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Bevilaqua VR, Carvalho MC, Pelentir GF, Tomazini A, Murakami M, Viviani VR. Influence of the C-terminal domain on the bioluminescence activity and color determination in green and red emitting beetle luciferases and luciferase-like enzyme. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2021; 20:113-122. [PMID: 33721241 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-020-00007-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Beetle luciferases catalyze the bioluminescent oxidation of D-luciferin, producing bioluminescence colors ranging from green to red, using two catalytic steps: adenylation of D-luciferin to produce D-luciferyl-adenylate and PPi, and oxidation of D-luciferyl-adenylate, yielding AMP, CO2, and excited oxyluciferin, the emitter. Luciferases and CoA-ligases display a similar fold, with a large N-terminal domain, and a small C-terminal domain which undergoes rotation, closing the active site and promoting both adenylation and oxidative reactions. The effect of C-terminal domain deletion was already investigated for Photinus pyralis firefly luciferase, resulting in a red-emitting mutant with severely impacted luminescence activity. However, the contribution of C-terminal in the bioluminescence activities and colors of other beetle luciferases and related ancestral luciferases were not investigated yet. Here we compared the effects of the C-terminal domain deletion on green-emitting luciferases of Pyrearinus termitilluminans (Pte) click beetle and Phrixothrix vivianii railroadworm, and on the red-emitting luciferase of Phrixothrix hirtus railroadworm and luciferase-like enzyme of Zophobas morio. In all cases, the domain deletion severely impacted the overall bioluminescence activities and, slightly less, the oxidative activities, and usually red-shifted the bioluminescence colors. The results support the involvement of the C-terminal in shielding the active site from the solvent during the light emitting step. However, in Pte luciferase, the deletion caused only a 10 nm red-shift, indicating a distinctive active site which remains more shielded, independently of the C'-terminal. Altogether, the results confirm the main contribution of the C-terminal for the catalysis of the adenylation reaction and for active site shielding during the light emitting step.
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Affiliation(s)
- V R Bevilaqua
- Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Mariele C Carvalho
- Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Gabriel F Pelentir
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Sorocaba, Brazil
| | - Atílio Tomazini
- Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Mario Murakami
- Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Vadim R Viviani
- Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, Brazil. .,Department of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Sorocaba, Brazil. .,Graduate Program of Biotechnology and Environmental Monitoring, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rod. João Leme Dos Santos, SP 264, Km 110, Itinga, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
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Viviani VR, Pelentir GF, Oliveira G, Tomazini A, Bevilaqua VR. Role of E270 in pH- and metal-sensitivities of firefly luciferases. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2020; 19:1548-1558. [PMID: 33146219 DOI: 10.1039/d0pp00190b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Firefly luciferases display a typical change in bioluminescence color to red at acidic pH, high temperatures and in the presence of heavy metals. Recently, the proton and metal sensing site responsible for the pH-sensitivity of firefly luciferases, which involves the salt bridges between E311-R337 and H310-E354, was identified. However, it is unclear what other residues contribute to the distinct degrees of pH-sensitivity observed in other firefly luciferases. A multialignment of primary structures of a large set of pH-sensitive and pH-insensitive beetle luciferases showed that the conserved E270 among adult firefly luciferases is substituted by Gly (railroad worms)/Gln (click-beetles) in pH-insensitive ones. Site-directed mutagenesis studies using Macrolampis sp2 and Amydetes vivianii firefly luciferases indeed showed that E270 is important for the pH-dependent activity and spectral profiles: the substitution E270A/G drastically decreases the spectral pH-sensitivity, and extends the activity profile above pH 9.0. These mutations also decrease the sensitivity to metals such as zinc, mercury and cadmium. Modelling studies showed that the residue E270 is located in a three-glutamate motif (269EEE271) at the N-terminal of α-helix-10. The results suggest that at acidic pH, the protonation of E270 carboxylate may extend a turn of the helix at the N-terminal, misaligning the pH-sensor and luciferin phenolate binding site residues: S286, I288 and E311. In contrast, the substitution of E270A/G may unwind a turn of the α-helix-10, indirectly increasing the interaction of the pH-sensor and other residues at the bottom of the luciferin binding site, stabilizing the green light emitting conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- V R Viviani
- Graduate Program of Biotechnology and Environmental Monitoring, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia João Leme dos Santos, Km 110, Itinga, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil. and Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - G F Pelentir
- Graduate Program of Biotechnology and Environmental Monitoring, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia João Leme dos Santos, Km 110, Itinga, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
| | - G Oliveira
- Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - A Tomazini
- Brazilian Biorenewables Energy National Laboratory (LNBR), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - V R Bevilaqua
- Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
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Pelentir GF, Bevilaqua VR, Viviani VR. A highly efficient, thermostable and cadmium selective firefly luciferase suitable for ratiometric metal and pH biosensing and for sensitive ATP assays. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2019; 18:2061-2070. [PMID: 31339127 DOI: 10.1039/c9pp00174c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Firefly luciferases have been widely used for bioanalytical purposes during the last 5 decades. They usually emit yellow-green bioluminescence and are pH-sensitive, displaying a color change to red at acidic pH and higher temperature and in the presence of heavy metals. Besides the usual applications as bioanalytical reagents and as reporter genes, firefly luciferases' pH- and metal-sensitivities have been recently harnessed for intracellular metal and pH biosensing. Previously we cloned the luciferase of the Brazilian Amydetes vivianii firefly which displays the most blue-shifted color among known firefly luciferases. Here we purified it, characterized and investigated the kinetic properties and the pH, metal and thermal sensitivities of this firefly luciferase. This luciferase displays the lowest reported KM for ATP, the highest catalytic efficiencies, and the highest thermostability among the studied recombinant beetle luciferases, making this enzyme and its cDNA an ideal reagent for sensitive ATP assays and reporter gene. The blue-shifted spectrum, higher thermostability, lower pH- and thermal-sensitivities and protein fluorescence studies indicate a more rigid active site during light emission. This enzyme displays an unmatched selective spectral sensitivity for cadmium and mercury, making it a promising ratiometric indicator of such toxic metals. Finally, the weaker thermal-sensitivity compared to other firefly luciferases makes this enzyme a better ratiometric pH indicator at temperatures above 30 °C, suitable for mammalian cell assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- G F Pelentir
- Graduate School of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Bevilaqua VR, Matsuhashi T, Oliveira G, Oliveira PSL, Hirano T, Viviani VR. Phrixotrix luciferase and 6'-aminoluciferins reveal a larger luciferin phenolate binding site and provide novel far-red combinations for bioimaging purposes. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8998. [PMID: 31227722 PMCID: PMC6588592 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44534-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
How the unique luciferase of Phrixothrix hirtus (PxRE) railroad worm catalyzes the emission of red bioluminescence using the same luciferin of fireflies, remains a mystery. Although PxRE luciferase is a very attractive tool for bioanalysis and bioimaging in hemoglobin rich tissues, it displays lower quantum yield (15%) when compared to green emitting luciferases (>40%). To identify which parts of PxRE luciferin binding site (LBS) determine bioluminescence color, and to develop brighter and more red-shifted emitting luciferases, we compared the effects of site-directed mutagenesis and of larger 6′-substituted aminoluciferin analogues (6′-morpholino- and 6′-pyrrolidinyl-LH) on the bioluminescence properties of PxRE and green-yellow emitting beetle luciferases. The effects of mutations in the benzothiazolyl and thiazolyl parts of PxRE LBS on the KM and catalytic efficiencies, indicated their importance for luciferin binding and catalysis. However, the absence of effects on the bioluminescence spectrum indicated a less interactive LBS in PxRE during light emission. Mutations at the bottom of LBS of PxRE blue-shifted the spectra and increased catalytic efficiency, suggesting that lack of interactions of this part of LBS with excited oxyluciferin phenolate underlie red light emission. The much higher bioluminescence activity and red-shifted spectra of PxRE luciferase with 6′-morpholino- (634 nm) and 6′-pyrrolidinyl-luciferins (644 nm), when compared to other beetle luciferases, revealed a larger luciferin phenolate binding pocket. The size and orientation of the side-chains of L/I/H348 are critical for amino-analogues accommodation and modulate bioluminescence color, affecting the interactions and mobility of excited oxyluciferin phenolate. The PxRE luciferase and 6′-aminoluciferins provide potential far-red combinations for bioimaging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- V R Bevilaqua
- Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - T Matsuhashi
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Chofu, Tokyo, 182-8585, Japan
| | - G Oliveira
- Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - P S L Oliveira
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Zip Code 13083-970, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - T Hirano
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Chofu, Tokyo, 182-8585, Japan
| | - V R Viviani
- Graduate Program of Biotechnology and Environmental Monitoring, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia João Leme dos Santos, km 110, Itinga, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil. .,Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
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Viviani VR, Simões A, Bevilaqua VR, Gabriel GVM, Arnoldi FGC, Hirano T. Glu311 and Arg337 Stabilize a Closed Active-site Conformation and Provide a Critical Catalytic Base and Countercation for Green Bioluminescence in Beetle Luciferases. Biochemistry 2016; 55:4764-76. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- V. R. Viviani
- Graduate
Program of Biotechnology and Environmental Monitoring, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia João Leme dos Santos,
km 110, Itinga, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil
| | - A. Simões
- Graduate
Program of Biotechnology and Environmental Monitoring, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia João Leme dos Santos,
km 110, Itinga, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil
- Graduate
Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - V. R. Bevilaqua
- Graduate
Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - G. V. M. Gabriel
- Graduate
Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - F. G. C. Arnoldi
- Ribeirão
Preto School of Medicine, São Paulo University, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - T. Hirano
- Department
of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Chofu, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
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