A single point mutation in the C-terminal extension of wheat Rubisco activase dramatically reduces ADP inhibition via enhanced ATP binding affinity

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activase (Rca) is a AAA+ enzyme that uses ATP to remove inhibitors from the active site of Rubisco, the central carboxylation enzyme of photosynthesis. Rca α and β isoforms exist in most higher plant species, with the α isoform being identical to the β form but having an additional 25–45 amino acids at the Rca C terminus, known as the C-terminal extension (CTE). Rca is inhibited by ADP, and the extent of ADP sensitivity of the Rca complex can be modulated by the CTE of the α isoform, particularly in relation to a disulfide bond structure that is specifically reduced by the redox-regulatory enzyme thioredoxin-f. Here, we introduced single point mutations of Lys-428 in the CTE of Rca-α from wheat (Triticum aestivum) (TaRca2-α). Substitution of Lys-428 with Arg dramatically altered ADP inhibition, independently of thioredoxin-f regulation. We determined that the reduction in ADP inhibition in the K428R variant is not due to a change in ADP affinity, as the apparent constant for ADP binding was not altered by the K428R substitution. Rather, we observed that the K428R substitution strongly increased ATP substrate affinity and ATP-dependent catalytic velocity. These results suggest that the Lys-428 residue is involved in interacting with the γ-phosphate of ATP. Considering that nucleotide-dependent Rca activity regulates Rubisco and thus photosynthesis during fluctuating irradiance, the K428R substitution could potentially provide a mechanism for boosting the performance of wheat grown in the dynamic light environments of the field.