Pre-steady-state kinetic characterization of RNA-primed initiation of transcription by HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and analysis of the transition to a processive DNA-primed polymerization mode.

Single-turnover and equilibrium measurements were carried out to determine the basis of the apparently slow, nonprocessive polymerization reaction catalyzed by HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) during transcription initiation, when both the primer and template are composed of RNA. Comparison of the binding and kinetic parameters of a 20-mer, all-RNA primer/35-mer template substrate to one identical in sequence but composed of a 20-mer, all-DNA primer/35-mer RNA template reveals striking differences. Equilibrium titrations yielded a dissociation constant (Kd) >200 nM for the RNA/RNA-RT complex which is at least 200-fold higher than that of the DNA/RNA-substrate (Kd approximately 1 nM). The affinity of the RT-RNA/RNA complex for dTTP was found to be at least 500 times lower (Kd approximately 3.4 mM) than that of the RT-DNA/RNA complex (Kd approximately 6.6 microM). The single-turnover dNTP incorporation time course using the RNA-primer substrate, the DNA-primer substrate, or a series of RNA-primer substrates preextended with one to eight deoxynucleotides showed that dNTP incorporation occurs with a biphasic exponential burst of +1 extension product, followed by a linear phase. At least three different RT-bound forms of the p/ts exist: a fast, kinetically competent form (single-turnover rate approximately 10-50 s-1); a slow form (rate approximately 0.3-1 s-1); and a form that is dead-end (no turnover). The studies further revealed that a switch to a fast, kinetically competent p/t occurs after six dNTPs are incorporated into the RNA primer, with the switch being defined as the transition from a minority to a majority of the p/t bound in the optimal manner.

Single-step kinetics of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase mutants responsible for virus resistance to nucleoside inhibitors zidovudine and 3-TC.

Two mutants of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) associated with high-level resistance of the virus to AZT (RT-AZT: D67N, K70R, T215Y, K219Q, and M41L) or 3-TC (RT-3TC: M184V) were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. None of these mutants showed significant changes in the affinity and kinetics of binding to a DNA/DNA primer/template. RT-AZT was investigated in detail with respect to its kinetics of incorporation of nucleotides. No change in the relative rates of TMP and AZTMP incorporation could be detected for RT-AZT with respect to wild type RT. These results imply that there is no increased discrimination against AZTTP in the mutant. This was found for DNA/DNA and DNA/RNA primer/template. Additionally, rapid kinetics of incorporation of 3'-amino-3'-deoxythymidine 5'-monophosphate (a possible metabolite of AZT) were investigated and compared with TMP incorporation, but no difference in its relative rates of incorporation between wild type RT and RT-AZT was detected. In contrast, the already very slow rate of incorporation of 3-TCMP seen with wild type enzyme was drastically reduced (by a factor of 23 and 36 with DNA/DNA primer/template and DNA/RNA primer/template, respectively) for RT-3TC, showing a clear correlation between in vitro and in vivo effects. The affinity of 3-TCTP to the RT-3TC-primer/template complex was not affected by the mutation M184V. A 1.6-fold cross-resistance to ddATP, the converted form of the prodrug ddI, could also be shown for RT-3TC, but no cross-resistance to ddCTP was detected. Additionally, rapid kinetics of AZTMP incorporation by RT-3TC were investigated. There was an indication of a slightly higher rate of incorporation of AZTMP by RT-3TC than wild type RT.

Kinetic analysis of four HIV-1 reverse transcriptase enzymes mutated in the primer grip region of p66. Implications for DNA synthesis and dimerization.

The highly conserved primer grip region in the p66 subunit of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) is formed by the beta12-beta13 hairpin (residues 227-235). It has been proposed to play a role in aligning the 3'-OH end of the primer in a position for nucleophilic attack on an incoming dNTP. To analyze the importance of the primer grip for RT function, mutant RTs were used that contain single alanine substitutions of residues Trp229, Met230, Gly231, and Tyr232 in the p66 subunit of the heterodimeric p66/51 enzyme. Steady-state and pre-steady-state kinetic analyses of the enzymes were performed. All mutant enzymes revealed reduced polymerase activity. Mutation of Y232A showed the smallest effect on polymerase function. Equilibrium fluorescence titrations demonstrated that the affinity of the mutants for tRNA was only slightly affected. However, the affinity for primer-template DNA was reduced 27-fold for mutant p66(W229A)/51 and 23-fold for mutant p66(G231A)/51, and the maximal pre-steady-state rate of nucleotide incorporation, kpol, was reduced 27-fold for p66(W229A)/51 and 70-fold for p66(G231A)/51, respectively. Mutant p66(M230A)/51 revealed no reduced affinity for primer-template but showed a 71-fold reduced affinity for dTTP. Additionally, the mutations Trp229 and Gly231 affected the stability of the RT heterodimer.

Determination of the nucleotide binding site within Clostridium symbiosum pyruvate phosphate dikinase by photoaffinity labeling, site-directed mutagenesis, and structural analysis.

Clostridium symbiosum pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK) catalyzes the interconversion of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), orthophosphate (P(i)), and pyruvate with adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP), pyrophosphate (PP(i)), and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP). The nucleotide binding site of this enzyme was labeled using the photoaffinity reagent [32P]-8-azidoadenosine 5'-triphosphate ([32P]-8-azidoATP). Subtilisin cleavage of the [alpha-32P]-8-azidoATP-photolabeled PPDK into domain-sized fragments, prior to SDS-PAGE analysis, allowed us to identify two sites of modification: one between residues 1 and 226 and the other between residues 227 and 334. Saturation of the ATP binding site with adenylyl imidodiphosphate afforded protection against photolabeling. Next, small peptide fragments of [gamma-32P]- 8-azidoATP-photolabeled PPDK were generated by treating the denatured protein with trypsin or alpha-chymotrypsin. A pair of overlapping radiolabeled peptide fragments were separated from the two digests, DMQDMEFTIEEGK (positions 318-330 in trypsin-treated PPDK) and RDMQDMEFTIEEGKL (positions 317-331 in alpha-chymotrypsin-treated PPDK), thus locating one of the positions of covalent modification. Next, catalysis by site-directed mutants generated by amino acid replacement of invariant residues of the PPDK N-terminal domain was tested. K163L, D168A, D170A, D175A, K177L, and G248I PPDK mutants retained substantial catalytic activity while G254I, R337L, and E323L PPDK mutants were inhibited. Comparison of the steady-state kinetic constants measured (at pH 6.8, 25 degrees C) for wild-type PPDK (kcat = 36 s-1, AMPK(m) = 7 microM, PP(i)K(m) = 70 microM, PEPK(m) = 27 microM) to those of R337L PPDK (kcat = 2 s-1, AMPK(m) = 85 microM, PP(i)K(m) = 3700 microM, PEPK(m) = 6 microM) and G254I PPDK (kcat = 0.1 s-1, AMPK(m) = 1300 microM, PP(i)K(m) = 1200 microM, PEPK(m) = 12 microM) indicated impaired catalysis of the nucleotide partial reaction (E.ATP.P(i) --> E-PP.AMP.P(i) --> E-P.AMP.PP(i) in these mutants. The single turnover reactions of [32P]PEP to [32P]E-P.pyruvate catalyzed by the PPDK mutants were shown to be comparable to those of wild-type PPDK. In contrast, the formation of [32P]E-PP/[32P]E-P in single turnover reactions of [beta-32P]ATP/P(i) was significantly inhibited. Finally, the location of the adenosine 5'-diphosphate binding site within the nucleotide binding domain of D-alanine-D-alanine ligase, a structural homologue of the PPDK N-terminal domain [Herzberg, O. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 93, 2652-2657] indicates, by analogy, the location of the nucleotide binding site in PPDK. Residues G254, R337, and E323 as well as the site of photoaffinity labeling are located within this region.

Evaluation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase primer tRNA binding by fluorescence spectroscopy: specificity and comparison to primer/template binding.

A host cell-derived tRNA3Lys molecule is utilized by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) to prime DNA synthesis from the viral RNA genome. We performed fluorescence titration experiments to characterize the interaction between RT and its natural primer, tRNA3Lys, and to address RT's putative role in the required and specific packaging of tRNA3Lys into the budding virus. Titration of RT with tRNA3Lys resulted in a 30% maximal quenching of RT tryptophan fluorescence, from which a dissociation constant (Kd) of 57.6 +/- 7.5 nM was derived. Titration of RT with Escherichia coli tRNA2Glu, E. coli tRNA2Tyr, E. coli tRNALys, yeast tRNAPhe, or in vitro-synthesized human tRNA3Lys (no base modifications) resulted in similar fluorescence changes and Kd values as obtained for the natural tRNA3Lys. The specific interaction between RT and tRNA3Lys during viral assembly suggested by previous in vivo studies is therefore not present in the fully processed, in vitro form of RT. Other factors during viral assembly must therefore cooperate in the packaging of tRNA3Lys. The nonspecific and ionic strength dependent RT-tRNA interaction detected in the present studies suggests that the overall shape and charges of tRNA constitute recognition features for RT binding. The fluorescence of the wyebutine base contained on the anticodon loop of yeast tRNAPhe was found to increase upon RT binding, supporting speculation that RT interacts with the anticodon loop of tRNA. The individual tRNAs also displaced a fluorescent DNA primer/template (p/t) substrate from RT, indicating overlapping tRNA and p/t binding sites. Cubic fit evaluation of the displacement titrations allowed further assessment of the affinities of the two competing ligands. The presence of both overlapping and separate p/t and tRNA binding regions on RT was tested by examination of the affinity of a possible RT bisubstrate type inhibitor, containing motifs proposed to be essential for both tRNA and p/t binding. Reverse transcriptase was found to bind to the mutant tRNA 10-fold more tightly than to the unaltered tRNA (Kd = 4.5 +/- 1.0 and 44.6 +/- 6.6 nM, respectively). Further analyses revealed that the tighter affinity is probably due to a preferred p/t binding mode and not to one expected if separate tRNA and p/t binding regions are accessed simultaneously by the same molecule.

Kinetic evidence for separate site catalysis by pyruvate phosphate dikinase.

Pyruvate phosphate dikinase from Clostridium symbiosum catalyzes the interconversion of adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP), orthophosphate (Pi), and pyruvate with adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP), inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) using a bi (ATP, Pi) bi (AMP, PPi) uni (pyruvate) uni (PEP) kinetic mechanism and pyrophosphorylenzyme (E-PP) and phosphorylenzyme (E-P) covalent intermediates. The present studies were carried out to determine whether or not the site of catalysis of the E + ATP + P1 E-P + AMP + PPi partial reaction overlaps with that of the E-P + pyruvate E + PEP partial reaction. Single-turnover experiments were carried out to test the effect of binding site occupancy on catalysis at a second site. Saturation of the enzyme with adenyl imidodiphosphate (AMPPNP) inhibited [32P]E-P formation from [beta-32P]ATP and Pi but did not significantly inhibit [32P]E-P formation from [32P]PEP. Likewise, saturation of E-P with AMP did not significantly inhibit [14C]PEP formation from [14C]pyruvate, suggesting separate, largely independent ATP/AMP vs pyruvate/PEP sites. Movement of the phosphorylhistidine residue between reaction sites was probed by testing oxalate as an inhibitor of phosphoryl transfer from E-P to [14C]pyruvate or to [14C]AMP. Both phosphoryl transfers were inhibited. These results were interpreted as evidence for the requirement for phosphorylhistidine release from the pyruvate site prior to participation in catalysis at the nucleotide site.

Substrate binding domains in pyruvate phosphate dikinase.

Proteolysis of Clostridium symbiosum pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK) in its free or phosphorylated state with subtilisin Carlsberg followed two different cleavage pathways. The major pathway involved initial cleavage of the holoenzyme (93 kDa) into a stable 25-kDa N-terminal fragment and transiently stable 67-kDa C-terminal fragment. The 67-kDa fragment was cleaved to generate a stable 35-kDa fragment and an unstable 30-kDa fragment (containing the catalytic histidine). Proteolytic cleavage via the minor pathway divided the holoenzyme into an unstable 37-kDa N-terminal piece (which was further cleaved to the stable 25-kDa fragment produced in the major pathway) and a transiently stable 55-kDa C-terminal fragment. The 55-kDa fragment was then cleaved to produce the stable 35-kDa fragment produced by the major pathway. The cleavage pattern of PPDK complexed with the ATP analog adenyl imidodiphosphate was identical to that of the free enzyme, only the rate of cleavage as slower. In contrast, proteolysis of the phosphorylenzyme-oxalate complex generated the 55-kDa fragment indicating that oxalate binding induces a change in protein conformation. Treatment of PPDK with [1-14C]bromopyruvate followed by proteolysis revealed selective radiolabeling of the stable 35-kDa fragment while similar experiments with [14C]2',3'-dialdehyde adenosine 5'-monophosphate resulted in selective radiolabeling of the stable 25-kDa fragment. These results were interpreted to suggest that PPDK contains several structural domains and that the catalytic histidine, the pyruvate binding site, and the ATP binding site may be located on different domains.

Characterization of the covalent enzyme intermediates formed during pyruvate phosphate dikinase catalysis.

The intermediacy of a pyrophosphorylenzyme (E-PP) and phosphorylenzyme (E-P) in the Clostridium symbiosum pyruvate phosphate dikinase catalyzed interconversion of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), orthophosphate (Pi), and pyruvate with adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP), inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) was examined using transient kinetic techniques. Single-turnover experiments with [gamma-32P]ATP or [14C]ATP and PPDK were carried out in the presence and absence of Pi to test for pyrophosphorylenzyme and AMP formation, respectively. Formation of the E-PP.AMP complex was found to be followed by Pi binding and the formation of the E-P.AMP.PPi complex. The level of pyrophosphorylenzyme accumulated during a single turnover was found to be dependent on the divalent metal cofactor used (Mn2+ > Co2+ > Mg2+). Single-turnover experiments with [32P]PEP and PPDK were carried out in the presence and absence of PPi and pyruvate to test for phosphorylenzyme formation in the reverse, ATP-forming direction of the reaction. Phosphorylenzyme formed from the reaction of the E.PEP complex was converted in the presence of AMP and PPi to free enzyme at a rate exceeding the steady-state turnover rate. The reaction sequence for pyruvate phosphate dikinase was determined to be [formula see text] 31P NMR analysis of the phosphorylenzyme in the native (-4.0 ppm) and denatured form (-3.9 ppm) revealed a 3-N-phosphohistidine residue. Complexation of Mg2+ resulted in a 0.3 ppm upfield shift of the phosphorus resonance from native phosphorylenzyme while Mn2+ complexation lead to extensive line broadening, indicative of metal cofactor binding in close vicinity to the phosphoryl group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)