DJ-1/PARK7 is the causative gene for hereditary recessive Parkinson’s disease. Recent studies have reported that DJ-1 hydrolyzes cyclic 3-phosphoglyceric anhydride (cPGA), a highly reactive metabolite. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying cPGA hydrolase activity have yet to be fully elucidated. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of this activity in DJ-1, we performed molecular simulations that predicted how DJ-1 recognizes and hydrolyzes cPGA. The accuracy of these structural predictions was validated through systematic mutational analyses exemplified by loss of activity with the A107P mutation. Although DJ-1 possesses both cPGA hydrolase and α-oxoaldehyde hydratase activities in vitro, we confirmed that DJ-1 dysfunction caused an increase in cPGA-derived modifications but had no effect on α-oxoaldehyde-derived modifications in cells. Importantly, A107 and P158, pathogenic missense mutation sites found in Parkinson’s disease patients, are critical for cPGA hydrolysis both in vitro and in cells. The evidence-based catalytic mechanism for DJ-1 hydrolysis of cPGA that we propose here explains their pathophysiological significance.

Disclosures: The authors declare no competing interests exist.