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Nielipinski M, Pietrzyk-Brzezinska AJ, Wlodawer A, Sekula B. Structural analysis and molecular substrate recognition properties of Arabidopsis thaliana ornithine transcarbamylase, the molecular target of phaseolotoxin produced by Pseudomonas syringae. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1297956. [PMID: 38179474 PMCID: PMC10765591 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1297956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Halo blight is a plant disease that leads to a significant decrease in the yield of common bean crops and kiwi fruits. The infection is caused by Pseudomonas syringae pathovars that produce phaseolotoxin, an antimetabolite which targets arginine metabolism, particularly by inhibition of ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC). OTC is responsible for production of citrulline from ornithine and carbamoyl phosphate. Here we present the first crystal structures of the plant OTC from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtOTC). Structural analysis of AtOTC complexed with ornithine and carbamoyl phosphate reveals that OTC undergoes a significant structural transition when ornithine enters the active site, from the opened to the closed state. In this study we discuss the mode of OTC inhibition by phaseolotoxin, which seems to be able to act only on the fully opened active site. Once the toxin is proteolytically cleaved, it mimics the reaction transition state analogue to fit inside the fully closed active site of OTC. Additionally, we indicate the differences around the gate loop region which rationally explain the resistance of some bacterial OTCs to phaseolotoxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Nielipinski
- Institute of Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland
| | - Agnieszka J. Pietrzyk-Brzezinska
- Institute of Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland
| | - Alexander Wlodawer
- Center for Structural Biology, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Bartosz Sekula
- Institute of Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland
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2
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Du X, Sonawane V, Zhang B, Wang C, de Ruijter B, Dömling ASS, Reiling N, Groves MR. Inhibitors of Aspartate Transcarbamoylase Inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis Growth. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300279. [PMID: 37294060 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) plays a key role in the second step of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis in eukaryotes and has been proposed to be a target to suppress cell proliferation in E. coli, human cells and the malarial parasite. We hypothesized that a library of ATCase inhibitors developed for malarial ATCase (PfATCase) may also contain inhibitors of the tubercular ATCase and provide a similar inhibition of cellular proliferation. Of the 70 compounds screened, 10 showed single-digit micromolar inhibition in an in vitro activity assay and were tested for their effect on M. tuberculosis cell growth in culture. The most promising compound demonstrated a MIC90 of 4 μM. A model of MtbATCase was generated using the experimental coordinates of PfATCase. In silico docking experiments showed this compound can occupy a similar allosteric pocket on MtbATCase to that seen on PfATCase, explaining the observed species selectivity seen for this compound series.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Du
- XB20 Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9700AV (The, Netherlands
| | - Vidhisha Sonawane
- CATRIN, Department of Innovative Chemistry, PalackȳUniversity, 779 00, Olomouc - Holice, Czech Republic
| | - Bidong Zhang
- XB20 Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9700AV (The, Netherlands
| | - Chao Wang
- XB20 Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9700AV (The, Netherlands
| | - Bram de Ruijter
- XB20 Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9700AV (The, Netherlands
| | - Alexander S S Dömling
- XB20 Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9700AV (The, Netherlands
- CATRIN, Department of Innovative Chemistry, PalackȳUniversity, 779 00, Olomouc - Holice, Czech Republic
| | - Norbert Reiling
- RG Microbial Interface Biology, Research Center Borstel Leibniz Lung Center, Parkallee 1-40, Borstel, 23845, Sülfeld, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Borstel, 23845, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Matthew R Groves
- XB20 Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9700AV (The, Netherlands
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3
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Wang C, Zhang B, Krüger A, Du X, Visser L, Dömling ASS, Wrenger C, Groves MR. Discovery of Small-Molecule Allosteric Inhibitors of PfATC as Antimalarials. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:19070-19077. [PMID: 36195578 PMCID: PMC9585585 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c08128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
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The discovery and
development of new drugs against malaria
remain
urgent. Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATC) has been suggested to be
a promising target for antimalarial drug development. Here, we describe
a series of small-molecule inhibitors of P. falciparum ATC with low nanomolar binding affinities that selectively bind
to a previously unreported allosteric pocket, thereby inhibiting ATC
activation. We demonstrate that the buried allosteric pocket is located
close to the traditional ATC active site and that reported compounds
maintain the active site of PfATC in its low substrate
affinity/low activity conformation. These compounds inhibit parasite
growth in blood stage cultures at single digit micromolar concentrations,
whereas limited effects were seen against human normal lymphocytes.
To our knowledge, this series represent the first PfATC-specific allosteric inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- XB20 Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bidong Zhang
- XB20 Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Arne Krüger
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 1374, 05508-000 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Xiaochen Du
- XB20 Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lidia Visser
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander S S Dömling
- XB20 Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Carsten Wrenger
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 1374, 05508-000 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Matthew R Groves
- XB20 Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
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Wang C, Krüger A, Du X, Wrenger C, Groves MR. Novel Highlight in Malarial Drug Discovery: Aspartate Transcarbamoylase. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:841833. [PMID: 35310840 PMCID: PMC8931299 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.841833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the most prominent and dangerous tropical diseases. While artemisinin and analogs have been used as first-line drugs for the past decades, due to the high mutational rate and rapid adaptation to the environment of the parasite, it remains urgent to develop new antimalarials. The pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway plays an important role in cell growth and proliferation. Unlike human host cells, the malarial parasite lacks a functional pyrimidine salvage pathway, meaning that RNA and DNA synthesis is highly dependent on the de novo synthesis pathway. Thus, direct or indirect blockage of the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway can be lethal to the parasite. Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase), catalyzes the second step of the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway, the condensation of L-aspartate and carbamoyl phosphate to form N-carbamoyl aspartate and inorganic phosphate, and has been demonstrated to be a promising target both for anti-malaria and anti-cancer drug development. This is highlighted by the discovery that at least one of the targets of Torin2 – a potent, yet unselective, antimalarial – is the activity of the parasite transcarbamoylase. Additionally, the recent discovery of an allosteric pocket of the human homology raises the intriguing possibility of species selective ATCase inhibitors. We recently exploited the available crystal structures of the malarial aspartate transcarbamoylase to perform a fragment-based screening to identify hits. In this review, we summarize studies on the structure of Plasmodium falciparum ATCase by focusing on an allosteric pocket that supports the catalytic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Arne Krüger
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Xiaochen Du
- Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Carsten Wrenger
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Matthew R. Groves, ; Carsten Wrenger,
| | - Matthew R. Groves
- Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Matthew R. Groves, ; Carsten Wrenger,
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Krishnan A, Soldati-Favre D. Amino Acid Metabolism in Apicomplexan Parasites. Metabolites 2021; 11:61. [PMID: 33498308 PMCID: PMC7909243 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11020061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Obligate intracellular pathogens have coevolved with their host, leading to clever strategies to access nutrients, to combat the host's immune response, and to establish a safe niche for intracellular replication. The host, on the other hand, has also developed ways to restrict the replication of invaders by limiting access to nutrients required for pathogen survival. In this review, we describe the recent advancements in both computational methods and high-throughput -omics techniques that have been used to study and interrogate metabolic functions in the context of intracellular parasitism. Specifically, we cover the current knowledge on the presence of amino acid biosynthesis and uptake within the Apicomplexa phylum, focusing on human-infecting pathogens: Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum. Given the complex multi-host lifecycle of these pathogens, we hypothesize that amino acids are made, rather than acquired, depending on the host niche. We summarize the stage specificities of enzymes revealed through transcriptomics data, the relevance of amino acids for parasite pathogenesis in vivo, and the role of their transporters. Targeting one or more of these pathways may lead to a deeper understanding of the specific contributions of biosynthesis versus acquisition of amino acids and to design better intervention strategies against the apicomplexan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarti Krishnan
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, CMU, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
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Bosch SS, Lunev S, Batista FA, Linzke M, Kronenberger T, Dömling ASS, Groves MR, Wrenger C. Molecular Target Validation of Aspartate Transcarbamoylase from Plasmodium falciparum by Torin 2. ACS Infect Dis 2020; 6:986-999. [PMID: 32129597 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is a tropical disease that kills about half a million people around the world annually. Enzymatic reactions within pyrimidine biosynthesis have been proven to be essential for Plasmodium proliferation. Here we report on the essentiality of the second enzymatic step of the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway, catalyzed by aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATC). Crystallization experiments using a double mutant ofPlasmodium falciparum ATC (PfATC) revealed the importance of the mutated residues for enzyme catalysis. Subsequently, this mutant was employed in protein interference assays (PIAs), which resulted in inhibition of parasite proliferation when parasites transfected with the double mutant were cultivated in medium lacking an excess of nutrients, including aspartate. Addition of 5 or 10 mg/L of aspartate to the minimal medium restored the parasites' normal growth rate. In vitro and whole-cell assays in the presence of the compound Torin 2 showed inhibition of specific activity and parasite growth, respectively. In silico analyses revealed the potential binding mode of Torin 2 to PfATC. Furthermore, a transgenic ATC-overexpressing cell line exhibited a 10-fold increased tolerance to Torin 2 compared with control cultures. Taken together, our results confirm the antimalarial activity of Torin 2, suggesting PfATC as a target of this drug and a promising target for the development of novel antimalarials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soraya S. Bosch
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 1374, 05508-000 São Paulo-SP, Brazil
- Structural Biology Unit, XB20 Drug Design, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sergey Lunev
- Structural Biology Unit, XB20 Drug Design, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Fernando A. Batista
- Structural Biology Unit, XB20 Drug Design, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marleen Linzke
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 1374, 05508-000 São Paulo-SP, Brazil
| | - Thales Kronenberger
- Department of Internal Medicine VIII, University Hospital Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Strasse 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Alexander S. S. Dömling
- Structural Biology Unit, XB20 Drug Design, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew R. Groves
- Structural Biology Unit, XB20 Drug Design, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Carsten Wrenger
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 1374, 05508-000 São Paulo-SP, Brazil
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7
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Wibowo JP, Batista FA, van Oosterwijk N, Groves MR, Dekker FJ, Quax WJ. A novel mechanism of inhibition by phenylthiourea on PvdP, a tyrosinase synthesizing pyoverdine of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 146:212-221. [PMID: 31899238 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.12.252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The biosynthesis of pyoverdine, the major siderophore of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is a well-organized process involving a discrete number of enzyme-catalyzed steps. The final step of this process involves the PvdP tyrosinase, which converts ferribactin into pyoverdine. Thus, inhibition of the PvdP tyrosinase activity provides an attractive strategy to interfere with siderophore synthesis to manage P. aeruginosa infections. Here, we report phenylthiourea as a non-competitive inhibitor of PvdP for which we solved a crystal structure in complex with PvdP. The crystal structure indicates that phenylthiourea binds to an allosteric binding site and thereby interferes with its tyrosinase activity. We further provide proofs that PvdP tyrosinase inhibition by phenylthiourea requires the C-terminal lid region. This provides opportunities to develop inhibitors that target the allosteric site, which seems to be confined to fluorescent pseudomonads, and not the tyrosinase active site. Furthermore, increases the chances to identify PvdP inhibitors that selectively interfere with siderophore synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joko P Wibowo
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands; Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Muhammadiyah Banjarmasin, Banjarmasin, Indonesia
| | - Fernando A Batista
- Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Niels van Oosterwijk
- Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Matthew R Groves
- Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Frank J Dekker
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Wim J Quax
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.
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Identification of a non-competitive inhibitor of Plasmodium falciparum aspartate transcarbamoylase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 497:835-842. [PMID: 29476738 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.02.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Aspartate transcarbamoylase catalyzes the second step of de-novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. As malarial parasites lack pyrimidine salvage machinery and rely on de-novo production for growth and proliferation, this pathway is a target for drug discovery. Previously, an apo crystal structure of aspartate transcarbamoylase from Plasmodium falciparum (PfATC) in its T-state has been reported. Here we present crystal structures of PfATC in the liganded R-state as well as in complex with the novel inhibitor, 2,3-napthalenediol, identified by high-throughput screening. Our data shows that 2,3-napthalediol binds in close proximity to the active site, implying an allosteric mechanism of inhibition. Furthermore, we report biophysical characterization of 2,3-napthalenediol. These data provide a promising starting point for structure based drug design targeting PfATC and malarial de-novo pyrimidine biosynthesis.
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