title: A new mode of dimerization of allosteric enzymes with ACT domains revealed by the crystal structure of the aspartate kinase from Cyanobacteria.
abstract: Aspartate kinases (AKs) can be divided in two subhomology divisions, AKalpha and AKbeta, depending on the presence of an extra sequence of about 60 amino acids, which is found only in the N-terminus of all AKalpha's. To date, the structures of AKalpha failed to provide a role for this additional N-terminal sequence. In this study, the structure of the AKbeta from the Cyanobacteria Synechocystis reveals that this supplementary sequence is linked to the dimerization mode of AKs. Its absence in AKbeta leads to the dimerization by the catalytic domain instead of involving the ACT domains [Pfam 01842; small regulatory domains initially found in AK, chorismate mutase and TyrA (prephenate dehydrogenase)] as observed in AKalpha. Thus, the structural analysis of the Synechocystis AKbeta revealed a dimer with a novel architecture. The four ACT domains of each monomer interact together and do not make any contact with those of the second monomer. The enzyme is inhibited synergistically by threonine and lysine with the binding of threonine first. The interaction between ACT1 and ACT4 or between ACT2 and ACT3 generates a threonine binding site and a lysine binding site at each interface, making a total of eight regulatory sites per dimer and allowing a fine-tuning of the AK activity by the end products, threonine and lysine.
authors.affiliation: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5168, Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Adeline Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Robin
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cobessi
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Curien
authors.forename: Mylène
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robert-Genthon
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dumas
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001222:Aspartate Kinase / Q000737:chemistry*; D001665:Binding Sites; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D019281:Dimerization; D008239:Lysine / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D046939:Synechocystis / Q000201:enzymology*; D013912:Threonine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D013912:Threonine; D001222:Aspartate Kinase; D008239:Lysine