Structural insights into the second step of RNA-dependent cysteine biosynthesis in archaea: crystal structure of Sep-tRNA:Cys-tRNA synthase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus

J Mol Biol. 2007 Jun 29;370(1):128-41. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2007.04.050. Epub 2007 May 4.

Abstract

In the ancient organisms, methanogenic archaea, lacking the canonical cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase, Cys-tRNA(Cys) is produced by an indirect pathway, in which O-phosphoseryl-tRNA synthetase ligates O-phosphoserine (Sep) to tRNA(Cys) and Sep-tRNA:Cys-tRNA synthase (SepCysS) converts Sep-tRNA(Cys) to Cys-tRNA(Cys). In this study, the crystal structure of SepCysS from Archaeoglobus fulgidus has been determined at 2.4 A resolution. SepCysS forms a dimer, composed of monomers bearing large and small domains. The large domain harbors the seven-stranded beta-sheet, which is typical of the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes. In the active site, which is located near the dimer interface, PLP is covalently bound to the side-chain of the conserved Lys209. In the proximity of PLP, a sulfate ion is bound by the side-chains of the conserved Arg79, His103, and Tyr104 residues. The active site is located deep within the large, basic cleft to accommodate Sep-tRNA(Cys). On the basis of the surface electrostatic potential, the amino acid residue conservation mapping, the position of the bound sulfate ion, and the substrate amino acid binding manner in other PLP-dependent enzymes, a binding model of Sep-tRNA(Cys) to SepCysS was constructed. One of the three strictly conserved Cys residues (Cys39, Cys42, or Cys247), of one subunit may play a crucial role in the catalysis in the active site of the other subunit.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases / chemistry*
  • Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases / genetics
  • Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases / metabolism*
  • Archaeal Proteins / chemistry*
  • Archaeal Proteins / genetics
  • Archaeal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Archaeoglobus fulgidus / enzymology*
  • Binding Sites
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Cysteine / biosynthesis*
  • Dimerization
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Structure
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary*
  • Protein Subunits / chemistry
  • Protein Subunits / genetics
  • Protein Subunits / metabolism
  • RNA / metabolism
  • RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl / chemistry
  • RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Static Electricity
  • Sulfates / metabolism

Substances

  • Archaeal Proteins
  • Protein Subunits
  • RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl
  • Sulfates
  • RNA
  • Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases
  • Cysteine

Associated data

  • PDB/2E7I
  • PDB/2E7J