Lyc. Lin et al., Modeling of the bacterial luciferase-flavin mononucleotide complex combining flexible docking with structure-activity data, PROTEIN SCI, 10(8), 2001, pp. 1563-1571
Although the crystal structure of Vibrio hareyi luciferase has been elucida
ted, the binding sites for the flavin mononucleotide and fatty aldehyde sub
strates are still unknown. The determined location of the phosphate-binding
site close to Arg 107 on the ex subunit of luciferase is supported here by
point mutagenesis. This information, together with previous structure-acti
vity data for the length of the linker connecting the phosphate group to th
e isoalloxazine ring represent important characteristics of the luciferase-
bound conformation of the flavin mononucleotide. A model of the luciferase-
flavin complex is developed here using flexible docking supplemented by the
se structural constraints. The location of the phosphate moiety was used as
the anchor in a flexible docking procedure performed by conformation searc
h by using the Monte Carlo minimization approach. The resulting databases o
f energy-ranked feasible conformations of the luciferase complexes with fla
vin mononucleotide, omega -phosphopentylflavin, omega -phosphobutylflavin.
and omega -phosphopropylflavin were filtered according to the structure-act
ivity profile of these analogs. A unique model was sought not only on energ
etic criteria but also on the geometric requirement that the isoalloxazine
ring of the active flavin analogs must assume a common orientation in the l
uciferase-binding site, an orientation that is also inaccessible to the ina
ctive flavin analog. The resulting model of the bacterial luciferase-flavin
mononucleotide complex is consistent with the experimental data available
in the literature, Specifically, the isoalloxazine ring of the flavin monon
ucleotide interacts with the Ala 74-Ala 75 cis-peptide bond as well as with
the Cys 106 side chain in the a subunit of luciferase. The model of the bi
nary complex reveals a distinct cavity suitable for aldehyde binding adjace
nt to the isoalloxazine ring and flanked by other key residues (His 44 and
Trp 250) implicated in the active site.