ERIC Number: EJ1234199
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1470-8175
EISSN: N/A
Structure-Function Relationships of the 5-Oxoprolinase Subunit A: Guiding Biological Sciences Students down the Path Less Traveled
Oke, Muse; Oni, Omobukola; Bello, Ronke; Samuel-Omoyajowo, Kennedy; Senbadejo, Tosin
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, v47 n6 p620-631 Nov-Dec 2019
Bioinformatics was recently introduced as a module for both undergraduate and postgraduate biological sciences students at our institution. Our experience shows that inquiry-based hands-on exercises provide the most efficient approach to bioinformatic straining. In this article, we report a structural bioinformatics project carried out by Master degree students to determine structure-function relationships of the uncharacterized prokaryotic 5-oxoprolinase subunit A (PxpA). PxpA associates with the PxpBC complex to form a functional 5-oxoprolinase enzyme for conversion of 5-oxoproline to L-glutamate. Although the exact role of PxpA is yet to be determined, it has been demonstrated that PxpBC catalyses the first step of the reaction, which is phosphorylation of 5-oxoproline. Here, we provide evidence that PxpA is involved in the last two steps of the reaction:decyclization of the labile phosphorylated 5-oxoproline to the equally labile [gamma]-glutamylphosphate, and subsequent dephosphorylation to L-glutamate. Structural bioinformatics analysis of four putative PxpA structures revealed that PxpA adopts a non-canonical TIM barrel fold with well-characterized TIM barrel enzyme features. These include a C-terminal groove comprising potentially essential conserved amino acid residues organized into putative motifs. Phylogenetic analysis suggests a relationship between taxonomic grouping and PxpA oligomerization. PxpA forms a tunnel upon ligand binding, thus suggesting that the PxpABC complex employs the mechanism of substrate channeling to protect labile intermediates. Ultimately, students were able to form a testable hypothesis on the function of PxpA, an achievement we consider encouraging other students to emulate.
Descriptors: Molecular Biology, Information Science, College Science, Inquiry, Hands on Science, Graduate Students, Science Activities, Genetics, Science Process Skills, Hypothesis Testing
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A