Chemical modifications of the crystalline quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase from hog liver.

Amino acid analysis and chemical modification of the crystalline quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.19) from hog liver were performed. The enzyme contained 29 residues of half cystine per mol. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents. The number of reactive (exposed) sulfhydryl group was determined to be 10.2 and total sulfhydryl group was to be 25.2 per mol by using 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid). The enzyme activity was also inhibited by lysine residue-, histidine residue-, and arginine residue-modifying reagents. These results and the effect of preincubation with the substrates on chemical modifications suggest that the lysine residue, histidine residue and sulfhydryl group may be closely related to the binding site of quinolinic acid.     

Chemical modifications of alpha1,6-fucosyltransferase define amino acid residues of catalytic importance

alpha1,6-Fucosyltransferase (alpha6FucT) of human platelets was subjected to the action of phenylglyoxal (PLG), pyridoxal-5'-phosphate/NaBH(4) (PLP), and diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) the reagents that selectively modify the structure of amino acids arginine, lysine and histidine, respectively, as well as to N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), mersalyl, p-chloromercuribenzoate (pCMB), iodoacetate, iodoacetamide, and methyl iodide that react with sulfhydryl group of cysteine. In addition, we treated the enzyme with beta-mercaptoethanol, a reagent that disrupts disulfide bonds. All reagents except NEM significantly inactivated alpha6FucT. Protection against the action of PLG, PLP and sulfhydryl modifying reagents was offered by GDP-fucose, GDP, and the acceptor substrate, a transferrin-derived biantennary glycopeptide with terminal GlcNAc residues. Neither donor nor acceptor substrate offered, however, any protection against inactivation by DEPC or beta-mercaptoethanol. We conclude that arginine, cysteine and probably lysine residues are present in, or closely by, the donor and acceptor substrate binding domains of the enzyme, whereas histidine may be a part of its catalytic domain. However, the primary structure of alpha6FucT does not show cysteine residues in proximity to the postulated GDP-fucose-binding site and acceptor substrate binding site of the enzyme that contains two neighboring arginine residues and one lysine residue (Glycobiol. 10 (2000) 503). To rationalize our results we postulate that platelet alpha6FucT is folded through disulfide bonds that bring together donor/acceptor-binding- and cysteine- and lysine-rich, presumably acceptor substrate binding sites, thus creating a catalytic center of the enzyme.     

Interactions between human extracellular superoxide dismutase C and sulfated polysaccharides

The high heparin affinity subtype C of the secretory enzyme extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) exists in the body mainly complexed with extracellular sulfated glycosaminoglycans (SGAGs). Addition of sulfated polysaccharides to EC-SOD C resulted in a prompt partial inhibition of the enzymic activity, in most cases amounting to 10-17%, but with the large dextran sulfate 500,000 amounting to 35%. Complex formation between heparin and EC-SOD C could also be observed as increases in apparent molecular weight of the enzyme. The findings suggest that the binding sites for SGAGs on EC-SOD C are localized far from the active site and that EC-SOD in vivo associated with SGAGs should retain the major part of its enzymic activity. Studies with amino acid-specific reagents suggested that both lysine and arginine residues are involved in the binding of SGAGs. In particular, modification of only a few lysine residues/subunit resulted in loss of high SGAG affinity, whereas arginine modification resulted in loss of not only SGAG affinity but also enzymic activity. We propose that this is due to modification of Arg-186, which is homologous to the highly conserved arginine in the entrance to the active site of the copperzinc-SODs.     

Surface lysine and tyrosine residues are required for interaction of the major herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA-binding protein with single-stranded DNA.

Modification of the herpes simplex virus type 1 major DNA-binding protein (ICP8) with reagents and conditions specific for arginine, lysine, and tyrosine residues indicates that surface lysine and tyrosine residues are required for the interaction of this protein with single-stranded DNA. Modification of either of these two amino acids resulted in a loss and/or modification of binding activity as judged by nitrocellulose filter assays and gel shift. Modification specific for arginine residues did not affect binding within the limits of the assays used. Finally, quenching of the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of ICP8 in the presence of single-stranded DNA either suggests involvement of this amino acid in the binding reaction or reflects a conformational change in the protein upon binding.     

Active Site Studies on a Narrow-Specificity Thyroliberin-Hydrolysing Pyroglutamate Aminopeptidase Purified from Synaptosomal Membrane of Guinea-Pig Brain

The effect of protein-modifying reagents on the activity of a purified preparation of a thyroliberin-hydrolysing pyroglutamate aminopeptidase, solubilised from synaptosomal membranes of guinea-pig brain by treatment with papain, was investigated. The results indicated that tyrosine, histidine, arginine, and possibly lysine residues were necessary for expression of catalytic activity and that these tyrosine, histidine, and arginine residues were probably located at the active site of the enzyme. Cysteine, serine, glutamate, and aspartate residues were not involved in the expression of catalytic activity.     

A putative processing enzyme for proenkephalin in bovine adrenal chromaffin granule membranes. Purification and properties

A putative processing enzyme for proenkephalin, with activity directed toward basic residues, was purified over 2000-fold from washed bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin granule membranes. The molecular mass of this membrane-bound adrenal trypsin-like enzyme (mATLE) is 31 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the enzyme is extremely basic, binding to carboxymethyl-Sephadex at pH 8.5. The pH optimum of mATLE using t-butoxycarbonyl-Glu-Lys-Lys-aminomethylcoumarin as a substrate is 8.5-8.7, and its Km value for this substrate is 2.2 mM. mATLE activity was inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor, lima bean trypsin inhibitor, and aprotinin but not by metal chelators or thiol-directed reagents. Sequencing of cleavage products released from Peptide B revealed that the enzyme preferentially cleaves between and following the paired basic residues at positions 23 and 24 of Peptide B (thus generating [Met-enkephalin]-Arg-Phe and Arg-[Met-enkephalin]-Arg-Phe). Dynorphin A was cleaved following a single lysine at position 11 but not at the paired arginine site. Our results suggest that mATLE is a trypsin-like serine protease with the specificity appropriate to that of a proenkephalin processing enzyme.     

A possible involvement of sulfhydryl groups in the conversion of lysine monooxygenase to an oxidase.

Lysine monooxygenase catalyzes the oxygenation of lysine and arginine, and produces delta-amino-n-valeramide and gamma-guanidinobutyramide, respectively, concomitant with decarboxylation. In a preliminary communication, treatment of the native enzyme with p-chloromercuribenzoate was shown to inactivate the oxygenase and to induce an oxidase activity. The modified enzyme catalyzed predominantly the oxidative deamination of lysine and arginine resulting in the formation of the corresponding alpha-keto acid, ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide (YAMAUCHI, T., YAMAMOTO, S., and HAYAISHI, O.(1973) J. Biol. Chem. 2j8, 3750-3752). Paper electrophoresis, cellulose thin layer chromatography, and chemical degradation of the reaction products from lysine and arginine, provided further evidence for their identity with alpha-keto-epsilon-aminocaproate and alpha-keto-delta-guanidinovalerate, respectively. Further studies were carried out to establish the involvement of sulfhydryl groups in this conversion of the enzyme activities. Various sulfhydryl reagents including certain mercurials, alkylating, and oxidizing reagents, showed essentially identical effects on the enzyme. Dithiothreitol treatment reversed the conversion produced by various mercurials; the oxidase activity disappeared and the oxygenase activity was recovered. When p-chloromercuribenzoate was added to the enzyme and the increase in the absorbance at 250 nm was followed, 3.6 of the 6.5 half-cystine residues present per enzyme-bound FAD were readily titrated within 3 to 4 min. The inactivation of the oxygenase and the induction of the oxidase activity were almost maximal with 4 to 5 mol of p-chloromercuribenzoate/mol of enzyme, and these effects occurred within 3 to 4 min. These results together with other properties of the modified enzyme provided evidence for a possible involvement of these reactive sulfhydryl groups during the conversion of the oxygenase to an oxidase.     

The reaction of horse-liver alcohol dehydrogenase with glyoxal.

Horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase was reacted with glyoxal at different pH values ranging from 6.0 to 9.0. At pH 9.0 the enzyme undergoes a rapid activation over the first minutes of reaction, followed by a decline of activity, which reaches 10% of that of the native enzyme. Chemical analysis of the inactivated enzyme after sodium borohydride reduction shows that 11 argi-ine and 11 lysine residues per mole are modified. At pH 7.7 the enzyme activity increases during the first hour of the reaction with glyoxal and then decreases slowly. Chemical analysis shows that 4 arginine and 3 lysine residues per mole are modified in the enzyme at the maximum of activation. At pH 7.0 the enzyme undergoes a 4-fold activation. Chemical analysis shows that in this activated enzyme 3 lysine and no arginine residues per mole have been modified. Steady-state kinetic analysis suggests that the activated enzyme is not subjected to substrate inhibition and that its Michaelis constant for ethanol is three times larger than that of the native enzyme. The possible role of arginine and lysine residues in the catalytic function of liver alcohol dehydrogenase is discussed.     

Modification of arginine and lysine in proteins with 2,4-pentanedione.

Primary amines react with 2,4-pentanedione at pH 6-9 to form enamines, N-alkyl-4-amino-3-penten-2-ones. The latter compounds readily regenerate the primary amine at low pH or on treatment with hydroxylamine. Guanidine and substituted guanidines react with 2,4-pentanedione to form N-substituted 2-amino-4,6-dimethylpyrimidines at a rate which is lower by at least a factor of 20 than the rate of reaction of 2,4-pentanedione with primary amines. Selective modification of lysine and arginine side chains in proteins can readily be achieved with 2,4-pentanedione. Modification of lysine is favored by reaction at pH 7 or for short reaction times at pH 9. Selective modification of arginine is achieved by reaction with 2,4-pentanedione for long times at pH 9, followed by treatment of the protein with hydroxylamine. The extent of modification of lysine and arginine side chains can readily be measured spectrophotometrically. Modification of lysozyme with 2,4-pentanedione at pH 7 results in modification of 3.8 lysine residues and less than 0.4 arginine residue in 24 hr. Modification of lysozyme with 2,4-pentanedione at pH 9 results in modification of 4 lysine residues and 4.5 arginine residues in 100 hr. Treatment of this modified protein with hydroxylamine regenerated the modified lysine residues but caused no change in the modified arginine residues. One arginine residue seems to be essential for the catalytic activity of the enzyme.     

Chemical modification of lysine and arginine residues of bovine heart 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase: effect on the enzyme activity and regulation.

Chemical modification of arginine and lysine residues of bovine heart 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase with phenylglyoxal and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate inactivated the enzyme, indicating the importance of these residues for the catalysis. Inactivation caused by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate was prevented in the presence of thiamine pyrophosphate and Mg2+ allowing the assumption that lysine residues participate in binding of the cofactor.     

Phospholipase C from Bacillus cereus. Evidence for essential lysine residues.

1. Phospholipase C was inactivated by exposure to the three amino-group reagents, ethyl acetamidate, 2,4,6-trinitrobenzensulphonic acid and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate plus reduction. 2. Inactivation by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate showed the characteristics of Schiff's base formation with the enzyme. The pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-treated enzyme after reduction had an absorbance maximum at 325 mm and 6-N-pyridoxyl-lysine was the only fluorescent component after acid hydrolysis. 3. For complete inactivation, 2 mol of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate or 7 mol of 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl were incorporated/mol of enzyme. 4. The two apparently essential lysine residues were much more reactive to pyridoxal 5'-phosphate than the other 19 lysine residues in the enzyme. 5. Binding of phospholipase C to a substrate-based affinity gel caused marked protection against inactivation by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. For complete inactivation of the gel-bound enzyme, 5 mol of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate were incorporated/mol of enzyme and there was no evidence of two especially reactive lysine residues. 6. On application of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-treated enzyme (remaining activity 30% of original) to a column of the affinity gel, some material bound and some did not. The latter contained very little enzyme activity and was heavily incorporated with reagent (9.06 mol/mol of enzyme). The former had a specific activity of 34% of that of the control and contained 1.29 mol of reagent/mol of enzyme. 7. Thus phospholipase C appears to contain two lysine residues that are essential for enzyme activity, but probably not for substrate binding.     

Importance of the region including aspartates 57 and 60 of ferredoxin on the electron transfer complex with photosystem I in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Ferredoxin reduction by photosystem I has been studied by flash-absorption spectroscopy. Aspartate residues 20, 57, and 60 of ferredoxin were changed to alanine, cysteine, arginine, or lysine. On the one hand, electron transfer from photosystem I to all mutated ferredoxins still occurs on a microsecond time scale, with half-times of ferredoxin reduction mostly conserved compared to wild-type ferredoxin. On the other hand, the total amplitude of the fast first-order reduction varies largely when residues 57 or 60 are modified, in apparent relation to the charge modification (neutralized or inverted). Substituting these two residues for lysine or arginine induce strong effects on ferredoxin binding (up to sixfold increase in K(D)), whereas the same substitution on aspartate 20, a spatially related residue, results in moderate effects (maximum twofold increase in K(D)). In addition, double mutations to arginine or lysine were performed on both aspartates 57 and 60. The mutated proteins have a 15- to 20-fold increased K(D) and show strong modifications in the amplitudes of the fast reduction kinetics. These results indicate that the acidic area of ferredoxin including aspartates 57 and 60, located opposite to the C-terminus, is crucial for high affinity interactions with photosystem I.     

粘质赛氏菌胞外蛋白酶的化学修饰

用九种化学修饰剂研究了粘质赛氏菌ＳｅｒｒａｔｉａＭａｒｃｅｓｃｅｎｓ４１００３（２）胞外蛋白酶分子中氨基酸侧链基团与酶催化活性的关系,结果表明组氨酸、丝氨酸、赖氨酸、精氨酸、谷氨酸及天冬氨酸等残基与酶活性无关;半胱氨酸残基与酶活性也无直接关系;而酪氨酸和色氨酸残基侧链的修饰引起酶活力大幅度下降,说明酪氨酸和色氨酸残基为酶活力必需．     

Conformation and polarity of the active site of xylanase I from Thermomonospora sp. as deduced by fluorescent chemoaffinity labeling. Site and significance of a histidine residue.

A fluorescent chemoaffinity label o-phthalaldehyde (OPTA) was used to ascertain the conformational flexibility and polarity at the active site of xylanase I (Xyl I). The kinetics of inactivation of Xyl I with OPTA revealed that complete inactivation occurred due to the binding of one molecule of OPTA to the active site of Xyl I. The formation of a single fluorescent isoindole derivative corroborated these findings. OPTA has been known to form a fluorescent isoindole derivative by crosslinking the proximal thiol and amino groups of cysteine and lysine. The involvement of cysteine in the formation of a Xyl I-isoindole derivative has been negated by fluorometric and chemical modification studies on Xyl I with group-specific reagents and by amino-acid analysis. The kinetic analysis of diethylpyrocarbonate-modified Xyl I established the presence of an essential histidine at or near the catalytic site of Xyl I. Modification of histidine and lysine residues by diethylpyrocarbonate and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid, respectively, abolished the ability of the enzyme to form an isoindole derivative with OPTA, indicating that histidine and lysine participate in the formation of the isoindole complex. A mechanism for the reaction of OPTA with histidine and lysine residues present in the protein structure has been proposed. Experimental evidence presented here suggests for the first time that the active site of Xyl I is conformationally more flexible and more easily perturbed in the presence of denaturants than the molecule as a whole. The changes in the fluorescence emission maxima of a model compound (isoindole adduct) in solvents of different polarity were compared with the fluorescence behaviour of the Xyl I-isoindole derivative, leading to the conclusion that the active site is located in a microenvironment of low polarity.     

Cysteine substitution mutagenesis and the effects of methanethiosulfonate reagents at P2X2 and P2X4 receptors support a core common mode of ATP action at P2X receptors

The agonist binding site of ATP-gated P2X receptors is distinct from other ATP-binding proteins. Mutagenesis on P2X(1) receptors of conserved residues in mammalian P2X receptors has established the paradigm that three lysine residues, as well as FT and NFR motifs, play an important role in mediating ATP action. In this study we have determined whether cysteine substitution mutations of equivalent residues in P2X(2) and P2X(4) receptors have similar effects and if these mutant receptors can be regulated by charged methanethiosulfonate (MTS) compounds. All the mutants (except the P2X(2) K69C and K71C that were expressed, but non-functional) showed a significant decrease in ATP potency, with >300-fold decreases for mutants of the conserved asparagine, arginine, and lysine residues close to the end of the extracellular loop. MTS reagents had no effect at the phenylalanine of the FT motif, in contrast, cysteine mutation of the threonine was sensitive to MTS reagents and suggested a role of this residue in ATP action. The lysine-substituted receptors were sensitive to the charge of the MTS reagent consistent with the importance of positive charge at this position for coordination of the negatively charged phosphate of ATP. At the NFR motif the asparagine and arginine residues were sensitive to MTS reagents, whereas the phenylalanine was either unaffected or showed only a small decrease. These results support a common site of ATP action at P2X receptors and suggest that non-conserved residues also play a regulatory role in agonist action.     

Functional residues on the enzyme active site of glyoxalase I from bovine brain

Bovine brain glyoxalase I was investigated in order to identify amino acid residues essential for its catalytic activity. This enzyme is a 44-kDa dimeric protein which exhibits a characteristic intrinsic fluorescence, with an emission peak centered at 342 nm. The total of eight tryptophan residues/molecule was estimated by using a fluorescence titration method. Low values of Stern Volmer quenching constants for the quenchers used indicated that the tryptophan residues are relatively buried in the native molecule. Similar results were obtained for glyoxalase I, purified from yeast and human erythrocytes. The activity of bovine brain glyoxalase I was found to be particularly sensitive to 2,3-butanedione and diethylpyrocarbonate, selective reagents for arginine and histidine residues, respectively. A minor effect was observed by treatment of the enzyme with other amino acid-specific reagents. A protective effect of the competitive inhibitor S-hexylglutathione was observed for all reagents used, indicating the presence of modified amino acids in or near the enzyme active site.     

Protease II from Escherichia coli. Purification and characterization.

We have previously demonstrated the existence of two types of endopeptidase in Escherichia coli. A purification procedure is described for one of these, designated protease II. It has been purified about 13,500-fold with a recovery of 24%. The isolated enzyme appears homogeneous by electrophoresis and gel filtration. Its molecular weight is estimated by three different methods to be about 58,000. Its optimal pH is around 8. Protease II activity is unaffected by chelating agents and sulfhydryl reagents. Amidase and proteolytic activities are stimulated by calcium ion, which decreases the enzyme stability. Like pancreatic trypsin, this endopeptidase catalyses the hydrolysis of alpha-amino-substituted lysine and arginine esters. It appears distinct from the previously isolated protease I, which is a chymotrypsin-like enzyme. The apparent Michaelis constant for hydrolysis of N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester is 4.7 X 10(-4) M. The esterase activity is inhibited by diisopryopylphosphorofluoridate (Ki(app) equals 2.7 X 10(-3) M) and tosyl lysine chloromethyl ketone (Ki(app) equals 1.8 X 10(-5) M), indicating that serine and histidine residues may be present in the active site. However, protease II is insensitive to phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride and several natural trypsin inhibitors. Its amidase and esterase activities are competitively inhibited by free arginine and aromatic amidines. The proteolytic activity measured on axocasein is very low. In contrast to trypsin, protease II is without effect on native beta-galactosidase. It easily degrades aspartokinase I and III. Nevertheless both enzymes are resistant to proteolysis in the presence of their respective allosteric effectors. These results provide further evidence that such differences in protease susceptibility can be related to the conformational state of the substrate. The possible implication of structural changes in the mechanism of preferential proteolysis in vivo, is discussed.     

Chemical modifications of ribonuclease U1.

In order to obtain information on the nature of the amino acid residues involved in the activity of ribonuclease U1 [EC 3.1.4.8], various chemical modifications of the enzyme were carried out. RNase U1 was inactivated by reaction with iodoacetate at pH 5.5 with concomitant incorporation of 1 carboxymethyl group per molecule of the enzyme. The residue specifically modified by iodoacetate was identified as one of the glutamic acid residues, as in the case of RNase T1. The enzyme was also inactivated extensively by reaction with iodoacetamide at pH 8.0 with the loss of about one residue each of histidine and lysine. When RNase U1 was treated with a large excess of phenylglyoxal, the enzymatic activity and binding ability toward 3'-GMP were lost, with simultaneous modification of about 1 residue of arginine. The reaction of citraconic anhydride with RNase U1 led to the loss of enzymatic activity and modification of about 1 residue of lysine. The inactivated enzyme, however, retained binding ability toward 3'-GMP. These results indicate that there are marked similarities in the active sites of RNases T1 and U1.     

Studies on a new proteolytic enzyme from Achromobacter lyticus M497-1. II. specificity and inhibition studies of Achromobacter protease I

The unique specificity of Achromobacter protease I for lysine residue was investigated using synthetic and natural substrates, i.e., lysine derivatives, arginine derivatives, lysine vasopressin, substance P, ACTH and insulin. The enzyme cleaved only the -Lys-X- bonds in the above substrates. The binding affinity of alkylamines as determined by Ki was much stronger than that of the corresponding alkylguanidines.