Evolution of tunnels in α/β-hydrolase fold proteins-What can we learn from studying epoxide hydrolases?

PLoS Comput Biol. 2022 May 17;18(5):e1010119. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010119. eCollection 2022 May.

Abstract

The evolutionary variability of a protein's residues is highly dependent on protein region and function. Solvent-exposed residues, excluding those at interaction interfaces, are more variable than buried residues whereas active site residues are considered to be conserved. The abovementioned rules apply also to α/β-hydrolase fold proteins-one of the oldest and the biggest superfamily of enzymes with buried active sites equipped with tunnels linking the reaction site with the exterior. We selected soluble epoxide hydrolases as representative of this family to conduct the first systematic study on the evolution of tunnels. We hypothesised that tunnels are lined by mostly conserved residues, and are equipped with a number of specific variable residues that are able to respond to evolutionary pressure. The hypothesis was confirmed, and we suggested a general and detailed way of the tunnels' evolution analysis based on entropy values calculated for tunnels' residues. We also found three different cases of entropy distribution among tunnel-lining residues. These observations can be applied for protein reengineering mimicking the natural evolution process. We propose a 'perforation' mechanism for new tunnels design via the merging of internal cavities or protein surface perforation. Based on the literature data, such a strategy of new tunnel design could significantly improve the enzyme's performance and can be applied widely for enzymes with buried active sites.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Epoxide Hydrolases* / chemistry
  • Epoxide Hydrolases* / genetics
  • Epoxide Hydrolases* / metabolism
  • Hydrolases* / chemistry
  • Hydrolases* / metabolism
  • Proteins

Substances

  • Proteins
  • Hydrolases
  • Epoxide Hydrolases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland (grant number DEC-2013/10/E/NZ1/00649) (AG, MB, TM, KM). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.