Structure of the two-domain hexameric APS kinase from Thiobacillus denitrificans: structural basis for the absence of ATP sulfurylase activity

Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 2009 Oct;65(Pt 10):1021-31. doi: 10.1107/S0907444909026547. Epub 2009 Sep 16.

Abstract

The Tbd_0210 gene of the chemolithotrophic bacterium Thiobacillus denitrificans is annotated to encode a 60.5 kDa bifunctional enzyme with ATP sulfurylase and APS kinase activity. This putative bifunctional enzyme was cloned, expressed and structurally characterized. The 2.95 A resolution X-ray crystal structure reported here revealed a hexameric assembly with D(3) symmetry. Each subunit contains a large N-terminal sulfurylase-like domain and a C-terminal APS kinase domain reminiscent of the two-domain fungal ATP sulfurylases of Penicillium chrysogenum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which also exhibit a hexameric assembly. However, the T. denitrificans enzyme exhibits numerous structural and sequence differences in the N-terminal domain that render it inactive with respect to ATP sulfurylase activity. Surprisingly, the C-terminal domain does indeed display APS kinase activity, indicating that this gene product is a true APS kinase. Therefore, these results provide the first structural insights into a unique hexameric APS kinase that contains a nonfunctional ATP sulfurylase-like domain of unknown function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / chemistry*
  • Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / metabolism*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sulfate Adenylyltransferase / metabolism
  • Thiobacillus / enzymology*

Substances

  • Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor)
  • adenylylsulfate kinase
  • Sulfate Adenylyltransferase

Associated data

  • PDB/3CR8
  • PDB/R3CR8SF