Atomic resolution structures of R-specific alcohol dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus brevis provide the structural bases of its substrate and cosubstrate specificity.

The R-specific alcohol dehydrogenase (RADH) from Lactobacillus brevis is an NADP-dependent, homotetrameric member of the extended enzyme family of short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDR) with a high biotechnological application potential. Its preferred in vitro substrates are prochiral ketones like acetophenone with almost invariably a small methyl group as one substituent and a bulky (often aromatic) moiety as the other. On the basis of an atomic-resolution structure of wild-type RADH in complex with NADP and acetophenone, we designed the mutant RADH-G37D, which should possess an improved cosubstrate specificity profile for biotechnological purposes, namely, a preference for NAD rather than NADP. Comparative kinetic measurements with wild-type and mutant RADH showed that this aim was achieved. To characterize the successful mutant structurally, we determined several, partly atomic-resolution, crystal structures of RADH-G37D both as an apo-enzyme and as ternary complex with NAD or NADH and phenylethanol. The increased affinity of RADH-G37D for NAD(H) depends on an interaction between the adenosine ribose moiety of NAD and the inserted aspartate side-chain. A structural comparison between RADH-G37D as apo-enzyme and as a part of a ternary complex revealed significant rearrangements of Ser141, Glu144, Tyr189 and Met205 in the vicinity of the active site. This plasticity contributes to generate a small hydrophobic pocket for the methyl group typical for RADH substrates, and a hydrophobic coat for the second, more variable and often aromatic, substituent. Around Ser141 we even found alternative conformations in the backbone. A structural adaptability in this region, which we describe here for the first time for an SDR enzyme, is probably functionally important, because it concerns Ser142, a member of the highly conserved catalytic tetrad typical for SDR enzymes. Moreover, it affects an extended proton relay system that has been identified recently as a critical element for the catalytic mechanism in SDR enzymes.

Crystallization and preliminary analysis of a water-forming NADH oxidase from Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis.

Single crystals have been obtained of NADH oxidase (Nox), a flavoenzyme cloned from Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis. The enzyme catalyzes the oxidation of two equivalents of NAD(P)H and reduces one equivalent of oxygen to yield two equivalents of water, without releasing hydrogen peroxide after the reduction of the first equivalent of NAD(P)H. The enzyme crystallizes in space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 59.6, b = 92.6, c = 163.5 A. The crystals diffract to 1.85 A resolution using synchrotron radiation. Matthews coefficient calculations suggest the presence of two molecules per asymmetric unit (V(M) = 2.3 A(3) Da(-1), 45.5% solvent content), which has been confirmed by the molecular-replacement solution using a search molecule derived from NADH peroxidase (PDB code 1f8w).

Isolation and biochemical characterization of a new NADH oxidase from Lactobacillus brevis.

A new NADH oxidase, useful for the regeneration of NAD+, was isolated and characterized from Lactobacillus brevis. In crude extracts the activity was from 10-15 U mg(-1). After purification by four chromatographic steps, an activity of 116 U mg(-1) was obtained with 14% yield. Highest activity was from pH 5.5-7 and at 40 degrees C. The enzyme requires dithiothreitol to prevent oxidative deactivation. The Km value for NADH was 24 microM.

The crystal structure of R-specific alcohol dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus brevis suggests the structural basis of its metal dependency.

The crystal structure of the apo-form of an R-specific alcohol dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus brevis (LB-RADH) was solved and refined to 1.8A resolution. LB-RADH is a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) enyzme superfamily. It is a homotetramer with 251 amino acid residues per subunit and uses NADP(H) as co-enzyme. NADPH and the substrate acetophenone were modelled into the active site. The enantiospecificity of the enzyme can be explained on the basis of the resulting hypothetical ternary complex. In contrast to most other SDR enzymes, the catalytic activity of LB-RADH depends strongly on the binding of Mg(2+). Mg(2+) removal by EDTA inactivates the enzyme completely. In the crystal structure, the Mg(2+)-binding site is well defined. The ion has a perfect octahedral coordination sphere and occupies a special position concerning crystallographic and molecular point symmetry, meaning that each RADH tetramer contains two magnesium ions. The magnesium ion is no direct catalytic cofactor. However, it is structurally coupled to the putative C-terminal hinge of the substrate-binding loop and, via an extended hydrogen bonding network, to some side-chains forming the substrate binding region. Therefore, the presented structure of apo-RADH provides plausible explanations for the metal dependence of the enzyme.