A core catalytic domain of the TyrA protein family: arogenate dehydrogenase from Synechocystis

Abstract

The TyrA protein family includes prephenate dehydrogenases, cyclohexadienyl dehydrogenases and TyrAas (arogenate dehydrogenases). tyrAa from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, encoding a 30 kDa TyrAa protein, was cloned into an overexpression vector in Escherichia coli. TyrAa was then purified to apparent homogeneity and characterized. This protein is a model structure for a catalytic core domain in the TyrA superfamily, uncomplicated by allosteric or fused domains. Competitive inhibitors acting at the catalytic core of TyrA proteins are analogues of any accepted cyclohexadienyl substrate. The homodimeric enzyme was specific for L-arogenate (Km=331 μM) and NADP+ (Km=38 μM), being unable to substitute prephenate or NAD+ respectively. L-Tyrosine was a potent inhibitor of the enzyme (Ki=70 μM). NADPH had no detectable ability to inhibit the reaction. Although the mechanism is probably steady-state random order, properties of 2′,5′-ADP as an inhibitor suggest a high preference for L-arogenate binding first. Comparative enzymology established that both of the arogenate-pathway enzymes, prephenate aminotransferase and TyrAa, were present in many diverse cyanobacteria and in a variety of eukaryotic red and green algae.