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Identification of essential active-site residues in ornithine decarboxylase of Nicotiana glutinosa decarboxylating both L-ornithine and L-lysine.

ABSTRACT: The cDNA encoding ornithine decarboxylase (ODC; EC 4.1.1.17), a key enzyme in putrescine and polyamine biosynthesis, has been cloned from Nicotiana glutinosa (GenBank AF 323910), and was expressed in Escherichia coli. The amino acid sequence of N. glutinosa ODC showed 90% identity with Datura stramonium ODC, and 44% identity with human ODC. N. glutinosa ODC did not possess the PEST sequence [a sequence rich in proline (P), glutamic acid (E), serine (S) and threonine (T) residues] found in mammalian ODCs, which are thought to be involved in rapid degradation of the protein. The purified ODC was a homodimeric protein, having a native M(r) of 92000. Kinetic studies of ODC showed that N. glutinosa ODC decarboxylated both l-ornithine and l-lysine with K(m) values of 562 microM and 1592 microM at different optimal pH values of 8.0 and 6.8 respectively. ODC activity was completely and irreversibly inhibited by alpha-difluoromethylornithine (K(i) 1.15 microM), showing a competitive inhibition pattern. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed on ODC to introduce mutations at conserved lysine (Lys(95)) and cysteine (Cys(96), Cys(338) and Cys(377)) residues, chosen by examination of the conserved sequence, which were proven by chemical modification to be involved in enzymic activity. Except for Cys(96), each mutation caused a substantial loss in enzyme activity. Most notably, Lys(95) increased the K(m) for l-ornithine by 16-fold and for l-lysine by 3-fold, with 100-fold and 2.8-fold decreases in the k(cat) for ODC and lysine decarboxylase (LDC) activity respectively. The Cys(377)-->Ala mutant possessed a k(cat) that was lowered by 23-fold, and the K(m) value was decreased by 1.4-fold for l-ornithine. The three-dimensional model of ODC protein constructed on the basis of the crystal structure of Trypanosoma brucei, mouse and human ODCs localized the four residues in the active-site cleft. This is the first work carried out on active-site residues of plant ODC, where ODC and LDC activities occur in the same catalytic site.

SUBMITTER: Lee YS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1222270 | biostudies-other | 2001 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:Transgenic plants of Nicotiana tabacum L. homozygous for an RNAi construct designed to silence ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) had significantly lower concentrations of nicotine and nornicotine, but significantly higher concentrations of anatabine, compared with vector-only controls. Silencing of ODC also led to significantly reduced concentrations of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine), tyramine and phenolamides (caffeoylputrescine and dicaffeoylspermidine) with concomitant increases in concentrations of amino acids ornithine, arginine, aspartate, glutamate and glutamine. Root transcript levels of S-adenosyl methionine decarboxylase, S-adenosyl methionine synthase and spermidine synthase (polyamine synthesis enzymes) were reduced compared with vector controls, whilst transcript levels of arginine decarboxylase (putrescine synthesis), putrescine methyltransferase (nicotine production) and multi-drug and toxic compound extrusion (alkaloid transport) proteins were elevated. In contrast, expression of two other key proteins required for alkaloid synthesis, quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase (nicotinic acid production) and a PIP-family oxidoreductase (nicotinic acid condensation reactions), were diminished in roots of odc-RNAi plants relative to vector-only controls. Transcriptional and biochemical differences associated with polyamine and alkaloid metabolism were exacerbated in odc-RNAi plants in response to different forms of shoot damage. In general, apex removal had a greater effect than leaf wounding alone, with a combination of these injury treatments producing synergistic responses in some cases. Reduced expression of ODC appeared to have negative effects upon plant growth and vigour with some leaves of odc-RNAi lines being brittle and bleached compared with vector-only controls. Together, results of this study demonstrate that ornithine decarboxylase has important roles in facilitating both primary and secondary metabolism in Nicotiana.

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Identification of essential active-site residues in ornithine decarboxylase of Nicotiana glutinosa decarboxylating both L-ornithine and L-lysine.

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