Tailoring Tryptophan Synthase TrpB for Selective Quaternary Carbon Bond Formation

J Am Chem Soc. 2019 Dec 18;141(50):19817-19822. doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b09864. Epub 2019 Dec 6.

Abstract

We previously engineered the β-subunit of tryptophan synthase (TrpB), which catalyzes the condensation of l-serine and indole to l-tryptophan, to synthesize a range of noncanonical amino acids from l-serine and indole derivatives or other nucleophiles. Here we employ directed evolution to engineer TrpB to accept 3-substituted oxindoles and form C-C bonds leading to new quaternary stereocenters. Initially, the variants that could use 3-substituted oxindoles preferentially formed N-C bonds on N1 of the substrate. Protecting N1 encouraged evolution toward C-alkylation, which persisted when protection was removed. Six generations of directed evolution resulted in TrpB Pfquat with a 400-fold improvement in activity for alkylation of 3-substituted oxindoles and the ability to selectively form a new, all-carbon quaternary stereocenter at the γ-position of the amino acid products. The enzyme can also alkylate and form all-carbon quaternary stereocenters on structurally similar lactones and ketones, where it exhibits excellent regioselectivity for the tertiary carbon. The configurations of the γ-stereocenters of two of the products were determined via microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED), and we report the MicroED structure of a small molecule obtained using the Falcon III direct electron detector. Highly thermostable and expressed at >500 mg/L E. coli culture, TrpB Pfquat offers an efficient, sustainable, and selective platform for the construction of diverse noncanonical amino acids bearing all-carbon quaternary stereocenters.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkylation
  • Carbon / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Engineering
  • Tryptophan Synthase / chemistry*
  • Tryptophan Synthase / genetics
  • Tryptophan Synthase / metabolism*

Substances

  • Carbon
  • Tryptophan Synthase