Snapshot of an enzyme reaction intermediate in the structure of the ATP-Mg2+-oxalate ternary complex of Escherichia coli PEP carboxykinase

Structural comparisons of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinases reveal the evolutionary trajectories of these phosphodiester energy conversion enzymes

Inorganic pyrophosphate (PP_i) consists of two phosphate molecules and can act as an energy and phosphate donor in cellular reactions, similar to ATP. Several kinases use PP_i as a substrate, and these kinases have recently been suggested to have evolved from ATP-dependent functional homologs, which have significant amino acid sequence similarity to PP_i-utilizing enzymes. In contrast, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) can be divided into three types according to the phosphate donor (ATP, GTP, or PPi), and the amino acid sequence similarity of these PEPCKs is too low to confirm that they share a common ancestor. Here we solved the crystal structure of a PP_i-PEPCK homolog from the bacterium Actinomyces israelii at 2.6 Å resolution and compared it with previously reported structures from ATP- and GTP-specific PEPCKs to assess the degrees of similarities and divergences among these PEPCKs. These comparisons revealed that they share a tertiary structure with significant value and that amino acid residues directly contributing to substrate recognition, except for those that recognize purine moieties, are conserved. Furthermore, the order of secondary structural elements between PP_i-, ATP-, and GTP-specific PEPCKs was strictly conserved. The structure-based comparisons of the three PEPCK types provide key insights into the structural basis of PP_i specificity and suggest that all of these PEPCKs are derived from a common ancestor.

Solution properties of metal ion complexes formed with the antiviral and cytostatic nucleotide analogue 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]-2-amino-6-dimethylaminopurine (PME2A6DMAP)

The acidity constants of protonated 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]-2-amino-6-dimethylaminopurine (H3(PME2A6DMAP)+) are considered, and the stability constants of the M(H;PME2A6DMAP)+ and M(PME2A6DMAP) complexes (M2+ = Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, or Cd2+) were measured by potentiometric pH titrations in aqueous solution (25 °C; I = 0.1 mol/L, NaNO3). In the M(H;PME2A6DMAP)+ species, H+ and M2+ (mainly outersphere) are at the phosphonate group; this is relevant for phosphoryl-diester bridges in nucleic acids because, in the present system, there is no indication for a M2+–purine binding. This contrasts, for example, with the complexes formed by 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]adenine, M(H;PMEA)+, where M2+ is mainly situated at the adenine residue. Application of log [Formula: see text] vs. [Formula: see text] plots for simple phosph(on)ate ligands, R–PO32− (R being a residue that does not affect M2+ binding), proves that all M(PME2A6DMAP) complexes have larger stabilities than what would be expected for a M2+–phosphonate coordination. Comparisons with M(PME–R) complexes, where R is a noncoordinating residue of the (phosphonomethoxy)ethane chain, allow one to conclude that the increased stability is due to the formation of five-membered chelates involving the ether–oxygen of the –CH2–O–CH2–PO32− residue: the percentages of formation of these M(PME2A6DMAP)cl/O chelates, which occur in intramolecular equilibria, vary between 20% (Sr2+, Ba2+) and 50% (Zn2+, Cd2+), up to a maximum of 67% (Cu2+). Any M2+ interaction with N3 or N7 of the purine moiety, as in the parent M(PMEA) complexes, is suppressed by the (C2)NH2 and (C6)N(CH3)2 substituents. This observation, together with the previously determined stacking properties, offers an explanation why PME2A6DMAP2– has remarkable therapeutic effects.

Insights into the carboxyltransferase reaction of pyruvate carboxylase from the structures of bound product and intermediate analogs

Pyruvate carboxylase (PC) is a biotin-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the MgATP- and bicarbonate-dependent carboxylation of pyruvate to oxaloacetate, an important anaplerotic reaction in central metabolism. The carboxyltransferase (CT) domain of PC catalyzes the transfer of a carboxyl group from carboxybiotin to the accepting substrate, pyruvate. It has been hypothesized that the reactive enolpyruvate intermediate is stabilized through a bidentate interaction with the metal ion in the CT domain active site. Whereas bidentate ligands are commonly observed in enzymes catalyzing reactions proceeding through an enolpyruvate intermediate, no bidentate interaction has yet been observed in the CT domain of PC. Here, we report three X-ray crystal structures of the Rhizobium etli PC CT domain with the bound inhibitors oxalate, 3-hydroxypyruvate, and 3-bromopyruvate. Oxalate, a stereoelectronic mimic of the enolpyruvate intermediate, does not interact directly with the metal ion. Instead, oxalate is buried in a pocket formed by several positively charged amino acid residues and the metal ion. Furthermore, both 3-hydroxypyruvate and 3-bromopyruvate, analogs of the reaction product oxaloacetate, bind in an identical manner to oxalate suggesting that the substrate maintains its orientation in the active site throughout catalysis. Together, these structures indicate that the substrates, products and intermediates in the PC-catalyzed reaction are not oriented in the active site as previously assumed. The absence of a bidentate interaction with the active site metal appears to be a unique mechanistic feature among the small group of biotin-dependent enzymes that act on α-keto acid substrates.

Increasing cleavage specificity and activity of restriction endonuclease KpnI

Restriction enzyme KpnI is a HNH superfamily endonuclease requiring divalent metal ions for DNA cleavage but not for binding. The active site of KpnI can accommodate metal ions of different atomic radii for DNA cleavage. Although Mg²⁺ ion higher than 500 μM mediates promiscuous activity, Ca²⁺ suppresses the promiscuity and induces high cleavage fidelity. Here, we report that a conservative mutation of the metal-coordinating residue D148 to Glu results in the elimination of the Ca²⁺-mediated cleavage but imparting high cleavage fidelity with Mg²⁺. High cleavage fidelity of the mutant D148E is achieved through better discrimination of the target site at the binding and cleavage steps. Biochemical experiments and molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the mutation inhibits Ca²⁺-mediated cleavage activity by altering the geometry of the Ca²⁺-bound HNH active site. Although the D148E mutant reduces the specific activity of the enzyme, we identified a suppressor mutation that increases the turnover rate to restore the specific activity of the high fidelity mutant to the wild-type level. Our results show that active site plasticity in coordinating different metal ions is related to KpnI promiscuous activity, and tinkering the metal ion coordination is a plausible way to reduce promiscuous activity of metalloenzymes.

The Ω-loop lid domain of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase is essential for catalytic function

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) is an essential metabolic enzyme operating in the gluconeogenesis and glyceroneogenesis pathways. Recent studies have demonstrated that the enzyme contains a mobile active site lid domain that undergoes a transition between an open, disorded conformation and a closed, ordered conformation as the enzyme progresses through the catalytic cycle. The understanding of how this mobile domain functions in catalysis is incomplete. Previous studies showed that the closure of the lid domain stabilizes the reaction intermediate and protects the reactive intermediate from spurious protonation and thus contributes to the fidelity of the enzyme. To more fully investigate the roles of the lid domain in PEPCK function, we introduced three mutations that replaced the 11-residue lid domain with one, two, and three glycine residues. Kinetic analysis of the mutant enzymes demonstrates that none of the enzyme constructs exhibit any measurable kinetic activity, resulting in a decrease in the catalytic parameters of at least 10(6). Structural characterization of the mutants in complexes representing the catalytic cycle suggests that the inactivity is due to a role for the lid domain in the formation of the fully closed state of the enzyme that is required for catalytic function. In the absence of the lid domain, the enzyme is unable to achieve the fully closed state and is rendered inactive despite possessing all of the residues and substrates required for catalytic function. This work demonstrates how enzyme catalytic function can be abolished through the alteration of conformational equilibria despite all the elements required for chemical conversion of substrates to products remaining intact.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase: the relevance of Glu299 and Leu460 for nucleotide binding

A homology model of Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase (ATP + oxaloacetate right arrow over left arrow ADP + PEP + CO(2)) in complex with its substrates shows that the isobutyl group of Leu460 is in close proximity to the adenine ring of the nucleotide, while the carboxyl group of Glu299 is within hydrogen-bonding distance of the ribose 2'OH. The Leu460Ala mutation caused three-fold and seven-fold increases in the K (m) for ADPMn(-) and ATPMn(2-), respectively, while the Glu299Ala mutation had no effect. Binding studies showed losses of approximately 2 kcal mol(-1) in the nucleotide binding affinity due to the Leu460Ala mutation and no effect for the Glu299Ala mutation. PEP carboxykinase utilized 2'deoxyADP and 2'deoxyATP as substrates with kinetic and equilibrium dissociation constants very similar to those of ADP and ATP, respectively. These results show that the hydrophobic interaction between Leu460 and the adenine ring of the nucleotide significantly contributed to the nucleotide affinity of the enzyme. The 2'deoxy nucleotide studies and the lack of an effect of the Glu299Ala mutation in nucleotide binding suggest that the possible hydrogen bond contributed by Glu299 and the ribose 2'OH group may not be relevant for nucleotide binding.

Comprehensive structural classification of ligand-binding motifs in proteins

Comprehensive knowledge of protein-ligand interactions should provide a useful basis for annotating protein functions, studying protein evolution, engineering enzymatic activity, and designing drugs. To investigate the diversity and universality of ligand-binding sites in protein structures, we conducted the all-against-all atomic-level structural comparison of over 180,000 ligand-binding sites found in all the known structures in the Protein Data Bank by using a recently developed database search and alignment algorithm. By applying a hybrid top-down-bottom-up clustering analysis to the comparison results, we determined approximately 3000 well-defined structural motifs of ligand-binding sites. Apart from a handful of exceptions, most structural motifs were found to be confined within single families or superfamilies, and to be associated with particular ligands. Furthermore, we analyzed the components of the similarity network and enumerated more than 4000 pairs of structural motifs that were shared across different protein folds.

Functional evaluation of serine 252 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase

Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase mutant Ser252Ala, affecting the conserved Walker A serine residue, was characterized to elucidate the role of this serine residue. The substitution did not result in changes in the protein structure, as indicated by circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, and gel-exclusion chromatography. Kinetic analysis of the mutated enzyme in both directions of the main reaction and in the two secondary reactions showed an approximately 50-fold increase in apparent K(m) for oxaloacetate with minor alterations in the other kinetic parameters. These results show that the hydroxyl group of serine 252 is required for proper oxaloacetate interaction.

Detecting evolutionary relationships across existing fold space, using sequence order-independent profile-profile alignments

Here, a scalable, accurate, reliable, and robust protein functional site comparison algorithm is presented. The key components of the algorithm consist of a reduced representation of the protein structure and a sequence order-independent profile-profile alignment (SOIPPA). We show that SOIPPA is able to detect distant evolutionary relationships in cases where both a global sequence and structure relationship remains obscure. Results suggest evolutionary relationships across several previously evolutionary distinct protein structure superfamilies. SOIPPA, along with an increased coverage of protein fold space afforded by the structural genomics initiative, can be used to further test the notion that fold space is continuous rather than discrete.

Relevance of Arg457 for the nucleotide affinity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinases catalyze one of the first steps in the biosynthesis of glucose and depending on the enzyme origin, preferentially use adenine or guanine nucleotides as substrates. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae enzyme has a marked preference for ADP (or ATP) over other nucleotides. Homology models of the enzyme in complex with ADP or ATP show that the guanidinium group of Arg457 is close to the adenine base, suggesting that this group might be involved in the stabilization of the nucleotide substrate. To evaluate this we have performed the mutation Arg457Met, replacing the positively charged guanidinium group by a neutral residue. The mutated enzyme retained the structural characteristics of the wild-type protein. Fluorescence titration experiments showed that mutation causes a loss of 1.7 kcal mol(-1) in the binding affinity of the enzyme for ADPMn. Similarly, kinetic analyses of the mutated enzyme showed 50-fold increase in K(m) for ADPMn, with minor alterations in the other kinetic parameters. These results show that Arg457 is an important factor for nucleotide binding by S. cerevisiae PEP carboxykinase.

Structural analysis of the bacterial HPr kinase/phosphorylase V267F mutant gives insights into the allosteric regulation mechanism of this bifunctional enzyme

The HPr kinase/phosphorylase (HPrK/P) is a bifunctional enzyme that controls the phosphorylation state of the phospho-carrier protein HPr, which regulates the utilization of carbon sources in Gram-positive bacteria. It uses ATP or pyrophosphate for the phosphorylation of serine 46 of HPr and inorganic phosphate for the dephosphorylation of Ser(P)-46-HPr via a phosphorolysis reaction. HPrK/P is a hexameric protein kinase of a new type with a catalytic core belonging to the family of nucleotide-binding protein with Walker A motif. It exhibits no structural similarity to eukaryotic protein kinases. So far, HPrK/P structures have shown the enzyme in its phosphorylase conformation. They permitted a detailed characterization of the phosphorolysis mechanism. In the absence of a structure with bound nucleotide, we used the V267F mutant enzyme to assess the kinase conformation. Indeed, the V267F replacement was found to cause an almost entire loss of the phosphorylase activity of Lactobacillus casei HPrK/P. In contrast, the kinase activity remained conserved. To elucidate the structural alterations leading to this drastic change of activity, the x-ray structure of the catalytic domain of L. casei HPrK/P-V267F was determined at 2.6A resolution. A comparison with the structure of the wild type enzyme showed that the mutation induces conformation changes compatible with the switch from phosphorylase to kinase function. Together with nucleotide binding fluorescence measurements, these results allowed us to decipher the cooperative behavior of the protein and to gain new insights into the allosteric regulation mechanism of HPrK/P.

How does an enzyme recognize CO2?

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK) reversibly catalyzes the carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate to oxaloacetate. Carbon dioxide, and not bicarbonate ion, is the substrate utilized. Assays of the carboxylation reaction show that initial velocities are 7.6-fold higher when CO(2) is used instead of HCO(3)(-). Two Escherichia coli PCK-CO(2) crystal structures are presented here. The location of CO(2) is the same for both structures; however the orientation of CO(2) is significantly different, likely from the presence of a manganese ion in one of the structures. PCK and the other three known protein-CO(2) crystal structure complexes have been compared; all have CO(2) hydrogen bonding with a basic amino acid side chain (Arg65 or Lys213 in PCK), likely to polarize CO(2) to make the central carbon atom more electrophilic and thus more reactive. Kinetic studies found that the PCK mutant Arg65Gln increased the K(M) for substrates PEP and oxaloacetate but not for CO(2). The unchanged K(M) for CO(2) can be explained since the Arg65Gln mutant likely maintains a hydrogen bond to one of the oxygen atoms of carbon dioxide.

Molecular modeling of purinergic receptor P2Y12 and interaction with its antagonists

Purinergic receptors are a class of cell surface receptors for purines that prefer ATP or ADP over adenosine. The surface receptors for extracellular nucleotides are called P2 receptors. They are activated by both pyrimidine and purine nucleotides. ADP initiates platelet aggregation by 'simultaneous activation of two G protein-coupled receptors, P2Y1 and P2Y12. P2Y12 has been shown to be the target of the thienopyridine drugs, ticlopidine and clopidogrel. Here, the active sites of P2Y12 for ATP as well as ADP are predicted by bioinformatics and molecular modeling. First, the three-dimensional (3D) structure of P2Y12 was constructed by InsightII/Homology module using the corresponding bovine rhodopsin (PDB code: 1HZX) as the template. Then the primary structures were optimized by energy minimization that has been successfully accepted by the Protein Data Bank (PDB code: 1VZ1). Second, a simple scoring matrix was built up based on the analysis of 13 known ATP-binding proteins. And the most probable active sites of P2Y12 were predicted using the scoring matrix, which include three distant areas: "head area" (LGTGPLRTFV, 87-96), "middle area" (VGLITNGLAM, 38-47, and LGAKILSVVI, 139-148), and "bottom area" (RTRGVGKVPR, 222-231). Subsequently the structural model of P2Y12 was docked with ATP/ADP in comparison with P2Y1 (PDB code 1ddd). As a comparison, we docked its antagonists, such as ticlopidine and clopidogrel, to the most probable sites and calculated their intermolecular energy. Our results imply that P2Y12 has the potential to be inhibited by ADP/ATP analogs, and it suggests that P2Y12 acts as a target of new drugs that inhibit platelet aggregation.

The crystal structure of beryllofluoride Spo0F in complex with the phosphotransferase Spo0B represents a phosphotransfer pretransition state

A number of regulatory circuits in biological systems function through the exchange of phosphoryl groups from one protein to another. Spo0F and Spo0B are components of a phosphorelay that control sporulation in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis through the exchange of a phosphoryl group. Using beryllofluoride as a mimic for phosphorylation, we trapped the interaction of the phosphorylated Spo0F with Spo0B in the crystal lattice. The transition state of phosphoryl transfer continues to be a highly debated issue, as to whether it is associative or dissociative in nature. The geometry of Spo0F binding to Spo0B favors an associative mechanism for phosphoryl transfer. In order to visualize the autophosphorylation of the histidine kinase, KinA, and the subsequent phosphoryl transfer to Spo0F, we generated in silico models representing these reaction steps.

Crystal structure of Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens PEP carboxykinase reveals an important active site loop

The 2.2 Angstroms resolution crystal structure of the enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK) from the bacterium Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens complexed with ATP, Mg(2+), Mn(2+) and the transition state analogue oxalate has been solved. The 2.4 Angstroms resolution native structure of A. succiniciproducens PCK has also been determined. It has been found that upon binding of substrate, PCK undergoes a conformational change. Two domains of the molecule fold towards each other, with the substrates and metal ions held in a cleft formed between the two domains. This domain movement is believed to accelerate the reaction PCK catalyzes by forcing bulk solvent molecules out of the active site. Although the crystal structure of A. succiniciproducens PCK with bound substrate and metal ions is related to the structures of PCK from Escherichia coli and Trypanosoma cruzi, it is the first crystal structure from this class of enzymes that clearly shows an important surface loop (residues 383-397) from the C-terminal domain, hydrogen bonding with the peptide backbone of the active site residue Arg60. The interaction between the surface loop and the active site backbone, which is a parallel beta-sheet, seems to be a feature unique of A. succiniciproducens PCK. The association between the loop and the active site is the third type of interaction found in PCK that is thought to play a part in the domain closure. This loop also appears to help accelerate catalysis by functioning as a 'lid' that shields water molecules from the active site.

Structure/function studies of phosphoryl transfer by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK) catalyzes the conversion of oxaloacetate (OAA) to PEP and carbon dioxide with the subsequent conversion of nucleoside triphosphate to nucleoside diphosphate (NDP). The 1.9 A resolution structure of Escherichia coli PCK consisted of a 275-residue N-terminal domain and a 265-residue C-terminal domain with the active site located in a cleft between these domains. Each domain has an alpha/beta topology and the overall structure represents a new protein fold. Furthermore, PCK has a unique mononucleotide-binding fold. The 1.8 A resolution structure of the complex of ATP/Mg(2+)/oxalate with PCK revealed a 20 degrees hinge-like rotation of the N- and C-terminal domains, which closed the active site cleft. The ATP was found in the unusual syn conformation as a result of binding to the enzyme. Along with the side chain of Lys254, Mg(2+) neutralizes charges on the P beta and P gamma oxygen atoms of ATP and stabilizes an extended, eclipsed conformation of the P beta and P gamma phosphoryl groups. The sterically strained high-energy conformation likely lowers the free energy of activation for phosphoryl transfer. Additionally, the gamma-phosphoryl group becomes oriented in-line with the appropriate enolate oxygen atom, which strongly supports a direct S(N)2-type displacement of this gamma-phosphoryl group by the enolate anion. In the 2.0 A resolution structure of the complex of PCK/ADP/Mg(2+)/AlF(3), the AlF(3) moiety represents the phosphoryl group being transferred during catalysis. There are three positively charged groups that interact with the fluorine atoms, which are complementary to the three negative charges that would occur for an associative transition state.

HPr kinase/phosphorylase, a Walker motif A-containing bifunctional sensor enzyme controlling catabolite repression in Gram-positive bacteria

Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) in Gram-positive bacteria is regulated by the bifunctional enzyme HPr kinase/phosphorylase (HprK/P). This enzyme catalyses the ATP- as well as the pyrophosphate-dependent phosphorylation of Ser-46 in HPr, a phosphocarrier protein of a sugar transport and phosphorylation system. HprK/P also catalyses the pyrophosphate-producing, inorganic phosphate-dependent dephosphorylation (phosphorolysis) of seryl-phosphorylated HPr (P-Ser-HPr). P-Ser-HPr functions as catabolite co-repressor by interacting with the LacI/GalR-type repressor, catabolite control protein A (CcpA), and allowing it to bind to operator sites preceding catabolite-regulated transcription units. HprK/P thus indirectly controls the expression of about 10% of the genes of Gram-positive bacteria. The two antagonistic activities of HprK/P are regulated by intracellular metabolites, which change their concentration in response to the absence or presence of rapidly metabolisable carbon sources (glucose, fructose, etc.) in the growth medium. Biochemical and structural studies revealed that HprK/P exhibits no similarity to eukaryotic protein kinases and that it contains a Walker motif A (or P-loop) as nucleotide binding site. Interestingly, HprK/P has a structural fold resembling that in kinases phosphorylating certain low molecular weight substrates such as nucleosides, nucleotides or oxaloacetate. The structures of the complexes of HprK/P with HPr and P-Ser-HPr have also been determined, which allowed proposing a detailed mechanism for the kinase and phosphorylase functions of HprK/P.

Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. Mutagenesis at metal site 1

Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase catalyses the reversible metal-dependent formation of oxaloacetate (OAA) and ATP from PEP, ADP and CO(2). Mutations of PEP carboxykinase have been constructed where the residues His(225) and Asp(263), two residues of the enzyme's putative Mn(2+) binding site, were altered. Kinetic studies of the His225Glu, and Asp263Glu PEP carboxykinases show 600- and 16,800-fold reductions in V(max) relative to the wild-type enzyme, respectively, with minor alterations in K(m) for Mn(2+). Molecular modeling of wild-type and mutant enzymes suggests that the lower catalytic efficiency of the Asp263Glu enzyme could be explained by a movement of the lateral chain of Lys(248), a critical catalytic residue, away from the reaction center. The effect on catalysis of introducing a negatively charged oxygen atom in place of N(epsilon-2) at position 225 is discussed in terms of altered binding energy of the intermediate enolpyruvate.

Identification of protein biochemical functions by similarity search using the molecular surface database eF-site

The identification of protein biochemical functions based on their three-dimensional structures is strongly required in the post-genome-sequencing era. We have developed a new method to identify and predict protein biochemical functions using the similarity information of molecular surface geometries and electrostatic potentials on the surfaces. Our prediction system consists of a similarity search method based on a clique search algorithm and the molecular surface database eF-site (electrostatic surface of functional-site in proteins). Using this system, functional sites similar to those of phosphoenoylpyruvate carboxy kinase were detected in several mononucleotide-binding proteins, which have different folds. We also applied our method to a hypothetical protein, MJ0226 from Methanococcus jannaschii, and detected the mononucleotide binding site from the similarity to other proteins having different folds.

Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase: mutagenesis at metal site 2

Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinases harbor two divalent metal-binding sites. One cation interacts with the enzyme (metal binding site 1) to elicit activation, while a second cation (metal binding site 2) interacts with the nucleotide to serve as the metal nucleotide substrate. Mutants of Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens PEP carboxykinase have been constructed where Thr249 and Asp262, two residues of metal binding site 2 of the enzyme, were altered. Binding of the 3'(2')-O-(N-methylantraniloyl) derivative of ADP provides a test of the structural integrity of these mutants. The conservative mutation (Asp262Glu) retains a significant proportion of the wild type enzymatic activity. Meanwhile, removal of the OH group of Thr249 in the Thr249Ala mutant causes a decrease in V(max) by a factor of 1.1 x 10(4). Molecular modeling of wild type and mutant enzymes suggests that the lower catalytic efficiency of the Thr249Ala enzyme could be explained by a movement of the lateral chain of Lys248, a critical catalytic residue, away from the reaction center.

Mechanisms of activation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase from Escherichia coli by Ca2+ and of desensitization by trypsin

The 1.8-A resolution structure of the ATP-Mg(2+)-Ca(2+)-pyruvate quinary complex of Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK) is isomorphous to the published complex ATP-Mg(2+)-Mn(2+)-pyruvate-PCK, except for the Ca(2+) and Mn(2+) binding sites. Ca(2+) was formerly implicated as a possible allosteric regulator of PCK, binding at the active site and at a surface activating site (Glu508 and Glu511). This report found that Ca(2+) bound only at the active site, indicating that there is likely no surface allosteric site. (45)Ca(2+) bound to PCK with a K(d) of 85 micro M and n of 0.92. Glu508Gln Glu511Gln mutant PCK had normal activation by Ca(2+). Separate roles of Mg(2+), which binds the nucleotide, and Ca(2+), which bridges the nucleotide and the anionic substrate, are implied, and the catalytic mechanism of PCK is better explained by studies of the Ca(2+)-bound structure. Partial trypsin digestion abolishes Ca(2+) activation (desensitizes PCK). N-terminal sequencing identified sensitive sites, i.e., Arg2 and Arg396. Arg2Ser, Arg396Ser, and Arg2Ser Arg396Ser (double mutant) PCKs altered the kinetics of desensitization. C-terminal residues 397 to 540 were removed by trypsin when wild-type PCK was completely desensitized. Phe409 and Phe413 interact with residues in the Ca(2+) binding site, probably stabilizing the C terminus. Phe409Ala, DeltaPhe409, Phe413Ala, Delta397-521 (deletion of residues 397 to 521), Arg396(TAA) (stop codon), and Asp269Glu (Ca(2+) site) mutations failed to desensitize PCK and, with the exception of Phe409Ala, appeared to have defects in the synthesis or assembly of PCK, suggesting that the structure of the C-terminal domain is important in these processes.

Thermal stability of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinases from Escherichia coli, Trypanosoma brucei, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The quaternary structure of ATP-dependent phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinases is variable. Thus, the carboxykinases from Escherichia coli, Trypanosoma brucei, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae are monomer, homodimer, and homotetramer, respectively. In this work, we studied the effect of temperature on the stability of the enzyme activity of these three carboxykinases, and have found that it follows the order monomer > dimer > tetramer. The inactivation processes are first order with respect to active enzyme. The presence of substrates leads to an increase in the thermal stability of all three PEP carboxykinases. The protection effect of the substrates on the thermal inactivation of these enzymes suggests similarities in the substrate-bound form of these proteins. We propose that the higher structural complexity of some PEP carboxykinases could be related to the acquisition of properties of relevance in vivo.

Ligand interactions and protein conformational changes of phosphopyridoxyl-labeled Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase determined by fluorescence spectroscopy

Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase catalyzes the decarboxylation of oxaloacetate and transfer of the gamma-phosphoryl group of ATP to yield PEP, ADP, and CO2. The interaction of the enzyme with the substrates originates important domain movements in the protein. In this work, the interaction of several substrates and ligands with E. coli PEP carboxykinase has been studied in the phosphopyridoxyl (P-pyridoxyl)-enzyme adduct. The derivatized enzyme retained the substrate-binding characteristics of the native protein, allowing the determination of several protein-ligand dissociation constants, as well as the role of Mg2+ and Mn2+ in substrate binding. The binding affinity of PEP to the enzyme-Mn2+ complex was -8.9 kcal.mol-1, which is 3.2 kcal.mol-1 more favorable than in the complex with Mg2+. For the substrate nucleotide-metal complexes, similar binding affinities (-6.0 to -6.2 kcal.mol-1) were found for either metal ion. The fluorescence decay of the P-pyridoxyl group fitted to two lifetimes of 5.15 ns (34%) and 1.2 ns. These lifetimes were markedly altered in the derivatized enzyme-PEP-Mn complexes, and smaller changes were obtained in the presence of other substrates. Molecular models of the P-pyridoxyl-E. coli PEP carboxykinase showed different degrees of solvent-exposed surfaces for the P-pyridoxyl group in the open (substrate-free) and closed (substrate-bound) forms, which are consistent with acrylamide quenching experiments, and suggest that the fluorescence changes reflect the domain movements of the protein in solution.

Evaluation by site-directed mutagenesis of active site amino acid residues of Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase

Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase catalyzes the reversible formation of oxaloacetate and adenosine triphosphate from PEP, adenosine diphosphate, and carbon dioxide, and uses Mn2+ as the activating metal ion. The enzyme is a monomer and presents 68% identity with Escherichia coli PEP carboxykinase. Comparison with the crystalline structure of homologous E. coli PEP carboxykinase [Tari, L. W., Matte, A., Goldie, H., and Delbaere, L. T. J. (1997). Nature Struct. Biol. 4, 990-994] suggests that His225, Asp262, Asp263, and Thr249 are located in the active site of the protein, interacting with manganese ions. In this work, these residues were individually changed to Gln (His225) or Asn. The mutated enzymes present 3-6 orders of magnitude lower values of Vmax/Km, indicating high catalytic relevance for these residues. The His225Gln mutant showed increased Km values for Mn2+ and PEP as compared with wild-type enzyme, suggesting a role of His225 in Mn2+ and PEP binding. From 1.5-1.6 Kcal/mol lower affinity for the 3'(2')-O-(N-methylantraniloyl) derivative of adenosine diphosphate was observed for the His225Gln and Asp263Asn mutant A. succiniciproducens PEP carboxykinases, implying a role of His225 and Asp263 in nucleotide binding.

Urea-induced unfolding studies of free- and ligand-bound tetrameric ATP-dependent Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. Influence of quaternary structure on protein conformational stability

ATP-dependent phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinases are found in plants and microorganisms, and catalyse the reversible formation of PEP, ADP, and CO(2) from oxaloacetate plus ATP. These enzymes vary in quaternary structure although there is significant sequence identity among the proteins isolated from different sources. To help understand the influence of quaternary structure in protein stability, the urea-induced unfolding of free- and substrate-bound tetrameric Saccharomyces cerevisiae PEP carboxykinase is described and compared with the unfolding characteristics of the monomeric Escherichia coli enzyme [Eur. J. Biochem. 255 (1998) 439]. The urea-induced denaturation of S. cerevisiae PEP carboxykinase was studied by monitoring the enzyme activity, intrinsic protein fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD) spectra, and 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) binding. The unfolding profiles were multi-steps, and formation of hydrophobic structures were detected. The data indicate that unfolding and dissociation of the enzyme tetramer are simultaneous events. Ligand binding, most notably PEP in the presence of MnCl(2), conferred a marked protection against urea-induced denaturation. A similar protection effect was found when N-iodoacetyl-N'-(5-sulfo-1-napthyl)ethylene diamine (1,5-I-AEDANS) was covalently bound at Cys(365), within the active site region. Refolding experiments indicated that total recovery of tertiary structure was only obtained from samples previously unfolded to less than 30%. In the presence of substrates, complete refolding was achieved from samples originally denatured up to 50%. The unfolding behaviour of S. cerevisiae PEP carboxykinase was found to be similar to that of E. coli PEP carboxykinase, however all steps take place at lower urea concentrations. These findings show that, at least for monomeric and tetrameric ATP-dependent PEP carboxykinases, quaternary structure does not contribute to protein conformational stability.

Evolutionary relationship between the bacterial HPr kinase and the ubiquitous PEP-carboxykinase: expanding the P-loop nucleotidyl transferase superfamily

Similarities between protein three-dimensional structures can reveal evolutionary and functional relationships not apparent from sequence comparison alone. Here we report such a similarity between the metabolic enzymes histidine phosphocarrier protein kinase (HPrK) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK), suggesting that they are evolutionarily related. Current structure classifications place PCK and other P-loop containing nucleotidyl-transferases into different folds. Our comparison of both HPrK and PCK to other P-loop containing proteins reveals that all share a common structural motif consisting of an alphabeta segment containing the P-loop flanked by an additional beta-strand that is adjacent in space, but far apart along the sequence. Analysis also shows that HPrK/PCK differ from other P-loop containing structures no more than they differ from each other. We thus suggest that HPrK and PCK should be classified with other P-loop containing proteins, and that all probably share a common ancestor that probably contained a simple P-loop motif with different protein segments being added or lost over the course of evolution. We used the structure-based sequence alignment containing residues specific to HPrK/PCK to identify additional members of this P-loop containing family.

A new family of phosphotransferases with a P-loop motif

In most Gram-positive bacteria, catabolite repression is mediated by a bifunctional enzyme, the histidine-containing protein kinase/phosphatase (HprK/P). Based either on its primary sequence or on its recently solved three-dimensional structure, no straightforward homology with other known proteins was found. However, we showed here that HprK/P exhibits a restricted homology with an unrelated phosphotransferase, the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. This includes notably two consecutive Asp residues from the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase active site, whose equivalent residues were mutated in Bacillus subtilis HprK/P. Characterization of the corresponding mutants emphasizes the crucial role of these Asp residues in the HprK/P functioning. Furthermore, superimposition of HprK/P and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase active sites supports the view that both enzymes bear significant resemblance in their overall mechanism of functioning showing that these two enzymes constitute a new family of phosphotransferases.

Crystal structure of human cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase reveals a new GTP-binding site

We report crystal structures of the human enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) with and without bound substrates. These structures are the first to be determined for a GTP-dependent PEPCK, and provide the first view of a novel GTP-binding site unique to the GTP-dependent PEPCK family. Three phenylalanine residues form the walls of the guanine-binding pocket on the enzyme's surface and, most surprisingly, one of the phenylalanine side-chains contributes to the enzyme's specificity for GTP. PEPCK catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the metabolic pathway that produces glucose from lactate and other precursors derived from the citric acid cycle. Because the gluconeogenic pathway contributes to the fasting hyperglycemia of type II diabetes, inhibitors of PEPCK may be useful in the treatment of diabetes.

The phosphoryl-transfer mechanism of Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase from the use of AlF(3)

The mechanism of reversible transfer of the gamma-phosphate group of ATP by Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK) on to its substrate is of great interest. It is known that metallofluorides are accurate analogs of the transition state in the context of kinase mechanisms. Therefore, two complexes of PCK, one with AlF(3), Mg(2+) and ADP (complex I), the other with AlF(3), Mg(2+), ADP and pyruvate (complex II) were crystallized. The X-ray crystal structures of these two complexes were determined at 2.0 A resolution. The Al atom has trigonal bipyramidal geometry that mimics the transition state of phosphoryl transfer. The Al atom is at a distance of 2.8 A and 2.9 A from an oxygen atom of the beta-phosphoryl group of ADP in complex I and II, respectively. A water molecule in complex I and an oxygen atom of the pyruvate in complex II are located along the axis of the trigonal bipyramid on the side opposite to the beta-phosphoryl oxygen with respect to the equatorial plane, suggesting that the complexes are close mimics of the transition state. Along with the presence of positively charged species around the AlF(3) moiety, these results indicate that phosphoryl transfer occurs via a direct displacement mechanism with associative qualities.

Crystal structure of the dimeric phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) from Trypanosoma cruzi at 2 A resolution

ATP-dependent phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) (ATP: oxaloacetate carboxylyase (transphosphorylating), EC 4.1.1.49) is a key enzyme involved in the catabolism of glucose and amino acids in the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease. Due to the significant differences in the amino acid sequence and substrate specificity of the human enzyme (PEPCK (GTP-dependent), EC 4.1.1.32), the parasite enzyme has been considered a good target for the development of new anti-chagasic drugs. We have solved the crystal structure of the recombinant PEPCK of T. cruzi up to 2.0 A resolution, characterised the dimeric organisation of the enzyme by solution small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and compared the enzyme structure with the known crystal structure of the monomeric PEPCK from Escherichia coli. The dimeric structure possesses 2-fold symmetry, with each monomer sharing a high degree of structural similarity with the monomeric structure of the E. coli PEPCK. Each monomer folds into two complex mixed alpha/beta domains, with the active site located in a deep cleft between the domains. The two active sites in the dimer are far apart from each other, in an arrangement that seems to permit an independent access of the substrates to the two active sites. All residues of the E. coli PEPCK structure that had been found to interact with substrates and metal cofactors have been found conserved and in a substantially equivalent spatial disposition in the T. cruzi PEPCK structure. No substrate or metal ion was present in the crystal structure. A sulphate ion from the crystallisation medium has been found bound to the active site. Solution SAXS data suggest that, in solutions with lower sulphate concentration than that used for the crystallisation experiments, the actual enzyme conformation may be slightly different from its conformation in the crystal structure. This could be due to a conformational transition upon sulphate binding, similar to the ATP-induced transition observed in the E. coli PEPCK, or to crystal packing effects. The present structure of the T. cruzi PEPCK will provide a good basis for the modelling of new anti-chagasic drug leads.

Molecular characterization, enzyme properties and transcriptional regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and pyruvate kinase in a ruminal bacterium, Selenomonas ruminantium

To elucidate the regulatory mechanism for propionate production in Selenomonas ruminantium, the molecular properties and gene expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (Pck) and pyruvate kinase (Pyk) were investigated. The Pck was deduced to consist of 538 aa with a molecular mass of 59.6 kDa, and appeared to exist as a monomer. The Pyk was revealed to consist of four identical subunits consisting of 469 aa with a molecular mass of 51.3 kDa. Both Mg(2+) and Mn(2+) were required for the maximal activity of Pck, and Pck utilized ADP, not GDP or IDP, as a substrate. Either Mg(2+) or Mn(2+) was required for Pyk activity, and the enzyme was activated by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (FBP). Pyk activity was severely inhibited by P(i), but restored by the addition of FBP. The K:(m) value of Pck for PEP (0.55 mM) was nearly equal to the K:(m) value of Pyk for PEP, suggesting that the partition of the flow from PEP in the fermentation pathways is determined by the activity ratio of Pck to Pyk. Both pck and pyk genes were monocistronic, although two transcriptional start sites were found in pyk. The level of pyk mRNA was not different whether glucose or lactate was the energy substrate. However, the pck mRNA level was 12-fold higher when grown on lactate than on glucose. The level of pck mRNA was inversely related to the sufficiency of energy, suggesting that Pck synthesis is regulated at the transcriptional level when energy supply is altered. It was conceivable that the transcription of pck in S. ruminantium is triggered by PEP and suppressed by ATP.

Structure and mechanism of homoserine kinase: prototype for the GHMP kinase superfamily

BACKGROUND

Homoserine kinase (HSK) catalyzes an important step in the threonine biosynthesis pathway. It belongs to a large yet unique class of small metabolite kinases, the GHMP kinase superfamily. Members in the GHMP superfamily participate in several essential metabolic pathways, such as amino acid biosynthesis, galactose metabolism, and the mevalonate pathway.

RESULTS

The crystal structure of HSK and its complex with ADP reveal a novel nucleotide binding fold. The N-terminal domain contains an unusual left-handed betaalphabeta unit, while the C-terminal domain has a central alpha-beta plait fold with an insertion of four helices. The phosphate binding loop in HSK is distinct from the classical P loops found in many ATP/GTP binding proteins. The bound ADP molecule adopts a rare syn conformation and is in the opposite orientation from those bound to the P loop-containing proteins. Inspection of the substrate binding cavity indicates several amino acid residues that are likely to be involved in substrate binding and catalysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The crystal structure of HSK is the first representative in the GHMP superfamily to have determined structure. It provides insight into the structure and nucleotide binding mechanism of not only the HSK family but also a variety of enzymes in the GHMP superfamily. Such enzymes include galactokinases, mevalonate kinases, phosphomevalonate kinases, mevalonate pyrophosphate decarboxylases, and several proteins of yet unknown functions.

Links from genome proteins to known 3-D structures

We describe a genome annotation service provided by the Entrez browser, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez. All protein products identified in fully sequenced microbial genomes have been compared with proteins with known 3-D structure by use of the BLAST sequence comparison algorithm. For the approximately 20% of genome proteins in which unambiguous sequence similarity is detected, Entrez provides a link from the gene product to its predicted structure. The service uses the Cn3D molecular graphics viewer to present a 3-D view of the known structure, together with an alignment display mapping conserved residues from the genome protein onto the known structure. Using an example from Aeropyrum pernix, we illustrate how mapping to a 3-D structure can confirm predictions of biological function.

The synthesis of cyclonucleotides with fixed glycosidic bond linkages as putative agonists for P2-purinergic receptors

Cyclonucleotides with fixed glycosidic bond linkages were investigated as possible ligands for purinoceptors in PC12 cells. P2Y2-purinoceptors were not activated by the ATP analogue, 8,2'-thioanhydroadenosine-5'-triphosphate (4) and only weakly by the UTP analogue, 2,2' -anhydrouridine-5'-triphosphate (6). However, both analogues were agonists for P2X2-purinoceptors although the potencies were approximately 30-fold less than that of the parent nucleotides.

Molecular modeling of the complexes between Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and the ATP analogs pyridoxal 5'-diphosphoadenosine and pyridoxal 5'-triphosphoadenosine. Specific labeling of lysine 290

Molecular mechanics calculations have been employed to obtain models of the complexes between Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) kinase and the ATP analogs pyridoxal 5'-diphosphoadenosine (PLP-AMP) and pyridoxal 5'-triphosphoadenosine (PLP-ADP), using the crystalline coordinates of the ATP-pyruvate-Mn(2+)-Mg(2+) complex of Escherichia coli PEP carboxykinase [Tari et al. (1997), Nature Struct. Biol. 4, 990-994]. In these models, the preferred conformation of the pyridoxyl moiety of PLP-ADP and PLP-AMP was established through rotational barrier and simulated annealing procedures. Distances from the carbonyl-C of each analog to epsilon-N of active-site lysyl residues were calculated for the most stable enzyme-analog complex conformation, and it was found that the closest epsilon-N is that from Lys(290), thus predicting Schiff base formation between the corresponding carbonyl and amino groups. This prediction was experimentally verified through chemical modification of S. cerevisiae PEP carboxykinase with PLP-ADP and PLP-AMP. The results here described demonstrate the use of molecular modeling procedures when planning chemical modification of enzyme-active sites.

Molecular and functional characterization of the Rhodopseudomonas palustris no. 7 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene

The pckA gene, encoding the gluconeogenic enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), was cloned by PCR amplification from the purple nonsulfur bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris No. 7. Sequencing of a 2.5-kb chromosomal SmaI-PstI fragment containing the structural gene revealed an open reading frame encoding 537 amino acids, homologous to known pckA genes. Primer extension analysis identified a transcriptional start site 72 bp upstream of the pckA initiation codon and an upstream sequence similar to sigma70 promoters. Studies of a pckA-lacZ gene fusion indicated that when cells were grown in minimal media with various carbon sources, such as succinate, malate, pyruvate, lactate, or ethanol, under both anaerobic light and aerobic dark conditions, the pckA gene was induced in log phase, irrespective of the carbon source. A R. palustris No. 7 PEPCK-deficient strain showed growth characteristics identical to those of the wild-type strain either anaerobically in the light or aerobically in the dark when a C4-dicarboxylic acid, such as succinate or malate, was used as a carbon source. These results indicate that in R. palustris No. 7, an alternative gluconeogenic pathway may exist in addition to PEPCK.

Interaction of adenosine nucleotide analogs with Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase

The substrate characteristics and interactions of different adenosine nucleotide analogs with Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase were investigated by steady-state kinetic analysis and calculations of interaction energies. Comparison of Vmax/Km values showed that analogs substituted at C8 in the adenine ring (8-Br-ATP, 8-N3-ATP, 8-N3-ADP) gave almost the same kinetic values as ATP and ADP, whereas those substituted in the ribose hydroxyls (3'(2')-O-(N-methylanthraniloyl)-ATP (MANT-ATP), 3'(2')-O-(N-methylanthraniloyl)-ADP (MANT-ADP), 2'(3')-O-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-ADP (TNP-ADP), 2'(3')-O-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-ATP (TNP-ATP)) showed 1-8% the value for the corresponding physiological substrate. A comparison between the experimental results and molecular mechanics calculations was performed, employing a model for the S. cerevisiae PEP carboxykinase-ATP-Mn2+ complex. The calculated interaction energies of S. cerevisiae PEP carboxykinase with ATP, MANT-ATP, TNP-ATP, 8-Br-ATP, and 8-N3-ATP were linearly related (correlation coefficient 0.92) with -ln(Vmax/Km). This good correlation supports the proposal that the interaction of the substituent with the enzyme affects the interaction of the common region of ATP with the active site, thus leading to effects in Vmax.

The role of methionine 156 in cross-subunit nucleotide interactions in the iron protein of nitrogenase

A variant Fe protein has been created at the completely conserved residue methionine 156 by changing it to cysteine. The Azotobacter vinelandii strain expressing M156C is unable to grow under nitrogen-fixing conditions, and the purified protein cannot support substrate reduction in vitro. This mutation has an effect on the Fe protein's ability to undergo the MgATP-induced conformational change as evidenced by the fact that M156C is chelated in the presence of MgATP with a lower observed rate than wild-type. While the electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of this protein are similar to those of the wild-type Fe protein, the circular dichroism spectrum is markedly different in the presence of MgATP, showing that the conformation adopted by M156C following nucleotide binding is different from the wild-type conformation. Although competition activity and chelation assays show that this Fe protein can still form a complex with the MoFe protein, this altered conformation only supports MgATP hydrolysis at 1% the rate of wild-type Fe protein. A model based on x-ray crystallographic information is presented to explain the importance of Met-156 in stabilization of the correct conformation of the Fe protein via critical interactions of the residue with Asp-43 and nucleotide in the other subunit.

How do kinases transfer phosphoryl groups?

Understanding how phosphoryl transfer is accomplished by kinases, a ubiquitous group of enzymes, is central to many biochemical processes. Qualitative analysis of the crystal structures of enzyme-substrate complexes of kinases reveals structural features of these enzymes important to phosphoryl transfer. Recently determined crystal structures which mimic the transition state complex have added new insight into the debate as to whether kinases use associative or dissociative mechanisms of catalysis.

Cloning, sequencing, and overexpression of the Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (pckA) gene

The phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase-encoding gene from the anaerobic, CO2-fixing, succinate-producing bacterium Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The gene encoded a 532-residue polypeptide with a calculated molecular mass of 58.7 kDa. The sequence of the A. succiniciproducens PEP carboxykinase was similar to those of all known ATP/ADP-dependent PEP carboxykinases. In particular, the A. succiniciproducens enzyme was 67.3% identical and 79.2% similar to the E. coli enzyme. The A. succiniciproducens pckA transcription start site was determined, and putative promoter regions were identified. The recombinant enzyme was overexpressed in E. coli. The purified enzyme was indiscernible from the native enzyme by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and had the same activity as the native enzyme.

Site-directed mutagenesis in basic amino acid residues of Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase

Mutant Arg76Gln and Lys290Gln Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinases have been prepared and analyzed. No alteration in the apparent kinetic constants were detected for the Arg76Gln mutant enzyme, while the Lys290Gln mutant showed a 12-fold decrease in V(max)/K(m)ADP. These results indicate that Arg76 is not involved in CO2 binding, but support the hypothesis that the binding of this substrate induces a conformational change that protects the region around Arg76 from trypsin action [Herrera et al. (1993) J. Protein Chem. 12, 413-418]. These findings also indicate that Lys290, a highly reactive residue against pyrydoxal phosphate [Bazaes et al. (1995), FEBS Lett. 360, 207-210], does not perform an essential function for the enzyme activity.

Identification of reactive conserved histidines in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinases from Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae phospho enol pyruvate (PEP) carboxykinases are inactivated by diethylpyrocarbonate (DEP). Inactivation follows pseudo-first-order kinetics and exhibits a second order rate constant of 0.8 M-1 s-1 for the bacterial enzyme and of 3.3 M-1 s-1 for the yeast carboxykinase. A mixture of ADP + PEP + MnCl2 protects against inactivation by DEP, suggesting that residues within the active site are being modified. After digestion of the modified proteins with trypsin, the labeled peptides were isolated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and sequenced by Edman degradation. His-271 of E. coli carboxykinase and His-273 of the yeast enzyme were identified as the reactive amino-acid residues. The modified histidine residues occupy equivalent positions in these enzymes, and they are located in a highly conserved region of all ATP-dependent phospho enol pyruvate carboxykinases described so far.