Conservation between human and fungal squalene synthetases: similarities in structure, function, and regulation.
Squalene synthetase (farnesyl diphosphate:farnesyl diphosphate farnesyltransferase; EC 2.5.1.21) is thought to represent a major control point of isoprene and sterol biosynthesis in eukaryotes. We demonstrate structural and functional conservation between the enzymes from humans, a budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and a fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe). The amino acid sequences of the human and S. pombe proteins deduced from cloned cDNAs were compared to those of the known S. cerevisiae protein. All are predicted to encode C-terminal membrane-spanning proteins of approximately 50 kDa with similar hydropathy profiles. Extensive sequence conservation exists in regions of the enzyme proposed to interact with its prenyl substrates (i.e., two farnesyl diphosphate molecules). Many of the highly conserved regions are also present in phytoene and prephytoene diphosphate synthetases, enzymes which catalyze prenyl substrate condensation reactions analogous to that of squalene synthetase. Expression of cDNA clones encoding S. pombe or hybrid human-S. cerevisiae squalene synthetases reversed the ergosterol requirement of S. cerevisiae cells bearing ERG9 gene disruptions, showing that these enzymes can functionally replace the S. cerevisiae enzyme. Inhibition of sterol synthesis in S. cerevisiae and S. pombe cells or in cultured human fibroblasts by treatment with the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor lovastatin resulted in elevated levels of squalene synthetase mRNA in all three cell types.
Robinson
G W
GW
Department of Metabolic Diseases, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Princeton, New Jersey 08543.
Tsay
Y H
YH
Kienzle
B K
BK
Smith-Monroy
C A
CA
Bishop
R W
RW
D000328:Adult; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D013186:Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015723:Gene Library; D051232:Geranylgeranyl-Diphosphate Geranylgeranyltransferase; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008025:Ligases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D010957:Plasmids; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004247:DNA; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D013186:Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase; D051232:Geranylgeranyl-Diphosphate Geranylgeranyltransferase; D008025:Ligases