During bacteriochlorophyll a biosynthesis, the oxygen-independent conversion of Mg-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester (Mg-PME) to protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) is catalyzed by the anaerobic Mg-PME cyclase termed BchE. Bioinformatics analyses in combination with pigment studies of cobalamin-requiring Rhodobacter capsulatus mutants indicated an unusual radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and cobalamin-dependent BchE catalysis. However, in vitro biosynthesis of the isocyclic ring moiety of bacteriochlorophyll using purified recombinant BchE has never been demonstrated. We established a spectroscopic in vitro activity assay which was subsequently validated by HPLC analyses and H218O isotope label transfer onto the carbonyl-group (C-131-oxo) of the isocyclic ring of Pchlide. The reaction product was further converted to chlorophyllide in the presence of light-dependent Pchlide reductase. BchE activity was stimulated by increasing concentrations of NADPH or SAM, and inhibited by S-adenosylhomocysteine. Subcellular fractionation experiments revealed that membrane-localized BchE requires an additional, heat-sensitive cytosolic component for activity. BchE catalysis was not sustained in chimeric experiments when a cytosolic extract from E. coli was used as a substitute. Size-fractionation of the soluble R. capsulatus fraction indicated that enzymatic activity relies on a specific component with an estimated molecular mass between 3 and 10 kDa. A structure guided site-directed mutagenesis approach was performed on the basis of a three-dimensional homology model of BchE. A newly established in vivo complementation assay was used to investigate 24 BchE mutant proteins. Potential ligands of the [4Fe-4S] cluster (Cys204, Cys208, Cys211), of SAM (Phe210, Glu308 and Lys320) and of the proposed cobalamin cofactor (Asp248, Glu249, Leu29, Thr71, Val97) were identified.
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December 2020
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The cover image shows a word cloud based on the findings of the review article by Fulcher and Sapkota (pp. 4397–4423) in this issue, depicting the many biological functions and modes of regulation of the CK1 family of Ser/Thr protein kinases. Image created by Luke Fulcher.
Research Article|
December 11 2020
Mg-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester cyclase from Rhodobacter capsulatus: radical SAM-dependent synthesis of the isocyclic ring of bacteriochlorophylls
Milan Wiesselmann;
Milan Wiesselmann
Data curation, Investigation, Visualization, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing
1Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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Stefanie Hebecker;
Stefanie Hebecker
Conceptualization, Data curation, Writing - review & editing
1Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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José M. Borrero-de Acuña;
José M. Borrero-de Acuña
1Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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Manfred Nimtz;
Manfred Nimtz
Investigation, Writing - review & editing
2Cellular Proteome Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany
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David Bollivar;
David Bollivar
3Department of Biology, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL 61702-2900, U.S.A
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Lothar Jänsch;
Lothar Jänsch
2Cellular Proteome Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany
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Jürgen Moser
;
1Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Correspondence: Jürgen Moser (j.moser@tu-bs.de)
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Dieter Jahn
Dieter Jahn
Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Writing - review & editing
4Braunschweig Centre of Integrated Systems Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Rebenring 56, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
October 09 2020
Revision Received:
November 16 2020
Accepted:
November 19 2020
Accepted Manuscript online:
November 19 2020
Online ISSN: 1470-8728
Print ISSN: 0264-6021
© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2020
Biochem J (2020) 477 (23): 4635–4654.
Article history
Received:
October 09 2020
Revision Received:
November 16 2020
Accepted:
November 19 2020
Accepted Manuscript online:
November 19 2020
Citation
Milan Wiesselmann, Stefanie Hebecker, José M. Borrero-de Acuña, Manfred Nimtz, David Bollivar, Lothar Jänsch, Jürgen Moser, Dieter Jahn; Mg-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester cyclase from Rhodobacter capsulatus: radical SAM-dependent synthesis of the isocyclic ring of bacteriochlorophylls. Biochem J 11 December 2020; 477 (23): 4635–4654. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20200761
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