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1. Shared TIR enzymatic functions regulate cell death and immunity across the tree of life

   https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo0001  

   Essuman, Kow ; Milbrandt, Jeffrey ; Dangl, Jeffery L. ; Nishimura, Marc T. ( July 2022 , Science)

   BACKGROUND Diverse organisms, from archaea and bacteria to plants and humans, use receptor systems to recognize both pathogens and dangerous self-derived or environmentally derived stimuli. These intricate, well-coordinated immune systems, composed of innate and adaptive components, ensure host survival. In the late 20th century, researchers identified the Toll/interleukin-1/resistance gene (TIR) domain as an evolutionarily conserved component of animal and plant innate immune systems. Today, TIR-domain proteins are known to be broadly distributed across the tree of life. The TIR domain was first recognized as an adaptor for the assembly of macromolecular signaling complexes in mammalian innate immune pathways. Work on axon degeneration in animals—as well as on plant, archaeal, and bacterial immune systems—has uncovered additional enzymatic activities for TIR domains. ADVANCES Mammalian axons initiate a self-destruct program upon injury and during disease that is mediated by the sterile alpha and TIR motif containing 1 (SARM1) protein. The SARM1 TIR domain enzymatically consumes the essential metabolic cofactor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + ) to promote axonal death. Identification of the SARM1 NAD + -consuming enzyme (NADase) revealed that TIR domains can function as enzymes. Given the evolutionary conservation of TIR domains, studies investigated whether the SARM1 TIR NADase was also conserved. Indeed, bacteria, archaea, and plant TIR domains possess NADase activity. In prokaryotes, TIR NADase activity is found in an ancient antiphage immune system. In plants, identification of TIR NADase activity and linkage of TIR enzymatic products to downstream signaling components addressed the question of how nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat (NLR) receptors trigger hypersensitive cell death during an immune response. Studies in plants show that their TIR domains can cleave nucleic acids and possess 2′,3′ cyclic adenosine monophosphate (2′,3′-cAMP) and 2′,3′ cyclic guanosine monophosphate (2′,3′-cGMP) synthetase activity that aids cell death programs in plant innate immunity. Thus, TIR domains constitute an ancient family of enzymes that are activated in immune and cell death pathways. OUTLOOK The discovery of TIR-domain enzyme activities carries implications for innate immunity and neurodegeneration. The identification of the SARM1 NADase defined a drug target for a wide number of neurodegenerative diseases that is being exploited in both preclinical and clinical studies. Hyperactive mutations in the SARM1 NADase have been discovered in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Future work will seek to clarify the contribution of the SARM1 axon degeneration pathway to ALS pathogenesis. NAD + biology influences cellular processes from metabolism to DNA repair to aging. How TIR enzymes influence the NAD + metabolome and its associated pathways in bacteria, archaea, plants, and animals will be an exciting area for upcoming investigation. The discovery of the diversity of TIR enzymatic products is revealing signaling pathways across kingdoms. Discovery of TIR enzymatic function in plants and animals may yet inspire studies of enzymatic functions for Toll-like receptors in animals. We anticipate that cross-kingdom studies of TIR-domain function will guide interventions that will span the tree of life, from treating human neurodegenerative disorders and bacterial infections to preventing plant diseases. Conserved TIR-domain enzymatic activity. TIR-domain proteins from prokaryotes and eukaryotes cleave NAD + into nicotinamide (Nam), ADP-ribose (ADPR), cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR), isomers of cyclic ADP-ribose (2′ or 3′cADPR), and related molecules [e.g., phosphoribosyl adenosine monophosphate (pRib-AMP)]. Plant TIR domains also possess a nuclease activity, can degrade DNA and RNA, and can function as a 2′,3′-cAMP or 2′,3′-cGMP synthetase. TIR enzymatic activity drives cell death and immune pathways across kingdoms. TIR activity can kill cells directly through NAD + depletion or indirectly using enzymatic products as signal molecules. The representative TIR domain structure shown here is Protein Data Bank ID 6O0Q. EDS1, enhanced disease susceptibility 1; ThsA, Thoeris A. 

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2. Steric hindrance controls pyridine nucleotide specificity of a flavin‐dependent NADH:quinone oxidoreductase

   https://doi.org/10.1002/pro.3514  

   Ball, Jacob ; Reis, Renata A. G. ; Agniswamy, Johnson ; Weber, Irene T. ; Gadda, Giovanni ( October 2018 , Protein Science)

   The crystal structure of the NADH:quinone oxidoreductase PA1024 has been solved in complex with NAD⁺to 2.2 Å resolution. The nicotinamide C4 is 3.6 Å from the FMN N5 atom, with a suitable orientation for facile hydride transfer. NAD⁺binds in a folded conformation at the interface of the TIM‐barrel domain and the extended domain of the enzyme. Comparison of the enzyme‐NAD⁺structure with that of the ligand‐free enzyme revealed a different conformation of a short loop (75–86) that is part of the NAD⁺‐binding pocket. P78, P82, and P84 provide internal rigidity to the loop, whereas Q80 serves as an active site latch that secures the NAD⁺within the binding pocket. An interrupted helix consisting of two α‐helices connected by a small three‐residue loop binds the pyrophosphate moiety of NAD⁺. The adenine moiety of NAD⁺appears to π–π stack with Y261. Steric constraints between the adenosine ribose of NAD⁺, P78, and Q80, control the strict specificity of the enzyme for NADH. Charged residues do not play a role in the specificity of PA1024 for the NADH substrate.

    

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3. Small Molecule Regulators Targeting NAD+ Biosynthetic Enzymes

   https://doi.org/10.2174/0929867328666210531144629  

   Curry, Alyson ; White, Dawanna ; Cen, Yana ( May 2021 , Current Medicinal Chemistry)

   null (Ed.)

   : Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + ) is a key player in many metabolic pathways as an activated carrier of electrons. In addition to being the cofactor for redox reactions, NAD + also serves as the substrate for various enzymatic transformations such as adenylation and ADP-ribosylation. Maintaining cellular NAD + homeostasis has been suggested as an effective anti-aging strategy. Given the importance of NAD + in regulating a broad spectrum of cellular events, small molecules targeting NAD + metabolism have been pursued as therapeutic interventions for the treatment of mitochondrial disorders and age-related diseases. In this article, small molecule regulators of NAD + biosynthetic enzymes will be reviewed. The focus will be given to the discovery and development of these molecules, the mechanism of action as well as their therapeutic potentials. 

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4. Stromal NADH supplied by PHOSPHOGLYCERATE DEHYDROGENASE3 is crucial for photosynthetic performance

   https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaa117  

   Höhner, Ricarda ; Day, Philip M ; Zimmermann, Sandra E ; Lopez, Laura S ; Krämer, Moritz ; Giavalisco, Patrick ; Correa Galvis, Viviana ; Armbruster, Ute ; Schöttler, Mark Aurel ; Jahns, Peter ; et al ( January 2021 , Plant Physiology)

   Abstract During photosynthesis, electrons travel from light-excited chlorophyll molecules along the electron transport chain to the final electron acceptor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) to form NADPH, which fuels the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle (CBBC). To allow photosynthetic reactions to occur flawlessly, a constant resupply of the acceptor NADP is mandatory. Several known stromal mechanisms aid in balancing the redox poise, but none of them utilizes the structurally highly similar coenzyme NAD(H). Using Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) as a C3-model, we describe a pathway that employs the stromal enzyme PHOSPHOGLYCERATE DEHYDROGENASE 3 (PGDH3). We showed that PGDH3 exerts high NAD(H)-specificity and is active in photosynthesizing chloroplasts. PGDH3 withdrew its substrate 3-PGA directly from the CBBC. As a result, electrons become diverted from NADPH via the CBBC into the separate NADH redox pool. pgdh3 loss-of-function mutants revealed an overreduced NADP(H) redox pool but a more oxidized plastid NAD(H) pool compared to wild-type plants. As a result, photosystem I acceptor side limitation increased in pgdh3. Furthermore, pgdh3 plants displayed delayed CBBC activation, changes in nonphotochemical quenching, and altered proton motive force partitioning. Our fluctuating light-stress phenotyping data showed progressing photosystem II damage in pgdh3 mutants, emphasizing the significance of PGDH3 for plant performance under natural light environments. In summary, this study reveals an NAD(H)-specific mechanism in the stroma that aids in balancing the chloroplast redox poise. Consequently, the stromal NAD(H) pool may provide a promising target to manipulate plant photosynthesis. 

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5. Observing 3-hydroxyanthranilate-3,4-dioxygenase in action through a crystalline lens

   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2005327117  

   Wang, Yifan ; Liu, Kathy Fange ; Yang, Yu ; Davis, Ian ; Liu, Aimin ( July 2020 , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

   The synthesis of quinolinic acid from tryptophan is a critical step in the de novo biosynthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) in mammals. Herein, the nonheme iron-based 3-hydroxyanthranilate-3,4-dioxygenase responsible for quinolinic acid production was studied by performing time-resolvedin crystalloreactions monitored by UV-vis microspectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. Seven catalytic intermediates were kinetically and structurally resolved in the crystalline state, and each accompanies protein conformational changes at the active site. Among them, a monooxygenated, seven-membered lactone intermediate as a monodentate ligand of the iron center at 1.59-Å resolution was captured, which presumably corresponds to a substrate-based radical species observed by EPR using a slurry of small-sized single crystals. Other structural snapshots determined at around 2.0-Å resolution include monodentate and subsequently bidentate coordinated substrate, superoxo, alkylperoxo, and two metal-bound enol tautomers of the unstable dioxygenase product. These results reveal a detailed stepwise O-atom transfer dioxygenase mechanism along with potential isomerization activity that fine-tunes product profiling and affects the production of quinolinic acid at a junction of the metabolic pathway.

    

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