Research report 2009 - Max Planck Research Unit for Structural Molecular Biology at DESY
An enzyme structurally closely related to human monoamine oxidases enables a soil bacterium to live on nicotine
Authors
Bartunik, Hans D.
Departments
Proteindynamik (Dr. Hans-Dieter Bartunik)
MP Arbeitsgruppen für strukturelle Molekularbiologie am DESY, Hamburg
Summary
The soil bacterium Arthrobacter nicotinovorans grows on nicotine. Degradation of L-nicotine and D-nicotine involves two genetically unrelated flavoenzymes, 6HLNO and 6HDNO. Their crystal structures may explain the stereospecificity of their enzymatic reactions. 6HLNO by its structure and mechanism is closely related to human monoamine oxidases (MAO), which play central roles in degradation of neurotransmitters. Structural analysis of 6HLNO reaction intermediates and the inhibition mechanism extends the basis for possible development of new leads for MAO.