Structures of NodZ α1,6-fucosyltransferase in complex with GDP and GDP-fucose

Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 2012 Feb;68(Pt 2):160-8. doi: 10.1107/S0907444911053157. Epub 2012 Jan 6.

Abstract

Rhizobial NodZ α1,6-fucosyltransferase (α1,6-FucT) catalyzes the transfer of the fucose (Fuc) moiety from guanosine 5'-diphosphate-β-L-fucose to the reducing end of the chitin oligosaccharide core during Nod-factor (NF) biosynthesis. NF is a key signalling molecule required for successful symbiosis with a legume host for atmospheric nitrogen fixation. To date, only two α1,6-FucT structures have been determined, both without any donor or acceptor molecule that could highlight the structural background of the catalytic mechanism. Here, the first crystal structures of α1,6-FucT in complex with its substrate GDP-Fuc and with GDP, which is a byproduct of the enzymatic reaction, are presented. The crystal of the complex with GDP-Fuc was obtained through soaking of native NodZ crystals with the ligand and its structure has been determined at 2.35 Å resolution. The fucose residue is exposed to solvent and is disordered. The enzyme-product complex crystal was obtained by cocrystallization with GDP and an acceptor molecule, penta-N-acetyl-L-glucosamine (penta-NAG). The structure has been determined at 1.98 Å resolution, showing that only the GDP molecule is present in the complex. In both structures the ligands are located in a cleft formed between the two domains of NodZ and extend towards the C-terminal domain, but their conformations differ significantly. The structures revealed that residues in three regions of the C-terminal domain, which are conserved among α1,2-, α1,6- and protein O-fucosyltransferases, are involved in interactions with the sugar-donor molecule. There is also an interaction with the side chain of Tyr45 in the N-terminal domain, which is very unusual for a GT-B-type glycosyltransferase. Only minor conformational changes of the protein backbone are observed upon ligand binding. The only exception is a movement of the loop located between strand βC2 and helix αC3. In addition, there is a shift of the αC3 helix itself upon GDP-Fuc binding.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Bradyrhizobium / chemistry
  • Bradyrhizobium / enzymology*
  • Bradyrhizobium / metabolism
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Fucosyltransferases / chemistry*
  • Fucosyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Guanosine Diphosphate / metabolism*
  • Guanosine Diphosphate Fucose / metabolism*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Binding
  • Sequence Alignment

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Guanosine Diphosphate
  • Guanosine Diphosphate Fucose
  • Fucosyltransferases
  • NodZ protein, bacteria

Associated data

  • PDB/3SIW
  • PDB/3SIX