Differences in the catalytic mechanisms of mesophilic and thermophilic indole-3-glycerol phosphate synthase enzymes at their adaptive temperatures
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)
Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Catalytic mechanisms of thermophilic-mesophilic enzymes may differ. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Product release is rate-determining for thermophilic IGPS at low temperatures. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer But at higher temperatures, proton transfer from the general acid is rate-limiting. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Rate-determining step is different still for mesophilic IGPS. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Both chemical and physical steps of catalysis are important for temperature adaptation. -- Abstract: Thermophilic enzymes tend to be less catalytically-active at lower temperatures relative to their mesophilic counterparts, despite having very similar crystal structures. An often cited hypothesis for this general observation is that thermostable enzymes have evolved a more rigid tertiary structure in order to cope with their more extreme, natural environment, but they are also less flexible at lower temperatures, leading to their lower catalytic activity under mesophilic conditions. An alternative hypothesis, however, is that complementary thermophilic-mesophilic enzyme pairs simply operate through different evolutionary-optimized catalytic mechanisms. In this communication, we present evidence that while the steps of the catalytic mechanisms for mesophilic and thermophilic indole-3-glycerol phosphate synthase (IGPS) enzymes are fundamentally similar, the identity of the rate-determining step changes as a function of temperature. Our findings indicate that while product release is rate-determining at 25 Degree-Sign C for thermophilic IGPS, near its adaptive temperature (75 Degree-Sign C), a proton transfer event, involving a general acid, becomes rate-determining. The rate-determining steps for thermophilic and mesophilic IGPS enzymes are also different at their respective, adaptive temperatures with the mesophilic IGPS-catalyzed reaction being rate-limited before irreversible CO{sub 2} release, and the thermophilic IGPS-catalyzed reaction being rate limited afterwards.
- OSTI ID:
- 22207697
- Journal Information:
- Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 418, Issue 2; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0006-291X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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