Publications

• NovQ is a prenyltransferase capable of catalyzing the addition of a dimethylallyl group to both phenylpropanoids and flavonoids.

  Ozaki T., Mishima S., Nishiyama M., Kuzuyama T.

  NovQ is a member of a recently identified CloQ/NphB class of prenyltransferases. Although NphB has been well characterized as a prenyltransferase with flexibility against aromatic substrates, few studies have been carried out on characterization of NovQ. Hence, in this study, we investigate the ki ... >> More

  NovQ is a member of a recently identified CloQ/NphB class of prenyltransferases. Although NphB has been well characterized as a prenyltransferase with flexibility against aromatic substrates, few studies have been carried out on characterization of NovQ. Hence, in this study, we investigate the kinetics, substrate specificity and regiospecificity of NovQ. The corresponding novQ gene was cloned from Streptomyces niveus, which produces an aminocoumarin antibiotic, novobiocin. Recombinant NovQ was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. The purified enzyme was a soluble monomeric 40-kDa protein that catalyzed the transfer of a dimethylallyl group to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate (4-HPP) independently of divalent cations to yield 3-dimethylallyl-4-HPP, an intermediate of novobiocin. Steady-state kinetic constants for NovQ with the two substrates, 4-HPP and dimethylallyl diphosphate, were also calculated. In addition to the prenylation of 4-HPP, NovQ catalyzed carbon-carbon-based and carbon-oxygen-based prenylations of a diverse collection of phenylpropanoids, flavonoids and dihydroxynaphthalenes. Despite its catalytic promiscuity, the NovQ-catalyzed prenylation occurred in a regiospecific manner. NovQ is the first reported prenyltransferase capable of catalyzing the transfer of a dimethylallyl group to both phenylpropanoids, such as p-coumaric acid and caffeic acid, and the B-ring of flavonoids. This study shows that NovQ can serve as a useful biocatalyst for the synthesis of prenylated phenylpropanoids and prenylated flavonoids. << Less

  J. Antibiot. 62:385-392(2009) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the aromatic prenyltransferase CloQ from the clorobiocin biosynthetic cluster of Streptomyces roseochromogenes.

  Keller S., Pojer F., Heide L., Lawson D.M.

  Crystals of recombinant CloQ (subunit MW = 35 626 Da; 324 amino acids), an aromatic prenyltransferase from Streptomyces roseochromogenes, were grown by vapour diffusion. The protein crystallizes in space group I4(1)22, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 135.19, c = 98.13 A. Native data from a singl ... >> More

  Crystals of recombinant CloQ (subunit MW = 35 626 Da; 324 amino acids), an aromatic prenyltransferase from Streptomyces roseochromogenes, were grown by vapour diffusion. The protein crystallizes in space group I4(1)22, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 135.19, c = 98.13 A. Native data from a single crystal were recorded to a resolution of 2.2 A in-house. Preliminary analysis of these data indicated that the asymmetric unit corresponds to a monomer, giving an estimated solvent content of 60.6%. CloQ is involved in the biosynthesis of the aminocoumarin antibiotic clorobiocin, which targets the essential bacterial enzyme DNA gyrase. << Less

  Acta Crystallogr. F 62:1153-1155(2006) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• CloQ, a prenyltransferase involved in clorobiocin biosynthesis.

  Pojer F., Wemakor E., Kammerer B., Chen H., Walsh C.T., Li S.M., Heide L.

  Ring A (3-dimethylallyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid) is a structural moiety of the aminocoumarin antibiotics novobiocin and clorobiocin. In the present study, the prenyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of this moiety was identified from the clorobiocin producer (Streptomyces roseochromogenes), o ... >> More

  Ring A (3-dimethylallyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid) is a structural moiety of the aminocoumarin antibiotics novobiocin and clorobiocin. In the present study, the prenyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of this moiety was identified from the clorobiocin producer (Streptomyces roseochromogenes), overexpressed, and purified. It is a soluble, monomeric 35-kDa protein, encoded by the structural gene cloQ. 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate and dimethylallyl diphosphate were identified as the substrates of this enzyme, with K(m) values determined as 25 and 35 microM, respectively. A gene inactivation experiment confirmed that cloQ is essential for ring A biosynthesis. Database searches did not reveal any similarity of CloQ to known prenyltransferases, and the enzyme did not contain the typical prenyl diphosphate binding site (N/D)DXXD. In contrast to most of the known prenyltransferases, the enzymatic activity was not dependent on the presence of magnesium, and in contrast to the membrane-bound polyprenyltransferases involved in ubiquinone biosynthesis, CloQ did not accept 4-hydroxybenzoic acid as substrate. CloQ and the similar NovQ from the novobiocin producer seem to belong to a new class of prenyltransferases. << Less

  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 100:2316-2321(2003) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• CloR, a bifunctional non-heme iron oxygenase involved in clorobiocin biosynthesis.

  Pojer F., Kahlich R., Kammerer B., Li S.M., Heide L.

  The aminocoumarin antibiotics novobiocin and clorobiocin contain a 3-dimethylallyl-4-hydroxybenzoate (3DMA-4HB) moiety. The biosynthesis of this moiety has now been identified by biochemical and molecular biological studies. CloQ from the clorobiocin biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces roseo ... >> More

  The aminocoumarin antibiotics novobiocin and clorobiocin contain a 3-dimethylallyl-4-hydroxybenzoate (3DMA-4HB) moiety. The biosynthesis of this moiety has now been identified by biochemical and molecular biological studies. CloQ from the clorobiocin biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces roseochromogenes DS 12976 has recently been identified as a 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate-3-dimethylallyltransferase. In the present study, the enzyme CloR was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and identified as a bifunctional non-heme iron oxygenase, which converts 3-dimethylallyl-4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate (3DMA-4HPP) via 3-dimethylallyl-4-hydroxymandelic acid (3DMA-4HMA) to 3DMA-4HB by two consecutive oxidative decarboxylation steps. In 18O2 labeling experiments we showed that two oxygen atoms are incorporated into the intermediate 3DMA-4HMA in the first reaction step, but only one further oxygen is incorporated into the final product 3DMA-4HB during the second reaction step. CloR does not show sequence similarity to known oxygenases. It apparently presents a novel member of the diverse family of the non-heme iron (II) and alpha-ketoacid-dependent oxygenases, with 3DMA-4HPP functioning both as an alpha-keto acid and as a hydroxylation substrate. The reaction catalyzed by CloR represents a new pathway for the formation of benzoic acids in nature. << Less

  J. Biol. Chem. 278:30661-30668(2003) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 2 other entries.

• Structure and mechanism of the magnesium-independent aromatic prenyltransferase CloQ from the clorobiocin biosynthetic pathway.

  Metzger U., Keller S., Stevenson C.E., Heide L., Lawson D.M.

  CloQ is an aromatic prenyltransferase from the clorobiocin biosynthetic pathway of Streptomyces roseochromogenes var. oscitans. It is involved in the synthesis of the prenylated hydroxybenzoate moiety of the antibiotic, specifically catalyzing the attachment of a dimethylallyl moiety to 4-hydroxyp ... >> More

  CloQ is an aromatic prenyltransferase from the clorobiocin biosynthetic pathway of Streptomyces roseochromogenes var. oscitans. It is involved in the synthesis of the prenylated hydroxybenzoate moiety of the antibiotic, specifically catalyzing the attachment of a dimethylallyl moiety to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate. Herein, we report the crystal structure of CloQ and use it as a framework for interpreting biochemical data from both wild-type and variant proteins. CloQ belongs to the aromatic prenyltransferase family, which is characterized by an unusual core fold comprising five consecutive ααββ elements that form a central 10-stranded anti-parallel β-barrel. The latter delineates a solvent-accessible cavity where substrates bind and catalysis takes place. This cavity has well-defined polar and nonpolar regions, which have distinct roles in substrate binding and facilitate a Friedel-Crafts-type mechanism. We propose that the juxtaposition of five positively charged residues in the polar region circumvents the necessity for a Mg(2+), which, by contrast, is a strict requirement for the majority of prenyltransferases characterized to date. Our structure of CloQ complexed with 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate reveals the formation of a covalent link between the substrate and Cys215 to yield a thiohemiketal species. Through site-directed mutagenesis, we show that this link is not essential for enzyme activity in vitro. Furthermore, we demonstrate that CloQ will accept alternative substrates and, therefore, has the capacity to generate a range of prenylated compounds. Since prenylation is thought to enhance the bioactivity of many natural products, CloQ offers considerable promise as a biocatalyst for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of novel compounds with therapeutic potential. << Less

  J. Mol. Biol. 404:611-626(2010) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]