Potassium binding by carbonyl clusters, halophilic adaptation and catalysis of Haloferax mediterranei D-2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase

Abstract Enzymes from salt-in halophiles are stable in conditions of low water activity with applications in chiral synthesis requiring organic solvents, yet the origins of such stability remains poorly understood. Here we describe the molecular basis of the reaction mechanism and dual NADH/NADPH-sp...

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Main Authors: Jessica Domenech, Nuttawan Pramanpol, Claudine Bisson, Sveta E. Sedelnikova, Joshua R. Barrett, Abdul A. A. B. Dakhil, Vitaliy Mykhaylyk, Ali S. Abdelhameed, Stephen E. Harding, David W. Rice, Patrick J. Baker, Juan Ferrer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08587-7
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author Jessica Domenech
Nuttawan Pramanpol
Claudine Bisson
Sveta E. Sedelnikova
Joshua R. Barrett
Abdul A. A. B. Dakhil
Vitaliy Mykhaylyk
Ali S. Abdelhameed
Stephen E. Harding
David W. Rice
Patrick J. Baker
Juan Ferrer
author_facet Jessica Domenech
Nuttawan Pramanpol
Claudine Bisson
Sveta E. Sedelnikova
Joshua R. Barrett
Abdul A. A. B. Dakhil
Vitaliy Mykhaylyk
Ali S. Abdelhameed
Stephen E. Harding
David W. Rice
Patrick J. Baker
Juan Ferrer
author_sort Jessica Domenech
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Enzymes from salt-in halophiles are stable in conditions of low water activity with applications in chiral synthesis requiring organic solvents, yet the origins of such stability remains poorly understood. Here we describe the molecular basis of the reaction mechanism and dual NADH/NADPH-specificity of D2HDH, a 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase from the extreme halophile Haloferax mediterranei, an organism whose proteins have to remain active in high intracellular concentrations of KCl. Halophilic adaptations of D2HDH include the expected acidic surface and a reduction in hydrophobic surface resulting from a lower lysine content. Structure determination of crystals of D2HDH grown with KCl showed that bound K+ ions were coordinated predominantly by clusters of main chain protein carbonyl ligands, with no involvement of the numerous exposed surface carboxyls. Structural comparisons identified similar sites in other halophilic proteins suggesting that the generic use of carbonyl clusters to coordinate K+ ions may also contribute in a carboxylate-independent way to the stabilisation of the folded state of the protein in its high salt environment.
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spelling doaj-art-d8c682a8cbe64d9988b98dd368eee02c2025-08-20T03:43:26ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-08-018111510.1038/s42003-025-08587-7Potassium binding by carbonyl clusters, halophilic adaptation and catalysis of Haloferax mediterranei D-2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenaseJessica Domenech0Nuttawan Pramanpol1Claudine Bisson2Sveta E. Sedelnikova3Joshua R. Barrett4Abdul A. A. B. Dakhil5Vitaliy Mykhaylyk6Ali S. Abdelhameed7Stephen E. Harding8David W. Rice9Patrick J. Baker10Juan Ferrer11Dept. Bioquımica y Biología Molecular y EQA. Universidad de AlicanteSchool of Biosciences, University of SheffieldSchool of Biosciences, University of SheffieldSchool of Biosciences, University of SheffieldSchool of Biosciences, University of SheffieldSchool of Biosciences, University of SheffieldDiamond Light Source, Harwell CampusNational Centre for Macromolecular Hydrodynamics, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, College Road, Sutton BoningtonNational Centre for Macromolecular Hydrodynamics, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, College Road, Sutton BoningtonSchool of Biosciences, University of SheffieldSchool of Biosciences, University of SheffieldDept. Bioquımica y Biología Molecular y EQA. Universidad de AlicanteAbstract Enzymes from salt-in halophiles are stable in conditions of low water activity with applications in chiral synthesis requiring organic solvents, yet the origins of such stability remains poorly understood. Here we describe the molecular basis of the reaction mechanism and dual NADH/NADPH-specificity of D2HDH, a 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase from the extreme halophile Haloferax mediterranei, an organism whose proteins have to remain active in high intracellular concentrations of KCl. Halophilic adaptations of D2HDH include the expected acidic surface and a reduction in hydrophobic surface resulting from a lower lysine content. Structure determination of crystals of D2HDH grown with KCl showed that bound K+ ions were coordinated predominantly by clusters of main chain protein carbonyl ligands, with no involvement of the numerous exposed surface carboxyls. Structural comparisons identified similar sites in other halophilic proteins suggesting that the generic use of carbonyl clusters to coordinate K+ ions may also contribute in a carboxylate-independent way to the stabilisation of the folded state of the protein in its high salt environment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08587-7
spellingShingle Jessica Domenech
Nuttawan Pramanpol
Claudine Bisson
Sveta E. Sedelnikova
Joshua R. Barrett
Abdul A. A. B. Dakhil
Vitaliy Mykhaylyk
Ali S. Abdelhameed
Stephen E. Harding
David W. Rice
Patrick J. Baker
Juan Ferrer
Potassium binding by carbonyl clusters, halophilic adaptation and catalysis of Haloferax mediterranei D-2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase
Communications Biology
title Potassium binding by carbonyl clusters, halophilic adaptation and catalysis of Haloferax mediterranei D-2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase
title_full Potassium binding by carbonyl clusters, halophilic adaptation and catalysis of Haloferax mediterranei D-2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase
title_fullStr Potassium binding by carbonyl clusters, halophilic adaptation and catalysis of Haloferax mediterranei D-2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase
title_full_unstemmed Potassium binding by carbonyl clusters, halophilic adaptation and catalysis of Haloferax mediterranei D-2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase
title_short Potassium binding by carbonyl clusters, halophilic adaptation and catalysis of Haloferax mediterranei D-2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase
title_sort potassium binding by carbonyl clusters halophilic adaptation and catalysis of haloferax mediterranei d 2 hydroxyacid dehydrogenase
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08587-7
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