title: Evolution of vitamin B2 biosynthesis: 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine synthases of Brucella.
abstract: The penultimate step in the biosynthesis of riboflavin (vitamin B2) involves the condensation of 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate with 5-amino-6-ribitylamino-2,4(1H,3H)-pyrimidinedione, which is catalyzed by 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine synthase (lumazine synthase). Pathogenic Brucella species adapted to an intracellular lifestyle have two genes involved in riboflavin synthesis, ribH1 and ribH2, which are located on different chromosomes. The ribH2 gene was shown previously to specify a lumazine synthase (type II lumazine synthase) with an unusual decameric structure and a very high Km for 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate. Moreover, the protein was found to be an immunodominant Brucella antigen and was able to generate strong humoral as well as cellular immunity against Brucella abortus in mice. We have now cloned and expressed the ribH1 gene, which is located inside a small riboflavin operon, together with two other putative riboflavin biosynthesis genes and the nusB gene, specifying an antitermination factor. The RibH1 protein (type I lumazine synthase) is a homopentamer catalyzing the formation of 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine at a rate of 18 nmol mg(-1) min(-1). Sequence comparison of lumazine synthases from archaea, bacteria, plants, and fungi suggests a family of proteins comprising archaeal lumazine and riboflavin synthases, type I lumazine synthases, and the eubacterial type II lumazine synthases.
authors.affiliation: Fundación Instituto Leloir, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zylberman
authors.forename: Sebastián
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klinke
authors.forename: Ilka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Haase
authors.forename: Adelbert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacher
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Fernando Alberto
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Goldbaum
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000201:enzymology*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010802:Phylogeny; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012258:Riboflavin Synthase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; C044822:6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine synthase; D012258:Riboflavin Synthase; D012256:Riboflavin