Tan-Viet Pham

Functional characterization of CYP107W1 from Streptomyces avermitilis and biosynthesis of macrolide oligomycin A

Streptomyces avermitilis contains 33 cytochrome P450 genes in its genome, many of which play important roles in the biosynthesis process of antimicrobial agents. Here, we characterized the biochemical function and structure of CYP107W1 from S. avermitilis, which is responsible for the 12-hydroxylation reaction of oligomycin C. CYP107W1 was expressed and purified from Escherichia coli. Purified proteins exhibited the typical CO-binding spectrum of P450. Interaction of oligomycin C and oligomycin A (12-hydroxylated oligomycin C) with purified CYP107W1 resulted in a type I binding with Kd values of 14.4 ± 0.7 μM and 2.0 ± 0.1 μM, respectively. LC-mass spectrometry analysis showed that CYP107W1 produced oligomycin A by regioselectively hydroxylating C12 of oligomycin C. Steady-state kinetic analysis yielded a kcat value of 0.2 min(-1) and a Km value of 18 μM. The crystal structure of CYP107W1 was determined at 2.1 Å resolution. The overall P450 folding conformations are well conserved, and the open access binding pocket for the large macrolide oligomycin C was observed above the distal side of heme. This study of CYP107W1 can help a better understanding of clinically important P450 enzymes as well as their optimization and engineering for synthesizing novel antibacterial agents and other pharmaceutically important compounds.

Structural Analysis of the Streptomyces avermitilis CYP107W1-Oligomycin A Complex and Role of the Tryptophan 178 Residue

CYP107W1 from Streptomyces avermitilis is a cytochrome P450 enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of macrolide oligomycin A. A previous study reported that CYP107W1 regioselectively hydroxylated C12 of oligomycin C to produce oligomycin A, and the crystal structure of ligand free CYP107W1 was determined. Here, we analyzed the structural properties of the CYP107W1-oligomycin A complex and characterized the functional role of the Trp178 residue in CYP107W1. The crystal structure of the CYP107W1 complex with oligomycin A was determined at a resolution of 2.6 Å. Oligomycin A is bound in the substrate access channel on the upper side of the prosthetic heme mainly by hydrophobic interactions. In particular, the Trp178 residue in the active site intercalates into the large macrolide ring, thereby guiding the substrate into the correct binding orientation for a productive P450 reaction. A Trp178 to Gly mutation resulted in the distortion of binding titration spectra with oligomycin A, whereas binding spectra with azoles were not affected. The Gly178 mutant’s catalytic turnover number for the 12-hydroxylation reaction of oligomycin C was highly reduced. These results indicate that Trp178, located in the open pocket of the active site, may be a critical residue for the productive binding conformation of large macrolide substrates.

Expression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of D-alanine-D-alanine ligase from OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii K0420859

Acinetobacter baumannii causes bacteraemia, pneumonia, other respiratory-tract and urinary-tract infections in humans. OXA-23 carbapenemase-producing A. baumannii K0420859 (A. baumannii OXA-23) is resistant to carbapenem, a common antibacterial drug. To develop an efficient and novel antibacterial drug against A. baumannii OXA-23, D-alanine-D-alanine ligase, which is essential in bacterial cell-wall synthesis, is of interest. Here, the D-alanine-D-alanine ligase (AbDdl) gene from A. baumannii OXA-23 was cloned and expressed, and the AbDdl protein was purified and crystallized; this enzyme can be used as a novel target for an antibacterial drug against A. baumannii OXA-23. The AbDdl crystal diffracted to a resolution of 2.8 Å and belonged to the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 113.4, b = 116.7, c = 176.5 Å, a corresponding VM of 2.8 Å(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 56.3%, and six protomers in the asymmetric unit.

Expression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of cellobiose 2-epimerase from Dictyoglomus turgidum DSM 6724

Cellobiose 2-epimerase epimerizes and isomerizes β-1,4- and α-1,4-gluco-oligosaccharides. N-Acyl-D-glucosamine 2-epimerase (DT_epimerase) from Dictyoglomus turgidum has an unusually high catalytic activity towards its substrate cellobiose. DT_epimerase was expressed, purified and crystallized. Crystals were obtained of both His-tagged DT_epimerase and untagged DT_epimerase. The crystals of His-tagged DT_epimerase diffracted to 2.6 Å resolution and belonged to the monoclinic space group P2₁, with unit-cell parameters a=63.9, b=85.1, c=79.8 Å, β=110.8°. With a Matthews coefficient VM of 2.18 Å3 Da(-1), two protomers were expected to be present in the asymmetric unit with a solvent content of 43.74%. The crystals of untagged DT_epimerase diffracted to 1.85 Å resolution and belonged to the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁, with unit-cell parameters a=55.9, b=80.0, c=93.7 Å. One protomer in the asymmetric unit was expected, with a corresponding VM of 2.26 Å3 Da(-1) and a solvent content of 45.6%.

Expression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) from Kangiella koreensis

Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) are a group of dehydrogenase enzymes that facilitate the interconversion between alcohols and aldehydes or ketones with the reduction of NAD(+) to NADH. In bacteria, some alcohol dehydrogenases catalyze the opposite reaction as part of fermentation to ensure a constant supply of NAD(+). The adh gene from Kangiella koreensis was cloned and the protein (KkADH) was expressed, purified and crystallized. A KkADH crystal diffracted to 2.5 Å resolution and belonged to the monoclinic space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 94.1, b = 80.9, c = 115.6 Å, β = 111.9°. Four monomers were present in the asymmetric unit, with a corresponding VM of 2.55 Å(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 51.8%.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the XoGroEL chaperonin from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.

Along with the co-chaperonin GroES, the chaperonin GroEL plays an essential role in enhancing protein folding or refolding and in protecting proteins against misfolding and aggregation in the cellular environment. The XoGroEL gene (XOO_4288) from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae was cloned and the protein was expressed, purified and crystallized. The purified XoGroEL protein was crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method and a crystal diffracted to a resolution of 3.4 Å. The crystal belonged to the orthorhombic space group P212121 with 14 monomers in the asymmetric unit, with a corresponding VM of 2.7 Å(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 54.5%.

Expression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of peptide deformylase from Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the major foodborne pathogens causing human infection. Peptide deformylase, a metallohydrolase, catalyzes the deformylation of N-formylated methionine in newly synthesized polypeptides in prokaryotes and some eukaryotic organelles. The deformylation process is an essential step in protein synthesis and has attracted much attention as a potential target for the development of novel antibacterial agents. Here, the cloned codon-optimized def gene from C. jejuni was synthesized and the protein was expressed, purified and crystallized. C. jejuni peptide deformylase crystals obtained at pH 7.0 and pH 6.5 diffracted to 2.9 Å resolution and belonged to the trigonal space group R3, with unit-cell parameters a=b=105.7, c=58.0 Å. One monomer existed in the asymmetric unit, with a corresponding VM of 3.1 Å3 Da(-1) and a solvent content of 60.4%.

Crystallization and preliminary diffraction studies of SFC-1, a carbapenemase conferring antibiotic resistance.

SFC-1, a class A carbapenemase that confers antibiotic resistance, hydrolyzes the β-lactam rings of β-lactam antibiotics (carbapenems, cephalosporins, penicillins and aztreonam). SFC-1 presents an enormous challenge to infection control, particularly in the eradication of Gram-negative pathogens. As SFC-1 exhibits a remarkably broad substrate range, including β-lactams of all classes, the enzyme is a potential target for the development of antimicrobial agents against pathogens producing carbapenemases. In this study, SFC-1 was cloned, overexpressed, purified and crystallized. The SFC-1 crystal diffracted to 1.6 Å resolution and belonged to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 65.8, b = 68.3, c = 88.8 Å. Two molecules are present in the asymmetric unit, with a corresponding V(M) of 1.99 Å(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 38.1%.

Expression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of cystathionine γ-synthase (XometB) from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

Cystathionine γ-synthase (CGS) catalyzes the first step in the transsulfuration pathway leading to the formation of cystathionine from O-succinylhomoserine and L-cysteine through a γ-replacement reaction. As an antibacterial drug target against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), CGS from Xoo (XometB) was cloned, expressed, purified and crystallized. The XometB crystal diffracted to 2.4 Å resolution and belonged to the tetragonal space group I4(1), with unit-cell parameters a=b=165.4, c=241.7 Å. There were four protomers in the asymmetric unit, with a corresponding solvent content of 73.9%.