Cysteine S-nitrosation is a reversible posttranslational modification mediated by nitric oxide (•NO)-derived agents. S-nitrosation participates in cellular signaling and is associated with several diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neuronal disorders. Despite the physiological importance of this nonclassical •NO signaling pathway, little is understood about how much S-nitrosation affects protein function. Moreover, identifying physiologically relevant targets of S-nitrosation is difficult because of the dynamics of transnitrosation and a limited understanding of the physiological mechanisms leading to selective protein S-nitrosation. To identify proteins whose activities are modulated by S-nitrosation, we performed a metabolomics study comparing wild-type and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) knockout mice. We integrated our results with those of a previous proteomics study that identified physiologically relevant S-nitrosated cysteines, and we found that the activity of at least 21 metabolic enzymes might be regulated by Snitrosation. We cloned, expressed, and purified four of these enzymes and observed that S-nitrosation inhibits the metabolic enzymes 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase (ALDH4A1), catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH). Furthermore, using sitedirected mutagenesis, we identified the predominate cysteine residue influencing the observed activity changes in each enzyme. In summary, using an integrated metabolomics approach, we have identified several physiologically relevant S-nitrosation targets, including metabolic enzymes, which are inhibited by this modification, and have found the cysteines modified by S-nitrosation in each enzyme.Nitric oxide (•NO) is an important signaling molecule in vertebrate tissue that controls physiological processes including vasodilation, neurotransmission, and platelet aggregation (1-3).•NO is biosynthesized by the three mammalian isoforms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Endothelial (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) produce picomolar to nanomolar concentrations of •NO for cellular signaling, while inducible NOS (iNOS) produces •NO at cytotoxic concentrations in the low micromolar range at sites of infection (4,5). The most thoroughly characterized •NO signaling pathway involves the enzyme soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) (6).•NO produced by NOS freely diffuses into adjacent cells where it activates sGC to increase the concentration of the secondary messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) that activates downstream signaling pathways.
S-nitrosation Modifies Metabolic Enzyme Function
2Another important, though less well understood, signaling mechanism involving •NO is cysteine S-nitrosation. S-nitrosation is a posttranslational modification of cysteine residues by which an S-nitrosothiol is initially formed via a oneelectron oxidation. Once formed, S-nitrosothiols can be transferred through an intermediate transnitrosating agent such as S-...