Molecular structure and enzymatic mechanism of the human collagen hydroxylysine galactosyltransferase GLT25D1/COLGALT1

During collagen biosynthesis, lysine residues undergo extensive post-translational modifications through the alternate action of two distinct metal ion-dependent enzyme families (i.e., LH/PLODs and GLT25D/COLGALT), ultimately producing the highly conserved α-(1,2)-glucosyl-β-(1,O)-galactosyl-5-hydroxylysine pattern. Malfunctions in these enzymes are linked to developmental pathologies and extracellular matrix alterations associated to enhanced aggressiveness of solid tumors. Here, we characterized human GLT25D1/COLGALT1, revealing an elongated head-to-head homodimeric assembly. Each monomer encompasses two domains (named GT1 and GT2), both unexpectedly capable of binding metal ion cofactors and UDP-α-galactose donor substrates, resulting in four candidate catalytic sites per dimer. We identify the catalytic site in GT2, featuring an unusual Glu-Asp-Asp motif critical for Mn²⁺ binding, ruling out direct catalytic roles for the GT1 domain, but showing that in this domain the unexpectedly bound Ca²⁺ and UDP-α-galactose cofactors are critical for folding stability. Dimerization, albeit not essential for GLT25D1/COLGALT1 activity, provides a critical molecular contact site for multi-enzyme assembly interactions with partner multifunctional LH/PLOD lysyl hydroxylase-glycosyltransferase enzymes.