Glucuronyl C4 dehydrogenation by the radical SAM enzyme BlsE involved in blasticidin S biosynthesis

Here we report functional investigation of the radical S-adenosylmethionine enzyme BlsE by using cytosylglucuronamide (CGM), which is the amide analog of cytosylglucuronic acid (CGA), an intermediate involved in blasticidin S biosynthesis. We showed that, instead of decarboxylation of CGA reported previously, BlsE catalyzes C4'-dehydrogenation of CGM, and the resulting ketone is acted on by an aminotransferase BlsH to install the C4'-amino group, which uses L-Asp as the amino donor.

Radical S-Adenosyl Methionine Enzyme BlsE Catalyzes a Radical-Mediated 1,2-Diol Dehydration during the Biosynthesis of Blasticidin S

The biosynthesis of blasticidin S has drawn attention due to the participation of the radical S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) enzyme BlsE. The original assignment of BlsE as a radical-mediated, redox-neutral decarboxylase is unusual because this reaction appears to serve no biosynthetic purpose and would need to be reversed by a subsequent carboxylation step. Furthermore, with the exception of BlsE, all other radical SAM decarboxylases reported to date are oxidative in nature. Careful analysis of the BlsE reaction, however, demonstrates that BlsE is not a decarboxylase but instead a lyase that catalyzes the dehydration of cytosylglucuronic acid (CGA) to form cytosyl-4'-keto-3'-deoxy-d-glucuronic acid, which can rapidly decarboxylate nonenzymatically in vitro. Analysis of substrate isotopologs, fluorinated analogues, as well as computational models based on X-ray crystal structures of the BlsE·SAM (2.09 Å) and BlsE·SAM·CGA (2.62 Å) complexes suggests that BlsE catalysis likely proceeds via direct elimination of water from the CGA C4' α-hydroxyalkyl radical as opposed to 1,2-migration of the C3'-hydroxyl prior to dehydration. Biosynthetic and mechanistic implications of the revised assignment of BlsE are discussed.

Identification and characterization of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleoside antibiotics

Covering: up to September 2020 Hundreds of nucleoside-based natural products have been isolated from various microorganisms, several of which have been utilized in agriculture as pesticides and herbicides, in medicine as therapeutics for cancer and infectious disease, and as molecular probes to study biological processes. Natural products consisting of structural modifications of each of the canonical nucleosides have been discovered, ranging from simple modifications such as single-step alkylations or acylations to highly elaborate modifications that dramatically alter the nucleoside scaffold and require multiple enzyme-catalyzed reactions. A vast amount of genomic information has been uncovered the past two decades, which has subsequently allowed the first opportunity to interrogate the chemically intriguing enzymatic transformations for the latter type of modifications. This review highlights (i) the discovery and potential applications of structurally complex pyrimidine nucleoside antibiotics for which genetic information is known, (ii) the established reactions that convert the canonical pyrimidine into a new nucleoside scaffold, and (iii) the important tailoring reactions that impart further structural complexity to these molecules.

Following the electrons: peculiarities in the catalytic cycles of radical SAM enzymes

Radical SAM enzymes use S-adenosyl-l-methionine as an oxidant to initiate radical-mediated transformations that would otherwise not be possible with Lewis acid/base chemistry alone. These reactions are either redox neutral or oxidative leading to certain expectations regarding the role of SAM as either a reusable cofactor or the ultimate electron acceptor during each turnover. However, these expectations are frequently not realized resulting in fundamental questions regarding the redox handling and movement of electrons associated with these biological catalysts. Herein we provide a focused perspective on several of these questions and associated hypotheses with an emphasis on recently discovered radical SAM enzymes.

Identification and biosynthesis of 2-(1H-imidazol-5-yl) ethan-1-ol (histaminol) in methanogenic archaea

Histaminol is a relatively rare metabolite most commonly resulting from histidine metabolism. Here we describe histaminol production and secretion into the culture broth by the methanogen Methanococcus maripaludis S2 as well as a number of other methanogens. This work is the first identification of this compound as a natural product in methanogens. Its biosynthesis from histidine was confirmed by the incorporation of ²H3-histidine into histaminol by growing cells of M. maripaludis S2. Possible functions of this molecule could be cell signaling as observed with histamine in eukaryotes or uptake of metal ions.

Self-Resistance of Natural Product Producers: Past, Present, and Future Focusing on Self-Resistant Protein Variants

Nature is a prolific producers of bioactive natural products with an array of biological activities and impact on human and animal health. But with great power comes great responsibility, and the organisms that produce a bioactive compound must be resistant to its biological effects to survive during production/accumulation. Microorganisms, particularly bacteria, have developed different strategies to prevent self-toxicity. Here, we review a few of the major mechanisms including the mechanism of resistance with a focus on self-resistant protein variants, target proteins that contain amino acid substitutions to reduce the binding of the bioactive natural product, and therefore its inhibitory effects are highlighted in depth. We also try to identify some future avenues of research and challenges that need to be addressed.