Re-evaluation of lysyl hydroxylation in the collagen triple helix: lysyl hydroxylase 1 and prolyl 3-hydroxylase 3 have site-differential and collagen type-dependent roles in lysine hydroxylation

Collagen is the most abundant protein in humans and is heavily post-translationally modified. Its biosynthesis is very complex and requires three different types of hydroxylation (two for proline and one for lysine) that are generated in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER). These processes involve many enzymes and chaperones which were collectively termed the molecular ensemble for collagen biosynthesis. However, the function of some of the proteins in this molecular ensemble is controversial. While prolyl 3-hydroxylase 1 and 2 (P3H1, P3H2) are bona fide collagen prolyl 3-hydroxylases, the function of prolyl 3-hydroxylase 3 (P3H3) is less clear. A recent study of P3H3 null mice demonstrated that this enzyme had no activity as prolyl 3-hydroxylase but may instead act as a chaperone for lysyl hydroxylase 1 (LH1). LH1 is required to generate hydroxylysine for crosslinking within collagen triple helical sequences. If P3H3 is a LH1 chaperone that is critical for LH1 activity, P3H3 and LH1 null mice should have similar deficiency in lysyl hydroxylation. To test this hypothesis, we compared lysyl hydroxylation in type I and V collagen from P3H3 and LH1 null mice. Our results indicate LH1 plays a global role for lysyl hydroxylation in triple helical domain of type I collagen while P3H3 is indeed involved in lysyl hydroxylation particularly at crosslink formation sites but is not required for all lysyl hydroxylation sites in type I collagen triple helix. Furthermore, although type V collagen from LH1 null mice surprisingly contained as much hydroxylysine as type V collagen from wild type, the amount of hydroxylysine in type V collagen was clearly suppressed in P3H3 null mice. In summary, our study suggests that P3H3 and LH1 likely have two distinct mechanisms to distinguish crosslink formation sites from other sites in type I collagen and to recognize different collagen types in the rER. Author summary Collagen is one of the most heavily post-translationally modified proteins in the human body and its post-translational modifications provide biological functions to collagen molecules. In collagen post-translational modifications, crosslink formation on a collagen triple helix adds important biomechanical properties to the collagen fibrils and is mediated by hydroxylation of very specific lysine residues. LH1 and P3H3 show the similar role in lysine hydroxylation for specific residues at crosslink formation sites of type I collagen. Conversely, they have very distinct rules in lysine hydroxylation at other residues in type I collagen triple helix. Furthermore, they demonstrate preferential recognition and modification of different collagen types. Our findings provide a better understanding of the individual functions of LH1 and P3H3 in the rER and also offer new directions for the mechanism of lysyl hydroxylation followed by crosslink formation in different tissues and collagens.