title: Insights from the X-ray crystal structure of coral 8R-lipoxygenase: calcium activation via a C2-like domain and a structural basis of product chirality.
abstract: Lipoxygenases (LOXs) catalyze the regio- and stereospecific dioxygenation of polyunsaturated membrane-embedded fatty acids. We report here the 3.2 A resolution structure of 8R-LOX from the Caribbean sea whip coral Plexaura homomalla, a LOX isozyme with calcium dependence and the uncommon R chiral stereospecificity. Structural and spectroscopic analyses demonstrated calcium binding in a C2-like membrane-binding domain, illuminating the function of similar amino acids in calcium-activated mammalian 5-LOX, the key enzyme in the pathway to the pro-inflammatory leukotrienes. Mutation of Ca(2+)-ligating amino acids in 8R-LOX resulted not only in a diminished capacity to bind membranes, as monitored by fluorescence resonance energy transfer, but also in an associated loss of Ca(2+)-regulated enzyme activity. Moreover, a structural basis for R chiral specificity is also revealed; creation of a small oxygen pocket next to Gly(428) (Ala in all S-LOX isozymes) promoted C-8 oxygenation with R chirality on the activated fatty acid substrate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Oldham
authors.forename: Alan R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Brash
authors.forename: Marcia E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Newcomer
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D001091:Arachidonate Lipoxygenases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020134:Catalytic Domain / Q000235:genetics; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D055672:Static Electricity; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014364:Tryptophan; D001091:Arachidonate Lipoxygenases; C054192:arachidonate 8-lipoxygenase; D002118:Calcium