l-Threonine aldolase, serine hydroxymethyltransferase and fungal alanine racemase. A subgroup of strictly related enzymes specialized for different functions

Design, construction and optimization of formaldehyde growth biosensors with broad application in biotechnology

Formaldehyde is a key metabolite in natural and synthetic one-carbon metabolism. To facilitate the engineering of formaldehyde-producing enzymes, the development of sensitive, user-friendly, and cost-effective detection methods is required. In this study, we engineered Escherichia coli to serve as a cellular biosensor capable of detecting a broad range of formaldehyde concentrations. Using both natural and promiscuous formaldehyde assimilation enzymes, we designed three distinct E. coli growth biosensor strains that depend on formaldehyde for cell growth. These strains were engineered to be auxotrophic for one or several essential metabolites that could be produced through formaldehyde assimilation. The respective assimilating enzyme was expressed from the genome to compensate the auxotrophy in the presence of formaldehyde. We first predicted the formaldehyde dependency of the biosensors by flux balance analysis and then analysed it experimentally. Subsequent to strain engineering, we enhanced the formaldehyde sensitivity of two biosensors either through adaptive laboratory evolution or modifications at metabolic branch points. The final set of biosensors demonstrated the ability to detect formaldehyde concentrations ranging approximately from 30 μM to 13 mM. We demonstrated the application of the biosensors by assaying the in vivo activity of different methanol dehydrogenases in the most sensitive strain. The fully genomic nature of the biosensors allows them to be deployed as "plug-and-play" devices for high-throughput screenings of extensive enzyme libraries. The formaldehyde growth biosensors developed in this study hold significant promise for advancing the field of enzyme engineering, thereby supporting the establishment of a sustainable one-carbon bioeconomy.

Stereoselective amino acid synthesis by photobiocatalytic oxidative coupling

Photobiocatalysis-where light is used to expand the reactivity of an enzyme-has recently emerged as a powerful strategy to develop chemistries that are new to nature. These systems have shown potential in asymmetric radical reactions that have long eluded small-molecule catalysts1. So far, unnatural photobiocatalytic reactions are limited to overall reductive and redox-neutral processes2-9. Here we report photobiocatalytic asymmetric sp3-sp3 oxidative cross-coupling between organoboron reagents and amino acids. This reaction requires the cooperative use of engineered pyridoxal biocatalysts, photoredox catalysts and an oxidizing agent. We repurpose a family of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-dependent enzymes, threonine aldolases10-12, for the α-C-H functionalization of glycine and α-branched amino acid substrates by a radical mechanism, giving rise to a range of α-tri- and tetrasubstituted non-canonical amino acids 13-15 possessing up to two contiguous stereocentres. Directed evolution of pyridoxal radical enzymes allowed primary and secondary radical precursors, including benzyl, allyl and alkylboron reagents, to be coupled in an enantio- and diastereocontrolled fashion. Cooperative photoredox-pyridoxal biocatalysis provides a platform for sp3-sp3 oxidative coupling16, permitting the stereoselective, intermolecular free-radical transformations that are unknown to chemistry or biology.

One substrate many enzymes virtual screening uncovers missing genes of carnitine biosynthesis in human and mouse

The increasing availability of experimental and computational protein structures entices their use for function prediction. Here we develop an automated procedure to identify enzymes involved in metabolic reactions by assessing substrate conformations docked to a library of protein structures. By screening AlphaFold-modeled vitamin B6-dependent enzymes, we find that a metric based on catalytically favorable conformations at the enzyme active site performs best (AUROC Score=0.84) in identifying genes associated with known reactions. Applying this procedure, we identify the mammalian gene encoding hydroxytrimethyllysine aldolase (HTMLA), the second enzyme of carnitine biosynthesis. Upon experimental validation, we find that the top-ranked candidates, serine hydroxymethyl transferase (SHMT) 1 and 2, catalyze the HTMLA reaction. However, a mouse protein absent in humans (threonine aldolase; Tha1) catalyzes the reaction more efficiently. Tha1 did not rank highest based on the AlphaFold model, but its rank improved to second place using the experimental crystal structure we determined at 2.26 Å resolution. Our findings suggest that humans have lost a gene involved in carnitine biosynthesis, with HTMLA activity of SHMT partially compensating for its function.

Efficient Fermentative Production of d-Alanine and Other d-Amino Acids by Metabolically Engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum

d-Amino acids (d-AAs) have wide applications in industries such as pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics due to their unique properties. Currently, the production of d-AAs has relied on chemical synthesis or enzyme catalysts, and it is challenging to produce d-AAs via direct fermentation from glucose. We observed that Corynebacterium glutamicum exhibits a remarkable tolerance to high concentrations of d-Ala, a crucial characteristic for establishing a successful fermentation process. By optimizing meso-diaminopilmelate dehydrogenases in different C. glutamicum strains and successively deleting l-Ala biosynthetic pathways, we developed an efficient d-Ala fermentation system. The d-Ala titer was enhanced through systems metabolic engineering, which involved strengthening glucose assimilation and pyruvate supply, reducing the formation of organic acid byproducts, and attenuating the TCA cycle. During fermentation in a 5-L bioreactor, a significant accumulation of l-Ala was observed in the broth, which was subsequently diminished by introducing an l-amino acid deaminase. Ultimately, the engineered strain DA-11 produced 85 g/L d-Ala with a yield of 0.30 g/g glucose, accompanied by an optical purity exceeding 99%. The fermentation platform has the potential to be extended for the synthesis of other d-AAs, as demonstrated by the production of d-Val and d-Glu.

Elucidating the zinc-binding proteome of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici with particular emphasis on zinc-binding effector proteins

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici is a soil-borne phytopathogenic species which causes vascular wilt disease in the Solanum lycopersicum (tomato). Due to the continuous competition for zinc usage by Fusarium and its host during infection makes zinc-binding proteins a hotspot for focused investigation. Zinc-binding effector proteins are pivotal during the infection process, working in conjunction with other essential proteins crucial for its biological activities. This work aims at identifying and analysing zinc-binding proteins and zinc-binding proteins effector candidates of Fusarium. We have identified three hundred forty-six putative zinc-binding proteins; among these proteins, we got two hundred and thirty zinc-binding proteins effector candidates. The functional annotation, subcellular localization, and Gene Ontology analysis of these putative zinc-binding proteins revealed their probable role in wide range of cellular and biological processes such as metabolism, gene expression, gene expression regulation, protein biosynthesis, protein folding, cell signalling, DNA repair, and RNA processing. Sixteen proteins were found to be putatively secretory in nature. Eleven of these were putative zinc-binding protein effector candidates may be involved in pathogen-host interaction during infection. The information obtained here may enhance our understanding to design, screen, and apply the zinc-metal ion-based antifungal agents to protect the S. lycopersicum and control the vascular wilt caused by F. oxysporum.

Comprehensive screening strategy coupled with structure-guided engineering of l-threonine aldolase from Pseudomonas putida for enhanced catalytic efficiency towards l-threo-4-methylsulfonylphenylserine

l-Threonine aldolases (TAs) can catalyze aldol condensation reactions to form β-hydroxy-α-amino acids, but afford unsatisfactory conversion and poor stereoselectivity at the C_β position. In this study, a directed evolution coupling high-throughput screening method was developed to screen more efficient l-TA mutants based on their aldol condensation activity. A mutant library with over 4000 l-TA mutants from Pseudomonas putida were obtained by random mutagenesis. About 10% of mutants retained activity toward 4-methylsulfonylbenzaldehyde, with five site mutations (A9L, Y13K, H133N, E147D, and Y312E) showing higher activity. Iterative combinatorial mutant A9V/Y13K/Y312R catalyzed l-threo-4-methylsulfonylphenylserine with a 72% conversion and 86% diastereoselectivity, representing 2.3-fold and 5.1-fold improvements relative to the wild-type. Molecular dynamics simulations illustrated that additional hydrogen bonds, water bridge force, hydrophobic interactions, and π-cation interactions were present in the A9V/Y13K/Y312R mutant compared with the wild-type to reshape the substrate-binding pocket, resulting in a higher conversion and C_β stereoselectivity. This study provides a useful strategy for engineering TAs to resolve the low C_β stereoselectivity problem and contributes to the industrial application of TAs.

Characterization of thermostable serine hydroxymethyltransferase for β-hydroxy amino acids synthesis

β-hydroxy amino acids, such as serine, threonine, and phenylserine, are important compounds for medical purposes. To date, there has been only limited exploration of thermostable serine hydroxylmethyltransferase (SHMT) for the synthesis of these amino acids, despite the great potential that thermostable enzymes may offer for commercial use due to their high stability and catalytic efficiencies. ITBSHMT_1 (ITB serine hydroxylmethyltransferase clone number 1) from thermophilic and methanol-tolerant bacteria Pseudoxanthomonas taiwanensis AL17 was successfully cloned. Biocomputational analysis revealed that ITBSHMT_1 contains Pyridoxal-3'-phosphate and tetrahydrofolatebinding residues. Structural comparisons show that ITBSHMT_1 has 5 additional residues VSRQG on loop near PLP-binding site as novel structural feature which distinguish this enzyme with other characterized SHMTs. In silico mutation revealed that the fragment might have very essential role in maintaining of PLP binding on structure of ITBSHMT_1. Recombinant protein was produced in Escherichia coli Rosetta 2(DE3) in soluble form and purified using NiNTA affinity chromatography. The purified protein demonstrated the best activity at 80 °C and pH 7.5 based on the retro aldol cleavage of phenylserine. Activity decreased significantly in the presence of 3 mM transition metal ions but increased in the presence of 30 mM β-mercaptoethanol. ITBSHMT_1 demonstrated Vmax, Km, Kcat, and Kcat/Km at 242 U/mg, 23.26 mM, 186/s, and 8/(mM.s), respectively. The aldol condensation reaction showed the enzyme's best activity at 80 °C for serine, threonine, or phenylserine, with serine synthesis showing the highest specific activity. Biocomputational analysis revealed that high intramolecular interaction within the 3D structure of ITBSHMT_1 might be correlated with the enzyme's high thermal stability. The above data suggest that ITBSHMT_1 is a potential and novel enzyme for the production of various β-hydroxy amino acids.

Heterologous gene expression and characterization of two serine hydroxymethyltransferases from Thermoplasma acidophilum

Serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) and threonine aldolase are classified as fold type I pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-dependent enzymes and engaged in glycine biosynthesis from serine and threonine, respectively. The acidothermophilic archaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum possesses two distinct SHMT genes, while there is no gene encoding threonine aldolase in its genome. In the present study, the two SHMT genes (Ta0811 and Ta1509) were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and Thermococcus kodakarensis, respectively, and biochemical properties of their products were investigated. Ta1509 protein exhibited dual activities to catalyze tetrahydrofolate (THF)-dependent serine cleavage and THF-independent threonine cleavage, similar to other SHMTs reported to date. In contrast, the Ta0811 protein lacks amino acid residues involved in the THF-binding motif and catalyzes only the THF-independent cleavage of threonine. Kinetic analysis revealed that the threonine-cleavage activity of the Ta0811 protein was 3.5 times higher than the serine-cleavage activity of Ta1509 protein. In addition, mRNA expression of Ta0811 gene in T. acidophilum was approximately 20 times more abundant than that of Ta1509. These observations suggest that retroaldol cleavage of threonine, mediated by the Ta0811 protein, has a major role in glycine biosynthesis in T. acidophilum.

l-Threonine Transaldolase Activity Is Enabled by a Persistent Catalytic Intermediate

l-Threonine transaldolases (lTTAs) are a poorly characterized class of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of diverse β-hydroxy amino acids. Here, we study the catalytic mechanism of ObiH, an lTTA essential for biosynthesis of the β-lactone natural product obafluorin. Heterologously expressed ObiH purifies as a mixture of chemical states including a catalytically inactive form of the PLP cofactor. Photoexcitation of ObiH promotes the conversion of the inactive state of the enzyme to the active form. UV-vis spectroscopic analysis reveals that ObiH catalyzes the retro-aldol cleavage of l-threonine to form a remarkably persistent glycyl quinonoid intermediate, with a half-life of ∼3 h. Protonation of this intermediate is kinetically disfavored, enabling on-cycle reactivity with aldehydes to form β-hydroxy amino acids. We demonstrate the synthetic potential of ObiH via the single step synthesis of (2S,3R)-β-hydroxyleucine. To further understand the structural features underpinning this desirable reactivity, we determined the crystal structure of ObiH bound to PLP as the Schiff's base at 1.66 Å resolution. This high-resolution model revealed a unique active site configuration wherein the evolutionarily conserved Asp that traditionally H-bonds to the cofactor is swapped for a neighboring Glu. Molecular dynamics simulations combined with mutagenesis studies indicate that a structural rearrangement is associated with l-threonine entry into the catalytic cycle. Together, these data explain the basis for the unique reactivity of lTTA enzymes and provide a foundation for future engineering and mechanistic analysis.

L-Carnitine in Drosophila: A Review

L-Carnitine is an amino acid derivative that plays a key role in the metabolism of fatty acids, including the shuttling of long-chain fatty acyl CoA to fuel mitochondrial β-oxidation. In addition, L-carnitine reduces oxidative damage and plays an essential role in the maintenance of cellular energy homeostasis. L-carnitine also plays an essential role in the control of cerebral functions, and the aberrant regulation of genes involved in carnitine biosynthesis and mitochondrial carnitine transport in Drosophila models has been linked to neurodegeneration. Drosophila models of neurodegenerative diseases provide a powerful platform to both unravel the molecular pathways that contribute to neurodegeneration and identify potential therapeutic targets. Drosophila can biosynthesize L-carnitine, and its carnitine transport system is similar to the human transport system; moreover, evidence from a defective Drosophila mutant for one of the carnitine shuttle genes supports the hypothesis of the occurrence of β-oxidation in glial cells. Hence, Drosophila models could advance the understanding of the links between L-carnitine and the development of neurodegenerative disorders. This review summarizes the current knowledge on L-carnitine in Drosophila and discusses the role of the L-carnitine pathway in fly models of neurodegeneration.

Structural and kinetic properties of serine hydroxymethyltransferase from the halophytic cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica provide a rationale for salt tolerance

Serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme that plays a pivotal role in cellular one‑carbon metabolism. In plants and cyanobacteria, this enzyme is also involved in photorespiration and confers salt tolerance, as in the case of SHMT from the halophilic cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica (AhSHMT). We have characterized the catalytic properties of AhSHMT in different salt and pH conditions. Although the kinetic properties of AhSHMT correlate with those of the mesophilic orthologue from Escherichia coli, AhSHMT appears more catalytically efficient, especially in presence of salt. Our studies also reveal substrate inhibition, previously unobserved in AhSHMT. Furthermore, addition of the osmoprotectant glycine betaine under salt conditions has a distinct positive effect on AhSHMT activity. The crystal structures of AhSHMT in three forms, as internal aldimine, as external aldimine with the l-serine substrate, and as a covalent complex with malonate, give structural insights on the possible role of specific amino acid residues implicated in the halophilic features of AhSHMT. Importantly, we observed that overexpression of the gene encoding SHMT, independently from its origin, increases the capability of E. coli to grow in high salt conditions, suggesting that the catalytic activity of this enzyme in itself plays a fundamental role in salt tolerance.

An optimized methanol assimilation pathway relying on promiscuous formaldehyde-condensing aldolases in E. coli

Engineering biotechnological microorganisms to use methanol as a feedstock for bioproduction is a major goal for the synthetic metabolism community. Here, we aim to redesign the natural serine cycle for implementation in E. coli. We propose the homoserine cycle, relying on two promiscuous formaldehyde aldolase reactions, as a superior pathway design. The homoserine cycle is expected to outperform the serine cycle and its variants with respect to biomass yield, thermodynamic favorability, and integration with host endogenous metabolism. Even as compared to the RuMP cycle, the most efficient naturally occurring methanol assimilation route, the homoserine cycle is expected to support higher yields of a wide array of products. We test the in vivo feasibility of the homoserine cycle by constructing several E. coli gene deletion strains whose growth is coupled to the activity of different pathway segments. Using this approach, we demonstrate that all required promiscuous enzymes are active enough to enable growth of the auxotrophic strains. Our findings thus identify a novel metabolic solution that opens the way to an optimized methylotrophic platform.

In Vivo Rate of Formaldehyde Condensation with Tetrahydrofolate

Formaldehyde is a highly reactive compound that participates in multiple spontaneous reactions, but these are mostly deleterious and damage cellular components. In contrast, the spontaneous condensation of formaldehyde with tetrahydrofolate (THF) has been proposed to contribute to the assimilation of this intermediate during growth on C₁ carbon sources such as methanol. However, the in vivo rate of this condensation reaction is unknown and its possible contribution to growth remains elusive. Here, we used microbial platforms to assess the rate of this condensation in the cellular environment. We constructed Escherichia coli strains lacking the enzymes that naturally produce 5,10-methylene-THF. These strains were able to grow on minimal medium only when equipped with a sarcosine (N-methyl-glycine) oxidation pathway that sustained a high cellular concentration of formaldehyde, which spontaneously reacts with THF to produce 5,10-methylene-THF. We used flux balance analysis to derive the rate of the spontaneous condensation from the observed growth rate. According to this, we calculated that a microorganism obtaining its entire biomass via the spontaneous condensation of formaldehyde with THF would have a doubling time of more than three weeks. Hence, this spontaneous reaction is unlikely to serve as an effective route for formaldehyde assimilation.

Current Advances on Structure-Function Relationships of Pyridoxal 5'-Phosphate-Dependent Enzymes

Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) functions as a coenzyme in many enzymatic processes, including decarboxylation, deamination, transamination, racemization, and others. Enzymes, requiring PLP, are commonly termed PLP-dependent enzymes, and they are widely involved in crucial cellular metabolic pathways in most of (if not all) living organisms. The chemical mechanisms for PLP-mediated reactions have been well elaborated and accepted with an emphasis on the pure chemical steps, but how the chemical steps are processed by enzymes, especially by functions of active site residues, are not fully elucidated. Furthermore, the specific mechanism of an enzyme in relation to the one for a similar class of enzymes seems scarcely described or discussed. This discussion aims to link the specific mechanism described for the individual enzyme to the same types of enzymes from different species with aminotransferases, decarboxylases, racemase, aldolase, cystathionine β-synthase, aromatic phenylacetaldehyde synthase, et al. as models. The structural factors that contribute to the reaction mechanisms, particularly active site residues critical for dictating the reaction specificity, are summarized in this review.

Human Cytosolic and Mitochondrial Serine Hydroxymethyltransferase Isoforms in Comparison: Full Kinetic Characterization and Substrate Inhibition Properties

Serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) catalyzes the reversible conversion of l-serine and tetrahydrofolate into glycine and 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate. This enzyme, which plays a pivotal role in one-carbon metabolism, is involved in cancer metabolic reprogramming and is a recognized target of chemotherapy intervention. In humans, two isoforms of the enzyme exist, which are commonly termed cytosolic SHMT1 and mitochondrial SHMT2. Considerable attention has been paid to the structural, mechanistic, and metabolic features of these isozymes. On the other hand, a detailed comparison of their catalytic and regulatory properties is missing, although this aspect seems to be considerably important, considering that SHMT1 and SHMT2 reside in different cellular compartments, where they play distinct roles in folate metabolism. Here we performed a full kinetic characterization of the serine hydroxymethyltransferase reaction catalyzed by SHMT1 and SHMT2, with a focus on pH dependence and substrate inhibition. Our investigation, which allowed the determination of all kinetic parameters of serine hydroxymethyltransferase forward and backward reactions, uncovered a previously unobserved substrate inhibition by l-serine and highlighted several interesting differences between SHMT1 and SHMT2. In particular, SHMT2 maintains a pronounced tetrahydrofolate substrate inhibition even at the alkaline pH characteristic of the mitochondrial matrix, whereas with SHMT1 this is almost abolished. At this pH, SHMT2 also shows a catalytic efficiency that is much higher than that of SHMT1. These observations suggest that such different properties represent an adaptation of the isoforms to the respective cellular environments and that substrate inhibition may be a form of regulation.

Mining the cellular inventory of pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzymes with functionalized cofactor mimics

Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) is an enzyme cofactor required for the chemical transformation of biological amines in many central cellular processes. PLP-dependent enzymes (PLP-DEs) are ubiquitous and evolutionarily diverse, making their classification based on sequence homology challenging. Here we present a chemical proteomic method for reporting on PLP-DEs using functionalized cofactor probes. We synthesized pyridoxal analogues modified at the 2'-position, which are taken up by cells and metabolized in situ. These pyridoxal analogues are phosphorylated to functional cofactor surrogates by cellular pyridoxal kinases and bind to PLP-DEs via an aldimine bond which can be rendered irreversible by NaBH4 reduction. Conjugation to a reporter tag enables the subsequent identification of PLP-DEs using quantitative, label-free mass spectrometry. Using these probes we accessed a significant portion of the Staphylococcus aureus PLP-DE proteome (73%) and annotate uncharacterized proteins as novel PLP-DEs. We also show that this approach can be used to study structural tolerance within PLP-DE active sites and to screen for off-targets of the PLP-DE inhibitor D-cycloserine.

In Vivo Titration of Folate Pathway Enzymes

How enzymes behave in cells is likely different from how they behave in the test tube. Previous in vitro studies find that osmolytes interact weakly with folate. Removal of the osmolyte from the solvation shell of folate is more difficult than removal of water, which weakens binding of folate to its enzyme partners. To examine if this phenomenon occurs in vivo, osmotic stress titrations were performed with Escherichia coli Two strategies were employed: resistance to an antibacterial drug and complementation of a knockout strain by the appropriate gene cloned into a plasmid that allows tight control of expression levels as well as labeling by a degradation tag. The abilities of the knockout and complemented strains to grow under osmotic stress were compared. Typically, the knockout strain could grow to high osmolalities on supplemented medium, while the complemented strain stopped growing at lower osmolalities on minimal medium. This pattern was observed for an R67 dihydrofolate reductase clone rescuing a ΔfolA strain, for a methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase clone rescuing a ΔmetF strain, and for a serine hydroxymethyltransferase clone rescuing a ΔglyA strain. Additionally, an R67 dihydrofolate reductase clone allowed E. coli DH5α to grow in the presence of trimethoprim until an osmolality of ∼0.81 is reached, while cells in a control titration lacking antibiotic could grow to 1.90 osmol.IMPORTANCEE. coli can survive in drought and flooding conditions and can tolerate large changes in osmolality. However, the cell processes that limit bacterial growth under high osmotic stress conditions are not known. In this study, the dose of four different enzymes in E. coli was decreased by using deletion strains complemented by the gene carried in a tunable plasmid. Under conditions of limiting enzyme concentration (lower than that achieved by chromosomal gene expression), cell growth can be blocked by osmotic stress conditions that are normally tolerated. These observations indicate that E. coli has evolved to deal with variations in its osmotic environment and that normal protein levels are sufficient to buffer the cell from environmental changes. Additional factors involved in the osmotic pressure response may include altered protein concentration/activity levels, weak solute interactions with ligands which can make it more difficult for proteins to bind their substrates/inhibitors/cofactors in vivo, and/or viscosity effects.

Differential inhibitory effect of a pyrazolopyran compound on human serine hydroxymethyltransferase-amino acid complexes

Serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) is a pivotal enzyme in one-carbon metabolism that catalyses the reversible conversion of serine and tetrahydrofolate into glycine and methylenetetrahydrofolate. It exists in cytosolic (SHMT1) and mitochondrial (SHMT2) isoforms. Research on one-carbon metabolism in cancer cell lines has shown that SHMT1 preferentially catalyses serine synthesis, whereas in mitochondria SHMT2 is involved in serine breakdown. Recent research has focused on the identification of inhibitors that bind at the folate pocket. We have previously found that a representative derivative of the pyrazolopyran scaffold, namely 2.12, inhibits both SHMT isoforms, with a preference for SHMT1, causing apoptosis in lung cancer cell lines. Here we show that the affinity of 2.12 for SHMT depends on the identity of the amino acid substrate bound to the enzyme. The dissociation constant of 2.12 is 50-fold lower when it binds to SHMT1 enzyme-serine complex, as compared to the enzyme-glycine complex. Evidence is presented for a similar behaviour of compound 2.12 in the cellular environment. These findings suggest that the presence and identity of the amino acid substrate should be considered when designing SHMT inhibitors. Moreover, our data provide the proof-of-concept that SHMT inhibitors selectively targeting the directionality of one-carbon metabolism flux could be designed.

Biocatalytic approaches towards the stereoselective synthesis of vicinal amino alcohols

The global need for clean manufacturing technologies and the management of hazardous chemicals and waste present new research challenges to both chemistry and biotechnology.

An L-threonine transaldolase is required for L-threo-β-hydroxy-α-amino acid assembly during obafluorin biosynthesis

β-Lactone natural products occur infrequently in nature but possess a variety of potent and valuable biological activities. They are commonly derived from β-hydroxy-α-amino acids, which are themselves valuable chiral building blocks for chemical synthesis and precursors to numerous important medicines. However, despite a number of excellent synthetic methods for their asymmetric synthesis, few effective enzymatic tools exist for their preparation. Here we report cloning of the biosynthetic gene cluster for the β-lactone antibiotic obafluorin and delineate its biosynthetic pathway. We identify a nonribosomal peptide synthetase with an unusual domain architecture and an L-threonine:4-nitrophenylacetaldehyde transaldolase responsible for (2S,3R)-2-amino-3-hydroxy-4-(4-nitrophenyl)butanoate biosynthesis. Phylogenetic analysis sheds light on the evolutionary origin of this rare enzyme family and identifies further gene clusters encoding L-threonine transaldolases. We also present preliminary data suggesting that L-threonine transaldolases might be useful for the preparation of L-threo-β-hydroxy-α-amino acids.

β-Lactone formation during product release from a nonribosomal peptide synthetase

Nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) are multidomain modular biosynthetic assembly lines that polymerize amino acids into a myriad of biologically active nonribosomal peptides (NRPs). NRPS thioesterase (TE) domains employ diverse release strategies for off-loading thioester-tethered polymeric peptides from termination modules typically via hydrolysis, aminolysis, or cyclization to provide mature antibiotics as carboxylic acids/esters, amides, and lactams/lactones, respectively. Here we report the enzyme-catalyzed formation of a highly strained β-lactone ring during TE-mediated cyclization of a β-hydroxythioester to release the antibiotic obafluorin (Obi) from an NRPS assembly line. The Obi NRPS (ObiF) contains a type I TE domain with a rare catalytic cysteine residue that plays a direct role in β-lactone ring formation. We present a detailed genetic and biochemical characterization of the entire Obi biosynthetic gene cluster in plant-associated Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 39502 that establishes a general strategy for β-lactone biogenesis.

The Wolbachia WO bacteriophage proteome in the Aedes albopictus C/wStr1 cell line: evidence for lytic activity?

Wolbachia pipientis (Rickettsiales), an obligate intracellular alphaproteobacterium in insects, manipulates host reproduction to maximize invasion of uninfected insect populations. Modification of host population structure has potential applications for control of pest species, particularly if Wolbachia can be maintained, manipulated, and genetically engineered in vitro. Although Wolbachia maintains an obligate mutualism with genome stability in nematodes, arthropods can be co-infected with distinct Wolbachia strains, and horizontal gene transfer between strains is potentially mediated by WO phages encoded within Wolbachia genomes. Proteomic analysis of a robust, persistent infection of a mosquito cell line with wStr from the planthopper, Laodelphax striatellus, revealed expression of a full array of WO phage genes, as well as nine of ten non-phage genes that occur between two distinct clusters of WOMelB genes in the genome of wMel, which infects Drosophila melanogaster. These non-phage genes encode potential host-adaptive proteins and are expressed in wStr at higher levels than phage structural proteins. A subset of seven of the non-phage genes is flanked by highly conserved non-coding sequences, including a putative promoter element, that are not present in a syntenically arranged array of homologs in plasmids from three tick-associated Rickettsia spp. These studies expand our understanding of wStr in a host cell line derived from the mosquito, Aedes albopictus, and provide a basis for investigating conditions that favor the lytic phase of the WO phage life cycle and recovery of infectious phage particles.

Molecular basis of E. coli L-threonine aldolase catalytic inactivation at low pH

L-Threonine aldolases (TAs), a family of enzymes belonging to the fold-type I pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes, play a role in catalyzing the reversible cleavage of l-3-hydroxy-α-amino acids to glycine and the corresponding aldehydes. Threonine aldolases have great biotechnological potential for the syntheses of pharmaceutically relevant drug molecules because of their stereospecificity. The pH-dependency of their catalytic activity, affecting reaction intermediates, led us to study the effect of low-pH on Escherichia coli TA (eTA) structure. We report here a low-pH crystal structure of eTA at 2.1 Å resolution, with a non-covalently bound uncleaved l-serine substrate, and a PLP cofactor bound as an internal aldimine. This structure contrasts with other eTA structures obtained at physiological pH that show products or substrates bound as PLP-external aldimines. The non-productive binding at low-pH is due to an unusual substrate serine binding orientation in which the α-amino group and carboxylate group are in the wrong positions (relative to the active site residues) as a result of protonation of the α-amino group of the serine, as well as the active site histidines, His83 and His126. Protonation of these residues prevents the characteristic nucleophilic attack of the α-amino group of substrate serine on C4' of PLP to form the external aldimine. Our study shows that at low pH the change in charge distribution at the active site can result in substrates binding in a non-productive orientation.

The crystal structure of archaeal serine hydroxymethyltransferase reveals idiosyncratic features likely required to withstand high temperatures

Serine hydroxymethyltransferases (SHMTs) play an essential role in one-carbon unit metabolism and are used in biomimetic reactions. We determined the crystal structure of free (apo) and pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-bound (holo) SHMT from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, the first from a hyperthermophile, from the archaea domain of life and that uses H₄MPT as a cofactor, at 2.83 and 3.0 Å resolution, respectively. Idiosyncratic features were observed that are likely to contribute to structure stabilization. At the dimer interface, the C-terminal region folds in a unique fashion with respect to SHMTs from eubacteria and eukarya. At the active site, the conserved tyrosine does not make a cation-π interaction with an arginine like that observed in all other SHMT structures, but establishes an amide-aromatic interaction with Asn257, at a different sequence position. This asparagine residue is conserved and occurs almost exclusively in (hyper)thermophile SHMTs. This led us to formulate the hypothesis that removal of frustrated interactions (such as the Arg-Tyr cation-π interaction occurring in mesophile SHMTs) is an additional strategy of adaptation to high temperature. Both peculiar features may be tested by designing enzyme variants potentially endowed with improved stability for applications in biomimetic processes.

Characterization of serine hydroxymethyltransferase GlyA as a potential source of D-alanine in Chlamydia pneumoniae

For intracellular Chlamydiaceae, there is no need to withstand osmotic challenges, and a functional cell wall has not been detected in these pathogens so far. Nevertheless, penicillin inhibits cell division in Chlamydiaceae resulting in enlarged aberrant bodies, a phenomenon known as chlamydial anomaly. D-alanine is a unique and essential component in the biosynthesis of bacterial cell walls. In free-living bacteria like Escherichia coli, penicillin-binding proteins such as monofunctional transpeptidases PBP2 and PBP3, the putative targets of penicillin in Chlamydiaceae, cross-link adjacent peptidoglycan strands via meso-diaminopimelic acid and D-Ala-D-Ala moieties of pentapeptide side chains. In the absence of genes coding for alanine racemase Alr and DadX homologs, the source of D-Ala and thus the presence of substrates for PBP2 and PBP3 activity in Chlamydiaceae has puzzled researchers for years. Interestingly, Chlamydiaceae genomes encode GlyA, a serine hydroxymethyltransferase that has been shown to exhibit slow racemization of D- and L-alanine as a side reaction in E. coli. We show that GlyA from Chlamydia pneumoniae can serve as a source of D-Ala. GlyA partially reversed the D-Ala auxotrophic phenotype of an E. coli racemase double mutant. Moreover, purified chlamydial GlyA had racemase activity on L-Ala in vitro and was inhibited by D-cycloserine, identifying GlyA, besides D-Ala ligase MurC/Ddl, as an additional target of this competitive inhibitor in Chlamydiaceae. Proof of D-Ala biosynthesis in Chlamydiaceae helps to clarify the structure of cell wall precursor lipid II and the role of chlamydial penicillin-binding proteins in the development of non-dividing aberrant chlamydial bodies and persistence in the presence of penicillin.

On the catalytic mechanism and stereospecificity of Escherichia coli L-threonine aldolase

L-threonine aldolases (L-TAs) represent a family of homologous pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzymes found in bacteria and fungi, and catalyse the reversible cleavage of several L-3-hydroxy-α-amino acids. L-TAs have great biotechnological potential, as they catalyse the formation of carbon-carbon bonds, and therefore may be exploited for the bioorganic synthesis of L-3-hydroxyamino acids that are biologically active or constitute building blocks for pharmaceutical molecules. Many L-TAs, showing different stereospecificity towards the Cβ configuration, have been isolated. Because of their potential to carry out diastereoselective syntheses, L-TAs have been subjected to structural, functional and mechanistic studies. Nevertheless, their catalytic mechanism and the structural bases of their stereospecificity have not been elucidated. In this study, we have determined the crystal structure of low-specificity L-TA from Escherichia coli at 2.2-Å resolution, in the unliganded form and cocrystallized with L-serine and L-threonine. Furthermore, several active site mutants have been functionally characterized in order to elucidate the reaction mechanism and the molecular bases of stereospecificity. No active site catalytic residue was revealed, and a structural water molecule was assumed to act as the catalytic base in the retro-aldol cleavage reaction. Interestingly, the very large active site opening of E. coli L-TA suggests that much larger molecules than L-threonine isomers may be easily accommodated, and L-TAs may actually have diverse physiological functions in different organisms. Substrate recognition and reaction specificity seem to be guided by the overall microenvironment that surrounds the substrate at the enzyme active site, rather than by one ore more specific residues.

Conservation of the genes for HC-toxin biosynthesis in Alternaria jesenskae

Background

HC-toxin, a cyclic tetrapeptide, is a virulence determinant for the plant pathogenic fungus Cochliobolus carbonum. It was recently discovered that another fungus, Alternaria jesenskae, also produces HC-toxin.

Results

The major genes (collectively known as AjTOX2) involved in the biosynthesis of HC-toxin were identified from A. jesenskae by genomic sequencing. The encoded orthologous proteins share 75-85% amino acid identity, and the genes for HC-toxin biosynthesis are duplicated in both fungi. The genomic organization of the genes in the two fungi show a similar but not identical partial clustering arrangement. A set of representative housekeeping proteins show a similar high level of amino acid identity between C. carbonum and A. jesenskae, which is consistent with the close relatedness of these two genera within the family Pleosporaceae (Dothideomycetes).

Conclusions

This is the first report that the plant virulence factor HC-toxin is made by an organism other than C. carbonum. The genes may have moved by horizontal transfer between the two species, but it cannot be excluded that they were present in a common ancestor and lost from other species of Alternaria and Cochliobolus.

Extremophilic SHMTs: from structure to biotechnology

Recent advances in molecular and structural biology have improved the availability of virtually any biocatalyst in large quantity and have also provided an insight into the detailed structure-function relationships of many of them. These results allowed the rational exploitation of biocatalysts for use in organic synthesis. In this context, extremophilic enzymes are extensively studied for their potential interest for many biotechnological and industrial applications, as they offer increased rates of reactions, higher substrate solubility, and/or longer enzyme half-lives at the conditions of industrial processes. Serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT), for its ubiquitous nature, represents a suitable model for analyzing enzyme adaptation to extreme environments. In fact, many SHMT sequences from Eukarya, Eubacteria and Archaea are available in data banks as well as several crystal structures. In addition, SHMT is structurally conserved because of its critical metabolic role; consequently, very few structural changes have occurred during evolution. Our research group analyzed the molecular basis of SHMT adaptation to high and low temperatures, using experimental and comparative in silico approaches. These structural and functional studies of SHMTs purified from extremophilic organisms can help to understand the peculiarities of the enzyme activity at extreme temperatures, indicating possible strategies for rational enzyme engineering.

Structure-based mechanism for early PLP-mediated steps of rabbit cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase reaction

Serine hydroxymethyltransferase catalyzes the reversible interconversion of L-serine and glycine with transfer of one-carbon groups to and from tetrahydrofolate. Active site residue Thr254 is known to be involved in the transaldimination reaction, a crucial step in the catalytic mechanism of all pyridoxal 5'-phosphate- (PLP-) dependent enzymes, which determines binding of substrates and release of products. In order to better understand the role of Thr254, we have expressed, characterized, and determined the crystal structures of rabbit cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase T254A and T254C mutant forms, in the absence and presence of substrates. These mutants accumulate a kinetically stable gem-diamine intermediate, and their crystal structures show differences in the active site with respect to wild type. The kinetic and crystallographic data acquired with mutant enzymes permit us to infer that conversion of gem-diamine to external aldimine is significantly slowed because intermediates are trapped into an anomalous position by a misorientation of the PLP ring, and a new energy barrier hampers the transaldimination reaction. This barrier likely arises from the loss of the stabilizing hydrogen bond between the hydroxymethyl group of Thr254 and the ε -amino group of active site Lys257, which stabilizes the external aldimine intermediate in wild type SHMTs.

Biochemical and computational approaches to improve the clinical treatment of dopa decarboxylase-related diseases: an overview

Dopa decarboxylase (DDC) is a pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme that by catalyzing the decarboxylation of L-Dopa and L-5-hydroxytryptophan produces the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. The functional properties of pig kidney and human DDC enzymes have been extensively characterized, and the crystal structure of the enzyme in the holo- and apo-forms has been elucidated. DDC is a clinically relevant enzyme since it is involved in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and in aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency. PD, a chronic progressive neurological disorder characterized by tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and postural instability, results from the degeneration of dopamine-producing cells in the substantia nigra of the brain. On the other hand, AADC deficiency is a rare debilitating recessive genetic disorder due to mutations in AADC gene leading to the inability to synthesize dopamine and serotonin. Development delay, abnormal movements, oculogyric crises and vegetative symptoms characterize this severe neurometabolic disease. This article is an up to date review of the therapies currently used in the treatment of PD and AADC deficiency as well as of the recent findings that, on one hand provide precious guidelines for the drug development process necessary to PD therapy, and, on the other, suggest an aimed therapeutic approach based on the elucidation of the molecular defects of each variant associated with AADC deficiency.

Alanine racemase from Tolypocladium inflatum: a key PLP-dependent enzyme in cyclosporin biosynthesis and a model of catalytic promiscuity

Cyclosporin A, a cyclic peptide produced by the fungus Tolypocladium inflatum, is a widely employed immunosuppressant drug. Its biosynthesis is strictly dependent on the action of the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme alanine racemase, which produces the d-alanine incorporated in the cyclic peptide. This enzyme has a different fold with respect to bacterial alanine racemases. The interest elicited by T. inflatum alanine racemase not only relies on its biotechnological relevance, but also on its evolutionary and structural similarity to the promiscuous enzymes serine hydroxymethyltransferase and threonine aldolase. The three enzymes represent a model of divergent evolution from an ancestral enzyme that was able to catalyse all the reactions of the modern enzymes. A protocol to express and purify with high yield recombinant T. inflatum alanine racemase was developed. The catalytic properties of the enzyme were characterized. Similarly to serine hydroxymethyltransferase and threonine aldolase, T. inflatum alanine racemase was able to catalyse retroaldol cleavage and transamination reactions. This observation corroborates the hypothesis of the common evolutionary origin of these enzymes. A three-dimensional model of T. inflatum alanine racemase was constructed on the basis of threonine aldolase crystal structure. The model helped rationalise the experimental data and explain the catalytic properties of the enzymes.

Amalgamation of nucleosides and amino acids in antibiotic biosynthesis: discovery of an L-threonine:uridine-5'-aldehyde transaldolase

The lipopeptidyl nucleoside antibiotics represented by A-90289, caprazamycin, and muraymycin are structurally highlighted by a nucleoside core that contains a nonproteinogenic β-hydroxy-α-amino acid named 5'-C-glycyluridine (GlyU). Bioinformatic analysis of the biosynthetic gene clusters revealed a shared open reading frame encoding a protein with sequence similarity to serine hydroxymethyltransferases, resulting in the proposal that this shared enzyme catalyzes an aldol-type condensation with glycine and uridine-5'-aldehyde to furnish GlyU. Using LipK involved in A-90289 biosynthesis as a model, we now functionally assign and characterize the enzyme responsible for the C-C bond-forming event during GlyU biosynthesis as an l-threonine:uridine-5'-aldehyde transaldolase. Biochemical analysis revealed this transformation is dependent upon pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, the enzyme has no activity with alternative amino acids, such as glycine or serine, as aldol donors, and acetaldehyde is a coproduct. Structural characterization of the enzyme product is consistent with stereochemical assignment as the threo diastereomer (5'S,6'S)-GlyU. Thus this enzyme orchestrates C-C bond breaking and formation with concomitant installation of two stereocenters to make a new l-α-amino acid with a nucleoside side chain.

Network context and selection in the evolution to enzyme specificity

Enzymes are thought to have evolved highly specific catalytic activities from promiscuous ancestral proteins. By analyzing a genome-scale model of Escherichia coli metabolism, we found that 37% of its enzymes act on a variety of substrates and catalyze 65% of the known metabolic reactions. However, it is not apparent why these generalist enzymes remain. Here, we show that there are marked differences between generalist enzymes and specialist enzymes, known to catalyze a single chemical reaction on one particular substrate in vivo. Specialist enzymes (i) are frequently essential, (ii) maintain higher metabolic flux, and (iii) require more regulation of enzyme activity to control metabolic flux in dynamic environments than do generalist enzymes. Furthermore, these properties are conserved in Archaea and Eukarya. Thus, the metabolic network context and environmental conditions influence enzyme evolution toward high specificity.

Serine hydroxymethyltransferase from the cold adapted microorganism Psychromonas ingrahamii: a low temperature active enzyme with broad substrate specificity

Serine hydroxymethyltransferase from the psychrophilic microorganism Psychromonas ingrahamii was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified as a His-tag fusion protein. The enzyme was characterized with respect to its spectroscopic, catalytic, and thermodynamic properties. The properties of the psychrophilic enzyme have been contrasted with the characteristics of the homologous counterpart from E. coli, which has been structurally and functionally characterized in depth and with which it shares 75% sequence identity. Spectroscopic measures confirmed that the psychrophilic enzyme displays structural properties almost identical to those of the mesophilic counterpart. At variance, the P. ingrahamii enzyme showed decreased thermostability and high specific activity at low temperature, both of which are typical features of cold adapted enzymes. Furthermore, it was a more efficient biocatalyst compared to E. coli serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) particularly for side reactions. Many β-hydroxy-α-amino acids are SHMT substrates and represent important compounds in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and food additives. Thanks to these attractive properties, this enzyme could have a significant potential for biotechnological applications.

Mechanism for folate-independent aldolase reaction catalyzed by serine hydroxymethyltransferase

Serine hydroxymethyltransferase catalyzes the cleavage of β-hydroxyamino acids into glycine and aldehydes in the absence of tetrahydrofolate. The enzyme accepts various β-hydroxyamino acids as the substrate of this reaction. The reaction rate varies depending on the substituent and stereochemistry at the Cβ atom: the erythro forms and the β-phenyl substituent are preferred over the threo forms and the β-methyl substituent, respectively. Although several mechanisms have been proposed, what determines the substrate preference remains unclear. We first performed quantum mechanical calculations to assess the validity of the reaction mechanisms. The results indicate that the retro-aldol mechanism starting with abstraction of the proton from the β-hydroxyl group is plausible. This also suggests that Cα-Cβ bond cleavage is the rate-limiting step. We next measured the dependence of the rate constants on temperature with four representative substrates and calculated the activation energies and pre-exponential factors from the Arrhenius plots. The activation energies of the erythro forms were lower than those of the threo forms. The β-phenyl substituent lowered the activation energy in the threo form, whereas it did not alter the activation energy but increased the pre-exponential factor in the erythro form. We present a unified model to explain the origin of the substituent and stereochemical preferences by combining the theoretical and experimental results. A possible biological role of the tetrahydrofolate-independent activity in thermophiles is also discussed.

Upregulation of MetC is essential for D-alanine-independent growth of an alr/dadX-deficient Escherichia coli strain

D-Alanine is a central component of the cell wall in most prokaryotes. D-Alanine synthesis in Escherichia coli is carried out by two different alanine racemases encoded by the alr and dadX genes. Deletion of alr and dadX from the E. coli genome results in a D-alanine auxotrophic phenotype. However, we have observed growth of prototrophic phenotypic revertants during routine culturing of a D-alanine auxotrophic strain. We present a detailed comparison of the proteome and transcriptome profiles of the D-alanine auxotroph and a prototrophic revertant strain. Most noticeably, a general upregulation of genes involved in methionine synthesis in the revertant strain was detected. The appearance of the revertant phenotype was genetically linked to point mutations in the methionine repressor gene (metJ). Our results reveal an alternative metabolic pathway which can supply essential d-alanine for peptidoglycan synthesis of alr- and dadX-deficient E. coli mutants and provide evidence for significant alanine racemase coactivity of the E. coli cystathionine beta-lyase (MetC).

Enzymology of the carnitine biosynthesis pathway

The water-soluble zwitterion carnitine is an essential metabolite in eukaryotes required for fatty acid oxidation as it functions as a carrier during transfer of activated acyl and acetyl groups across intracellular membranes. Most eukaryotes are able to synthesize carnitine endogenously, besides their capacity to take up carnitine from the diet or extracellular medium through plasma membrane transporters. This review discusses the current knowledge on carnitine homeostasis with special emphasis on the enzymology of the four steps of the carnitine biosynthesis pathway.