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Putrescine N-methyltransferases—a structure–function analysis

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Abstract

Putrescine N-methyltransferase (PMT) is a key enzyme of plant secondary metabolism at the start of the specific biosynthesis of nicotine, of tropane alkaloids, and of calystegines that are glycosidase inhibitors with nortropane structure. PMT is assumed to have developed from spermidine synthases (SPDS) participating in ubiquitous polyamine metabolism. In this study decisive differences between both enzyme families are elucidated. PMT sequences were known from four Solanaceae genera only, therefore additional eight PMT cDNA sequences were cloned from five Solanaceae and a Convolvulaceae. The encoded polypeptides displayed between 76% and 97% identity and typical amino acids different from plant spermidine synthase protein sequences. Heterologous expression of all enzymes proved catalytic activity exclusively as PMT and K cat values between 0.16 s−1 and 0.39 s−1. The active site of PMT was initially inferred from a protein structure of spermidine synthase obtained by protein crystallisation. Those amino acids of the active site that were continuously different between PMTs and SPDS were mutated in one of the PMT sequences with the idea of changing PMT activity into spermidine synthase. Mutagenesis of active site residues unexpectedly resulted in a complete loss of catalytic activity. A protein model of PMT was based on the crystal structure of SPDS and suggests that overall protein folds are comparable. The respective cosubstrates S-adenosylmethionine and decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine, however, appear to bind differentially to the active sites of both enzymes, and the substrate putrescine adopts a different position.

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Abbreviations

AdoDATO:

S-adenosyl-1,8-diamino-3-thiooctane

dcSAM:

Decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine

PMT:

Putrescine N-methyltransferase

SAM:

S-adenosylmethionine

SPDS:

Spermidine synthases

bp:

Base pairs

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Acknowledgement

Professor Keiji Samejima, Josai University, Saitama, Japan, kindly donated dcSAM. The Botanic Garden of Martin Luther University kindly provided and authenticated seed material. Helpful discussions and correction of the manuscript by Dr. Y. Sichhart and S. Biastoff and technical assistance by S. Brauer, C. Harnisch, and B. Schöne in the Institute of Pharmacy are highly appreciated. M.E.A. and F.N. gratefully acknowledge PhD scholarships by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Studies in the Institute of Pharmacy and at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry were financially supported by the German research foundation (DFG).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science I, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany

    Michael Teuber, Mohammad E. Azemi, Foroogh Namjoyan, Anna-Carolin Meier, Anja Wodak & Birgit Dräger

  2. Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany

    Wolfgang Brandt

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  1. Michael Teuber
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Correspondence to Birgit Dräger.

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Teuber, M., Azemi, M.E., Namjoyan, F. et al. Putrescine N-methyltransferases—a structure–function analysis. Plant Mol Biol 63, 787–801 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11103-006-9126-7

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