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Structural Evidence for Rifampicin Monooxygenase Inactivating Rifampicin by Cleaving Its Ansa-Bridge

Li-Kai Liu, Yumin Dai1, Heba Abdelwahab1

  • 1Department of Biochemistry , Virginia Tech , Blacksburg , Virginia 24061 , United States.

Biochemistry
|March 27, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Rifampicin monooxygenase (RIFMO) inactivates rifampicin (RIF) by hydroxylation and ansa cleavage. This structural study reveals how RIFMO-mediated drug resistance occurs, impacting antibiotic efficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Structural Biology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Rifampicin (RIF) is a crucial antibiotic, but resistance mechanisms limit its effectiveness.
  • Rifampicin monooxygenase (RIFMO) confers resistance by metabolizing RIF into inactive products.
  • Understanding RIFMO's mechanism is vital for combating antibiotic resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the first crystal structure of RIFMO in complex with its hydroxylated RIF product.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which RIFMO inactivates RIF.
  • To provide insights into RIFMO-mediated antibiotic resistance.

Main Methods:

  • X-ray crystallography was used to obtain the RIFMO-RIF product complex structure at 2.10 Å resolution.
  • Biochemical assays were employed to study RIFMO activity and product formation.
  • Structural analysis focused on the interaction between RIFMO and the modified RIF molecule.

Main Results:

  • The crystal structure revealed the hydroxylation of RIF at the C2 atom and subsequent cleavage of the ansa aliphatic chain.
  • The ansa chain breach occurs between the naphthoquinone C2 and amide N1.
  • This structural insight explains the inactivation of RIF by preventing target binding.

Conclusions:

  • RIFMO inactivates RIF through a two-step process: hydroxylation followed by ansa chain cleavage.
  • The elucidated mechanism explains RIFMO-mediated drug resistance at a molecular level.
  • This study provides a structural basis for understanding and potentially overcoming RIF resistance.

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