Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) (insulysin) is a zinc metallopeptidase that metabolizes several bioactive peptides, including insulin and the amyloid ␤ peptide. IDE is an unusual metallopeptidase in that it is allosterically activated by both small peptides and anions, such as ATP. Here, we report that the ATPbinding site is located on a portion of the substrate binding chamber wall arising largely from domain 4 of the four-domain IDE. Two variants having residues in this site mutated, IDE K898A,K899A,S901A and IDE R429S , both show greatly decreased activation by the polyphosphate anions ATP and PPP i . IDE K898A,K899A,S901A is also deficient in activation by small peptides, suggesting a possible mechanistic link between the two types of allosteric activation. Sodium chloride at high concentrations can also activate IDE. There are no observable differences in average conformation between the IDE-ATP complex and unliganded IDE, but regions of the active site and C-terminal domain do show increased crystallographic thermal factors in the complex, suggesting an effect on dynamics. Activation by ATP is shown to be independent of the ATP hydrolysis activity reported for the enzyme. We also report that IDE K898A,K899A,S901A has reduced intracellular function relative to unmodified IDE, consistent with a possible role for anion activation of IDE activity in vivo. Together, the data suggest a model in which the binding of anions activates by reducing the electrostatic attraction between the two halves of the enzyme, shifting the partitioning between open and closed conformations of IDE toward the open form.

BackgroundInsulin degrading enzyme (IDE) is responsible for the metabolism of insulin and plays a role in clearance of the Aβ peptide associated with Alzheimer's disease. Unlike most proteolytic enzymes, IDE, which consists of four structurally related domains and exists primarily as a dimer, exhibits allosteric kinetics, being activated by both small substrate peptides and polyphosphates such as ATP.Principal FindingsThe crystal structure of a catalytically compromised mutant of IDE has electron density for peptide ligands bound at the active site in domain 1 and a distal site in domain 2. Mutating residues in the distal site eliminates allosteric kinetics and activation by a small peptide, as well as greatly reducing activation by ATP, demonstrating that this site plays a key role in allostery. Comparison of the peptide bound IDE structure (using a low activity E111F IDE mutant) with unliganded wild type IDE shows a change in the interface between two halves of the clamshell-like molecule, which may enhance enzyme activity by altering the equilibrium between closed and open conformations. In addition, changes in the dimer interface suggest a basis for communication between subunits.Conclusions/SignificanceOur findings indicate that a region remote from the active site mediates allosteric activation of insulysin by peptides. Activation may involve a small conformational change that weakens the interface between two halves of the enzyme.