Sandbox Reserved 761: Difference between revisions

GDH is a homohexamer of 505 residues with a molecular weight of 56 KDa (18).  The structure of GDH is essentially two trimers of six identical subunits containing three distinct domains; the Glutamate (Glu) binding domain at the N terminus, the NAD binding doman, and the antenna domain, separated by a large active site cleft (9). The overall structure of GDH is composed of eighteen alpha helices and thirteen beta sheets, which are both parallel and anti-parallel and flanked by a layer of alpha helices (18).  

The binding domain, the C-domain, is made up of residues 4-181 and 400-421, and is responsible for directing the assembly of the subunits into a hexamer.  The glutamate-binding domain, the N-domain, composed of mainly beta sheets involving residues 182-399 Each domain is constructed from a central beta sheet that is flanked by alpha helices.  The C-domain is composed of an alpha/beta super-secondary structure, which is common of the Rossmann fold. Whereas the N-domain is composed of an alpha/beta super-secondary structure, however is not like the Rossman fold.  The NAD+ cofactor binds at the C-terminal end of the parallel beta strands in the N-domain, lying in the cleft between the N and C-domains.  The glutamate substrate binds deep in this cleft, with the side chain of the glutamate lying in a pocket on the enzyme surface.  Residues 193-204, and 383-393 are essential for the glutamate to bind in the cleft (1).  

NAD+ binding domains are located on top of the N and C-domains.  These NAD+ binding domains rotate down upon the substrate and coenzyme to initiate catalysis.  The NAD+ binding domain contains a forty eight-residue “antenna” that extends from the top of the NAD+ binding domain.  This antenna undergoes conformational changes as the cleft of the active site opens and closes (2). Both of the domains are positioned differently in GDH.  When GDH is not bound by glutamate its cleft is open, however when GDH is bound by glutamate it is closed.  This position difference between the two domains allows the cleft to be closed, which brings the C4 of the nicotinamide ring and the alpha carbon of the glutamate substrate into the appropriate orientation for a hydride transfer to occur.  Residues 200-206, 375-379, and 421-423 are critical for the control of the hinges that open or close the cleft between the two domains (1).  The residues that form this hinge, which allow the cleft to open or close are both near and far from the active site.  Gly 182, 183, Leu 185, and Gly 186 are near the active site, whereas Gly 361 is far from the active site.  These five residues form two long loops connecting the two domains (9).