title: Invariant Ser211 is involved in the catalysis of PD-L4, type I RIP from Phytolacca dioica leaves.
abstract: Multiple sequence alignment analysis of ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) has revealed the occurrence of an invariant seryl residue in proximity of the catalytic tryptophan. The involvement of this seryl residue in the catalytic mechanism of RIPs was investigated by site-directed mutagenesis in PD-L4, type 1 RIP isolated from Phytolacca dioica leaves. We show that the replacement of Ser211 with Ala apparently does not influence the N-beta-glycosidase activity on ribosomes (determined as IC(50) in a cell-free system), but it reduces the adenine polynucleotide glycosylase activity (APG), assayed spectrophotometrically on other substrates such as DNA, rRNA, and poly(A). The ability of PD-L4 to deadenylate polynucleotides appears more sensitive to the Ser211Ala replacement when poly(A) is used as substrate, as only 33% activity is retained by the mutant, while with more complex and heterogeneous substrates such as DNA and rRNA, its APG activity is 73% and 66%, respectively. While the mutated protein shows a conserved secondary structure by CD, it also exhibits a remarkably enhanced tryptophan fluorescence. This indicates that, although the overall protein tridimensional structure is maintained, removal of the hydroxyl group locally affects the environment of a Trp residue. Modelling and docking analyses confirm the interaction between Ser211 and Trp207, which is located within the active site, thus affecting RIP adenine polynucleotide glycosylase activity. Data accumulated so far confirm the potential involvement of Ser211 in the catalytic mechanism of type 1 RIP PD-L4 and a possible role in stabilizing the conformation of Trp207 side chain, which participates actively in the protein enzymatic activity.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Seconda Università di Napoli, Caserta, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chambery
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pisante
authors.forename: Antimo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Maro
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Zazzo
authors.forename: Menotti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruvo
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costantini
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colonna
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parente
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002474:Cell-Free System; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D029603:Phytolacca / Q000737:chemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000201:enzymology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011061:Poly A / Q000378:metabolism; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D012156:Reticulocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012694:Serine / Q000737:chemistry*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1; D011061:Poly A; D012694:Serine; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; C105087:PD-S2 protein, Phytolacca dioica