Crystal structure and catalytic properties of Bacillus anthracis CoADR-RHD: implications for flavin-linked sulfur trafficking

Biochemistry. 2009 Oct 13;48(40):9650-67. doi: 10.1021/bi900887k.

Abstract

Rhodanese homology domains (RHDs) play important roles in sulfur trafficking mechanisms essential to the biosynthesis of sulfur-containing cofactors and nucleosides. We have now determined the crystal structure at 2.10 A resolution for the Bacillus anthracis coenzyme A-disulfide reductase isoform (BaCoADR-RHD) containing a C-terminal RHD domain; this is the first structural representative of the multidomain proteins class of the rhodanese superfamily. The catalytic Cys44 of the CoADR module is separated by 25 A from the active-site Cys514' of the RHD domain from the complementary subunit. In stark contrast to the B. anthracis CoADR [Wallen, J. R., Paige, C., Mallett, T. C., Karplus, P. A., and Claiborne, A. (2008) Biochemistry 47, 5182-5193], the BaCoADR-RHD isoform does not catalyze the reduction of coenzyme A-disulfide, although both enzymes conserve the Cys-SSCoA redox center. NADH titrations have been combined with a synchrotron reduction protocol for examination of the structural and redox behavior of the Cys44-SSCoA center. The synchrotron-reduced (Cys44 + CoASH) structure reveals ordered binding for the adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-pyrophosphate moiety of CoASH, but the absence of density for the pantetheine arm indicates that it is flexible within the reduced active site. Steady-state kinetic analyses with the alternate disulfide substrates methyl methanethiolsulfonate (MMTS) and 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) (DTNB), including the appropriate Cys --> Ser mutants, demonstrate that MMTS reduction occurs within the CoADR active site. NADH-dependent DTNB reduction, on the other hand, requires communication between Cys44 and Cys514', and we propose that reduction of the Cys44-SSCoA disulfide promotes the transfer of reducing equivalents to the RHD, with the swinging pantetheine arm serving as a ca. 20 A bridge.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bacillus anthracis / enzymology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Biological Transport, Active
  • Catalysis
  • Coenzyme A / chemistry*
  • Coenzyme A / metabolism
  • Crystallization
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Disulfides / metabolism
  • Flavins / chemistry*
  • Flavins / metabolism
  • Isoenzymes / chemistry
  • NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / chemistry*
  • NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / metabolism
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid*
  • Sulfur / chemistry*
  • Sulfur / metabolism
  • Thiosulfate Sulfurtransferase / chemistry*
  • Thiosulfate Sulfurtransferase / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Disulfides
  • Flavins
  • Isoenzymes
  • Sulfur
  • NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases
  • disulfide reductase (NADH)
  • Thiosulfate Sulfurtransferase
  • Coenzyme A

Associated data

  • PDB/3ICR
  • PDB/3ICS
  • PDB/3ICT