Librational motion of an "immobilized" spin label: hemoglobin spin labeled by a maleimide derivative.

The spin label Tempo-maleimide, when "immobilized" in hemoglobin, is shown to exhibit motional fluctuation whose amplitude and/or frequency depend on temperature and solution conditions. These motional fluctuations are observable by several electron spin resonance techniques. For desalted hemoglobin the fluctuations are detectable at approximately -15 degrees C using saturation transfer techniques and at approximately +25 degrees C using line-width measurements of normal absorption spectra. In ammonium sulfate precipitated hemoglobin, however, motional fluctuations are not detectable by either technique up to at least 40 degrees C. The most probable mechanism for spin-label motion appears to be either fluctuations in protein conformation which affect the label binding site or conformational transitions of the nitroxide ring itself. These motional fluctuations are shown to introduce a librational character to the overall label motion during hemoglobin rotational diffusion, with the librational motion significantly affecting the use of spin-label spectral shapes to calculate hemoglobin rotational correlation times.     

Inhibitory effect of a cyclic urea derivative on rubella virus replication

1-(4-Morpholinomethyl)-tetrahydro-2(1H)-pyrimidinone (mopyridone) exhibited a marked activity against rubella virus (Judith and RA27/3 strains), a MIC50 value of 0.9 microM and selectivity ratio of 557.7 been found in the case of Judith strain. These data, in addition to the previous ones about its anti-alphavirus effects suggest the compound to be considered as a broad spectrum inhibitor of togavirus replication.     

分子动力学模拟尿素对水溶液中蛋白质构象转变的影响

采用分子动力学方法和全原子模型研究尿素和水分子对模型蛋白S-肽链结构转化的影响。模拟结果显示S-肽链的变性速率常数k值随着尿素浓度的增加而先降低后升高,在尿素浓度为2.9 mol/L时达到最低值。模拟了不同尿素浓度下尿素-肽链、水-肽链以及肽链分子氢键的形成状况。结果表明:尿素浓度较低时,尿素分子与S-肽链的极性氨基酸侧链形成氢键,但不破坏其分子内的骨架氢键,尿素在S-肽链水化层外形成限制性空间,增强了S-肽链的稳定性。随着尿素的升高,尿素分子进入S-肽链内部并与其内部氨基酸残基形成氢键,导致S-肽链的骨架氢键丧失,S-肽链发生去折叠。上述模拟结果与文献报道的实验结果一致,从分子水平上揭示了尿素对蛋白质分子结构变化的影响机制,对于研究和发展蛋白质折叠及稳定化技术具有指导意义。     

Molecular dynamics of antitumor ether-linked phospholipids in model membranes: a spin-label study

We have synthesized a spin-labeled derivative of ET-18-OCH3, a known antitumor ether-linked phospholipid. The spin-labeled analog was shown to be as potent as ET-18-OCH3 in inhibiting 3H-thymidine uptake of HL60 leukemic cells. Electron spin resonance (ESR) studies showed that the mobility of this ether-linked phospholipid in the membrane is more restricted when compared to its ester-linked counterparts. It is probable that the absence of the bulky carbonyl oxygens allows closer packing of the two alkyl chains in the ether-linked phospholipid, thereby reducing the angular amplitude of the motion of the alkyl chains. These findings may be of importance in elucidating mechanisms by which the antitumor ether-linked phospholipids perturb the structure of cellular membranes.     

Temperature dependent 2nd derivative absorbance spectroscopy of aromatic amino acids as a probe of protein dynamics

Proteins display a broad peak in 250–300 nm region of their UV spectrum containing multiple overlapping bands arising from the aromatic rings of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan residues. Employing high resolution 2^nd derivative absorbance spectroscopy, these overlapping absorption bands can be highly resolved and therefore provide a very sensitive measure of changes in the local microenvironment of the aromatic side chains. This has traditionally been used to detect both subtle and dramatic (i.e., unfolding) conformational alterations of proteins. Herein, we show that plots of the temperature dependent 2^nd derivative peak positions of aromatic residues have measurable slopes before protein unfolding and that these slopes are sensitive to the dielectric properties of the surrounding microenvironment. We further demonstrate that these slopes correlate with hydration of the buried aromatic residues in protein cores and can therefore be used as qualitative probes of protein dynamics.     

Cytotoxic effects of a novel maleimide derivative on epithelial and tumor cells

Novel N-triazolyl maleimide derivatives were synthesized by azide–alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition (1,3-dipolar cycloaddition) and tested for cytotoxicity against a cell line derived from human melanomas SK-Mel-28 and SK-Mel-103, and human umbilical vein endothelial cell lines (HUVEC). The 4l was chose to be biologically tested due to incorporation of benzyl triazolic to the nitrogen of maleimide has not been tested before, and due the satisfactory yield. The analysis of cell metabolism, using the MTT method, showed that the compound 4l impaired cell metabolism in HUVEC only in high concentration (100 µM). A lower concentration of compound 4l, whether in association or not with paclitaxel, was required to cause toxicity in both SK-Mel-28 and SK-Mel-103 cells in comparison with HUVEC cells. Moreover, the ability of 4l to cause cell death was evaluated by flow cytometry, and the data obtained highlighted the apoptotic action of 4l and paclitaxel co-treatment on Sk-Mel-28 cells only, which corroborated the greater efficacy of maleimide compounds against cancer cells. Together, our data provide promising data on the selectivity of maleimide compounds to cancer cells, and suggest that novel maleimide-substituted compounds may be synthesized and tested on different cancer cell lines, as primary or co-adjuvant agents of cancer cell toxicity.     

Characterization of protein spin labeling by maleimide: evidence for nitroxide reduction

A quantitative determination of maleimide spin label (MAL) binding in oxi and met hemoglobin (Hb) and bovine serum albumin are investigated using double integration to the ESR signal. This determination permitted the observation that a considerable fraction of MAL is reduced, losing its paramagnetism. Experiments using the same spin label with myoglobin and Hb with blocked-SH groups, where reduction was not observed, indicate the involvement of SH groups in the process. The 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidino-1-oxyl spin label (which is not able to bind in the SH group) is reduced too, but the dependence on the molar ratio is different in comparison with the MAL case. In both cases the reduction percentage depends on the molar ratio spin label to protein and to the protein concentration. In order to obtain the total SH groups labeled (two in the Hb case) it is necessary to use an excessive amount of label (around 18:1) in the 0.5 mM Hb concentration.     

Structural details of urea binding to barnase: a molecular dynamics analysis.

BACKGROUND: The molecular mechanism of urea-induced protein unfolding has not been established. It is generally thought that denaturation results from the stabilizing interactions of urea with portions of the protein that are buried in the native state and become exposed upon unfolding of the protein. RESULTS: We have performed molecular dynamics simulations of barnase (a 110 amino acid RNase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) with explicit water and urea molecules at 300 K and 360 K. The native conformation was unaffected in the 300 K simulations at neutral and low pH. Two of the three runs at 360 K and low pH showed some denaturation, with partial unfolding of the hydrophobic core 2. The first solvation shell has a much higher density of urea molecules (water/urea ratio ranging from 2.07 to 2.73) than the bulk (water/urea ratio of 4.56). About one half of the first-shell urea molecules are involved in hydrogen bonds with polar or charged groups on the barnase surface, and between 15% and 18% of the first-shell urea molecules participate in multiple hydrogen bonds with barnase. The more stably bound urea molecules tend to be in crevices or pockets on the barnase surface. CONCLUSIONS: The simulation results indicate that an aqueous urea solution solvates the surface of a polypeptide chain more favorably than pure water. Urea molecules interact more favorably with nonpolar groups of the protein than water does, and the presence of urea improves the interactions of water molecules with the hydrophilic groups of the protein. The results suggest that urea denaturation involves effects on both nonpolar and polar groups of proteins.     

Reversible uncoupling of photophosphorylation by a new bifunctional maleimide.

A new bifunctional maleimide that contains a disulfide bond has been synthesized. This maleimide, dithiobis-N-ethylmaleimide (DTEM), like another bifunctional maleimide, o-phenylenebismaleimide, is about 500-fold more effective as an inhibitor of photophosphorylation than N-ethylmaleimide. Thylakoids must be illuminated in the presence of DTEM before the assay of phosphorylation for the inhibition to occur. Phosphoryalation in thylakoids treated with DTEM in the light is uncoupled and proton permeability of the treated thylakoids is enhanced. This uncoupling of photophosphorylation in thylakoids treated with DTEM can be reversed by thiol compounds. The addition of 50 mM dithiothreitol restores H+ uptake in thylakoids treated with DTEM in the light to control levels and partially reverses the inhibition of phosphorylation. Evidence is provided to show that DTEM cross-links groups within the gamma subunit of the coupling factor 1, and that the cross-link is broken by high concentrations of thiols. These results suggest that cross-linking is the cause for the increased proton permeability in thylakoids treated with bifunctional maleimides in the light.     

Structural dynamics of myoglobin: ligand migration among protein cavities studied by Fourier transform infrared/temperature derivative spectroscopy.

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in the CO stretch bands combined with temperature derivative spectroscopy (TDS) was used to characterize intermediate states obtained by photolysis of two sperm whale mutant myoglobins, YQR (L29(B10)Y, H64(E7)Q, T67(E10)R) and YQRF (with an additional I107(G8)F replacement). Both mutants assume two different bound-state conformations, A(0) and A(3), which can be distinguished by their different CO bands near 1965 and 1933 cm(-1). They most likely originate from different conformations of the Gln-64 side chain. Within each A substate, a number of photoproduct states have been characterized on the basis of the temperature dependence of recombination in TDS experiments. Different locations and orientations of the ligand within the protein can be distinguished by the infrared spectra of the photolyzed CO. Recombination from the primary docking site, B, near the heme dominates below 50 K. Above 60 K, ligand rebinding occurs predominantly from a secondary docking site, C', in which the CO is trapped in the Xe4 cavity on the distal side, as shown by crystallography of photolyzed YQR and L29W myoglobin CO. Another kinetic state (C") has been identified from which rebinding occurs around 130 K. Moreover, a population appearing above the solvent glass transition at approximately 180 K (D state) is assigned to rebinding from the Xe1 cavity, as suggested by the photoproduct structure of the L29W sperm whale myoglobin mutant. For both the YQR and YQRF mutants, rebinding from the B sites near the heme differs for the two A substates, supporting the view that the return of the ligand from the C', C", and D states is not governed by the recombination barrier at the heme iron but rather by migration to the active site. Comparison of YQR and YQRF shows that access to the Xe4 site (C') is severely restricted by introduction of the bulky Phe side chain at position 107.     

Interaction of phospholipids with the detergent-solubilized ADP/ATP carrier protein as studied by spin-label electron spin resonance

The interaction of spin-labeled phospholipids with the detergent-solubilized ADP/ATP carrier protein from the inner mitochondrial membrane has been investigated by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The equilibrium binding of cardiolipin and phosphatidic acid was studied by titration of the protein with spin-labeled phospholipid analogues using a spectral subtraction protocol for the evaluation of the mobile and immobilized lipid portions. This analysis revealed the immobilization of two molecules of spin-labeled cardiolipin per protein dimer. Phosphatidic acid has a similar affinity for the protein surface as cardiolipin. The lipid-protein interaction was less pronounced with the neutral phospholipids and with phosphatidylglycerol. The importance of the electrostatic contribution to the phospholipid-protein interaction shows up with a strong dependence of the lipid binding on salt concentration. Cleavage by phospholipase A2 and spin reduction by ascorbate of the spin-labeled acidic phospholipids in contact with the protein surface suggest that these lipids are located on the outer perimeter of the protein. At reduced detergent concentration, the protein aggregated upon addition of small amounts of cardiolipin but remained solubilized when more cardiolipin was added. This result is discussed with respect to the aggregation state of the protein in the mitochondrial membrane. It is also tentatively concluded that binding of spin-labeled cardiolipin does not displace the tightly bound cardiolipin of mitochondrial origin, which was detected previously by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.     

Intramolecular mobility of human major histocompatibility complex protein. A spin-label study

Membranes of human splenocytes were hydrolyzed by papain and extracellular portions of class I and class II HLA antigen molecules were isolated by monoclonal antibodies fixed on Sepharose 4B. The isolated proteins were spin-labeled by TEMPO-dichlorotriazine and the values of rotational correlation times (tau) of labeled proteins were found using dependencies of ESR spectra parameters vs viscosity at constant temperature. The tau-values were equal to 8 ns for class I molecules and 14 ns for class II molecules. These values are 2-3 times lower than predicted for a rigid ellipsoid with mol wt. 50 kDa (about 20 ns). This fact suggests the existence of flexibility of HLA molecules which seems to be important for their biological activity. In this respect extracellular portions of HLA antigen molecules resemble flexible Fc fragments (tau = 12 ns) and differ from rigid Fab fragments (tau = 20 ns) of immunoglobulins G. The values of tau of spin-labeled proteins adsorbed from membrane hydrolysates on IgG-column was equal to 6.5 ns. The proteins adsorbed on lentil lectin column (after isolation of HLA proteins) have the tau-values equal to 9 ns.     

Conformational changes in bovine-liver glutamate dehydrogenase: a spin-label study.

A spin-labelled analogue of p-chloromercuribenzoate reacts specifically with glutamate dehydrogenase. The most marked change in the properties of the spin-labelled enzyme is a fivefold decrease in the rate of reduction of the coenzyme by L-glutamate and no change in the rate of oxidation by 2-oxoglutarate. The electron spin resonance spectrum is a sensitive probe for the conformational state of the enzyme. Spin-labelled glutamate dehydrogenase in the presence of saturating concentrations of NADPH and 2-oxoglutarate or L-glutamate shows a complete conformational change while in the presence of NADP+ and 2-oxoglutarate only half of the protomers have changed conformation. The conformational change upon addition of NADPH to the spin-labelled glutamate dehydrogenase in the presence of 2-oxoglutarate happens in a concerted way between 20 and 80% saturation with NADPH. One of the conformations is favoured by the activator ADP while the other is favoured by the inhibitor GTP.     

A spin-label study of phosphatidylcholine exchange protein. Regulation of the activity by phosphatidylserine and calcium ion.

The effects of the divalent cations Mg2+, Mn2+ and Ca2+ on the Brownian rotational motion of fluorescently labeled myosin, heavy meromyosin and myosin subfragment-1 were measured by the method of time-resolved fluorescence depolarization. When Mg2+ was added to solutions of myosin or heavy meromyosin and EDTA, their rotational mobility increased. Ca2+ had no effect. Mn2+ increased the mobility of heavy meromyosin but decreased that of myosin. None of these divalent cations effected the mobility of subfragment-1. The binding of heavy meromyosin to actin was affected very little by Mg2+ or EDTA over a wide range of conditions. Divalent cations appear to change the swivel about which the heads of myosin rotate, presumably by binding to light chain 2 (also called DTNB light chain). However, the heads are still able to bind actin in nearly the same way whether Mg2+ is present or not. The concentration of free Mg2+ for the mid-point of the change in heavy meromyosin mobility is in good agreement with that for EDTA activation of ATPase activity. This suggests that EDTA activation is due to removal of Mg2+ bound to myosin itself.