Structural and Metabolic Specificity of Methylthiocoformycin for Malarial Adenosine Deaminases
Plasmodium falciparum is a purine auxotroph requiring hypoxanthine as a key metabolic precursor. Erythrocyte adenine nucleotides are the source of the purine precursors, making adenosine deaminase (ADA) a key enzyme in the pathway of hypoxanthine formation. Methylthioadenosine (MTA) is a substrate for most malarial ADAs, but not for human ADA. The catalytic site specificity of malarial ADAs permits methylthiocoformycin (MT-coformycin) to act as a Plasmodium-specific transition state analogue with low affinity for human ADA. The structural basis for MTA and MT-coformycin specificity in malarial ADAs is the subject of speculation. Here, the crystal structure of ADA from Plasmodium vivax (PvADA) in a complex with MT-coformycin reveals an unprecedented binding geometry for 5?-methylthioribosyl groups in the malarial ADAs. Compared to malarial ADA complexes with adenosine or deoxycoformycin, 5?-methylthioribosyl groups are rotated 130 degrees. A hydrogen bonding network between Asp172 and the 3?-hydroxyl of MT-coformycin is essential for recognition of the 5?-methylthioribosyl group. Water occupies the 5?-hydroxyl binding site when MT-coformycin is bound. Mutagenesis of Asp172 destroys the substrate specificity for MTA and MT-coformycin. Kinetic, mutagenic, and structural analyses of PvADA and kinetic analysis of five other Plasmodium ADAs establish the unique structural basis for its specificity for MTA and MT-coformycin. Plasmodium gallinaceum ADA does not use MTA as a substrate, is not inhibited by MT-coformycin, and is missing Asp172. Treatment of P. falciparum cultures with coformycin or MT-coformycin in the presence of MTA is effective in inhibiting parasite growth.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). National Synchrotron Light Source
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Doe - Office Of Science
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-98CH10886
- OSTI ID:
- 980497
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-93415-2010-JA; TRN: US201015%%1882
- Journal Information:
- Biochemistry, Vol. 48
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Targeting a Novel Plasmodium falciparum Purine Recycling Pathway with Specific Immucillins
Theoretical Study of Inhibition of Adenosine Deaminase by (8R)-Coformycin and (8R)-Deoxycoformycin