3-(Bromoacetyl)chloramphenicol, an active site directed inhibitor for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase

The role of adjuvants in overcoming antibacterial resistance due to enzymatic drug modification

Antibacterial resistance is a prominent issue with monotherapy often leading to treatment failure in serious infections. Many mechanisms can lead to antibacterial resistance including deactivation of antibacterial agents by bacterial enzymes. Enzymatic drug modification confers resistance to β-lactams, aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, macrolides, isoniazid, rifamycins, fosfomycin and lincosamides. Novel enzyme inhibitor adjuvants have been developed in an attempt to overcome resistance to these agents, only a few of which have so far reached the market. This review discusses the different enzymatic processes that lead to deactivation of antibacterial agents and provides an update on the current and potential enzyme inhibitors that may restore bacterial susceptibility.

Structure of the native pyruvate dehydrogenase complex reveals the mechanism of substrate insertion

The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHc) links glycolysis to the citric acid cycle by converting pyruvate into acetyl-coenzyme A. PDHc encompasses three enzymatically active subunits, namely pyruvate dehydrogenase, dihydrolipoyl transacetylase, and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase. Dihydrolipoyl transacetylase is a multidomain protein comprising a varying number of lipoyl domains, a peripheral subunit-binding domain, and a catalytic domain. It forms the structural core of the complex, provides binding sites for the other enzymes, and shuffles reaction intermediates between the active sites through covalently bound lipoyl domains. The molecular mechanism by which this shuttling occurs has remained elusive. Here, we report a cryo-EM reconstruction of the native E. coli dihydrolipoyl transacetylase core in a resting state. This structure provides molecular details of the assembly of the core and reveals how the lipoyl domains interact with the core at the active site.

Rational Design of Aptamer-Tagged tRNAs

Reprogramming of the genetic code system is limited by the difficulty in creating new tRNA structures. Here, I developed translationally active tRNA variants tagged with a small hairpin RNA aptamer, using Escherichia coli reporter assay systems. As the tRNA chassis for engineering, I employed amber suppressor variants of allo-tRNAs having the 9/3 composition of the 12-base pair amino-acid acceptor branch as well as a long variable arm (V-arm). Although their V-arm is a strong binding site for seryl-tRNA synthetase (SerRS), insertion of a bulge nucleotide in the V-arm stem region prevented allo-tRNA molecules from being charged by SerRS with serine. The SerRS-rejecting allo-tRNA chassis were engineered to have another amino-acid identity of either alanine, tyrosine, or histidine. The tip of the V-arms was replaced with diverse hairpin RNA aptamers, which were recognized by their cognate proteins expressed in E. coli. A high-affinity interaction led to the sequestration of allo-tRNA molecules, while a moderate-affinity aptamer moiety recruited histidyl-tRNA synthetase variants fused with the cognate protein domain. The new design principle for tRNA-aptamer fusions will enhance radical and dynamic manipulation of the genetic code.

Structural and Biochemical Studies of a Biocatalyst for the Enzymatic Production of Wax Esters

Wax esters are high-value products whose enzymatic synthesis is of increasing biotechnological interest. The fabrication of cell factories that mass-produce wax esters may provide a facile route towards a sustainable, and environment-friendly approach to a large-scale process for this commodity chemical. An expedient route for wax-ester biocatalysis may be facilitated by the action of enzymes termed wax ester synthases/diacylglycerol acyltransferases (WS/DGAT), which produce wax esters using fatty acids and alcohols as a precursor. In this work, we report the structure for a member of the WS/DGAT superfamily. The structural data in conjunction with bioinformatics and mutational analyses allowed us to identify the substrate binding pockets, and residues that may be important for catalysis. Using this information as a guide, we generated a mutant with preference towards shorter acyl-substrates. This study demonstrates the efficacy of a structure-guided engineering effort towards a WS/DGAT variant with preference towards wax esters of desired lengths.

Heme interacts with histidine- and tyrosine-based protein motifs and inhibits enzymatic activity of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase from Escherichia coli

BACKGROUND

The occurrence of free organismal heme can either contribute to serious diseases or beneficially regulate important physiological processes. Research on transient binding to heme-regulatory motifs (HRMs) in proteins resulted in the discovery of numerous Cys-based, especially Cys-Pro (CP)-based motifs. However, the number of His- and Tyr-based protein representatives is comparatively low so far, which is in part caused by a lack of information regarding recognition and binding requirements.

METHODS

To understand transient heme association with such motifs on the molecular level, we analyzed a set of 44 His- and Tyr-based peptides using UV-vis, resonance Raman, cw-EPR and 2D NMR spectroscopy.

RESULTS

We observed similarities with Cys-based sequences with respect to their spectral behavior and complex geometries. However, significant differences regarding heme-binding affinities and sequence requirements were also found. Compared to Cys-based peptides and proteins all sequences investigated structurally display increased flexibility already in the free-state, which is also maintained upon heme association. The acquired knowledge allowed for identification and prediction of a His-based HRM in chloramphenicol acetyltransferase from Escherichia coli as potential heme-regulated protein. The enzyme's heme-interacting capability was studied, and revealed an inhibitory effect of heme on the protein activity with an IC50 value of 57.69±4.37 μM.

CONCLUSIONS

It was found that heme inhibits a bacterial protein carrying a potential His-based HRM. This finding brings microbial proteins more into focus of regulation by free heme.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Understanding transient binding and regulatory action of heme with bacterial proteins, being crucial for survival, might promote new strategies for the treatment of bacterial infections.

Acyltransferases in bacteria

Long-chain-length hydrophobic acyl residues play a vital role in a multitude of essential biological structures and processes. They build the inner hydrophobic layers of biological membranes, are converted to intracellular storage compounds, and are used to modify protein properties or function as membrane anchors, to name only a few functions. Acyl thioesters are transferred by acyltransferases or transacylases to a variety of different substrates or are polymerized to lipophilic storage compounds. Lipases represent another important enzyme class dealing with fatty acyl chains; however, they cannot be regarded as acyltransferases in the strict sense. This review provides a detailed survey of the wide spectrum of bacterial acyltransferases and compares different enzyme families in regard to their catalytic mechanisms. On the basis of their studied or assumed mechanisms, most of the acyl-transferring enzymes can be divided into two groups. The majority of enzymes discussed in this review employ a conserved acyltransferase motif with an invariant histidine residue, followed by an acidic amino acid residue, and their catalytic mechanism is characterized by a noncovalent transition state. In contrast to that, lipases rely on completely different mechanism which employs a catalytic triad and functions via the formation of covalent intermediates. This is, for example, similar to the mechanism which has been suggested for polyester synthases. Consequently, although the presented enzyme types neither share homology nor have a common three-dimensional structure, and although they deal with greatly varying molecule structures, this variety is not reflected in their mechanisms, all of which rely on a catalytically active histidine residue.

The structural basis for substrate versatility of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase CATI

Novel antibiotics are needed to overcome the challenge of continually evolving bacterial resistance. This has led to a renewed interest in mechanistic studies of once popular antibiotics like chloramphenicol (CAM). Chloramphenicol acetyltransferases (CATs) are enzymes that covalently modify CAM, rendering it inactive against its target, the ribosome, and thereby causing resistance to CAM. Of the three major types of CAT (CAT(I-III)), the CAM-specific CAT(III) has been studied extensively. Much less is known about another clinically important type, CAT(I). In addition to inactivating CAM and unlike CAT(III), CAT(I) confers resistance to a structurally distinct antibiotic, fusidic acid. The origin of the broader substrate specificity of CAT(I) has not been fully elucidated. To understand the substrate binding features of CAT(I), its crystal structures in the unbound (apo) and CAM-bound forms were determined. The analysis of these and previously determined CAT(I)-FA and CAT(III)-CAM structures revealed interactions responsible for CAT(I) binding to its substrates and clarified the broader substrate preference of CAT(I) compared to that of CAT(III).

The serine acetyltransferase reaction: acetyl transfer from an acylpantothenyl donor to an alcohol

Serine acetyltransferase is a member of the left-handed parallel beta-helix family of enzymes that catalyzes the committed step in the de novo synthesis of l-cysteine in bacteria and plants. The enzyme has an ordered kinetic mechanism with acetyl CoA bound prior to l-serine and O-acetyl-l-serine released prior to CoA. The rate-limiting step along the reaction pathway is the nucleophilic attack of the serine hydroxyl on the thioester of acetyl CoA. Product release contributes to rate-limitation at saturating concentrations of reactants. The reaction is catalyzed by an active site general base with a pK of 7, which accepts a proton from the serine hydroxyl as a tetrahedral intermediate is formed between the reactants, and donates it to the thiol of CoA as the intermediate collapses to give products. This mechanism is likely the same for all O-acyltransferases that catalyze their reaction by direct attack of the alcohol on the acyl donor, using an active-site histidine as the general base. Serine acetyltransferase is regulated by feedback inhibition by the end product l-cysteine, which acts by binding to the serine site in the active site and inducing a conformational change that prevents reactant binding. The enzyme also associates with O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase, the final enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway, which contributes to stabilizing the acetyltransferase.

The active site of Escherichia coli UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase. Chemical modification and site-directed mutagenesis

UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) acyltransferase (LpxA) catalyzes the reversible transfer of an R-3-hydroxyacyl chain from R-3-hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein to the glucosamine 3-OH of UDP-GlcNAc in the first step of lipid A biosynthesis. Lipid A is required for the growth and virulence of most Gram-negative bacteria, making its biosynthetic enzymes intriguing targets for the development of new antibacterial agents. LpxA is a member of a large family of left-handed beta-helical proteins, many of which are acyl- or acetyltransferases. We now demonstrate that histidine-, lysine-, and arginine-specific reagents effectively inhibit LpxA of Escherichia coli, whereas serine- and cysteine-specific reagents do not. Using this information in conjunction with multiple sequence alignments, we constructed site-directed alanine substitution mutations of conserved histidine, lysine, and arginine residues. Many of these mutant LpxA enzymes show severely decreased specific activities under standard assay conditions. The decrease in activity corresponds to decreased k(cat)/K(m,UDP-GlcNAc) values for all the mutants. With the exception of H125A, in which no activity is seen under any assay condition, the decrease in k(cat)/K(m,UDP-GlcNAc) mainly reflects an increased K(m,UDP-GlcNAc). His(125) of E. coli LpxA may therefore function as a catalytic residue, possibly as a general base. LpxA does not catalyze measurable UDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxymyristoyl)-GlcNAc hydrolysis or UDP-GlcNAc/UDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxymyristoyl)-GlcNAc exchange, arguing against a ping-pong mechanism with an acyl-enzyme intermediate.

Biochemical characterization of recombinant serotonin N-acetyltransferase

Pineal and retinal melatonin synthesis is controlled by the enzymatic activity of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT, EC 2.3.1.87), which is regulated by light/dark signals and circadian factors. This enzyme converts serotonin to N-acetylserotonin by the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl coenzyme A. Endogenous AA-NAT instability during routine purification has made enzyme characterization difficult, but now a stable recombinant protein for AA-NAT has been synthesized to investigate the intrinsic biochemical properties of AA-NAT from a rat pineal cDNA encoding a 205 amino acid, 23 kilodalton protein, by using a glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion protein system. Recombinant GST-AA-NAT showed substrate specificity for arylalkylamines and stability at 4 degrees C; however, the enzyme activity was reduced by 40% upon preincubation at 37 degrees C for 2 hr. GST-AA-NAT is preferentially phosphorylated by either cyclic AMP- or cyclic GMP-dependent kinases in vitro, but no detrimental effect was observed on AA-NAT enzymatic activity. Among the metal cations tested in this study, Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, and Co2 showed little or no inhibitory potency, while either 1 mM Zn2+ or 0.1 mM Cu2+ nearly abolished the enzymatic activity. GST-AA-NAT enzyme activity is also inhibited by reagents that are known biochemically to modify thiol groups (N-ethylmaleimide, NEM) and histidine residues (p-chloromercuribenzoate, NBS and diethyl pyrocarbonate, DEPC), suggesting the presence of essential cysteine and histidine moieties. Moreover, preincubation of acetyl CoA completely protects the recombinant AA-NAT from inactivation by NEM and DEPC, indicating that specific cysteine and histidine residues may be at the acetylation site. The conclusion is that the biochemical properties of rat recombinant AA-NAT is similar to the endogenous pineal and retinal AA-NAT with respect to the sensitivity to temperature, metal cations, as well as the thiol modification reagents. These data also suggest that the phosphorylation status of the AA-NAT does not affect enzymatic activity directly, and histidine residues are potentially important residues required for high catalytic activity.

Missense translation errors in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We describe the development of a novel plasmid-based assay for measuring the in vivo frequency of misincorporation of amino acids into polypeptide chains in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The assay is based upon the measurement of the catalytic activity of an active site mutant of type III chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CATIII) expressed in S. cerevisiae. A His195(CAC)-->Tyr195(UAC) mutant of CATIII is completely inactive, but catalytic activity can be restored by misincorporation of histidine at the mutant UAC codon. The average error frequency of misincorporation of histidine at this tyrosine UAC codon in wild-type yeast strains was measured as 0. 5x10(-5) and this frequency was increased some 50-fold by growth in the presence of paromomycin, a known translational-error-inducing antibiotic. A detectable frequency of misincorporation of histidine at a mutant Ala195 GCU codon was also measured as 2x10(-5), but in contrast to the Tyr195-->His195 misincorporation event, the frequency of histidine misincorporation at Ala195 GCU was not increased by paromomycin, inferring that this error did not result from miscognate codon-anticodon interaction. The His195 to Tyr195 missense error assay was used to demonstrate increased frequencies of missense error at codon 195 in SUP44 and SUP46 mutants. These two mutants have previously been shown to exhibit a translation termination error phenotype and the sup44+ and sup46+ genes encode the yeast ribosomal proteins S4 and S9, respectively. These data represent the first accurate in vivo measurement of a specific mistranslation event in a eukaryotic cell and directly confirm that the eukaryotic ribosome plays an important role in controlling missense errors arising from non-cognate codon-anticodon interactions.

Conformational changes and the role of metals in the mechanism of type II dehydroquinase from Aspergillus nidulans

We have investigated the involvement of metal ions and conformational changes in the elimination reaction catalysed by type II dehydroquinase from Aspergillus nidulans. Mechanistic comparisons between dehydroquinases and aldolases raised the possibility that, by analogy with type II aldolases, type II dehydroquinases may require bivalent metal ions for activity. This hypothesis was tested by a combination of metal analysis, effects of metal chelators and denaturation/renaturation experiments, all of which failed to show any evidence that type II dehydroquinases are metal-dependent dehydratases. Analysis of native and refolded enzyme by electron microscopy showed that the dodecameric type II enzyme from A. nidulans adopts a ring-like structure similar to that of glutamine synthase, suggesting an arrangement of two hexameric rings stacked on top of one another. Evidence for a ligand-induced conformational change came from both chemical modification and proteolysis experiments. Inactivation data with the arginine-specific reagent phenylglyoxal indicated that, at pH 7.5, two arginine residues are modified: one modification displays affinity-labelling kinetics and has a 1:1 stoichiometry, while the other displays simple bimolecular kinetics and a stoichiometry of 2:1. The labelling at the affinity site is markedly enhanced by the addition of ligand, implying that this active-site residue is further exposed to modification by phenylglyoxal as a result of a ligand-induced conformational change. A combination of proteolysis and electrospray MS experiments identified the site of affinity labelling as Arg-19. The highly conserved N-terminal region encompassing Arg-19 of type II dehydroquinase was found to be particularly susceptible to proteolytic cleavage Limited digestion with proteinase K inactivates the enzyme, although the type II oligomeric structure is retained, and ligand binding partially protects against this inactivation.

Structural and mechanistic studies of galactoside acetyltransferase, the Escherichia coli LacA gene product

Escherichia coli galactoside acetyltransferase (GAT) is a member of a large family of acetyltransferases that O-acetylate dissimilar substrates but share limited sequence homology. Steady-state kinetic analysis of over-expressed GAT demonstrated that it accepted a range of substrates, including glucosides and lactosides which were acetylated at rates comparable to galactosides. GAT was shown to be a trimeric acetyltransferase by cross-linking with dimethyl suberimidate. Fluorometric analysis of coenzyme A binding showed that there is a fluorescence quench associated with acetyl-CoA binding whereas CoA has no effect. This difference was exploited to measure dissociation rates for both CoA and acetyl-CoA by stopped-flow fluorometry. The rate of dissociation of CoA (2500 s-1) is at least 170-fold faster than kcat for any substrate tested. The fluorescence response to acetyl-CoA binding is entirely due to Trp-139 since replacement by phenylalanine completely abolished the fluorescence quench. Treatment of GAT by [14C]iodoacetamide resulted in complete inactivation of the enzyme and the incorporation of label into histidyl and cysteinyl residues to approximately equal extents. Following replacement of His-115 by alanine, label was incorporated solely into cysteinyl residues. Furthermore, the substitution results in an 1800-fold decrease in kcat suggesting that His-115 has an important catalytic role in GAT.

Modification with tetranitromethane of an essential tyrosine residue in uridine phosphorylase from Escherichia coli

Treatment with tetranitromethane (TNM) rapidly and irreversibly inactivates uridine phosphorylase (UPase) from E. coli under mildly alkaline conditions. Modification of one of the four tyrosine residues decreases enzyme activity to 10%, while modification of all tyrosines decreases it to 8%. The second-order rate constant for the inactivation is 1250 +/- 50 M-1 min-1 at pH 8.0. Phosphate (0.1 M) does not affect the inactivation rate, while 5 mM uridine, or uridine plus phosphate nearly completely protect the enzyme against inactivation. Free sulfhydryl groups of UPase are not oxidized by TNM. A single modified peptide was isolated from tryptic digest by reverse-phase HPLC. The mass to charge ratio and the sequence determined are consisted with modification of Tyr-169, which corresponds to tryptic peptide 169Tyr-Asp-Thr-Tyr-Ser-Gly-Arg175. Tyrosine nitration leads to a significant decrease in the pKa of the phenolic hydroxy group without significantly affecting enzyme structure. Comparison of the pH dependence of activity and inactivation by diethylpyrocarbonate for the native and modified UPase reveals interaction between the modified tyrosine residue and an essential histidine residue (Drabikowska, A.K. and Wozniak, G (1990) Biochem. J. 270, 319-323). It is suggested that Tyr-169 takes part in the stabilization of the imidazole ring of the essential histidine in UPase.

Site-directed mutagenesis and functional analysis of the active-site residues of the E2 component of bovine branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex

The catalytic domain of dihydrolipoamide transacylase (E2c) of bovine branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex (BCKAD) was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The E2c catalyzes a reversible acyl transfer reaction between acyl-CoA and dihydrolipoamide, which also occurs spontaneously with a much slower rate. The benzene extracts of both the enzyme-catalyzed and the spontaneous reactions mixture have identical ultraviolet absorbance spectra with a maximum at 233-234 nm, which is characteristic of S-acyldihydrolipoamide. The spontaneous reaction rate of various acyl-CoA is in the order of acetoacetyl-CoA > acetyl-CoA > isobutyryl-CoA > isovaleryl-CoA. In other words, the spontaneous acyl transfer is faster when the substituent (R) of acyl-CoA (R-CO-S-CoA) is a more electron-withdrawing group. This result indicates that a negative charge occurs in the substrate during the acyl transfer process. The function of the active-site histidine (His391) and serine (Ser338) of bovine E2c was analyzed by site-directed mutagenesis. Substitution of His391 or Ser338 with alanine caused drastic decreases in catalytic efficiencies by 3-4 orders of magnitude. The residual activity of H391A increased as the pH of the reaction buffer was elevated. These data support the base-catalyzed mechanism inferred from that of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT). In this reaction, the active-site histidine acts as a general base, and the active-site serine provides a hydrogen bond to the putative negatively charged tetrahedral transition state. Moreover, when Ala348 was changed to valine, the catalytic efficiency for isovaleryl-CoA decreased about 10-fold, and that for acetyl-CoA increased about 3-fold.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analysis of hydrogen bonding in enzyme-substrate complexes of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase by infrared spectroscopy and site-directed mutagenesis

Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reversibly transfers an acetyl group between CoA and the 3-hydroxyl of either chloramphenicol (Cm) or 1-acetylchloramphenicol (1AcCm). The products of the forward reactions, 3-acetylchloramphenicol (3-AcCm) and 1,3-diacetylchloramphenicol (1,3Ac2-Cm), are the substrates for the reverse reaction. The role of the 3-acetyl carbonyl group in the binding of the substrates 3AcCm and 1,3Ac2Cm to CAT has been investigated using infrared spectroscopy. Comparison of difference spectra (3-[12C = O]acetyl- minus 3-[13C = O]acetyl-) obtained for the binary complexes of 3AcCm with wild-type CAT, and with a variant wherein serine-148 is replaced by alanine (S148A), reveals a large (9 cm-1) down frequency shift for the 3-acetyl carbonyl stretch in the wild-type complex, indicative of a hydrogen bond between this carbonyl and the hydroxyl group of Ser-148. The carbonyl bandwidth in the wild-type complex is reduced by 33% compared to that for the complex with S148A, indicating restriction of carbonyl mobility and dispersion in the former, an observation consistent with the proposed hydrogen bond between the ester carbonyl and the hydroxyl of Ser-148. Repetition of the experiment using 1,3Ac2Cm as the ligand reveals a frequency shift of only 3 cm-1 between wild-type and S148A complexes, indicating only a small change in the strength of carbonyl interaction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Replacement of catalytic histidine-195 of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase: evidence for a general base role for glutamate

The imidazole N epsilon 2 of His-195 plays an essential part in the proposed general base mechanism of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT), hydrogen bonding to and a abstracting a proton from the primary hydroxyl group of chloramphenicol. Replacement of His-195 by alanine or glutamine results in apparent decreases in kcat of (9 x 10(5)- and (3 x 10(5))-fold, respectively, whereas Km values for both substrates (chloramphenicol and acetyl-CoA) are similar to those of wild-type CAT. The structure of Gln-195 CAT has been solved at 2.5-A resolution and is largely isosteric with that of wild-type CAT. Substitution of His-195 by glutamate resulted in a (5 x 10(4))-fold decrease in kcat together with a 3-fold increase in the Km for chloramphenicol. Direct determination of binding constants for both substrates demonstrated that these substitutions result in only small decreases in the affinity of CAT for acetyl-CoA (Kd values increased 2- to 3-fold), whereas chloramphenicol Kd values are elevated 26-, 20-, and 53-fold for Ala-195 CAT, Gln-195 CAT and Glu-195 CAT, respectively. The pH dependence of kcat/Km yields apparent pKa values of 6.5 and 6.7 for Ala-195 CAT and Gln-195 CAT, respectively, which are very similar to that (6.6) determined for the ionization of His-195 in wild-type CAT. In contrast, the pH dependence of kcat/Km for Glu-195 CAT (pKa = 8.3) is very different from that of wild-type CAT.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The pKa of the catalytic histidine residue of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase

A catalytically essential histidine residue (His-195) of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) acts as a general base in catalysis, abstracting a proton from the primary hydroxy group of chloramphenicol. The pKa of His-195 has been determined from the pH-dependence of chemical modification. Both methyl 4-nitrobenzenesulphonate and iodoacetamide inactivate CAT by irreversible modification of His-195. The kinetics of inactivation by methyl 4-nitrobenzenesulphonate are pseudo-first-order, and the pH-dependence of inactivation yields a pKa value of 6.60. Iodoacetamide inactivation proceeds with second-order kinetics and a pKa value of 6.80. An alternative site of modification at the active site of CAT is the thiol group of Cys-31, a residue which has no catalytic role. On replacement of Cys-31 with alanine (Ala-31 CAT), the pH-dependence of iodoacetamide inactivation gives a pKa value of 6.66. The pKa values derived from chemical-modification experiments directed at His-195 are in agreement with the pKa values of 6.62 and 6.61 determined for wild-type and Ala-31 CAT respectively from the pH-dependence of kcat/Km.

Purification of liver aldehyde dehydrogenase by p-hydroxyacetophenone-sepharose affinity matrix and the coelution of chloramphenicol acetyl transferase from the same matrix with recombinantly expressed aldehyde dehydrogenase

p-Hydroxyacetophenone was coupled to epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B to generate an affinity chromatographic matrix to purify aldehyde dehydrogenase. Purified beef liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase specifically bound to the support and could be eluted with p-hydroxyacetophenone. A post-ammonium sulfate (30-55%) fraction of bovine liver was applied to the affinity gel column and aldehyde dehydrogenase was effectively purified, although not to complete homogeneity, indicating the potential selectivity of the matrix. Both beef liver cytosolic and mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase bound to the column. A post-Cibacron blue Sepharose Cl-6B affinity-fractionated liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase was purified to complete homogeneity by p-hydroxyacetophenone-Sepharose, thus eliminating the need for the isoelectric focusing step often employed. p-Hydroxyacetophenone was found to be a competitive inhibitor against propionaldehyde and noncompetitive against NAD. Escherichia coli lysates of recombinantly expressed aldehyde dehydrogenase were purified from E. coli lysates with one major 25-kDa protein contaminant also binding to the column, as detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. The 25-kDa contaminant was found to be chloramphenicol acetyl transferase from sequence analysis and binding studies.

The N-terminal 22 amino acids encoded by the gene specifying the major secreted protein of vaccinia virus, strain Lister, can function as a signal sequence to direct the export of a foreign protein

Cells infected with vaccinia virus strain Lister secrete a polypeptide of approximate molecular weight 35,000 (35K) into the medium. Previous studies identified a cleavable, hydrophobic region of 17 amino acids in the 35K protein which could potentially function as a signal peptide to target the protein to the secretory pathway. Here we report the use of the expression-secretion signals derived from the 35K gene to direct export and secretion of a foreign protein. Vaccinia virus recombinants carrying the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyl transferase gene (cat) immediately downstream from the promoter and the N-terminal coding sequences of the 35K gene were constructed. Our studies show that the N-terminal 22 or 42 amino acids of the 35K protein direct efficient secretion of the CAT protein. However, due to a cryptic glycosylation site within CAT, glycosylated protein was secreted, which reduced enzymatic activity. Activity was restored in the presence of tunicamycin. Removal of the glycosylation site by site-directed mutagenesis abolished glycosylation with no effect on secretion, although CAT activity was again reduced, possibly due to an effect on the active site. The results presented here demonstrate the feasibility of using the promoter and the signal sequence of the 35K gene to generate recombinant viruses for overexpression and secretion of foreign proteins.

Comparative sequence analysis of the catB gene from Clostridium butyricum

Sequence analysis of the Clostridium butyricum chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene, catB, showed that it encoded a CAT monomer of 219 amino acids with a molecular weight of 26,114. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of the CATB monomer to those of sixteen other CATs showed that it was most closely related to the CATQ monomer from Clostridium perfringens.

Mechanistic and active-site studies on D(--)-mandelate dehydrogenase from Rhodotorula graminis

D(--)-Mandelate dehydrogenase, the first enzyme of the mandelate pathway in the yeast Rhodotorula graminis, catalyses the NAD(+)-dependent oxidation of D(--)-mandelate to phenylglyoxylate. D(--)-2-(Bromoethanoyloxy)-2-phenylethanoic acid ['D(--)-bromoacetylmandelic acid'], an analogue of the natural substrate, was synthesized as a probe for reactive and accessible nucleophilic groups within the active site of the enzyme. D(--)-Mandelate dehydrogenase was inactivated by D(--)-bromoacetylmandelate in a psuedo-first-order process. D(--)-Mandelate protected against inactivation, suggesting that the residue that reacts with the inhibitor is located at or near the active site. Complete inactivation of the enzyme resulted in the incorporation of approx. 1 mol of label/mol of enzyme subunit. D(--)-Mandelate dehydrogenase that had been inactivated with 14C-labelled D(--)-bromoacetylmandelate was digested with trypsin; there was substantial incorporation of 14C into two tryptic-digest peptides, and this was lowered in the presence of substrate. One of the tryptic peptides had the sequence Val-Xaa-Leu-Glu-Ile-Gly-Lys, with the residue at the second position being the site of radiolabel incorporation. The complete sequence of the second peptide was not determined, but it was probably an N-terminally extended version of the first peptide. High-voltage electrophoresis of the products of hydrolysis of modified protein showed that the major peak of radioactivity co-migrated with N tau-carboxymethylhistidine, indicating that a histidine residue at the active site of the enzyme is the most likely nucleophile with which D(--)-bromoacetylmandelate reacts. D(--)-Mandelate dehydrogenase was incubated with phenylglyoxylate and either (4S)-[4-3H]NADH or (4R)-[4-3H]NADH and then the resulting D(--)-mandelate and NAD+ were isolated. The enzyme transferred the pro-R-hydrogen atom from NADH during the reduction of phenylglyoxylate. The results are discussed with particular reference to the possibility that this enzyme evolved by the recruitment of a 2-hydroxy acid dehydrogenase from another metabolic pathway.

Intrinsic fluorescence of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase: responses to ligand binding and assignment of the contributions of tryptophan residues by site-directed mutagenesis

Replacement by tyrosine or phenylalanine was used to assign the additive contributions of each of the three tryptophan residues of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) to its intrinsic fluorescence on excitation at 295 nm. During the assessment of the fluorescence responses of the wild-type enzyme to the binding of ligands, it was found that the overlapping absorption spectra of chloramphenicol and tryptophan, with an attendant inner filter effect, required the use of a displacement technique involving an alternative substrate (the p-cyano analogue of chloramphenicol) without significant absorption at 295 nm. By the use of two-Trp, one-Trp, and Trp-less variants, in combination with this displacement technique, it was possible to demonstrate that Trp-86 and Trp-152 are involved in the fluorescence quenching associated with the binding of chloramphenicol, most likely via nonradiative energy transfer from these residues to the bound substrate. Trp-152 is mainly responsible for the fluorescence enhancement accompanying the binding of acetyl-CoA (and CoA) through proximity effects and solvent exclusion on substrate association.

Substrate binding to chloramphenicol acetyltransferase: evidence for negative cooperativity from equilibrium and kinetic constants for binary and ternary complexes

Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) catalyzes the acetyl-CoA-dependent acetylation of chloramphenicol by a ternary complex mechanism with a rapid equilibrium and essentially random order of addition of substrates. Such a kinetic mechanism for a two-substrate reaction provides an opportunity to compare the affinity of enzyme for each substrate in the binary complexes (1/Kd) with corresponding values (1/Km) for affinities in the ternary complex where any effect of the other substrate should be manifest. The pursuit of such information for CAT involved the use of four independent methods to determine the dissociation constant (Kd) for chloramphenicol in the binary complex, techniques which included stopped-flow measurements of on and off rates, and a novel fluorometric titration method. The binary complex dissociation constant (Kd) for acetyl-CoA was measured by fluorescence enhancement and steady-state kinetic analysis. The ternary complex dissociation constant (Km) for each substrate (in the presence of the other) was determined by kinetic and fluorometric methods, using CoA or ethyl-CoA to form nonproductive ternary complexes. The results demonstrate an unequivocal decrease in affinity of CAT for each of its substrates on progression from the binary to the ternary complex, a phenomenon most economically described as negative cooperativity. The binary complex dissociation constants (Kd) for chloramphenicol and acetyl-CoA are 4 microM and 30 microM whereas the corresponding dissociation constants in the ternary complex (Km) are 12 microM and 90 microM, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Identification of the C2-1H histidine NMR resonances in chloramphenicol acetyltransferase by a 13C-1H heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence method

Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) was used to assess the feasibility of study of specific proton resonances in an enzyme of overall molecular mass 75,000, [ring 2-13C]Histidine was selectively incorporated into the type III chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CATIII) using a histidine auxotroph of E. coli. Heteronuclear multiple and single quantum experiments were used to select the C2 protons in the histidyl imidazole ring. One- and two-dimensional spectra revealed six signals out of a total of seven histidine residues in CATIII. pH titration, chemical modification and ligand binding were used to demonstrate that the signal from H195, the histidine at the active site, is not among those observed. Nevertheless, this work demonstrates that selective isotopic enrichment and multiple quantum coherence techniques can be used to distinguish proton resonances in a protein of high molecular mass.

Relationship between the Clostridium perfringens catQ gene product and chloramphenicol acetyltransferases from other bacteria

The nucleotide sequence of the Clostridium perfringens chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT)-encoding resistance determinant, catQ, was determined. An open reading frame encoding a protein of 219 amino acids with a molecular weight of 26,014 was identified. Although catQ was expressed constitutively, sequences similar in structure to those found upstream of inducible cat genes were observed. The catQ gene was distinct from the C. perfringens catP determinant. The deduced CATQ monomer had considerable amino acid sequence conservation compared with CATP (53% similarity) and other known CAT proteins (39 to 53%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the CATQ monomer was as closely related to CAT proteins from Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter coli as it was to CAT monomers from the clostridia.

Site-directed mutagenesis of the lipoate acetyltransferase of Escherichia coli

Remote but significant similarities between the primary and predicted secondary structures of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferases (CAT) and lipoate acyltransferase subunits (LAT, E2) of the 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complexes, have suggested that both types of enzyme may use similar catalytic mechanisms. Multiple sequence alignments for CAT and LAT have highlighted two conserved motifs that contain the active-site histidine and serine residues of CAT. Site-directed replacement of Ser550 in the E2p subunit (LAT) of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Escherichia coli, deemed to be equivalent to the active-site Ser148 of CAT, supported the CAT-based model of LAT catalysis. The effects of other substitutions were also consistent with the predicted similarity in catalytic mechanism although specific details of active-site geometry may not be conserved.

Sequence similarities within the family of dihydrolipoamide acyltransferases and discovery of a previously unidentified fungal enzyme

A composite protein sequence database was searched for amino acid sequences similar to the C-terminal domain of the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase subunit (E2p) of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Escherichia coli. Nine sequences with extensive similarity were found, of which eight were E2 subunits. The other was for a putative mitochondrial ribosomal protein, MRP3, from Neurospora crassa. Alignment of the MRP3 and E2 sequences showed that the similarity extends through the entire MRP3 sequence and that MRP3 is most closely related to the E2p subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with 54% identical residues and a further 36% that are conservatively substituted. Other features of the MRP3 gene and protein are also consistent with it being the acyltransferase subunit of a 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex. A multiple alignment of 13 E2 sequences indicated that 120 (34%) of 353 equivalenced residues are identical or show some degree of conservation. It also identified residues that are potentially important for the structure, catalytic activity and substrate-specificity of the acyltransferases.

Elimination of a reactive thiol group from the active site of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase

1. The type III variant of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CATIII) is resistant to inactivation by ionizable modifying reagents such as 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) and iodoacetate, whereas it is sensitive to inhibition by similar but uncharged reagents, including 4,4'-dithiodipyridine, methyl methanethiolsulphonate (MMTS) and iodoacetamide. The target for these thiol-modifying reagents has been postulated to be Cys-31. This residue is situated within a part of the chloramphenicol-binding site formed largely from the side chains of hydrophobic amino acid residues, which might be expected to discriminate against the access of ionized ligands to Cys-31. 2. The substitution of Cys-31 by alanine, serine, threonine or methionine yields an enzyme that is resistant to inactivation by thiol-specific reagents. Replacement of Cys-31 by alanine, serine or threonine results in increased Km values for chloramphenicol with only small changes in kcat.. In contrast, the Cys-31----Met substitution mainly affects kcat. values. Although the kcat. for chloramphenicol acetylation is decreased 13-fold compared with wild-type CAT, the kcat. for the acetyl-CoA hydrolysis reaction, which occurs in the absence of chloramphenicol, is increased 2.7-fold. 3. MMTS modification of cysteine residues results in an adduct (-CH2-S-S-CH3) that is structurally similar to the side chain of a methionine residue (-CH2-CH2-S-CH3). The kinetic properties of MMTS-modified CATIII closely resemble those of [Met31]CAT.

Nucleotide sequences of genes encoding the type II chloramphenicol acetyltransferases of Escherichia coli and Haemophilus influenzae, which are sensitive to inhibition by thiol-reactive reagents

Sensitivity of enzymes to inhibition by thiol-reactive reagents is often presented as evidence for the possible involvement of cysteine residues in substrate binding and catalysis or to highlight possible important differences in structure and mechanism between closely related enzymes. The primary phenotypic distinction between the enterobacterial type II chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CATII; typified by the enzyme encoded by the incW transmissible plasmid pSa) and the CATI and CATIII variants is the greatly enhanced susceptibility of CATII to inactivation by thiol-specific modifying reagents. Determination of the nucleotide sequence of the gene, catII, present on pSa and that of a related determinant, catIIH, isolated from Haemophilus influenzae indicates that sensitivity to such reagents cannot be due to the presence of additional reactive cysteine residues in CATII. Comparative analysis of the inactivation of CATII and CATIII by 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), 4,4'-dithiodipyridine (DTDP) and methyl methanethiosulphonate (MMTS) suggests that (i) inactivation occurs as a result of chemical modification of the same residue (Cys-31) in each enzyme, (ii) reagents that inactivate via a pseudo-first-order process (DTNB and DTDP) appear to bind with a greater affinity to CATII, and (iii) the intrinsic reactivity of Cys-31 in CATII greatly exceeds that of the corresponding residue in CATIII. The results lead to the conclusion that a striking difference in chemical reactivity of a unique and conserved thiol group between closely related enzyme variants may not be easily explained even when a high-resolution tertiary structure is available for one of them. Plausible explanations include more favourable access of reagents to Cys-31 in CATII or an enhanced reactivity of its thiol group imposed by the side chains of residues that are not in immediate contact with it.

Overexpression and mutagenesis of the catalytic domain of dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The inner core domain (residues approximately 221-454) of the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase component (E2P) of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been overexpressed in Escherichia coli strain JM105 via the expression vector pKK233-2. The truncated E2p was purified to apparent homogeneity. It exhibited catalytic activity (acetyl transfer from [1-14C]acetyl-CoA to dihydrolipoamide) very similar to that of wild-type E2p. The appearance of the truncated and wild-type E2p was also very similar, as observed by negative-stain electron microscopy, namely, a pentagonal dodecahedron. These findings demonstrate that the active site of E2p from S. cerevisiae resides in the inner core domain, i.e., catalytic domain, and that this domain alone can undergo self-assembly. The purified truncated E2p showed a tendency to aggregate. Aggregation was prevented by genetically engineered attachment of the interdomain linker segment (residues approximately 181-220) to the catalytic domain. All dihydrolipoamide acyltransferases contain the sequence His-Xaa-Xaa-Xaa-Asp-Gly near their carboxyl termini. By analogy with chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, the highly conserved His and Asp residues were postulated to be involved in the catalytic mechanism [Guest, J. R. (1987) FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 44, 417-422]. Substitution of the sole His residue in the S. cerevisiae truncated E2p, His-427, by Asn or Ala by site-directed mutagenesis did not have a significant effect on the kcat or Km values of the truncated E2p. However, the Asp-431----Asn, Ala, or Glu substitutions resulted in a 16-, 24-, and 3.7-fold reduction, respectively, in kcat, with little change in Km values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Overexpression of restructured pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes and site-directed mutagenesis of a potential active-site histidine residue

The aceEF-lpd operon of Escherichia coli encodes the pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1p), dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (E2p) and dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (E3) components of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (PDH complex). A thermoinducible expression system was developed to amplify a variety of genetically restructured PDH complexes, including those containing three, two, one and no lipoyl domains per E2p chain. Although large quantities of the corresponding complexes were produced, they had only 20-50% of the predicted specific activities. The activities of the E1p components were diminished to the same extent, and this could account for the shortfall in overall complex activity. Thermoinduction was used to express a mutant PDH complex in which the putative active-site histidine residue of the E2p component (His-602) was replaced by cysteine in the H602C E2p component. This substitution abolished dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase activity of the complex without affecting other E2p functions. The results support the view that His-602 is an active-site residue. The inactivation could mean that the histidine residue performs an essential role in the acetyltransferase reaction mechanism, or that the reaction is blocked by an irreversible modification of the cysteine substituent. Complementation was observed between the H602C PDH complex and a complex that is totally deficient in lipoyl domains, both in vitro, by the restoration of overall complex activity in mixed extracts, and in vivo, from the nutritional independence of strains that co-express the two complexes from different plasmids.

Refined crystal structure of type III chloramphenicol acetyltransferase at 1.75 A resolution

High level bacterial resistance to chloramphenicol is generally due to O-acetylation of the antibiotic in a reaction catalysed by chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT, EC 2.3.1.28) in which acetyl-coenzyme A is the acyl donor. The crystal structure of the type III enzyme from Escherichia coli with chloramphenicol bound has been determined and refined at 1.75 A resolution, using a restrained parameter reciprocal space least squares procedure. The refined model, which includes chloramphenicol, 204 solvent molecules and two cobalt ions has a crystallographic R-factor of 18.3% for 27,300 reflections between 6 and 1.75 A resolution. The root-mean-square deviation in bond lengths from ideal values is 0.02 A. The cobalt ions play a crucial role in stabilizing the packing of the molecule in the crystal lattice. CAT is a trimer of identical subunits (monomer Mr 25,000) and the trimeric structure is stabilized by a number of hydrogen bonds, some of which result in the extension of a beta-sheet across the subunit interface. Chloramphenicol binds in a deep pocket located at the boundary between adjacent subunits of the trimer, such that the majority of residues forming the binding pocket belong to one subunit while the catalytically essential histidine belongs to the adjacent subunit. His195 is appropriately positioned to act as a general base catalyst in the reaction, and the required tautomeric stabilization is provided by an unusual interaction with a main-chain carbonyl oxygen.

Evidence for transition-state stabilization by serine-148 in the catalytic mechanism of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase

The function of conserved Ser-148 of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) has been investigated by site-directed mutagenesis. Modeling studies (P. C. E. Moody and A. G. W. Leslie, unpublished results) suggested that the hydroxyl group of Ser-148 could be involved in transition-state stabilization via a hydrogen bond to the oxyanion of the putative tetrahedral intermediate. Replacement of serine by alanine results in a mutant enzyme (Ala-148 CAT) with kcat reduced 53-fold and only minor changes in Km values for chloramphenicol and acetyl-CoA. The Ser-148----Gly substitution gives rise to a mutant enzyme (Gly-148 CAT) with kcat reduced only 10-fold. A water molecule may partially replace the hydrogen-bonding potential of Ser-148 in Gly-148 CAT. The three-dimensional structure of Ala-148 CAT at 2.34-A resolution is isosteric with that of wild-type CAT with two exceptions: the absence of the Ser-148 hydroxyl group and the loss of one poorly ordered water molecule from the active site region. The results are consistent with a catalytic role for Ser-148 rather than a structural one and support the hypothesis that Ser-148 is involved in transition-state stabilization. Ser-148 has also been replaced with cysteine and asparagine; the Ser-148----Cys mutation results in a 705-fold decrease in kcat and the Ser-148----Asn substitution in a 214-fold reduction in kcat. Removing the hydrogen bond donor (Ser-148----Ala or Gly) is less deleterious than replacing Ser-148 with alternative possible hydrogen bond donors (Ser-148----Cys or Asn).

Nucleotide sequence of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene of Streptomyces acrimycini

The nucleotide sequence of a gene (cat) encoding chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) in Streptomyces acrimycini was determined. The predicted amino acid sequence demonstrates extensive homology with those of CATs isolated from Gram-negative Enterobacteria, notably with the type III variant encoded by the IncK plasmid R387. Transcript mapping indicates a single cat mRNA with a 5' end coinciding with the AUG codon used for translational initiation in vivo. We also determined the extent of a spontaneous deletion in the 5'-noncoding DNA, which occurs when the gene is cloned in the BamHI site of pBR322 in a specific orientation and which results in constitutive cat expression in Escherichia coli from the tet promoter.

Reversed-phase liquid chromatographic separation of enantiomeric and diastereomeric bases related to chloramphenicol and thiamphenicol

The important antimicrobial agents chloramphenicol and thiamphenicol are N-acylated amines whose chemical structures include two chiral centers. Each drug is the single enantiomer of R,R configuration. The N-deacylated bases of the drugs are important intermediates in their synthesis and optical resolution. In this report, reversed-phase HPLC methods are described for the separation of enantiomeric and diastereomeric bases of the two drugs and of two closely related bases used in some syntheses of the drugs. The stereoisomeric bases were derivatized with a homochiral isothiocyanate and the resulting diastereomeric thioureas were separated on C18 columns with methanol:water mixtures as mobile phases and detection at 254 nm. The four stereoisomeric bases of chloramphenicol and those of its unnitrated analogue were thus separable after derivatization with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl isothiocyanate. This reagent also allowed the separation of the D-threo isomer of the p-mercaptomethyl analogue of thiamphenicol base from its stereoisomers. The stereoisomers of thiamphenicol base were similarly separated with (R)-alpha-methylbenzyl isothiocyanate as the derivatizing agent. The diastereomers of chloramphenicol base and of thiamphenicol base were chromatographically separable after derivatization with the nonchiral reagent benzyl isothiocyanate. The procedures developed may be useful in the determination of the stereoisomeric composition of the drugs in research and in quality control, and may be applicable to other similar agents whose chemistry and pharmacology are receiving considerable attention.

Substitutions in the active site of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase: role of a conserved aspartate

The role of conserved Asp-199 in chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) has been investigated by site-directed mutagenesis. Substitution of Asp-199 by alanine results in a thermolabile mutant enzyme (Ala-199 CAT) with reduced kcat(13-fold) but similar Km values to wild type CAT. Replacement by asparagine gives rise to a thermostable mutant enzyme (Asn-199 CAT) with much reduced kcat(1500-fold). Furthermore, Asn-199 CAT shows anomalous inactivation kinetics with the affinity reagent 3-(bromo-acetyl)chloramphenicol. These results favor a structural role for Asp-199 rather than a catalytic one, in keeping with crystallographic evidence for involvement of Asp-199 in a tight salt bridge with Arg-18. Replacement of Arg-18 by valine results in a mutant enzyme (Val-18 CAT) with similar properties to Ala-199 CAT. The catalytic imidazole of His-19 appears to be conformationally constrained by hydrogen bonding between N1-H and the carbonyl oxygen of the same residue and by ring stacking with Tyr-25.

Structure of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase at 1.75-A resolution

Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase [acetyl-CoA:chloramphenicol O3-acetyltransferase; EC 2.3.1.28] is the enzyme responsible for high-level bacterial resistance to the antibiotic chloramphenicol. It catalyzes the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl CoA to the primary hydroxyl of chloramphenicol. The x-ray crystallographic structure of the type III variant enzyme from Escherichia coli has been determined and refined at 1.75-A resolution. The enzyme is a trimer of identical subunits with a distinctive protein fold. Structure of the trimer is stabilized by a beta-pleated sheet that extends from one subunit to the next. The active site is located at the subunit interface, and the binding sites for both chloramphenicol and CoA have been characterized. Substrate binding is unusual in that the two substrates approach the active site via clefts on opposite molecular "sides." A histidine residue previously implicated in catalysis is appropriately positioned to act as a general base catalyst in the reaction.

Nucleotide sequence analysis and overexpression of the gene encoding a type III chloramphenicol acetyltransferase

The gene catIII, encoding a type III enterobacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, was cloned from the transmissible plasmid R387 into pBR322 and bacteriophage M13 mp8. Nucleotide sequence analysis of 1160 bp of DNA identified an open reading frame encoding a protein of 213 amino acid residues and a calculated molecular mass of 24965 Da. The predicted N-terminal sequence is identical with that determined by Edman degradation of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase purified from Escherichia coli harbouring R387. Sequences equivalent to the consensus motifs for initiation and rho-factor-independent termination of transcription in E. coli occur 5' and 3' to the catIII open reading frame. In contrast with the catI gene, present on transposon Tn9 and many enterobacterial plasmids, expression of catIII is not subject to cyclic AMP-mediated catabolite repression in vivo and there is no sequence in the 5' non-coding DNA that resembles that deduced as the consensus for the binding of cyclic AMP receptor protein. Unique restriction-endonuclease cleavage sites were introduced adjacent to the catIII reading frame by using oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis to facilitate insertion into E. coli expression vectors. Fully active chloramphenicol acetyltransferase represents 30-50% of the soluble protein component of cell-free extracts of E. coli containing the appropriate plasmids.