Department of Biotechnology
inStem (Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine)

Cryo-Electron Microscopy Structures of Yeast Alcohol Dehydrogenase.

Publication Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

March 9, 2021

Journal

Biochemistry

Volume/Issue

60/9

ISSN

1520-4995

Structures of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase determined by X-ray crystallography show that the subunits have two different conformational states in each of the two dimers that form the tetramer. Apoenzyme and holoenzyme complexes relevant to the catalytic mechanism were described, but the asymmetry led to questions about the cooperativity of the subunits in catalysis. This study used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to provide structures for the apoenzyme, two different binary complexes with NADH, and a ternary complex with NAD and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol. All four subunits in each of these complexes are identical, as the tetramers have 2 symmetry, suggesting that there is no preexisting asymmetry and that the subunits can be independently active. The apoenzyme and one enzyme-NADH complex have “open” conformations and the inverted coordination of the catalytic zinc with Cys-43, His-66, Glu-67, and Cys-153, whereas another enzyme-NADH complex and the ternary complex have closed conformations with the classical coordination of the zinc with Cys-43, His-66, Cys-153, and a water or the oxygen of trifluoroethanol. The conformational change involves interactions of Arg-340 with the pyrophosphate group of the coenzyme and Glu-67. The cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography studies provide structures relevant for the catalytic mechanism.

Alternate Journal

Biochemistry

PubMed ID

33620215

Authors

Sai Rohit Guntupalli
Zhuang Li
Leifu Chang
Bryce V Plapp
Ramaswamy Subramanian

Keywords

Alcohol Dehydrogenase
Protein Binding
Binding Sites
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Substrate Specificity
Crystallography, X-Ray
Models, Molecular
Protein Conformation
Cryoelectron Microscopy
Catalysis
Oxidation-Reduction