Role of ionic interactions in ligand binding and catalysis of R67 dihydrofolate reductase

R67 dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), which catalyzes the NADPH dependent reduction of dihydrofolate to tetrahydrofolate, belongs to a type II family of R-plasmid encoded DHFRs that confer resistance to the antibacterial drug trimethoprim. Crystal structure data reveals this enzyme is a homotetramer that possesses a single active site pore. Only two charged residues in each monomer are located near the pore, K32 and K33. Site-directed mutants were constructed to probe the role of these residues in ligand binding and/or catalysis. As a result of the 222 symmetry of this enzyme, mutagenesis of one residue results in modification at four related sites. All mutants at K32 affected the quaternary structure, producing an inactive dimer. The K33M mutant shows only a 2-4-fold effect on K(m) values. Salt effects on ligand binding and catalysis for K33M and wildtype R67 DHFRs were investigated to determine if these lysines are involved in forming ionic interactions with the negatively charged substrates, dihydrofolate (overall charge of -2) and NADPH (overall charge of -3). Binding studies indicate that two ionic interactions occur between NADPH and R67 DHFR. In contrast, the binding of folate, a poor substrate, to R67 DHFR.NADPH appears weak as a titration in enthalpy is lost at low ionic strength. Steady-state kinetic studies for both wild type (wt) and K33M R67 DHFRs also support a strong electrostatic interaction between NADPH and the enzyme. Interestingly, quantitation of the observed salt effects by measuring the slopes of the log of ionic strength versus the log of k(cat)/K(m) plots indicates that only one ionic interaction is involved in forming the transition state. These data support a model where two ionic interactions are formed between NADPH and symmetry related K32 residues in the ground state. To reach the transition state, an ionic interaction between K32 and the pyrophosphate bridge is broken. This unusual scenario likely arises from the constraints imposed by the 222 symmetry of the enzyme.