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Research article2014Peer reviewedOpen access

The Mechanism of Cellulose Hydrolysis by a Two-Step, Retaining Cellobiohydrolase Elucidated by Structural and Transition Path Sampling Studies

Knott, Brandon C.; Haddad Momeni, Majid; Crowley, Michael F.; Mackenzie, Lloyd F.; Goetz, Andreas W.; Sandgren, Mats; Withers, Stephen G.; Ståhlberg, Jerry; Beckham, Gregg T.

Abstract

Glycoside hydrolases (GHs) cleave glycosidic linkages in carbohydrates, typically via inverting or retaining mechanisms, the latter of which proceeds via a two-step mechanism that includes formation of a glycosyl-enzyme intermediate. We present two new structures of the catalytic domain of Hypocrea jecorina GH Family 7 cellobiohydrolase Cel7A, namely a Michaelis complex with a full cellononaose ligand and a glycosyl-enzyme intermediate, that reveal details of the 'static' reaction coordinate. We also employ transition path sampling to determine the 'dynamic' reaction coordinate for the catalytic cycle. The glycosylation reaction coordinate contains components of forming and breaking bonds and a conformational change in the nucleophile. Deglycosylation proceeds via a product-assisted mechanism wherein the glycosylation product, cellobiose, positions a water molecule for nucleophilic attack on the anomeric carbon of the glycosyl-enzyme intermediate. In concert with previous structures, the present results reveal the complete hydrolytic reaction coordinate for this naturally and industrially important enzyme family.

Published in

Journal of the American Chemical Society
2014, Volume: 136, number: 1, pages: 321-329
Publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC

      SLU Authors

    • Haddad Momeni, Majid

      • Department of Molecular Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
      • Sandgren, Mats

        • Department of Molecular Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
        • Ståhlberg, Jerry

          • Department of Molecular Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

        UKÄ Subject classification

        Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
        Structural Biology
        Renewable Bioenergy Research

        Publication identifier

        DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ja410291u

        Permanent link to this page (URI)

        https://res.slu.se/id/publ/53165