Deconstruction of cellulose, the most abundant plant cell wall polysaccharide, requires the cooperative activity of a large repertoire of microbial enzymes. Modular cellulases contain non-catalytic type A Carbohydrate-Binding Modules (CBMs) that specifically bind to the crystalline regions of cellulose, thus promoting enzyme efficacy through proximity and targeting effects. Although type A CBMs play a critical role in cellulose recycling, their mechanism of action remains poorly understood. Here we produced a library of recombinant CBMs representative of the known diversity of type A modules. The binding properties of 40 CBMs, in fusion with an N-terminal green fluorescence protein (GFP) domain, revealed that type A CBMs possess the ability to recognize different crystalline forms of cellulose and chitin over a wide range of temperatures, pHs and ionic strengths. A Spirochaeta thermophila CBM64, in particular, displayed plasticity in its capacity to bind both crystalline and soluble carbohydrates under a wide range of extreme conditions. The structure of S. thermophila StCBM64C revealed an untwisted, flat, carbohydrate-binding interface comprising the side chains of four tryptophan residues in a coplanar linear arrangement. Significantly, two highly conserved asparagine side chains, each one located between two tryptophan residues, are critical to insoluble and soluble glucan recognition but not to bind xyloglucan. Thus, CBM64 compact structure and its extended and versatile ligand interacting platform illustrates how type A CBMs target their appended plant cell wall degrading enzymes to a diversity of recalcitrant carbohydrates under a wide range of environmental conditions.

Metal-dependent formate dehydrogenases are very promising targets for enzyme optimization and design of bio-inspired catalysts for CO2 reduction, towards novel strategies for climate change mitigation. For effective application of these enzymes, the catalytic mechanism must be fully understood, and the molecular determinants clarified. Despite numerous studies, several doubts persist, namely regarding the role played by the possible dissociation of the SeCys ligand from the Mo/W active site. Additionally, the O2 sensitivity of these enzymes must also be understood as it poses an important obstacle for biotechnological applications. Here we present a combined biochemical, spectroscopic, and structural characterization of Desulfovibrio vulgaris FdhAB (DvFdhAB) when exposed to oxygen in the presence of a substrate (formate or CO2). This study reveals that O2 inactivation is promoted by the presence of either substrate and involves forming a new species in the active site, captured in the crystal structures, where the SeCys ligand is displaced from tungsten coordination and replaced by a dioxygen or peroxide molecule. This new form was reproducibly obtained and supports the conclusion that, although W-DvFdhAB can catalyze the oxidation of formate in the presence of oxygen for some minutes, it gets irreversibly inactivated after prolonged O2 exposure in the presence of either substrate. These results reveal that oxidative inactivation does not require reduction of the metal, as widely assumed, as it can also occur in the oxidized state in the presence of CO2.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.AORAldehyde Oxido-reductaseDTTDithiothreitolDvDesulfovibrio vulgarisEPRElectron Paramagnetic ResonanceFdhFormate dehydrogenaseHPHigh PressureMGDMolybdopterin Guanine DinucleotidesNDNew dropROSReactive Oxygen SpeciesSODSuperoxide dismutaseTSAThermal Shift Assay

Metal-dependent formate dehydrogenases (Fdh) catalyze the reversible conversion of CO2 to formate, with unrivalled efficiency and selectivity. However, the key catalytic aspects of these enzymes remain unknown, preventing us from fully benefiting from their capabilities in terms of biotechnological applications. Here, we report a time-resolved characterization by X-ray crystallography of the Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough SeCys/W-Fdh during formate oxidation. The results allowed us to model five different intermediate structures and to chronologically map the changes occurring during enzyme reduction. Formate molecules were assigned for the first time to populate the catalytic pocket of a Fdh. Finally, the redox reversibility of DvFdhAB in crystals was confirmed by reduction and reoxidation structural studies.