9 publications

9 publications

A Cofactor Approach to Copper-Dependent Catalytic Antibodies

Janda, K.D.; Nicholas, K.M.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2002, 99, 2648-2653, 10.1073/pnas.052001099

A strategy for the preparation of semisynthetic copper(II)-based catalytic metalloproteins is described in which a metal-binding bis-imidazole cofactor is incorporated into the combining site of the aldolase antibody 38C2. Antibody 38C2 features a large hydrophobic-combining site pocket with a highly nucleophilic lysine residue, LysH93, that can be covalently modified. A comparison of several lactone and anhydride reagents shows that the latter are the most effective and general derivatizing agents for the 38C2 Lys residue. A bis-imidazole anhydride (5) was efficiently prepared from N-methyl imidazole. The 38C2–5-Cu conjugate was prepared by either (i) initial derivatization of 38C2 with 5 followed by metallation with CuCl2, or (ii) precoordination of 5 with CuCl2 followed by conjugation with 38C2. The resulting 38C2–5-Cu conjugate was an active catalyst for the hydrolysis of the coordinating picolinate ester 11, following Michaelis–Menten kinetics [kcat(11) = 2.3 min−1 and Km(11) 2.2 mM] with a rate enhancement [kcat(11)kuncat(11)] of 2.1 × 105. Comparison of the second-order rate constants of the modified 38C2 and the Cu(II)-bis-imidazolyl complex k(6-CuCl2) gives a rate enhancement of 3.5 × 104 in favor of the antibody complex with an effective molarity of 76.7 M, revealing a significant catalytic benefit to the binding of the bis-imidazolyl ligand into 38C2.


Metal: Cu
Ligand type: Bisimidazol
Host protein: Antibody 38C2
Anchoring strategy: Covalent
Optimization: Genetic
Max TON: ---
ee: ---
PDB: ---
Notes: ---

Artificial Metalloenzymes Based on Biotin-Avidin Technology for the Enantioselective Reduction of Ketones by Transfer Hydrogenation

Ward, T.R.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2005, 102, 4683-4687, 10.1073/pnas.0409684102

Most physiological and biotechnological processes rely on molecular recognition between chiral (handed) molecules. Manmade homogeneous catalysts and enzymes offer complementary means for producing enantiopure (single-handed) compounds. As the subtle details that govern chiral discrimination are difficult to predict, improving the performance of such catalysts often relies on trial-and-error procedures. Homogeneous catalysts are optimized by chemical modification of the chiral environment around the metal center. Enzymes can be improved by modification of gene encoding the protein. Incorporation of a biotinylated organometallic catalyst into a host protein (avidin or streptavidin) affords versatile artificial metalloenzymes for the reduction of ketones by transfer hydrogenation. The boric acid·formate mixture was identified as a hydrogen source compatible with these artificial metalloenzymes. A combined chemo-genetic procedure allows us to optimize the activity and selectivity of these hybrid catalysts: up to 94% (R) enantiomeric excess for the reduction of p-methylacetophenone. These artificial metalloenzymes display features reminiscent of both homogeneous catalysts and enzymes.


Metal: Ru
Ligand type: Amino-sulfonamide; P-cymene
Host protein: Streptavidin (Sav)
Anchoring strategy: Supramolecular
Optimization: Chemical & genetic
Max TON: 92
ee: 94
PDB: ---
Notes: ---

Metal: Ru
Ligand type: Amino-sulfonamide; Benzene
Host protein: Streptavidin (Sav)
Anchoring strategy: Supramolecular
Optimization: Chemical & genetic
Max TON: 30
ee: 63
PDB: ---
Notes: ---

Conversion of a Helix-Turn-Helix Motif Sequence-Specific DNA Binding Protein into a Site-Specific DNA Cleavage Agent

Ebright, R.H.; Gunasekeram, A.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 1990, 87, 2882-2886, 10.1073/pnas.87.8.2882

Escherichia coli catabolite gene activator protein (CAP) is a helix-turn-helix motif sequence-specific DNA binding protein [de Crombrugghe, B., Busby, S. & Buc, H. (1984) Science 224, 831-838; and Pabo, C. & Sauer, R. (1984) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 53, 293-321]. In this work, CAP has been converted into a site-specific DNA cleavage agent by incorporation of the chelator 1,10-phenanthroline at amino acid 10 of the helix-turn-helix motif. [(N-Acetyl-5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline)-Cys178]CAP binds to a 22-base-pair DNA recognition site with Kobs = 1 x 10(8) M-1. In the presence of Cu(II) and reducing agent, [(N-acetyl-5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline)-Cys178]CAP cleaves DNA at four adjacent nucleotides on each DNA strand within the DNA recognition site. The DNA cleavage reaction has been demonstrated using 40-base-pair and 7164-base-pair DNA substrates. The DNA cleavage reaction is not inhibited by dam methylation of the DNA substrate. Such semisynthetic site-specific DNA cleavage agents have potential applications in chromosome mapping, cloning, and sequencing.


Metal: Cu
Ligand type: Phenanthroline
Anchoring strategy: Covalent
Optimization: ---
Reaction: Oxidative cleavage
Max TON: <1
ee: ---
PDB: ---
Notes: Engineered sequence specificity

De Novo Design of Catalytic Proteins

DeGrado, W.F.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2004, 101, 11566-11570, 10.1073/pnas.0404387101

The de novo design of catalytic proteins provides a stringent test of our understanding of enzyme function, while simultaneously laying the groundwork for the design of novel catalysts. Here we describe the design of an O2-dependent phenol oxidase whose structure, sequence, and activity are designed from first principles. The protein catalyzes the two-electron oxidation of 4-aminophenol (k cat/K M = 1,500 M·1·min·1) to the corresponding quinone monoimine by using a diiron cofactor. The catalytic efficiency is sensitive to changes of the size of a methyl group in the protein, illustrating the specificity of the design.


Metal: Fe
Ligand type: Amino acid
Host protein: Due Ferri
Anchoring strategy: Dative
Optimization: Genetic
Reaction: Alcohol oxidation
Max TON: >100
ee: ---
PDB: ---
Notes: kcat/KM ≈ 1540 M-1*min-1

Designing a Functional Type 2 Copper Center that has Nitrite Reductase Activity Within α-Helical Coiled Coils

Pecoraro, V.L.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2012, 109, 21234-21239, 10.1073/pnas.1212893110

One of the ultimate objectives of de novo protein design is to realize systems capable of catalyzing redox reactions on substrates. This goal is challenging as redox-active proteins require design considerations for both the reduced and oxidized states of the protein. In this paper, we describe the spectroscopic characterization and catalytic activity of a de novo designed metallopeptide Cu(I/II)(TRIL23H)3+/2+, where Cu(I/II) is embeded in α-helical coiled coils, as a model for the CuT2 center of copper nitrite reductase. In Cu(I/II)(TRIL23H)3+/2+, Cu(I) is coordinated to three histidines, as indicated by X-ray absorption data, and Cu(II) to three histidines and one or two water molecules. Both ions are bound in the interior of the three-stranded coiled coils with affinities that range from nano- to micromolar [Cu(II)], and picomolar [Cu(I)]. The Cu(His)3 active site is characterized in both oxidation states, revealing similarities to the CuT2 site in the natural enzyme. The species Cu(II)(TRIL23H)32+ in aqueous solution can be reduced to Cu(I)(TRIL23H)3+ using ascorbate, and reoxidized by nitrite with production of nitric oxide. At pH 5.8, with an excess of both the reductant (ascorbate) and the substrate (nitrite), the copper peptide Cu(II)(TRIL23H)32+ acts as a catalyst for the reduction of nitrite with at least five turnovers and no loss of catalytic efficiency after 3.7 h. The catalytic activity, which is first order in the concentration of the peptide, also shows a pH dependence that is described and discussed.


Metal: Cu
Ligand type: Amino acid
Host protein: TRI peptide
Anchoring strategy: Dative
Optimization: Chemical & genetic
Max TON: >5
ee: ---
PDB: ---
Notes: Nitrite reduction

Design of a Switchable Eliminase

DeGrado, W.F.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2011, 108, 6823-6827, 10.1073/pnas.1018191108

The active sites of enzymes are lined with side chains whose dynamic, geometric, and chemical properties have been finely tuned relative to the corresponding residues in water. For example, the carboxylates of glutamate and aspartate are weakly basic in water but become strongly basic when dehydrated in enzymatic sites. The dehydration of the carboxylate, although intrinsically thermodynamically unfavorable, is achieved by harnessing the free energy of folding and substrate binding to reach the required basicity. Allosterically regulated enzymes additionally rely on the free energy of ligand binding to stabilize the protein in a catalytically competent state. We demonstrate the interplay of protein folding energetics and functional group tuning to convert calmodulin (CaM), a regulatory binding protein, into AlleyCat, an allosterically controlled eliminase. Upon binding Ca(II), native CaM opens a hydrophobic pocket on each of its domains. We computationally identified a mutant that (i) accommodates carboxylate as a general base within these pockets, (ii) interacts productively in the Michaelis complex with the substrate, and (iii) stabilizes the transition state for the reaction. Remarkably, a single mutation of an apolar residue at the bottom of an otherwise hydrophobic cavity confers catalytic activity on calmodulin. AlleyCat showed the expected pH-rate profile, and it was inactivated by mutation of its active site Glu to Gln. A variety of control mutants demonstrated the specificity of the design. The activity of this minimal 75-residue allosterically regulated catalyst is similar to that obtained using more elaborate computational approaches to redesign complex enzymes to catalyze the Kemp elimination reaction.


Metal: Ca
Ligand type: Amino acid
Anchoring strategy: Dative
Optimization: Genetic
Reaction: Kemp elimination
Max TON: >40
ee: ---
PDB: 2KZ2
Notes: Ca acts as allosteric regulator, catalytically active site contains no metal

Design of Metal Cofactors Activated by a Protein–Protein Electron Transfer System

Watanabe, Y.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2006, 103, 9416-9421, 10.1073/pnas.0510968103

Protein-to-protein electron transfer (ET) is a critical process in biological chemistry for which fundamental understanding is expected to provide a wealth of applications in biotechnology. Investigations of protein–protein ET systems in reductive activation of artificial cofactors introduced into proteins remains particularly challenging because of the complexity of interactions between the cofactor and the system contributing to ET. In this work, we construct an artificial protein–protein ET system, using heme oxygenase (HO), which is known to catalyze the conversion of heme to biliverdin. HO uses electrons provided from NADPH/cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) through protein–protein complex formation during the enzymatic reaction. We report that a FeIII(Schiff-base), in the place of the active-site heme prosthetic group of HO, can be reduced by NADPH/CPR. The crystal structure of the Fe(10-CH2CH2COOH-Schiff-base)·HO composite indicates the presence of a hydrogen bond between the propionic acid carboxyl group and Arg-177 of HO. Furthermore, the ET rate from NADPH/CPR to the composite is 3.5-fold faster than that of Fe(Schiff-base)·HO, although the redox potential of Fe(10-CH2CH2COOH-Schiff-base)·HO (−79 mV vs. NHE) is lower than that of Fe(Schiff-base)·HO (+15 mV vs. NHE), where NHE is normal hydrogen electrode. This work describes a synthetic metal complex activated by means of a protein–protein ET system, which has not previously been reported. Moreover, the result suggests the importance of the hydrogen bond for the ET reaction of HO. Our Fe(Schiff-base)·HO composite model system may provide insights with regard to design of ET biosystems for sensors, catalysts, and electronics devices.


Metal: Fe
Ligand type: Salophen
Host protein: Heme oxygenase (HO)
Anchoring strategy: Reconstitution
Optimization: Chemical
Reaction: O2 reduction
Max TON: ---
ee: ---
PDB: 1WZD
Notes: ---

Enzyme stabilization via computationally guided protein stapling

Fasan, R.; Khare, S.D.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2017, 114, 12472-12477, 10.1073/pnas.1708907114

Thermostabilization represents a critical and often obligatory step toward enhancing the robustness of enzymes for organic synthesis and other applications. While directed evolution methods have provided valuable tools for this purpose, these protocols are laborious and time-consuming and typically require the accumulation of several mutations, potentially at the expense of catalytic function. Here, we report a minimally invasive strategy for enzyme stabilization that relies on the installation of genetically encoded, nonreducible covalent staples in a target protein scaffold using computational design. This methodology enables the rapid development of myoglobin-based cyclopropanation biocatalysts featuring dramatically enhanced thermostability (ΔTm = +18.0 °C and ΔT50 = +16.0 °C) as well as increased stability against chemical denaturation [ΔCm (GndHCl) = 0.53 M], without altering their catalytic efficiency and stereoselectivity properties. In addition, the stabilized variants offer superior performance and selectivity compared with the parent enzyme in the presence of a high concentration of organic cosolvents, enabling the more efficient cyclopropanation of a water-insoluble substrate. This work introduces and validates an approach for protein stabilization which should be applicable to a variety of other proteins and enzymes.


Metal: Fe
Ligand type: Porphyrin
Host protein: Myoglobin (Mb)
Anchoring strategy: Supramolecular
Optimization: Chemical & genetic
Reaction: Cyclopropanation
Max TON: 4740
ee: 99.2
PDB: ---
Notes: Stapling of protein via thioether bond formation between the noncanonical amino acid O-2-bromoethyl tyrosine and cysteine

Roles of Glutamates and Metal Ions in a Rationally Designed Nitric Oxide Reductase Based on Myoglobin

Lu, Y.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2010, 107, 8581-8586, 10.1073/pnas.1000526107

A structural and functional model of bacterial nitric oxide reductase (NOR) has been designed by introducing two glutamates (Glu) and three histidines (His) in sperm whale myoglobin. X-ray structural data indicate that the three His and one Glu (V68E) residues bind iron, mimicking the putative FeB site in NOR, while the second Glu (I107E) interacts with a water molecule and forms a hydrogen bonding network in the designed protein. Unlike the first Glu (V68E), which lowered the heme reduction potential by ∼110 mV, the second Glu has little effect on the heme potential, suggesting that the negatively charged Glu has a different role in redox tuning. More importantly, introducing the second Glu resulted in a ∼100% increase in NOR activity, suggesting the importance of a hydrogen bonding network in facilitating proton delivery during NOR reactivity. In addition, EPR and X-ray structural studies indicate that the designed protein binds iron, copper, or zinc in the FeB site, each with different effects on the structures and NOR activities, suggesting that both redox activity and an intermediate five-coordinate heme-NO species are important for high NOR activity. The designed protein offers an excellent model for NOR and demonstrates the power of using designed proteins as a simpler and more well-defined system to address important chemical and biological issues.


Metal: Fe
Ligand type: Amino acid
Host protein: Myoglobin (Mb)
Anchoring strategy: Dative
Optimization: Genetic
Reaction: NO reduction
Max TON: ---
ee: ---
PDB: 3M39
Notes: X-ray structure of mutant I107E.

Metal: Cu
Ligand type: Amino acid
Host protein: Myoglobin (Mb)
Anchoring strategy: Dative
Optimization: Genetic
Reaction: NO reduction
Max TON: ---
ee: ---
PDB: 3M3A
Notes: X-ray structure of mutant I107E.