Christian Molitor

Latent and active abPPO4 mushroom tyrosinase cocrystallized with hexatungstotellurate(VI) in a single crystal.

Mushroom tyrosinase isoform abPPO4 (Agaricus bisporus polyphenol oxidase 4) was crystallized by means of an Anderson-type polyoxometalate. The enzyme crystallized as a crystallographic heterodimer containing the zymogen (L-TYR; 64 kDa), the 21 kDa smaller activated form (A-TYR) and the polyoxometalate (POM) within one single crystal in a 1:1:1 ratio.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of latent isoform PPO4 mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) tyrosinase

Polyphenol oxidase 4 (PPO4) from the natural source A. bisporus was crystallized in its latent precursor form (pro-tyrosinase; Ser2–Thr565) using the 6-tungstotellurate(VI) salt Na6[TeW6O24]·22H2O as a crystallization additive.

Hen Egg-White Lysozyme Crystallisation: Protein Stacking and Structure Stability Enhanced by a Tellurium(VI)-Centred Polyoxotungstate

As synchrotron radiation becomes more intense, detectors become faster and structure‐solving software becomes more elaborate, obtaining single crystals suitable for data collection is now the bottleneck in macromolecular crystallography. Hence, there is a need for novel and advanced crystallisation agents with the ability to crystallise proteins that are otherwise challenging. Here, an Anderson–Evans‐type polyoxometalate (POM), specifically Na6[TeW6O24]⋅22 H2O (TEW), is employed as a crystallisation additive. Its effects on protein crystallisation are demonstrated with hen egg‐white lysozyme (HEWL), which co‐crystallises with TEW in the vicinity (or within) the liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) region. The X‐ray structure (PDB ID: 4PHI) determination revealed that TEW molecules are part of the crystal lattice, thus demonstrating specific binding to HEWL with electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds. The negatively charged TEW polyoxotungstate binds to sites with a positive electrostatic potential located between two (or more) symmetry‐related protein chains. Thus, TEW facilitates the formation of protein–protein interfaces of otherwise repulsive surfaces, and thereby the realisation of a stable crystal lattice. In addition to retaining the isomorphicity of the protein structure, the anomalous scattering of the POMs was used for macromolecular phasing. The results suggest that hexatungstotellurate(VI) has great potential as a crystallisation additive to promote both protein crystallisation and structure elucidation.

The Structure of a Plant Tyrosinase from Walnut Leaves Reveals the Importance of "Substrate-Guiding Residues" for Enzymatic Specificity.

Tyrosinases and catechol oxidases are members of the class of type III copper enzymes. While tyrosinases accept both mono- and o-diphenols as substrates, only the latter substrate is converted by catechol oxidases. Researchers have been working for decades to elucidate the monophenolase/diphenolase specificity on a structural level and have introduced an early hypothesis that states that the reason for the lack of monophenolase activity in catechol oxidases may be its structurally restricted active site. However, recent structural and biochemical studies of this enzyme class have raised doubts about this theory. Herein, the first crystal structure of a plant tyrosinase (from Juglans regia) is presented. The structure reveals that the distinction between mono- and diphenolase activity does not depend on the degree of restriction of the active site, and thus a more important role for amino acid residues located at the entrance to and in the second shell of the active site is proposed.

Purification and characterization of tyrosinase from walnut leaves (Juglans regia)

Graphical abstract Tyrosinase from walnut leaves (Juglans regia) corresponding to the known jrPPO1 sequence was purified and characterized. Two major tyrosinase forms differing only in their C-termini were identified. The first form (jrPPO1(Asp101 → Pro444)) is one amino acid shorter than the second form (jrPPO1(Asp101 → Arg445)).

Aurone synthase is a catechol oxidase with hydroxylase activity and provides insights into the mechanism of plant polyphenol oxidases

Significance Catechol oxidases and tyrosinases belong to the family of polyphenol oxidases (PPOs). In contrast to tyrosinases, catechol oxidases were so far defined to lack hydroxylase activity toward monophenols. Aurone synthase (AUS1) is a plant catechol oxidase that specializes in the conversion of chalcones to aurones (flower pigments). We evidence for the first time, to our knowledge, hydroxylase activity for a catechol oxidase (AUS1) toward its natural monophenolic substrate (chalcone). The presented first crystal structure of a plant pro-PPO provides insights into its activation mechanisms, and based on biochemical and structural studies of AUS1, we propose a novel catalytic reaction mechanism for plant PPOs. The proven hydroxylase functionality of AUS1 suggests that other catechol oxidases might also be involved in the plant’s secondary metabolism. Tyrosinases and catechol oxidases belong to the family of polyphenol oxidases (PPOs). Tyrosinases catalyze the o-hydroxylation and oxidation of phenolic compounds, whereas catechol oxidases were so far defined to lack the hydroxylation activity and catalyze solely the oxidation of o-diphenolic compounds. Aurone synthase from Coreopsis grandiflora (AUS1) is a specialized plant PPO involved in the anabolic pathway of aurones. We present, to our knowledge, the first crystal structures of a latent plant PPO, its mature active and inactive form, caused by a sulfation of a copper binding histidine. Analysis of the latent proenzyme’s interface between the shielding C-terminal domain and the main core provides insights into its activation mechanisms. As AUS1 did not accept common tyrosinase substrates (tyrosine and tyramine), the enzyme is classified as a catechol oxidase. However, AUS1 showed hydroxylase activity toward its natural substrate (isoliquiritigenin), revealing that the hydroxylase activity is not correlated with the acceptance of common tyrosinase substrates. Therefore, we propose that the hydroxylase reaction is a general functionality of PPOs. Molecular dynamics simulations of docked substrate–enzyme complexes were performed, and a key residue was identified that influences the plant PPO’s acceptance or rejection of tyramine. Based on the evidenced hydroxylase activity and the interactions of specific residues with the substrates during the molecular dynamics simulations, a novel catalytic reaction mechanism for plant PPOs is proposed. The presented results strongly suggest that the physiological role of plant catechol oxidases were previously underestimated, as they might hydroxylate their—so far unknown—natural substrates in vivo.

High level protein-purification allows the unambiguous polypeptide determination of latent isoform PPO4 of mushroom tyrosinase

Graphical abstract Mushroom tyrosinase diversity – six precursor isoforms, all capable of being activated and generating protein purification interfering compounds – is taking one step further to reconnaissance. This innovative method for protein purification provides access to latent tyrosinase from natural sources and enabled experiments revealing insights in a hitherto uncharacterized isoform.

Cloning and functional expression in E. coli of a polyphenol oxidase transcript from Coreopsis grandiflora involved in aurone formation

Polyphenol oxidases are involved in aurone biosynthesis but the gene responsible for 4‐deoxyaurone formation in Asteraceae was so far unknown. Three novel full‐length cDNA sequences were isolated from Coreopsis grandiflora with sizes of 1.80 kb (cgAUS1) and 1.85 kb (cgAUS2a, 2b), encoding for proteins of 68–69 kDa, respectively. cgAUS1 is preferably expressed in young petals indicating a specific role in pigment formation. The 58.9 kDa AUS1 holoproenzyme, was recombinantly expressed in E. coli and purified to homogeneity. The enzyme shows only diphenolase activity, catalyzing the conversion of chalcones to aurones and was characterized by SDS–PAGE and shot‐gun type nanoUHPLC–ESI‐MS/MS.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of latent, active and recombinantly expressed aurone synthase, a polyphenol oxidase, from Coreopsis grandiflora

Latent and active aurone synthase purified from petals of C. grandiflora (cgAUS1) were crystallized. The crystal quality of recombinantly expressed latent cgAUS1 was significantly improved by co-crystallization with the polyoxotungstate Na6[TeW6O24] within the liquid–liquid phase-separation zone.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of polyphenol oxidase from Juglans regia (jrPPO1)

The crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of a plant PPO exhibiting monophenolase activity from J. regia (jrPPO1) in its active form (Asp101–Arg445) are reported.