Due to the aging population in the world, neurodegenerative diseases have become a serious public health issue that greatly impacts patients’ quality of life and adds a huge economic burden. Even after decades of research, there is no effective curative treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have become an emerging dietary medical intervention for health maintenance and treatment of diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. Recent research demonstrated that the oxidized metabolites, particularly the cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolites, of PUFAs are beneficial to several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease; however, their mechanism(s) remains unclear. The endogenous levels of CYP metabolites are greatly affected by our diet, endogenous synthesis, and the downstream metabolism. While the activity of omega-3 (ω-3) CYP PUFA metabolites and omega-6 (ω-6) CYP PUFA metabolites largely overlap, the ω-3 CYP PUFA metabolites are more active in general. In this review, we will briefly summarize recent findings regarding the biosynthesis and metabolism of CYP PUFA metabolites. We will also discuss the potential mechanism(s) of CYP PUFA metabolites in neurodegeneration, which will ultimately improve our understanding of how PUFAs affect neurodegeneration and may identify potential drug targets for neurodegenerative diseases.
BackgroundRibose-phosphate pyrophosphokinase (EC 2.7.6.1) is an enzyme that catalyzes the ATP-dependent conversion of ribose-5-phosphate to phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate. The reaction product is a key precursor for the biosynthesis of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides.ResultsWe report the 2.2 Å crystal structure of the E. coli ribose-phosphate pyrophosphobinase (EcKPRS). The protein has two type I phosphoribosyltransferase folds, related by 2-fold pseudosymmetry. The propeller-shaped homohexameric structure of KPRS is composed of a trimer of dimers, with the C-terminal domains forming the dimeric blades of the propeller and the N-terminal domains forming the hexameric core. The key, conserved active site residues are well-defined in the structure and positioned appropriately to bind substrates, adenosine monophosphate and ribose-5-phosphate. The allosteric site is also relatively well conserved but, in the EcKPRS structure, several residues from a flexible loop occupy the site where the allosteric modulator, adenosine diphosphate, is predicted to bind. The presence of the loop in the allosteric site may be an additional level of regulation, whereby low affinity molecules are precluded from binding.ConclusionsOverall, this study details key structural features of an enzyme that catalyzes a critical step in nucleotide metabolism. This work provides a framework for future studies of this important protein and, as nucleotides are critical for viability, may serve as a foundation for the development of novel anti-bacterial drugs.
Campylobacter jejuni is the most common bacterial cause of gastroenteritis and a major contributor to infant mortality in the developing world. The increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant C. jejuni only adds to the urgency to develop effective therapies. Because of the essential role that polyamines play, particularly in protection from oxidative stress, enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of these metabolites are emerging as promising antibiotic targets. The recent description of an alternative pathway for polyamine synthesis, distinct from that in human cells, in C. jejuni suggests this pathway could be a target for novel therapies. To that end, we determined X-ray crystal structures of C. jejuni agmatine deiminase (CjADI) and demonstrated that loss of CjADI function contributes to antibiotic sensitivity, likely because of polyamine starvation. The structures provide details of key molecular features of the active site of this protein. Comparison of the unliganded structure (2.1 Å resolution) to that of the CjADI-agmatine complex (2.5 Å) reveals significant structural rearrangements that occur upon substrate binding. The shift of two helical regions of the protein and a large conformational change in a loop near the active site generate a narrow binding pocket around the bound substrate. This change optimally positions the substrate for catalysis. In addition, kinetic analysis of this enzyme demonstrates that CjADI is an iminohydrolase that effectively deiminates agmatine. Our data suggest that C. jejuni agmatine deiminase is a potentially important target for combatting antibiotic resistance, and these results provide a valuable framework for guiding future drug development.
Dietary omega‐3 and omega‐6 unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) are essential for normal man physiological processes in multiple organisms. However, their mechanism(s) that drive these processes remain largely unknown. Recent studies showed that downstream metabolites of UFAs play a critical role in inflammation, blood pressure regulation, pain perception, carcinogenesis, wound healing, and tissue and neural repair. Here, we hypothesize that the metabolites of dietary UFAs affect both development and aging. To study the role and underlying mechanism of the effect of UFA metabolites on the healthspan of organisms, we used C. elegans as a model organism because 1) C. elegans has been wildly used for aging study; 2) The C. elegans genome is highly conserved; 3) genetic modifications are relatively easy; 4) vast community resources are available for minimum cost or free and 5) genetic tools are largely available. As a result, this model organism greatly facilitates the mechanistic investigation of the effects of UFA metabolites. In this specific presentation, we will present metabolomic data obtained from the state‐of‐the‐art ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry to demonstrate that C. elegans produces similar classes of UFA metabolites comparable to humans and mammals, and the endogenous levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolites of UFA change with the age of C. elegans. We will also present the effect of treatment with CYP UFA metabolites or modulation of UFA CYP metabolism on aging (lifespan and thrashing assay), reproduction (egg laying and egg viability assay) and neurodevelopment (fluorescent imaging). In conclusion, our results indicate that UFA metabolites play important physiological roles in C. elegans, and future mechanistic studies will also be discussed.
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