In vitro Mutagenesis of Human Dihydropteridine Reductase at the Active Site and at Altered Sites Found in the Reductases of Deficient Children

A general procedure for site-directed mutagenesis of the wild-type dihydropteridine reductase gene has been used successfully to make eight mutant proteins. Five mutations were at the active site, Tyrl50His, Tyrl50Ser, Tyrl50Phe, Tyr150Glu and Tyrl50Lys. The proteins were expressed as glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins from which the unconjugated reductases were obtained by thrombin cleavage. The kinetic parameters of the conjugated and unconjugated reductases were measured using natural R-7,8(6H)-dihydrobiopterin and non-natural dropterin and NADH. The kcat (maximum velocity at saturating concentrations of substrates) and kcatl Km (first order rate constant at low concentration of substrates) values show that the phenolic OH of Tyr 150 was the most likely proton source to complete the hydride reduction of the quinonoid pterin cofactor. However in the absence of a proton source at residue 150, measurable enzyme activities were observed indicating that a proton was relayed via a water molecule(s) from some neighbouring acidic amino acid residue. Three mutant dihydropteridine reductases, which were found in defective children, have been similarly attempted, GlylSlSer, Gly23Asp and a threonine insertion at position 123. The enzyme activities of the first two mutant reductases were consistent with the severity of the disease. The unconjugated reductase from the third mutation could not be obtained due to proteolysis but the fusion protein was enzymically active.