Substrate complex structure, active site labeling and catalytic role of the zinc ion in cysteine glycosidase.

β-l-Arabinofuranosidase HypBA1 from Bifidobacterium longum belongs to the glycoside hydrolase family 127. At the active site of HypBA1, a cysteine residue (Cys417) coordinates with a Zn2+ atom and functions as the catalytic nucleophile for the anomer-retaining hydrolytic reaction. In this study, the role of Zn2+ ion and cysteine in catalysis as well as the substrate-bound structure were studied based on biochemical and crystallographic approaches.

Cysteine Nucleophiles in Glycosidase Catalysis: Application of a Covalent β-l-Arabinofuranosidase Inhibitor.

The recent discovery of zinc-dependent retaining glycoside hydrolases (GHs), with active sites built around a Zn(Cys) (Glu) coordination complex, has presented unresolved mechanistic questions. In particular, the proposed mechanism, depending on a Zn-coordinated cysteine nucleophile and passing through a thioglycosyl enzyme intermediate, remains controversial. This is primarily due to the expected stability of the intermediate C-S bond.