RESUMEN
The sequence/function space in the D-mannonate dehydratase subgroup (ManD) of the enolase superfamily was investigated to determine how enzymatic function diverges as sequence identity decreases [Wichelecki, D. J., et al. (2014) Biochemistry 53, 2722-2731]. That study revealed that members of the ManD subgroup vary in substrate specificity and catalytic efficiency: high-efficiency (kcat/KM = 10(3)-10(4) M(-1) s(-1)) for dehydration of D-mannonate, low-efficiency (kcat/KM = 10-10(2) M(-1) s(-1)) for dehydration of D-mannonate and/or D-gluconate, and no activity. Characterization of high-efficiency members revealed that these are ManDs in the D-glucuronate catabolic pathway {analogues of UxuA [Wichelecki, D. J., et al. (2014) Biochemistry 53, 4087-4089]}. However, the genomes of organisms that encode low-efficiency members of the ManDs subgroup encode UxuAs; therefore, these must have divergent physiological functions. In this study, we investigated the physiological functions of three low-efficiency members of the ManD subgroup and identified a novel physiologically relevant pathway for L-gulonate catabolism in Chromohalobacter salexigens DSM3043 as well as cryptic pathways for L-gulonate catabolism in Escherichia coli CFT073 and L-idonate catabolism in Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis str. P125109. However, we could not identify physiological roles for the low-efficiency members of the ManD subgroup, allowing the suggestion that these pathways may be either evolutionary relics or the starting points for new metabolic potential.