Probing the Catalytic Mechanism of Vibrio harveyi GH20 β-N-Acetylglucosaminidase by Chemical Rescue. 2016

Piyanat Meekrathok, and Wipa Suginta
Biochemistry-Electrochemistry Research Unit and School of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, 30000, Thailand.

BACKGROUND Vibrio harveyi GH20 β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (VhGlcNAcase) is a chitinolytic enzyme responsible for the successive degradation of chitin fragments to GlcNAc monomers, activating the onset of the chitin catabolic cascade in marine Vibrios. METHODS Two invariant acidic pairs (Asp303-Asp304 and Asp437-Glu438) of VhGlcNAcase were mutated using a site-directed mutagenesis strategy. The effects of these mutations were examined and the catalytic roles of these active-site residues were elucidated using a chemical rescue approach. Enhancement of the enzymic activity of the VhGlcNAcase mutants was evaluated by a colorimetric assay using pNP-GlcNAc as substrate. RESULTS Substitution of Asp303, Asp304, Asp437 or Glu438 with Ala/Asn/Gln produced a dramatic loss of the GlcNAcase activity. However, the activity of the inactive D437A mutant was recovered in the presence of sodium formate. Our kinetic data suggest that formate ion plays a nucleophilic role by mimicking the β-COO-side chain of Asp437, thereby stabilizing the reaction intermediate during both the glycosylation and the deglycosylation steps. CONCLUSIONS Chemical rescue of the inactive D437A mutant of VhGlcNAcase by an added nucleophile helped to identify Asp437 as the catalytic nucleophile/base, and hence its acidic partner Glu438 as the catalytic proton donor/acceptor. CONCLUSIONS Identification of the catalytic nucleophile of VhGlcNAcases supports the proposal of a substrate-assisted mechanism of GH20 GlcNAcases, requiring the catalytic pair Asp437-Glu438 for catalysis. The results suggest the mechanistic basis of the participation of β-N-acetylglucosaminidase in the chitin catabolic pathway of marine Vibrios.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008969 Molecular Sequence Data Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories. Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D005561 Formates Derivatives of formic acids. Included under this heading are a broad variety of acid forms, salts, esters, and amides that are formed with a single carbon carboxy group. Formic Acids,Acids, Formic
D006031 Glycosylation The synthetic chemistry reaction or enzymatic reaction of adding carbohydrate or glycosyl groups. GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASES carry out the enzymatic glycosylation reactions. The spontaneous, non-enzymatic attachment of reducing sugars to free amino groups in proteins, lipids, or nucleic acids is called GLYCATION (see MAILLARD REACTION). Protein Glycosylation,Glycosylation, Protein
D000118 Acetylglucosaminidase A beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidase that catalyzes the hydrolysis of terminal, non-reducing 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-glucose residues in chitobiose and higher analogs as well as in glycoproteins. Has been used widely in structural studies on bacterial cell walls and in the study of diseases such as MUCOLIPIDOSIS and various inflammatory disorders of muscle and connective tissue. N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase,Chitobiase,N,N-Diacetylchitobiase,N-Ac-beta-Glucosaminidase,NAGase,beta-D-Acetamido-2-Deoxyglucosidase,beta-D-N-acetylglucosaminidase,beta-N-Acetylglucosaminidase,N Ac beta Glucosaminidase,N Acetyl beta D glucosaminidase,N,N Diacetylchitobiase,beta D Acetamido 2 Deoxyglucosidase,beta D N acetylglucosaminidase,beta N Acetylglucosaminidase
D000595 Amino Acid Sequence The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION. Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein
D013379 Substrate Specificity A characteristic feature of enzyme activity in relation to the kind of substrate on which the enzyme or catalytic molecule reacts. Specificities, Substrate,Specificity, Substrate,Substrate Specificities
D014733 Vibrio A genus of VIBRIONACEAE, made up of short, slightly curved, motile, gram-negative rods. Various species produce cholera and other gastrointestinal disorders as well as abortion in sheep and cattle. Beneckea
D016297 Mutagenesis, Site-Directed Genetically engineered MUTAGENESIS at a specific site in the DNA molecule that introduces a base substitution, or an insertion or deletion. Mutagenesis, Oligonucleotide-Directed,Mutagenesis, Site-Specific,Oligonucleotide-Directed Mutagenesis,Site-Directed Mutagenesis,Site-Specific Mutagenesis,Mutageneses, Oligonucleotide-Directed,Mutageneses, Site-Directed,Mutageneses, Site-Specific,Mutagenesis, Oligonucleotide Directed,Mutagenesis, Site Directed,Mutagenesis, Site Specific,Oligonucleotide Directed Mutagenesis,Oligonucleotide-Directed Mutageneses,Site Directed Mutagenesis,Site Specific Mutagenesis,Site-Directed Mutageneses,Site-Specific Mutageneses
D016415 Sequence Alignment The arrangement of two or more amino acid or base sequences from an organism or organisms in such a way as to align areas of the sequences sharing common properties. The degree of relatedness or homology between the sequences is predicted computationally or statistically based on weights assigned to the elements aligned between the sequences. This in turn can serve as a potential indicator of the genetic relatedness between the organisms. Sequence Homology Determination,Determination, Sequence Homology,Alignment, Sequence,Alignments, Sequence,Determinations, Sequence Homology,Sequence Alignments,Sequence Homology Determinations
D019943 Amino Acid Substitution The naturally occurring or experimentally induced replacement of one or more AMINO ACIDS in a protein with another. If a functionally equivalent amino acid is substituted, the protein may retain wild-type activity. Substitution may also diminish, enhance, or eliminate protein function. Experimentally induced substitution is often used to study enzyme activities and binding site properties. Amino Acid Substitutions,Substitution, Amino Acid,Substitutions, Amino Acid

Related Publications

Piyanat Meekrathok, and Wipa Suginta
January 2007, Biochemical and biophysical research communications,
Piyanat Meekrathok, and Wipa Suginta
August 2016, BMC microbiology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!