Effect of Cysteine Residue Substitution in the GCSAG Motif of the PMGL2 Esterase Active Site on the Enzyme Properties

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M. V. Kryukova¹, L. E. Petrovskaya^2,a*, K. A. Novototskaya-Vlasova³, E. A. Kryukova², S. A. Yakimov², A. Y. Nikolaeva¹, K. M. Boyko⁴, D. A. Dolgikh^2,5, and M. P. Kirpichnikov^2,5

¹Kurchatov NBICS-Technologies Complex, Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre, 123182 Moscow, Russia

²Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia

³Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia

⁴Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia

⁵Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Biology, 119234 Moscow, Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received February 28, 2020; Revised April 7, 2020; Accepted April 9, 2020

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The gene coding for PMGL2 esterase, which belongs to the family of mammalian hormone-sensitive lipases (HSLs), was discovered by screening a metagenomic DNA library from a permafrost soil. The active site of PMGL2 contains conserved GXSXG motif which includes Cys173 residue next to the catalytic Ser174. In order to clarify the functional role of the cysteine residue in the GCSAG motif, we constructed a number of PMGL2 mutants with Cys173 substitutions and studied their properties. The specific activity of the C173D mutant exceeded the specific activity of the wild-type enzyme (wtPMGL2) by 60%, while the C173T/C202S mutant displayed reduced catalytic activity. The activity of the C173D mutant with p-nitrophenyl octanoate was 15% higher, while the activity of the C173T/C202S mutant was 17% lower compared to wtPMGL2. The C173D mutant was also characterized by a high activity at low temperatures (20-35°C) and significant loss of thermal stability. The k_cat value for this protein was 56% higher than for the wild-type enzyme. The catalytic constants of the C173S mutant were close to those of wtPMGL2; this enzyme also demonstrated the highest thermal stability among the studied mutants. The obtained results demonstrate that substitutions of amino acid residues adjacent to the catalytic serine residue in the GXSXG motif can have a significant effect on the properties of PMGL2 esterase.

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KEY WORDS: PMGL2 esterase, HSL family, GCSAG motif, mutagenesis, thermal stability, three-dimensional structure

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297920060085

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