Metal ions are indispensable for the function of metalloproteins. Interestingly, recent structural studies have revealed that catalytic metal ions can undergo small but distinct positional shifts within protein interiors. However, the functional relev...
Metal ions are indispensable for the function of metalloproteins. Interestingly, recent structural studies have revealed that catalytic metal ions can undergo small but distinct positional shifts within protein interiors. However, the functional relevance of this motion and the structural factors that drive it remain unclear. To address these questions, two class II pyruvate aldolases have been analyzed to compare their metal-binding environments and elucidate the origin of metal repositioning. High-resolution structures of aldolases from Achromobacter xylosoxidans (AxADL) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PaADL) have been determined in apo, Mg²⁺-bound, and Mg²⁺/pyruvate-bound states. Both enzymes exhibit a common pattern in which the metal ion shifts toward the catalytic center upon substrate binding, accompanied by subtle geometric adjustments of the surrounding residues. In particular, a methionine residue positioned adjacent to the metal-binding site exerts a steric influence that promotes this metal displacement, and this repositioning correlate with an increase in catalytic activity. These findings indicate that metal movement in class II pyruvate aldolases is modulated not only by changes in coordination geometry but also by local steric constraints imposed by neighboring residues. The results provide structural evidence that such residue-level interactions can fine-tune metal positioning and contribute to the catalytic mechanism of these enzymes.