Significance of Phe-220 and Gln-221 in the catalytic mechanism of farnesyl diphosphate synthase of Bacillus stearothermophilus.

Farnesyl diphosphate synthase [EC 2.5.1.10] from Bacillus stearothermophilus was specifically altered at two amino acid residues by using site-directed mutagenesis. The highly conserved Phe and Gln residues at the sequential amino acid positions 220-221 in an upstream part of the putative substrate binding site were replaced with Ala and Glu, respectively. These mutageneses (F220A and Q221E) resulted in 10(-5) and 10(-3) decreases in catalytic activity of farnesyl diphosphate synthesis, respectively. Michaelis constants of the Q221E mutant for the allylic substrates (dimethylallyl- and geranyl diphosphates) increased approximately 25- and 2-folds, respectively, compared to wild type, whereas those for the homoallylic substrate (isopentenyl diphosphate) were not altered much. These results suggest that the Phe-Gln motif is involved not only in the binding of allylic substrates but also in the catalysis by farnesyl diphosphate synthase.