Steric hindrance controls pyridine nucleotide specificity of a flavin-dependent NADH:quinone oxidoreductase.

The crystal structure of the NADH:quinone oxidoreductase PA1024 has been solved in complex with NAD+ to 2.2 Å resolution. The nicotinamide C4 is 3.6 Å from the FMN N5 atom, with a suitable orientation for facile hydride transfer. NAD+ binds in a folded conformation at the interface of the TIM-barrel domain and the extended domain of the enzyme. Comparison of the enzyme-NAD+ structure with that of the ligand-free enzyme revealed a different conformation of a short loop (75-86) that is part of the NAD+ -binding pocket. P78, P82, and P84 provide internal rigidity to the loop, whereas Q80 serves as an active site latch that secures the NAD+ within the binding pocket. An interrupted helix consisting of two α-helices connected by a small three-residue loop binds the pyrophosphate moiety of NAD+ . The adenine moiety of NAD+ appears to π-π stack with Y261. Steric constraints between the adenosine ribose of NAD+ , P78, and Q80, control the strict specificity of the enzyme for NADH. Charged residues do not play a role in the specificity of PA1024 for the NADH substrate.