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Chua SM, Fraser JA. Surveying purine biosynthesis across the domains of life unveils promising drug targets in pathogens. Immunol Cell Biol 2020; 98:819-831. [PMID: 32748425 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Purines play an integral role in cellular processes such as energy metabolism, cell signaling and encoding the genetic makeup of all living organisms-ensuring that the purine metabolic pathway is maintained across all domains of life. To gain a deeper understanding of purine biosynthesis via the de novo biosynthetic pathway, the genes encoding purine metabolic enzymes from 35 archaean, 69 bacterial and 99 eukaryotic species were investigated. While the classic elements of the canonical purine metabolic pathway were utilized in all domains, a subset of familiar biochemical roles was found to be performed by unrelated proteins in some members of the Archaea and Bacteria. In the Bacteria, a major differentiating feature of de novo purine biosynthesis is the increasing prevalence of gene fusions, where two or more purine biosynthesis enzymes that perform consecutive biochemical functions in the pathway are encoded by a single gene. All species in the Eukaryota exhibited the most common fusions seen in the Bacteria, in addition to new gene fusions to potentially increase metabolic flux. This complexity is taken further in humans, where a reversible biomolecular assembly of enzymes known as the purinosome has been identified, allowing short-term regulation in response to metabolic cues while expanding on the benefits that can come from gene fusion. By surveying purine metabolism across all domains of life, we have identified important features of the purine biosynthetic pathway that can potentially be exploited as prospective drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena Mh Chua
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - James A Fraser
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
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Blundell RD, Williams SJ, Arras SDM, Chitty JL, Blake KL, Ericsson DJ, Tibrewal N, Rohr J, Koh YQAE, Kappler U, Robertson AAB, Butler MS, Cooper MA, Kobe B, Fraser JA. Disruption of de Novo Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) Biosynthesis Abolishes Virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans. ACS Infect Dis 2016; 2:651-663. [PMID: 27759389 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.6b00121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Opportunistic fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus neoformans are a growing cause of morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised populations worldwide. To address the current paucity of antifungal therapeutic agents, further research into fungal-specific drug targets is required. Adenylosuccinate synthetase (AdSS) is a crucial enzyme in the adeosine triphosphate (ATP) biosynthetic pathway, catalyzing the formation of adenylosuccinate from inosine monophosphate and aspartate. We have investigated the potential of this enzyme as an antifungal drug target, finding that loss of function results in adenine auxotrophy in C. neoformans, as well as complete loss of virulence in a murine model. Cryptococcal AdSS was expressed and purified in Escherichia coli and the enzyme's crystal structure determined, the first example of a structure of this enzyme from fungi. Together with enzyme kinetic studies, this structural information enabled comparison of the fungal enzyme with the human orthologue and revealed species-specific differences potentially exploitable via rational drug design. These results validate AdSS as a promising antifungal drug target and lay a foundation for future in silico and in vitro screens for novel antifungal compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross D. Blundell
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research
Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Simon J. Williams
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research
Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Institute for Molecular
Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Samantha D. M. Arras
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research
Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jessica L. Chitty
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research
Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Kirsten L. Blake
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research
Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Daniel J. Ericsson
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research
Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Institute for Molecular
Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
- MX Beamlines, Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Nidhi Tibrewal
- College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
| | - Jurgen Rohr
- College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
| | - Y. Q. Andre E. Koh
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research
Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Ulrike Kappler
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research
Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Centre for Metals in Biology, School of
Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Avril A. B. Robertson
- Institute for Molecular
Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Mark S. Butler
- Institute for Molecular
Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Matthew A. Cooper
- Institute for Molecular
Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Bostjan Kobe
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research
Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Institute for Molecular
Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - James A. Fraser
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research
Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
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