Large-scale preparation and reconstitution of apo-flavoproteins with special reference to butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase from Megasphaera elsdenii. Hydrophobic-interaction chromatography

NAD+ promotes assembly of the active tetramer of aldehyde dehydrogenase 7A1

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is the redox cofactor of many enzymes, including the vast aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) superfamily. Although the function of NAD(H) in hydride transfer is established, its influence on protein structure is less understood. Herein, we show that NAD+ -binding promotes assembly of the ALDH7A1 tetramer. Multiangle light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and sedimentation velocity all show a pronounced shift of the dimer-tetramer equilibrium toward the tetramer when NAD+ is present. Furthermore, electron microscopy shows that cofactor binding enhances tetramer formation even at the low enzyme concentration used in activity assays, suggesting the tetramer is the active species. Altogether, our results suggest that the catalytically active oligomer of ALDH7A1 is assembled on demand in response to cofactor availability.

NMR spectroscopy on flavins and flavoproteins

(1)H-, (11)B-, (13)C-, (15)N-, (17)O-, (19)F-, and (31)P-NMR chemical shifts of flavocoenzymes and derivatives of it, as well as of alloxazines and isoalloxazinium salts, from NMR experiments performed under various experimental conditions (e.g., dependence of the chemical shifts on temperature, concentration, solvent polarity, and pH) are reported. Also solid-state (13)C- and (15)N-NMR experiments are described revealing the anisotropic values of corresponding chemical shifts. These data, in combination with a number of coupling constants, led to a detailed description of the electronic structure of oxidized and reduced flavins. The data also demonstrate that the structure of oxidized flavin can assume a configuration deviating from coplanarity, depending on substitutions in the isoalloxazine ring, while that of reduced flavin exhibits several configurations, from almost planar to quite bended. The complexes formed between oxidized flavin and metal ions or organic molecules revealed three coordination sites with metal ions (depending on the chemical nature of the ion), and specific interactions between the pyrimidine moiety of flavin and organic molecules, mimicking specific interactions between apoflavoproteins and their coenzymes. Most NMR studies on flavoproteins were performed using (13)C- and (15)N-substituted coenzymes, either specifically enriched in the pterin moiety of flavin or uniformly labeled flavins. The chemical shifts of free flavins are used as a guide in the interpretation of the chemical shifts observed in flavoproteins. Although the hydrogen-bonding pattern in oxidized and reduced flavoproteins varies considerably, no correlation is obvious between these patterns and the corresponding redox potentials. In all reduced flavoproteins the N(1)H group of the flavocoenzyme is deprotonated, an exception is thioredoxin reductase. Three-dimensional structures of only a few flavoproteins, mostly belonging to the family of flavodoxins, have been solved. Also the kinetics of unfolding and refolding of flavodoxins has been investigated by NMR techniques. In addition, (31)P-NMR data of all so far studied flavoproteins and some (19)F-NMR spectra are discussed.

LOV takes a pick: thermodynamic and structural aspects of the flavin-LOV-interaction of the blue-light sensitive photoreceptor YtvA from Bacillus subtilis

LOV domains act as versatile photochromic switches servicing multiple effector domains in a variety of blue light sensing photoreceptors abundant in a multitude of organisms from all kingdoms of life. The perception of light is realized by a flavin chromophore that upon illumination reversibly switches from the non-covalently bound dark-state to a covalently linked flavin-LOV adduct. It is usually assumed that most LOV domains preferably bind FMN, but heterologous expression frequently results in the incorporation of all natural occurring flavins, i.e. riboflavin, FMN and FAD. Over recent years, the structures, photochemical properties, activation mechanisms and physiological functions of a multitude of LOV proteins have been studied intensively, but little is known about its affinities to physiologically relevant flavins or the thermodynamics of the flavin-LOV interaction. We have investigated the interaction of the LOV domain of the well characterized bacterial photoreceptor YtvA with riboflavin, FMN and FAD by ITC experiments providing binding constants and thermodynamic profiles of these interactions. For this purpose, we have developed a protocol for the production of the apo forms of YtvA and its isolated LOV domain and we demonstrate that the latter can be used as a molecular probe for free flavins in cell lysates. Furthermore, we show here using NMR spectroscopic techniques and Analytical Ultracentrifugation that the flavin moiety stabilizes the conformation of the LOV domain and that dimerization of YtvA is caused not only by intermolecular LOV-LOV but also by STAS-STAS contacts.

Characterization of plant carotenoid cyclases as members of the flavoprotein family functioning with no net redox change

The later steps of carotenoid biosynthesis involve the formation of cyclic carotenoids. The reaction is catalyzed by lycopene beta-cyclase (LCY-B), which converts lycopene into beta-carotene, and by capsanthin-capsorubin synthase (CCS), which is mainly dedicated to the synthesis of kappa-cyclic carotenoids (capsanthin and capsorubin) but also has LCY-B activity. Although the peptide sequences of plant LCY-Bs and CCS contain a putative dinucleotide-binding motif, it is believed that these two carotenoid cyclases proceed via protic activation and stabilization of resulting carbocation intermediates. Using pepper (Capsicum annuum) CCS as a prototypic carotenoid cyclase, we show that the monomeric protein contains one noncovalently bound flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) that is essential for enzyme activity only in the presence of NADPH, which functions as the FAD reductant. The reaction proceeds without transfer of hydrogen from the dinucleotide cofactors to beta-carotene or capsanthin. Using site-directed mutagenesis, amino acids potentially involved in the protic activation were identified. Substitutions of alanine, lysine, and arginine for glutamate-295 in the conserved 293-FLEET-297 motif of pepper CCS or LCY-B abolish the formation of beta-carotene and kappa-cyclic carotenoids. We also found that mutations of the equivalent glutamate-196 located in the 194-LIEDT-198 domain of structurally divergent bacterial LCY-B abolish the formation of beta-carotene. The data herein reveal plant carotenoid cyclases to be novel enzymes that combine characteristics of non-metal-assisted terpene cyclases with those attributes typically found in flavoenzymes that catalyze reactions, with no net redox, such as type 2 isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase. Thus, FAD in its reduced form could be implicated in the stabilization of the carbocation intermediate.

Hexameric ring structure of a thermophilic archaeon NADH oxidase that produces predominantly H2O

An NADH oxidase (NOX) was cloned from the genome of Thermococcus profundus (NOXtp) by genome walking, and the encoded protein was purified to homogeneity after expression in Escherichia coli. Subsequent analyses showed that it is an FAD-containing protein with a subunit molecular mass of 49 kDa that exists as a hexamer with a native molecular mass of 300 kDa. A ring-shaped hexameric form was revealed by electron microscopic and image processing analyses. NOXtp catalyzed the oxidization of NADH and NADPH and predominantly converted O(2) to H(2)O, but not to H(2)O(2), as in the case of most other NOX enzymes. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a NOX that can produce H(2)O predominantly in a thermophilic organism. As an enzyme with two cysteine residues, NOXtp contains a cysteinyl redox center at Cys45 in addition to FAD. Mutant analysis suggests that Cys45 in NOXtp plays a key role in the four-electron reduction of O(2) to H(2)O, but not in the two-electron reduction of O(2) to H(2)O(2).

ADP competes with FAD binding in putrescine oxidase

Putrescine oxidase from Rhodococcus erythropolis NCIMB 11540 (PuO(Rh)) is a soluble homodimeric flavoprotein of 100 kDa, which catalyzes the oxidative deamination of putrescine and some other aliphatic amines. The initial characterization of PuO(Rh) uncovered an intriguing feature: the enzyme appeared to contain only one noncovalently bound FAD cofactor per dimer. Here we show that this low FAD/protein ratio is the result of tight binding of ADP, thereby competing with FAD binding. MS analysis revealed that the enzyme is isolated as a mixture of dimers containing two molecules of FAD, two molecules ADP, or one FAD and one ADP molecule. In addition, based on a structural model of PuO(Rh) that was built using the crystal structure of human monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), we constructed an active mutant enzyme, PuO(Rh) A394C, that contains covalently bound FAD. These findings show that the covalent FAD-protein linkage can be formed autocatalytically and hint to a new-found rationale for covalent flavinylation: covalent flavinylation may have evolved to prevent binding of ADP or related cellular compounds, which would prohibit formation of flavinylated and functional enzyme.

Expression of Clostridium acetobutylicum butanol synthetic genes in Escherichia coli

A recombinant butanol pathway composed of Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 genes, thiL, hbd, crt, bcd-etfB-etfA, and adhe1 (or adhe) coding for acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase (THL), beta-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase (HBD), 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydratase (CRT), butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase (BCD), butyraldehyde dehydrogenase (BYDH), and butanol dehydrogenase (BDH), under the tac promoter control was constructed and was introduced into Escherichia coli. The functional expression of these six enzymes was proved by demonstrating the corresponding enzyme activities using spectrophotometric, high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography analyses. The BCD activity, which was not detected in E. coli previously, was shown in the present study by performing the procedure from cell extract preparation to activity measurement under anaerobic condition. Moreover, the etfA and etfB co-expression was found to be essential for the BCD activity. In the case of BYDH activity, the adhe gene product was shown to have higher specificity towards butyryl-CoA compared to the adhe1 product. Butanol production from glucose was achieved by the highly concentrated cells of the butanologenic E. coli strains, BUT1 with adhe1 and BUT2 with adhe, under anaerobic condition, and the BUT1 and BUT2 strains were shown to produce 4 and 16-mM butanol with 6- and 1-mM butyrate as a byproduct, respectively. This study reports the novel butanol production by an aerobically pregrown microorganism possessing the genes of a strict anaerobe, Clostridium acetobutylicum.

Molecular determinants for FMN-binding in Desulfovibrio gigas flavoredoxin

Flavoredoxin participates in Desulfovibrio gigas thiosulfate reduction pathway. Its 3-dimensional model was generated allowing the oxidized riboflavin-5'-phosphate (FMN) site to be predicted. Residues likely to be involved in FMN-binding were identified (N29, W35, T56, K92, H131 and F164) and mutated to alanine. Fluorescence titration with apoprotein showed that FMN is strongly bound in the wild-type protein. Comparison of K(d) values for mutants suggests that interactions with the phosphate group of FMN, contribute more to binding than the interactions with the isoalloxazine ring. The redox potential of bound FMN determined for wild-type and mutants revealed shifts to less negative values. These findings were correlated with the protein structure in order to contribute to a better understanding of the structure-function relationships in flavoredoxin.

Reversible resolution of flavin and pterin cofactors of His-tagged Escherichia coli DNA photolyase

Escherichia coli photolyase catalyzes the repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) in DNA under near UV/blue-light irradiation. The enzyme contains flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and methenyltetrahydrofolate (MTHF) as noncovalently bound light sensing cofactors. To study the apoprotein-chromophore interactions we developed a new procedure to prepare apo-photolyase. MTHF-free photolyase was obtained by binding the C-terminal His-tagged holoenzyme to a metal-affinity column at neutral pH and washing the column with deionized water. Under these conditions the flavin remains bound and the defolated enzyme can be released from the column with 0.5 M imidazole pH 7.2. The MTHF-free protein was still capable of DNA repair, showing 70% activity of native enzyme. Fluorescence polarization experiments confirmed that MTHF binding is weakened at low ionic strength. Apo-photolyase was obtained by treating the His-tagged holoenzyme with 0.5 M imidazole pH 10.0. The apo-photolyase thus obtained was highly reconstitutable and bound nearly stoichiometric amounts of FAD(ox). Photolyase reconstituted with FAD(ox) had about 34% activity of native enzyme, which increased to 83% when FAD(ox) was reduced to FADH(-). Reconstitution kinetics performed at 20 degrees C showed that apo-photolyase associates with FADH(-) much faster (k(obs) approximately 3,000 M(-1) s(-1)) than with FAD(ox) (k(obs)=16 [corrected] M(-1) s(-1)). The dissociation constant of the photolyase-FAD(ox) complex is about 2.3 microM and that of E-FADH(-) is not higher than 20 nM (pH 7.2).

The protein coded by the PP2216 gene of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase that oxidises only short-chain aliphatic substrates

A gene (PP2216) that codes for an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase was cloned from Pseudomonas putida strain KT2240 and over-expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant enzyme purified and characterised. The enzyme is tetrameric with one FAD per subunit of molecular mass 40,500 Da. An anaerobic titration with sodium dithionite showed that the enzyme accepts two electrons. A similar titration with butyryl-CoA showed that reduction by this substrate was incomplete with 4.5 mol butyryl-CoA added per mol enzyme FAD; the equilibrium was used to calculate that the oxidation-reduction potential of the enzyme at pH 7 and 25 degrees C is 5+/-5 mV versus the standard hydrogen electrode. The enzyme shows catalytic activity with butyryl-CoA, valeryl-CoA and hexanoyl-CoA, and very low activity with heptanoyl-CoA and octanoyl-CoA; it fails to oxidise propionyl-CoA. These properties resemble those of short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenases from other sources. The enzyme is inactive with the CoA derivatives of all phenylalkanoates that were tested (side chains 3-8 carbon atoms) indicating that in contrast to an earlier suggestion, the enzyme is not involved in the beta-oxidation of aromatic compounds.

Biochemical and molecular characterization of an azoreductase from Staphylococcus aureus, a tetrameric NADPH-dependent flavoprotein

Azo dyes are a predominant class of colourants used in tattooing, cosmetics, foods and consumer products. A gene encoding NADPH-flavin azoreductase (Azo1) from the skin bacterium Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 was identified and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. RT-PCR results demonstrated that the azo1 gene was constitutively expressed at the mRNA level in S. aureus. Azo1 was found to be a tetramer with a native molecular mass of 85 kDa containing four non-covalently bound FMN. Azo1 requires NADPH, but not NADH, as an electron donor for its activity. The enzyme was resolved to dimeric apoprotein by removing the flavin prosthetic groups using hydrophobic-interaction chromatography. The dimeric apoprotein was reconstituted on-column and in free stage with FMN, resulting in the formation of a fully functional native-like tetrameric enzyme. The enzyme cleaved the model azo dye 2-[4-(dimethylamino)phenylazo]benzoic acid (Methyl Red) into N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine and 2-aminobenzoic acid. The apparent Km values for NADPH and Methyl Red substrates were 0.074 and 0.057 mM, respectively. The apparent Vmax was 0.4 microM min(-1) (mg protein)(-1). Azo1 was also able to metabolize Orange II, Amaranth, Ponceau BS and Ponceau S azo dyes. Azo1 represents the first azoreductase to be identified and characterized from human skin microflora.

Deflavination and reconstitution of flavoproteins

Flavoproteins are ubiquitous redox proteins that are involved in many biological processes. In the majority of flavoproteins, the flavin cofactor is tightly but noncovalently bound. Reversible dissociation of flavoproteins into apoprotein and flavin prosthetic group yields valuable insights in flavoprotein folding, function and mechanism. Replacement of the natural cofactor with artificial flavins has proved to be especially useful for the determination of the solvent accessibility, polarity, reaction stereochemistry and dynamic behaviour of flavoprotein active sites. In this review we summarize the advances made in the field of flavoprotein deflavination and reconstitution. Several sophisticated chromatographic procedures to either deflavinate or reconstitute the flavoprotein on a large scale are discussed. In a subset of flavoproteins, the flavin cofactor is covalently attached to the polypeptide chain. Studies from riboflavin-deficient expression systems and site-directed mutagenesis suggest that the flavinylation reaction is a post-translational, rather than a cotranslational, process. These genetic approaches have also provided insight into the mechanism of covalent flavinylation and the rationale for this atypical protein modification.

A His-tag based immobilization method for the preparation and reconstitution of apoflavoproteins

The NifL PAS domain from Azotobacter vinelandii is a flavoprotein with FAD as the prosthetic group. Here we describe a novel immobilization procedure for the large-scale preparation of apo NifL PAS domain and its efficient reconstitution with either 2,4a-13C-FAD or 2,4a-13C-FMN. In this procedure, the His-tagged holoprotein is bound to an immobilized metal affinity column and the flavin is released by washing the column with buffer containing 2 M KBr and 2 M urea. The apoprotein is reconstituted on-column with the (artificial) flavin cofactor, and then eluted with buffer containing 250 mM imidazole. Alternatively, the immobilized apoprotein can be released from the column matrix before reconstitution. The His-tag based immobilization method of preparing reconstituted (or apo) NifL PAS domain protein has the advantage that it combines a protein affinity chromatography technique with limited protein loss, resulting in a high protein yield with extremely efficient flavin reconstitution. This on-column reconstitution method can also be used in cases where the apoprotein is unstable. Therefore, it may develop as a universal method for replacement of flavin or other cofactors.

Cofactor-dependent assembly of the flavoenzyme vanillyl-alcohol oxidase

The oligomerization of the flavoprotein vanillyl-alcohol oxidase (VAO) and its site-directed mutant H61T was studied by mass spectrometry. Native VAO has a covalently bound FAD and forms primarily octameric assemblies of 507 kDa. H61T is purified as a FAD-free apoprotein and mainly exists as a dimeric species of 126 kDa. Binding of FAD to apoH61T rapidly restores enzyme activity and induces octamerization, although association of H61T dimers seems not to be crucial for enzyme activity. Reconstitution of H61T with the cofactor analog 5'-ADP also promotes octamerization. FMN on the other hand, interacts with apoH61T without stimulating dimer association. These results are in line with observations made for several other flavoenzymes, which contain a Rossmann fold. Members of the VAO flavoprotein family do not contain a Rossmann fold but do share two conserved loops that are responsible for binding the pyrophosphate moiety of FAD. Therefore, the observed FAD-induced oligomerization might be general for this family. We speculate that upon FAD binding, small conformational changes in the ADP-binding pocket of the dimeric VAO species are transmitted to the protein surface, promoting oligomerization.

An optomechanical transducer in the blue light receptor phototropin from Avena sativa

The PHOT1 (NPH1) gene from Avena sativa specifies the blue light receptor for phototropism, phototropin, which comprises two FMN-binding LOV domains and a serine/threonine protein kinase domain. Light exposure is conducive to autophosphorylation of the protein kinase domain. We have reconstituted a recombinant LOV2 domain of A. sativa phototropin with various (13)C/(15)N-labeled isotopomers of the cofactor, FMN. The reconstituted protein samples were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy under dark and light conditions. Blue light irradiation is shown to result in the addition of a thiol group (cysteine 450) to the 4a position of the FMN chromophore. The adduct reverts spontaneously in the dark by elimination. The light-driven flavin adduct formation results in conformational modification, which was diagnosed by (1)H and (31)P NMR spectroscopy. This conformational change is proposed to initiate the transmission of the light signal via conformational modulation of the protein kinase domain conducive to autophosphorylation of NPH1.

Flavin-protein interactions in flavocytochrome b2 as studied by NMR after reconstitution of the enzyme with 13C- and 15N-labelled flavin

A new procedure was devised for reversibly removing the flavin from flavocytochrome b2. It allowed reconstitution with selectively enriched 13C- and 15N-labelled FMN for an NMR analysis of the chemical shifts of the enriched positions as well as that of 31P. From these measurements, it was possible to deduce information about the hydrogen-bonding pattern of FMN in the protein, the hybridization states of the nitrogen atoms and (in part) the pi-electron distribution. The carbonyl groups at C(2) and C(4) and the nitrogen atoms N(1) and N(5) form hydrogen bonds to the apoenzyme in both redox states. Nevertheless, according to 15N-chemical shifts, the bond from the protein to N(3) is very weak in both redox states, whereas that to N(5) is strong for the oxidized state, and is weakened upon flavin reduction. On the other hand, the 13C-NMR results indicate that the C(2) and C(4) carbonyl oxygens form stronger hydrogen bonds with the enzyme than most other flavoproteins in both redox states. From coupling constant measurements it is shown that the N(3) proton is not solvent accessible. Although no N-H coupling constant could be measured for N(5) in the reduced state due to lack of resolution, N(5) is clearly protonated in flavocytochrome b2 as in all other known flavoproteins. With respect to N(10), it is more sp3-hybridized in the oxidized state than in free FMN, whereas the other nitrogen atoms show a nearly planar structure. In the reduced state, N(5) and N(10) in bound FMN are both more sp3-hybridized than in free FMN, but N(5) exhibits a higher degree of sp3-hybridization than N(10), which is only slightly shifted out of the isoalloxazine plane. In addition, two-electron reduction of the enzyme leads to anion formation on N(1), as indicated by its 15N-chemical shift of N(1) and characteristic upfield shifts of the resonances of C(2), C(4) and C(4a) compared to the oxidized state, as observed for most flavoproteins. 31P-NMR measurements show that the phosphate geometry has changed in enzyme bound FMN compared to the free flavin in water, indicating a strong interaction of the phosphate group with the apoenzyme.

Denaturation and reactivation of dimeric human glutathione reductase--an assay for folding inhibitors

Human glutathione reductase (GR; which catalyzes the reaction NADPH + GSSG + H+ --> 2 GSH + NADP+) is an obligatory FAD-containing homodimer of known geometry. Native human GR, a potential target of antimalarial and cytostatic agents, cannot be dissociated by dilution or by means of subunit-interface mimetics, similarly to well-studied viral dimeric proteins. However, ab initio folding and/or dimerization of human GR can be inhibited by point mutations or by peptides corresponding to subunit-interface areas, for example synthetic peptide P11, which represents the intersubunit-contact helix H11. The structure of this peptide, which might assist inhibitor design, was solved by high-resolution NMR spectroscopy. Residues 440-453, were found to be alpha helical in the isolated peptide. To quantitate the efficacy of inhibitors such as P11, we developed the following unfolding/reactivation assay. The effects of various guanidine hydrochloride (Gdn/HCl) concentrations were studied by analytical ultracentrifugation. It was shown that human GR denatured by greater than 3 M Gdn/HCl is monomeric and free of FAD. Circular-dichroism experiments at 223 nm indicated a half-life of approximately 20 s at 20 degrees C for the unfolding process. To optimize the reactivation yield, four parameters [protein concentration (x) in the range 0.3-10 microg/ml, cofactor supplementation, temperature (y: 0-32 degrees C), and time (0-72 h)] were varied systematically, and a reactivation score z was given to each constellation of parameters. This type of analysis might be useful to optimize refolding and activation yields for other proteins. For human GR, the highest recovery was found not to occur at one of the corners of the x,y plane, but close to its center. Consequently, the optimal assay conditions for folding and dimerization inhibitors are as follows. The enzyme (at 300 microg/ml) is denatured by 5 M guanidine hydrochloride/5 mM dithiothreitol, then reactivated by dilution to 1 microg/ml at pH 6.9 and 20 degrees C. In the absence of inhibitors, this procedure leads to 70% of the control activity within 8 h. Peptides representing the upper subunit interface (for instance residues 436-478) of human GR were found to inhibit refolding with EC50% values in the micromolar range, whereas fragments from other regions of the protein had no influence on this process. For peptide P11, the EC50% value was 20 microM. In conclusion, hGR, enzyme with a tight intersubunit contact area of 21 nm2, appears to be suitable for studying protein folding, dimerization, and prosthetic-group complexation in the absence and presence of compounds that inhibit these processes. There is a shortage, at least for oligomeric enzymes of eukaryotes, of published systematic studies on protein (re)activation.

Glycerol-induced development of catalytically active conformation of Crotalus adamanteus L-amino acid oxidase in vitro

The reconstitutable apoprotein of Crotalus adamanteus L-amino acid oxidase was prepared using hydrophobic interaction chromatography. After reconstitution with flavin adenine dinucleotide, the resulting protein was inactive, with a perturbed conformation of the flavin binding site. Subsequently, a series of cosolvent-dependent compact intermediates was identified. The nearly complete activation of the reconstituted apoprotein and the restoration of its native flavin binding site was achieved in the presence of 50% glycerol. We provide evidence that in addition to a merely stabilizing effect of glycerol on native proteins, glycerol can also have a restorative effect on their compact equilibrium intermediates, and we suggest the hydrophobic effect as a dominating force in this in vitro-assisted restorative process.

Cloning, sequencing, and expression of clustered genes encoding beta-hydroxybutyryl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydrogenase, crotonase, and butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase from Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824

The enzymes beta-hydroxybutyryl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydrogenase (BHBD), crotonase, and butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase (BCD) from Clostridium acetobutylicum are responsible for the formation of butyryl-CoA from acetoacetyl-CoA. These enzymes are essential to both acid formation and solvent formation by clostridia. Clustered genes encoding BHBD, crotonase, BCD, and putative electron transfer flavoprotein alpha and beta subunits have been cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence of the crt gene indicates that it encodes crotonase, a protein with 261 amino acid residues and a calculated molecular mass of 28.2 kDa; the hbd gene encodes BHBD, with 282 residues and a molecular mass of 30.5 kDa. Three open reading frames (bcd, etfB, and etfA) are located between crt and hbd. The nucleotide sequence of bcd indicates that it encodes BCD, which consists of 379 amino acid residues and has high levels of homology with various acyl-CoA dehydrogenases. Open reading frames etfB and etfA, located downstream of bcd, encode 27.2- and 36.1-kDa proteins, respectively, and show homology with the fixAB genes and the alpha and beta subunits of the electron transfer flavoprotein. These findings suggest that BCD in clostridia might interact with the electron transfer flavoprotein in its redox function. Primer extension analysis identified a promoter consensus sequence upstream of the crt gene, suggesting that the clustered genes are transcribed as a transcriptional unit and form a BCS (butyryl-CoA synthesis) operon. A DNA fragment containing the entire BCS operon was subcloned into an Escherichia coli-C. acetobutylicum shuttle vector. Enzyme activity assays showed that crotonase and BHBD were highly overproduced in cell extracts from E. coli harboring the subclone. In C. acetobutylicum harboring the subclone, the activities of the enzymes crotonase, BHBD, and BCD were elevated.

The conformational stability of the redox states of lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii

The conformational stability of holo-lipoamide and apo-lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii was studied by thermoinactivation, unfolding and limited proteolysis. The oxidized holoenzyme is thermostable, showing a melting temperature, tm = 80 degrees C. The thermal stability of the holoenzyme drastically decreases upon reduction. Unlike the oxidized and lipoamide two-electron reduced enzyme species, the NADH four-electron reduced enzyme is highly sensitive to unfolding by urea. Loss of energy transfer from Trp199 to flavin reflects the unfolding of the oxidized holoenzyme by guanidine hydrochloride. Unfolding of the monomeric apoenzyme is a rapid fully reversible process, following a simple two-state mechanism. The oxidized and two-electron reduced holoenzyme are resistant to limited proteolysis by trypsin and endoproteinase Glu-C. Upon cleavage of the apoenzyme or four-electron reduced holoenzyme by both proteases, large peptide fragments (molecular mass greater than 40 kDa) are transiently produced. Sequence studies show that limited trypsinolysis of the NADH-reduced enzyme starts mainly at the C-terminus of Arg391. In the apoenzyme, limited proteolysis by endoproteinase Glu-C starts from the C-terminus at the carboxyl ends of Glu459 and/or Glu435. From crystallographic data it is deduced that the susceptible amino acid peptide bonds are situated near the subunit interface. Thus, these bonds are inaccessible to the proteases in the dimeric enzyme and become accessible after monomerization. It is concluded that reduction of lipoamide dehydrogenase to the four-electron reduced state(s) is accompanied by conformational changes promoting subunit dissociation.

Lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii: site-directed mutagenesis of the His450-Glu455 diad. Spectral properties of wild type and mutated enzymes

Three amino acid residues in the active site of lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii were replaced by other residues. His450, the active-site base, was changed into Ser, Tyr and Phe. Pro451, in cis conformation, was changed into Ala. Glu455 was replaced with Asp and Gln. Absorption, fluorescence and CD spectroscopy of the mutated enzymes in their oxidized state (Eox) showed only minor changes with respect to the wild-type enzyme, whereas considerable changes were observed in the spectra of the two-electron-reduced (EH2) species of the enzymes upon reduction by the substrate dihydrolipoamide. Differences in extent of reduction of the flavin by NADH indicate that the redox potential of the flavin is altered by the mutations. Enzyme Pro451----Ala [corrected] showed the greatest deviation from wild type. The enzyme is very easily over-reduced to the four-electron reduced state (EH4) by dihydrolipoamide. This is probably due to a change in the backbone conformation caused by the cis-trans conversion. From studies on the pH dependence of the thiolate charge-transfer absorption and the relative fluorescence of EH2 of the enzymes, it is concluded that mutation of His450 results in a relatively simple and easily interpreted distribution of electronic species at the EH2 level. For all three His450-mutated enzymes an apparent pKa1 near 5.5 is calculated that is assigned to the interchange thiol. A second apparent pKa2 is calculated of 6.9, 7.5 and 7.1 for the His450----Phe, -Ser and -Tyr enzymes, respectively, and signifies the deprotonation of the tautomeric equilibrium between the interchange and charge-transfer thiols. The difference in apparent pKa2 values between the His450-mutated enzymes is explained by changes in micropolarity. At the EH2 level the wild-type enzyme consists of multiple electronic forms as reported for the Escherichia coli enzyme [Wilkinson, K. D. and Williams C. H. Jr (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 852-862]. Based on the results obtained with the His450-mutated enzymes, it is concluded that the lowest pKa is associated with the interchange thiol. A model for the equilibrium species of the wild-type enzyme at the EH2 level is presented which takes three pKa values into account. The results of the pH dependence of the electronic species at the EH2 level of Glu455-mutated enzymes essentially follow the model proposed for the wild-type enzyme. However mutation of Glu455 shifts the tautomeric equilibrium of EH2 in favor of the charge-transfer species.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Purification and characterisation of 3-hydroxyphenylacetate 6-hydroxylase: a novel FAD-dependent monooxygenase from a Flavobacterium species

3-Hydroxyphenylacetate 6-hydroxylase was purified 70-fold from a Flavobacterium sp. grown upon phenylacetic acid as its sole carbon and energy source. The presence of FAD and dithiothreitol during purification is essential for high recovery of active enzyme. SDS/PAGE of purified enzyme reveals a single band with a minimum molecular mass of 63 kDa. Analytical gel-filtration, sedimentation-equilibrium and sedimentation-velocity experiments indicate that the purified enzyme exists in solution mainly as a dimer, containing 1 molecule non-covalently bound FAD/subunit. 3-Hydroxyphenylacetate 6-hydroxylase utilizes NADH and NADPH as external electron donors with similar efficiency. The enzyme shows a narrow substrate specificity. Only the primary substrate 3-hydroxyphenylacetate is hydroxylated efficiently, yielding 2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetate as a product. During turnover, the substrate analogues 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate and 4-hydroxyphenylacetate are partially hydroxylated, exclusively at the 6' (2') position. The physiological product 2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetate acts as an effector, strongly stimulating NAD(P)H oxidation. The activity of 3-hydroxyphenylacetate 6-hydroxylase is severely inhibited by chloride ions, competitive to the aromatic substrate. In the native state of enzyme, two sulfhydryl groups are accessible to 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate). Titration with stoichiometric amounts of either 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) or mercurial reagents completely blocks enzyme activity. Inactivation by cysteine reagents is inhibited by the substrate 3-hydroxyphenylacetate. The original activity is fully restored by treatment of the modified enzyme with dithiothreitol. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme lacks the consensus sequence GXGXXG, found at the N-termini of all flavin-dependent external monooxygenases sequenced so far. The amino acid composition of 3-hydroxyphenylacetate 6-hydroxylase is also presented.

Interaction of lipoamide dehydrogenase with the dihydrolipoyl transacetylase component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from Azotobacter vinelandii

The interaction between lipoamide dehydrogenase (E3) and dihydrolipoyl transacetylase (E2p) from the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex was studied during the reconstitution of monomeric E3 apoenzymes from Azotobacter vinelandii and Pseudomonas fluorescens. The dimeric form of E3 is not only essential for catalysis but also for binding to the E2p core, because the apoenzymes as well as a monomeric holoenzyme from P. fluorescens, which can be stabilized as an intermediate at 0 degree C, do not bind to E2p. Lipoamide dehydrogenase from A. vinelandii contains a C-terminal extension of 15 amino acids with respect to glutathione reductase which is, in contrast to E3, presumably not part of a multienzyme complex. Furthermore, the last 10 amino acid residues of E3 are not visible in the electron density map of the crystal structure and are probably disordered. Therefore, the C-terminal tail of E3 might be an attractive candidate for a binding region. To probe this hypothesis, a set of deletions of this part was prepared by site-directed mutagenesis. Deletion of the last five amino acid residues did not result in significant changes. A further deletion of four amino acid residues resulted in a decrease of lipoamide activity to 5% of wild type, but the binding to E2p was unaffected. Therefore it is concluded that the C-terminus is not directly involved in binding to the E2p core. Deletion of the last 14 amino acids produced an enzyme with a high tendency to dissociate (Kd approximately 2.5 microM). This mutant binds only weakly to E2p. The diaphorase activity was still high. This indicates, together with the decreased Km for NADH, that the structure of the monomer is not appreciably changed by the mutation. Rather the orientation of the monomers with respect to each other is changed. It can be concluded that the binding region of E3 for E2p is constituted from structural parts of both monomers and binding occurs only when dimerization is complete.

On the FAD-induced dimerization of apo-lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Kinetics of reconstitution

The apoenzymes of lipoamide dehydrogenase from pig heart and from Pseudomonas fluorescens were prepared at pH 2.7 and pH 4.0, respectively, using a hydrophobic interaction chromatography procedure recently developed for lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii and other flavoproteins [Van Berkel et al. (1988) Eur. J. Biochem. 178, 197-207]. The apoenzyme from pig heart, having 5% of residual activity, shows an equilibrium between the monomeric and dimeric species. Both the yield and the degree of reconstitution of dimeric holoenzyme is 75% of starting material under optimal conditions. The kinetics of reconstitution of pig heart apoenzyme differ slightly from that obtained with the apoenzyme prepared by acid ammonium sulfate precipitation at pH 1.5 [Kalse, J. F. and Veeger, C. (1968) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 159, 244-256]. The apoenzyme from P. fluorescens is in the monomeric state and shows negligible residual activity. The yield and degree of reconstitution of the dimeric holoenzyme is more than 90% of starting material. Reconstitution of the apoenzymes from A. vinelandii and P. fluorescens involves minimally a two-step sequential process. Initial flavin-binding results in regaining of full dichloroindophenol activity, quenching of tryptophan fluorescence and strong increase of FAD fluorescence polarization. In the second step, dimerization occurs as reflected by regain of lipoamide activity, strongly increased FAD fluorescence and increased hyperchroism of the visible absorption spectrum. The kinetics of FAD-induced dimerization are strongly dependent on the apoenzyme used. At 0 degrees C, the monomeric apoenzyme-FAD complex is either stabilized (P. fluorescens) or only transiently detectable (A. vinelandii). Dimerization of P. fluorescens enzyme is strongly stimulated in the presence of NADH.