Hirofumi Komori

Crystal structure of thermostable DNA photolyase: Pyrimidine-dimer recognition mechanism

DNA photolyase is a pyrimidine-dimer repair enzyme that uses visible light. Photolyase generally contains two chromophore cofactors. One is a catalytic cofactor directly contributing to the repair of a pyrimidine-dimer. The other is a light-harvesting cofactor, which absorbs visible light and transfers energy to the catalytic cofactor. Photolyases are classified according to their second cofactor into either a folate- or deazaflavin-type. The native structures of both types of photolyases have already been determined, but the mechanism of substrate recognition remains largely unclear because of the lack of structural information regarding the photolyase-substrate complex. Photolyase from Thermus thermophilus, the first thermostable class I photolyase found, is favorable for function analysis, but even the type of the second cofactor has not been identified. Here, we report the crystal structures of T. thermophilus photolyase in both forms of the native enzyme and the complex along with a part of its substrate, thymine. A structural comparison with other photolyases suggests that T. thermophilus photolyase has structural features allowing for thermostability and that its light-harvesting cofactor binding site bears a close resemblance to a deazaflavin-type photolyase. One thymine base is found at the hole, a putative substrate-binding site near the catalytic cofactor in the complex form. This structural data for the photolyase-thymine complex allow us to propose a detailed model for the pyrimidine-dimer recognition mechanism.

Cytochrome c polymerization by successive domain swapping at the C-terminal helix.

Cytochrome c (cyt c) is a stable protein that functions in a monomeric state as an electron donor for cytochrome c oxidase. It is also released to the cytosol when permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane occurs at the early stage of apoptosis. For nearly half a century, it has been known that cyt c forms polymers, but the polymerization mechanism remains unknown. We found that cyt c forms polymers by successive domain swapping, where the C-terminal helix is displaced from its original position in the monomer and Met-heme coordination is perturbed significantly. In the crystal structures of dimeric and trimeric cyt c, the C-terminal helices are replaced by the corresponding domain of other cyt c molecules and Met80 is dissociated from the heme. The solution structures of dimeric, trimeric, and tetrameric cyt c were linear based on small-angle X-ray scattering measurements, where the trimeric linear structure shifted toward the cyclic structure by addition of PEG and (NH4)2HPO4. The absorption and CD spectra of high-order oligomers (∼40 mer) were similar to those of dimeric and trimeric cyt c but different from those of monomeric cyt c. For dimeric, trimeric, and tetrameric cyt c, the ΔH of the oligomer dissociation to monomers was estimated to be about -20 kcal/mol per protomer unit, where Met-heme coordination appears to contribute largely to ΔH. The present results suggest that cyt c polymerization occurs by successive domain swapping, which may be a common mechanism of protein polymerization.

Crystal structure of a prokaryotic replication initiator protein bound to DNA at 2.6 Å resolution

The initiator protein (RepE) of F factor, a plasmid involved in sexual conjugation in Escherichia coli, has dual functions during the initiation of DNA replication which are determined by whether it exists as a dimer or as a monomer. A RepE monomer functions as a replication initiator, but a RepE dimer functions as an autogenous repressor. We have solved the crystal structure of the RepE monomer bound to an iteron DNA sequence of the replication origin of plasmid F. The RepE monomer consists of topologically similar N‐ and C‐terminal domains related to each other by internal pseudo 2‐fold symmetry, despite the lack of amino acid similarities between the domains. Both domains bind to the two major grooves of the iteron (19 bp) with different binding affinities. The C‐terminal domain plays the leading role in this binding, while the N‐terminal domain has an additional role in RepE dimerization. The structure also suggests that superhelical DNA induced at the origin of plasmid F by four RepEs and one HU dimer has an essential role in the initiation of DNA replication.

Crystal structures of ethanolamine ammonia-lyase complexed with coenzyme B12 analogs and substrates

N-terminal truncation of the Escherichia coli ethanolamine ammonia-lyase β-subunit does not affect the catalytic properties of the enzyme (Akita, K., Hieda, N., Baba, N., Kawaguchi, S., Sakamoto, H., Nakanishi, Y., Yamanishi, M., Mori, K., and Toraya, T. (2010) J. Biochem. 147, 83–93). The binary complex of the truncated enzyme with cyanocobalamin and the ternary complex with cyanocobalamin or adeninylpentylcobalamin and substrates were crystallized, and their x-ray structures were analyzed. The enzyme exists as a trimer of the (αβ)2 dimer. The active site is in the (β/α)8 barrel of the α-subunit; the β-subunit covers the lower part of the cobalamin that is bound in the interface of the α- and β-subunits. The structure complexed with adeninylpentylcobalamin revealed the presence of an adenine ring-binding pocket in the enzyme that accommodates the adenine moiety through a hydrogen bond network. The substrate is bound by six hydrogen bonds with active-site residues. Argα160 contributes to substrate binding most likely by hydrogen bonding with the O1 atom. The modeling study implies that marked angular strains and tensile forces induced by tight enzyme-coenzyme interactions are responsible for breaking the coenzyme Co–C bond. The coenzyme adenosyl radical in the productive conformation was modeled by superimposing its adenine ring on the adenine ring-binding site followed by ribosyl rotation around the N-glycosidic bond. A major structural change upon substrate binding was not observed with this particular enzyme. Gluα287, one of the substrate-binding residues, has a direct contact with the ribose group of the modeled adenosylcobalamin, which may contribute to the substrate-induced additional labilization of the Co–C bond.

X-ray structure of a two-domain type laccase: a missing link in the evolution of multi-copper proteins

A multi‐copper protein with two cupredoxin‐like domains was identified from our in‐house metagenomic database. The recombinant protein, mgLAC, contained four copper ions/subunits, oxidized various phenolic and non‐phenolic substrates, and had spectroscopic properties similar to common laccases. X‐ray structure analysis revealed a homotrimeric architecture for this enzyme, which resembles nitrite reductase (NIR). However, a difference in copper coordination was found at the domain interface. mgLAC contains a T2/T3 tri‐nuclear copper cluster at this site, whereas a mononuclear T2 copper occupies this position in NIR. The trimer is thus an essential part of the architecture of two‐domain multi‐copper proteins, and mgLAC may be an evolutionary precursor of NIR.

DNA apophotolyase from Anacystis nidulans: 1.8 A structure, 8-HDF reconstitution and X-ray-induced FAD reduction.

DNA photolyase is a unique flavoenzyme that repairs UV-induced DNA lesions using the energy of visible light. Anacystis nidulans photolyase contains a light-harvesting chromophore, 8-hydroxy-5-deazaflavin (8-HDF), and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) which, in contrast to the 8-HDF chromophore, is indispensable for catalytic activity. This work reports the crystallization and structure at 1.8 A resolution of DNA photolyase devoid of its 8-HDF chromophore (apophotolyase). The overall three-dimensional structure is similar to that of the holoenzyme, indicating that the presence of 8-HDF is not essential for the correct folding of the enzyme. Structural changes include an additional phosphate group, a different conformation for Arg11 and slight rearrangements of Met47, Asp101 and Asp382, which replace part of the 8-HDF molecule in the chromophore-binding pocket. The apophotolyase can be efficiently reconstituted with synthetic 8-hydroxy-5-deazariboflavin, despite the orientation of Arg11 and the presence of the phosphate group in the 8-HDF pocket. Red light or X-rays reduced the FAD chromophore in apophotolyase crystals, as observed by single-crystal spectrophotometry. The structural effects of FAD reduction were determined by comparison of three data sets that were successively collected at 100 K, while the degree of reduction was monitored online by changes in the light absorption of the crystals. X-ray-induced conformational changes were confined to the active site of the protein. They include sub-ångström movements of the O(2) and N(5) atoms of the flavin group as well as the O(delta) atoms of the surrounding amino acids Asp380 and Asn386.

Revised subunit structure of yeast transcription factor IIH (TFIIH) and reconciliation with human TFIIH

Tfb4 is identified as a subunit of the core complex of yeast RNA polymerase II general transcription factor IIH (TFIIH) by affinity purification, by peptide sequence analysis, and by expression of the entire complex in insect cells. Tfb3, previously identified as a component of the core complex, is shown instead to form a complex with cdk and cyclin subunits of TFIIH. This reassignment of subunits resolves a longstanding discrepancy between yeast and human TFIIH complexes.

Structural Study Reveals That Ser-354 Determines Substrate Specificity on Human Histidine Decarboxylase

Background: HDC catalyzes the rate-limiting step in histamine biosynthesis. Results: A mutation based on the crystal structure of HDC changed the substrate selectivity from l-histidine to l-DOPA. Conclusion: The molecular basis for substrate specificity and recognition of group II PLP-dependent decarboxylases were clarified. Significance: Knowledge of the HDC tertiary structure now makes it possible to design novel drugs that prevent histamine biosynthesis. Histamine is an important chemical mediator for a wide variety of physiological reactions. l-Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) is the primary enzyme responsible for histamine synthesis and produces histamine from histidine in a one-step reaction. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of human HDC (hHDC) complexed with the inhibitor histidine methyl ester. This structure shows the detailed features of the pyridoxal-5′-phosphate inhibitor adduct (external aldimine) at the active site of HDC. Moreover, a comparison of the structures of hHDC and aromatic l-amino acid (l-DOPA) decarboxylase showed that Ser-354 was a key residue for substrate specificity. The S354G mutation at the active site enlarged the size of the hHDC substrate-binding pocket and resulted in a decreased affinity for histidine, but an acquired ability to bind and act on l-DOPA as a substrate. These data provide insight into the molecular basis of substrate recognition among the group II pyridoxal-5′-phosphate-dependent decarboxylases.

Domain Swapping of the Heme and N-Terminal alpha-Helix in Hydrogenobacter thermophilus Cytochrome c(552) Dimer

Oxidized horse cytochrome c (cyt c) has been shown to oligomerize by domain swapping its C-terminal helix successively. We show that the structural and thermodynamic properties of dimeric Hydrogenobacter thermophilus (HT) cytochrome c(552) (cyt c(552)) and dimeric horse cyt c are different, although both proteins belong to the cyt c superfamily. Optical absorption and circular dichroism spectra of oxidized dimeric HT cyt c(552) were identical to the corresponding spectra of its monomer. Dimeric HT cyt c(552) exhibited a domain-swapped structure, where the N-terminal α-helix together with the heme was exchanged between protomers. Since a relatively strong H-bond network was formed at the loop around the heme-coordinating Met, the C-terminal α-helix did not dissociate from the rest of the protein in dimeric HT cyt c(552). The packing of the amino acid residues important for thermostability in monomeric HT cyt c(552) were maintained in its dimer, and thus, dimeric HT cyt c(552) exhibited high thermostability. Although the midpoint redox potential shifted from 240 ± 2 to 213 ± 2 mV by dimerization, it was maintained relatively high. Ethanol has been shown to decrease both the activation enthalpy and activation entropy for the dissociation of the dimer to monomers from 140 ± 9 to 110 ± 5 kcal/mol and 310 ± 30 to 270 ± 20 cal/(mol·K), respectively. Enthalpy change for the dissociation of the dimer to monomers was positive (14 ± 2 kcal/mol per protomer unit). These results give new insights into factors governing the swapping region and thermodynamic properties of domain swapping.

Positively charged residues located downstream of PIP box, together with TD amino acids within PIP box, are important for CRL4Cdt2-mediated proteolysis

PCNA links Cdt1 and p21 for proteolysis by Cul4‐DDB1‐Cdt2 (CRL4Cdt2) in the S phase and after DNA damage in mammalian cells. However, other PCNA‐interacting proteins, such as ligase I, are not targets of CRL4Cdt2. In this study, we created chimera constructs composed of Cdt1 and ligase I and examined how the proteolysis of PCNA‐interacting proteins is regulated. Consistent with a recent report using the Xenopus egg system ( Havens & Walter 2009 ), two amino acid elements are also required for degradation in HeLa cells: TD amino acid residues in the PIP box and the basic amino acid at +4 downstream of the PIP box. In addition, we demonstrate that a basic amino acid at +3 is also required for degradation and that an acidic amino acid residue following the basic amino acids abolishes the degradation. Electrostatic surface images suggest that the basic amino acid at +4 is involved in a contact with PCNA, while +3 position extending to opposite direction is important to create a positively charged surface. When all these required elements were introduced in ligase I peptide, the substituted form became degraded. Our results demonstrate that PCNA‐dependent degron is strictly composed to avoid illegitimate destruction of PCNA‐interacting proteins.