Isochorismatase

Abstract: The Escherichia coli entB, coding for the enterobactin biosynthetic enzyme isochorismatase, has been subcloned into the multicopy plasmid pKK223-3 under the control of the tac promoter. The resulting recombinant plasmid pFR1 expresses isochorismatase amounting to over 50% of the total cellular protein. The enzyme has been purified to homogeneity and a convenient assay developed. The enzyme has a K{sub m} for isochorismate of 14.7 {mu}M and a turnover number of 600 min{sup {minus}1}. By use of {sup 1}H NMR spectroscopy, the progress of the reaction was followed with the expected formation of 2,3-dihydro-2,3-dihydroxybenzoate product. Several substrate analogues were also utilized by the enzyme including chorismic acid, the immediate precursor to isochorismic acid in the enterobactin biosynthetic pathway.

Abstract: Homochiral-cis-cyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-diols are important synthons. We found a way to produce trans-configured homochiral diols using recombinant Klebsiella pneumoniae 62-1. Transformation of this mutant (Phe- Trp- Tyr-) with plasmids carrying genes involved in chorismic and isochorismic acid metabolism leads to the production of either (+)-trans-(2S,3S)-2,3-dihydroxycyclohexa-4,6-dienecarboxylic acid or (-)-trans-(3R,4R)-3,4-dihydroxycyclohexa-1,5-dienecarboxylic acid, with a yield of 70 or 90 mg (l culture broth)-1, respectively. The metabolic shift from one diene to the other is caused by a change in activity of isochorismate hydroxymutase and/or isochorismatase which in turn results from growth under iron deficiency or overexpression of genes (entC and/or entB) involved in chorismate metabolism.

Abstract: Mycobactins are small-molecule iron chelators (siderophores) produced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) for iron mobilization. The bifunctional salicylate synthase MbtI catalyzes the first step of mycobactin biosynthesis through the conversion of the primary metabolite chorismate into salicylic acid via isochorismate. We report the design, synthesis, and biochemical evaluation of an inhibitor based on the putative transition state (TS) for the isochorismatase partial reaction of MbtI. The inhibitor mimics the hypothesized charge buildup at C-4 of chorismate in the TS as well as C-O bond formation at C-6. Another important design element of the inhibitor is replacement of the labile pyruvate side chain in chorismate with a stable C-linked propionate isostere. We developed a stereocontrolled synthesis of the highly functionalized cyclohexene inhibitor that features an asymmetric aldol reaction using a titanium enolate, diastereoselective Grignard addition to a tert-butanesulfinyl aldimine, and ring closing olefin metathesis as key steps.

Abstract: (+)-γ-lactamase catalyzes the specific hydrolysis of (+)-γ-lactam out of the racemic γ-lactam (2-Azabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-en-3-one) to leave optically pure (−)-γ-lactam, which is the key building block of antiviral drugs such as carbovir and abacavir. However, no structural data has been reported on how the enzymes bind the γ-lactams and achieve their enantioselectivities. We previously identified an isochorismatase-like hydrolase (IHL, Mh33H4-5540) with (+)-γ-lactamase activity, which constitutes a novel family of γ-lactamase. Here, we first discovered that this enzyme actually hydrolyzed both (+)- and (−)-γ-lactam, but with apparently different specificities. We determined the crystal structures of the apo-form, (+)-γ-lactam bound, and (−)-γ-lactam bound forms of the enzyme. The structures showed that the binding sites of both (+) and (−)-γ-lactam resemble those of IHLs, but the “cover” loop conserved in IHLs is lacking in the enzyme, probably resulting in its incomplete enantioselectivity. Structural, biochemical, and molecular dynamics simulation studies demonstrated that the steric clash caused by the binding-site residues, especially the side-chain of Cys111 would reduce the binding affinity of (−)-γ-lactam and possibly the catalytic efficiency, which might explain the different catalytic specificities of the enantiomers of γ-lactam. Our results would facilitate the directed evolution and application of Mh33H4-5540 in antiviral drug synthesis.