On the mechanism of action of carbonic anhydrase

The catalytic mechanism of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase has recently been the subject of renewed debate. The generally accepted picture of the mechanism of the enzyme's action has been thrown into doubt by new evidence derived from spectroscopic techniques. In this paper some of the points of conflict are examined and the degree is assessed to which new evidence is incompatible with the previously held picture of CA action. Reinterpretations are put forward of the mechanisms of proton transfer between enzyme and solution and of the detailed mechanism of ligand displacement at the zinc ion. These show that the generally accepted picture of the mechanism of CA action is by no means disproved and remains plausible.     

Sequential mechanism of refolding of carbonic anhydrase B

The kinetics of refolding of bovine carbonic anhydrase B was studied by a variety of methods over a wide range of times (from milliseconds to hours). It has been shown that protein refolding proceeds through three stages. At the first stage (t1/2 approximately equal to 0.03 s) hydrophobic clusters and a compact state of the chain are formed. At the second stage (t1/2 approximately equal to 140 s) hydrophobic clusters are desolvated and the rigid native-like hydrophobic core is formed. At the third stage (t1/2 approximately equal to 600 s) the native active protein is formed.     

Isotope effect evidence for the zinc hydroxide mechanism of carbonic anhydrase catalysis

The carbon kinetic isotope effect on the enzymatic dehydration of HCO3- ion is k12/k13 = 1.011 and is independent, within experimental error, of the addition of sucrose, substitution of D2O for H2O, and substitution of enzyme-bound Zn2+ by Co2+. These results are consistent with a ping-pong mechanism in which proton transfer between enzyme and solvent is separated from HCO3- dehydration. For the dehydration half-reaction, diffusional processes are severalfold faster than dehydration, and the rate-determining step is the dehydration itself. The intrinsic isotope effect is approximately 1.011, indicating that hydration of CO2 occurs by reaction of zinc-bound OH-, rather than zinc-bound H2O.     

Sulfamide derivatives with selective carbonic anhydrase VII inhibitory action

A set of N,N′-disubstituted sulfamides and sodium cyclamate have been tested for their inhibitory action against six isoforms of carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) found in the brain, that is, CA I, CA II, CA VII, CA IX, CA XII and CA XIV, some of which are involved in epileptogenesis. The biological data showed interesting results for CA VII inhibition, the isozyme thought to be a novel antiepileptic target. Strong CA VII inhibitors, with K_i values in the low nanomolar–subnanomolar range were identified. Some of these derivatives showed selectivity for inhibition of CA VII versus the ubiquitous isoform CA II, for which the K_i values were in the micromolar range. Molecular modeling approaches were employed to understand the binding interactions between these compounds and the two CA isoforms, since the mechanism of action of such disubstituted sulfamides was not yet investigated by means of X-ray crystallography.     

The reversible inhibition of carbonic anhydrase II: Computer simulations of a proposed mechanism of action

A mechanism of action for carbonic anhydrase II involving a rate-limiting intramolecular proton transfer, originally proposed by Steineret al., has been reexamined totally in steady state form using a digital computer. It is found that the mechanism is sufficient to account for all of the extant kinetic data, including the participation of external buffer as a second substrate in the hydration/dehydration reaction. The model of Steineret al. has been expanded to include the inhibitory effects of monovalent anions, phenol, and Cu(II) ion, and is able to account for the experimentally observed kinetics within a chemically reasonable framework. It is concluded that the proposed mechanism is a good working model for carbonic anhydrase II catalysis, and its ability to reconcile such a wide body of kinetic data solidifies the notion of a rate-limiting intramolecular proton transfer in the catalytic pathway.     

A novel carbonic anhydrase from the giant clam Tridacna gigas contains two carbonic anhydrase domains

This report describes the presence of a unique dual domain carbonic anhydrase (CA) in the giant clam, Tridacna gigas. CA plays an important role in the movement of inorganic carbon (Ci) from the surrounding seawater to the symbiotic algae that are found within the clam's tissue. One of these isoforms is a glycoprotein which is significantly larger (70 kDa) than any previously reported from animals (generally between 28 and 52 kDa). This alpha-family CA contains two complete carbonic anhydrase domains within the one protein, accounting for its large size; dual domain CAs have previously only been reported from two algal species. The protein contains a leader sequence, an N-terminal CA domain and a C-terminal CA domain. The two CA domains have relatively little identity at the amino acid level (29%). The genomic sequence spans in excess of 17 kb and contains at least 12 introns and 13 exons. A number of these introns are in positions that are only found in the membrane attached/secreted CAs. This fact, along with phylogenetic analysis, suggests that this protein represents the second example of a membrane attached invertebrate CA and it contains a dual domain structure unique amongst all animal CAs characterized to date.     

Hydrogen bonds and the catalytic mechanism of human carbonic anhydrase II

A new model for catalysis of human carbonic anhydrase II is suggested. The model is based on the X-ray structure of the hydrogen bond network in the catalytic site. The outer part of the network is proposed to adjust the p K(a) of the catalytic site to the experimentally observed value of about 7. The inner part of the network is proposed to become a low-barrier hydrogen bond network in the transition state. The energy released in forming the low-barrier hydrogen bond network is used to catalyse the interconversion of CO(2) and HCO(3)(-). The suggested molecular mechanism is consistent with the generally accepted kinetic scheme for human carbonic anhydrase II.     

Kinetics and mechanism of anionic ligand binding to carbonic anhydrase

The kinetics of complex formation between Co(II)-carbonic anhydrase B and the anions cyanate, thiocyanate and cyanide has been studied at different pH values employing temperature-jump relaxation spectrometry. Formation of the 1:1 complex occurs via binding of the deprotonated state of the anion to an acidic state of the enzyme. The determined formation rate constants range from 10(8) to 3 X 10(9) M-1 s-1 and are two to three orders of magnitude higher than the value estimated for a ligand coordination to the central Co2+, based on a solvate substitution mechanism. These kinetic results strongly indicate that the deprotonated anion binds to an unoccupied coordination position of the protein-bound heavy metal ion in the form of an addition reaction. Upon binding of the anion, the coordination number of the Co2+ in the acidic state of the enzyme is increased from four to five. In the case of cyanide, a 2:1 anion complex is also formed. The formation rate constant is 5 X 10(5) M-1 s-1 which provides good evidence that this binding process is controlled by a solvate substitution mechanism.     

A search for the function of human carbonic anhydrase B.

Because of the very high activity and abundance of human red cell carbonic anhydrase C (carbamate hydrolase, EC 4.2.1.1), it seemed likely that the second isozyme, B, might not be essential for CO2 metabolism. It was then found that physiological concentrations of Cl- inhibited catalysis of CO2 hydration by the B enzyme (but not by type C), suggesting further that type B does not function in vivo as a carbonic anhydrase. The versatility of the catalytic activity of carbonic anhydrase for a number of 'artificial' substrates suggested that enzyme B may be utilized in reactions of intermediary metabolism. A number of hydration, dehydration, decarboxylation, kinase, and phosphatase systems were tested to determine a possible physiological function for the enzyme. Results with eighteen possible substrates were negative and the possibility is discussed that mammalian carbonic anhydrase B is an evolutionary accident.