PubMed Health⌕ Search

PubMed · 12818207

Conformational flexibility of pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes: a computational analysis by quantized elastic deformational model.

Abstract

Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) is one of the largest multienzyme complexes known and consists of a dodecahedral E2 core to which other components are attached. We report the results of applying a new computational method, quantized elastic deformational model, to simulating the conformational fluctuations of the truncated E2 core, using low-resolution electron cryomicroscopy density maps. The motional features are well reproduced; especially, the symmetric breathing mode revealed in simulation is nearly identical with what was observed experimentally. Structural details of the motions of the trimeric building blocks, which are critical to facilitating the global expansion and contraction of the complex, were revealed. Using the low-resolution maps from electron cryomicroscopy reconstructions, the simulations showed a picture of the motional mechanism of the PDC core, which is an example without precedent of thermally activated global dynamics. Moreover, the current results support an earlier suggestion that, at low resolution and without the use of amino acid sequence and atomic coordinates, it is possible for computer simulations to provide an accurate description of protein dynamics.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Yifei Kong, Dengming Ming, Yinghao Wu, James K Stoops, Z Hong Zhou, Jianpeng Ma. 2003-06-27. Conformational flexibility of pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes: a computational analysis by quantized elastic deformational model.. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-2836(03)00555-2

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

The YfiD protein contributes to the pyruvate formate-lyase flux in an Escherichia coli arcA mutant strain.

The product of yfiD gene is similar to pyruvate formate-lyase (PFL) activase and it has been reported to activate PFL by replacing the glycyl radical domain. To quantitate the effect of YfiD on the cell metabolism in microaerobic cultures, glucose-limited chemostat cultures were conducted with Escherichia coli yfiD mutant and yfiDarcA mutant strains. The microaerobic condition was controlled by purging the culture media with 2.5% O(2) in N(2). The intracellular metabolic flux distributions in these cultures were estimated based on C-13 labeling experiments. By comparing with the flux distributions in wild-type E. coli and the arcA mutant, it was shown that YfiD contributes to about 18% of the PFL flux in the arcA mutant, but it did not contribute to the PFL flux in wild-type E. coli. It was also shown that the cell used both PFL and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) to supplement the acetyl-coenzyme A (AcCoA) pool under microaerobic conditions. The flux through PDH was about 22-30% of the total flux toward AcCoA in the wild-type, the yfiD mutant and yfiDarcA mutant strains. Relatively higher lactate production was seen in the yfiDarcA mutant than the other strains, which was due to the lower total flux through PFL and PDH toward AcCoA in this strain.

Acetyltransferases↗

Risk and risk reduction involving arginine intake and meat consumption in colorectal tumorigenesis and survival.

Elevated polyamine and nitric oxide levels (both derived from arginine) promote tumorigenesis, whereas non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence in experimental and epidemiologic studies. We investigated dietary arginine-induced intestinal tumorigenesis and NSAID-inhibitory effects in Apc(Min/+) mice differentially expressing nitric oxide synthase-2 (Nos2). We also studied effects of estimated arginine exposures through meat consumption on tumor characteristics and survival in human CRC cases. Dietary arginine increased high-grade colon adenoma incidence in Apc(Min/+)Nos2(+/+) mice, but not in Nos2 knockout mice. Additionally, celecoxib suppressed intestinal steady state ornithine decarboxylase RNA levels (p < 0.001), induced steady state spermidine/spermine N(1)-acetyltransferase RNA levels (p = 0.002), decreased putrescine levels (p = 0.04) and decreased tumor number in the small intestines of Apc(Min/+)Nos2(+/+) mice (p = 0.0003). Five hundred and eleven cases from our NCI-supported CRC gene-environment study were analyzed based on self-reported meat (as a surrogate for arginine) consumption. Familial CRC cases (n = 144) in the highest meat consumption quartile (Q4) had no statistically significant differences in tumor grade compared to cases in Q1-Q3 (p = 0.32); however, they were observed to have decreased overall survival (OS) (10-year OS = 42% vs. 65%; p = 0.017), and increased risk of death in an adjusted analysis (hazards ratio [HR] = 2.24; p = 0.007). No differences in tumor grade, OS or adjusted HR were observed for sporadic CRC cases (n = 367) based on meat consumption. Our results suggest important roles for arginine and meat consumption in CRC pathogenesis, and have implications for CRC prevention.

Acetyltransferases↗

Catalytic mechanism of a MYST family histone acetyltransferase.

Distinct catalytic mechanisms have been proposed for the Gcn5 and MYST histone acetyltransferase (HAT) families. Gcn5-like HATs utilize an ordered sequential mechanism involving direct nucleophilic attack of the N-epsilon-lysine on the enzyme-bound acetyl-CoA. Recently, MYST enzymes were reported to employ a ping-pong route of catalysis via an acetyl-cysteine intermediate. Here, using the prototypical MYST family member Esa1, and its physiological complex (piccolo NuA4), steady-state kinetic analyses revealed a kinetic mechanism that requires the formation of a ternary complex prior to catalysis, where acetyl-CoA binds first and CoA is the last product released. In the absence of histone acceptor, slow rates of enzyme auto-acetylation (7 x 10(-4) s(-1), or approximately 2500-fold slower than histone acetylation; kcat = 1.6 s(-1)) and of CoA formation (0.0021 s(-1)) were inconsistent with a kinetically competent acetyl-enzyme intermediate. Previously, Cys-304 of Esa1 was the proposed nucleophile that forms an acetyl-cysteine intermediate. Here, mutation of this cysteine (C304A) in Esa1 or within the piccolo NuA4 complex yielded an enzyme that was catalytically indistinguishable from the wild type. Similarly, a pH rate (kcat) analysis of the wild type and C304A revealed an ionization (pKa = 7.6-7.8) that must be unprotonated. Mutation of a conserved active-site glutamate (E338Q) reduced kcat approximately 200-fold at pH 7.5; however, at higher pH, E338Q exhibited nearly wild-type activity. These data are consistent with Glu-338 (general base) activating the N-epsilon-lysine by deprotonation. Together, the results suggest that MYST family HATs utilize a direct-attack mechanism within an Esa1 x acetyl-CoA x histone ternary complex.

Acetyltransferases↗