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Title: Role of the Sulfonium Center in Determining the Ligand Specificity of Human S-Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase

Journal Article · · Biochemistry-US
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/bi900590m· OSTI ID:1005775

S-Adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) is a key enzyme in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway. Inhibition of this pathway and subsequent depletion of polyamine levels is a viable strategy for cancer chemotherapy and for the treatment of parasitic diseases. Substrate analogue inhibitors display an absolute requirement for a positive charge at the position equivalent to the sulfonium of S-adenosylmethionine. We investigated the ligand specificity of AdoMetDC through crystallography, quantum chemical calculations, and stopped-flow experiments. We determined crystal structures of the enzyme cocrystallized with 5{prime}-deoxy-5{prime}-dimethylthioadenosine and 5{prime}-deoxy-5{prime}-(N-dimethyl)amino-8-methyladenosine. The crystal structures revealed a favorable cation-{pi} interaction between the ligand and the aromatic side chains of Phe7 and Phe223. The estimated stabilization from this interaction is 4.5 kcal/mol as determined by quantum chemical calculations. Stopped-flow kinetic experiments showed that the rate of the substrate binding to the enzyme greatly depends on Phe7 and Phe223, thus supporting the importance of the cation-{pi} interaction.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
1005775
Journal Information:
Biochemistry-US, Vol. 48, Issue (27) ; 07, 2009; ISSN 0006-2960
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH