Genetic Mutations in the S-loop of Human Glutathione Synthetase: Links Between Substrate Binding, Active Site Structure and Allostery.

The second step in the biosynthesis of the cellular antioxidant glutathione (GSH) is catalyzed by human glutathione synthetase (hGS), a negatively cooperative homodimer. Patients with mutations in hGS have been reported to exhibit a range of symptoms from hemolytic anemia and metabolic acidosis to neurological disorders and premature death. Several patient mutations occur in the S-loop of hGS, a series of residues near the negatively cooperative γ-GC substrate binding site.

The role of strong electrostatic interactions at the dimer interface of human glutathione synthetase.

The obligate homodimer human glutathione synthetase (hGS) provides an ideal system for exploring the role of protein-protein interactions in the structural stability, activity and allostery of enzymes. The two active sites of hGS, which are 40 Å apart, display allosteric modulation by the substrate γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-GC) during the synthesis of glutathione, a key cellular antioxidant. The two subunits interact at a relatively small dimer interface dominated by electrostatic interactions between S42, R221, and D24.