Publications

• Structural basis for specificity and flexibility in a plant 4-coumarate:CoA ligase.

  Li Z., Nair S.K.

  Plant 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL) serves as a central catalyst in the phenylpropanoid pathway that provides precursors for numerous metabolites and regulates carbon flow. Here, we present several high-resolution crystal structures of Nicotiana tabacum 4CL isoform 2 (Nt4CL2) in complex with Mg(2+) ... >> More

  Plant 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL) serves as a central catalyst in the phenylpropanoid pathway that provides precursors for numerous metabolites and regulates carbon flow. Here, we present several high-resolution crystal structures of Nicotiana tabacum 4CL isoform 2 (Nt4CL2) in complex with Mg(2+) and ATP, with AMP and coenzyme A (CoA), and with three different hydroxycinnamate-AMP intermediates: 4-coumaroyl-AMP, caffeoyl-AMP, and feruloyl-AMP. The Nt4CL2-Mg(2+)-ATP structure is captured in the adenylate-forming conformation, whereas the other structures are in the thioester-forming conformation. These structures represent a rare example of an ANL enzyme visualized in both conformations, and also reveal the binding determinants for both CoA and the hydroxycinnamate substrate. Kinetic studies of structure-based variants were used to identify residues crucial to catalysis, ATP binding, and hydroxycinnamate specificity. Lastly, we characterize a deletion mutant of Nt4CL2 that possesses the unusual sinapinate-utilizing activity. These studies establish a molecular framework for the engineering of this versatile biocatalyst. << Less

  Structure 23:2032-2042(2015) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 8 other entries.