Ligand loading at the surface of an optical biosensor and its effect upon the kinetics of protein–protein interactions

Optical biosensors are finding increasing use in the determination of kinetic and equilibrium constants for a variety of biomolecular interactions. Usually these biosensors require one biomolecule, the ligand, to be covalently attached to a hydrogel matrix which itself is bonded to the sensing surface. The ligands partner, the ligate, then binds from solution resulting in a measurable change in response which the instrument records as a function of time. Although in many cases, optical biosensors are used in order to obtain parameters that relate to interactions in solution, it is becoming clear that measurements involving the interaction of ligate with immobilized ligands on surfaces require careful experimental design. Here we report on how the density of ligand loading within the hydogel matrix affects the measured interaction kinetics. It is found that crowding of ligand within this matrix results in a significant reduction in the measured association rate constant, with a corresponding effect in the calculated overall affinity. However, measurements at low ligand loadings show association rate constants that are comparable to those measured in solution. Clearly, where this comparison is required, it is important to perform measurements under such conditions. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The optical biosensor study of the redox partner interaction with the cytochrome P450 2B4-containing monooxygenase system under hydroxylation conditions

The interactions between cytochrome P450 2B4 (d-2B4), NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome b5 have been investigated in the monomeric reconstituted P450 2B4-containing monooxygenase system in the presence of a substrate (7-pentoxyresorufin) and an electron donor, NADPH. Each partner was immobilized via its amino groups on the carboxymethyldextran biochip surface of the optical biosensor IAsys+. Such mode immobilization was not accompanied by any loss of activities of the immobilized proteins. The formation of binary d-Fp/d-2B4 complexes was registered. The association/dissociation rate constants (k_on/k_off) were (0.013 ± 0.005) × 10⁶ M^?1 s^?1/0.05 ± 0.02 s^?1, and dissociation constant (K_D) was (0.26 ± 0.13) × 10^?6 M. Comparison of k_on, k_off and K_D values for d-Fp/d-2B4 complexes formed under hydroxylation (O-dealkylation) with corresponding constants obtained for the oxidized proteins of (0.10 ± 0.03) × 10⁶ M^?1 s^?1/(0.14 ± 0.06) s^?1, and (0.71 ± 0.37) × 10^?6 M, respectively shows that the decrease in k_on and an insignificant decrease in K_D are associated with the increase of complex lifetime during transition from the oxidized to hydroxylation conditions. Complex formation between d-Fp and d-b5 was not registered in both hydroxylation conditions and in the case of oxidized forms of these proteins. In both cases formation of the ternary d-Fp/d-2B4/d-b5 complexes occurred.     

Protein denaturation with guanidine hydrochloride or urea provides a different estimate of stability depending on the contributions of electrostatic interactions.

The objective of this study was to address the question of whether or not urea and guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) give the same estimates of the stability of a particular protein. We previously suspected that the estimates of protein stability from GdnHCl and urea denaturation data might differ depending on the electrostatic interactions stabilizing the proteins. Therefore, 4 coiled-coil analogs were designed, where the number of intrachain and interchain electrostatic attractions (A) were systematically changed to repulsions (R): 20A, 15A5R, 10A10R, and 20R. The GdnHCl denaturation data showed that the 4 coiled-coil analogs, which had electrostatic interactions ranging from 20 attractions to 20 repulsions, had very similar [GdnHCl]1/2 values (average of congruent to 3.5 M) and, as well, their delta delta Gu values were very close to 0 (0.2 kcal/mol). In contrast, urea denaturation showed that the [urea]1/2 values proportionately decreased with the stepwise change from 20 electrostatic attractions to 20 repulsions (20A, 7.4 M; 15A5R, 5.4 M; 10A10R, 3.2 M; and 20R, 1.4 M), and the delta delta Gu values correspondingly increased with the increasing differences in electrostatic interactions (20A-15A5R, 1.5 kcal/mol; 20A-10A10R, 3.7 kcal/mol; and 20A-20R, 5.8 kcal/mol). These results indicate that the ionic nature of GdnHCl masks electrostatic interactions in these model proteins, a phenomenon that was absent when the unchanged urea was used. Thus, GdnHCl and urea denaturations may give vastly different estimates of protein stability, depending on how important electrostatic interactions are to the protein.     

Structural determinants of binding and specificity in transforming growth factor-receptor interactions.

Transforming growth factor (TGF-beta) protein families are cytokines that occur as a large number of homologous proteins. Three major subgroups of these proteins with marked specificities for their receptors have been found-TGF-beta, activin/inhibin, and bone morphogenic protein. Although structural information is available for some members of the TGF-beta family of ligands and receptors, very little is known about the way these growth factors interact with the extracellular domains of their cell surface receptors, especially the type II receptor. In addition, the elements that are the determinants of binding and specificity of the ligands are poorly understood. The structure of the extracellular domain of the receptor is a three-finger fold similar to some toxin structures. Amino acid exchanges between multiply aligned homologous sequences of type II receptors point to a residue at the surface, specifically finger 1, as the determinant of ligand specificity and complex formation. The "knuckle" epitope of ligands was predicted to be the surface that interacts with the type II receptor. The residues on strands beta2, beta3, beta7, beta8 and the loop region joining beta2 and beta3 and joining beta7 and beta8 of the ligands were identified as determinants of binding and specificity. These results are supported by studies on the docking of the type II receptor to the ligand dimer-type I receptor complex.