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Wlodawer A, Dauter Z, Lubkowski J, Loch JI, Brzezinski D, Gilski M, Jaskolski M. Towards a dependable data set of structures for L-asparaginase research. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2024; 80:506-527. [PMID: 38935343 PMCID: PMC11220836 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798324005461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The Protein Data Bank (PDB) includes a carefully curated treasury of experimentally derived structural data on biological macromolecules and their various complexes. Such information is fundamental for a multitude of projects that involve large-scale data mining and/or detailed evaluation of individual structures of importance to chemistry, biology and, most of all, to medicine, where it provides the foundation for structure-based drug discovery. However, despite extensive validation mechanisms, it is almost inevitable that among the ∼215 000 entries there will occasionally be suboptimal or incorrect structure models. It is thus vital to apply careful verification procedures to those segments of the PDB that are of direct medicinal interest. Here, such an analysis was carried out for crystallographic models of L-asparaginases, enzymes that include approved drugs for the treatment of certain types of leukemia. The focus was on the adherence of the atomic coordinates to the rules of stereochemistry and their agreement with the experimental electron-density maps. Whereas the current clinical application of L-asparaginases is limited to two bacterial proteins and their chemical modifications, the field of investigations of such enzymes has expanded tremendously in recent years with the discovery of three entirely different structural classes and with numerous reports, not always quite reliable, of the anticancer properties of L-asparaginases of different origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Wlodawer
- Center for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer ResearchNational Cancer InstituteMarylandUSA
| | - Zbigniew Dauter
- Center for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer ResearchNational Cancer InstituteMarylandUSA
| | - Jacek Lubkowski
- Center for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer ResearchNational Cancer InstituteMarylandUSA
| | - Joanna I. Loch
- Department of Crystal Chemistry and Crystal Physics, Faculty of ChemistryJagiellonian UniversityCracowPoland
| | - Dariusz Brzezinski
- Institute of Computing SciencePoznan University of TechnologyPoznanPoland
| | - Miroslaw Gilski
- Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryPolish Academy of SciencesPoznanPoland
- Department of Crystallography, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Mariusz Jaskolski
- Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryPolish Academy of SciencesPoznanPoland
- Department of Crystallography, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
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2
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Kato S, Tamura K, Masuda Y, Konishi M, Yamanaka K, Oikawa T. A novel type IIb L-asparaginase from Latilactobacillus sakei LK-145: characterization and application. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:266. [PMID: 38761213 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-03979-5] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
We succeeded in homogeneously expressing and purifying L-asparaginase from Latilactobacillus sakei LK-145 (Ls-Asn1) and its mutated enzymes C196S, C264S, C290S, C196S/C264S, C196S/C290S, C264S/C290S, and C196S/C264S/C290S-Ls-Asn1. Enzymological studies using purified enzymes revealed that all cysteine residues of Ls-Asn1 were found to affect the catalytic activity of Ls-Asn1 to varying degrees. The mutation of Cys196 did not affect the specific activity, but the mutation of Cys264, even a single mutation, significantly decreased the specific activity. Furthermore, C264S/C290S- and C196S/C264S/C290S-Ls-Asn1 almost completely lost their activity, suggesting that C290 cooperates with C264 to influence the catalytic activity of Ls-Asn1. The detailed enzymatic properties of three single-mutated enzymes (C196S, C264S, and C290S-Ls-Asn1) were investigated for comparison with Ls-Asn1. We found that only C196S-Ls-Asn1 has almost the same enzymatic properties as that of Ls-Asn1 except for its increased stability for thermal, pH, and the metals NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, and FeCl2. We measured the growth inhibitory effect of Ls-Asn1 and C196S-Ls-Asn1 on Jurkat cells, a human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line, using L-asparaginase from Escherichia coli K-12 as a reference. Only C196S-Ls-Asn1 effectively and selectively inhibited the growth of Jurkat T-cell leukemia, which suggested that it exhibited antileukemic activity. Furthermore, based on alignment, phylogenetic tree analysis, and structural modeling, we also proposed that Ls-Asn1 is a so-called "Type IIb" novel type of asparaginase that is distinct from previously reported type I or type II asparaginases. Based on the above results, Ls-Asn1 is expected to be useful as a new leukemia therapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiro Kato
- Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, 2393 Ikenobe, Miki, Kagawa, 761-0795, Japan
| | - Kazuya Tamura
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Materials and Bioengineering, Kansai University, 3-3-35 Yamate-cho, Suita, Osaka-fu, 564-8680, Japan
| | - Yuki Masuda
- Department of Microbiological Chemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-9-1 Motoyamakita-machi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Hyougo, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Morichika Konishi
- Department of Microbiological Chemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-9-1 Motoyamakita-machi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Hyougo, 658-8558, Japan
| | - Kazuya Yamanaka
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Materials and Bioengineering, Kansai University, 3-3-35 Yamate-cho, Suita, Osaka-fu, 564-8680, Japan
| | - Tadao Oikawa
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Materials and Bioengineering, Kansai University, 3-3-35 Yamate-cho, Suita, Osaka-fu, 564-8680, Japan.
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3
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Torres-Obreque K, Kleingesinds EK, Santos JHPM, Carretero G, Rabelo J, Converti A, Monteiro G, Pessoa A, Rangel-Yagui CO. PEGylation versus glycosylation: effect on the thermodynamics and thermostability of crisantaspase. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2024; 54:503-513. [PMID: 37698175 DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2023.2249100] [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] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Thermostability is an important and desired feature of therapeutic proteins and is critical for the success or failure of protein drugs development. It can be increased by PEGylation-binding of poly(ethylene glycol) moieties-or glycosylation-post-translational modification to add glycans. Here, the thermostability and thermodynamic parameters of native, PEGylated, and glycosylated versions of the antileukemic enzyme crisantaspase were investigated. First-order kinetics was found to describe the irreversible deactivation process. Activation energy of the enzyme-catalyzed reaction (E*) was estimated for native, PEGylated, and glycosylated enzyme (10.2, 14.8, and 18.8 kJ mol-1 respectively). Half-life decreased progressively with increasing temperature, and longer half-life was observed for PEG-crisantaspase (87.74 min) at 50 °C compared to the native form (9.79 min). The activation energy of denaturation of PEG-crisantaspase (307.1 kJ mol-1) was higher than for crisantaspase (218.1 kJ mol-1) and Glyco-crisantaspase (120.0 kJ mol-1), which means that more energy is required to overcome the energy barrier of the unfolding process. According to our results, PEG-crisantaspase is more thermostable than its native form, while Glyco-crisantaspase is more thermosensitive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Torres-Obreque
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - João H P M Santos
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Carretero
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jheniffer Rabelo
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Attilio Converti
- Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Pole of Chemical Engineering, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Gisele Monteiro
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adalberto Pessoa
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlota O Rangel-Yagui
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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4
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Sliwiak J, Worsztynowicz P, Pokrywka K, Loch JI, Grzechowiak M, Jaskolski M. Biochemical characterization of L-asparaginase isoforms from Rhizobium etli-the boosting effect of zinc. Front Chem 2024; 12:1373312. [PMID: 38456185 PMCID: PMC10917881 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1373312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
L-Asparaginases, divided into three structural Classes, catalyze the hydrolysis of L-asparagine to L-aspartic acid and ammonia. The members of Class 3, ReAIV and ReAV, encoded in the genome of the nitrogen fixing Rhizobium etli, have the same fold, active site, and quaternary structure, despite low sequence identity. In the present work we examined the biochemical consequences of this difference. ReAIV is almost twice as efficient as ReAV in asparagine hydrolysis at 37°C, with the kinetic KM, kcat parameters (measured in optimal buffering agent) of 1.5 mM, 770 s-1 and 2.1 mM, 603 s-1, respectively. The activity of ReAIV has a temperature optimum at 45°C-55°C, whereas the activity of ReAV, after reaching its optimum at 37°C, decreases dramatically at 45°C. The activity of both isoforms is boosted by 32 or 56%, by low and optimal concentration of zinc, which is bound three times more strongly by ReAIV then by ReAV, as reflected by the KD values of 1.2 and 3.3 μM, respectively. We also demonstrate that perturbation of zinc binding by Lys→Ala point mutagenesis drastically decreases the enzyme activity but also changes the mode of response to zinc. We also examined the impact of different divalent cations on the activity, kinetics, and stability of both isoforms. It appeared that Ni2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, and Cd2+ have the potential to inhibit both isoforms in the following order (from the strongest to weakest inhibitors) Hg2+ > Cu2+ > Cd2+ > Ni2+. ReAIV is more sensitive to Cu2+ and Cd2+, while ReAV is more sensitive to Hg2+ and Ni2+, as revealed by IC50 values, melting scans, and influence on substrate specificity. Low concentration of Cd2+ improves substrate specificity of both isoforms, suggesting its role in substrate recognition. The same observation was made for Hg2+ in the case of ReAIV. The activity of the ReAV isoform is less sensitive to Cl- anions, as reflected by the IC50 value for NaCl, which is eightfold higher for ReAV relative to ReAIV. The uncovered complementary properties of the two isoforms help us better understand the inducibility of the ReAV enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Sliwiak
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Kinga Pokrywka
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Joanna I. Loch
- Department of Crystal Chemistry and Crystal Physics, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marta Grzechowiak
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Mariusz Jaskolski
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Department of Crystallography, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
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5
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Dumina M, Zhdanov D, Zhgun A, Pokrovskaya M, Aleksandrova S, Veselovsky A, El’darov M. Enhancing the Catalytic Activity of Thermo-Asparaginase from Thermococcus sibiricus by a Double Mesophilic-like Mutation in the Substrate-Binding Region. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9632. [PMID: 37298582 PMCID: PMC10253665 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
L-asparaginases (L-ASNases) of microbial origin are the mainstay of blood cancer treatment. Numerous attempts have been performed for genetic improvement of the main properties of these enzymes. The substrate-binding Ser residue is highly conserved in L-ASNases regardless of their origin or type. However, the residues adjacent to the substrate-binding Ser differ between mesophilic and thermophilic L-ASNases. Based on our suggestion that the triad, including substrate-binding Ser, either GSQ for meso-ASNase or DST for thermo-ASNase, is tuned for efficient substrate binding, we constructed a double mutant of thermophilic L-ASNase from Thermococcus sibiricus (TsA) with a mesophilic-like GSQ combination. In this study, the conjoint substitution of two residues adjacent to the substrate-binding Ser55 resulted in a significant increase in the activity of the double mutant, reaching 240% of the wild-type enzyme activity at the optimum temperature of 90 °C. The mesophilic-like GSQ combination in the rigid structure of the thermophilic L-ASNase appears to be more efficient in balancing substrate binding and conformational flexibility of the enzyme. Along with increased activity, the TsA D54G/T56Q double mutant exhibited enhanced cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines with IC90 values from 2.8- to 7.4-fold lower than that of the wild-type enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Dumina
- Federal Research Center “Fundamentals of Biotechnology” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia; (D.Z.); (A.Z.)
| | - Dmitry Zhdanov
- Federal Research Center “Fundamentals of Biotechnology” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia; (D.Z.); (A.Z.)
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, 119121 Moscow, Russia (A.V.)
| | - Alexander Zhgun
- Federal Research Center “Fundamentals of Biotechnology” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia; (D.Z.); (A.Z.)
| | | | | | | | - Michael El’darov
- Federal Research Center “Fundamentals of Biotechnology” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia; (D.Z.); (A.Z.)
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6
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Nag R, Joshi S, Rathore AS, Majumder S. Profiling Enzyme Activity of l-Asparaginase II by NMR-Based Methyl Fingerprinting at Natural Abundance. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:10826-10838. [PMID: 37154467 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c02154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
l-asparaginase II (MW 135 kDa) from E. coli is an FDA-approved protein drug used for the treatment of childhood leukemia. Despite its long history as a chemotherapeutic, the structural basis of enzyme action, in solution, remains widely contested. In this work, methyl-based 2D [1H-13C]-heteronuclear single-quantum correlation (HSQC) NMR, at natural abundance, has been used to profile the enzymatic activity of the commercially available enzyme drug. The [1H-13C]-HSQC NMR spectra of the protein reveal the role of a flexible loop segment in the activity of the enzyme, in solution. Addition of asparagine to the protein results in distinct conformational changes of the loop that could be signatures of intermediates formed in the catalytic reaction. To this end, an isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC)-based assay has been developed to measure the enzymatic reaction enthalpy, as a marker for its activity. Combining both ITC and NMR, it was shown that the disruption of the protein conformation can result in the loss of function. The scope, robustness, and validity of the loop fingerprints in relation to enzyme activity have been tested under different solution conditions. Overall, our results indicate that 2D NMR can be used reliably to gauge the structure-function of this enzyme, bypassing the need to label the protein. Such natural abundant NMR methods can be potentially extended to probe the structure-function aspects of high-molecular-weight protein therapeutics (glycosylated protein drugs, enzymes, therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and Fc-fusion proteins), where (a) flexible loops are required for their function and (b) isotope labeling may not be straightforward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachayita Nag
- Biophysics & Structural Genomics, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata 700064, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Srishti Joshi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Anurag Singh Rathore
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Subhabrata Majumder
- Biophysics & Structural Genomics, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata 700064, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India
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7
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Massive annotation of bacterial L-asparaginases reveals their puzzling distribution and frequent gene transfer events. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15797. [PMID: 36138049 PMCID: PMC9500103 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19689-1] [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] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
l-Asparaginases, which convert l-asparagine to l-aspartate and ammonia, come in five types, AI-AV. Some bacterial type AII enzymes are a key element in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children, but new l-asparaginases with better therapeutic properties are urgently needed. Here, we search publicly available bacterial genomes to annotate l-asparaginase proteins belonging to the five known types. We characterize taxonomic, phylogenetic, and genomic patterns of l-asparaginase occurrences pointing to frequent horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events, also occurring multiple times in the same recipient species. We show that the reference AV gene, encoding a protein originally found and structurally studied in Rhizobium etli, was acquired via HGT from Burkholderia. We also describe the sequence variability of the five l-asparaginase types and map the conservation levels on the experimental or predicted structures of the reference enzymes, finding the most conserved residues in the protein core near the active site, and the most variable ones on the protein surface. Additionally, we highlight the most common sequence features of bacterial AII proteins that may aid in selecting therapeutic l-asparaginases. Finally, we point to taxonomic units of bacteria that do not contain recognizable sequences of any of the known l-asparaginase types, implying that those microorganisms most likely contain new, as yet unknown types of l-asparaginases. Such novel enzymes, when properly identified and characterized, could hold promise as antileukemic drugs.
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8
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Electroenzymatic Model System for the Determination of Catalytic Activity of Erwinia carotovora L-Asparaginase. Processes (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/pr10071313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
An electrochemical method for the determination of the catalytic activity of L-asparaginase (ASNase) from Erwinia carotovora was proposed. Our approach is based on the electrooxidation of amino acids from L-asparaginase polypeptide backbones. The electrochemical behavior of ASNase on electrodes obtained by screen-printing modified with single-wall carbon nanotubes (SPE/SWCNTs) as sensing elements demonstrated a broad oxidation peak at 0.5–0.6 V centered at 0.531 ± 0.010 V. We have shown that in the presence of the substrate L-asparagine, the oxidation current of the enzyme was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner. The specificity of electrochemical analysis was confirmed in experiments with glycine, an amino acid with no substrate activity on ASNase and does not reduce the oxidation peak of L-asparaginase. The addition of glycine did not significantly influence the amplitude of the oxidation current. The innovative aspects of the proposed electrochemical sensor are the direct monitoring of ASNase catalytic activity and a reagentless approach, which does not require additional reagents or labels.
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9
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Chakravarty N, Sharma M, Kumar P, Singh RP. Biochemical and molecular insights on the bioactivity and binding interactions of Bacillus australimaris NJB19 L-asparaginase. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 215:1-11. [PMID: 35718140 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.06.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
L-asparaginase, an antileukemic enzyme, is indispensable to the treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). However, the intrinsic glutaminase activity entails various side effects to the patients; thus, an improved version of the enzyme lacking glutaminase activity would be a requisite for effective treatment management of ALL. The present study highlights the biochemical and molecular characteristics of the recombinant glutaminase-free L-asparaginase from Bacillus australimaris NJB19 (BaAsp). Investigation of the active site architecture of the protein unraveled the binding interactions of BaAsp with its substrate. Comparative analysis of the L-asparaginase sequences revealed few substitutions of key amino acids in the BaAsp that could construe its substrate selectivity and specificity. The purified heterologously expressed protein (42 kDa) displayed maximum L-asparaginase activity at 35-40 °C and pH 8.5-9, with no observed L-glutaminase activity. The kinetic parameters, Km and Vmax, were determined as 45.6 μM and 0.16 μmoles min-1, respectively. Furthermore, in silico analysis revealed a conserved zinc-binding site in the protein, which is generally implicated in inhibiting the L-asparaginase activity. However, BaAsp was not inhibited by zinc at 1 mM concentration. Therefore, the findings provide insights on the biochemical and molecular details of BaAsp, which could be valuable in formulating it for alternate antileukemic drug therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namrata Chakravarty
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, India
| | - Monica Sharma
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, India
| | - Pravindra Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, India
| | - R P Singh
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, India.
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10
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Pokrovskaya MV, Pokrovsky VS, Aleksandrova SS, Sokolov NN, Zhdanov DD. Molecular Analysis of L-Asparaginases for Clarification of the Mechanism of Action and Optimization of Pharmacological Functions. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030599. [PMID: 35335974 PMCID: PMC8948990 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
L-asparaginases (EC 3.5.1.1) are a family of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of L-asparagine to L-aspartic acid and ammonia. These proteins with different biochemical, physicochemical and pharmacological properties are found in many organisms, including bacteria, fungi, algae, plants and mammals. To date, asparaginases from E. coli and Dickeya dadantii (formerly known as Erwinia chrysanthemi) are widely used in hematology for the treatment of lymphoblastic leukemias. However, their medical use is limited by side effects associated with the ability of these enzymes to hydrolyze L-glutamine, as well as the development of immune reactions. To solve these issues, gene-editing methods to introduce amino-acid substitutions of the enzyme are implemented. In this review, we focused on molecular analysis of the mechanism of enzyme action and to optimize the antitumor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina V. Pokrovskaya
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya Str. 10/8, 119121 Moscow, Russia; (M.V.P.); (S.S.A.); (N.N.S.)
| | - Vadim S. Pokrovsky
- Department of Biochemistry, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Miklukho-Maklaya Str. 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia;
- Laboratory of Combined Treatment, N.N. Blokhin Cancer Research Center, Kashirskoe Shosse 24, 115478 Moscow, Russia
- Center of Genetics and Life Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Federal Territory Sirius, Olimpiisky Prospect 1, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Svetlana S. Aleksandrova
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya Str. 10/8, 119121 Moscow, Russia; (M.V.P.); (S.S.A.); (N.N.S.)
| | - Nikolay N. Sokolov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya Str. 10/8, 119121 Moscow, Russia; (M.V.P.); (S.S.A.); (N.N.S.)
| | - Dmitry D. Zhdanov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya Str. 10/8, 119121 Moscow, Russia; (M.V.P.); (S.S.A.); (N.N.S.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Miklukho-Maklaya Str. 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia;
- Correspondence:
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11
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Loch JI, Imiolczyk B, Sliwiak J, Wantuch A, Bejger M, Gilski M, Jaskolski M. Crystal structures of the elusive Rhizobium etli L-asparaginase reveal a peculiar active site. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6717. [PMID: 34795296 PMCID: PMC8602277 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27105-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhizobium etli, a nitrogen-fixing bacterial symbiont of legume plants, encodes an essential L-asparaginase (ReAV) with no sequence homology to known enzymes with this activity. High-resolution crystal structures of ReAV show indeed a structurally distinct, dimeric enzyme, with some resemblance to glutaminases and β-lactamases. However, ReAV has no glutaminase or lactamase activity, and at pH 9 its allosteric asparaginase activity is relatively high, with Km for L-Asn at 4.2 mM and kcat of 438 s-1. The active site of ReAV, deduced from structural comparisons and confirmed by mutagenesis experiments, contains a highly specific Zn2+ binding site without a catalytic role. The extensive active site includes residues with unusual chemical properties. There are two Ser-Lys tandems, all connected through a network of H-bonds to the Zn center, and three tightly bound water molecules near Ser48, which clearly indicate the catalytic nucleophile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna I Loch
- Department of Crystal Chemistry and Crystal Physics, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Barbara Imiolczyk
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Joanna Sliwiak
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Anna Wantuch
- Department of Crystal Chemistry and Crystal Physics, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Magdalena Bejger
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Miroslaw Gilski
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Department of Crystallography, Faculty of Chemistry, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Mariusz Jaskolski
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
- Department of Crystallography, Faculty of Chemistry, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland.
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12
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Loch JI, Jaskolski M. Structural and biophysical aspects of l-asparaginases: a growing family with amazing diversity. IUCRJ 2021; 8:514-531. [PMID: 34258001 PMCID: PMC8256714 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252521006011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
l-Asparaginases have remained an intriguing research topic since their discovery ∼120 years ago, especially after their introduction in the 1960s as very efficient antileukemic drugs. In addition to bacterial asparaginases, which are still used to treat childhood leukemia, enzymes of plant and mammalian origin are now also known. They have all been structurally characterized by crystallography, in some cases at outstanding resolution. The structural data have also shed light on the mechanistic details of these deceptively simple enzymes. Yet, despite all this progress, no better therapeutic agents have been found to beat bacterial asparaginases. However, a new option might arise with the discovery of yet another type of asparaginase, those from symbiotic nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia, and with progress in the protein engineering of enzymes with desired properties. This review surveys the field of structural biology of l-asparaginases, focusing on the mechanistic aspects of the well established types and speculating about the potential of the new members of this amazingly diversified family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna I. Loch
- Department of Crystal Chemistry and Crystal Physics, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
| | - Mariusz Jaskolski
- Department of Crystallography, Faculty of Chemistry, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
- Center for Biocrystallographic Research, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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13
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Lubkowski J, Wlodawer A. Structural and biochemical properties of L-asparaginase. FEBS J 2021; 288:4183-4209. [PMID: 34060231 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
l-Asparaginase (a hydrolase converting l-asparagine to l-aspartic acid) was the first enzyme to be used in clinical practice as an anticancer agent after its approval in 1978 as a component of a treatment protocol for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Structural and biochemical properties of l-asparaginases have been extensively investigated during the last half-century, providing an accurate structural description of the enzyme isolated from a variety of sources, as well as clarifying the mechanism of its activity. This review provides a critical assessment of the current state of knowledge of primarily structural, but also selected biochemical properties of 'bacterial-type' l-asparaginases from different organisms. The most extensively studied members of this enzyme family are l-asparaginases highly homologous to one of the two enzymes from Escherichia coli (usually referred to as EcAI and EcAII). Members of this enzyme family, although often called bacterial-type l-asparaginases, have been also identified in such divergent organisms as archaea or eukarya. Over 100 structural models of l-asparaginases have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank during the last 30 years. One of the prime achievements of structure-centered approaches was the elucidation of the details of the mechanism of enzymatic action of this unique hydrolase that utilizes a side chain of threonine as the primary nucleophile. The molecular basis of other important properties of these enzymes, such as their substrate specificity, is still being evaluated. Results of structural and mechanistic studies of l-asparaginases are being utilized in efforts to improve the clinical properties of this important anticancer drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacek Lubkowski
- Center for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Alexander Wlodawer
- Center for Structural Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
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14
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Ardalan N, Akhavan Sepahi A, Khavari-Nejad RA. Development of Escherichia coli asparaginase II for the Treatment of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia: In Silico Reduction of asparaginase II Side Effects by a Novel Mutant (V27F). Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2021; 22:1137-1147. [PMID: 33906306 PMCID: PMC8325130 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2021.22.4.1137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a common blood disease in children that is accountable for many deaths. Due to major improvements in treatment procedures in the past 50 years, the survivability of this disease has risen dramatically to about 90 percent today. L-asparaginase (ASNase) has been used to treat ALL. The glutaminase (GLNase) activity of this enzyme causes some side effects and is unnecessary for anticancer activity. This study investigated mutagenesis in Escherichia coli ASNase II to find a mutant with lower GLNase activity via molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Residues with low binding energy to asparagine (Asn) and high binding energy to glutamine (Gln) were chosen for mutagenesis. A mutant with low free binding energy to Gln was then selected for molecular docking and MD studies. The results showed that V27F is a good candidate for reducing GLNase activity and that it has little effect on enzyme ASNase activity. A simulation analysis showed that the V27F mutant was more stable than the WT ASNase and that mutagenesis was quite successful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noeman Ardalan
- Department of Microbiology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Abbas Akhavan Sepahi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
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15
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da Silva LS, Doonan LB, Pessoa A, de Oliveira MA, Long PF. Structural and functional diversity of asparaginases: Overview and recommendations for a revised nomenclature. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2021; 69:503-513. [PMID: 33624365 DOI: 10.1002/bab.2127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Asparaginases (ASNases) are a large and structurally diverse group of enzymes ubiquitous amongst archaea, bacteria and eukaryotes, that catalyze hydrolysis of asparagine to aspartate and ammonia. Bacterial ASNases are important biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, although some patients experience adverse allergic side effects during treatment with these protein therapeutics. ASNases are currently divided into three families: plant-type ASNases, Rhizobium etli-type ASNases and bacterial-type ASNases. This system is outdated as both bacterial-type and plant-type families also include archaeal, bacterial and eukaryotic enzymes, each with their own distinct characteristics. Herein, phylogenetic studies allied to tertiary structural analyses are described with the aim of proposing a revised and more robust classification system that considers the biochemical diversity of ASNases. Accordingly, based on distinct peptide domains, phylogenetic data, structural analysis and functional characteristics, we recommend that ASNases now be divided into three new distinct classes containing subgroups according to structural and functional aspects. Using this new classification scheme, 25 ASNases were identified as candidates for future new lead discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Schultz da Silva
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, UK
| | - Liam B Doonan
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, UK
| | - Adalberto Pessoa
- Departamento de Tecnologia Tecnologia Bioquímico-Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Paul F Long
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, UK.,Departamento de Tecnologia Tecnologia Bioquímico-Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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16
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de Araújo TS, Scapin SMN, de Andrade W, Fasciotti M, de Magalhães MTQ, Almeida MS, Lima LMTR. Biophysical characterization of two commercially available preparations of the drug containing Escherichia coli L-Asparaginase 2. Biophys Chem 2021; 271:106554. [PMID: 33607531 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The hydrolysis of asparagine and glutamine by L-asparaginase has been used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia for over four decades. Each L-asparaginase monomer has a long loop that closes over the active site upon substrate binding, acting as a lid. Here we present a comparative study of two commercially available preparations of the drug containing Escherichia coli L-Asparaginase 2 (EcA2), performed by a comprehensive array of biophysical and biochemical approaches. We report the oligomeric landscape and conformational and dynamic plasticity of E. coli type 2 L-asparaginase present in two different formulations, and its relationship with L-aspartic acid, which is present in Aginasa, but not in Leuginase. The L-Asp present in Aginasa formulation was found to provide to EcA2 a resistance to in vitro proteolysis. EcA2 shows a composition of monomers and oligomers up to tetramers, which is mostly not altered in the presence of L-Asp. Ion-mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry reveals two conformers for the monomeric EcA2, and that monomeric species has sufficient capacity for selective binding to L-Asp and L-Glu. The N-terminal loop of the EcA2 present in Leuginase, which is part of the active site is disordered, but it gets ordered in the presence of L-Asp, while L-Glu only does so to a limited extent. These data provide new insights on the mechanistic of ligand recognition by EcA2, and the impact of formulation in its conformational diversity landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talita Stelling de Araújo
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Laboratory - pbiotech, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-902, Brazil; Protein Advanced Biochemistry - PAB, National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging - CENABIO, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil; Institute for Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo DeMeis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Sandra M N Scapin
- National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology - INMETRO, Duque de Caxias, RJ 25250-020, Brazil
| | - William de Andrade
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Laboratory - pbiotech, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Maíra Fasciotti
- National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology - INMETRO, Duque de Caxias, RJ 25250-020, Brazil
| | - Mariana T Q de Magalhães
- Macromolecular Biophysics Laboratory (LBM), Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Marcius S Almeida
- Protein Advanced Biochemistry - PAB, National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging - CENABIO, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil; Institute for Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo DeMeis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil.
| | - Luís Maurício T R Lima
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Laboratory - pbiotech, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-902, Brazil; National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology - INMETRO, Duque de Caxias, RJ 25250-020, Brazil.
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17
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Radadiya A, Zhu W, Coricello A, Alcaro S, Richards NGJ. Improving the Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Biochemistry 2020; 59:3193-3200. [PMID: 32786406 PMCID: PMC7497903 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
l-Asparaginase (EC 3.5.1.1) was first used as a component of combination drug therapies to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, almost 50 years ago. Administering this enzyme to reduce asparagine levels in the blood is a cornerstone of modern clinical protocols for ALL; indeed, this remains the only successful example of a therapy targeted against a specific metabolic weakness in any form of cancer. Three problems, however, constrain the clinical use of l-asparaginase. First, a type II bacterial variant of l-asparaginase is administered to patients, the majority of whom are children, which produces an immune response thereby limiting the time over which the enzyme can be tolerated. Second, l-asparaginase is subject to proteolytic degradation in the blood. Third, toxic side effects are observed, which may be correlated with the l-glutaminase activity of the enzyme. This Perspective will outline how asparagine depletion negatively impacts the growth of leukemic blasts, discuss the structure and mechanism of l-asparaginase, and briefly describe the clinical use of chemically modified forms of clinically useful l-asparaginases, such as Asparlas, which was recently given FDA approval for use in children (babies to young adults) as part of multidrug treatments for ALL. Finally, we review ongoing efforts to engineer l-asparaginase variants with improved therapeutic properties and briefly detail emerging, alternate strategies for the treatment of forms of ALL that are resistant to asparagine depletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Radadiya
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, U.K
| | - Wen Zhu
- Department of Chemistry and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Adriana Coricello
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, U.K.,Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università "Magna Græcia" di Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Stefano Alcaro
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università "Magna Græcia" di Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.,Net4Science, Università "Magna Græcia" di Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Nigel G J Richards
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, U.K.,Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, 13079 Progress Boulevard, Alachua, Florida 32615, United States
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18
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Microbial enzymes for deprivation of amino acid metabolism in malignant cells: biological strategy for cancer treatment. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:2857-2869. [PMID: 32037468 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10432-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Amino acid deprivation therapy (AADT) is emerging as a promising strategy for the development of novel therapeutics against cancer. This biological therapy relies upon the differences in the metabolism of cancer and normal cells. The rapid growth of tumors results in decreased expression of certain enzymes leading to auxotrophy for some specific amino acids. These auxotrophic tumors are targeted by amino acid-depleting enzymes. The depletion of amino acid selectively inhibits tumor growth as the normal cells can synthesize amino acids by their usual machinery. The enzymes used in AADT are mostly obtained from microbes for their easy availability. Microbial L-asparaginase is already approved by FDA for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Arginine deiminase and methionase are under clinical trials and the therapeutic potential of lysine oxidase, glutaminase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase is also being explored. The present review provides an overview of microbial amino acid depriving enzymes. Various attributes of these enzymes like structure, mode of action, production, formulations, and targeted cancers are discussed. The challenges faced and the combat strategies to establish AADT in standard cancer armamentarium are also reviewed.Key Points • Amino acid deprivation therapy is a potential therapy for auxotrophic tumors. • Microbial enzymes are used due to their ease of manipulation and high productivity. • Enzyme properties are improved by PEGylation, encapsulation, and genetic engineering. • AADT can be employed as combinational therapy for better containment of cancer.
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19
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Lubkowski J, Chan W, Wlodawer A. Opportunistic complexes of E. coli L-asparaginases with citrate anions. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11070. [PMID: 31363102 PMCID: PMC6667453 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46432-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Active sites of enzymes are highly optimized for interactions with specific substrates, thus binding of opportunistic ligands is usually observed only in the absence of native substrates or products. However, during growth of crystals required for structure determination enzymes are often exposed to conditions significantly divergent from the native ones, leading to binding of unexpected ligands to active sites even in the presence of substrates. Failing to recognize this possibility may lead to incorrect interpretation of experimental results and to faulty conclusions. Here, we present several examples of binding of a citrate anion to the active sites of E. coli L-asparaginases I and II, even in the presence of the native substrate, L-Asn. A part of this report focuses on a comprehensive re-interpretation of structural results published previously for complexes of type I L-asparaginase (EcAI) from E. coli. In two re-refined structures a citrate anion forms an acyl-enzyme reaction intermediate with the catalytic threonine. These results emphasize the importance of careful and critical analysis during interpretation of crystallographic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacek Lubkowski
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
| | - Waikin Chan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology and The Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Alexander Wlodawer
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
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20
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Effer B, Lima GM, Cabarca S, Pessoa A, Farías JG, Monteiro G. L-Asparaginase from E. chrysanthemi expressed in glycoswitch®: effect of His-Tag fusion on the extracellular expression. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2019; 49:679-685. [DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2019.1599396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brian Effer
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Francisco Salazar, Chile
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Meira Lima
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sindy Cabarca
- Department of Microbiology, Laboratory of Applied Structural Biology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Adalberto Pessoa
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jorge G. Farías
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Francisco Salazar, Chile
| | - Gisele Monteiro
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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21
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The role of zinc and its compounds in leukemia. J Biol Inorg Chem 2018; 23:347-362. [DOI: 10.1007/s00775-018-1545-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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22
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Ardalan N, Mirzaie S, Sepahi AA, Khavari-Nejad RA. Novel mutant of Escherichia coli asparaginase II to reduction of the glutaminase activity in treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia by molecular dynamics simulations and QM-MM studies. Med Hypotheses 2018; 112:7-17. [PMID: 29447943 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
L-Asparaginases (ASNase) belong to a family of amidohydrolases, have both asparaginase and glutaminase activity. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is an outrageous disease worldwide. Bacterial ASNase has been used for the treatment of ALL. Glutaminase activity of enzyme causes some side effect and it is not essential for anticancer activity. The aim of this study was engineering of Escherichia coli asparaginase II to find a mutant with reduced glutaminase activity by molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) and QM-MM (Quantum mechanics molecular dynamics) simulations. Residues with low free energy of binding to Asn and high free binding energy to Gln were chosen for mutagenesis. Then, a mutant with higher glutaminase free binding energy was selected for further studies. Additionally, the MD simulation and QM-MM computation of wild type (WT) were employed and the selected mutated ASNase were analyzed and discussed. Our data showed that V27T is a good candidate to reduction the glutaminase activity, while has no remarkable effect on asparaginase activity of the enzyme. The simulation analysis revealed that V27T mutant is more stable than WT and mutant simulation was successful completely. QM-MM results confirmed the successfulness of our mutagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noeman Ardalan
- Department of Microbiology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sako Mirzaie
- Department of Biochemistry, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran.
| | - Abbas Akhavan Sepahi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
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23
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The differential ability of asparagine and glutamine in promoting the closed/active enzyme conformation rationalizes the Wolinella succinogenes L-asparaginase substrate specificity. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41643. [PMID: 28139703 PMCID: PMC5282591 DOI: 10.1038/srep41643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Many side effects of current FDA-approved L-asparaginases have been related to their secondary L-glutaminase activity. The Wolinella succinogenes L-asparaginase (WoA) has been reported to be L-glutaminase free, suggesting it would have fewer side effects. Unexpectedly, the WoA variant with a proline at position 121 (WoA-P121) was found to have L-glutaminase activity in contrast to Uniprot entry P50286 (WoA-S121) that has a serine residue at this position. Towards understanding how this residue impacts the L-glutaminase property, kinetic analysis was coupled with crystal structure determination of these WoA variants. WoA-S121 was confirmed to have much lower L-glutaminase activity than WoA-P121, yet both showed comparable L-asparaginase activity. Structures of the WoA variants in complex with L-aspartic acid versus L-glutamic acid provide insights into their differential substrate selectivity. Structural analysis suggests a mechanism by which residue 121 impacts the conformation of the conserved tyrosine 27, a component of the catalytically-important flexible N-terminal loop. Surprisingly, we could fully model this loop in either its open or closed conformations, revealing the roles of specific residues of an evolutionary conserved motif among this L-asparaginase family. Together, this work showcases critical residues that influence the ability of the flexible N-terminal loop for adopting its active conformation, thereby effecting substrate specificity.
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24
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Costa IM, Schultz L, de Araujo Bianchi Pedra B, Leite MSM, Farsky SHP, de Oliveira MA, Pessoa A, Monteiro G. Recombinant L-asparaginase 1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: an allosteric enzyme with antineoplastic activity. Sci Rep 2016; 6:36239. [PMID: 27824095 PMCID: PMC5099943 DOI: 10.1038/srep36239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
L-asparaginase (L-ASNase) (EC 3.5.1.1) is an important enzyme for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Currently, the enzyme is obtained from bacteria, Escherichia coli and Erwinia chrysanthemi. The bacterial enzymes family is subdivided in type I and type II; nevertheless, only type II have been employed in therapeutic proceedings. However, bacterial enzymes are susceptible to induce immune responses, leading to a high incidence of adverse effects compromising the effectiveness of the treatment. Therefore, alternative sources of L-ASNase may be useful to reduce toxicity and enhance efficacy. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has the ASP1 gene responsible for encoding L-asparaginase 1 (ScASNase1), an enzyme predicted as type II, like bacterial therapeutic isoforms, but it has been poorly studied. Here we characterised ScASNase1 using a recombinant enzyme purified by affinity chromatography. ScASNase1 has specific activity of 196.2 U/mg and allosteric behaviour, like type I enzymes, but with a low K0.5 = 75 μM like therapeutic type II. We showed through site-directed mutagenesis that the T64-Y78-T141-K215 residues are involved in catalysis. Furthermore, ScASNase1 showed cytotoxicity for the MOLT-4 leukemic cell lineage. Our data show that ScASNase1 has characteristics described for the two subfamilies of l-asparaginase, types I and II, and may have promising antineoplastic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Munhoz Costa
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo/SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Schultz
- Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University - UNESP, Coastal Campus, São Vicente/SP 11330-900, Brazil
| | - Beatriz de Araujo Bianchi Pedra
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo/SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Mariana Silva Moreira Leite
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo/SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Sandra H P Farsky
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo/SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Marcos Antonio de Oliveira
- Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University - UNESP, Coastal Campus, São Vicente/SP 11330-900, Brazil
| | - Adalberto Pessoa
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo/SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Gisele Monteiro
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo/SP 05508-000, Brazil
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25
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Labrou NE, Muharram MM. Biochemical characterization and immobilization of Erwinia carotovora l -asparaginase in a microplate for high-throughput biosensing of l -asparagine. Enzyme Microb Technol 2016; 92:86-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2016.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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26
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Friedman M. Acrylamide: inhibition of formation in processed food and mitigation of toxicity in cells, animals, and humans. Food Funct 2016; 6:1752-72. [PMID: 25989363 DOI: 10.1039/c5fo00320b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Potentially toxic acrylamide is largely derived from the heat-inducing reactions between the amino group of the amino acid asparagine and carbonyl groups of glucose and fructose in plant-derived foods including cereals, coffees, almonds, olives, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. This review surveys and consolidates the following dietary aspects of acrylamide: distribution in food, exposure and consumption by diverse populations, reduction of the content in different food categories, and mitigation of adverse in vivo effects. Methods to reduce acrylamide levels include selecting commercial food with a low acrylamide content, selecting cereal and potato varieties with low levels of asparagine and reducing sugars, selecting processing conditions that minimize acrylamide formation, adding food-compatible compounds and plant extracts to food formulations before processing that inhibit acrylamide formation during processing of cereal products, coffees, teas, olives, almonds, and potato products, and reducing multiorgan toxicity (antifertility, carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity, teratogenicity). The herein described observations and recommendations are of scientific interest for food chemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology, but also have the potential to benefit nutrition, food safety, and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mendel Friedman
- Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 800 Buchanan St., Albany, CA 94710, USA.
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Lopes AM, Oliveira-Nascimento LD, Ribeiro A, Tairum CA, Breyer CA, Oliveira MAD, Monteiro G, Souza-Motta CMD, Magalhães PDO, Avendaño JGF, Cavaco-Paulo AM, Mazzola PG, Rangel-Yagui CDO, Sette LD, Converti A, Pessoa A. Therapeuticl-asparaginase: upstream, downstream and beyond. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2015; 37:82-99. [DOI: 10.3109/07388551.2015.1120705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Jaskolski M, Wlodawer A. Introduction: celebrating the international year of crystallography: introduction. FEBS J 2014; 281:3983-4. [PMID: 25123807 DOI: 10.1111/febs.12971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mariusz Jaskolski
- Department of Crystallography, Faculty of Chemistry, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland; Center for Biocrystallographic Research, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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