Polymerization of amino acid derivatives by polymer catalysts. II. Polymerization by copolymer catalysts containing a tertiary amine as a component

The polymerizations of D ,-L β-phenylalanine NCA, p–nitro-D ,L -β-phenylalanine NCA, and o,p-dinitro-D ,L -β-phenylalanine NCA were investigated, homopolymers and copolymers of N-vinyl-2-ethylimidazole or 2-Vinylpyridine being used as catalysts. When N-vinylpyrrolidone and N,N-diethylacrylamide, which are capable of forming hydrogen bonds with the NCA's, were used as comonomers with N-vinyl-2-ethylimidazole, the copolymer catalysts were found to bring about a faster polymerization than poly-N-vinyl-2-ethylimidazole. However, when styrene, which has no particular interaction with the NCA's, was used as a comonomer with 2-vinylpyridine, the copolymer catalyst was found to give a slower polymerization than poly-2-vinylpyridine. Electronic spectroscopy showed that the charge-transfer complex between copolymer catalysts and the NCA's plays an important role in the polymerization. The experimental results are discussed in terms of the effectiveness of the copolymer catalysts for forming hydrogen bonds or charge-transfer complexes with the NCA's.     

Reduction of ferriprotoporphyrin IX to the ferroderivative by copoly(4-vinylpyridine-N-(p-vinylbenzyl)-3-carbamoyl-1,4-dihydropyridine) in dimethyl sulfoxide

The copolymer which has both ligand sites (4-vinylpyridine) and redox sites (N-(p-vinylbenzyl)-3-carbamoyl-1,4-dihydropyridine) was synthesized by the dithionite reduction of the copoly(4-vinylpyridine-N-(p-vinylbenzyl)-3-carbamoylpyridinium chloride) and the reduction of a central ferric-iron of ferriprotoporphyrin IX by the above-described copolymer was studied spectrophotometrically in dimethyl sulfoxide. The rate of the reduction by the copolymer was much faster than by N-benzyl-3-carbamoyl-1,4-dihydropyridine. This acceleration by the copolymer could be explained by the intramolecular reduction of ferriprotoporphyrin IX which was coordinated by the pyridine residue of the copolymer.     

Influence of p<Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Subscript>a</Subscript> Shifts on the Calculated Dipole Moments of Proteins

The protein dipole moment is a low-resolution parameter that characterizes the second-order charge organization of a biomolecule. Theoretical approaches to calculate protein dipole moments rely on pK _a values, which are either computed individually for each ionizable residue or obtained from model compounds. The influence of pK _a shifts are evaluated first by comparing calculated and measured dipole moments of β-lactoglobulin. Second, calculations are made on a dataset of 66 proteins from the Protein Data Bank, and average differences are determined between dipole moments calculated with model pK _as, pK _as derived using a Poisson–Boltzmann approach, and empirically-calculated pK _as. Dipole moment predictions that neglect pK _a shifts are consistently larger than predictions in which they are included. The importance of pK _a shifts are observed to vary with protein size, internal permittivity, and solution pH.     

Helix–coil transition for poly(L-glutamic acid) in water–ethanol solutions

Potentiometric titrations and some complementary optical rotation data are presented for solutions of poly(L - glutamic acid) (PGA) in several H₂O–ethanol mixtures. The data allow the determination of the intrinsic pK (pK₀), slope of the apparent. pK (pK_app), versus degree of ionization curves and of the enthalpy of ionization as a function of ethanol concentration. The variation of the degree of ionization at which the helix–coil transformation occurs with ethanol and temperature is also determined. Finally free energy, enthalpy, and intropy changes associated with the helix–coil transformation for the uncharged conformers are determined from the titration curves. The effect of the ethanol is to increase the stability of the helical conformation of PGA for both the charged and the uncharged forms of the polymer. The stabilization of the uncharged helix is essentially an entropic effect.     

pH-dependent redox and CO binding properties of chelated protoheme-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-histidine and protoheme-glycyl-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-histidine complexes

The pH dependence of redox properties, spectroscopic features and CO binding kinetics for the chelated protohemin-6(7)-l-histidine methyl ester (heme-H) and the chelated protohemin-6(7)-glycyl-l-histidine methyl ester (heme-GH) systems has been investigated between pH 2.0 and 12.0. The two heme systems appear to be modulated by four protonating groups, tentatively identified as coordinated H₂O, one of heme’s propionates, Nε of the coordinating imidazole, and the carboxylate of the histidine residue upon hydrolysis of the methyl ester group (in acid medium). The pK _a values are different for the two hemes, thus reflecting structural differences. In particular, the different strain at the Fe–N _ε bond, related to the different length of the coordinating arm, results in a dramatic alteration of the bond strength, which is much smaller in heme-H than in heme-GH. It leads to a variation in the variation of the pK a for the protonation of the N _ε of the axial imidazole as well as in the proton-linked behavior of the other protonating groups, envisaging a cross-talk communication mechanism among different groups of the heme, which can be operative and relevant also in the presence of the protein matrix. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Enhancing ligand–protein binding in affinity thermoprecipitation: Elucidation of spacer effects

Copolymers of N‐isopropylacrylamide and N‐acryloyl amino acid spacers of varying chain length were synthesized. p‐Aminobenzamidine (PABA) was chemically linked to the pendant carboxyl groups of these polymers to obtain thermoprecipitating affinity polymers. The inhibition constant (K_i) of these polymers for trypsin decreased, i.e., the efficiency of PABA–trypsin binding increased with increase in the spacer chain length. The polymer to which PABA was linked through a spacer of five methylene groups exhibited eleven times lower K_i than that of the polymer containing PABA without a spacer. Investigations on model inhibitors N‐acyl‐p‐aminobenzamidines showed that this enhancement in trypsin binding by the polymers was due to the spacer as well as to microenvironmental effects. Recovery and specific activity of the trypsin recovered increased with the spacer chain length. Separation of trypsin from a mixture of trypsin and chymotrypsin was also enhanced with the spacer chain length. The inhibition constants of these affinity polymers were not adversely affected by the crowding effect. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 64: 418–425, 1999.     

Polyelectroyte behavior of a bacterial polysaccharide from Xanthomonas campestris: Comparison with carboxymethylcellulose

The main physicochemical properties of the polysaccharide called Xanthan produced by Xanthomonas compestris are discussed: the activity coefficient of the counter-ion, the pK(α), and the ionic selectivity are investigated and compared to those of a carboxymetholcellulose. The weight-average molecular weight (M _w = 2 × 10⁶), the intrinsic viscosity and the constant of sedimentation are determined as a function of the ionic strength. It is proved that in dilute solution, there is no intermolecular association, whatever the ionic strength. The conformation is proposed to be a rigid rodlike molecule whose length is 6000 Å, independent of ionic strength > 10^?2N.     

Cause of the abnormal acidity of ionogenic groups of the lysozyme active center in cell wall lysis <Emphasis Type="Italic">Micrococcus lysodeicticus</Emphasis>

The influence of pH within the range 6.9–10.0 on the kinetic parameters of Micrococcus lysodeicticus cell lysis catalyzed by hen egg lysozyme has been studied at 25°C and 37°C. The effective pK _b values have been calculated for the group determining lysozyme catalytic activity. The ΔH _ion value indicates that this group is a carboxyl, although its pK (9.15 at 25°C) is far beyond the range characteristic of carboxylic groups. The cause of this abnormal pK _b value is supposed to be the strong negative charge of the bacterial cell wall. As a result, the enzyme, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of N-acetylglucosamine-N-acetylmuramic acid copolymer, operates in a highly acidic microenvironment.     

1H nuclear magnetic resonance studies of histidine-containing di- and tripeptides. Estimation of the effects of charged groups on the pKa value of the imidazole ring.

The nmr titration curves of chemical shifts versus pH were observed for the protons of various histidine-containing di- and tripeptides. With these results, the macroscopic pK_a values and the chemical shifts intrinsic to each ionic species were determined by a computer curve-fitting based on a simple acid dissociation sequence. The pK_a value of the imidazole ring in N-acetyl-L -histidine methylamide was assumed to represent the intrinsic (or unperturbed) pK_a of the imidazole rings of histidine having peptide linkages at both the CO and NH sides. The pK_a values of the imidazole rings observed for most di- and tripeptides were reasonably reproduced by simple calculations using the intrinsic value and the perturbations due to the CO₂^? and NH₃⁺ groups located at various positions. Some other factors affecting the pK_a value of the imidazole ring are also discussed.     

Purification and Characterization of Metallo-β-Lactamase from Serratia marcescens

Carbapenem-hydrolyzing β-lactamase from Serratia marcescens FHSM4055 was purified 926-fold by means of carboxylmethyl Sephadex C-50, Sephacryl S-200, and Mono S column chromatography. The molecular weight was 30,000 by SDS-PAGE and the isoelectric point was 8.7. The enzyme activity was inhibited by EDTA, and restored by adding zinc (II) or manganese (II). It was inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate and iodine as well as the heavy metals, Hg (II), Fe (II), Fe (III), and Cu (II). These results indicate that the enzyme is a metallo-β-lactamase and that the SH-group of only one cysteine residue probably binds to the metal ion, thus contributing to the stability of the enzyme active center. The specific constant (k_cat/K_m) showed that the enzyme hydrolyzed various β-lactam antibiotics such as carbapenems, cephalosporins, moxalactam, cephamycins, and penicillins other than monobactams. Ampicillin and piperacillin with respective amino- and imino-groups, ceftazidime with a carboxypropyloxyimino-group, and cefclidin with a carbamoylquinuclidine-group were poor substrates among the β-lactam antibiotics other than the monobactams tested. The plots of the turnover number (k_cat) against pH for the hydrolysis of cephaloridine gave an asymmetrical curve with the ‘tail’ on the acid side (pK₁, 5.9; pK₂, 9.0; pK₃, 10.8), whereas those of k_cat/K_m gave a bell-shaped curve (pK₁, 5.8; pK₂, 9.8). Both results suggest that two ionic forms of an intermediate yield the same product at different rates and that the enzyme is stable under alkaline conditions. Since the N-terminal amino acid sequence of 27 residues determined was consistent with that of the metalloenzyme (Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 1994, 38: 71-78), the above enzymatic characteristics seem to coincide.     

Coenzyme models. IV. Effect of polymer micelles on rate and equilibrium of addition of cyanide ion to N-substituted 3-carboxamidopyridinium ions.

The water-soluble poly(1-vinyl-2-ethylimidazole) quaternized with ethyl bromide and lauryl bromide was prepared; lauryl group content, 8.8 mol% (L-9), 28.9 mol% (L-29), and 40.9 mol% (L-41). The λ_max value of methyl orange near 460 nm shifted to shorter wavelengths (417–433 nm) in the aqueous solution of L-29 and L-41, and the intrinsic viscosity of L-29 was more than ten times smaller than that of L-9. The rate and equilibrium constants (k_? and K) for addition of cyanide ion to the N-substituted 3-carboxamidopyridinium ions were studied at 30°C, where N-substituents employed were n-propyl, n-hexyl, benzyl, 2,6-dichlorobenzyl, and n-lauryl. The kinetic parameters for n-lauryl-3-carboxamidopyridinium were markedly increased in the presence of L-29 and L-41 and with increasing polymer concentrations (84-fold for k_? and 7800-fold for K), especially at low ionic strength, whereas L-9 decelerated the addition reaction. These distinct behaviors mean that L-29 and L-41 are classified as micellelike polymers and L-9 as a polyelectrolytelike polymer. However, L-29 depressed the rate of the forward reaction for benzyl-3-carboxamidopyridinium, acting like a simple polyelectrolyte. Therefore, the polymer micelle can provide both the microenvironments characteristic of polyelectrolytes and micelles, depending on the hydrophobicity of substrates.     

Ion-exchange properties of cell walls of red seaweed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phyllophora crispa</Emphasis>

Research into ion-exchange properties of cell walls isolated from thallus of red seaweed Phyllophora crispa was carried out. Ion-exchange capacity and the swelling coefficient of the red alga cell walls were estimated at various pH values (from 2 to 12) and at constant ionic strength of a solution (10 mM). It was established that behavior of cell walls as ion-exchangers is caused by the presence in their matrix of two types of cation-exchange groups and amino groups. The amount of the functional group of each type was estimated, and the corresponding values of pK _a were calculated. It can be assumed that ionogenic groups with pK _a ∼5 are carboxyl groups of uronic acids, and ionogenic groups with pK _a ∼7.5 are carboxyl groups of the proteins. Intervals of pH in which cation-exchange groups are ionized and can take part in exchange reactions with cations in the environment are defined. It was found that protein was a major component of cell wall polymeric matrix because its content was 36%.     

Adsorption of molecular oxygen by polymer covalently bonded co(II) porhyrin complex in toluene

Reaction betwenn molecular oxygen and polystyrene covalently bonded Co(II) protoporphyrin IX complex, which was prepaired by the incorporation of a cobaltous ion into the metal-free porphyrin polymer, was studied in the presence of N-ethylimidazole by measuring visible absorption and electron spin resonance spectra. It was found that the complex forms a monomeric oxygen adduct reversibly at low temperature dependent on oxygen pressure. In the presence of molecular oxygen, a new electron spin resonance signal due to the oxygen complex at g_iso=2.02 shows no superhyperfine splitting structure in fluid toluene solution even at ?80 °C, but it was observed in frozen toulene glass solution at ?120°C, The oxygen adducts of the complexes between C0(II) protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester and N-ethylimidazole and copoly(styrene-N-vinylimidazole) showed eight resolved superhyperfine splitting at ?40 and ?60°C, respectively. The polymer covalently bonded Co(II) complex with N-ethylimidazole was oxidized at room temperature under oxygen atmosphere. It was suggested that a Co(II) porphyrin–oxygen adduct with an axial ligand may be oxidised monomolecularly at high temperature.     

Kinetic studies of the binding of inhibitors to thermolysin

The K_I values for inhibition of thermolysin activity by N-β-phenylpropionyl-aliphatic amino acids (Gly, Ala, Val, Leu, Ile) are correlated by π, the hydrophobic substituent parameter for the amino acid side chain (log K_I = ?0.73π ?1.80, correlation coefficient = 0.990). By contrast, the K_I values for the corresponding benzyloxycarbonyl amino acids are poorly correlated by π, but show a good correlation with the steric parameter E_s(log K_I = 0.880E_s ? 3.086, correlation coefficient = 0.985). Binding of β-phenylpropionyl-l-alanine is associated with an acidic residue of pK 7.3 and a basic residue of pK 8.0 in the E · I complex, and appears to raise the pK of Glu-143 by 2 units. Binding of benzyloxycarbonyl-Ala and -Phe is associated with an acidic residue of pK 8.0 and two basic residues, both with pK 8.3. Three similar pK values are observed with benzyloxycarbonyl-Phe. These results are interpreted in terms of different modes of binding of β-phenylpropionyl and benzyloxycarbonyl inhibitors.     

Poisson-Boltzmann model studies of molecular electrostatic properties of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase

Protonation equilibria of residues important in the catalytic mechanism of a protein kinase were analyzed on the basis of the Poisson-Boltzmann electrostatic model along with a cluster-based treatment of the multiple titration state problem. Calculations were based upon crystallographic structures of the mammalian cAMP-dependent protein kinase, one representing the so called closed form of the enzyme and the other representing an open conformation. It was predicted that at pH 7 the preferred form of the phosphate group at the catalytically essential threonine 197 (P-Thr197) in the closed form is dianionic, whereas in the open form a monoanionic ionization state is preferred. This dianionic state of P-Thr197, in the closed form, is stabilized by interactions with ionizable residues His87, Arg165, and Lys189. Our calculations predict that the hydroxyl of the Ser residue in the peptide substrate is very difficult to ionize, both in the closed and open structures of the complex. Also, the supposed catalytic base, Asp166, does not seem to have a pK _a appropriate to remove the hydroxyl group proton of the peptide substrate. However, when Ser of the peptide substrate is forced to remain ionized, the predicted pK _a of Asp166 increases strongly, which suggests that the Asp residue is a likely candidate to attract the proton if the Ser residue becomes deprotonated, possibly during some structural change preceding formation of the transition state. Finally, in accord with suggestions made on the basis of the pH-dependence of kinase kinetics, our calculations predict that Glu230 and His87 are the residues responsible for the molecular pK _a values of 6.2 and 8.5, observed in the experiment. Received: 19 October 1998 / Revised version: 12 April 1999 / Accepted: 15 April 1999     

The reactive tyrosine residue of human serum albumin: characterization of its reaction with diisopropylfluorophosphate.

The rapid reaction of diisopropylfluorophosphate with a tyrosine residue of human serum albumin at 0.02 m ionic strength involves prior rapid reversible binding characterized by a dissociation constant of 3.6 × 10^?3m and an apparent pK_a of 8.3. The rapid reaction of p-nitrophenyl acetate with human serum albumin (G. E. Means and M. L. Bender, 1975, Biochemistry14, 4989–4994) appears to involve the same tyrosine residue and is thus stoichiometrically inhibited by prior reaction with diisopropylfluorophosphate. Both reactions are strongly inhibited by decanoate anion, strongly retarded at higher ionic strength, and reflect strong rapidly reversible binding and abnormally low tyrosine pK_a values. This reactive tyrosine residue thus appears to be located in a primary binding site for small apolar anions and to be closely associated with several cationic groups.     

pH kinetic studies of the N-demethylation of N,N-dimethylaniline catalyzed by chloroperoxidase

The effect of pH on the kinetic parameters for the chloroperoxidase-catalyzed N-demethylation of N,N-dimethylaniline supported by ethyl hydroperoxide was investigated from pH 3.0 to 7.0. Chloroperoxidase was found to be stable throughout the pH range studied. Initial rate conditions were determined throughout the pH range. The V_max for the demethylation reaction exhibited a pH optimum at approximately 4.5. The K_m for N,N-dimethylaniline increased with decreasing pH, while the K_m for ethyl hydroperoxide varied in a manner paralleling V_max. Comparison of the $\text{V}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>max</mtext>}}\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{m}}$ values for N,N-dimethylaniline and ethyl hydroperoxide indicated that the interaction of N,N-dimethylaniline with chloroperoxidase compound I was rate-limiting below pH 4.5, while compound I formation was rate-limiting above pH 4.5. The log of the $\text{V}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>max</mtext>}}\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{m}}$ for ethyl hydroperoxide was independent of pH, indicating that chloroperoxidase compound I formation is not affected by ionizations in this pH range. The plot of the log of the $\text{V}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>max</mtext>}}\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{m}}$ for N,N-dimethylaniline versus pH indicated an ionization on compound I with a pK of approximately 6.8. The plot of the log of the V_max versus pH indicated an ionization on the compound I-N,N-dimethylaniline complex, with a pK of approximately 3.1. The results show that chloroperoxidase can demethylate both the protonated and neutral forms of N,N-dimethylaniline (pK approximately 5.0), suggesting that hydrophobic binding of the arylamine substrate is more important in catalysis than ionic bonding of the amine moiety. For optimal catalysis, a residue in the chloroperoxidase compound I-N,N-dimethylaniline complex with a pK of approximately 3.1 must be deprotonated, while a residue in compound I with a pK of approximately 6.8 must be protonated.     

Assignment of the histidine 12-threonine 45 hydrogen-bonded proton in the NMR spectrum of ribonuclease A in H2O.

Described herein are proton nmr experiments on chemically modified derivatives of ribonuclease A designed to elucidate the origin of an exchangeable resonance, assigned previously to a histidine ring N proton that titrates between 11 to 13 ppm with a pK_a of 6.1 in H₂O solution. Histidines 48 and 105, which are distant from the active site, are eliminated as candidates for this resonance from inhibitor binding studies on the enzyme in acetate–water solutions. This exchangeable resonance titrates with modified pK_a's and constant area over the above pH range in His-119-N₁-carboxymethylated-RNase A and des-(121–124)-RNase A, thus eliminating the imidazole N₃ proton in the His 119-Asp 121 hydrogen bond. In His-12-N₁-carboxymethylated-RNase A, this resonance is also observable, but broadens on raising the pH above 7 and at elevated temperatures above neutrality. It exhibits a pH-independent chemical shift characteristic of the protonated state of histidine. On the basis of these findings, this exchangeable resonance, designated a, is assigned to the imidazole N₁ proton of His 12, which is hydrogen-bonded to the carbonyl oxygen of Thr 45 in the crystal.     

Influence of Ionization State on the Activation of Temocapril by hCES1: A Molecular‐Dynamics Study

Temocapril is a prodrug whose hydrolysis by carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) yields the active ACE inhibitor temocaprilat. This molecular‐dynamics (MD) study uses a resolved structure of the human CES1 (hCES1) to investigate some mechanistic details of temocapril hydrolysis. The ionization constants of temocapril (pK1 and pK3) and temocaprilat (pK1, pK2, and pK3) were determined experimentally and computationally using commercial algorithms. The constants so obtained were in good agreement and revealed that temocapril exists mainly in three ionic forms (a cation, a zwitterion, and an anion), whereas temocaprilat exists in four major ionic forms (a cation, a zwitterion, an anion, and a dianion). All these ionic forms were used as ligands in 5‐ns MS simulations. While the cationic and zwitterionic forms of temocapril were involved in an ion‐pair bond with Glu255 suggestive of an inhibitor behavior, the anionic form remained in a productive interaction with the catalytic center. As for temocaprilat, its cation appeared trapped by Glu255, while its zwitterion and anion made a slow departure from the catalytic site and a partial egress from the protein. Only its dianion was effectively removed from the catalytic site and attracted to the protein surface by Lys residues. A detailed mechanism of product egress emerges from the simulations.     

Purification and properties of aminoaldehyde dehydrogenase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Avena</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">sativa</Emphasis>

NAD-dependent aminoaldehyde dehydrogenase (AMADH, EC 1.2.1.-) from Avena shoots was purified by DEAE Sephacel, hydroxyapatite, 5′-AMP Sepharose 4B, Mono Q, and TSK-GEL column chromatographies to homogeneity by the criterion of native PAGE. SDS–PAGE yielded a single band at a molecular mass of 55 kDa. IEF studies showed a band with a pI value of 5.3. In contrast to AMADHs from other species, the TSK-GEL chromatography showed that Avena AMADH exists as a monomer in the native state. The purified enzyme catalyzed the oxidations of 3-aminopropionaldehyde (APAL), 4-aminobutyraldehyde (ABAL) N-(3-aminopropyl)-4-aminobutyraldehyde (APBAL), and 4-guanidinobutyraldehyde (GBAL), but not of betaine aldehyde or indoleacetaldehyde. The K _m values for APAL, ABAL, and GBAL were 1.5×10^–6, 2.2×10^–6, and 1.3×10^–5 M, respectively. Although N-terminal amino acid sequence of Avena AMADH could not be determined due to a modification of the amino residue, the sequence of the fragment of AMADH cleaved by V8 protease showed greater similarity to the barley BADH than to the pea AMADH. Electronic Publication