Mutation of two active-site residues converts a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C to a glucose phosphatase

Two mutations, R69D and K115E, converted a bacterial phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) to a phosphatase with much higher specific activity toward glucose-6-phosphate than inositol-1-phosphate. PI-PLC single mutations R69D and K115E can cleave PI but lack any demonstrable phosphatase activity. The bacterial PI-PLC has no sequence homology with known glucose-6-phosphatase enzymes, which need His, Arg, and negatively charged residues (Asp or Glu) at the active site. The change in chemical reaction and substrate specificity can be rationalized by energy minimization of the mutant with I-1-P or G-6-P bound.