Structural Basis of Polyketide Synthase O-Methylation

ACS Chem Biol. 2018 Dec 21;13(12):3221-3228. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00687. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Abstract

Modular type I polyketide synthases (PKSs) produce some of the most chemically complex metabolites in nature through a series of multienzyme modules. Each module contains a variety of catalytic domains to selectively tailor the growing molecule. PKS O-methyltransferases ( O-MTs) are predicted to methylate β-hydroxyl or β-keto groups, but their activity and structure have not been reported. We determined the domain boundaries and characterized the catalytic activity and structure of the StiD and StiE O-MTs, which methylate opposite β-hydroxyl stereocenters in the myxobacterial stigmatellin biosynthetic pathway. Substrate stereospecificity was demonstrated for the StiD O-MT. Key catalytic residues were identified in the crystal structures and investigated in StiE O-MT via site-directed mutagenesis and further validated with the cyanobacterial CurL O-MT from the curacin biosynthetic pathway. Initial structural and biochemical analysis of PKS O-MTs supplies a new chemoenzymatic tool, with the unique ability to selectively modify hydroxyl groups during polyketide biosynthesis.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Catalytic Domain / genetics
  • Cyanobacteria / enzymology
  • Methylation
  • Methyltransferases / chemistry*
  • Methyltransferases / genetics
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Mutation
  • Myxococcales / enzymology
  • Polyketide Synthases / chemistry*
  • Polyketide Synthases / genetics
  • Polyketides / chemical synthesis*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Domains
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Polyketides
  • Polyketide Synthases
  • Methyltransferases