Mass spectrometry locates local and allosteric conformational changes that occur on cofactor binding

Nat Commun. 2016 Jul 15:7:12163. doi: 10.1038/ncomms12163.

Abstract

Fdc1 is a decarboxylase enzyme that requires the novel prenylated FMN cofactor for activity. Here, we use it as an exemplar system to show how native top-down and bottom-up mass spectrometry can measure the structural effect of cofactor binding by a protein. For Fdc1(Ubix), the cofactor confers structural stability to the enzyme. IM-MS shows the holo protein to exist in four closely related conformational families, the populations of which differ in the apo form; the two smaller families are more populated in the presence of the cofactor and depopulated in its absence. These findings, supported by MD simulations, indicate a more open structure for the apo form. HDX-MS reveals that while the dominant structural changes occur proximal to the cofactor-binding site, rearrangements on cofactor binding are evident throughout the protein, predominantly attributable to allosteric conformational tightening, consistent with IM-MS data.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aspergillus niger / enzymology
  • Binding Sites
  • Carboxy-Lyases / chemistry*
  • Carboxy-Lyases / genetics
  • Carboxy-Lyases / metabolism*
  • Coenzymes / chemistry
  • Coenzymes / metabolism*
  • Enzyme Stability
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / genetics
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / metabolism
  • Flavin Mononucleotide / chemistry
  • Flavin Mononucleotide / metabolism*
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Protein Conformation

Substances

  • Coenzymes
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Flavin Mononucleotide
  • Carboxy-Lyases
  • ubiX protein, E coli