The isocitrate dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli, which lacks the Rossmann fold common to other dehydrogenases, displays a 7000-fold preference for NADP over NAD (calculated as the ratio of kcat/Km). Guided by x-ray crystal structures and molecular modeling, site-directed mutagenesis has been used to introduce six substitutions in the adenosine binding pocket that systematically shift coenzyme preference toward NAD. The engineered enzyme displays an 850-fold preference for NAD over NADP, which exceeds the 140-fold preference displayed by a homologous NADdependent enzyme. Of the six mutations introduced, only one is identical in all related NAD-dependent enzyme sequencesstrict adherence to homology as a criterion for replacing these amino acids impairs function. Two additional mutations at remote sites improve performance further, resulting in a final mutant enzyme with kinetic characteristics and coenzyme preference comparable to naturally occurring homologous NAD-dependent enzymes.

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The 7-fold mutation Cys201Met/Cys332Tyr/Lys344Asp/Tyr345Ile/Val35 1Ala/Tyr391Lys/Arg395Ser converts the cofactor specificity of Escherichia coli isocitrate dehydrogenase from a 7000-fold preference for NADP+ to a 200-fold preference for NAD+, with overall activity comparable to that of wild-type NAD+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenases. The structure of the NAD+-dependent mutant has been determined and refined to a working R-factor of 0.186 at 1.9 A resolution. The structure shows that NADP+ affinity is destroyed by removing favorable interactions between the 2'-phosphate and Tyr345, Tyr391, and Arg395 and by adding a repulsive interaction with Asp344. NAD+ affinity is enhanced by adding hydrogen bonds between Asp344 and the free 2'-hydroxyl. The favorable Asp344-2'-OH interaction requires a change in the pucker of the ribose to C2' endo and a shift in the adenine ring. The ring shift is made possible by a series of changes in steric packing interactions. The linchpin for repacking in the adenosine binding site is residue 351. The side chain of this "second layer" residue dictates packing of the surrounding "first layer" residues which interact with the 2' moiety and, in turn, directly determine specificity.

Formation of tumor cell-platelet aggregates facilitates hematogenous metastases. However, molecular mechanisms implicated in tumor cell-induced platelet aggregation (TCIPA) in colon cancer are unclear. To investigate mechanisms of TCIPA induced by colon adenocarcinoma cells in vitro, human Caco-2 cells were used to study their interactions with platelets using aggregometry, zymography, phase-contrast microscopy, and flow cytometry. Caco-2-induced platelet aggregation in a concentration-dependent manner. This aggregation resulted in the release of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, as measured by zymography. In addition, flow cytometry showed a significant up-regulation of activated GpIIb/IIIa, total GpIIb/IIIa, GpIb, and P-selectin receptors on platelets. Inhibition of MMP-2 by phenantroline and degradation of ADP by APT102, respectively, resulted in inhibition of TCIPA. Furthermore, both phenantroline and APT102 significantly down-regulated the surface abundance of platelet receptors. Caco-2 cells aggregate platelets, at least in part, via releasing MMP-2 and ADP. Modulation of MMP-2 and ADP actions could have therapeutic value in colonic cancer.