S. Krappmann et al., The aroC gene of Aspergillus nidulans codes for a monofunctional, allosterically regulated chorismate mutase, J BIOL CHEM, 274(32), 1999, pp. 22275-22282
The cDNA and the chromosomal locus of the aroC gene of Aspergillus nidulans
were cloned and is the first representative of a filamentous fungal gene e
ncoding chorismate mutase (EC 5.4.99.5), the enzyme at the first branch poi
nt of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, The aroC gene complements the Sacch
aromyces cerevisiae aro7 Delta as well as the A. nidulans aroC mutation. Th
e gene consists of three exons interrupted by two short intron sequences. T
he expressed mRNA is 0.96 kilobases in length and aroC expression is not re
gulated on the transcriptional level under amino acid starvation conditions
, aroC encodes a monofunctional polypeptide of 268 amino acids. Purificatio
n of this 30-kDa enzyme allowed determination of its kinetic parameters (k(
cat) = 82 s(-1); n(H) = 1.56, [S](0.5) = 2.3 mm), varying pH dependence of
catalytic activity in different regulatory states, and an acidic pI value o
f 4.7. Tryptophan acts as heterotropic activator and tyrosine as negative a
cting, heterotropic feedback-inhibitor with a K-i of 2.8 mu M. Immunologica
l data, homology modeling, as well as electron microscopy studies, indicate
that this chorismate mutase has a dimeric structure like the S, cerevisiae
enzyme, Site-directed mutagenesis of a crucial residue in loop220s (Asp(23
3)) revealed differences concerning the intramolecular signal transduction
for allosteric regulation of enzymatic activity.