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Crystal structures and proposed structural/functional classification of three protozoan proteins from the isochorismatase superfamily.

ABSTRACT: We have determined the crystal structures of three homologous proteins from the pathogenic protozoans Leishmania donovani, Leishmania major, and Trypanosoma cruzi. We propose that these proteins represent a new subfamily within the isochorismatase superfamily (CDD classification cd004310). Their overall fold and key active site residues are structurally homologous both to the biochemically well-characterized N-carbamoylsarcosine-amidohydrolase, a cysteine hydrolase, and to the phenazine biosynthesis protein PHZD (isochorismase), an aspartyl hydrolase. All three proteins are annotated as mitochondrial-associated ribonuclease Mar1, based on a previous characterization of the homologous protein from L. tarentolae. This would constitute a new enzymatic activity for this structural superfamily, but this is not strongly supported by the observed structures. In these protozoan proteins, the extended active site is formed by inter-subunit association within a tetramer, which implies a distinct evolutionary history and substrate specificity from the previously characterized members of the isochorismatase superfamily. The characterization of the active site is supported crystallographically by the presence of an unidentified ligand bound at the active site cysteine of the T. cruzi structure.

SUBMITTER: Caruthers J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2253213 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Crystal structures and proposed structural/functional classification of three protozoan proteins from the isochorismatase superfamily.

Caruthers Jonathan J Zucker Frank F Worthey Elizabeth E Myler Peter J PJ Buckner Fred F Van Voorhuis Wes W Mehlin Chris C Boni Erica E Feist Tiffany T Luft Joseph J Gulde Stacey S Lauricella Angela A Kaluzhniy Oleksandr O Anderson Lori L Le Trong Isolde I Holmes Margaret A MA Earnest Thomas T Soltis Michael M Hodgson Keith O KO Hol Wim G J WG Merritt Ethan A EA

Protein science : a publication of the Protein Society 20050930 11

We have determined the crystal structures of three homologous proteins from the pathogenic protozoans Leishmania donovani, Leishmania major, and Trypanosoma cruzi. We propose that these proteins represent a new subfamily within the isochorismatase superfamily (CDD classification cd004310). Their overall fold and key active site residues are structurally homologous both to the biochemically well-characterized N-carbamoylsarcosine-amidohydrolase, a cysteine hydrolase, and to the phenazine biosynth ...[more]

PMID: 16199669

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Project description:Tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS) is an essential enzyme that is recognizably conserved across all forms of life. It is responsible for activating and attaching tryptophan to a cognate tRNA(Trp) molecule for use in protein synthesis. In some eukaryotes this original core function has been supplemented or modified through the addition of extra domains or the expression of variant TrpRS isoforms. The three TrpRS structures from pathogenic protozoa described here represent three illustrations of this malleability in eukaryotes. The Cryptosporidium parvum genome contains a single TrpRS gene, which codes for an N-terminal domain of uncertain function in addition to the conserved core TrpRS domains. Sequence analysis indicates that this extra domain, conserved among several apicomplexans, is related to the editing domain of some AlaRS and ThrRS. The C. parvum enzyme remains fully active in charging tRNA(Trp) after truncation of this extra domain. The crystal structure of the active, truncated enzyme is presented here at 2.4Å resolution. The Trypanosoma brucei genome contains separate cytosolic and mitochondrial isoforms of TrpRS that have diverged in their respective tRNA recognition domains. The crystal structure of the T. brucei cytosolic isoform is presented here at 2.8Å resolution. The Entamoeba histolytica genome contains three sequences that appear to be TrpRS homologs. However one of these, whose structure is presented here at 3.0Å resolution, has lost the active site motifs characteristic of the Class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase catalytic domain while retaining the conserved features of a fully formed tRNA(Trp) recognition domain. The biological function of this variant E. histolytica TrpRS remains unknown, but, on the basis of a completely conserved tRNA recognition region and evidence for ATP but not tryptophan binding, it is tempting to speculate that it may perform an editing function. Together with a previously reported structure of an unusual TrpRS from Giardia, these protozoan structures broaden our perspective on the extent of structural variation found in eukaryotic TrpRS homologs.

Dataset Information

Crystal structures and proposed structural/functional classification of three protozoan proteins from the isochorismatase superfamily.

Publications

Crystal structures and proposed structural/functional classification of three protozoan proteins from the isochorismatase superfamily.

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