Search

The multienzyme gramicidin S synthetase 2, composed of one polypeptide chain, was treated with trypsin and chymotrypsin to give fragments retaining partial enzyme activities. Previously, a tryptic fragment of this multienzyme has been identified as a structural and functional domain. In this study two more fragments, activating Leu and Val, respectively, are shown to represent domains. Careful inspection of the data on limited proteolysis, from this study as well as from previous work, suggests that domains are not simply connected like pearls on a string, and a model for the structure of gramicidin S synthetase, with implications for other peptide synthetase multienzymes, is presented. It is suggested that gramicidin S synthetase 2 is constructed from core catalytic domains and intervening framework. Such an interpretation is in accordance with all published data on limited proteolysis of peptide synthetases, but needs an interplay with gene structural studies in order to be validated and refined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amino acid analog L-cyclohexylalanine, which may be considered an analog of the hydrophobic amino acids leucine and valine, was found to thioester-bind to the heavy enzyme of gramicidin S synthetase. The results indicate that it preferably binds to the thiol site of leucine, although binding to the valine site also occurs. In the synthesis of the cyclic decapeptide by gramicidin S synthetase, the results suggest that L-cyclohexylalanine can replace L-leucine and L-valine. We have also found that in the synthesis of the cyclic decapeptidase L-leucine can replace L-valine and vice versa. The results further indicate that the previously reported thioester binding of D and L-phenylalanine to the heavy enzyme takes place at the thiol site of leucine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]