Determination of binding constants for N-acetyl-D-glucosamine oligomers with lysozyme

A method to determine intrinsic binding constants of lysozyme with substrate analogues such as N-acetyl-D-glucosamine dimer and trimer is proposed. The method is based on the competitive interaction of an anionic azo dye with substrate analogues for lysozyme. There are two binding sites for substrate analogues and dyes, respectively, on lysozyme. One binding mode of the substrate analogues to subsites D-F on lysozyme was non-competitive, and another binding mode to subsites A-C was competitive with the dye. From the binding constants obtained it is suggested that the binding of the substrate analogues to subsite D on lysozyme is weaker than the binding to the other subsites.     

Binding of N-acetyl-chitotriose to human lysozyme.

The interaction of N-acetyl-chitotriose ((GlcNAc)3) with human lysozyme [EC 3.2.1.17] was studied at various pH values by measuring changes in the circular dichroic (CD) band at 294 or 255 nm and the data were compared with the results for hen and turkey lysozymes reported previously (Kuramitsu et al. (1974) J. Biochem.76, 671-683; Kuramitsu et al. (1975) J. Biochem. 77, 291-301). The pH dependence of the binding constant of (GlcNAc)3 to human lysozyme was different from those for hen and turkey lysozymes. The catalytic carboxyls of human lysozyme, Asp 52 and Glu 35, were not perturbed on binding of (GlcNAc)3. This is consistent with the previous findings that the macroscopic pK values of Asp 52 and Glu 35 of human lysozyme are 3.4 and 6.8 at 0.1 ionic strength and 25 degrees and were unchanged on complexing with (GlcNAc)3. An ionizable group with pK 4.5, which participates in the binding of (GlcNAc)3 to hen lysozyme and was assigned as Asp 101, did not participate in the binding of the saccharide to human lysozyme. Between pH 9 and 11, the binding constants of (GlcNAc)3 to hen lysozyme remained unchanged, whereas perturbation of an ionizable group with pK 10.5 to 10.0 was observed for human lysozyme. This group may be Tyr 62 in the active-site cleft. The binding constants of (GlcNAc)3 to human lysozyme molecules having different microscopic protonation forms, with respect to the catalytic carboxyls, were estimated using the binding constants obtained in the present experiments and the microscopic ionization constants of the catalytic carboxyls obtained previously. All four species of human lysozyme had similar binding constants to (GlcNAc)3. This result is different from those for hen and turkey lysozymes.     

Participation of the catalytic carboxyls, Asp 52 and Glu 35, and Asp 101 in the binding of substrate analogues to hen lysozyme.

The interactions of the substrate analogues, GlcNAc, beta-methyl GlcNAc, (GlcNAc)2, and (GlcNAc)3, with turkey egg-white lysozyme [ED 3.2.1.17], in which the Asp 101 of hen lysozyme is replaced by Gly, were studied at various pH values by measuring changes in the circular dichroic (CD) band at 295 nm. Results were compared with those for hen egg-white lysozyme. The modes of binding of these substrate analogues to turkey lysozyme were very similar to those hen lysozyme except for the participation of Asp 101 in hen lysozyme. The ionization constants of the catalytic carboxyls, Glu 35 and Asp 52, in the turkey lysozyme-(GlcNAc)3 complex were determined by measuring the pH dependence of the CD band at 304 nm, which originates from Trp 108 near the catalytic carboxyls. The ionization behavior of the catalytic carboxyls of turkey lysozyme in the presence and absence of (GlcNAc)3 was essentially the same as that for hen lysozyme. The pH dependence of the binding constant of (GlcNAc)3 to hen lysozyme was compared with that to turkey lysozyme between pH 2 and 8. The pH dependence of the binding constant for (GlcNAc)3 to turkey lysozyme could be interpreted entirely in terms of perturbation of catalytic carboxyls. In the case of hen lysozyme, it was interpreted in terms of perturbation of the catalytic carboxyls and Asp 101 in the substrate-binding site. The pK values of Asp 101 in hen lysozyme and the hen lysozyme-(GLcNAc)3 complex were 4.5 and 3.4, respectively. The binding constants of (GlcNAc)3 to lysozyme molecules with different microscopic protonation forms, with respect to the catalytic carboxyls, were estimated. The binding constant of lysozyme, in which Asp 52 and Glu 35 are deprotonated, to (GlcNAc)3 was the smallest. The other three species had similar binding constant to (GlcNAc)3.     

Interactions on 3-deoxy and 6-deoxy derivatives of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine with hen lysozyme.

The interactions of deoxy derivatives of GlcNAc, 6-deoxy-GlcNAc, and 3-deoxy-GlcNAc with hen egg-white lysozyme [EC 3.2.1.17] were studied at various pH's by measuring the changes in the circular dichroic (CD) band at 295 nm. It was shown that 6-deoxy-GlcNAc and 3-deoxy-GlcNAc bind at subsite C of lysozyme and compete with GlcNAc. The pH dependence of the binding constant of 6-deoxy-GlcNAc was the same as that of GlcNAc. On the other hand, the binding constants of 3-deoxy-GlcNAc were 3--10 times smaller than those of GlcNAc in the pH range from 3 to 9. X-ray crystallographic studies show that O(6) and O(3) of GlcNAc at subsite C are hydrogen-bonded to the indole NH's of Trp 62 and Trp 63, respectively, but the above results indicate that Trp 63, not Trp 62, is important for the interaction of GlcNAc with lysozyme.     

Crystallographic determination of the mode of binding of oligosaccharides to T4 bacteriophage lysozyme: Implications for the mechanism of catalysis

Phage lysozyme has catalytic activity similar to that of hen egg white lysozyme, but the amino acid sequences of the two enzymes are completely different.The binding to phage lysozyme of several saccharides including N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), N-acetylmuramic acid (MurNAc) and (GlcNAc)₃ have been determined crystallographically and shown to occupy the pronounced active site cleft. GlcNAc binds at a single location analogous to the C site of hen egg white lysozyme. MurNAc binds at the same site. (GlcNAc)₃ clearly occupies sites B and C, but the binding in site A is ill-defined.Model building suggests that, with the enzyme in the conformation seen in the crystal structure, a saccharide in the normal chair configuration cannot be placed in site D without incurring unacceptable steric interference between sugar and protein. However, as with hen egg white lysozyme, the bad contacts can be avoided by assuming the saccharide to be in the sofa conformation. Also Asp20 in T4 lysozyme is located 3 Å from carbon C₍₁₎ of saccharide D, and is in a position to stabilize the developing positive charge on a carbonium ion intermediate. Prior genetic evidence had indicated that Asp20 is critically important for catalysis. This suggests that in phage lysozyme catalysis is promoted by a combination of steric and electronic effects, acting in concert, The enzyme shape favors the binding in site D of a saccharide with the geometry of the transition state, while Asp20 stabilizes the positive charge on the oxocarbonium ion of this intermediate. Tn phage lysozyme, the identity of the proton donor is uncertain. In contrast to hen egg white lysozyme, where Glu35 is 3 Å from the glycosidic DOE bond, and is in a non-polar environment, phage lysozyme has an ion pair, Glull … Arg145, 5 Å away from the glycosidic oxygen. Possibly Glull undergoes a conformational adjustment in the presence of bound substrate, and acts as the proton donor. Alternatively, the proton might come from a bound water molecule.     

Fluorescence polarization studies of lysozyme and lysozyme-saccharide complexes

The fluorescence polarization properties of hen egg white lysozyme and of an iodine oxidized derivative of lysozyme in which tryptophan-108 was selectively modified, were investigated. Using the addition law of anisotropy of mixed systems, the contribution of tryptophan-108 to the anisotropy spectrum of lysozyme and lysozyme-chitotetraose complex was separated. The rate of fluorescence polarization was studied as a function of pH. The major contribution to this rate is shown to arise from internal rotations of the indole side-chain of tryptophan-108 as well as from structural changes around tryptophan-62 and 63. From the dependence of the fluorescence polarization of lysozyme and IL with saccharide concentration, the existence of the simultaneous binding of two saccharide molecules to the enzyme cleft was inferred. At low chitotetraose concentration, the subsites A, B and C are occupied with an association constant of 8 × 10⁴m^?1 whereas at high saccharide concentration, both subsites A–B–C and E–F are occupied. The association constants of a series of saccharides to subsites E–F were measured and all found to be around 2 × 10²m^?1. The dependence of the rate of depolarization with saccharide concentration was determined and showed that, upon binding of the first saccharide molecule to subsites A, B and C, the rate of internal rotation of tryptophan-108 and tryptophan-62 and 63 was much reduced whereas upon further binding of a saccharide molecule in subsites E–F the rates are enhanced. This behaviour was interpreted as an indication that the binding of saccharide in subsites E–F induces changes in conformation of the enzyme which affect the entire active site architecture.     

Binding of substrate analogs to hen egg-white lysozyme with an ester linkage between Glu 35 and Trp 108.

The interactions of the substrate analogs beta-methyl-GlcNAc, (GlcNAc)2, and (GlcNAc)3 with hen egg-white lysozyme [EC 3.2.1.17] in which an ester linkage had been formed between Glu 35 and Trp 108 (108 ester lysozyme), were studied by the circular dichroic and fluorescence techniques, and were compared with those for intact lysozyme. The binding constants of beta-methyl-GlcNAc and (GlcNAc)2 to 108 ester lysozyme were essentially the same as those for intact lysozyme in the pH range of 1 to 5. Above pH 5, the binding constants of these saccharides to 108 ester lysozyme did not change with pH, while the binding constants to intact lysozyme decreased. This indicates that Glu 35 (pK 6.0 in intact lysozyme) participates in the binding of these saccharides. The extent and direction of the pK shifts of Asp 52 (pK 3.5), Asp 48 (pK 4.4), and Asp 66 (pK 1.3) observed when beta-methyl-GlcNAc is bound to 108 ester lysozyme were the same as those for intact lysozyme. The participation of Asp 101 and Asp 66 in the binding of (GlcNAc)2 to 108 ester lysozyme was also the same as that for intact lysozyme. These findings indicate that the conformations of subsites B and C are not changed by the formation of the ester linkage. On the other hand, the binding constants of (GlcNAc)3 to 108 ester lysozyme were higher than those for intact lysozyme at all pH values studied. This result is interpreted in terms of an increase in the affinity for a GlcNAc residue of subsite D, which is situated near the esterified Glu 35.     

1H-NMR study on the chitotrisaccharide binding to hen egg white lysozyme.

Interaction between hen egg white lysozyme and chitotrisaccharide was investigated by 1H-NMR spectroscopy using partially acetylated chitotrisaccharides and chemically modified lysozyme. Monoacetyl (GlcN-GlcN-GlcNAc), diacetyl (GlcN-GlcNAc-GlcNAc), or triacetyl chitotrisaccharide [(GlcNAc)3] was added to the lysozyme solution, and the changes in the 1H-NMR signals of the lysozyme were analyzed. Although many of the resonances were affected by addition of the saccharide, the most remarkable effect was seen on the signal of Trp28 C5H which is in a hydrophobic box adjacent to the saccharide-binding site. The signal shifted upfield by 0.2 ppm upon (GlcNAc)3 binding, whereas the chemical shift change of the signal resulting from binding of GlcN-GlcNAc-GlcNAc or GlcN-GlcN-GlcNAc was smaller than that resulting from (GlcNAc)3 binding. When the Asp101-modified lysozyme was used instead of the native lysozyme, the chemical shift change of the Trp28 C5H signal resulting from (GlcNAc)3 binding was also smaller than that for the native lysozyme. The chemical shift change of the signal reflects the conformational change of the hydrophobic box region which should synchronize with the movement of the binding site resulting from the saccharide binding. Therefore, the conformational change resulting from the saccharide binding might be reduced when the sugar residues located at binding subsites A and B of the lysozyme are deacetylated, as well as when Asp101 interacting with the sugar residues at the same subsites is modified.     

Evidences of monomer, dimer and trimer of recombinant human cyclophilin A

Cyclophilin A (CyPA) is a cytosolic receptor of immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A (CsA) which possesses peptidyl-prodyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIase) activity. The recombinant human CyPA (rhCyPA) gene has been expressed in E. coli M15. Purification was performed using salting-out, as well as Sephacryl S-100 and DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B column chromatography. The molecular weight is about 18 kDa, confirmed by SDS-PAGE and mass spectrum. The results of Native-PAGE and immunoblotting showed the existence of three bands, which agreed well with the gel filtration results. The molecular mass of the three bands determined via CTAB gel electrophoresis and SDS-PAGE (rhCyPA cross-linked with glutaraldehyde) was 18 kDa, 36 kDa and 54 kDa respectively. Further more, the native rhCyPA and the cross-linked rhCyPA had the similar chromatographic behavior in gel filtration. All of the evidences above suggest that rhCyPA exists in forms of monomer, dimer and trimer. Moreover, we observed that even at low protein concentrations CyPA largely occurs as a dimer in solution, and enzyme kinetic parameters showed that activity of dimer was much higher than monomer or trimer, which probably have some biological significances.     

Amino acid sequence of Egyptian goose egg-white lysozyme and effects of amino acid substitution on the enzymatic activity

The amino acid sequence of Egyptian goose lysozyme (EGL) from egg-white and its enzymatic properties were analyzed. The established sequence had the highest similarity to wood duck lysozyme (WDL) with five amino acid substitutions, and had eighteen substitutions difference from hen egg-white lysozyme (HEL). Tyr34 and Gly37 were found at subsites E and F of the active site when compared with HEL. The experimental time-course characteristics of EGL against the N-acetylglucosamine pentamer substrate, (GlcNAc)(5), revealed higher production of (GlcNAc)(4) and lower production of (GlcNAc)(2) when compared with HEL. The saccharide-binding ability of subsites A-C in EGL was also found to be weaker than in HEL. An analysis of the enzymatic reactions of five mutants in respect of positions 34, 37 and 71 in HEL indicated the time-course characteristics of EGL to be caused by the combination of three substitutions (F34Y, N37G and G71R) between HEL and EGL. A computer simulation of the EGL-catalyzed reaction suggested that the time-course characteristics of EGL resulted from the difference in the binding free energy for subsites A, B, E and F and the rate constant of transglycosylation between EGL and HEL.     

Influence of inhibitor binding on the internal motions of lysozyme

Time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence depolarization measurements of internal motions in lysozyme are presented. The fluorescent dye eosin binds in a one-to-one complex with the enzyme, and is used both to measure the overall tumbling time constants and to probe the motions of residues in the region of binding. The precision and accuracy of the present method for determining the overall tumbling time constants compare favorably with those from other methods used in the literature. The extent of the internal motions, as described by a model independent order parameter, S2, is temperature dependent, and changes when the inhibitor N,N',N"-triacetylchitotriose, (GlcNAc)3, is bound to the active site of the enzyme. The observed temperature dependence and changes in S2 upon binding of (GlcNAc)3 are interpreted in terms of a nonharmonic model of the effective potential that is consistent with the picture of concerted motions in the protein. The values of the parameters of the potential that reproduce the data with and without the bound inhibitor imply that (GlcNAc)3 binding causes an increase in the rigidity of the protein, which agree qualitatively with other results on the lysozyme-(GlcNAc)3 system.     

Expression and purification of soluble murine CD40L monomers and polymers in yeast Pichia pastoris

The anti-murine CD40L monoclonal antibody MR1 has been widely used in immunology research to block the CD40-CD40L interaction for induction of transplantation tolerance and to abrogate autoimmune diseases. The availability of recombinant CD40L with high binding capacity for MR1 would provide a valuable immunologic research tool. In this study, we constructed the single chain murine soluble CD40L monomer, dimer, trimer and successfully expressed them in yeast Pichia pastoris under the control of the alcohol oxidase promoter. The secreted single chain murine soluble CD40L monomers, dimers, and trimers were initially enriched through histidine tag capture by Ni-Sepharose 6 fast flow resin and further purified on a cation exchange resin. Purity reached more than 95% for the monomer and dimer forms and more than 90% for the trimer. Protein yield following purification was 16 mg/L for the monomer and dimer, and 8 mg/L for the trimer. ELISA analysis demonstrated that the CD40L dimers and trimers correctly folded in conformations exposing the MR1 antigenic determinant.     

Histidine-114 at subsites E and F can explain the characteristic enzymatic activity of guinea hen egg-white lysozyme

The courses of the reaction catalyzed by guinea hen egg-white lysozyme (GHL), in which Asn113 and Arg114 at subsites E and F in hen egg-white lysozyme (HEL) are replaced by Lys and His, respectively, was studied with the substrate N-acetylglucosamine pentamer, (GlcNAc)5. Although GHL was found to retain the main-chain folding similar to HEL as judged from CD spectroscopy, the courses of GHL showed increased production of (GlcNAc)4 and reduced production of (GlcNAc)2 when compared with HEL. To identify critical residue(s) involved in the alteration in the courses of GHL, two mutant enzymes as to subsites E and F in HEL, N113K and R114H, were prepared by site-directed mutagenesis. Kinetic analysis of these mutants revealed that the mutation of Asn113 to Lys had little effect on the courses of HEL, while the Arg114 to His mutation completely reproduced the courses of GHL, demonstrating that His114 in GHL is the key residue responsible for the characteristic courses of GHL. Computer simulation of the reaction courses of the R114H mutant revealed that this substitution decreased not only the binding free energies for subsites E and F, but also the rate constant of transglycosylation. The Arg residue at position 114 may play an important role in the transglycosylation activity of HEL.     

Cross-linking of hemoglobin, haptoglobin, and hemoglobin-haptoglobin complex with bifunctional imidoesters.

Dimethyl adipimidate was used to cross-link the polypeptides within hemoglobin, haptoglobin, and hemoglobin-haptoglobin complex. Cross-linked hemoglobin retained considerable ability to bind haptoglobin, although the amounts bound were reduced and the haptoglobin reaction could be used to fractionate the modified hemoglobin. With cross-links limited to intramolecular sites, hemoglobin showed four bands on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate, identified, with reference to the subunit polypeptides, as monomer, dimer, trimer, and tetramer. The dimer region consisted of at least two separable species. When hemoglobin-haptoglobin complex was cross-linked, a band of hemoglobin dimer was present, which demonstrates that at least two hemoglobin subunits have a close spatial relation when bound to haptoglobin. Some comparisons with adipimidate-reacted hemoglobin were made using malonimidate and suberimidate and some marked differences were noted.     

Enzymatic polymerization to novel polysaccharides having a glucose-N-acetylglucosamine repeating unit, a cellulose-chitin hybrid polysaccharide

A cellulose-chitin hybrid polysaccharide having alternatingly beta(1-->4)-linked D-glucose (Glc) and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc) was synthesized via two modes of enzymatic polymerization. First, a sugar oxazoline monomer of Glcbeta(1-->4)GlcNAc (1) was designed as a transition-state analogue substrate (TSAS) monomer for chitinase catalysis. Monomer 1 was recognized by chitinase from Bacillus sp., giving rise to a cellulose-chitin hybrid polysaccharide (2) via ring-opening polyaddition with perfect regioselectivity and stereochemistry. Molecular weight (M(n)) of 2 reached 4030, which corresponds to 22 saccharide units. Second, a sugar fluoride monomer of GlcNAcbeta(1-->4)Glc (3) was synthesized for the catalysis of cellulase from Trichoderma viride. The enzyme catalyzed polycondensation of 3, providing a cellulose-chitin hybrid polysaccharide (4) in regio- and stereoselective manner. M(n) of 4 reached 2840, which corresponds to 16 saccharide units. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that these hybrid polysaccharides did not form any characteristic crystalline structures. Furthermore, these unnatural hybrids of 2 and 4 were successfully digested by lysozyme from human neutrophils.     

Multiple role of hydrophobicity of tryptophan-108 in chicken lysozyme: structural stability, saccharide binding ability, and abnormal pKa of glutamic acid-35.

Trp108 of chicken lysozyme is in van der Waals contact with Glu35, one of two catalytic carboxyl groups. The role of Trp108 in lysozyme function and stability was investigated by using mutant lysozymes secreted from yeast. By the replacement of Trp108 with less hydrophobic residues, Tyr (W108Y lysozyme) and Gln (W108Q lysozyme), the activity, saccharide binding ability, stability, and pKa of Glu35 were all decreased with a decrease in the hydrophobicity of residue 108. Namely, at pH 5.5 and 40 degrees C, the activities of W108Y and W108Q lysozymes against glycol chitin were 17.3 and 1.6% of that of wild-type lysozyme, and their dissociation constants for the binding of a trimer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine were 7.4 and 309 times larger than that of wild-type lysozyme, respectively. For the reversible unfolding at pH 3.5 and 30 degrees C, W108Y and W108Q lysozymes were less stable than wild-type lysozyme by 1.4 and 3.6 kcal/mol, respectively. As for the pKa of Glu35, the values for W108Y and W108Q lysozymes were found to be lower than that for wild-type lysozyme by 0.2 and by 0.6 pKa unit, respectively. The pKa of Glu35 in lysozyme was also decreased from 6.1 to 5.4 by the presence of 1-3 M guanidine hydrochloride, or to 5.5 by the substitution of Asn for Asp52, another catalytic carboxyl group. Thus, both the hydrophobicity of Trp108 and the electrostatic interaction with Asp52 are equally responsible for the abnormally high pKa (6.1) of Glu35, compared with that (4.4) of a normal glutamic acid residue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Induced circular dichroism of eosin-5-maleimide bound to band 3 of human erythrocytes.

The inhibition of anion exchange in human erythrocyte membrane by eosin-5-maleimide (EMI) was examined at various pH values. At the pH region between pH 6.0 and 8.0, EMI inhibited the sulfate efflux by about 90%. Further, the interaction of EMI molecules with erythrocyte ghosts was studied by induced circular dichroism (CD). At acidic pH, the EMI-ghost system showed a positive band at about 552 nm and negative bands at about 523 and 505 nm. When the ghosts had been preincubated with N-ethylmaleimide, which is a modifying reagent for cysteine residues, the intensity of the CD bands was decreased. On the other hand, when the ghosts had been preincubated with 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate or eosin-5-isothiocyanate, which inhibit the anion exchange by binding to membrane from outside of the cell, EMI CD was not influenced. These results and the experiment of trypsin digestion, suggested that the induced CD originated from the complexation of EMI molecules with SH groups on band 3 protein. A conventional Gaussian analysis of the CD spectrum at pH 6.0 revealed that the CD spectrum was composed of three components; one of them may be from EMI monomers bound to a cryptic SH group on the 17K fragment and two of them were coupling-type CD bands originating from EMI dimer and/or trimer. The EMI dimer and trimer, which should be located predominantly on the cytoplasmic SH groups on the 43K fragment, were considered as 'stacking' and/or 'head to tail' arrangements. At pH 7.4, the CD spectrum originating from EMI monomers, which showed a negative band at about 560 nm and a positive band at about 535 nm, could be observed.     

pH dependence of the binding constants of N-acetylglucosamine monomers to hen and turkey egg-white lysozymes.

The binding constants of N-acetylglucosamine (G1cNAc) and its methyl alpha- and beta- glycosides to hen and turkey egg-white lysozymes [EC 3.2.1.17], in the latter of which Asp 101 is replaced by Gly, were determined at various pH values by measuring changes in the circular dichroic (DC) band at 295 nm. The binding of beta-methyl-G1cNAc to turkey and hen lysozymes perturbed the pK value of Glu 35 from 6.0 to 6.5, the pK value of Asp 52 from 3.5 to 3.9, and the pK value of Asp 66 from 1.3 to 0.7. In addition, perturbation of the pK value of Asp 101 from 4.4 to 4.0 was observed in the binding of this saccharide to hen lysozyme. The binding of alpha-methyl-GlcNAc to hen and turkey lysozymes perturbed the pK value of Glu 35 to the alkaline side by about 0.5 pH unit, the pK value of Asp 66 to the acidic side by about 0.5 pH unit, and the pK value (4.4) of an ionizable group to the acidic side by about 0.6 pH unit. The last ionizable group was tentatively assigned to Asp 48. The pK value of Asp 52 was not perturbed by the binding of this saccharide. The pH dependence curves for the binding of GlcNAc to hen and turkey lysozymes were very similar and it was suggested that Asp 48, in addition to Asp 66, Asp 52, and Glu 35, is perturbed by the binding of GlcNAc.     

Constitutive HSP70: oligomerization and its dependence on ATP binding.

The constitutive HSP70 purified from CHO cells, which indicated a single band in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, showed multiple bands in native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These results indicate that the protein may exist in oligomeric forms. After crosslinking the oligomers with glutaraldehyde, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed three protein bands of molecular weight 70 kDa, 153 kDa, and 200 kDa corresponded to monomer, dimer, and trimer, respectively. The relative amount of oligomeric forms was dependent upon ATP concentrations: it increased upon hydrolysis of ATP or decreased upon incubation with high concentrations of ATP (1-10 mM). Autoradiographic analysis of the native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of HSP70 following incubation with [gamma-32P]ATP revealed that ATP bound to only monomer. These results suggest that the equilibrium between oligomeric forms is dependent on ATP concentrations. Nonetheless, during heat shock, both monomer and oligomer might be indistinguishably associated with some proteins, probably denatured proteins.     

Mechanism of lysozyme catalysis: role of ground-state strain in subsite D in hen egg-white and human lysozymes.

The association constants for the binding of various saccharides to hen egg-white lysozyme and human lysozyme have been measured by fluorescence titration. Among these are the oligosaccharides GlcNAc-beta(1 leads to 4)-MurNAc-beta(1 leads to 4)-GlcNAc-beta(1 leads to 4)-GlcNAc, GlcNAc-beta(1 leads to 4)-MurNAc-beta(1 leads to 4)-GlcNAc-beta(1 leads to 4)-N-acetyl-D-xylosamine, and GlcNAc-beta(1 leads to 4-GlcNAc-beta(1 leads to 4)-MurNAc, prepared here for the first time. The binding constants for saccharides which must have N-acetylmuramic acid, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, or N-acetyl-D-xylosamine bound in subsite D indicate that there is no strain involved in the binding of N-acetyl-D-glycosamine in this site, and that the lactyl group of N-acetylmuramic acid (rather than the hydroxymethyl group) is responsible for the apparent strain previously reported for binding at this subsite. For hen egg-white lysozyme, the dependence of saccharide binding on pH or on a saturating concentration of Gd(III) suggests that the conformation of several of the complexes are different from one another and from that proposed for a productive complex. This is supported by fluorescence difference spectra of the various hen egg-white lysozyme-saccharide complexes. Human lysozyme binds most saccharides studied more weakly than the hen egg-white enzyme, but binds GlcNAc-beta(1 leads to 4)-MurNAc-beta(1leads to 4)-GlcNAc-beta(1 leads to 4)-MurNAc more strongly. It is suggested that subsite C of the human enzyme is "looser" than the equivalent site in the hen egg enzyme, so that the rearrangement of a saccharide in this subsite in response to introduction of an N-acetylmuramic acid residue into subsite D destabilizes the saccharide complexes of human lysozyme less than it does the corresponding hen egg-white lysozyme complexes. This difference and the differences in the fluorescence difference spectra of hen egg-white lysozyme and human lysozyme are ascribed mainly to the replacement of Trp-62 in hen egg-white lysozyme by Tyr-63 in the human enzyme. The implications of our findings for the assumption of superposition and additivity of energies of binding in individual subsites, and for the estimation of the role of strain in lysozyme catalysis, are discussed.