Conformational plasticity of cryptolepain: accumulation of partially unfolded states in denaturants induced equilibrium unfolding

pH and chemical denaturant dependent conformational changes of a serine protease cryptolepain from Cryptolepis buchanani are presented in this paper. Activity measurements, near UV, far UV CD, fluorescence emission spectroscopy, and ANS binding studies have been carried out to understand the folding mechanism of the protein in the presence of denaturants. pH and chemical denaturants have a marked effect on the stability, structure, and function of many globular proteins due to their ability to influence the electrostatic interactions. The preliminary biophysical study on cryptolepain shows that major elements of secondary structure are beta-sheets. Under neutral conditions the enzyme was stable in urea while GuHCl-induced equilibrium unfolding was cooperative. Cryptolepain shows little ANS binding even under neutral conditions due to more hydrophobicity of beta-sheets. Multiple intermediates were populated during the pH-induced unfolding of cryptolepain. Temperature-induced denaturation of cryptolepain in the molten globule like state is non-cooperative, contrary to the cooperativity seen with the native protein, suggesting the presence of two parts, possibly domains, in the molecular structure of cryptolepain, with different stability that unfolds in steps. Interestingly, the GuHCl-induced unfolding of A state (molten globule state) of cryptolepain is unique, as lower concentration of denaturant, not only induces structure but also facilitate transition from one molten globule like state (MG(1)) into another (MG(2)). The increase of pH drives the protein into alkaline denatured state characterized by the absence of any ANS binding. GuHCl- and urea-induced unfolding transition curves at pH 12.0 were non-coincidental indicating the presence of an intermediate in the unfolding pathway.     

Hydrophobic core variant ubiquitin forms a molten globule conformation at acidic pH

The conformational properties of hydrophobic core variant ubiquitin (Val26 to Ala mutation) in an acidic solution were studied. The intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence emission spectrum, far-UV and near-UV circular dichroic spectra, the fluorescence emission spectrum of 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid in the presence of V26A ubiquitin, and urea-induced unfolding measurements indicate this variant ubiquitin to be in the partially folded molten globule conformation in solution at pH 2. The folding kinetics from molten globule to the native state was nearly identical to those from the unfolded state to the native state. This observation suggests that the equilibrium molten globule state of hydrophobic core variant ubiquitin is an on-pathway folding intermediate.     

Structural changes of alpha-lactalbumin induced by low pH and oleic acid

The effects of low pH and oleic acid on conformation and association state of Ca2+-depleted bovine alpha-lactalbumin (apo-BLA) have been studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, and circular dichroism. The experimental results demonstrate that two structurally distinct species exist in the conformational transition of apo-BLA induced by low pH. One species populates at pH 3.0 characterized as a monomeric molten globule state and the other accumulates at pH 4.0-4.5 which is a partially folded dimer. Oleic acid promotes the formation of the dimeric intermediate at pH 4.0 and 7.0, but increases the content of molten globule state remarkably at pH 3.0 compared with that in the absence of oleic acid, indicating that oleic acid at pH 3.0 plays a different role from those at pH 4.0 and 7.0. Our data provide insight into the mechanism of pH-dependent and oleic acid-dependent structural changes and oligomerization of alpha-lactalbumin, and will be helpful to the understanding of the apoptosis-inducing function of multimeric alpha-lactalbumin in which oleic acid is a necessary cofactor.     

Structural and thermodynamic consequences of removal of a conserved disulfide bond from equine beta-lactoglobulin

A disulfide bond between cysteine 66 and cysteine 160 of equine beta-lactoglobulin was removed by substituting cysteine residues with alanine. This disulfide bond is conserved across the lipocalin family. The conformation and stability of the disulfide-deleted mutant protein was investigated by circular dichroism. The mutant protein assumes a native-like structure under physiological conditions and assumes a helix-rich molten globule structure at acid pH or at moderate concentrations of urea as the wild-type protein does. The urea-induced unfolding experiment shows that the stability of the native conformation was reduced but that of the molten globule intermediate is not significantly changed at pH 4 by removal of the disulfide bond. On the other hand, the molten globule at acid pH was destabilized by removal of the disulfide bond. This difference in the stabilizing effect of the disulfide bond was interpreted by the effect of the disulfide in keeping the molecule compact against the electrostatic repulsion at acid pH. In contrast to the wild-type protein, the circular dichroism spectrum in the molten globule state at acid pH depends on anion concentration, suggesting that the expansion of the molecule through electrostatic repulsion induces alpha-helices as observed in the cold denatured state of the wild-type protein.     

Natively unfolded human prothymosin alpha adopts partially folded collapsed conformation at acidic pH.

Prothymosin alpha has previously been shown to be unfolded at neutral pH, thus belonging to a growing family of "natively unfolded" proteins. The structural properties and conformational stability of recombinant human prothymosin alpha were characterized at neutral and acidic pH by gel filtration, SAXS, circular dichroism, ANS fluorescence, (1)H NMR, and resistance to urea-induced unfolding. Interestingly, prothymosin alpha underwent a cooperative transition from the unfolded state into a partially folded conformation on lowering the pH. This conformation of prothymosin alpha is a compact denatured state, with structural properties different from those of the molten globule. The formation of alpha-helical structure by the glutamic acid-rich elements of the protein accompanied by the partial hydrophobic collapse is expected at lower pH due to the neutralization of the negatively charged residues. It is possible that such conformational changes may be associated with the protein function.     

Involvement of cysteine residues and domain interactions in the reversible unfolding of lipoxygenase-1

Urea-induced unfolding of lipoxygenase-1 (LOX1) at pH 7.0 was followed by enzyme activity, spectroscopic measurements, and limited proteolysis experiments. Complete unfolding of LOX1 in 9 M urea in the presence of thiol reducing or thiol modifying reagents was observed. The aggregation and oxidative reactions prevented the reversible unfolding of the molecule. The loss of enzyme activity was much earlier than the structural loss of the molecule during the course of unfolding, with the midpoint concentrations being 4.5 and 7.0 M for activity and spectroscopic measurements, respectively. The equilibrium unfolding transition could be adequately fitted to a three-state, two-step model (N left arrow over right arrow I left arrow over right arrow U) and the intermediate fraction was maximally populated at 6.3 M urea. The free energy change (DeltaG(H(2)O)) for the unfolding of native (N) to intermediate (I) was 14.2 +/- 0.28 kcal/mol and for the intermediate to the unfolded state (U) was 11.9 +/- 0.12 kcal/mol. The ANS binding measurements as a function of urea concentration indicated that the maximum binding of ANS was in 6.3 M urea due to the exposure of hydrophobic groups; this intermediate showed significant amount of tertiary structure and retained nearly 60% of secondary structure. The limited proteolysis measurements showed that the initiation of unfolding was from the C-terminal domain. Thus, the stable intermediate observed could be the C-terminal domain unfolded with exposed hydrophobic domain-domain interface. Limited proteolysis experiments during refolding process suggested that the intermediate refolded prior to completely unfolded LOX1. These results confirmed the role of cysteine residues and domain-domain interactions in the reversible unfolding of LOX1. This is the first report of the reversible unfolding of a very large monomeric, multi-domain protein, which also has a prosthetic group.     

A pH-dependent conformational change in EspA, a component of the Escherichia coli O157:H7 type III secretion system

pH-Dependent structural changes for Escherichia coli O157:H7 EspA were characterized by CD, 8-anilino-2-naphthyl sulfonic acid (ANS) fluorescence, and sedimentation equilibrium ultracentrifugation. Far- and near-UV CD spectra, recorded between pH 2.0 and 7.0, indicate that the protein has significant amounts of secondary and tertiary structures. An increase in ANS fluorescence intensity (in the presence of EspA) was observed at acidic pH; whereas, no increased ANS fluorescence was observed at pH 7.0. These results suggest the presence of a partially unfolded state. Interestingly, urea-induced unfolding transitions, monitored by far-UV CD spectroscopy, showed that the protein is destabilized at pH 2.0 as compared with EspA at neutral pH. Although increased ANS fluorescence was observed at pH 3.0, the urea-induced unfolding curve is similar to that found at pH 7.0. This result suggests the presence, at pH 3.0, of an ordered, but partially unfolded state, which differs from typical molten globule. The results of analytical ultracentrifugation and infrared spectroscopy indicate that EspA molecules associate at pH 7.0, suggesting the formation of short filamentous oligomers containing alpha-helical structures, whereas the protein tend to form nonspecific aggregates containing intermolecular beta-sheets at pH 2.0. Our experiments indicate that EspA has the potential to spontaneously form filamentous oligomers at neutral pH; whereas the protein is partially unfolded, assuming different conformations, at acidic pH.     

pH-Dependent Conformational Transitions in Conalbumin (Ovotransferrin), a Metalloproteinase from Hen Egg White

Acid unfolding pathway of conalbumin (CA), a monomeric glycoprotein from hen egg white, has been investigated using far- and near-UV CD spectroscopy, intrinsic fluorescence emission, extrinsic fluorescence probe 1-anilino-8-napthalene sulfonate (ANS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). We observe pH-dependent changes in secondary and tertiary structure of CA. It has native-like α-helical secondary structure at pH 4.0 but loss structure at pH 3.0. The CA existed exclusively as a pre-molten globule state and molten globule state in solution at pH 4.0 and pH 3.0, respectively. The effect of pH on the conformation and thermostability of CA points toward its heat resistance at neutral pH. DLS results show that MG state existed as compact form in aqueous solutions with hydrodynamic radii of 4.7 nm. Quenching of tryptophan fluorescence by acrylamide further confirmed the accumulation of an intermediate state, partly unfolded, in-between native and unfolded states.     

Thermodynamic analysis of the low- to physiological-temperature nondenaturational conformational change of bovine carbonic anhydrase

The stability curve - a plot of the Gibbs free energy of unfolding versus temperature - is calculated for bovine erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase in 150 mM sodium phosphate (pH = 7.0) from a combination of reversible differential scanning calorimetry measurements and isothermal guanidine hydrochloride titrations. The enzyme possesses two stable folded conformers with the conformational transition occurring at ~30 degrees C. The methodology yields a stability curve for the complete unfolding of the enzyme below this temperature but only the partial unfolding, to the molten globule state, above it. The transition state thermodynamics for the low- to physiological-temperature conformational change are calculated from slow-scan-rate differential scanning calorimetry measurements where it is found that the free energy barrier for the conversion is 90 kJ/mole and the transition state possesses a substantial unfolding quality. The data therefore suggest that the x-ray structure may differ considerably from the physiological structure and that the two conformers are not readily interconverted.     

Electrostatic interactions in the acid denaturation of alpha-lactalbumin determined by NMR.

alpha-Lactalbumin (alpha-LA) undergoes a pH-dependent unfolding from the native state to a partially unfolded state (the molten globule state). To understand the role of electrostatic interactions in protein denaturation, NMR and CD pH titration experiments are performed on guinea pig alpha-LA. Variation of pH over the range of 7.0 to 2.0 simultaneously leads to the acid denaturation of the protein and the titration of individual ionizable groups. The pH titrations are interpreted in the context of these coupled events, and indicate that acid denaturation in alpha-LA is a cooperative event that is triggered by the protonation of two ionizable residues. Our NMR results suggest that the critical electrostatic interactions that contribute to the denaturation of alpha-LA are concentrated in the calcium binding region of the protein.     

Local and global cooperativity in the human alpha-lactalbumin molten globule

NMR spectroscopy has been used to follow the urea-induced unfolding of the low pH molten globule states of a single-disulfide variant of human alpha-lactalbumin ([28-111] alpha-LA) and of two mutants, each with a single proline substitution in a helix. [28-111] alpha-LA forms a molten globule very similar to that formed by the wild-type four-disulfide protein, and this variant has been used as a model for the alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-LA) molten globule in a number of studies. The urea-induced unfolding behavior of [28-111] alpha-LA is similar to that of the four-disulfide form of the protein, except that [28-111] alpha-LA is less stable and has greater cooperativity in the loss of different elements of structure. For one mutant, L11P, the helix containing the mutation is highly destabilized such that it is completely unfolded even in the absence of urea. By contrast, for the other mutant, Q117P, the helix containing the mutation retains its compact structure. Both mutations, however, show significant long-range destabilization of the overall fold showing that the molten globule state has a degree of global cooperativity. The results reveal that different permutations of three of the four major alpha-helices of the protein can form a stable, locally cooperative, compact structural core. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the molten globule state of alpha-LA is an ensemble of conformations, with different subsets of structures linked by a range of long-range interactions.     

pH induced structural alterations in an aspartic protease from Vigna radiata indicating an alkali induced molten globule state

pH-dependent transitions in secondary and tertiary structure are described for a plant aspartic protease from Vigna radiata. The enzyme was pH stable with pH optima of 3.0. The Lineweaver Burk analysis at various pH yielded pKa values of 3.3 and 4.29 indicating acidic amino acids at the active site of the enzyme. The structural changes exemplified compact secondary structure collapsed tertiary structure and exposure of hydrophobic patches at pH 10. The changes at pH 10 are typical of a molten globule state. This alkali induced molten globule is novel since acid induced molten globule state is more reported.     

Thermal unfolding of tetrameric melittin: comparison with the molten globule state of cytochrome c.

Whereas melittin at micromolar concentrations is unfolded under conditions of low salt at neutral pH, it transforms to a tetrameric alpha-helical structure under several conditions, such as high peptide concentration, high anion concentration, or alkaline pH. The anion- and pH-dependent stabilization of the tetrameric structure is similar to that of the molten globule state of several acid-denatured proteins, suggesting that tetrameric melittin might be a state similar to the molten globule state. To test this possibility, we studied the thermal unfolding of tetrameric melittin using far-UV CD and differential scanning calorimetry. The latter technique revealed a broad but distinct heat absorption peak. The heat absorption curves were consistent with the unfolding transition observed by CD and were explainable by a 2-state transition mechanism between the tetrameric alpha-helical state and the monomeric unfolded state. From the peptide or salt-concentration dependence of unfolding, the heat capacity change upon unfolding was estimated to be 5 kJ (mol of tetramer)-1 K-1 at 30 degrees C and decreased with increasing temperature. The observed change in heat capacity was much smaller than that predicted from the crystallographic structure (9.2 kJ (mol of tetramer)-1 K-1), suggesting that the hydrophobic residues of tetrameric melittin in solution are exposed in comparison with the crystallographic structure. However, the results also indicate that the structure is more ordered than that of a typical molten globule state. We consider that the conformation is intermediate between the molten globule state and the native state of globular proteins.     

The contribution of ionic interactions to the conformational stability and function of polygalacturonase from A. niger

Aspergillus niger produces multiple forms of polygalacturonases with molecular masses ranging from 30 to 60 kDa. The high molecular weight polygalacturonase (61 ± 2 kDa) from A. niger possesses a pH optimum of 4.3 and a pI of 3.9. The enzyme exhibited high sensitivity, both in terms of activity and structure, in the pH range of 4.3–7.0. The enzyme was irreversibly inactivated at pH 7.0. The enzyme is predominantly rich in parallel β structure. There is unfolding of the enzyme molecule between 4.3 and 7.0 resulting in irreversible loss of secondary and tertiary structure with the exposure of hydrophobic surfaces. ANS binding measurements, intrinsic fluorescence and acrylamide quenching measurements have confirmed the unfolding and exposure of hydrophobic surfaces. The midpoint of pH transition for both activity and secondary structure is 6.2 ± 0.1. The pH-induced changes of polygalacturonase confirm the role of histidine residues in structure and activity of the enzyme. The irreversible nature of inactivation is due to the unfolding induced exposure of hydrophobic surfaces leading to association/aggregation of the molecule. Size exclusion chromatography measurements have established the association of enzyme at higher pH. Urea induced unfolding measurements at pH 4.3 and 7.0 have confirmed the loss in stability as we approach neutral pH.     

Energetic basis of structural stability in the molten globule state: alpha-lactalbumin

The denatured states of alpha-lactalbumin, which have features of a molten globule state, have been studied to elucidate the energetics of the molten globule state and its contribution to the stability of the native conformation. Analysis of calorimetric and CD data shows that the heat capacity increment of alpha-lactalbumin denaturation highly correlates with the degree of disorder of the residual structure of the state. As a result, the denaturational transition of alpha-lactalbumin from the native to a highly ordered compact denatured state, and from the native to the disordered unfolded state are described by different thermodynamic functions. The enthalpy and entropy of the denaturation of alpha-lactalbumin to compact denatured state are always greater than the enthalpy and entropy of its unfolding. This difference represents the unfolding of the molten globule state. Calorimetric measurements of the heat effect associated with the unfolding of the molten globule state reveal that it is negative in sign over the temperature range of molten globule stability. This observation demonstrates the energetic specificity of the molten globule state, which, in contrast to a protein with unique tertiary structure, is stabilized by the dominance of negative entropy and enthalpy of hydration over the positive conformational entropy and enthalpy of internal interactions. It is concluded that at physiological temperatures the entropy of dehydration is the dominant factor providing stability for the compact intermediate state on the folding pathway, while for the stability of the native state, the conformational enthalpy is the dominant factor.     

pH-induced conformational states of bovine growth hormone

The folding behavior of bovine growth hormone (bGH) is examined by chemical and pH denaturation using several spectroscopic probes of protein secondary and tertiary structure. Partially denaturing concentrations of urea eliminate the native-state quenching of intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence, from the single protein tryptophan, but the fluorescence emission spectrum is not red-shifted like the unfolded state, and the protein retains substantial secondary structure. A neutral-to-acid pH shift also eliminates tryptophan quenching; however, the loss of quenching is not accompanied by an emission red-shift. In addition, the protein undergoes a pH-dependent UV absorbance transition; the changes in absorptivity have the same midpoint as the transition associated with the change in intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence. The magnitude of the absorption transition is similar to that observed previously for urea denaturation of the protein. In a similar fashion, a pH-dependent CD transition is also observed; however, the transition occurs at a higher pH. The behavior of the various optical probes indicates that the pH-induced conformational transition produces a highly populated species in which the microenvironment surrounding the single protein tryptophan residue resembles that observed during the urea-induced unfolding/refolding transition. The pH-induced changes in tertiary structure occur at a lower pH than the changes associated with a portion of the secondary structure. Proton NMR of the low-pH intermediate indicates that the three His and six Tyr resonances are indistinguishable from the unfolded state. The intermediate(s) observed by either chemical or pH-induced denaturation resemble(s) a molten globule state which contains significant secondary structure. The residual secondary structure present in the intermediate could be nonnative.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Partial phase diagram of aqueous bovine carbonic anhydrase: analyses of the pressure-dependent temperatures of the low- to physiological-temperature nondenaturational conformational change and of unfolding to the molten globule state

At 1.0 atm pressure and in 150 mM sodium phosphate (pH = 7.0), bovine carbonic anhydrase undergoes a nondenaturational conformational change at 30.3 degrees C and an unfolding transition from the physiological conformer to the molten globule state at 67.4 degrees C. The pressure dependences of the temperatures of these transitions have been studied under reversible conditions for the purpose of understanding DeltaH degrees , DeltaS degrees , and DeltaV for each conformational change. Temperatures for the low-temperature to physiological-temperature conformational change T(L-->P) are obtained from physiologically relevant conditions using slow-scan-rate differential scanning calorimetry. Temperatures for the physiological-temperature conformation to molten globule state conversion T(P-->MG) are obtained from differential scanning calorimetry measurements of the apparent transition temperature in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride extrapolated to zero molar denaturant. The use of slow-scan-rate differential scanning calorimetry permits the calculation of the activation volume for the conversion of the low-temperature conformer to the physiological-temperature conformer DeltaV(double dagger)(L-->P). At 1.0 atm pressure, the transition from the low-temperature conformer to the physiological-temperature conformer involves a volume change DeltaV(L-->P) = 15 +/- 2 L/mole, which contrasts with the partial unfolding of the physiological-temperature conformer to the molten globule state (DeltaV(P-->MG) = 26 +/- 9 L/mole). The activation volume for this process DeltaV(double dagger)(L-->P) = 51 +/- 9 L/mole and is consistent with a prior thermodynamic analysis that suggests the conformational transition from the low-temperature conformation to the physiological-temperature conformation possesses a substantial unfolding quality. These results provide further evidence the structure of the enzyme obtained from crystals grown below 30 degrees C should not be regarded as the physiological structure (the normal bovine body temperature is 38.3 degrees C). These results should therefore have implications in any area that seeks to correlate the crystal structure of bovine carbonic anhydrase to physiological function.     

Effects of aspartic acid and potassium chloride on arginine kinase from shrimp

The aspartic acid (Asp)-induced unfolding and the salt-induced folding of arginine kinase (AK) were studied in terms of enzyme activity, intrinsic fluorescence emission spectra, 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) fluorescence spectra and far-UV circular dichroism (CD) spectra. The results showed that Asp caused inactivation and unfolding of AK with no aggregation during AK denaturation. The unfolding of the whole molecule and the inactivation of AK in different Asp concentrations were compared. Much lower Asp concentration was required to induce inactivation than to produce significant conformational changes of the enzyme molecule. However, with further addition of Asp, the molar ellipticity at 222 and 208 nm, the wavelength shift and the emission intensity of ANS hardly changed. Asp denatured AK was reactivated by dilution. In addition, potassium chloride (KCl) induced the molten globule state with a compact structure after AK was denatured with 7.5 mM Asp. These results collectively elucidate the osmotic effect of Asp anions for the molten globule formed during unfolding process. They also suggest that the effect of Asp differed from that of other denaturants such as guanidine hydrochloride or urea during AK folding. The molten globule state indicates that intermediates exist during AK folding.     

1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropanol induced thermal unfolding and molten globule state of bovine alpha-lactalbumin: calorimetric and spectroscopic studies

The thermal denaturation of alpha-lactalbumin was studied at pH 7.0 and 9.0 in aqueous 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) by high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry. The conformation of the protein was analyzed by a combination of fluorescence and circular dichroism measurements. The most obvious effect of HFIP was lowering of the transition temperature with an increase in the concentration of the alcohol up to 0.30M, beyond which no calorimetric transition was observed. Up to 0.30M HFIP the calorimetric and van't Hoff enthalpy remained the same, indicating the validity of the two-state approximation for the thermal unfolding of alpha-lactalbumin. The quantitative thermodynamic parameters accompanying the thermal transitions have been evaluated. Spectroscopic observations confirm that alpha-lactalbumin is in the molten globule state in the presence of 0.50M HFIP at pH 7.0 and 0.75M HFIP at pH 9.0. The results also demonstrate that alpha-lactalbumin in the molten globule state undergoes a noncooperative thermal transition to the denatured state. It is observed that two of four tryptophans are exposed to the solvent in the HFIP induced molten globule state of alpha-lactalbumin compared to four in the 8.5M urea induced denatured state of the protein. It is also observed that the HFIP induced molten globule states at the two pH values are different from the acid induced molten globule state (A state) of alpha-lactalbumin.     

Bile salt hydrolase, the member of Ntn-hydrolase family: differential modes of structural and functional transitions during denaturation

Conformational transitions and functional stability of the bile salt hydrolase (BSH; cholylglycine EC: 3.5.1.24) from Bifidobacterium longum (BlBSH) cloned and expressed in E. coli were studied under thermal, chemical and pH-mediated denaturation conditions using fluorescence and CD spectroscopy. Thermal and Gdn-HCl-mediated denaturation of BlBSH is a multistep process of inactivation and unfolding. The inactivation and unfolding of the enzyme was found to be irreversible. Enzyme activity seems sensitive to even minor conformational changes at the active site. Thermal denaturation as such did not result in any insoluble protein aggregates. However, on treating with 0.25 - 1 M Gdn-HCl the enzyme showed increasing aggregation at temperatures of 40 - 55 degrees C indicating more complex structural changes taking place in the presence of chemical denaturants. The enzyme secondary structure was still intact at acidic pH (pH 1 - 3). The perturbation in the tertiary structure at the acidic pH was detected through freshly formed solvent exposed hydrophobic patches on the enzyme. These changes could be due to the formation of an acid-induced molten globule-like state.