Conformational dynamics play important roles upon the function of N-acetylglutamate kinase.
N-acetylglutamate kinase (NAGK) catalyzes the phosphorylation of N-acetylglutamate. In many bacteria, NAGK catalysis is the rate controlling step in the L-arginine biosynthesis pathway from glutamate to L-arginine and is allosterically inhibited by L-arginine. Many data show that conformational dynamics of NAGKs are essential for their function. The demonstration of the conformational mechanism provides a potential way to improve the yield of arginine. Due to the lack of NAGK catalysis step in arginine synthesis route of mammals, the elucidation of the dynamic mechanism can also provide a way to design a new antivirus drug. This paper reviews how the dynamics affect the activity of NAGKs and are controlled by the effectors. X-ray crystallography and modeling data have shown that in NAGKs, the structural elements required for inhibitor and substrate binding, catalysis and product release, are highly mobile. It is possible to eliminate the inhibition of the arginine and/or block the synthesis of arginine by disturbing the flexibility of the NAGKs. Amino acid kinase family is thought to share some common dynamic features; the flexible structural elements of NAGKs have been identified, but the details of the dynamics and the signal transfer pathways are yet to be elucidated.
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China. birxyang@scut.edu.cn.|Guangdong Research Center of Industrial Enzyme and Green Manufacturing Technology, School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China. birxyang@scut.edu.cn.|Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, People's Republic of China. birxyang@scut.edu.cn.
Xiaorong
X
Yang
D000494:Allosteric Regulation; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017851:Phosphotransferases (Carboxyl Group Acceptor) / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011487:Protein Conformation
D005971:Glutamates; D017851:Phosphotransferases (Carboxyl Group Acceptor); C018721:acetylglutamate kinase; C016195:N-acetylglutamic acid
Amino acid kinase; Enzyme mechanism; Feedback inhibition; N-acetylglutamate kinase; Protein dynamics