Structural basis of the conversion of T4 lysozyme into a transglycosidase by reengineering the active site

In contrast to hen egg-white lysozyme, which retains the β-configuration of the substrate in the product, T4 lysozyme (T4L) is an inverting glycosidase. The substitution Thr-26 → His, however, converts T4L from an inverting to a retaining enzyme. It is shown here that the Thr-26 → His mutant is also a transglycosidase. Indeed, the transglycosylation reaction can be more effective than hydrolysis. In contrast, wild-type T4L has no detectable transglycosidase activity. The results support the prior hypothesis that catalysis by the Thr-26 → His mutant proceeds via a covalent intermediate. Further mutations (Glu-11 → His, Asp-20 → Cys) of the T26H mutant lysozyme indicate that the catalytic mechanism of this mutant requires Glu-11 as a general acid but Asp-20 is not essential. The results help provide an overall rationalization for the activity of glycosidases, in which a highly conserved acid group (Glu-11 in T4L, Glu-35 in hen egg-white lysozyme) on the β-side of the substrate acts as a proton donor, whereas alterations in the placement and chemical identity of residues on the α-side of the substrate can lead to catalysis with or without retention of the configuration, to transglycosidase activity, or to the formation of a stable enzyme-substrate adduct.