Properties of a mini 9R-lipoxygenase from Nostoc sp. PCC 7120 and its mutant forms

Lipoxygenases (LOXs) consist of a class of enzymes that catalyze the regio- and stereospecific dioxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Current reports propose that a conserved glycine residue in the active site of R-lipoxygenases and an alanine residue at the corresponding position in S-lipoxygenases play a crucial role in determining the stereochemistry of the product. Recently, a bifunctional lipoxygenase with a linoleate diol synthase activity from Nostoc sp. PCC7120 with R stereospecificity and the so far unique feature of carrying an alanine instead of the conserved glycine in the position of the sequence determinant for chiral specificity was identified. The recombinant carboxy-terminal domain was purified after expression in Escherichia coli. The ability of the enzyme to use linoleic acid esterified to a bulky phosphatidylcholine molecule as a substrate suggested a tail-fist binding orientation of the substrate. Site directed mutagenesis of the alanine to glycine did not cause alterations in the stereospecificity of the products, while mutation of the alanine to valine or isoleucine modified both regio- and enantioselectivity of the enzyme. Kinetic measurements revealed that substitution of Ala by Gly or Val did not significantly influence the reaction characteristics, while the A162I mutant showed a reduced vmax. Based on the mutagenesis data obtained, we suggest that the existing model for stereocontrol of the lipoxygenase reaction may be expanded to include enzymes that seem to have in general a smaller amino acid in R and a bulkier one in S lipoxygenases at the position that controls stereospecificity.