Inhibitor binding within the NarI subunit (cytochrome bnr) of Escherichia coli nitrate reductase A.

We have used inhibitors and site-directed mutants to investigate quinol binding to the cytochrome bnr (NarI) of Escherichia coli nitrate reductase (NarGHI). Both stigmatellin and 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide (HOQNO) inhibit menadiol:nitrate oxidoreductase activity with I50 values of 0.25 and 6 microM, respectively, and prevent the generation of a NarGHI-dependent proton electrochemical potential across the cytoplasmic membrane. These inhibitors have little effect on the rate of reduction of the two hemes of NarI (bL and bH), but have an inhibitory effect on the extent of nitrate-dependent heme reoxidation. No quinol-dependent heme bH reduction is detected in a mutant lacking heme bL (NarI-H66Y), whereas a slow but complete heme bL reduction is detected in a mutant lacking heme bH (NarI-H56R). This is consistent with physiological quinol binding and oxidation occurring at a site (QP) associated with heme bL which is located toward the periplasmic side of NarI. Optical and EPR spectroscopies performed in the presence of stigmatellin or HOQNO provide further evidence that these inhibitors bind at a heme bL-associated QP site. These results suggest a model for electron transfer through NarGHI that involves quinol binding and oxidation in the vicinity of heme bL and electron transfer through heme bH to the cytoplasmically localized membrane-extrinsic catalytic NarGH dimer.

NarJ is a specific chaperone required for molybdenum cofactor assembly in nitrate reductase A of Escherichia coli.

The formation of active membrane-bound nitrate reductase A in Escherichia coli requires the presence of three subunits, NarG, NarH and NarI, as well as a fourth protein, NarJ, that is not part of the active nitrate reductase. In narJ strains, both NarG and NarH subunits are associated in an unstable and inactive NarGH complex. A significant activation of this complex was observed in vitro after adding purified NarJ-6His polypeptide to the cell supernatant of a narJ strain. Once the apo-enzyme NarGHI of a narJ mutant has become anchored to the membrane via the NarI subunit, it cannot be reactivated by NarJ in vitro. NarJ protein specifically recognizes the catalytic NarG subunit. Fluorescence, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and molybdenum quantification based on inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICPES) clearly indicate that, in the absence of NarJ, no molybdenum cofactor is present in the NarGH complex. We propose that NarJ is a specific chaperone that binds to NarG and may thus keep it in an appropriate competent-open conformation for the molybdenum cofactor insertion to occur, resulting in a catalytically active enzyme. Upon insertion of the molybdenum cofactor into the apo-nitrate reductase, NarJ is then dissociated from the activated enzyme.

Heme axial ligation by the highly conserved His residues in helix II of cytochrome b (NarI) of Escherichia coli nitrate reductase A.

Optical spectroscopy and EPR studies confirm the existence of two b-type hemes in the NarI subunit (cytochrome bnr) of the membrane-bound nitrate reductase (NarGHI) of Escherichia coli. Replacement of His-56 by Arg and His-66 by Tyr results in the loss of the high-potential heme and of the low-potential heme, respectively. These data support the assignment of the axial ligands to the low-potential heme (His-66 and His-187) and to the high-potential heme (His-56 and His-205). This pairing is consistent with the model proposed for NarI of the nitrate reductase of Thiosphaera pantotropha (Berks, B. C., Page, M. D., Richardson, D. J. , Reilly, A., Cavill, A., Outen, F., and Ferguson, S. J. (1995) Mol. Microbiol. 15, 319-331) in which the two bis-histidine ligated hemes are coordinated by conserved His residues of helix II and V. EPR and optical studies suggest that the low-potential heme (Em,7 = +17 mV) and the high-potential heme (Em,7 = +122 mV) are located near the periplasmic side and the cytoplasmic side of the membrane, respectively. Moreover, correct insertion of both hemes into NarI requires anchoring to NarGH.

Complete coordination of the four Fe-S centers of the beta subunit from Escherichia coli nitrate reductase. Physiological, biochemical, and EPR characterization of site-directed mutants lacking the highest or lowest potential [4Fe-4S] clusters.

The beta subunit of the nitrate reductase A from Escherichia coli contains four groups of cysteine residues (I-IV) which are thought to bind the four iron-sulfur centers (1-4) of the enzyme. The fourth Cys residue of each group was replaced by Ala by site-directed mutagenesis, which led to the C26A, C196A, C227A, and C263A mutants. Physiological and biochemical effects of the mutations were investigated on both the membrane-bound and the soluble forms of the enzyme. In addition, detailed redox titrations of the mutants were monitored by EPR spectroscopy. The C196A and C227A mutations resulted in the full loss of the four Fe-S clusters and of the Mo-cofactor, leading to inactive enzymes. In contrast, the C26A and C263A mutants retained significant nitrate reductase activities. The EPR analysis showed that the highest redox potential [4Fe-4S] cluster (center 1) was selectively removed by the C263A mutation and that the C26A replacement likely eliminated the lowest potential [4Fe-4S] cluster (center 4). In both mutants, the three remaining Fe-S clusters kept the same spectral and redox properties as in the wild type enzyme. These results enabled the determination of the Cys ligands of center 1 to be completed and led to a proposed model for the coordination of the four Fe-S centers by the four Cys groups of the beta subunit. In this model, the four clusters are organized in two pairs, (center 1, center 4) and (center 2, center 3), which is in good agreement with the magnitude of intercenter magnetic interactions observed by EPR and with the stability of the different mutants. The possible implications on the intramolecular electron transfer pathway are discussed.

Site-directed mutagenesis of conserved cysteine residues within the beta subunit of Escherichia coli nitrate reductase. Physiological, biochemical, and EPR characterization of the mutated enzymes.

We have used site-directed mutagenesis to alter the ligands to the iron-sulfur centers of Escherichia coli nitrate reductase A. The beta subunit of this enzyme contains four Cys groups which are thought to accommodate the single [3Fe-4S] center and the three [4Fe-4S] centers involved in the electron-transfer process from quinol to nitrate. The third Cys group (group III) contains a Trp at a site occupied by a Cys residue in typical ferredoxin arrangements or in the DmsB subunit of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) reductase. In an attempt to determine the coordination site of the different iron-sulfur centers in the amino acid sequence, we have changed the Trp of group III to Cys, Ala, Phe, and Tyr and the first Cys residue of groups II-IV to Ala and Ser. Physiological, biochemical, and EPR studies were performed on the mutated enzymes. Substitution of Ala for either Cys184, Cys217, or Cys244 results in the full loss of all four iron-sulfur centers present in the wild-type enzyme. These inactive enzymes still possess the alpha,beta, and gamma polypeptides associated in a membrane-bound complex. These Cys have important structural roles and are very likely involved in the coordination of the iron-sulfur centers. Substitution of Cys184 with a Ser residue produces an enzyme containing the four iron-sulfur centers, but displaying reduced activity. EPR studies suggest that Cys184 is a ligand of the [4Fe-4S] center whose midpoint potential is -200 mV in the native enzyme. All substitutions performed in this study on Trp220 lead to mutant enzymes harboring the four iron-sulfur centers and a nitrate reductase activity close to that of the wild-type. In spite of the high similarity between the NarH and DmsB subunits, the Trp220-->Cys substitution does not allow the conversion of the [3Fe-4S] center of the nitrate reductase into a [4Fe-4S] center. Therefore, Trp220 does not seem to play any major role in the beta subunit.

Purification and characterization of an endoglucanase from a newly isolated thermophilic anaerobic bacterium.

An endoglucanase (1,4-beta-D-glucan glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.4) from a new cellulolytic thermophilic bacterium was purified to apparent homogeneity after being separated from a xylanase. Little carbohydrate was associated with the endoglucanase. A molecular weight of 91,000 and 99,000 was determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by gel filtration of the native enzyme on Ultrogel ACA 34. The optimal pH was approximately 6.4 and the enzyme was isoelectric at pH 3.85. The enzyme was found highly thermostable: it retained 50 per cent of its activity after 1 hour at 85 degrees C. Hydrolysis of CMC took place with a rapid decrease in viscosity but a slow liberation of reducing sugars, indicating endo-enzyme activity. It showed little capacity to hydrolyze highly ordered cellulose. Cellobiose inhibited the activity of the endoglucanase. None of the metal ions tested stimulated the activity. The enzyme was completely inactivated by 1 mM Hg2+ and was inhibited by thiol reagents.

Purification and properties of a debranching enzyme from Escherichia coli.

The debranching enzyme (EC 3.2.1.-) from Escherichia coli K12 was purified 312-fold with a 21% yield, DEAE-cellulose and DEAE-Sephadex chromatography were used for purification. The preparation was homogeneous and showed only a single band of protein and activity upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme hydrolyzed 1,6-alpha-glucosidic linkages in phosphorylase and beta-amylase limit dextrins prepared from glycogen and amylopectin. Small branched oligosaccharides were also hydrolyzed. Amylopectin was also completely hydrolyzed but the enzyme showed only a very low activity with glycogen as the substrate. The enzyme cannot be classified as a pullulanase because it has practically no activity with pullulan. But it also differs from the bacterial isoamylases described in other studies because of its inability to hydrolyze glycogen. The optimal pH is about 5.6. The optimal growth conditions for the synthesis of the enzyme by E. coli were also examined in the present studies.