Open AccessCryptic proteolytic activity of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase
Author(s) -
N. Esther Babady,
Yuan Ping Pang,
Orly Elpeleg,
Grazia Isaya
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.0610618104
Subject(s) - point mutation , protease , biochemistry , dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase , serine protease , enzyme , mutation , proteolytic enzymes , proteases , serine , biology , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , dehydrogenase , gene
The mitochondrial enzyme, dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (DLD), is essential for energy metabolism across eukaryotes. Here, conditions known to destabilize the DLD homodimer enabled the mouse, pig, or human enzyme to function as a protease. A catalytic dyad (S456–E431) buried at the homodimer interface was identified. Serine protease inhibitors and an S456A or an E431A point mutation abolished the proteolytic activity, whereas other point mutations at the homodimer interface domain enhanced the proteolytic activity, causing partial or complete loss of DLD activity. In humans, mutations in the DLD homodimer interface have been linked to an atypical form of DLD deficiency. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism by which certain DLD mutations can simultaneously induce the loss of a primary metabolic activity and the gain of a moonlighting proteolytic activity. The latter could contribute to the metabolic derangement associated with DLD deficiency and represent a target for therapies of this condition.