棕色固氮菌突变种UW45的固氮酶钼铁蛋白（NifB-Av1）结晶

经两次DE52和Sephacryl s一300柱层析,从棕色固氮菌(Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann)突变利UW45粗提液(37 677mg蛋白)中纯化得到628 mg的NifB^-Av1。经考马斯亮蓝R-250染色的SDS凝胶电泳分析表明,该蛋白基本达到SDS凝胶电泳纯,组成它的亚单位的种类与Av1(α和β亚单位)相似。NifB^-Av1不能与NifB^-Av2重组成具放氢活性的固氮酶,但可使与其保温重组的FeMoco显出高活性。在合适条件下,NifB^-Av1可在结晶溶液中析出棕色短斜四棱柱晶体,目前所得最大晶体的二维边长均为0．1mm。能否出现晶体以及出晶时间、晶体数目、大小、质量和形状等,与沉淀剂溶液各组分的种类和浓度、结晶方法、实验操作等因素密切相关。初步结果表明,所得晶体为NifB^-AV1单晶。     

缺失nifH的棕色固氮菌突变种固氮酶钼铁蛋白的结晶

从限氨固氮培养基中培养的缺失nifH的棕色固氮菌(AzotobactervinelandiiLipmann)突变种DJ54中,分离纯化出部分纯的缺失FeMoco的钼铁蛋白(ΔnifHAv1)。用相同纯化方法分别从DJ35和UW45突变种中纯化的ΔnifEAv1和NifB-Av1的纯度明显高于ΔnifHAv1的纯度。在合适的结晶条件下,可得到这三种蛋白的深棕色短斜四棱柱晶体。ΔnifHAv1与NifB-Av1一样,晶体形成所需的时间比ΔnifEAv1的长。而它结晶所需的沉淀剂和缓冲液最适浓度则与ΔnifEAv1的相同。SDS-PAGE鉴定表明,结晶的ΔnifHAv1与OPAv1的组成相似。这表明,在ΔnifHAv1溶液中形成的晶体可能就是该蛋白质的晶体。     

缺失nifE的棕色固氮菌突变种MoFe蛋白的纯化及体外激活

经DEAE纤维素、Sephacryl S-300和Q-Sepharose柱层析分离纯化,从缺失nifE的棕色固氮菌(Azotobactervinelandii Lipmann)突变种(DJ35)的无细胞粗提物中得到△nifE MoFe蛋白(△nifE Av1).SDS凝胶电泳分析表明,△nifE Av1的亚单位种类和分子量分别与棕色固氮菌野生型(OP)MoFe蛋白(Av1)的α和β亚单位相似.当与固氮酶Fe蛋白(Av2)活性互补时,△nifE Av1不具有还原质子的能力,但从OP Av1中抽提的FeMoco却可使其激活.经过量的邻菲啰啉(o-phen)厌氧处理并经Sephadex G-25柱层析分离后,便得到△nifE Av1 .在同时存在Av2和MgATP发生系统的条件下,△nifE Av1 ,而不是△nifE Av1,可为由KMnO4、高柠檬酸铁、Na2S、Na2S2O4和二硫苏糖醇组成的含Mn重组液(RS-Mn)显著激活.但在缺少MgATP或Av2的条件下,RS-Mn则不能激活△nifE Av1 .这就表明,RS-Mn对△nifE Av1 的激活需要o-phen的预先处理及同时存在Av2和MgATP的这二个条件.     

棕色固氮菌缺失nifE的突变种固氮酶钼铁蛋白的结晶

从限氨固氮培养基中培养棕色固氮菌(Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann)缺失nifE的突变种DJ35中,分离纯化得到缺失FeMoco的钼铁蛋白(ΔnifE Av1).在一定条件下结晶得到深棕色短斜四棱柱晶体.结晶溶液中各组分的浓度以及结晶方法等对其晶核数目、晶体大小和质量有明显影响.目前用气相扩散的悬滴法所得的最大晶体的二维边长分别为0.12 mm和0.13 mm.     

棕色固氮菌突变种UW3部分提纯的固氮酶CrFe蛋白溶液中残存细菌铁蛋白的晶体生长及鉴定

从无钼、无氨而含铬的固氮培养基中生长的棕色固氮菌(Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann)突变种UW3中纯化得到了部分纯的CrFe蛋白.在试图培养CrFe蛋白大晶体时发现,棕色晶体和砖红色晶体可同时或单独出现.SDS-PAGE和厌氧天然PAGE皆表明,棕色晶体主要由与固氮酶钼铁蛋白(Av1)类似大小的亚基(～60 kD)组成,而砖红色晶体则由～20kD亚基组成.免疫分析表明只有～60kD的亚基可与固氮酶钼铁蛋白的抗体反应,而～20kD亚基则无这种反应.在部分纯的CrFe蛋白溶液中,～20 kD的总蛋白含量远低于～60 kD蛋白的含量,表明由这种小亚基组成的蛋白只是CrFe蛋白溶液中的一种污染蛋白.用3,5-二氨基苯甲酸染色的天然电泳表明,形成砖红色和棕色晶体的蛋白是迁移率不同的两种含铁蛋白.质谱分析表明砖红色晶体蛋白为棕色固氮菌的细菌铁蛋白.分辨率为2.34 A的X射线衍射结果也表明,砖红色晶体属于H3空间群,晶胞参数为a=124.965A,b=124.965A和c=287.406 A.即将发表的三维结构解析表明,此砖红色晶体确为24聚体的细菌铁蛋白.     

缺失nifE的棕色固氮菌突变种MoFe蛋白的纯化及体外激活

经DEAE纤维素、Sephacryl S-300和Q．Sepharose柱层析分离纯化,从缺失nifE的棕色固氮菌(Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann)突变种(DJ35)的无细胞粗提物中得到AnilE MoFe蛋白(△nilE Av1)。SDS凝胶电泳分析表明,△nilE Av1的亚单位种类和分子量分别与棕色固氮菌野生型(OP)MoFe蛋白(Av1)的α和β亚单位相似。当与固氮酶Fe蛋白(Av2)活性互补时,△nifE Av1不具有还原质子的能力,但从0P Av1中抽提的FeMoco却可使其激活。经过量的邻菲哕啉(o-phen)厌氧处理并经Sephadex G-25柱层析分离后,便得到△nilE Av1@。在同时存在Av2和MgATP发生系统的条件下,△nilE Av1@,而不是△nilE Av1,可为由KMnO4、高柠檬酸铁、Na2S、Na2S2O4和二硫苏糖醇组成的含Mn重组液(Rs-Mn)显著激活。但在缺少MgATP或Av2的条件下,RS-Mn则不能激活△nilE Av1@。这就表明,RS-Mn对△nilE Av1@的激活需要o-phen的预先处理及同时存在Av2和MgATP的这二个条件。     

棕色固氮菌突变种UW3部分提纯的固氮酶CrFe蛋白溶液中残存细菌铁蛋白的晶体生长及鉴定

从无钼、无氨而含铬的固氮培养基中生长的棕色固氮菌(Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann)突变种UW3中纯化得到了部分纯的CrFe蛋白。在试图培养CrFe蛋白大晶体时发现,棕色晶体和砖红色晶体可同时或单独出现。SDS-PAGE和厌氧天然PAGE皆表明,棕色晶体主要由与固氮酶钼铁蛋白(Av1)类似大小的亚基(～60kD)组成,而砖红色晶体则由～20kD亚基组成。免疫分析表明只有～60kD的亚基可与固氮酶钼铁蛋白的抗体反应,而～20kD亚基则无这种反应。在部分纯的CrFe蛋白溶液中,～20 kD的总蛋白含量远低于～60 kD蛋白的含量,表明由这种小亚基组成的蛋白只是CrFe蛋白溶液中的一种污染蛋白。用3,5-二氨基苯甲酸染色的天然电泳表明,形成砖红色和棕色晶体的蛋白是迁移率不同的两种含铁蛋白。质谱分析表明砖红色晶体蛋白为棕色固氮菌的细菌铁蛋白。分辨率为2.34的X射线衍射结果也表明,砖红色晶体属于H3空间群,晶胞参数为a=124.965,b=124.965和c=287.406。即将发表的三维结构解析表明,此砖红色晶体确为24聚体的细菌铁蛋白。     

缺失nifH的棕色固氮菌突变种固氮酶钼铁蛋白的结晶

从限氨固氮培养基中培养的缺失nif H的棕色固氮菌(Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann)突变种DJ54中,分离纯化出部分纯的缺失FeMoco的钼铁蛋白(△nifH Av1).用相同纯化方法分别从DJ35和UW45突变种中纯化的△nifE Av1和NifB- Av1的纯度明显高于△nifH Av1的纯度.在合适的结晶条件下,可得到这三种蛋白的深棕色短斜四棱柱晶体.△nifH Av1与NifB- Av1一样,晶体形成所需的时间比△nifE Av1的长.而它结晶所需的沉淀剂和缓冲液最适浓度则与△nifE Av1的相同.SDS-PAGE鉴定表明,结晶的△nifH Av1与OP Av1的组成相似.这表明,在△nifH Av1溶液中形成的晶体可能就是该蛋白质的晶体.     

棕色固氮菌缺失nifE的突变种固氮酶钼铁蛋白的结晶

从限氨固氮培养基中培养棕色固氮菌（Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann)缺失nifE的突变种DJ35中,分离纯化得到缺失FeMoco的钼铁蛋白（△nifEAvl)。在一定条件下结晶得到深棕色短斜四棱柱晶体。结晶溶液中各组分的浓度以及结晶方法等对其晶核数目,晶体大小和质量有明显影响,目前用气相扩散的悬滴法所得的最大晶体的二维边长分别为0.12mm和0.13mm。     

固氮酶锰铁蛋白的晶体生长

从以Mn代钼的固氮培养基中固氮生长的固氮菌（Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann）突变种UW3中分离纯化的MnFe蛋白,在一定的结晶条件下,可从溶液中析出深棕色的短斜四棱柱晶体。Tris和Hepes缓冲液、NaCl、MgCl2和PEG的浓度及结晶方法等,对该蛋白的出晶率、晶核数目、晶体大小和质量均有明显的影响,PEG浓度的改变还可使该蛋白晶体的晶型发生变化。MnFe蛋白结晶所需的上述化合物的最适浓度与缺失nifZ固氮菌突变种△nifZ MoFe需的最适浓度有所不同。ＳＤＳ凝胶电泳表明,晶体溶解的蛋白与结晶前的MnFe蛋白基本相同。结果表明：该晶体为MnFe蛋白的晶体。     

Growth of the Crystals of Nitrogenase MnFe Protein (in English)

Under a suitable condition of crystallization, dark brown short rhombohedron crystals could be obtained from nitrogenase MnFe protein purified from a mutant UW3 of Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann grown in Mn-containing but Mo- and NH3-free medium. The possibility of crystallization, and number,size and quality of crystals were obviously dependent on concentrations of NaCl,MgCl2, PEG 8000,Tris and Hepes buffer and on methods for crystallization. PEG concentration affected on the shape of the crystals.The optimal concentrations of the chemicals for crystallization of MnFe protein were slightly different from those for crystallization of ΔnifZ MoFe protein from a nifZ deleted strain of Azotobacter vinelandii .　SDS-PAGE showed that the protein from the dissolved crystals was almost the same as MnFe protein before crystallization, indicating that the crystal was formed from MnFe protein.     

固氮酶铬铁蛋白的晶体生长

在合适的结晶条件下,从含Cr无氨培养基中生长的固氮菌(Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann)突变种UW3中纯化出的CrFe蛋白可从溶液中析出深棕色斜四棱柱晶体,晶体最大的两条对角线长度分别可达0.25 mm和0.12 mm.PEG 8000、MgCl2、NaCl、Tris 和Hepes 缓冲液的浓度及结晶方法等对该蛋白的出晶率、晶核数目、晶体大小和质量都有明显影响.CrFe蛋白结晶所需的上述化合物的最适浓度与在Mn中生长的固氮菌突变种UW3的MnFe蛋白和缺失nifZ固氮菌突变种的ΔnifZ MoFe蛋白结晶所需的最适浓度有所不同.结果表明,该蛋白晶体可能为CrFe蛋白的晶体.     

Studies on Crystalline Growth of MoFe Protein from a nifZ Deleted Strain of Azotobacter vinelandii

Under a given condition of crystallization, dark brown short rhombohedron crystals could be obtained from ΔnifZ MoFe protein purified from a nifZ deleted mutant strain of Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann. Systematic studies on the effect of concentrations of PEG 8000,MgCl2, NaCl,Tris and buffer pH on the crystallization and crystal growth of the protein showed that the protein could not be crystallized in lower concentrations of the chemicals and lower buffer pH. A large amount of smaller crystals of the protein appeared in a week with gradual increasing in the chemical concentrations and pH≥8.0. When the chemical concentrations were further increased, the time for crystallization was increased and a few high grade crystals of larger size were formed. If the concentrations of the chemicals were continuously increased, many crystals with smaller size, and, sometimes of poor quality appeared again and eventually ceased to produce any crystals. The optimal concentration for each of the above mentioned chemicals varies with other variable factors. Only one bigger crystal (both of the longest two sides: 0.16 mm) could be obtained in a hanging drop of protein sample when the concentrations of PEG 8000, MgCl2, NaCl,Tris and protein were kept at 1.86%, 300 mmol/L, 400 mmol/L, 53 mmol/L and 4.64 g/L , respectively, with Tris buffer pH 8.2.     

Isolation and characterization of a second nitrogenase Fe-protein from Azotobacter vinelandii

Wild-type Azotobacter vinelandii strain UW was transformed with plasmid pDB12 to produce a species (LS10) unable to synthesize the structural proteins of component 1 and component 2 of native nitrogenase. A spontaneous mutant of this strain was isolated (LS15) which can grow by nitrogen fixation in the presence or absence of either Mo or W. It is proposed that LS15 fixes nitrogen solely by an alternative nitrogen-fixing system which previously has been hypothesized to exist in A. vinelandii. Under nitrogen-fixing conditions, LS15 synthesizes a protein similar to component 2 (Av2) of native nitrogenase in that it can complement native component 1 (Av1) for enzymatic activity. Isolation and characterization of this second component 2 shows it to be a 4Fe-4S protein of molecular mass about 62 kDa and is antigenically similar to Av2. This protein is also similar to Av2 in that in the reduced state it possesses a rhombic ESR spectrum in the g = 2 region, which changes to an axial spectrum upon addition of MgATP. It is suggested that this second Fe-protein is associated with the alternative nitrogen-fixing system in A. vinelandii.     

固氮酶CrFe蛋白和MnFe蛋白的空间晶体生长

从分别生长于含Mn和Cr培养基中的棕色固氮菌(Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann)突变种UW3分离纯化出MnFo和CrFe蛋白.为适应包括固氮酶在内的氧敏感蛋白的空间晶体生长的要求,应用简易而适用的厌氧加样装置代替固氮酶实验室所用的笨重厌氧箱(dry box),在地面进行厌氧加样.在充满氮气的简便有机玻璃箱内厌氧加样的所有样品中,分别用液/液扩散法和汽相扩散的坐滴法都可在一周内使MnFe和CrFe蛋白在宇宙飞船上从溶液中结晶出来.在所用的数种蛋白沉淀剂中,飞船上形成的所有晶体都为单晶,而地面上在多数沉淀剂中部生成大量孪晶.在相同沉淀剂中用液/液扩散法,飞船上生成CrFe蛋白的最大晶体比地面生成的最大晶体大1倍.而在相同沉淀剂中用汽相扩散的坐滴法,飞船上生成的MnFe蛋白最大晶体却没有地面生成的最大晶体大.这种差异也许是由不同结晶方法而不是不同蛋白所引起的.     

Properties of the MgATP and MgADP binding sites on the Fe protein of nitrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii

Flow dialysis was used to study the binding of MgATP and MgADP to the nitrogenase proteins of Azotobacter vinelandii. Both reduced and oxidized Av2 bind two molecules of MgADP, with the following dissociation constants: reduced Av2, K1 = 0.091 +/- 0.021 mM and K2 = 0.044 +/- 0.009 mM; oxidized Av2, K1 = 0.024 +/- 0.015 mM and K2 = 0.039 +/- 0.022 mM. Binding of MgADP to reduced Av2 shows positive co-operativity. Oxidized Av2 binds two molecules of MgATP with dissociation constants K1 = 0.049 +/- 0.016 mM and K2 = 0.18 +/- 0.05 mM. Binding data of MgATP to reduced Av2 can be fitted by assuming one binding site, but a better fit was obtained by assuming two binding sites on the protein with negative co-operativity and with dissociation constants K1 = 0.22 +/- 0.03 mM and K2 = 1.71 +/- 0.50 mM. It was found that results concerning the number of binding sites and the dissociation constants of MgATP-Av2 and MgADP-Av2 complexes depend to a great extent on the specific activity of the Av2 preparation used, and that it is difficult to correct binding data for inactive protein. No binding of MgADP to Av1 could be demonstrated. Binding studies of MgADP to a mixture of Av1 and Av2 showed that Av1 did not affect the binding of MgADP to either oxidized or reduced Av2. Inhibition studies were performed to investigate the interaction of MgATP and MgADP binding to oxidized and reduced Av2. All the experimental data can be explained by the minimum hypothesis, i.e. the presence of two adenine nucleotide binding sites on Av2. MgATP and MgADP compete for these two binding sites on the Fe protein.