the co-purified GdhA-GdhB by 974 and 245 % for reductive amination and oxidative deamination, respectively, while GdhB alone did not show such marked activation by leucine. Kinetic analysis revealed that the elevation of GDH activity by leucine is attributable to the enhanced turnover number of GDH. In this hetero-oligomeric GDH system, GdhA and GdhB act as regulatory and catalytic subunits, respectively, and GdhA can modulate the activity of GdhB through hetero-complex formation, depending on the availability of hydrophobic amino acids. This study provides the first finding, to our knowledge, of a hetero-oligomeric GDH that can be regulated allosterically.

Disulfide bond formation in yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

The tricarboxylic acid cycle NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an octameric enzyme composed of four heterodimers of regulatory IDH1 and catalytic IDH2 subunits. Recent structural analyses revealed the close proximity of Cys-150 residues from IDH2 in adjacent heterodimers, and features of the structure for the ligand-free enzyme suggested that formation of a disulfide bond between these residues might stabilize an inactive form of the enzyme. We constructed two mutant forms of IDH, one containing a C150S substitution in IDH2 and the other containing C56S/C242S substitutions in IDH2 leaving Cys-150 as the sole cysteine residue. Treatment of the affinity-purified enzymes with diamide resulted in the formation of disulfide bonds and in decreased activities for the wild-type and C56S/C242S enzymes. Both effects were reversible by the addition of dithiothreitol. Diamide had no effect on the C150S mutant enzyme, suggesting that Cys-150 is essential for the formation of a disulfide bond that inhibits IDH activity. Diamide-induced formation of the Cys-150 disulfide bond was also observed in vivo for yeast transformants expressing the wild-type or C56S/C242S enzymes but not for a transformant expressing the C150S enzyme. Finally, natural formation of the Cys-150 disulfide bond with a concomitant decrease in cellular IDH activity was observed during the stationary phase for the parental strain and for transformants expressing wild-type or C56S/C242S enzymes but not for a transformant expressing the C150S enzyme. A reduction in viability for the latter strain suggests that a decrease in IDH activity is important for metabolic changes in stationary phase cells.

The isocitrate dehydrogenase gene of oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi is linked to lipid accumulation

The oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi can accumulate intracellular lipids to over 60% of its cell dry mass under a nitrogen-limited condition. We showed that extracellular and intracellular citrate concentrations of L. starkeyi AS 2.1560 increased and the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide – isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD+–IDH) activity decreased at the beginning of the lipid accumulation, suggesting that the attenuation of the NAD+–IDH activity might initiate lipid storage. We next cloned the IDH gene by the methods of degenerate PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Phylogenetic analyses of the evolutionary relationships among LsIDH1, LsIDH2, and other yeast NAD+–IDHs revealed that the L. starkeyi IDH had a closer relationship with the IDHs of Yarrowia lipolytica . Further real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression levels of both LsIDH1 and LsIDH2 decreased concurrently with the evolution of cellular lipids. Our data should be valuable for understanding the biology of oleaginous yeasts and for further strain engineering of L. starkeyi.

Redox responses in yeast to acetate as the carbon source

Following a shift to medium with acetate as the carbon source, a parental yeast strain exhibited a transient moderate 20% reduction in total cellular [NAD(+)+NADH] but showed a approximately 10-fold increase in the ratio of [NAD(+)]:[NADH] after 36h. A mutant strain (idhDelta) lacking the tricarboxylic acid cycle enzyme isocitrate dehydrogenase had 50% higher cellular levels of [NAD(+)+NADH] relative to the parental strain but exhibited similar changes in cofactor concentrations following a shift to acetate medium, despite an inability to grow on that carbon source; essentially all of the cofactor was in the oxidized form within 36h. The salvage pathway for NAD(H) biosynthesis was found to be particularly important for viability during early transition of the parental strain to stationary phase in acetate medium. However, oxygen consumption was not affected, suggesting that the NAD(H) produced during this time may support other cellular functions. The idhDelta mutant exhibited increased flux through the salvage pathway in acetate medium but was dependent on the de novo pathway for viability. Long-term chronological lifespans of the parental and idhDelta strains were similar, but viability of the mutant strain was dependent on both pathways for NAD(H) biosynthesis.

Suppression of metabolic defects of yeast isocitrate dehydrogenase and aconitase mutants by loss of citrate synthase

Yeast mutants lacking mitochondrial NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (idhDelta) or aconitase (aco1Delta) were found to share several growth phenotypes as well as patterns of specific protein expression that differed from the parental strain. These shared properties of idhDelta and aco1Delta strains were eliminated or moderated by co-disruption of the CIT1 gene encoding mitochondrial citrate synthase. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses indicated a particularly dramatic increase in cellular citrate levels in idhDelta and aco1Delta strains, whereas citrate levels were substantially lower in idhDeltacit1Delta and aco1Deltacit1Delta strains. Exogenous addition of citrate to parental strain cultures partially recapitulated effects of high endogenous levels of citrate in idhDelta and aco1Delta strains. Finally, effects of elevated cellular citrate in idhDelta and aco1Delta mutant strains were partially alleviated by addition of iron or by an increase in pH of the growth medium, suggesting that detrimental effects of citrate are due to elevated levels of the ionized form of this metabolite.

Allosteric motions in structures of yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Mitochondrial NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDHs) are key regulators of flux through biosynthetic and oxidative pathways in response to cellular energy levels. Here we present the first structures of a eukaryotic member of this enzyme family, the allosteric, hetero-octameric, NAD(+)-specific IDH from yeast in three forms: 1) without ligands, 2) with bound analog citrate, and 3) with bound citrate + AMP. The structures reveal the molecular basis for ligand binding to homologous but distinct regulatory and catalytic sites positioned at the interfaces between IDH1 and IDH2 subunits and define pathways of communication between heterodimers and heterotetramers in the hetero-octamer. Disulfide bonds observed at the heterotetrameric interfaces in the unliganded IDH hetero-octamer are reduced in the ligand-bound forms, suggesting a redox regulatory mechanism that may be analogous to the "on-off" regulation of non-allosteric bacterial IDHs via phosphorylation. The results strongly suggest that eukaryotic IDH enzymes are exquisitely tuned to ensure that allosteric activation occurs only when concentrations of isocitrate are elevated.

Design principles of molecular networks revealed by global comparisons and composite motifs

A global comparison of the four basic molecular networks in yeast - regulatory, co-expression, interaction and metabolic - reveals general design principles.

Background

Molecular networks are of current interest, particularly with the publication of many large-scale datasets. Previous analyses have focused on topologic structures of individual networks.

Results

Here, we present a global comparison of four basic molecular networks: regulatory, co-expression, interaction, and metabolic. In terms of overall topologic correlation - whether nearby proteins in one network are close in another - we find that the four are quite similar. However, focusing on the occurrence of local features, we introduce the concept of composite hubs, namely hubs shared by more than one network. We find that the three 'action' networks (metabolic, co-expression, and interaction) share the same scaffolding of hubs, whereas the regulatory network uses distinctly different regulator hubs. Finally, we examine the inter-relationship between the regulatory network and the three action networks, focusing on three composite motifs - triangles, trusses, and bridges - involving different degrees of regulation of gene pairs. Our analysis shows that interaction and co-expression networks have short-range relationships, with directly interacting and co-expressed proteins sharing regulators. However, the metabolic network contains many long-distance relationships: far-away enzymes in a pathway often have time-delayed expression relationships, which are well coordinated by bridges connecting their regulators.

Conclusion

We demonstrate how basic molecular networks are distinct yet connected and well coordinated. Many of our conclusions can be mapped onto structured social networks, providing intuitive comparisons. In particular, the long-distance regulation in metabolic networks agrees with its counterpart in social networks (namely, assembly lines). Conversely, the segregation of regulator hubs from other hubs diverges from social intuitions (as managers often are centers of interactions).

Novel allosteric properties produced by residue substitutions in the subunit interface of yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an octamer of four IDH1 and four IDH2 subunits, and the basic structural unit of the enzyme is an IDH1/IDH2 heterodimer. To investigate one aspect of the interaction between IDH1 and IDH2, residues in a hydrophobic region at the heterodimer interface (Val-216, Ser-220, and Val-224 in IDH1; Ile-221, Val-225, and Val-229 in IDH2) were replaced by alanine residues in each and in both subunits. Gel filtration and sedimentation velocity analyses demonstrated that the residue substitutions do not disrupt the octameric structure of IDH. However, these substitutions produce novel kinetic properties including, with respect to cofactor, positive allosteric regulation by AMP and cooperativity in the absence of AMP. These allosteric properties are also apparent in NAD+-binding experiments. Despite substantial measurable activity for the mutant enzyme containing residue substitutions in both subunits, expression of this enzyme produces growth phenotypes indicative of IDH dysfunction in vivo.

Physiological consequences of loss of allosteric activation of yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Based on allosteric regulatory properties, NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is believed to control flux through the tricarboxylic acid cycle in vivo. To distinguish growth phenotypes associated with regulatory dysfunction of this enzyme in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we analyzed strains expressing well defined mutant forms of IDH or a non-allosteric bacterial NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDHa). As previously reported, expression of mutant forms of IDH with severe catalytic defects but intact regulatory properties produced an inability to grow with acetate as the carbon source and a dramatic increase in the frequency of generation of petite colonies, phenotypes also exhibited by a strain (idh1Deltaidh2Delta) lacking IDH. Reduced growth rates on acetate medium were also observed with expression of enzymes with severe regulatory defects or of the bacterial IDHa enzyme, suggesting that allosteric regulation is also important for optimal growth on this carbon source. However, expression of IDHa produced no effect on petite frequency, suggesting that the intermediate petite frequencies observed for strains expressing regulatory mutant forms of IDH are likely to correlate with the slight reductions in catalytic efficiency observed for these enzymes. Finally, rates of increase in oxygen consumption were measured during culture shifts from medium with glucose to medium with ethanol as the carbon source. Strains expressing wild-type or catalytically deficient mutant forms of IDH exhibited rapid respiratory transitions, whereas strains expressing regulatory mutant forms of IDH or the bacterial IDHa enzyme exhibited much slower respiratory transitions. This suggests an important physiological role for allosteric activation of IDH during changes in environmental conditions.

Analysis of interactions with mitochondrial mRNA using mutant forms of yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an allosterically regulated tricarboxylic acid cycle enzyme that has been shown to bind specifically and with high affinity to 5'-untranslated regions of yeast mitochondrial mRNAs. The absence of IDH has been shown to result in reduced expression of mitochondrial translation products, leading to the suggestion that this macromolecular interaction may contribute to regulating rates of translation. The interaction with mitochondrial mRNAs also produces a dramatic inhibition of IDH catalytic activity that is specifically alleviated by AMP, the primary allosteric activator of IDH. Using mutant forms of IDH with defined catalytic or regulatory kinetic defects, we found that residue changes altering ligand binding in the catalytic site reduce the inhibitory effect of a transcript from the mitochondrial COX2 mRNA. In contrast, residue changes altering binding of allosteric regulators do not prevent inhibition by the COX2 RNA transcript but do prevent alleviation of inhibition by AMP. Results obtained using surface plasmon resonance methods suggest that the mRNA transcript may bind at the active site of IDH. Also, the presence of AMP has little effect on overall affinity but renders the binding of mRNA ineffective in catalytic inhibition of IDH. Finally, by expressing mutant forms of IDH in vivo, we determined that detrimental effects on levels of mitochondrial translation products correlate with a substantial reduction in catalytic activity. However, concomitant loss of IDH and of citrate synthase eliminates these effects, suggesting that any role of IDH in mitochondrial translation is indirect.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH; EC 1.1.1.41) is a complex allosterically regulated enzyme in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Yeast IDH is believed to be an octamer containing four catalytic IDH2 and four regulatory IDH1 subunits. Crystals of yeast IDH have been obtained and optimized using sodium citrate, a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme, as the precipitating agent. The crystals belong to space group R3, with unit-cell parameters a = 302.0, c = 112.1 A. Diffraction data were collected to 2.9 A from a native crystal and to 4.0 A using multiwavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD) methods from an osmium derivative. Initial electron-density maps reveal large solvent channels and the molecular boundaries of the allosteric IDH multimer.

Kinetic properties and metabolic contributions of yeast mitochondrial and cytosolic NADP+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenases

To compare kinetic properties of homologous isozymes of NADP+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase, histidine-tagged forms of yeast mitochondrial (IDP1) and cytosolic (IDP2) enzymes were expressed and purified. The isozymes were found to share similar apparent affinities for cofactors. However, with respect to isocitrate, IDP1 had an apparent Km value approximately 7-fold lower than that of IDP2, whereas, with respect to alpha-ketoglutarate, IDP2 had an apparent Km value approximately 10-fold lower than that of IDP1. Similar Km values for substrates and cofactors in decarboxylation and carboxylation reactions were obtained for IDP2, suggesting a capacity for bidirectional catalysis in vivo. Concentrations of isocitrate and alpha-ketoglutarate measured in extracts from the parental strain were found to be similar with growth on different carbon sources. For mutant strains lacking IDP1, IDP2, and/or the mitochondrial NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), metabolite measurements indicated that major cellular flux is through the IDH-catalyzed reaction in glucose-grown cells and through the IDP2-catalyzed reaction in cells grown with a nonfermentable carbon source (glycerol and lactate). A substantial cellular pool of alpha-ketoglutarate is attributed to IDH function during glucose growth, and to both IDP1 and IDH function during growth on glycerol/lactate. Complementation experiments using a strain lacking IDH demonstrated that overexpression of IDP1 partially compensated for the glutamate auxotrophy associated with loss of IDH. Collectively, these results suggest an ancillary role for IDP1 in cellular glutamate synthesis and a role for IDP2 in equilibrating and maintaining cellular levels of isocitrate and alpha-ketoglutarate.

Multiple cellular consequences of isocitrate dehydrogenase isozyme dysfunction

To probe the functions of multiple forms of isocitrate dehydrogenase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mutants lacking three of the isozymes were constructed and analyzed. Results show that, while the mitochondrial NAD+-dependent enzyme, IDH (composed of Idh1p and Idh2p subunits) is not the major contributor to total isocitrate dehydrogenase activity under any growth condition, loss of IDH produces the most dramatic growth phenotypes. These include reduced growth in the absence of glutamate, as well as an increase in expression of Idp2p (the cytosolic NADP+-dependent enzyme) under some growth conditions. In this study, we have focused on another phenotype associated with loss of IDH, an elevated frequency of petite mutations indicating loss of functional mtDNA. Using mutant forms of IDH with altered active site residues, a correlation was observed between the high frequency of petite mutations and the loss of catalytic activity. Loss of Idp1p (the mitochondrial NADP+-dependent enzyme) and Idp2p contributes to the loss of functional mtDNA, but only in an IDH dysfunctional background. Surprisingly, overexpression of Idp1p, but not of Idp2p, was found to result in an elevated petite frequency independent of the functional state of IDH. This is the first phenotype associated with altered Idp1p. Finally, throughout this study we examined effects of loss of mitochondrial citrate synthase (Cit1p) on isocitrate dehydrogenase mutants, since defects in the CIT1 gene were previously shown to enhance growth of IDH dysfunctional strains on nonfermentable carbon sources. Loss of Cit1p was found to suppress the petite phenotype of strains lacking IDH, suggesting that these phenotypes may be linked.

Evaluation by mutagenesis of the importance of 3 arginines in alpha, beta, and gamma subunits of human NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase

Mammalian NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase is an allosteric enzyme, activated by ADP and composed of 3 distinct subunits in the ratio 2alpha:1beta:1gamma. Based on the crystal structure of NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenases from Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and pig heart, and a comparison of their amino acid sequences, alpha-Arg88, beta-Arg99, and gamma-Arg97 of human NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase were chosen as candidates for mutagenesis to test their roles in catalytic activity and ADP activation. A plasmid harboring cDNA that encodes alpha, beta, and gamma subunits of the human isocitrate dehydrogenase (Kim, Y. O., Koh, H. J., Kim, S. H., Jo, S. H., Huh, J. W., Jeong, K. S., Lee, I. J., Song, B. J., and Huh, T. L. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 36866-36875) was used to express the enzyme in isocitrate dehydrogenase-deficient E. coli. Wild type (WT) and mutant enzymes (each containing 2 normal subunits plus a mutant subunit with alpha-R88Q, beta-R99Q, or gamma-R97Q) were purified to homogeneity yielding enzymes with 2alpha:1beta:1gamma subunit composition and a native molecular mass of 315 kDa. Specific activities of 22, 14, and 2 micromol of NADH/min/mg were measured, respectively, for WT, beta-R99Q, and gamma-R97Q enzymes. In contrast, mutant enzymes with normal beta and gamma subunits and alpha-R88Q mutant subunit has no detectable activity, demonstrating that, although beta-Arg99 and gamma-Arg97 contribute to activity, alpha-Arg88 is essential for catalysis. For WT enzyme, the Km for isocitrate is 2.2 mm, decreasing to 0.3 mm with added ADP. In contrast, for beta-R99Q and gamma-R97Q enzymes, the Km for isocitrate is the same in the absence or presence of ADP, although all the enzymes bind ADP. These results suggest that beta-Arg99 and gamma-Arg97 are needed for normal ADP activation. In addition, the gamma-R97Q enzyme has a Km for NAD 10 times that of WT enzyme. This study indicates that a normal alpha subunit is required for catalytic activity and alpha-Arg88 likely participates in the isocitrate site, whereas the beta and gamma subunits have roles in the nucleotide functions of this allosteric enzyme.

Homologous binding sites in yeast isocitrate dehydrogenase for cofactor (NAD+) and allosteric activator (AMP)

Yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an allosterically regulated octameric enzyme composed of two types of homologous subunits designated IDH1 and IDH2. Based on sequence comparisons and structural models, both subunits are predicted to have adenine nucleotide binding sites. This was tested by alanine replacement of residues in putative sites in each subunit. Targets included adjacent aspartate/isoleucine residues implicated as important for determining cofactor specificity in related dehydrogenases and a residue in each IDH subunit in a position occupied by histidine in other cofactor binding sites. The primary kinetic effects of D286A/I287A and of H281A replacements in IDH2 were found to be a dramatic reduction in apparent affinity of the holoenzyme for NAD(+) and a concomitant reduction in V(max). Ligand binding assays also showed that the H281A mutant enzyme fails to bind NAD(+) under conditions that are saturating for the wild-type enzyme. In contrast, the primary effect of corresponding D279A/D280A and of R274A replacements in IDH1 is a reduction in holoenzyme binding of AMP, with concomitant alterations in kinetic and isocitrate binding properties normally associated with activation by this allosteric effector. These results suggest that the nucleotide cofactor binding site is primarily contributed by the IDH2 subunit, whereas the homologous nucleotide binding site in IDH1 has evolved for regulatory binding of AMP. These results are consistent with previous studies demonstrating that the catalytic isocitrate binding sites are comprised of residues primarily contributed by IDH2, whereas sites for regulatory binding of isocitrate are contributed by analogous residues of IDH1. In this study, we also demonstrate that a prerequisite for holoenzyme binding of NAD(+) is binding of isocitrate/Mg(2+) at the IDH2 catalytic site. This is comparable to the dependence of AMP binding upon binding of isocitrate at the IDH1 regulatory site.

Isocitrate binding at two functionally distinct sites in yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Yeast NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an octamer containing two types of homologous subunits. Ligand-binding analyses were conducted to examine effects of residue changes in putative catalytic and regulatory isocitrate-binding sites respectively contained in IDH2 and IDH1 subunits. Replacement of homologous serine residues in either subunit site, S98A in IDH2 or S92A in IDH1, was found to reduce by half the total number of holoenzyme isocitrate-binding sites, confirming a correlation between detrimental effects on isocitrate binding and respective kinetic defects in catalysis and allosteric activation by AMP. Replacement of both serine residues eliminates isocitrate binding and measurable catalytic activity. The putative isocitrate-binding sites of IDH1 and IDH2 contain five identical and four nonidentical residues. Reciprocal replacement of the four nonidentical residues in either or both subunits (A108R, F136Y, T241D, and N245D in IDH1 and/or R114A, Y142F, D248T, and D252N in IDH2) was found to be permissive for isocitrate binding. This provides further evidence for two types of binding sites in IDH, although the authentic residues have been shown to be necessary for normal kinetic contributions. Finally, the mutant enzymes with residue replacements in the IDH1 site were found to be unable to bind AMP, suggesting that allosteric activation is dependent both upon binding of isocitrate at the IDH1 site and upon the changes in the enzyme normally elicited by this binding.

Comparison of isocitrate dehydrogenase from three hyperthermophiles reveals differences in thermostability, cofactor specificity, oligomeric state, and phylogenetic affiliation

With the aim of gaining insight into the molecular and phylogenetic relationships of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) from hyperthermophiles, we carried out a comparative study of putative IDHs identified in the genomes of the eubacterium Thermotoga maritima and the archaea Aeropyrum pernix and Pyrococcus furiosus. An optimum for activity at 90 degrees C or above was found for each IDH. PfIDH and ApIDH were the most thermostable with a melting temperature of 103.7 and 109.9 degrees C, respectively, compared with 98.3 and 98.5 degrees C for TmIDH and AfIDH, respectively. Analytical ultracentrifugation revealed a tetrameric oligomeric state for TmIDH and a homodimeric state for ApIDH and PfIDH. TmIDH and ApIDH were NADP-dependent (K(m)((NADP)) of 55.2 and 44.4 microm, respectively) whereas PfIDH was NAD-dependent (K(m)((NAD)) of 68.3 microm). These data document that TmIDH represents a novel tetrameric NADP-dependent form of IDH and that PfIDH is a homodimeric NAD-dependent IDH not previously found among the archaea. The homodimeric NADP-IDH present in A. pernix is the most common form of IDH known so far. The evolutionary relationships of ApIDH, PfIDH, and TmIDH with all of the available amino acid sequences of di- and multimeric IDHs are described and discussed.

A single gene produces mitochondrial, cytoplasmic, and peroxisomal NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in Aspergillus nidulans

NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase enzymes catalyze the decarboxylation of isocitrate to 2-oxoglutarate accompanied by the production of NADPH. In mammals two different genes encode mitochondrial and cytoplasmic/peroxisomal located enzymes, whereas in Saccharomyces cerevisiae three separate genes specify compartment specific enzymes. We have identified a single gene, idpA, in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans that specifies a protein with a high degree of identity to mammalian and S. cerevisiae enzymes. Northern blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed the presence of two idpA transcripts and two transcription start points were identified by sequencing cDNA clones and by 5'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The shorter transcript was found to be inducible by acetate and by fatty acids while the longer transcript was present in higher amounts during growth in glucose containing media. The longer transcript is predicted to encode a polypeptide containing an N-terminal mitochondrial targeting sequence as well as a C-terminal tripeptide (ARL) as a potential peroxisomal targeting signal. The shorter transcript is predicted to encode a polypeptide lacking the mitochondrial targeting signal but retaining the C-terminal sequence. Immunoblotting using antibody raised against S. cerevisiae Idp1p detected two polypeptides consistent with these predictions. The functions of the predicted targeting sequences were confirmed by microscopic analysis of transformants containing fluorescent protein fusion constructs. Using anti-Idp1p antibodies, protein localization to mitochondria and peroxisomes was observed during growth on glucose whereas cytoplasmic and peroxisomal localization was found upon acetate or fatty acid induction. Therefore, we have established that by the use of two transcription start points a single gene is sufficient to specify localization of NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase to three different cellular compartments in A. nidulans.

Subunit interactions of yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Yeast mitochondrial NAD(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase is an octamer composed of four each of two nonidentical but related subunits designated IDH1 and IDH2. IDH2 was previously shown to contain the catalytic site, whereas IDH1 contributes regulatory properties including cooperativity with respect to isocitrate and allosteric activation by AMP. In this study, interactions between IDH1 and IDH2 were detected using the yeast two-hybrid system, but interactions between identical subunit polypeptides were not detected with this or other methods. A model for heterodimeric interactions between the subunits is therefore proposed for this enzyme. A corollary of this model, based on the three-dimensional structure of the homologous enzyme from Escherichia coli, is that some interactions between subunits occur at isocitrate binding sites. Based on this model, two residues (Lys-183 and Asp-217) in the regulatory IDH1 subunit were predicted to be important in the catalytic site of IDH2. We found that individually replacing these residues with alanine results in mutant enzymes that exhibit a drastic reduction in catalysis both in vitro and in vivo. Also based on this model, the two analogous residues (Lys-189 and Asp-222) of the catalytic IDH2 subunit were predicted to contribute to the regulatory site of IDH1. A K189A substitution in IDH2 was found to produce a decrease in activation of the enzyme by AMP and a loss of cooperativity with respect to isocitrate. A D222A substitution in IDH2 produces similar regulatory defects and a substantial reduction in V(max) in the absence of AMP. Collectively, these results suggest that the basic structural/functional unit of yeast isocitrate dehydrogenase is a heterodimer of IDH1 and IDH2 subunits and that each subunit contributes to the isocitrate binding site of the other.

Functional prediction: identification of protein orthologs and paralogs

Orthologs typically retain the same function in the course of evolution. Using beta-decarboxylating dehydrogenase family as a model, we demonstrate that orthologs can be confidently identified. The strategy is based on our recent findings that substitutions of only a few amino acid residues in these enzymes are sufficient to exchange substrate and coenzyme specificities. Hence, the few major specificity determinants can serve as reliable markers for determining orthologous or paralogous relationships. The power of this approach has been demonstrated by correcting similarity-based functional misassignment and discovering new genes and related pathways, and should be broadly applicable to other enzyme families.

Bovine NAD+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase: alternative splicing and tissue-dependent expression of subunit 1

NAD+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), a key regulatory enzyme in the Krebs cycle, is a multi-tetrameric enzyme. At least three of the subunits in the core tetramer of mammals are unique gene products. Subunits 1/beta and 2/gamma are considered to be regulatory, while subunits 3,4/alpha, comprising half the tetramer, are catalytic. The full sequence was obtained for the major subunit 1 cDNA in bovine heart, IDH 1-A. A second cDNA, rare in heart, was also identified (IDH 1-B). Differences in the two were confined to the 3'-region, suggesting alternative splicing. Screening of brain, kidney, and liver RNA showed the presence of IDH 1-A and 1-B and a third major species, IDH 1-C. Amplification of bovine genomic DNA by PCR across the regions of difference produced a single product. Comparison of the genomic and mRNA sequences showed that IDH 1-A resulted from splicing of exon W to exon Y, eliminating intron w, exon X, and intron x. IDH 1-B was formed by splice junctions between exon W, exon X, and exon Y. IDH 1-C resulted from splicing of exon W to exon X and subsequent retention of intron x. The 2 proteins predicted from these 3 mRNAs are identical over their first 357 residues. Protein IDH 1-A, resulting from a termination codon within exon Y, contains an additional 26 residues. Proteins IDH 1-B and 1-C derive from a common termination codon within exon X and contain an additional 28 residues. The two C-terminal regions differ notably in the number and nature of charged residues, resulting in proteins with a charge difference of 3.2 at pH 7.0. Subunit 1 sequences previously reported from other species grouped with one or the other of the bovine proteins. No evidence was found for alternative splicing in subunit 3,4/alpha. The results of the present study, together with recent work on the 2/gamma subunit [Brenner,V., Nyakatura, G., Rosenthal, A., and Platzer, M. (1998) Genomics 44, 8], indicate that the regulatory subunits of the enzyme, but not the catalytic, possess alternatively spliced forms varying in C-terminal properties with tissue-specific expression. The finding is suggestive of a mechanism for modulation of allosteric regulation tailored to the needs of different tissues.

Identification and functional characterization of a novel, tissue-specific NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase beta subunit isoform

To understand the interactions and functional role of each of the three mitochondrial NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) subunits (alpha, beta, and gamma), we have characterized human cDNAs encoding two beta isoforms (beta(1) and beta(2)) and the gamma subunit. Analysis of deduced amino acid sequences revealed that beta(1) and beta(2) encode 349 and 354 amino acids, respectively, and the two isoforms only differ in the most carboxyl 28 amino acids. The gamma cDNA encodes 354 amino acids and is almost identical to monkey IDHgamma. Northern analyses revealed that the smaller beta(2) transcript (1.3 kilobases) is primarily expressed in heart and skeletal muscle, whereas the larger beta(1) mRNA (1.6 kilobases) is prevalent in nonmuscle tissues. Sequence analysis of the IDHbeta gene indicates that the difference in the C-terminal 28 amino acids between beta(1) and beta(2) proteins results from alternative splicing of a single transcript. Among the various combinations of human IDH subunits co-expressed in bacteria, alphabetagamma, alphabeta, and alphagamma combinations exhibited significant amounts of IDH activity, whereas subunits produced alone and betagamma showed no detectable activity. These data suggest that the alpha is the catalytic subunit and that at least one of the other two subunits plays an essential supporting role for activity. Substitution of beta(1) with beta(2) in the co-expression system lowered the pH optimum for IDH activity from 8.0 to 7.6. This difference in optimal pH was analogous to what was observed in mouse kidney and brain (beta(1) prevalent; optimal pH 8.0) versus heart (beta(2) prevalent; pH 7.6) mitochondria. Experiments with a specially designed splicing reporter construct stably transfected into HT1080 cells indicate that acidic conditions favor a splicing pattern responsible for the muscle- and heart-specific beta(2) isoform. Taken together, these data indicate a regulatory role of IDHbeta isoforms in determining the pH optimum for IDH activity through the tissue-specific alternative splicing.

Isolation of a Histoplasma capsulatum cDNA that complements a mitochondrial NAD(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase subunit I-deficient mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A cDNA library was prepared from Histoplasma capsulatum strain G-217B yeast cells and an apparently full-length cDNA for a subunit of the citric acid cycle enzyme NAD(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase was identified by sequence analysis. Its predicted amino acid sequence is more similar to the IDH1 regulatory subunit of S. cerevisiae NAD(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase than to the IDH2 catalytic subunit. After expression in S. cerevisiae from an S. cerevisiae promoter, it was shown to functionally complement an S. cerevisiae idh1 mutant, but not an idh2 mutant, for growth on acetate as a carbon source and for production of NAD(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase enzyme activity. These results confirm that the H. capsulatum cDNA encodes a homologue of subunit I of the S. cerevisiae mitochondrial isocitrate dehydrogenase isozyme that functions in the citric acid cycle.

Genetic and biochemical interactions involving tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) function using a collection of mutants defective in all TCA cycle genes

The eight enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle are encoded by at least 15 different nuclear genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have constructed a set of yeast strains defective in these genes as part of a comprehensive analysis of the interactions among the TCA cycle proteins. The 15 major TCA cycle genes can be sorted into five phenotypic categories on the basis of their growth on nonfermentable carbon sources. We have previously reported a novel phenotype associated with mutants defective in the IDH2 gene encoding the Idh2p subunit of the NAD+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD-IDH). Null and nonsense idh2 mutants grow poorly on glycerol, but growth can be enhanced by extragenic mutations, termed glycerol suppressors, in the CIT1 gene encoding the TCA cycle citrate synthase and in other genes of oxidative metabolism. The TCA cycle mutant collection was utilized to search for other genes that can suppress idh2 mutants and to identify TCA cycle genes that display a similar suppressible growth phenotype on glycerol. Mutations in 7 TCA cycle genes were capable of functioning as suppressors for growth of idh2 mutants on glycerol. The only other TCA cycle gene to display the glycerol-suppressor-accumulation phenotype was IDH1, which encodes the companion Idh1p subunit of NAD-IDH. These results provide genetic evidence that NAD-IDH plays a unique role in TCA cycle function.

Purification and stabilization of a monomeric isocitrate dehydrogenase from Corynebacterium glutamicum

Monomeric isocitrate dehydrogenase was expressed in Corynebacterium glutamicum cells harboring pEK-icdES1, a plasmid carrying the gene for the enzyme. Two- to three-fold higher expression levels of the recombinant enzyme were observed in such cells when grown in fermentors, compared to those grown in shaker incubators. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate fractionation, Sephadex G-150 gel filtration, FPLC Mono Q anion-exchange chromatography, and affinity gel chromatography. Approximately 4 mg of 98% pure recombinant enzyme was obtained per liter of bacterial culture. Our results also include optimum buffer conditions for purification and storage of the enzyme.

Molecular characterization of higher plant NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase: evidence for a heteromeric structure by the complementation of yeast mutants

NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is a key enzyme controlling the activity of the citric acid cycle. Despite more than 30 years of work, the plant enzyme remains poorly characterized. In this paper, a molecular characterization of the plant IDH is presented. Starting from probes defined according to sequence comparisons, three full-length cDNAs named Ntidha, Ntidhb and Ntidhc encoding different IDH subunits have been isolated from a Nicotiana tabacum cell suspension library. Sequence comparisons of the tobacco IDH subunits with the E. coli NADP-dependent enzyme, and the yeast IDH1 and IDH2 subunits suggested that only IDHa had the capacity to be catalytic as IDHb and IDHc were lacking certain residues implied in catalysis. The ability of antibodies raised against the recombinant IDHa protein to preferentially cross-react with IDH2 indicated that IDHa was more closely related to IDH2 than to IDH1. Complementation of yeast single IDH mutants showed that IDHb and IDHc could replace the function of the yeast regulatory IDH1 subunit. Although IDHa was unable to complement the IDH2 mutant, its catalytic function was revealed by the ability of two heteromeric enzymes, composed of either IDHa with IDHb or IDHa with IDHc, to replace IDH function in a yeast double mutant lacking both subunits. Expression studies at the protein and mRNA levels show that each subunit is present in both root and leaf tissues and that the three IDH genes respond in the same way to nitrate addition. Taken together, such observations suggest that the physiologically active enzyme is composed of the three different subunits. These results show for the first time that the plant IDH is heteromeric and that IDH subunit composition appears to be conserved between plant and animal kingdoms.

An unassembled subunit of NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase is insoluble and covalently modified

The NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an octamer composed of four Idh1p subunits and four Idh2p subunits. Isocitrate dehydrogenase functions in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and has also been reported to bind to the 5' nontranslated region of mitochondrially encoded mRNAs. Mutants defective in either or both of these subunits are unable to grow on the nonfermentable carbon source, acetate, but will utilize glycerol or ethanol. Mutant strains lacking Idh2p maintain normal if not elevated levels of mitochondrial Idh1p. In addition to the mature unassembled Idh1p subunit, a complex of bands in the 85- to 170-kDa range (Idh1p-Cpx) is observed using NAD-IDH antiserum. Both Idh1p and Idh1p-Cpx are insoluble within the mitochondrion and are associated with the mitochondrial inner membrane. A histidine-tagged form of Idh1p was expressed in yeast strains. Chemical amounts of the Idh1p-Cpx could be purified from strains lacking Idh2p but not from strains containing normal levels of Idh2p. The data indicate that Idh1p-Cpx is an aggregated and cross-linked form of Idh1p that may be oxidized within the mitochondrion as a consequence of its aborted assembly.

Structural constraints in protein engineering--the coenzyme specificity of Escherichia coli isocitrate dehydrogenase

In a previous study we reported on the successful inversion of coenzyme specificity in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) from NADP to NAD [Chen, R., Greer, A. & Dean, A. M. (1995) A highly active decarboxylating dehydrogenase with rationally inverted coenzyme specificity, Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 92, 11666-11670]. Here, we explore alternative means to generate NAD dependence in the NADP-dependent scaffold of Escherichia coli IDH. The results reveal that engineering a preference for NAD is constrained by the architecture of the IDH coenzyme binding pocket and confirms that the substituted Asp344 in the engineered enzyme is the major determinant of coenzyme specificity. Mutations in the 316-325 loop, which forms part of the coenzyme binding site, reduce activity through transmission of long-range conformational changes into the active site some 14 A distant. Conformational changes seen upon substituting Cys332-->Tyr are not directly involved with improving activity. Replacements at Cys201 reveal that subtle changes in the packing of hydrophobic residues (Met and Ile versus Leu) can elicit markedly different responses. We caution against using sequence alignments as the sole guide for mutagenesis and show how a combination of rational design of active-site residues based on X-ray structures and random substitutions at surrounding residues provides an efficient means to improve enzyme preference and catalytic efficiency towards novel substrates.

Affinity purification and kinetic analysis of mutant forms of yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase

Polyhistidine tags were added to the carboxyl termini of the two homologous subunits of yeast NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH). The tag in either the IDH1 or IDH2 subunit permits one-step affinity purification from yeast cellular extracts of catalytically active and allosterically responsive holoenzyme. This expression system was used to investigate subunit-specific contributions of residues with putative functions in adenine nucleotide binding. The primary effect of simultaneous replacement of the adjacent Asp-279 and Ile-280 residues in IDH1 with alanines is a dramatic loss of activation by AMP. In contrast, alanine replacement of the homologous Asp-286 and Ile-287 residues in IDH2 does not alter the allosteric response to AMP, but produces a 160-fold reduction in Vmax due to a 70-fold increase in the S0.5 value for NAD+. These results suggest that the targeted aspartate/isoleucine residues may contribute to regulator binding in IDH1 and to cofactor binding in IDH2, i.e. that these homologous residues are located in regions that have evolved for binding the adenine nucleotide components of different ligands. In other mutant enzymes, an alanine replacement of Asp-191 in IDH1 eliminates measurable catalytic activity, and a similar substitution of the homologous Asp-197 in IDH2 produces pleiotropic catalytic effects. A model is presented for the primary function of IDH2 in catalysis and of IDH1 in regulation, with crucial roles for these single aspartate residues in the communication and functional interdependence of the two subunits.

Mutations in the IDH2 gene encoding the catalytic subunit of the yeast NAD+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase can be suppressed by mutations in the CIT1 gene encoding citrate synthase and other genes of oxidative metabolism

During a screen for respiration competent yeast mutants that were unable to grow with acetate as a carbon source, two idh2 cit1 double mutants were identified. These strains were defective in the catalytic subunit of the NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The strains harboring the idh2 alleles from these strains had two unusual phenotypes. First, their growth on many nonfermentable carbon sources was much poorer than strains containing other idh2 mutations. Second, the poor growth phenotype could be suppressed by the presence of mutations in CIT1 and other genes encoding oxidative functions. Spontaneous suppressor mutants that restore fast growth on glycerol medium to strains harboring two idh2 alleles were isolated, and a large percentage of the suppressor mutations have been identified within the CIT1 gene and at several other loci. Elevated levels of several TCA cycle proteins were observed in these idh2 mutants that were not observed in the presence of suppressing cit1 mutations. Citrate and isocitrate concentrations were also elevated in the idh2 mutants, but probably not to toxic levels. Five idh2 alleles were sequenced to understand the defects of the two classes of mutations. Sequence analysis indicated that the poor growth phenotype was caused by the loss of Idh2p protein. Similarly, eight cit1 alleles were sequenced to understand their characteristics as glycerol suppressors of idh2. These and other studies indicate that any mutation within CIT1 was capable of suppressing the idh2 mutations. Several models to explain these interactions are discussed.

Protein engineering reveals ancient adaptive replacements in isocitrate dehydrogenase

Evolutionary analysis indicates that eubacterial NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenases (EC 1.1.1.42) first evolved from an NAD-dependent precursor about 3.5 billion years ago. Selection in favor of utilizing NADP was probably a result of niche expansion during growth on acetate, where isocitrate dehydrogenase provides 90% of the NADPH necessary for biosynthesis. Amino acids responsible for differing coenzyme specificities were identified from x-ray crystallographic structures of Escherichia coli isocitrate dehydrogenase and the distantly related Thermus thermophilus NAD-dependent isopropylmalate dehydrogenase. Site-directed mutagenesis at sites lining the coenzyme binding pockets has been used to invert the coenzyme specificities of both enzymes. Reconstructed ancestral sequences indicate that these replacements are ancestral. Hence the adaptive history of molecular evolution is amenable to experimental investigation.

Molecular and phylogenetic characterization of isopropylmalate dehydrogenase of a thermoacidophilic archaeon, Sulfolobus sp. strain 7

The archaeal leuB gene encoding isopropylmalate dehydrogenase of Sulfolobus sp. strain 7 was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant Sulfolobus sp. enzyme was extremely stable to heat. The substrate and coenzyme specificities of the archaeal enzyme resembled those of the bacterial counterparts. Sedimentation equilibrium analysis supported an earlier proposal that the archaeal enzyme is homotetrameric, although the corresponding enzymes studied so far have been reported to be dimeric. Phylogenetic analyses suggested that the archaeal enzyme is homologous to mitochondrial NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenases (which are tetrameric or octameric) as well as to isopropylmalate dehydrogenases from other sources. These results suggested that the present enzyme is the most primitive among isopropylmalate dehydrogenases belonging in the decarboxylating dehydrogenase family.

Redesigning secondary structure to invert coenzyme specificity in isopropylmalate dehydrogenase

Rational engineering of enzymes involves introducing key amino acids guided by a knowledge of protein structure to effect a desirable change in function. To date, all successful attempts to change specificity have been limited to substituting individual amino acids within a protein fold. However, the infant field of protein engineering will only reach maturity when changes in function can be generated by rationally engineering secondary structures. Guided by x-ray crystal structures and molecular modeling, site-directed mutagenesis has been used to systematically invert the coenzyme specificity of Thermus thermophilus isopropylmalate dehydrogenase from a 100-fold preference for NAD to a 1000-fold preference for NADP. The engineered mutant, which is twice as active as wild type, contains four amino acid substitutions and an alpha-helix and loop that replaces the original beta-turn. These results demonstrate that rational engineering of secondary structures to produce enzymes with novel properties is feasible.

Identification of a tobacco cDNA encoding a cytosolic NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase

A cDNA which encodes a specific member of the NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) multi-isoenzyme family has been isolated from a tobacco cell suspension library, and the expression pattern of ICDH transcripts examined in various plant tissues. To assign this cDNA to a specific ICDH isoenzyme, the major, cytosolic ICDH isoenzyme of tobacco leaves (ICDH1) was purified to homogeneity and its N-terminus as well as several tryptic peptides, representing 30% of the protein, were sequenced. The comparison of these amino acid sequences with the deduced protein sequence of the cDNA confirmed that this clone encodes for ICDH1. The total ICDH specific activity and protein content were higher in vascular-enriched tobacco leaf tissue than in deveined (depleted in midrib and first-order veins) leaves. Taking advantage of antibodies raised against either ICDH1 or the chloroplastic ICDH2 isoenzyme from tobacco cell suspensions, an immuno-cytochemical approach indicated that the ICDH1 isoenzyme, located in the cytosolic compartment of tobacco leaf cells, is responsible for this expression pattern. This observation was confirmed by northern blot analyses, using a specific probe obtained from the 3' non-coding region of the ICDH1 cDNA. A comparison of ICDH protein sequences shows a large degree of similarity between eukaryotes (> 60%) but a poor homology is observed when compared to Escherichia coli ICDH (< 20%). However, it was found that the amino acids implicated in substrate binding, deduced from the 3-dimensional structure of the E. coli NADP-ICDH, appear to be conserved in all the deduced eukaryotic ICDH proteins reported until now.

A highly active decarboxylating dehydrogenase with rationally inverted coenzyme specificity

The isocitrate dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli, which lacks the Rossmann fold common to other dehydrogenases, displays a 7000-fold preference for NADP over NAD (calculated as the ratio of kcat/Km). Guided by x-ray crystal structures and molecular modeling, site-directed mutagenesis has been used to introduce six substitutions in the adenosine binding pocket that systematically shift coenzyme preference toward NAD. The engineered enzyme displays an 850-fold preference for NAD over NADP, which exceeds the 140-fold preference displayed by a homologous NAD-dependent enzyme. Of the six mutations introduced, only one is identical in all related NAD-dependent enzyme sequences--strict adherence to homology as a criterion for replacing these amino acids impairs function. Two additional mutations at remote sites improve performance further, resulting in a final mutant enzyme with kinetic characteristics and coenzyme preference comparable to naturally occurring homologous NAD-dependent enzymes.

Molecular cloning and deduced amino acid sequences of the alpha- and beta- subunits of mammalian NAD(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase

A 153 bp fragment of the cDNA encoding the beta-subunit of pig heart NAD(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD(+)-ICDH) was specifically amplified by PCR, using redundant oligonucleotide primers based on partial peptide sequence data [Huang and Colman (1990) Biochemistry 29, 8266-8273]. This PCR fragment was then used as a probe to isolate cDNA clones encoding the complete mature form of the beta-subunit from a monkey testis cDNA library. Examination of the deduced amino acid sequence of the monkey subunit and the partial sequence of the pig heart enzyme revealed a high level of sequence conservation. In addition, 3 overlapping fragments of the cDNA for the alpha-subunit of monkey NAD(+)-ICDH were amplified using oligonucleotide primers derived from the cDNA sequence of a subunit of bovine NAD(+)-ICDH (EMBL accession no: U07980). These cDNA fragments allow deduction of the amino acid sequence of the alpha-subunit. Since the gamma-subunit of monkey NAD(+)-ICDH has already been cloned [Nichols, Hall, Perry and Denton (1993) Biochem. J. 295, 347-350], a deduced amino acid sequence is now available for all three subunits of mammalian NAD(+)-ICDH. Interrelationships between these subunits are discussed and they are compared with the two subunits of yeast NAD(+)-ICDH and Escherichia coli NADP(+)-ICDH.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase from bovine heart: primary structure of subunit 3/4

Bovine NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase was shown previously to contain four subunits of approx. 40 kDa (subunits 1-4) possessing different peptide maps and electrophoretic properties [Rushbrook and Harvey (1978) Biochemistry 17, 5339-5346]. In this study the heterogeneity is confirmed using enzyme purified by updated methods and from single animals, ruling out allelic variability. Subunits 1 and 2 were differentiated from each other and from subunits 3 and 4 by N-terminal amino acid sequencing. Subunits 3 and 4 (subunits 3/4) were identical in sequence over 30 residues. The N-terminal residues of subunits 1 and 2 were homologous but not identical with the beta- and gamma-subunits respectively of the comparable pig heart enzyme. Subunits 3/4 were identical over 30 residues with the N-terminus of the pig heart alpha-subunit. Full-length sequence, including that for mitochondrial import, is presented for a protein with the processed N-terminus of subunits 3/4, deduced from cloned cDNA obtained utilizing the N-terminal sequence information. The derived amino acid sequence for the mature protein contains 339 amino acids and has a molecular mass of 36,685 Da. Complete identity with N-terminal and Cys-containing peptides totalling 92 residues from the alpha-subunit of the pig heart enzyme [Huang and Colman (1990) Biochemistry 29, 8266-8273] suggests that maintenance of a particular three-dimensional structure in this subunit is crucial to the function of the enzyme. An electrophoretic heterogeneity within the pig heart alpha-subunit, similar to that shown by bovine subunits 3/4, was demonstrated. One reordering of the Cys-containing peptides of the pig heart alpha-subunit is indicated. Sequence comparison with the distantly related NADP(+)-dependent enzyme from Escherichia coli, for which the three-dimensional structure is known [Stoddard, Dean and Koshland (1993) Biochemistry 32, 9310-9316] shows strong conservation of residues binding isocitrate, Mg2+ and the NAD+ moiety of NADP+, consistent with a catalytic function.