title: Mutation and evolution of the magnesium-binding site of a class II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase.
abstract: Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases contain one or three Mg(2+) ions in their catalytic sites. In addition to their role in ATP binding, these ions are presumed to play a role in catalysis by increasing the electropositivity of the alpha-phosphate and stabilizing the pentavalent transition state. In the class II aaRS, two highly conserved carboxylate residues have been shown to participate with Mg(2+) ions in binding and coordination. It is shown here that these carboxylate residues are absolutely required for the activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae aspartyl-tRNA synthetase. Mutants of these residues exhibit pleiotropic effects on the kinetic parameters suggesting an effect at an early stage of the aminoacylation reaction, such as the binding of ATP, Mg(2+), aspartic acid, or the amino acid activation. Despite genetic selections in an APS-knockout yeast strain, we were unable to select a single active mutant of these carboxylate residues. Nevertheless, we isolated an intragenic suppressor from a combinatorial library. The active mutant showed a second substitution close to the first one, and exhibited a significant increase of the tRNA aminoacylation rate. Structural analysis suggests that the acceptor stem of the tRNA might be repositioned to give a more productive enzyme:tRNA complex. Thus, the initial defect of the activation reaction was compensated by a significant increase of the aminoacylation rate that led to cellular complementation.
authors.affiliation: UPR 9002 SMBMR du CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, 15, rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ador
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaeger
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Geslain
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cavarelli
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eriani
mesh_terms: D000215:Acylation; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D001226:Aspartate-tRNA Ligase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D016923:Cell Death; D020650:Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D007700:Kinetics; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism*; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D019151:Peptide Library; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012349:RNA, Transfer, Asp / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D019151:Peptide Library; D012349:RNA, Transfer, Asp; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D001226:Aspartate-tRNA Ligase; D008274:Magnesium