1
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Christoff RM, Soares da Costa TP, Bayat S, Holien JK, Perugini MA, Abbott BM. Synthesis and structure-activity relationship studies of 2,4-thiazolidinediones and analogous heterocycles as inhibitors of dihydrodipicolinate synthase. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 52:116518. [PMID: 34826680 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS), responsible for the first committed step of the diaminopimelate pathway for lysine biosynthesis, has become an attractive target for the development of new antibacterial and herbicidal agents. Herein, we report the discovery and exploration of the first inhibitors of E. coli DHDPS which have been identified from screening lead and are not based on substrates from the lysine biosynthesis pathway. Over 50 thiazolidinediones and related analogues have been prepared in order to thoroughly evaluate the structure-activity relationships against this enzyme of significant interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Christoff
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Tatiana P Soares da Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Saadi Bayat
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Jessica K Holien
- School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Matthew A Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Belinda M Abbott
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia.
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2
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Impey RE, Lee M, Hawkins DA, Sutton JM, Panjikar S, Perugini MA, Soares da Costa TP. Mis-annotations of a promising antibiotic target in high-priority gram-negative pathogens. FEBS Lett 2020; 594:1453-1463. [PMID: 31943170 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The rise of antibiotic resistance combined with the lack of new products entering the market has led to bacterial infections becoming one of the biggest threats to global health. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify novel antibiotic targets, such as dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS), an enzyme involved in the production of essential metabolites in cell wall and protein synthesis. Here, we utilised a 7-residue sequence motif to identify mis-annotation of multiple DHDPS genes in the high-priority Gram-negative bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. We subsequently confirmed these mis-annotations using a combination of enzyme kinetics and X-ray crystallography. Thus, this study highlights the need to ensure genes encoding promising drug targets, like DHDPS, are annotated correctly, especially for clinically important pathogens. PDB ID: 6UE0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael E Impey
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mihwa Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniel A Hawkins
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - J Mark Sutton
- National Infection Service, Research and Development Institute, Public Health England, Salisbury, UK
| | - Santosh Panjikar
- Australian Synchrotron, ANSTO, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew A Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tatiana P Soares da Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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3
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Majdi Yazdi M, Saran S, Mrozowich T, Lehnert C, Patel TR, Sanders DAR, Palmer DRJ. Asparagine-84, a regulatory allosteric site residue, helps maintain the quaternary structure of Campylobacter jejuni dihydrodipicolinate synthase. J Struct Biol 2019; 209:107409. [PMID: 31678256 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2019.107409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) from Campylobacter jejuni is a natively homotetrameric enzyme that catalyzes the first unique reaction of (S)-lysine biosynthesis and is feedback-regulated by lysine through binding to an allosteric site. High-resolution structures of the DHDPS-lysine complex have revealed significant insights into the binding events. One key asparagine residue, N84, makes hydrogen bonds with both the carboxyl and the α-amino group of the bound lysine. We generated two mutants, N84A and N84D, to study the effects of these changes on the allosteric site properties. However, under normal assay conditions, N84A displayed notably lower catalytic activity, and N84D showed no activity. Here we show that these mutations disrupt the quaternary structure of DHDPS in a concentration-dependent fashion, as demonstrated by size-exclusion chromatography, multi-angle light scattering, dynamic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and high-resolution protein crystallography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohadeseh Majdi Yazdi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C9, Canada
| | - Sagar Saran
- Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C9, Canada
| | - Tyler Mrozowich
- Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Cheyanne Lehnert
- Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C9, Canada
| | - Trushar R Patel
- Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4, Canada; Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology and DiscoveryLab, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada.
| | - David A R Sanders
- Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C9, Canada.
| | - David R J Palmer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C9, Canada.
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4
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Impey RE, Panjikar S, Hall CJ, Bock LJ, Sutton JM, Perugini MA, Soares da Costa TP. Identification of two dihydrodipicolinate synthase isoforms from Pseudomonas aeruginosa that differ in allosteric regulation. FEBS J 2019; 287:386-400. [PMID: 31330085 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections, accounting for 10% of all hospital-acquired infections. Current antibiotics against P. aeruginosa are becoming increasingly ineffective due to the exponential rise in drug resistance. Thus, there is an urgent need to validate and characterize novel drug targets to guide the development of new classes of antibiotics against this pathogen. One such target is the diaminopimelate (DAP) pathway, which is responsible for the biosynthesis of bacterial cell wall and protein building blocks, namely meso-DAP and lysine. The rate-limiting step of this pathway is catalysed by the enzyme dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS), typically encoded for in bacteria by a single dapA gene. Here, we show that P. aeruginosa encodes two functional DHDPS enzymes, PaDHDPS1 and PaDHDPS2. Although these isoforms have similar catalytic activities (kcat = 29 s-1 and 44 s-1 for PaDHDPS1 and PaDHDPS2, respectively), they are differentially allosterically regulated by lysine, with only PaDHDPS2 showing inhibition by the end product of the DAP pathway (IC50 = 130 μm). The differences in allostery are attributed to a single amino acid difference in the allosteric binding pocket at position 56. This is the first example of a bacterium that contains multiple bona fide DHDPS enzymes, which differ in allosteric regulation. We speculate that the presence of the two isoforms allows an increase in the metabolic flux through the DAP pathway when required in this clinically important pathogen. DATABASES: PDB ID: 6P90.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael E Impey
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Santosh Panjikar
- Australian Synchrotron, ANSTO, Clayton, Australia.,Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Cody J Hall
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Lucy J Bock
- National Infection Service, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK
| | - J Mark Sutton
- National Infection Service, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK
| | - Matthew A Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Tatiana P Soares da Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
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5
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Christoff RM, Gardhi CK, Soares da Costa TP, Perugini MA, Abbott BM. Pursuing DHDPS: an enzyme of unrealised potential as a novel antibacterial target. MEDCHEMCOMM 2019. [DOI: 10.1039/c9md00107g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
DHDPS represents a novel enzyme target for the development of new antibiotics to combat multidrug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M. Christoff
- Department of Chemistry and Physics
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science
- La Trobe University
- Melbourne
- Australia
| | - Chamodi K. Gardhi
- Department of Chemistry and Physics
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science
- La Trobe University
- Melbourne
- Australia
| | - Tatiana P. Soares da Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science
- La Trobe University
- Melbourne
- Australia
| | - Matthew A. Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science
- La Trobe University
- Melbourne
- Australia
| | - Belinda M. Abbott
- Department of Chemistry and Physics
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science
- La Trobe University
- Melbourne
- Australia
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6
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Ren W, Tao J, Shi D, Chen W, Chen C. Involvement of a dihydrodipicolinate synthase gene (FaDHDPS1) in fungal development, pathogenesis and stress responses in Fusarium asiaticum. BMC Microbiol 2018; 18:128. [PMID: 30290767 PMCID: PMC6173861 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-018-1268-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) is an allosteric enzyme, which catalyzes the first unique step of lysine biosynthesis in prokaryotes, higher plants and some fungi. To date, the biological roles of DHDPS in filamentous fungi are poorly understood. RESULTS In this study, on the basis of comparative genome resequencing, a DHDPS gene was found to be specific in Fusarium asiaticum, named FaDHDPS1, which showed high amino acid identity to that of entomopathogenic fungus. Subcellular localization of the FaDHDPS1-GFP fusion protein was mainly concentrated in the cytoplasm of conidia and dispersed in the cytoplasm during conidial germination. To reveal the biological functions, both deletion and complementation mutants of FaDHDPS1 were generated. The results showed that the FaDHDPS1 deletion mutant was defective in conidiation, virulence and DON biosynthesis. In addition, deletion of FaDHDPS1 resulted in tolerance to sodium pyruvate, lysine, low temperature and Congo red. CONCLUSION Results of this study indicate that FaDHDPS1 plays an important role in the regulation of vegetative differentiation, pathogenesis and adaption to multiple stresses in F. asiaticum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichao Ren
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 Jiangsu China
| | - Jiting Tao
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 Jiangsu China
| | - Dongya Shi
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 Jiangsu China
| | - Wenchan Chen
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 Jiangsu China
| | - Changjun Chen
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 Jiangsu China
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7
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Gupta R, Hogan CJ, Perugini MA, Soares da Costa TP. Characterization of recombinant dihydrodipicolinate synthase from the bread wheat Triticum aestivum. PLANTA 2018; 248:381-391. [PMID: 29744651 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-018-2894-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant wheat DHDPS was produced for the first time in milligram quantities and shown to be an enzymatically active tetramer in solution using analytical ultracentrifugation and small angle X-ray scattering. Wheat is an important cereal crop with an extensive role in global food supply. Given our rapidly growing population, strategies to increase the nutritional value and production of bread wheat are of major significance in agricultural science to satisfy our dietary requirements. Lysine is one of the most limiting essential amino acids in wheat, thus, a thorough understanding of lysine biosynthesis is of upmost importance to improve its nutritional value. Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS; EC 4.3.3.7) catalyzes the first committed step in the lysine biosynthesis pathway of plants. Here, we report for the first time the expression and purification of recombinant DHDPS from the bread wheat Triticum aestivum (Ta-DHDPS). The optimized protocol yielded 36 mg of > 98% pure recombinant Ta-DHDPS per liter of culture. Enzyme kinetic studies demonstrate that the recombinant Ta-DHDPS has a KM (pyruvate) of 0.45 mM, KM (l-aspartate-4-semialdehyde) of 0.07 mM, kcat of 56 s-1, and is inhibited by lysine (IC 50 LYS of 0.033 mM), which agree well with previous studies using labor-intensive purification from wheat suspension cultures. We subsequently employed circular dichroism spectroscopy, analytical ultracentrifugation and small angle X-ray scattering to show that the recombinant enzyme is folded with 60% α/β structure and exists as a 7.5 S tetrameric species with a Rg of 33 Å and Dmax of 118 Å. This study is the first to report the biophysical properties of the recombinant Ta-DHDPS in aqueous solution and offers an excellent platform for future studies aimed at improving nutritional value and primary production of bread wheat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Campbell J Hogan
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Matthew A Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
| | - Tatiana P Soares da Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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8
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Atkinson SC, Dogovski C, Wood K, Griffin MDW, Gorman MA, Hor L, Reboul CF, Buckle AM, Wuttke J, Parker MW, Dobson RCJ, Perugini MA. Substrate Locking Promotes Dimer-Dimer Docking of an Enzyme Antibiotic Target. Structure 2018; 26:948-959.e5. [PMID: 29804823 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2018.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Protein dynamics manifested through structural flexibility play a central role in the function of biological molecules. Here we explore the substrate-mediated change in protein flexibility of an antibiotic target enzyme, Clostridium botulinum dihydrodipicolinate synthase. We demonstrate that the substrate, pyruvate, stabilizes the more active dimer-of-dimers or tetrameric form. Surprisingly, there is little difference between the crystal structures of apo and substrate-bound enzyme, suggesting protein dynamics may be important. Neutron and small-angle X-ray scattering experiments were used to probe substrate-induced dynamics on the sub-second timescale, but no significant changes were observed. We therefore developed a simple technique, coined protein dynamics-mass spectrometry (ProD-MS), which enables measurement of time-dependent alkylation of cysteine residues. ProD-MS together with X-ray crystallography and analytical ultracentrifugation analyses indicates that pyruvate locks the conformation of the dimer that promotes docking to the more active tetrameric form, offering insight into ligand-mediated stabilization of multimeric enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Atkinson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, 30 Flemington Road, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Con Dogovski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, 30 Flemington Road, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Kathleen Wood
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia
| | - Michael D W Griffin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, 30 Flemington Road, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Michael A Gorman
- ACRF Rational Drug Discovery Centre, St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia
| | - Lilian Hor
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, 30 Flemington Road, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Cyril F Reboul
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Ashley M Buckle
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Joachim Wuttke
- Juelich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS), at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, Lichtenstrasse 1, Garching 85 747, Germany
| | - Michael W Parker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, 30 Flemington Road, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; ACRF Rational Drug Discovery Centre, St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia
| | - Renwick C J Dobson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, 30 Flemington Road, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Biomolecular Interaction Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag, Christchurch 4800, New Zealand
| | - Matthew A Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, 30 Flemington Road, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia.
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9
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Desbois S, John UP, Perugini MA. Dihydrodipicolinate synthase is absent in fungi. Biochimie 2018; 152:73-84. [PMID: 29959064 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2018.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The class I aldolase dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) catalyzes the first committed step of the diaminopimelate (DAP) lysine biosynthesis pathway in bacteria, archaea and plants. Despite the existence, in databases, of numerous fungal sequences annotated as DHDPS, its presence in fungi has been the subject of contradictory claims. We report the characterization of DHDPS candidates from fungi. Firstly, the putative DHDPS from Coccidioides immitis (PDB ID: 3QFE) was shown to have negligible enzyme activity. Sequence analysis of 3QFE showed that three out of the seven amino acid residues critical for DHDPS activity are absent; however, exact matches to catalytic residues from two other class I aldolases, 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate aldolase (KDGA), and 4-hydroxy-2-oxoglutarate aldolase (HOGA), were identified. The presence of both KDGA and HOGA activity in 3QFE was confirmed in vitro using enzyme assays, the first report of such dual activity. Subsequent analyses of all publically available fungal sequences revealed that no entry contains all seven residues important for DHDPS function. The candidate with the highest number of identities (6 of 7), KIW77228 from Fonsecaea pedrosoi, was shown to have trace DHDPS activity in vitro, partially restored by substitution of the seventh critical residue, and to be incapable of complementing DHDPS-deficient E. coli cells. Combined with the presence of all seven sequences for the alternative α-aminoadipate (AAA) lysine biosynthesis pathway in C. immitis and F. pedrosoi, we believe that DHDPS and the DAP pathway are absent in fungi, and further, that robust informed methods for annotating genes need to be implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastien Desbois
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Ulrik P John
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, VIC, 3086, Australia; Agriculture Victoria Research, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, AgriBio, La Trobe University, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Matthew A Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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10
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Soares da Costa TP, Abbott BM, Gendall AR, Panjikar S, Perugini MA. Molecular evolution of an oligomeric biocatalyst functioning in lysine biosynthesis. Biophys Rev 2018; 10:153-162. [PMID: 29204887 PMCID: PMC5899710 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-017-0350-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) is critical to the production of lysine through the diaminopimelate (DAP) pathway. Elucidation of the function, regulation and structure of this key class I aldolase has been the focus of considerable study in recent years, given that the dapA gene encoding DHDPS has been found to be essential to bacteria and plants. Allosteric inhibition by lysine is observed for DHDPS from plants and some bacterial species, the latter requiring a histidine or glutamate at position 56 (Escherichia coli numbering) over a basic amino acid. Structurally, two DHDPS monomers form the active site, which binds pyruvate and (S)-aspartate β-semialdehyde, with most dimers further dimerising to form a tetrameric arrangement around a solvent-filled centre cavity. The architecture and behaviour of these dimer-of-dimers is explored in detail, including biophysical studies utilising analytical ultracentrifugation, small-angle X-ray scattering and macromolecular crystallography that show bacterial DHDPS tetramers adopt a head-to-head quaternary structure, compared to the back-to-back arrangement observed for plant DHDPS enzymes. Finally, the potential role of pyruvate in providing substrate-mediated stabilisation of DHDPS is considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana P Soares da Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Belinda M Abbott
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Anthony R Gendall
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBiosciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Santosh Panjikar
- Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton Campus, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Matthew A Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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11
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Gupta R, Soares da Costa TP, Faou P, Dogovski C, Perugini MA. Comparison of untagged and his-tagged dihydrodipicolinate synthase from the enteric pathogen Vibrio cholerae. Protein Expr Purif 2018; 145:85-93. [PMID: 29337198 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Given the emergence of multi drug resistant Vibrio cholerae strains, there is an urgent need to characterize new anti-cholera targets. One such target is the enzyme dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS; EC 4.3.3.7), which catalyzes the first committed step in the diaminopimelate pathway. This pathway is responsible for the production of two key metabolites in bacteria and plants, namely meso-2,6-diaminopimelate and L-lysine. Here, we report the cloning, expression and purification of untagged and His-tagged recombinant DHDPS from V. cholerae (Vc-DHDPS) and provide comparative structural and kinetic analyses. Structural studies employing circular dichroism spectroscopy and analytical ultracentrifugation demonstrate that the recombinant enzymes are folded and exist as dimers in solution. Kinetic analyses of untagged and His-tagged Vc-DHDPS show that the enzymes are functional with specific activities of 75.6 U/mg and 112 U/mg, KM (pyruvate) of 0.14 mM and 0.15 mM, KM (L-aspartate-4-semialdehyde) of 0.08 mM and 0.09 mM, and kcat of 34 and 46 s-1, respectively. These results demonstrate there are no significant changes in the structure and function of Vc-DHDPS upon the addition of an N-terminal His tag and, hence, the tagged recombinant product is suitable for future studies, including screening for new inhibitors as potential anti-cholera agents. Additionally, a polyclonal antibody raised against untagged Vc-DHDPS is validated for specifically detecting recombinant and native forms of the enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Tatiana P Soares da Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Pierre Faou
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Con Dogovski
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Matthew A Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia.
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12
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Soares da Costa TP, Patel M, Desbois S, Gupta R, Faou P, Perugini MA. Identification of a dimeric KDG aldolase from
Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Proteins 2017; 85:2058-2065. [DOI: 10.1002/prot.25359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana P. Soares da Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and GeneticsLa Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe UniversityMelbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Madhvi Patel
- Department of Biochemistry and GeneticsLa Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe UniversityMelbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Sebastien Desbois
- Department of Biochemistry and GeneticsLa Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe UniversityMelbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Ruchi Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry and GeneticsLa Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe UniversityMelbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Pierre Faou
- Department of Biochemistry and GeneticsLa Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe UniversityMelbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Matthew A. Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and GeneticsLa Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe UniversityMelbourne Victoria Australia
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13
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Christensen JB, Soares da Costa TP, Faou P, Pearce FG, Panjikar S, Perugini MA. Structure and Function of Cyanobacterial DHDPS and DHDPR. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37111. [PMID: 27845445 PMCID: PMC5109050 DOI: 10.1038/srep37111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Lysine biosynthesis in bacteria and plants commences with a condensation reaction catalysed by dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) followed by a reduction reaction catalysed by dihydrodipicolinate reductase (DHDPR). Interestingly, both DHDPS and DHDPR exist as different oligomeric forms in bacteria and plants. DHDPS is primarily a homotetramer in all species, but the architecture of the tetramer differs across kingdoms. DHDPR also exists as a tetramer in bacteria, but has recently been reported to be dimeric in plants. This study aimed to characterise for the first time the structure and function of DHDPS and DHDPR from cyanobacteria, which is an evolutionary important phylum that evolved at the divergence point between bacteria and plants. We cloned, expressed and purified DHDPS and DHDPR from the cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis. The recombinant enzymes were shown to be folded by circular dichroism spectroscopy, enzymatically active employing the quantitative DHDPS-DHDPR coupled assay, and form tetramers in solution using analytical ultracentrifugation. Crystal structures of DHDPS and DHDPR from A. variabilis were determined at 1.92 Å and 2.83 Å, respectively, and show that both enzymes adopt the canonical bacterial tetrameric architecture. These studies indicate that the quaternary structure of bacterial and plant DHDPS and DHDPR diverged after cyanobacteria evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janni B. Christensen
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - T. P. Soares da Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Pierre Faou
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - F. Grant Pearce
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Santosh Panjikar
- Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Matthew A. Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia
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14
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Soares da Costa TP, Desbois S, Dogovski C, Gorman MA, Ketaren NE, Paxman JJ, Siddiqui T, Zammit LM, Abbott BM, Robins-Browne RM, Parker MW, Jameson GB, Hall NE, Panjikar S, Perugini MA. Structural Determinants Defining the Allosteric Inhibition of an Essential Antibiotic Target. Structure 2016; 24:1282-1291. [PMID: 27427481 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2016.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Revised: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) catalyzes the first committed step in the lysine biosynthesis pathway of bacteria. The pathway can be regulated by feedback inhibition of DHDPS through the allosteric binding of the end product, lysine. The current dogma states that DHDPS from Gram-negative bacteria are inhibited by lysine but orthologs from Gram-positive species are not. The 1.65-Å resolution structure of the Gram-negative Legionella pneumophila DHDPS and the 1.88-Å resolution structure of the Gram-positive Streptococcus pneumoniae DHDPS bound to lysine, together with comprehensive functional analyses, show that this dogma is incorrect. We subsequently employed our crystallographic data with bioinformatics, mutagenesis, enzyme kinetics, and microscale thermophoresis to reveal that lysine-mediated inhibition is not defined by Gram staining, but by the presence of a His or Glu at position 56 (Escherichia coli numbering). This study has unveiled the molecular determinants defining lysine-mediated allosteric inhibition of bacterial DHDPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana P Soares da Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Sebastien Desbois
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Con Dogovski
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Michael A Gorman
- St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia
| | - Natalia E Ketaren
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Jason J Paxman
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Tanzeela Siddiqui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Leanne M Zammit
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Belinda M Abbott
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Roy M Robins-Browne
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Michael W Parker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia
| | - Geoffrey B Jameson
- Centre for Structural Biology, Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Nathan E Hall
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Santosh Panjikar
- Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Matthew A Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia.
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15
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Gordon SE, Weber DK, Downton MT, Wagner J, Perugini MA. Dynamic Modelling Reveals 'Hotspots' on the Pathway to Enzyme-Substrate Complex Formation. PLoS Comput Biol 2016; 12:e1004811. [PMID: 26967332 PMCID: PMC4788353 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) catalyzes the first committed step in the diaminopimelate pathway of bacteria, yielding amino acids required for cell wall and protein biosyntheses. The essentiality of the enzyme to bacteria, coupled with its absence in humans, validates DHDPS as an antibacterial drug target. Conventional drug design efforts have thus far been unsuccessful in identifying potent DHDPS inhibitors. Here, we make use of contemporary molecular dynamics simulation and Markov state models to explore the interactions between DHDPS from the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus and its cognate substrate, pyruvate. Our simulations recover the crystallographic DHDPS-pyruvate complex without a priori knowledge of the final bound structure. The highly conserved residue Arg140 was found to have a pivotal role in coordinating the entry of pyruvate into the active site from bulk solvent, consistent with previous kinetic reports, indicating an indirect role for the residue in DHDPS catalysis. A metastable binding intermediate characterized by multiple points of intermolecular interaction between pyruvate and key DHDPS residue Arg140 was found to be a highly conserved feature of the binding trajectory when comparing alternative binding pathways. By means of umbrella sampling we show that these binding intermediates are thermodynamically metastable, consistent with both the available experimental data and the substrate binding model presented in this study. Our results provide insight into an important enzyme-substrate interaction in atomistic detail that offers the potential to be exploited for the discovery of more effective DHDPS inhibitors and, in a broader sense, dynamic protein-drug interactions. Interactions between proteins and ligands underpin many important biological processes, such as binding of substrates to their cognate enzymes in the process of catalysis. These interactions are complex, often requiring several intermediate steps to fully transition into the bound state. Here, we have used computational simulation to study binding of pyruvate to Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS), an enzyme in the bacterial diaminopimelate pathway. In bacteria, such as the human pathogen S. aureus, DHDPS functions to make building blocks necessary for protein and bacterial cell wall biosyntheses. As the enzyme is absent in humans, yet essential for bacterial growth, DHDPS is a valid target for broad-range antibiotics. However, known DHDPS inhibitors show poor potency. One avenue that has not yet been taken into consideration for inhibitor design is the dynamics of DHDPS’s interaction with its reaction substrates (e.g. pyruvate). Using molecular dynamics simulation, we find that pyruvate binding to DHDPS must pass through a transition intermediate ‘hotspot’ in which the substrate is held in place by a dense network of noncovalent bonds. Given that many of the protein residues involved in this interaction are also shared by DHDPS from many pathogenic bacteria, this binding intermediate ‘hotspot’ may help in development of better broad-range DHDPS inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane E. Gordon
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Computational Biophysics, IBM Research - Australia, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniel K. Weber
- Computational Biophysics, IBM Research - Australia, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew T. Downton
- Computational Biophysics, IBM Research - Australia, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - John Wagner
- Computational Biophysics, IBM Research - Australia, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew A. Perugini
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
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16
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Peverelli MG, Soares da Costa TP, Kirby N, Perugini MA. Dimerization of Bacterial Diaminopimelate Decarboxylase Is Essential for Catalysis. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:9785-95. [PMID: 26921318 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.696591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Diaminopimelate decarboxylase (DAPDC) catalyzes the final step in the diaminopimelate biosynthesis pathway of bacteria. The product of the reaction is the essential amino acid l-lysine, which is an important precursor for the synthesis of the peptidoglycan cell wall, housekeeping proteins, and virulence factors of bacteria. Accordingly, the enzyme is a promising antibacterial target. Previous structural studies demonstrate that DAPDC exists as monomers, dimers, and tetramers in the crystal state. However, the active oligomeric form has not yet been determined. We show using analytical ultracentrifugation, small angle x-ray scattering, and enzyme kinetic analyses in solution that the active form of DAPDC from Bacillus anthracis, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Vibrio cholerae is a dimer. The importance of dimerization was probed further by generating dimerization interface mutants (N381A and R385A) of V. cholerae DAPDC. Our studies indicate that N381A and R385A are significantly attenuated in catalytic activity, thus confirming that dimerization of DAPDC is essential for function. These findings provide scope for the development of new antibacterial agents that prevent DAPDC dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin G Peverelli
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3010, and
| | - Tatiana P Soares da Costa
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086
| | - Nigel Kirby
- the The Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Matthew A Perugini
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3010, and
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17
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Skovpen YV, Conly CJT, Sanders DAR, Palmer DRJ. Biomimetic Design Results in a Potent Allosteric Inhibitor of Dihydrodipicolinate Synthase from Campylobacter jejuni. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:2014-20. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b12695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yulia V. Skovpen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science
Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5C9
| | - Cuylar J. T. Conly
- Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science
Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5C9
| | - David A. R. Sanders
- Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science
Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5C9
| | - David R. J. Palmer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science
Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5C9
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18
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Abstract
Here, we review recent studies aimed at defining the importance of quaternary structure to a model oligomeric enzyme, dihydrodipicolinate synthase. This will illustrate the complementary and synergistic outcomes of coupling the techniques of analytical ultracentrifugation with enzyme kinetics, in vitro mutagenesis, macromolecular crystallography, small angle X-ray scattering, and molecular dynamics simulations, to demonstrate the role of subunit self-association in facilitating protein dynamics and enzyme function. This multitechnique approach has yielded new insights into the molecular evolution of protein quaternary structure.
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19
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Atkinson SC, Hor L, Dogovski C, Dobson RCJ, Perugini MA. Identification of the bona fide DHDPS from a common plant pathogen. Proteins 2014; 82:1869-83. [PMID: 24677246 DOI: 10.1002/prot.24539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2013] [Revised: 01/06/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a Gram-negative soil-borne bacterium that causes Crown Gall disease in many economically important crops. The absence of a suitable chemical treatment means there is a need to discover new anti-Crown Gall agents and also characterize bona fide drug targets. One such target is dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS), a homo-tetrameric enzyme that catalyzes the committed step in the metabolic pathway yielding meso-diaminopimelate and lysine. Interestingly, there are 10 putative DHDPS genes annotated in the A. tumefaciens genome, including three whose structures have recently been determined (PDB IDs: 3B4U, 2HMC, and 2R8W). However, we show using quantitative enzyme kinetic assays that nine of the 10 dapA gene products, including 3B4U, 2HMC, and 2R8W, lack DHDPS function in vitro. A sequence alignment showed that the product of the dapA7 gene contains all of the conserved residues known to be important for DHDPS catalysis and allostery. This gene was cloned and the recombinant product expressed and purified. Our studies show that the purified enzyme (i) possesses DHDPS enzyme activity, (ii) is allosterically inhibited by lysine, and (iii) adopts the canonical homo-tetrameric structure in both solution and the crystal state. This study describes for the first time the structure, function and allostery of the bona fide DHDPS from A. tumefaciens, which offers insight into the rational design of pesticide agents for combating Crown Gall disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Atkinson
- Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
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