Sangam: A Confluence of Knowledge Streams

Structure and Catalytic Mechanism of a Human Triacylglycerol-synthesis Enzyme

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dc.creator Sui, Xuewu
dc.creator Wang, Kun
dc.creator Gluchowski, Nina
dc.creator Elliott, Shane
dc.creator Liao, Maofu
dc.creator Walther, Tobias
dc.creator Farese, Robert
dc.date 2022-06-02T16:39:11Z
dc.date 2020-05-13
dc.date 2022-06-02T16:39:11Z
dc.date.accessioned 2023-02-17T19:58:09Z
dc.date.available 2023-02-17T19:58:09Z
dc.identifier Sui, Xuewu, Wang, Kun, Gluchowski, Nina L, Elliott, Shane D, Liao, Maofu, Walther, Tobias C, and Farese, Jr, Robert V. "Structure and Catalytic Mechanism of a Human Triacylglycerol-synthesis Enzyme." Nature (London) 581, no. 7808 (2020): 323-28.
dc.identifier 0028-0836
dc.identifier 1476-4687
dc.identifier https://nrs.harvard.edu/URN-3:HUL.INSTREPOS:37371854
dc.identifier 10.1038/s41586-020-2289-6
dc.identifier.uri http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/CUHPOERS/242066
dc.description Triglycerides (triacylglycerols, TGs) store metabolic energy in organisms and have industrial uses for foods and fuels. Excessive accumulation of TGs in humans causes obesity and is associated with metabolic diseases1. TG synthesis is catalyzed by acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) enzymes2-4 whose structures and catalytic mechanisms are unknown. Here we determined the structure of dimeric human DGAT1, a member of the membrane-bound O-acyltransferase (MBOAT) family, by cryo-electron microscopy at 3.0-Å resolution. DGAT1 forms a homodimer through N-terminal segments and a hydrophobic interface, with putative active sites within the membrane region. A structure obtained with oleoyl-CoA substrate resolved at 3.2-Å shows that the CoA moiety binds DGAT1 on the cytosolic side and the acyl group lies deep within a hydrophobic channel, positioning the acyl-CoA thioester bond near an invariant catalytic histidine residue. The reaction center is located inside a large cavity, which opens laterally to the membrane bilayer, providing lipid access to the active site. A lipid-like density, possibly an acyl-acceptor molecule, is located within the reaction center, orthogonal to acyl-CoA. Insights provided by the DGAT1 structures, together with mutagenesis and functional studies, give rise to a model of catalysis for DGAT’s generation of TGs.
dc.description Accepted Manuscript
dc.format application/pdf
dc.language en_US
dc.publisher Springer Science and Business Media LLC
dc.relation Nature
dc.relation Nature (London)
dc.source Nature
dc.subject Multidisciplinary
dc.title Structure and Catalytic Mechanism of a Human Triacylglycerol-synthesis Enzyme
dc.type Journal Article


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