A Chimeric UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase produced by protein engineering exhibits sensitivity to allosteric regulators

Int J Mol Sci. 2013 May 6;14(5):9703-21. doi: 10.3390/ijms14059703.

Abstract

In bacteria, glycogen or oligosaccharide accumulation involves glucose-1-phosphate partitioning into either ADP-glucose (ADP-Glc) or UDP-Glc. Their respective synthesis is catalyzed by allosterically regulated ADP-Glc pyrophosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.27, ADP-Glc PPase) or unregulated UDP-Glc PPase (EC 2.7.7.9). In this work, we characterized the UDP-Glc PPase from Streptococcus mutans. In addition, we constructed a chimeric protein by cutting the C-terminal domain of the ADP-Glc PPase from Escherichia coli and pasting it to the entire S. mutans UDP-Glc PPase. Both proteins were fully active as UDP-Glc PPases and their kinetic parameters were measured. The chimeric enzyme had a slightly higher affinity for substrates than the native S. mutans UDP-Glc PPase, but the maximal activity was four times lower. Interestingly, the chimeric protein was sensitive to regulation by pyruvate, 3-phosphoglyceric acid and fructose-1,6-bis-phosphate, which are known to be effectors of ADP-Glc PPases from different sources. The three compounds activated the chimeric enzyme up to three-fold, and increased the affinity for substrates. This chimeric protein is the first reported UDP-Glc PPase with allosteric regulatory properties. In addition, this is a pioneer work dealing with a chimeric enzyme constructed as a hybrid of two pyrophosphorylases with different specificity toward nucleoside-diphospho-glucose and our results turn to be relevant for a deeper understanding of the evolution of allosterism in this family of enzymes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allosteric Regulation
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Escherichia coli / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Glucose-1-Phosphate Adenylyltransferase / chemistry
  • Glucose-1-Phosphate Adenylyltransferase / genetics
  • Glucose-1-Phosphate Adenylyltransferase / metabolism*
  • Glucosephosphates / metabolism
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Engineering*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism*
  • Streptococcus mutans / chemistry
  • Streptococcus mutans / enzymology*
  • Streptococcus mutans / genetics
  • UTP-Glucose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase / chemistry
  • UTP-Glucose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase / genetics
  • UTP-Glucose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase / metabolism*

Substances

  • Glucosephosphates
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • glucose-1-phosphate
  • Glucose-1-Phosphate Adenylyltransferase
  • UTP-Glucose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase