Short-form ATP phosphoribosyltransferase
(ATPPRT) is a hetero-octameric
allosteric enzyme comprising four catalytic subunits (HisGS) and four regulatory subunits (HisZ). ATPPRT catalyzes the Mg2+-dependent condensation of ATP and 5-phospho-α-d-ribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) to generate N1-(5-phospho-β-d-ribosyl)-ATP (PRATP) and
pyrophosphate, the first reaction of histidine biosynthesis. While
HisGS is catalytically active on its own, its activity
is allosterically enhanced by HisZ in the absence of histidine. In
the presence of histidine, HisZ mediates allosteric inhibition of
ATPPRT. Here, initial velocity patterns, isothermal titration calorimetry,
and differential scanning fluorimetry establish a distinct kinetic
mechanism for ATPPRT where PRPP is the first substrate to bind. AMP
is an inhibitor of HisGS, but steady-state kinetics and 31P NMR spectroscopy demonstrate that ADP is an alternative
substrate. Replacement of Mg2+ by Mn2+ enhances
catalysis by HisGS but not by the holoenzyme, suggesting
different rate-limiting steps for nonactivated and activated enzyme
forms. Density functional theory calculations posit an SN2-like transition state stabilized by two equivalents of the metal
ion. Natural bond orbital charge analysis points to Mn2+ increasing HisGS reaction rate via more efficient charge
stabilization at the transition state. High solvent viscosity increases
HisGS’s catalytic rate, but decreases the hetero-octamer’s,
indicating that chemistry and product release are rate-limiting for
HisGS and ATPPRT, respectively. This is confirmed by pre-steady-state
kinetics, with a burst in product formation observed with the hetero-octamer
but not with HisGS. These results are consistent with an
activation mechanism whereby HisZ binding leads to a more active conformation
of HisGS, accelerating chemistry beyond the product release
rate.