International Journal of Molecular Sciences Article Crystal Structure of Escherichia coli Agmatinase: Catalytic Mechanism and Residues Relevant for Substrate Specificity Pablo Maturana 1 , María S. Orellana 2, Sixto M. Herrera 1 , Ignacio Martínez 3 , Maximiliano Figueroa 3, José Martínez-Oyanedel 3, Victor Castro-Fernandez 1,* and Elena Uribe 3,* 1 Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Ñuñoa 7800003, Santiago, Chile;
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[email protected] (S.M.H.) 2 Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370251, Santiago, Chile;
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[email protected] (J.M.-O.) * Correspondence:
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[email protected] (E.U.); Tel.: +56-2-2978-7332 (V.C.-F.); +56-41-220-4428 (E.U.) Abstract: Agmatine is the product of the decarboxylation of L-arginine by the enzyme arginine decarboxylase. This amine has been attributed to neurotransmitter functions, anticonvulsant, anti- neurotoxic, and antidepressant in mammals and is a potential therapeutic agent for diseases such Citation: Maturana, P.; Orellana, as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and cancer. Agmatinase enzyme hydrolyze agmatine into urea and M.S.; Herrera, S.M.; Martínez, I.; putrescine, which belong to one of the pathways producing polyamines, essential for cell proliferation. Figueroa, M.; Martínez-Oyanedel, J.; Agmatinase from Escherichia coli (EcAGM) has been widely studied and kinetically characterized, Castro-Fernandez, V.; Uribe, E. described as highly specific for agmatine.