Publications

• The crystal structure of human geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase reveals a novel hexameric arrangement and inhibitory product binding.

  Kavanagh K.L., Dunford J.E., Bunkoczi G., Russell R.G., Oppermann U.

  Modification of GTPases with isoprenoid molecules derived from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate or farnesyl pyrophosphate is an essential requisite for cellular signaling pathways. The synthesis of these isoprenoids proceeds in mammals through the mevalonate pathway, and the final steps in the synthes ... >> More

  Modification of GTPases with isoprenoid molecules derived from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate or farnesyl pyrophosphate is an essential requisite for cellular signaling pathways. The synthesis of these isoprenoids proceeds in mammals through the mevalonate pathway, and the final steps in the synthesis are catalyzed by the related enzymes farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase. Both enzymes play crucial roles in cell survival, and inhibition of farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase by nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates is an established concept in the treatment of bone disorders such as osteoporosis or certain forms of cancer in bone. Here we report the crystal structure of human geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase, the first mammalian ortholog to have its x-ray structure determined. It reveals that three dimers join together to form a propeller-bladed hexameric molecule with a mass of approximately 200 kDa. Structure-based sequence alignments predict this quaternary structure to be restricted to mammalian and insect orthologs, whereas fungal, bacterial, archaeal, and plant forms exhibit the dimeric organization also observed in farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase. Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate derived from heterologous bacterial expression is tightly bound in a cavity distinct from the chain elongation site described for farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase. The structure most likely represents an inhibitory complex, which is further corroborated by steady-state kinetics, suggesting a possible feedback mechanism for regulating enzyme activity. Structural comparisons between members of this enzyme class give deeper insights into conserved features important for catalysis. << Less

  J. Biol. Chem. 281:22004-22012(2006) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Heterodimeric geranyl(geranyl)diphosphate synthase from hop (Humulus lupulus) and the evolution of monoterpene biosynthesis.

  Wang G., Dixon R.A.

  Myrcene, which accounts for 30-50% of the essential oil in hop (Humulus lupulus L.) trichomes, derives from geranyl diphosphate (GPP), the common precursor of monoterpenes. Full-length sequences of heterodimeric GPP synthase small subunit (GPPS.SSU, belonging to the SSU I subfamily) and large subu ... >> More

  Myrcene, which accounts for 30-50% of the essential oil in hop (Humulus lupulus L.) trichomes, derives from geranyl diphosphate (GPP), the common precursor of monoterpenes. Full-length sequences of heterodimeric GPP synthase small subunit (GPPS.SSU, belonging to the SSU I subfamily) and large subunit (LSU) cDNAs were mined from a hop trichome cDNA library. The SSU was inactive, whereas the LSU produced GPP, farnesyl diphosphate, and geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) from dimethylallyl diphosphate and isopentenyl diphosphate in vitro. Coexpression of both subunits in Escherichia coli yielded a heterodimeric enzyme exhibiting altered ratios of GPP and GGPP synthase activities and greatly enhanced catalytic efficiency. Transcript analysis suggested that the heterodimeric geranyl(geranyl)diphosphate synthase [G(G)PPS] is involved in myrcene biosynthesis in hop trichomes. The critical role of the conserved CxxxC motif (where "x" can be any hydrophobic amino acid residue) in physical interactions between the 2 subunits was demonstrated by using site-directed mutagenesis, and this motif was used in informatic searches to reveal a previously undescribed SSU subfamily (SSU II) present in both angiosperms and gymnosperms. The evolution and physiological roles of SSUs are discussed. << Less

  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106:9914-9919(2009) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Cloning and kinetic characterization of Arabidopsis thaliana solanesyl diphosphate synthase.

  Hirooka K., Bamba T., Fukusaki E., Kobayashi A.

  trans -Long-chain prenyl diphosphate synthases catalyse the sequential condensation of isopentenyl diphosphate (C(5)) units with allylic diphosphate to produce the C(30)-C(50) prenyl diphosphates, which are precursors of the side chains of prenylquinones. Based on the relationship between product ... >> More

  trans -Long-chain prenyl diphosphate synthases catalyse the sequential condensation of isopentenyl diphosphate (C(5)) units with allylic diphosphate to produce the C(30)-C(50) prenyl diphosphates, which are precursors of the side chains of prenylquinones. Based on the relationship between product specificity and the region around the first aspartate-rich motif in trans -prenyl diphosphate synthases characterized so far, we have isolated the cDNA for a member of trans -long-chain prenyl diphosphate synthases from Arabidopsis thaliana. The cDNA was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant His(6)-tagged protein was purified and characterized. Product analysis revealed that the cDNA encodes solanesyl diphosphate (C(45)) synthase (At-SPS). At-SPS utilized farnesyl diphosphate (FPP; C(15)) and geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP; C(20)), but did not accept either the C(5) or the C(10) allylic diphosphate as a primer substrate. The Michaelis constants for FPP and GGPP were 5.73 microM and 1.61 microM respectively. We also performed an analysis of the side chains of prenylquinones extracted from the A. thaliana plant, and showed that its major prenylquinones, i.e. plastoquinone and ubiquinone, contain the C(45) prenyl moiety. This suggests that At-SPS might be devoted to the biosynthesis of either or both of the prenylquinone side chains. This is the first established trans -long-chain prenyl diphosphate synthase from a multicellular organism. << Less

  Biochem. J. 370:679-686(2003) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase in fission yeast is a heteromer of farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPS), Fps1, and an FPS-like protein, Spo9, essential for sporulation.

  Ye Y., Fujii M., Hirata A., Kawamukai M., Shimoda C., Nakamura T.

  Both farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPS) and geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPS) are key enzymes in the synthesis of various isoprenoid-containing compounds and proteins. Here, we describe two novel Schizosaccharomyces pombe genes, fps1(+) and spo9(+), whose products are similar to FPS in p ... >> More

  Both farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPS) and geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPS) are key enzymes in the synthesis of various isoprenoid-containing compounds and proteins. Here, we describe two novel Schizosaccharomyces pombe genes, fps1(+) and spo9(+), whose products are similar to FPS in primary structure, but whose functions differ from one another. Fps1 is essential for vegetative growth, whereas, a spo9 null mutant exhibits temperature-sensitive growth. Expression of fps1(+), but not spo9(+), suppresses the lethality of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae FPS-deficient mutant and also restores ubiquinone synthesis in an Escherichia coli ispA mutant, which lacks FPS activity, indicating that S. pombe Fps1 in fact functions as an FPS. In contrast to a typical FPS gene, no apparent GGPS homologues have been found in the S. pombe genome. Interestingly, although neither fps1(+) nor spo9(+) expression alone in E. coli confers clear GGPS activity, coexpression of both genes induces such activity. Moreover, the GGPS activity is significantly reduced in the spo9 mutant. In addition, the spo9 mutation perturbs the membrane association of a geranylgeranylated protein, but not that of a farnesylated protein. Yeast two-hybrid and coimmunoprecipitation analyses indicate that Fps1 and Spo9 physically interact. Thus, neither Fps1 nor Spo9 alone functions as a GGPS, but the two proteins together form a complex with GGPS activity. Because spo9 was originally identified as a sporulation-deficient mutant, we show here that expansion of the forespore membrane is severely inhibited in spo9Delta cells. Electron microscopy revealed significant accumulation membrane vesicles in spo9Delta cells. We suggest that lack of GGPS activity in a spo9 mutant results in impaired protein prenylation in certain proteins responsible for secretory function, thereby inhibiting forespore membrane formation. << Less

  Mol. Biol. Cell 18:3568-3581(2007) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• BTS1 encodes a geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

  Jiang Y., Proteau P., Poulter D., Ferro-Novick S.

  Protein prenylation utilizes different types of isoprenoids groups, namely farnesyl and geranylgeranyl, to modify proteins. These lipophilic moieties attach to carboxyl-terminal cysteine residues to promote the association of soluble proteins to membranes. Most prenylated proteins are geranylgeran ... >> More

  Protein prenylation utilizes different types of isoprenoids groups, namely farnesyl and geranylgeranyl, to modify proteins. These lipophilic moieties attach to carboxyl-terminal cysteine residues to promote the association of soluble proteins to membranes. Most prenylated proteins are geranylgeranylated. Geranylgeranylation is catalyzed by two different prenyltransferases, the type I and type II geranylgeranyl transferases, both of which utilize geranylgeranyl diphosphate as a lipid donor. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the BET2 gene encodes the beta-subunit of the type II geranylgeranyl transferase. Mutations in this gene cause a defect in the geranylgeranylation of small GTP-binding proteins that mediate vesicular traffic. In an attempt to analyze those genes whose products may interact with Bet2, we isolated a suppressor of the bet2-1 mutant. This suppressor gene, called BTS1, encodes the yeast geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase. BTS1 is not essential for the vegetative growth of cells; however, disrupting it impedes the geranylgeranylation of many cellular proteins and renders cells cold sensitive for growth. Our findings imply that BTS1 suppresses the bet2-1 mutant by increasing the intracellular pool of geranylgeranyl diphosphate. << Less

  J. Biol. Chem. 270:21793-21799(1995) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Human geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase. cDNA cloning and expression.

  Kuzuguchi T., Morita Y., Sagami I., Sagami H., Ogura K.

  Geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) synthase (GGPPSase) catalyzes the synthesis of GGPP, which is an important molecule responsible for the C20-prenylated protein biosynthesis and for the regulation of a nuclear hormone receptor (LXR.RXR). The human GGPPSase cDNA encodes a protein of 300 amino acids ... >> More

  Geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) synthase (GGPPSase) catalyzes the synthesis of GGPP, which is an important molecule responsible for the C20-prenylated protein biosynthesis and for the regulation of a nuclear hormone receptor (LXR.RXR). The human GGPPSase cDNA encodes a protein of 300 amino acids which shows 16% sequence identity with the known human farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) synthase (FPPSase). The GGPPSase expressed in Escherichia coli catalyzes the GGPP formation (240 nmol/min/mg) from FPP and isopentenyl diphosphate. The human GGPPSase behaves as an oligomeric molecule with 280 kDa on a gel filtration column and cross-reacts with an antibody directed against bovine brain GGPPSase, which differs immunochemically from bovine brain FPPSase. Northern blot analysis indicates the presence of two forms of the mRNA. << Less

  J. Biol. Chem. 274:5888-5894(1999) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]