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Crystallographic analysis reveals a novel second binding site for trimethoprim in active site double mutants of human dihydrofolate reductase.

ABSTRACT: In order to produce a more potent replacement for trimethoprim (TMP) used as a therapy for Pneumocystis pneumonia and targets dihydrofolate reductase from Pneumocystis jirovecii (pjDHFR), it is necessary to understand the determinants of potency and selectivity against DHFR from the mammalian host and fungal pathogen cells. To this end, active site residues in human (h) DHFR were replaced with those from pjDHFR. Structural data are reported for two complexes of TMP with the double mutants Gln35Ser/Asn64Phe (Q35S/N64F) and Gln35Lys/Asn64Phe (Q35K/N64F) of hDHFR that unexpectedly show evidence for the binding of two molecules of TMP: one molecule that binds in the normal folate binding site and the second molecule that binds in a novel subpocket site such that the mutated residue Phe64 is involved in van der Waals contacts to the trimethoxyphenyl ring of the second TMP molecule. Kinetic data for the binding of TMP to hDHFR and pjDHFR reveal an 84-fold selectivity of TMP against pjDHFR (K(i) 49 nM) compared to hDHFR (K(i) 4093 nM). Two mutants that contain one substitution from pj--and one from the closely related Pneumocystis carinii DHFR (pcDHFR) (Q35K/N64F and Q35S/N64F) show K(i) values of 593 and 617 nM, respectively; these K(i) values are well above both the K(i) for pjDHFR and are similar to pcDHFR (Q35K/N64F and Q35S/N64F) (305nM). These results suggest that active site residues 35 and 64 play key roles in determining selectivity for pneumocystis DHFR, but that other residues contribute to the unique binding of inhibitors to these enzymes.

SUBMITTER: Cody V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3166973 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Crystallographic analysis reveals a novel second binding site for trimethoprim in active site double mutants of human dihydrofolate reductase.

Cody Vivian V Pace Jim J Piraino Jennifer J Queener Sherry F SF

Journal of structural biology 20110613 1

In order to produce a more potent replacement for trimethoprim (TMP) used as a therapy for Pneumocystis pneumonia and targets dihydrofolate reductase from Pneumocystis jirovecii (pjDHFR), it is necessary to understand the determinants of potency and selectivity against DHFR from the mammalian host and fungal pathogen cells. To this end, active site residues in human (h) DHFR were replaced with those from pjDHFR. Structural data are reported for two complexes of TMP with the double mutants Gln35S ...[more]

PMID: 21684339

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Project description:Enterococci are usually susceptible in vitro to trimethoprim; however, high-level resistance (HLR) (MICs, >1,024 microg/ml) has been reported. We studied Enterococcus faecalis DEL, for which the trimethoprim MIC was >1,024 microg/ml. No transfer of resistance was achieved by broth or filter matings. Two different genes that conferred trimethoprim resistance when they were cloned in Escherichia coli (MICs, 128 and >1,024 microg/ml) were studied. One gene that coded for a polypeptide of 165 amino acids (MIC, 128 microg/ml for E. coli) was identical to dfr homologs that we cloned from a trimethoprim-susceptible E. faecalis strain, and it is presumed to be the intrinsic E. faecalis dfr gene (which causes resistance in E. coli when cloned in multiple copies); this gene was designated dfrE. The nucleotide sequence 5' to this dfr gene showed similarity to thymidylate synthetase genes, suggesting that the dfr and thy genes from E. faecalis are located in tandem. The E. faecalis gene that conferred HLR to trimethoprim in E. coli, designated dfrF, codes for a predicted polypeptide of 165 amino acids with 38 to 64% similarity with other dihydrofolate reductases from gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. The nucleotide sequence 5' to dfrF did not show similarity to the thy sequences. A DNA probe for dfrF hybridized under high-stringency conditions only to colony lysates of enterococci for which the trimethoprim MIC was >1,024 microg/ml; there was no hybridization to plasmid DNA from the strain of origin. To confirm that this gene causes trimethoprim resistance in enterococci, we cloned it into the integrative vector pAT113 and electroporated it into RH110 (E. faecalis OG1RF::Tn916DeltaEm) (trimethoprim MIC, 0.5 microg/ml), which resulted in RH110 derivatives for which the trimethoprim MIC was >1, 024 microg/ml. These results indicate that dfrF is an acquired but probably chromosomally located gene which is responsible for in vitro HLR to trimethoprim in E. faecalis.

Dataset Information

Crystallographic analysis reveals a novel second binding site for trimethoprim in active site double mutants of human dihydrofolate reductase.

Publications

Crystallographic analysis reveals a novel second binding site for trimethoprim in active site double mutants of human dihydrofolate reductase.

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