Cryo-EM structures reveal the activation and substrate recognition mechanism of human enteropeptidase

The enteropeptidase (EP) initiates the intestinal digestion by proteolytic processing of trypsinogen, generating catalytic active trypsin. The dysfunction of EP will cause a series of pancreatic diseases, the most severe of which is acute necrotizing pancreatitis. However, the molecular mechanism of EP activation and substrate recognition remain elusive due to the lack of structural information, hampering the structure-based research of EP and even further EP-targeted drug design. Here we report cryo-EM structures of human EP in multiple states, covering the functional cycle spanning from inactive to active state and eventually to the substrate binding state, with the inactive core region reached an atomic resolution of 2.7 angstrom. The heavy chain of EP exhibits a clamping configuration with the CUB2 domain serving for substrate recognition. The N-terminus of light chain induces the surface loop remodeling from inactive to active conformation, resulting in a highly dynamic and active EP. Then the heavy chain performs like a hinge to ensure the flexibility of light chain for substrate recruitment and subsequent cleavage. Our study provides structural insights of EP remodeling and heavy chain dynamics while performing enzymatic function, facilitating our understanding of the pathogenies of EP-related pancreatitis and the EP-targeted treatment of pancreatitis.