X-Ray snapshots of a pyridoxal enzyme: a catalytic mechanism involving concerted [1,5]-hydrogen sigmatropy in methionine γ-lyase

pH-dependent regulation of an acidophilic O-acetylhomoserine sulfhydrylase from Lactobacillus plantarum

Bacteria have two routes for the l-methionine biosynthesis. In one route called the direct sulfuration pathway, acetylated l-homoserine is directly converted into l-homocysteine. The reaction using H2S as the second substrate is catalyzed by a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme, O-acetylhomoserine sulfhydrylase (OAHS). In the present study, we determined the enzymatic functions and the structures of OAHS from Lactobacillus plantarum (LpOAHS). The LpOAHS enzyme exhibited the highest catalytic activity under the weak acidic pH condition. In addition, crystallographic analysis revealed that the enzyme takes two distinct structures, open and closed forms. In the closed form, two acidic residues are sterically clustered. The proximity may cause the electrostatic repulsion, inhibiting the formation of the closed form under the neutral to the basic pH conditions. We concluded that the pH-dependent regulation mechanism using the two acidic residues contributes to the acidophilic feature of the enzyme.

IMPORTANCE

In the present study, we can elucidate the pH-dependent regulation mechanism of the acidophilic OAHS. The acidophilic feature of the enzyme is caused by the introduction of an acidic residue to the neighborhood of the key acidic residue acting as a switch for the structural interconversion. The strategy may be useful in the field of protein engineering to change the optimal pH of the enzymes. In addition, this study may be useful for the development of antibacterial drugs because the l-methionine synthesis essential for bacteria is inhibited by the OAHS inhibitors. The compounds that can inhibit the interconversion between the open and closed forms of OAHS may become antibacterial drugs.

Serine 339 in the Catalysis of γ- and β-Elimination Reactions

Serine 339 of the active site of Citrobacter freundii methionine γ-lyase (MGL) is a conserved amino acid in most pyridoxal 5’-phosphate-dependent enzymes of the cystathionine β-lyase subclass, to which MGL belongs. The reaction mechanism of the MGL-catalyzed γ-elimination reaction is poorly explored. We replaced serine 339 with alanine using site-directed mutagenesis. The replacement of serine 339 with alanine led to a significant (by two orders of magnitude) decrease in efficiency in the catalysis of the γ- and β-elimination reactions by the mutant form of the enzyme. The exchange rates of the C-α- and C-β-protons in the amino acids in complexes consisting of the enzyme and competitive inhibitors decreased by one-two orders of magnitude. The spectral characteristics of the mutant form indicated that the replacement did not lead to significant changes in the conformation and tautomerism of MGL internal aldimine. We crystallized the holoenzyme and determined its spatial structure at 1.7 E resolution. The replacement of serine 339 with alanine did not affect the overall course of the polypeptide chain of the MGL subunit and the tetrameric enzyme structure. An analysis of the obtained kinetic and spectral data, as well as the known spatial structures of C. freundii MGL, indicates that serine 339 is necessary for efficient catalysis of γ- and β-elimination reactions at the stage of C-α-proton abstraction from the external aldimine, the γ-elimination reaction at the stages of coenzyme C4’-atom protonation, and C-β-proton abstraction from a ketimine intermediate.

Analyses of pre-steady-state kinetics and isotope effects of the γ-elimination reaction catalyzed by Citrobacter freundii methionine γ-lyase

Methionine γ-lyase (MGL) is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme catalyzing γ-elimination in l-methionine. Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzymes have unique spectral properties that allow to monitor sequential formation and decomposition of various intermediates via the detection of absorbance changes. The kinetic mechanism of the γ-elimination reaction catalyzed by Citrobacter freundii MGL was elucidated here by fast stopped-flow kinetic analysis. Single-wavelength detection of characteristic absorbance changes enabled us to compare transformations of intermediates in the course of the reaction with different substrates. The influence of various γ-substituents in the substrate on the formation of key intermediates was estimated. Kinetic isotope effects of α- and β-protons were determined using deuterium-substituted l-methionine. Contributions of amino acid residues Tyr113 and Tyr58 located in the active site on the formation and decomposition of reaction intermediates were identified too. α-Aminocrotonate formation is the rate-limiting step of the enzymatic γ-elimination reaction. Kinetic isotope effects strongly support concerted reaction mechanisms of transformation between an external aldimine and a ketimine intermediate as well as a ketimine intermediate and an unsaturated ketimine.

Canavanine utilization via homoserine and hydroxyguanidine by a PLP-dependent γ-lyase in Pseudomonadaceae and Rhizobiales

Canavanine, the δ-oxa-analogue of arginine, is produced as one of the main nitrogen storage compounds in legume seeds and has repellent properties. Its toxicity originates from incorporation into proteins as well as arginase-mediated hydrolysis to canaline that forms stable oximes with carbonyls. So far no pathway or enzyme has been identified acting specifically on canavanine. Here we report the characterization of a novel PLP-dependent enzyme, canavanine-γ-lyase, that catalyzes the elimination of hydroxyguanidine from canavanine to subsequently yield homoserine. Homoserine-dehydrogenase, aspartate–semialdehyde–dehydrogenase and ammonium–aspartate–lyase activities are also induced for facilitating canavanine utilization. We demonstrate that this novel pathway is found in certain Pseudomonas species and the Rhizobiales symbionts of legumes. The findings broaden the diverse reactions that the versatile class of PLP-dependent enzymes is able to catalyze. Since canavanine utilization is found prominently in root-associated bacteria, it could have important implications for the establishment and maintenance of the legume rhizosphere.

A novel degradation pathway enables rhizosphere-associated bacteria to utilize canavanine.

Inhibiting Pyridoxal Kinase of Entamoeba histolytica Is Lethal for This Pathogen

Pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (PLP) functions as a cofactor for hundreds of different enzymes that are crucial to the survival of microorganisms. PLP-dependent enzymes have been extensively characterized and proposed as drug targets in Entamoeba histolytica. This pathogen is unable to synthesize vitamin B_6via de-novo pathway and relies on the uptake of vitamin B₆ vitamers from the host which are then phosphorylated by the enzyme pyridoxal kinase to produce PLP, the active form of vitamin B₆. Previous studies from our lab shows that EhPLK is essential for the survival and growth of this protozoan parasite and its active site differs significantly with respect to its human homologue making it a potential drug target. In-silico screening of EhPLK against small molecule libraries were performed and top five ranked molecules were shortlisted on the basis of docking scores. These compounds dock into the PLP binding site of the enzyme such that binding of these compounds hinders the binding of substrate. Of these five compounds, two compounds showed inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values between 100-250 μM when tested in-vitro. The effect of these compounds proved to be extremely lethal for Entamoeba trophozoites in cultured cells as the growth was hampered by 91.5% and 89.5% when grown in the presence of these compounds over the period of 72 hours.

Gamma cleavage is a rate-determining step in the gamma-elimination reaction of L-methionine analogues catalyzed by methionine-gamma-lyase

Methionine-γ-lyase (MGL) is a pyridoxal-5'-phosphate dependent enzyme found in bacteria and protozoa that catalyzes a variety of reactions, including the γ-elimination of L-methionine (L-Met). Here we report experimental kinetic data and density functional theory (DFT) computational data for the γ-elimination reaction of L-Met and several other substrate analogues by a recombinant MGL from P. gingivalis (MGL_Pg). UV-Visible spectrophotometry experiments revealed a heavily populated species with maximum absorbance at 478 nm during steady-state catalysis of L-Met, L-ethionine, L-methionine sulfone and L-homoserine, which we assign to a late crotonate intermediate formed after the γ-cleavage step in the reaction and thus common to all substrates. A more red-shifted (498 nm) species was observed during the reaction of L-homoserine lactone, which we assign to an early quinonoid intermediate with the aid of time-dependent self-consistent field calculations. Significant differences in both binding and the rate of turnover were observed for the substrates. MGL_Pg's highest catalytic efficiency was recorded for L-vinylglycine (k_cat/K_m = 6455 s^-1 M^-1), exceeding that of L-Met (k_cat/K_m = 4211 s^-1 M^-1), while L-Met sulfone displayed the largest turnover number (k_cat = 1638 min^-1). A direct correlation between experimental k_cat values and DFT-calculated γ-cleavage Gibbs activation energies was identified for the various substrates. In light of these data, we propose that the γ-cleavage step in the catalytic reaction pathway is rate-limiting. This conclusion has direct implications for the rational design of substrates or inhibitors aimed at regulating MGL activity.

Characterization and functional insights into the Entamoeba histolytica pyridoxal kinase, an enzyme essential for its survival

Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) is the active form of vitamin B₆ and a cofactor for more than 140 enzymes. This coenzyme plays a pivotal role in catalysis of various enzymatic reactions that are critical for the survival of organisms. Entamoeba histolytica depends on the uptake of pyridoxal (PL), a B₆ vitamer from the external environment which is then phosphorylated by pyridoxal kinase (EhPLK) to form PLP via the salvage pathway. E. histolytica cannot synthesise vitamin B₆de-novo, and also lacks pyridoxine 5'-phosphate oxidase, a salvage pathway enzyme required to produce PLP from pyridoxine phosphate (PNP) and pyridoxamine phosphate (PMP). Analysing the importance of PLK in E. histolytica, we have determined the high-resolution crystal structures of the dimeric pyridoxal kinase in apo, ADP-bound, and PLP-bound states. These structures provided a snapshot of the transition state and help in understanding the reaction mechanism in greater detail. The EhPLK structure significantly differed from the human homologue at its PLP binding site, and the phylogenetic study also revealed its divergence from human PLK. Further, gene regulation of EhPLK using sense and antisense RNA showed that any change in optimal level is harmful to the pathogen. Biochemical and in vivo studies unveiled EhPLK to be essential for this pathogen, while the molecular differences with human PLK structure can be exploited for the structure-guided design of EhPLK inhibitors.

Catalytic specificity of the Lactobacillus plantarum cystathionine γ-lyase presumed by the crystallographic analysis

The reverse transsulfuration pathway, which is composed of cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine γ-lyase (CGL), plays a role to synthesize L-cysteine using L-serine and the sulfur atom in L-methionine. A plant-derived lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum SN35N has been previously found to harbor the gene cluster encoding the CBS- and CGL-like enzymes. In addition, it has been demonstrated that the L. plantarum CBS can synthesize cystathionine from O-acetyl-L-serine and L-homocysteine. The aim of this study is to characterize the enzymatic functions of the L. plantarum CGL. We have found that the enzyme has the high γ-lyase activity toward cystathionine to generate L-cysteine, together with the β-lyase activity toward L-cystine to generate L-cysteine persulfide. By the crystallographic analysis of the inactive CGL K194A mutant complexed with cystathionine, we have found the residues which recognize the distal amino and carboxyl groups of cystathionine or L-cystine. The PLP-bound substrates at the active site may take either the binding pose for the γ- or β-elimination reaction, with the former being the major reaction in the case of cystathionine.

Catalytic specificity of the Lactobacillus plantarum cystathionine γ-lyase presumed by the crystallographic analysis

The reverse transsulfuration pathway, which is composed of cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine γ-lyase (CGL), plays a role to synthesize l-cysteine using l-serine and the sulfur atom in l-methionine. A plant-derived lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum SN35N has been previously found to harbor the gene cluster encoding the CBS- and CGL-like enzymes. In addition, it has been demonstrated that the L. plantarum CBS can synthesize cystathionine from O-acetyl-l-serine and l-homocysteine. The aim of this study is to characterize the enzymatic functions of the L. plantarum CGL. We have found that the enzyme has the high γ-lyase activity toward cystathionine to generate l-cysteine, together with the β-lyase activity toward l-cystine to generate l-cysteine persulfide. By the crystallographic analysis of the inactive CGL K194A mutant complexed with cystathionine, we have found the residues which recognize the distal amino and carboxyl groups of cystathionine or l-cystine. The PLP-bound substrates at the active site may take either the binding pose for the γ- or β-elimination reaction, with the former being the major reaction in the case of cystathionine.

Elucidating the druggability of the human proteome with eFindSite

Identifying the viability of protein targets is one of the preliminary steps of drug discovery. Determining the ability of a protein to bind drugs in order to modulate its function, termed the druggability, requires a non-trivial amount of time and resources. Inability to properly measure druggability has accounted for a significant portion of failures in drug discovery. This problem is only further exacerbated by the large sample space of proteins involved in human diseases. With these barriers, the druggability space within the human proteome remains unexplored and has made it difficult to develop drugs for numerous diseases. Hence, we present a new feature developed in eFindSite that employs supervised machine learning to predict the druggability of a given protein. Benchmarking calculations against the Non-Redundant data set of Druggable and Less Druggable binding sites demonstrate that an AUC for druggability prediction with eFindSite is as high as 0.88. With eFindSite, we elucidated the human druggability space to be 10,191 proteins. Considering the disease space from the Open Targets Platform and excluding already known targets from the predicted data set reveal 2731 potentially novel therapeutic targets. eFindSite is freely available as a stand-alone software at https://github.com/michal-brylinski/efindsite .