Mutations in any of at least sixteen FANC genes (FANCA-Q) cause Fanconi anemia, a disorder charac... more Mutations in any of at least sixteen FANC genes (FANCA-Q) cause Fanconi anemia, a disorder characterized by sensitivity to DNA interstrand crosslinking agents. The clinical features of cytopenia, developmental defects, and tumor predisposition are similar in each group, suggesting that the gene products participate in a common pathway. The Fanconi anemia DNA repair pathway consists of an anchor complex that recognizes damage caused by interstrand crosslinks, a multisubunit ubiquitin ligase that monoubiquitinates two substrates, and several downstream repair proteins including nucleases and homologous recombination enzymes. We review progress in the use of structural and biochemical approaches to understanding how each FANC protein functions in this pathway.
Triosephophate isomerase (TIM) is a dimeric enzyme in eucarya, bacteria and mesophilic archaea. I... more Triosephophate isomerase (TIM) is a dimeric enzyme in eucarya, bacteria and mesophilic archaea. In hyperthermophilic archaea, however, TIM exists as a tetramer composed of monomers that are about 10% shorter than other eucaryal and bacterial TIM monomers. We report here the crystal structure of TIM from Thermoproteus tenax, a hyperthermophilic archaeon that has an optimum growth temperature of 86 degrees C. The structure was determined from both a hexagonal and an orthorhombic crystal form to resolutions of 2.5A and 2.3A, and refined to R-factors of 19.7% and 21.5%, respectively. In both crystal forms, T.tenax TIM exists as a tetramer of the familiar (betaalpha)(8)-barrel. In solution, however, and unlike other hyperthermophilic TIMs, the T.tenax enzyme exhibits an equilibrium between inactive dimers and active tetramers, which is shifted to the tetramer state through a specific interaction with glycerol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase of T.tenax. This observation is interpreted in physio...
E1 enzymes initiate ubiquitin-like protein (ubl) transfer cascades by catalyzing adenylation of t... more E1 enzymes initiate ubiquitin-like protein (ubl) transfer cascades by catalyzing adenylation of the ubl's C terminus. An E1's selectivity for its cognate ubl is essential because the E1 subsequently coordinates the ubl with its correct downstream pathway. We report here the structure of the 120 kDa quaternary complex between human APPBP1-UBA3, a heterodimeric E1, its ubl NEDD8, and ATP. The E1 selectively recruits NEDD8 through a bipartite interface, involving a domain common to all ubl activating enzymes including bacterial ancestors, and also eukaryotic E1-specific sequences. By modeling ubiquitin into the NEDD8 binding site and performing mutational analysis, we identify a single conserved arginine in APPBP1-UBA3 that acts as a selectivity gate, preventing misactivation of ubiquitin by NEDD8's E1. NEDD8 residues that interact with E1 correspond to residues in ubiquitin important for binding the proteasome and other ubiquitin-interacting proteins, suggesting that the c...
Post-translational modification by ubiquitin-like proteins (Ublps) is an essential cellular regul... more Post-translational modification by ubiquitin-like proteins (Ublps) is an essential cellular regulatory mechanism. The Ublp NEDD8 regulates cell division, signalling and embryogenesis. Ublps are conjugated to their targets by the sequential action of E1, E2 and often E3 enzymes. Each Ublp has a dedicated E1, or activating enzyme, that initiates its conjugation cascade. First, E1 associates with the Ublp and catalyses adenylation of the carboxy terminus of the Ublp. Second, E1 forms a thioester between its catalytic cysteine and the Ublp. Next, E1 is loaded with a second Ublp molecule, adenylating the C terminus of this second Ublp while still carrying the first thioester-bound Ublp. Last, E1 binds E2 and promotes Ublp transfer to the catalytic cysteine of E2. We report here the structure and mutational analysis of human APPBP1-UBA3, the heterodimeric E1 enzyme for NEDD8 (ref. 11). Each E1 activity is specified by a domain: an adenylation domain resembling bacterial adenylating enzymes, an E1-specific domain organized around the catalytic cysteine, and a domain involved in E2 recognition resembling ubiquitin. The domains are arranged around two clefts that coordinate protein and nucleotide binding so that each of E1's reactions drives the next, in an assembly-line fashion.
Triosephophate isomerase (TIM) is a dimeric enzyme in eucarya, bacteria and mesophilic archaea. I... more Triosephophate isomerase (TIM) is a dimeric enzyme in eucarya, bacteria and mesophilic archaea. In hyperthermophilic archaea, however, TIM exists as a tetramer composed of monomers that are about 10% shorter than other eucaryal and bacterial TIM monomers. We report here the crystal structure of TIM from Thermoproteus tenax, a hyperthermophilic archaeon that has an optimum growth temperature of 86 degrees C. The structure was determined from both a hexagonal and an orthorhombic crystal form to resolutions of 2.5A and 2.3A, and refined to R-factors of 19.7% and 21.5%, respectively. In both crystal forms, T.tenax TIM exists as a tetramer of the familiar (betaalpha)(8)-barrel. In solution, however, and unlike other hyperthermophilic TIMs, the T.tenax enzyme exhibits an equilibrium between inactive dimers and active tetramers, which is shifted to the tetramer state through a specific interaction with glycerol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase of T.tenax. This observation is interpreted in physiological terms as a need to reduce the build-up of thermolabile metabolic intermediates that would be susceptible to destruction by heat. A detailed structural comparison with TIMs from organisms with growth optima ranging from 15 degrees C to 100 degrees C emphasizes the importance in hyperthermophilic proteins of the specific location of ionic interactions for thermal stability rather than their numbers, and shows a clear correlation between the reduction of heat-labile, surface-exposed Asn and Gln residues with thermoadaptation. The comparison confirms the increase in charged surface-exposed residues at the expense of polar residues.
The hyperthermophilic Archaea Sulfolobus solfataricus grows optimally above 80 degrees C and meta... more The hyperthermophilic Archaea Sulfolobus solfataricus grows optimally above 80 degrees C and metabolizes glucose by a non-phosphorylative variant of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. In this pathway glucose dehydrogenase and gluconate dehydratase catalyze the oxidation of glucose to gluconate and the subsequent dehydration of gluconate to D-2-keto-3-deoxygluconate (KDG). KDG aldolase (KDGA) then catalyzes the cleavage of KDG to D-glyceraldehyde and pyruvate. It has recently been shown that all the enzymes of this pathway exhibit a catalytic promiscuity that also enables them to be used for the metabolism of galactose. This phenomenon, known as metabolic pathway promiscuity, depends crucially on the ability of KDGA to cleave KDG and D-2-keto-3-deoxygalactonate (KDGal), in both cases producing pyruvate and D-glyceraldehyde. In turn, the aldolase exhibits a remarkable lack of stereoselectivity in the condensation reaction of pyruvate and D-glyceraldehyde, forming a mixture of KDG and KDGal. We now report the structure of KDGA, determined by multiwavelength anomalous diffraction phasing, and confirm that it is a member of the tetrameric N-acetylneuraminate lyase superfamily of Schiff base-forming aldolases. Furthermore, by soaking crystals of the aldolase at more than 80 degrees C below its temperature activity optimum, we have been able to trap Schiff base complexes of the natural substrates pyruvate, KDG, KDGal, and pyruvate plus D-glyceraldehyde, which have allowed rationalization of the structural basis of promiscuous substrate recognition and catalysis. It is proposed that the active site of the enzyme is rigid to keep its thermostability but incorporates extra functionality to be promiscuous.
Mutations in any of at least sixteen FANC genes (FANCA-Q) cause Fanconi anemia, a disorder charac... more Mutations in any of at least sixteen FANC genes (FANCA-Q) cause Fanconi anemia, a disorder characterized by sensitivity to DNA interstrand crosslinking agents. The clinical features of cytopenia, developmental defects, and tumor predisposition are similar in each group, suggesting that the gene products participate in a common pathway. The Fanconi anemia DNA repair pathway consists of an anchor complex that recognizes damage caused by interstrand crosslinks, a multisubunit ubiquitin ligase that monoubiquitinates two substrates, and several downstream repair proteins including nucleases and homologous recombination enzymes. We review progress in the use of structural and biochemical approaches to understanding how each FANC protein functions in this pathway.
Triosephophate isomerase (TIM) is a dimeric enzyme in eucarya, bacteria and mesophilic archaea. I... more Triosephophate isomerase (TIM) is a dimeric enzyme in eucarya, bacteria and mesophilic archaea. In hyperthermophilic archaea, however, TIM exists as a tetramer composed of monomers that are about 10% shorter than other eucaryal and bacterial TIM monomers. We report here the crystal structure of TIM from Thermoproteus tenax, a hyperthermophilic archaeon that has an optimum growth temperature of 86 degrees C. The structure was determined from both a hexagonal and an orthorhombic crystal form to resolutions of 2.5A and 2.3A, and refined to R-factors of 19.7% and 21.5%, respectively. In both crystal forms, T.tenax TIM exists as a tetramer of the familiar (betaalpha)(8)-barrel. In solution, however, and unlike other hyperthermophilic TIMs, the T.tenax enzyme exhibits an equilibrium between inactive dimers and active tetramers, which is shifted to the tetramer state through a specific interaction with glycerol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase of T.tenax. This observation is interpreted in physio...
E1 enzymes initiate ubiquitin-like protein (ubl) transfer cascades by catalyzing adenylation of t... more E1 enzymes initiate ubiquitin-like protein (ubl) transfer cascades by catalyzing adenylation of the ubl's C terminus. An E1's selectivity for its cognate ubl is essential because the E1 subsequently coordinates the ubl with its correct downstream pathway. We report here the structure of the 120 kDa quaternary complex between human APPBP1-UBA3, a heterodimeric E1, its ubl NEDD8, and ATP. The E1 selectively recruits NEDD8 through a bipartite interface, involving a domain common to all ubl activating enzymes including bacterial ancestors, and also eukaryotic E1-specific sequences. By modeling ubiquitin into the NEDD8 binding site and performing mutational analysis, we identify a single conserved arginine in APPBP1-UBA3 that acts as a selectivity gate, preventing misactivation of ubiquitin by NEDD8's E1. NEDD8 residues that interact with E1 correspond to residues in ubiquitin important for binding the proteasome and other ubiquitin-interacting proteins, suggesting that the c...
Post-translational modification by ubiquitin-like proteins (Ublps) is an essential cellular regul... more Post-translational modification by ubiquitin-like proteins (Ublps) is an essential cellular regulatory mechanism. The Ublp NEDD8 regulates cell division, signalling and embryogenesis. Ublps are conjugated to their targets by the sequential action of E1, E2 and often E3 enzymes. Each Ublp has a dedicated E1, or activating enzyme, that initiates its conjugation cascade. First, E1 associates with the Ublp and catalyses adenylation of the carboxy terminus of the Ublp. Second, E1 forms a thioester between its catalytic cysteine and the Ublp. Next, E1 is loaded with a second Ublp molecule, adenylating the C terminus of this second Ublp while still carrying the first thioester-bound Ublp. Last, E1 binds E2 and promotes Ublp transfer to the catalytic cysteine of E2. We report here the structure and mutational analysis of human APPBP1-UBA3, the heterodimeric E1 enzyme for NEDD8 (ref. 11). Each E1 activity is specified by a domain: an adenylation domain resembling bacterial adenylating enzymes, an E1-specific domain organized around the catalytic cysteine, and a domain involved in E2 recognition resembling ubiquitin. The domains are arranged around two clefts that coordinate protein and nucleotide binding so that each of E1's reactions drives the next, in an assembly-line fashion.
Triosephophate isomerase (TIM) is a dimeric enzyme in eucarya, bacteria and mesophilic archaea. I... more Triosephophate isomerase (TIM) is a dimeric enzyme in eucarya, bacteria and mesophilic archaea. In hyperthermophilic archaea, however, TIM exists as a tetramer composed of monomers that are about 10% shorter than other eucaryal and bacterial TIM monomers. We report here the crystal structure of TIM from Thermoproteus tenax, a hyperthermophilic archaeon that has an optimum growth temperature of 86 degrees C. The structure was determined from both a hexagonal and an orthorhombic crystal form to resolutions of 2.5A and 2.3A, and refined to R-factors of 19.7% and 21.5%, respectively. In both crystal forms, T.tenax TIM exists as a tetramer of the familiar (betaalpha)(8)-barrel. In solution, however, and unlike other hyperthermophilic TIMs, the T.tenax enzyme exhibits an equilibrium between inactive dimers and active tetramers, which is shifted to the tetramer state through a specific interaction with glycerol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase of T.tenax. This observation is interpreted in physiological terms as a need to reduce the build-up of thermolabile metabolic intermediates that would be susceptible to destruction by heat. A detailed structural comparison with TIMs from organisms with growth optima ranging from 15 degrees C to 100 degrees C emphasizes the importance in hyperthermophilic proteins of the specific location of ionic interactions for thermal stability rather than their numbers, and shows a clear correlation between the reduction of heat-labile, surface-exposed Asn and Gln residues with thermoadaptation. The comparison confirms the increase in charged surface-exposed residues at the expense of polar residues.
The hyperthermophilic Archaea Sulfolobus solfataricus grows optimally above 80 degrees C and meta... more The hyperthermophilic Archaea Sulfolobus solfataricus grows optimally above 80 degrees C and metabolizes glucose by a non-phosphorylative variant of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. In this pathway glucose dehydrogenase and gluconate dehydratase catalyze the oxidation of glucose to gluconate and the subsequent dehydration of gluconate to D-2-keto-3-deoxygluconate (KDG). KDG aldolase (KDGA) then catalyzes the cleavage of KDG to D-glyceraldehyde and pyruvate. It has recently been shown that all the enzymes of this pathway exhibit a catalytic promiscuity that also enables them to be used for the metabolism of galactose. This phenomenon, known as metabolic pathway promiscuity, depends crucially on the ability of KDGA to cleave KDG and D-2-keto-3-deoxygalactonate (KDGal), in both cases producing pyruvate and D-glyceraldehyde. In turn, the aldolase exhibits a remarkable lack of stereoselectivity in the condensation reaction of pyruvate and D-glyceraldehyde, forming a mixture of KDG and KDGal. We now report the structure of KDGA, determined by multiwavelength anomalous diffraction phasing, and confirm that it is a member of the tetrameric N-acetylneuraminate lyase superfamily of Schiff base-forming aldolases. Furthermore, by soaking crystals of the aldolase at more than 80 degrees C below its temperature activity optimum, we have been able to trap Schiff base complexes of the natural substrates pyruvate, KDG, KDGal, and pyruvate plus D-glyceraldehyde, which have allowed rationalization of the structural basis of promiscuous substrate recognition and catalysis. It is proposed that the active site of the enzyme is rigid to keep its thermostability but incorporates extra functionality to be promiscuous.
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Papers by Helen Walden