Identification of succinic semialdehyde reductases from Geobacter: expression, purification, crystallization, preliminary functional, and crystallographic analysis

Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai). 2011 Dec;43(12):996-1002. doi: 10.1093/abbs/gmr097. Epub 2011 Oct 27.

Abstract

Succinic semialdehyde reductase (SSAR) is an important enzyme involved in γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) metabolism. By converting succinic semialdehyde (SSA) to γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), the SSAR facilitates an alternative pathway for GABA degradation. In this study, we identified SSARs from Geobacter sulfurreducens and Geobacter metallireducens (GsSSAR and GmSSAR, respectively). The enzymes were over-expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to near homogeneity. Both GsSSAR and GmSSAR showed the activity of reducing SSA using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate as a co-factor. The oligomeric sizes of GsSSAR and GmSSAR, as determined by analytical size exclusion chromatography, suggest that the enzymes presumably exist as tetramers in solution. The recombinant GsSSAR and GmSSAR crystallized in the presence of NADP(+), and the resulting crystals diffracted to 1.89 Å (GsSSAR) and 2.25 Å (GmSSAR) resolution. The GsSSAR and GmSSAR crystals belong to the space groups P2(1)22(1) (a= 99.61 Å, b= 147.49 Å, c= 182.47 Å) and P1 (a= 75.97 Å, b= 79.14 Å, c= 95.47 Å, α = 82.15°, β = 88.80°, γ = 87.66°), respectively. Preliminary crystallographic data analysis suggests the presence of eight protein monomers in the asymmetric units for both GsSSAR and GmSSAR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Chromatography, Ion Exchange / methods*
  • Crystallization / methods
  • Crystallography, X-Ray / methods*
  • Geobacter / enzymology*
  • Geobacter / metabolism
  • Hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase / chemistry*
  • Hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase / genetics*
  • Hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase / isolation & purification
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase
  • 4-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase