Ancestral-sequence reconstruction unveils the structural basis of function in mammalian FMOs

Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2020 Jan;27(1):14-24. doi: 10.1038/s41594-019-0347-2. Epub 2019 Dec 23.

Abstract

Flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs) are ubiquitous in all domains of life and metabolize a myriad of xenobiotics, including toxins, pesticides and drugs. However, despite their pharmacological importance, structural information remains bereft. To further our understanding behind their biochemistry and diversity, we used ancestral-sequence reconstruction, kinetic and crystallographic techniques to scrutinize three ancient mammalian FMOs: AncFMO2, AncFMO3-6 and AncFMO5. Remarkably, all AncFMOs could be crystallized and were structurally resolved between 2.7- and 3.2-Å resolution. These crystal structures depict the unprecedented topology of mammalian FMOs. Each employs extensive membrane-binding features and intricate substrate-profiling tunnel networks through a conspicuous membrane-adhering insertion. Furthermore, a glutamate-histidine switch is speculated to induce the distinctive Baeyer-Villiger oxidation activity of FMO5. The AncFMOs exhibited catalysis akin to human FMOs and, with sequence identities between 82% and 92%, represent excellent models. Our study demonstrates the power of ancestral-sequence reconstruction as a strategy for the crystallization of proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Humans
  • Mammals
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutation
  • Oxygenases / chemistry*
  • Oxygenases / genetics
  • Oxygenases / metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Multimerization

Substances

  • Oxygenases
  • dimethylaniline monooxygenase (N-oxide forming)