A Closer Look at the Isomerization of 5-Androstene-3,17-Dione to 4-Androstene-3,17-Dione in Ketosteroid Isomerase

We report a comprehensive investigation of the 5-androstene-3,17-dione to 4-androstene-3,17-dione isomerization in Ketosteroid Isomerase, gas phase and aqueous solution, applying as tools the Unified Reaction Valley Approach (URVA) and the Local Vibrational Mode Analysis. Conformational changes of the steroid rings are monitored via Cremer-Pople puckering coordinates. URVA identifies simultaneous breakage of the C-alpha-H bond and O-H bond formation with the catalytic acid, leading to an intermediate with the acid positioned over ring A as the major chemical events of the first reaction step. Via a barrier-less shift, a second intermediate is formed with the acid being positioned over ring B. Then, according to URVA, breakage of the intermediate O-H bond, the formation of the new C-gamma-H bond accompanied by a double bond shift in rings A and B forms the major chemical events of the second reaction step, which is facilitated by favorable ring puckering. Reactions in protein and gas phase have comparable activation enthalpies, whereas the barrier in aqueous solution is higher, confirming that the major task of the enzyme pocket is to shield the migrating hydrogen atom and the catalyzing acid from interactions with solvent molecules diluting the catalytic power. We do not find exceptional H-bonding with Asp99 and Tyr14, excluding their catalytic activity. There is no strong hydrogen bonding in the TS, which could account for lowering the activation barrier. Our study provides a clear picture of the isomerization process, which will also inspire similar investigations of other important enzymatic reactions.