Rolf Weinander

Bioinformatic and enzymatic characterization of the MAPEG superfamily

The membrane associated proteins in eicosanoid and glutathione metabolism (MAPEG) superfamily includes structurally related membrane proteins with diverse functions of widespread origin. A total of 136 proteins belonging to the MAPEG superfamily were found in database and genome screenings. The members were found in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, but not in any archaeal organism. Multiple sequence alignments and calculations of evolutionary trees revealed a clear subdivision of the eukaryotic MAPEG members, corresponding to the six families of microsomal glutathione transferases (MGST) 1, 2 and 3, leukotriene C4 synthase (LTC4), 5‐lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP), and prostaglandin E synthase. Prokaryotes contain at least two distinct potential ancestral subfamilies, of which one is unique, whereas the other most closely resembles enzymes that belong to the MGST2/FLAP/LTC4 synthase families. The insect members are most similar to MGST1/prostaglandin E synthase. With the new data available, we observe that fish enzymes are present in all six families, showing an early origin for MAPEG family differentiation. Thus, the evolutionary origins and relationships of the MAPEG superfamily can be defined, including distinct sequence patterns characteristic for each of the subfamilies. We have further investigated and functionally characterized representative gene products from Escherichia coli, Synechocystis sp., Arabidopsis thaliana and Drosophila melanogaster, and the fish liver enzyme, purified from pike (Esox lucius). Protein overexpression and enzyme activity analysis demonstrated that all proteins catalyzed the conjugation of 1‐chloro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene with reduced glutathione. The E. coli protein displayed glutathione transferase activity of 0.11 µmol·min−1·mg−1 in the membrane fraction from bacteria overexpressing the protein. Partial purification of the Synechocystis sp. protein yielded an enzyme of the expected molecular mass and an N‐terminal amino acid sequence that was at least 50% pure, with a specific activity towards 1‐chloro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene of 11 µmol·min−1·mg−1. Yeast microsomes expressing the Arabidopsis enzyme showed an activity of 0.02 µmol·min−1·mg−1, whereas the Drosophila enzyme expressed in E. coli was highly active at 3.6 µmol·min−1·mg−1. The purified pike enzyme is the most active MGST described so far with a specific activity of 285 µmol·min−1·mg−1. Drosophila and pike enzymes also displayed glutathione peroxidase activity towards cumene hydroperoxide (0.4 and 2.2 µmol·min−1·mg−1, respectively). Glutathione transferase activity can thus be regarded as a common denominator for a majority of MAPEG members throughout the kingdoms of life whereas glutathione peroxidase activity occurs in representatives from the MGST1, 2 and 3 and PGES subfamilies.

Enzymology of Microsomal Glutathione S-Transferase

Publisher Summary The study of the microsomal glutathione transferase regarding molecular properties, substrate specificity, kinetic behavior, and activation mechanisms has advanced considerably over the past few years. Polyhalogenated hydrocarbons that form toxic and carcinogenic glutathione conjugates need to be characterized with the purified enzyme with respect to the molecular properties that determine catalysis. These and additional studies on the extrahepatic distribution of microsomal glutathione transferase may likely yield information on the sites of formation of conjugates and on the enzymes involved. The glutathione peroxidase activity of the microsoma1 glutathione transferase may protect the organism from reactive hydroperoxides formed during oxidative stress. The significance of the extrahepatic enzyme needs to be studied in this respect. Finally, studies on the interplay and functional significance of different activation mechanisms are interesting regarding enzyme regulation in general and protection against toxic insult in particular.

Kinetic studies on rat liver microsomal glutathione transferase: consequences of activation

Rat liver microsomal glutathione transferase is activated by sulfhydryl reagents and proteolysis. This property varies, however, depending on the combination, concentration and reactivity of the substrates. Thus, a multi-dimensional diagram can be envisioned in which the parameters affecting enzyme activity and activation are visualized. In principle activation could stem from an alteration in enzyme mechanism, transition-state complementarity, product release rate or pH-rate behaviour. These studies appear to rule out these possibilities and an alternate hypothesis is suggested based on the following experiments: (i) alternate substrate diagnosis of the kinetic mechanism of microsomal glutathione transferase indicates a random sequential mechanism. Non-activated and activated enzyme follow the same mechanism by these criteria. (ii) The microsomal glutathione transferase stabilizes a Meisenheimer complex between 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene and glutathione. The formation constants were similar for the unactivated and activated enzyme ((15 +/- 1).10(3) and (14 +/- 1).10(3) M-1, respectively, at pH 8). Inasmuch as the Meisenheimer complex resembles the transition state there is no evidence for an increased stabilization upon activation. (iii) The catalytic rate constant kcat does not vary with the viscosity in the assay medium. Thus, product release is not rate limiting for the unactivated and activated microsomal glutathione transferase (with saturating 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and varying GSH). (iv) The pH dependence of the Kf-values for Meisenheimer complex formation exhibited pKa values close to 6 for both the activated and unactivated microsomal glutathione transferase. The pH profile of kcat (with saturating 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and variable GSH concentrations) showed apparent pKa values of 5.7 +/- 0.5 and 6.3 +/- 0.4 for the unactivated and activated enzyme, respectively, indicative of a very similar requirement for deprotonation of the enzyme-GSH-1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene complex. (v) Examination of the kinetic parameters (obtained with GSH as the variable substrate against increasingly reactive electrophilic substrates) in Hammett plots shows that the activation mechanism entails a more efficient utilization of GSH. It is suggested that a higher rate of formation of the glutathione thiolate anion occurs in the activated enzyme.

The mRNA for GST Pi from FRHK rhesus monkey kidney cells codes for an enzyme with activity towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene in spite of an I68F mutation.

A cDNA library was constructed from mRNA of the rhesus monkey kidney cell line, FRHK, and the cDNA sequence for an FRHK glutathione S-transferase (GST) Pi was determined using a RACE method. This represents the first full-length monkey GST Pi sequence to be cloned and determined. The similarity to the human GST Pi was found to be extensive (more than 97%), the deduced protein differing only in six amino acids (aa) positions. FRHK GST Pi was expressed in bacteria and a recombinant protein was purified which demonstrated significant activity towards the substrates 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and 1,2-epoxy-3-para-nitrophenoxypropane. Western blots also showed significant amounts of protein, both in the FRHK cells and transformed bacteria. The FRHK GST Pi was found to contain a phenylalanine at aa position 68, a position which is otherwise invariably occupied by an isoleucine in the GST Pi, Alpha, Mu and Beta class enzymes investigated. An isoleucine in this position is thus not essential for activity in the FRHK enzyme, unlike the human GST pi, where the exchange of Ile68 to a tyrosine (Manoharan, T.H, Gulick, A.M., Puchalski, R.B., Servais, A.L., Fahl, W.E., 1992. J. Biol. Chem., 267, 18940-18945), resulted in total loss of activity. Phe68 was mutated to Ile in the FRHK GST Pi enzyme to determine whether the wild type amino acid conferred an impaired catalytic site. The resulting mutant did not show any changes in activity towards CDNB, clearly demonstrating that isoleucine at position 68 is not essential. Thus, the first monkey GST Pi enzyme has been characterized, an enzyme with many similarities to the human forms although it differs in an otherwise conserved residue at aa position 68. This difference does not appear to affect the function of the FRHK GST Pi.