The substrate specificity of the catalytic domain of SHP-1, an important regulator in the proliferation and development of hematopoietic cells, is critical for understanding the physiological functions of SHP-1. Here we report the crystal structures of the catalytic domain of SHP-1 complexed with two peptide substrates derived from SIRPalpha, a member of the signal-regulatory proteins. We show that the variable beta5-loop-beta6 motif confers SHP-1 substrate specificity at the P-4 and further N-terminal subpockets. We also observe a novel residue shift at P-2, the highly conserved subpocket in protein- tyrosine phosphatases. Our observations provide new insight into the substrate specificity of SHP-1.

The crystal structures of the protein-tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 catalytic domain and the complex it forms with the substrate analogue tungstate have been determined and refined to crystallographic R values of 0.209 at 2.5 A resolution and 0.207 at 2.8 A resolution, respectively. Despite low sequence similarity, the catalytic domain of SHP-1 shows high similarity in secondary and tertiary structures with other protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). In contrast to the conformational changes observed in the crystal structures of PTP1B and Yersinia PTP, the WPD loop (Trp419-Pro428) in the catalytic domain of SHP-1 moves away from the substrate binding pocket after binding the tungstate ion. Sequence alignment and structural analysis suggest that the residues in the WPD loop, especially the amino acid following Asp421, are critical for the movement of WPD loop on binding substrates and the specific activity of protein-tyrosine phosphatases. Our mutagenesis and kinetic measurements have supported this hypothesis.

The toxic effects of sulfur mustard have been attributed to DNA modification with the formation of 7-hydroxyethylthioethyl guanine, 3-hydroxyethylthioethyl adenine and the cross-link, di-(2-guanin-7-yl-ethyl)sulfide. To investigate the action of bacterial 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase II (Gly II) on these adducts, calf thymus DNA was modified with [14C]sulfur mustard and used as a substrate for Gly II. Gly II releases both 3-hydroxyethylthioethyl adenine and 7-hydroxyethylthioethyl guanine from this substrate. In comparison with the activity of Gly II towards methylated DNA, 3-hydroxyethylthioethyl adenine is released somewhat more slowly than 3-methyladenine, while 7-hydroxyethylthioethyl guanine is released much more readily than 7-methylguanine. Glycosylase action may play a role in protecting cells from the toxic effects of sulfur mustard.

Many antitumor agents, including the mustards, form N-7 deoxyguanosine adducts in DNA that are difficult to quantitate by the 32P-postlabeling procedure because of their instability. We have developed a method that is successful for the analysis of such adducts using, as a prototype mustard, 14C-labeled bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide. This agent forms the unstable product 7-hydroxyethylthioethyldeoxyguanosine in DNA. By performing enzymatic digestions to 3'-deoxynucleotides at 10 degrees C, including a second N-7-substituted guanine deoxynucleotide as an internal standard, removing most of the unmodified nucleotides and [32P]ATP on disposable anion columns, and measuring the labeled products after separation on a C18 column, we are able to detect 1 unstable N-7 deoxyguanosine adduct in 10(7) normal nucleotides with good precision.