Kinetic and thermodynamic characterization of the R17 coat protein-ribonucleic acid interaction

A filter retention assay is used to examine the kinetic and equilibrium properties of the interaction between phage R17 coat protein and its 21-nucleotide RNA binding site. The kinetics of the reaction are consistent with the equilibrium association constant and indicate a diffusion-controlled reaction. The temperature dependence of Ka gives delta H = -19 kcal/mol. This large favorable delta H is partially offset by a delta S = -30 cal mol-1 deg-1 to give a delta G = -11 kcal/mol at 2 degrees C in 0.19 M salt. The binding reaction has a pH optimum centered around pH 8.5, but pH has no effect on delta H. While the interaction is insensitive to the type of monovalent cation, the affinity decreases with the lyotropic series among monovalent anions. The ionic strength dependence of Ka reveals that ionic contacts contribute to the interaction. Most of the binding free energy, however, is a result of nonelectrostatic interactions.     

Effects of pH, ionic strength, and temperature on activation by calmodulin an catalytic activity of myosin light chain kinase

The reversible association of Ca42+-calmodulin with the inactive catalytic subunit of myosin light chain kinase results in the formation of the catalytically active holoenzyme complex [Blumenthal, D. K., & Stull, J. T. (1980) Biochemistry 19, 5608--5614]. The present study was undertaken in order to determine the effects of pH, temperature, and ionic strength on the processes of activation and catalysis. The catalytic activity of myosin light chain kinase, when fully activated by calmodulin, exhibited a broad pH optimum (greater than 90% of maximal activity from pH 6.5 to pH 9.0), showed only a slight inhibition by moderate ionic strengths (less than 20% inhibition at mu = 0.22), and displayed a marked temperature dependence (Q10 congruent to 2; Ea = 10.4 kcal mol-1). Thermodynamic parameters calculated from Arrhenius plots indicate that the Gibb's energy barrier associated with the rate-limiting step of catalysis is primarily enthalpic. The process of kinase activation by calmodulin had a narrower pH optimum (pH 6.0--7.5) than did catalytic activity, was markedly inhibited by increasing ionic strength (greater than 70% inhibition at mu = 0.22), and exhibited nonlinear van't Hoff plots. Between 10 and 20 degrees C, activation was primarily entropically driven (delta S degrees congruent to 40 cal mol-1 deg-1; delta H degrees = -900 cal mol-1), but between 20 and 30 degrees C, enthalpic factors predominated in driving the activation process (delta S degrees congruent to 10 cal mol-1 deg-1; delta H degrees = -9980 cal mol-1). The apparent change in heat capacity (delta Cp) accompanying activation was estimated to be -910 cal mol-1 deg-1. On the basis of these data we propose that although hydrophobic interactions between calmodulin and the kinase are necessary for the activation of the enzyme, other types of interactions such as hydrogen bonding, ionic, and van der Waals interactions also make significant and probably obligatory contributions to the activation process.     

Characterization of the ethenoadenosine diphosphate binding site of myosin subfragment 1. Energetics of the equilibrium between two states of nucleotide.S1 and vanadate-induced global conformation changes detected by energy transfer

The fluorescence decay of 1,N6-ethenoadenosine diphosphate (epsilon ADP) bound to myosin subfragment 1 (S1) was studied as a function of temperature. The decay was biexponential, and the two lifetimes were quenched relative to the single lifetime of free epsilon ADP. The temperature dependence of the fractional intensities of the decay components showed two states of the S1.epsilon ADP complex. At pH 7.5 in 30 mM TES, 60 mM KCl, and 3 mM MgCl2, the equilibrium constant for the conversion of the low-temperature state (S1L.epsilon ADP) to the high-temperature state (S1H.epsilon ADP) was 40 at physiological temperatures, and delta H degrees = 13 kcal.mol-1 and delta S degrees = 49 cal.deg-1.mol-1. At 10 degrees C the equilibrium constant of S1 for epsilon ADP was 5, indicating that S1H.epsilon ADP was the dominant state, and that for the vanadate complex epsilon ADP.Vi was 0.7, suggesting that in S1.epsilon ADP.Vi the dominant state of the S1-nucleotide complex was converted from S1H.epsilon ADP to S1L.epsilon ADP. The single rotational correlation time of bound epsilon ADP at 10 degrees C decreased from 107 ns in S1.epsilon ADP to 74 ns in S1+.epsilon ADP.Vi. Conversion of the binary complex to the ternary vanadate complex resulted in a 3-A decrease in the energy transfer distance between bound epsilon ADP and N-[4-(dimethylamino)-3,5-dinitrophenyl]maleimide attached to SH1 and a decrease of the average distance between bound epsilon ADP and bound Co2+ from 12.6 to 8.3 A.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Equilibrium and kinetic studies on the binding of gluconolactone to almond beta-glucosidase in the absence and presence of glucose

The binding of glucono-1,5-lactone (gluconolactone) with almond beta-glucosidase was studied at pH 5.0 and 25 degrees C, in the absence and presence of glucose, by monitoring the enzyme fluorescence as a probe. From the results of fluorometric titration, the dissociation constant Kd and the maximum fluorescence intensity increase (percent) of the enzyme-gluconolactone complex relative to the enzyme alone, delta Fmax, were determined to be 12.7 microM and 14.7%, respectively. From the study of the temperature dependence of Kd, delta G degrees, delta H degrees and delta S degrees for the binding were evaluated to be -6.7 kcal mol-1, -3.5 kcal mol-1, and 10.8 e.u. (cal mol-1 deg-1), respectively, at 25 degrees C. The analysis of the fluorometric titration data in the presence of glucose revealed that these ligands bind competitively to the enzyme, probably at the same site. The results of a stopped-flow kinetic study are consistent with the following two-step mechanism: (formula; see text) which indicates that gluconolactone (L) and the enzyme (E) transiently form a loosely bound complex, ELtr (k-1/k+1 = 4.5 mM), in the first rapid bimolecular association step, and ELtr is converted into a more tightly bound complex EL (k+2 = 94 s-1, k-2 = 0.36 s-1) in the subsequent slow unimolecular process. The fluorescence intensity increase occurs solely in the latter step.     

The thermodynamics of bovine and porcine insulin and proinsulin association determined by concentration difference spectroscopy

Difference spectroscopy was used to determine the equilibrium constants and thermodynamic parameters for the monomer-dimer association of bovine and porcine insulin and bovine proinsulin at pH 2.0 and 7.0. At pH 2 delta G degree 25, delta S degree, and delta H degree for dimerization of bovine insulin were found to be -6.6 kcal/mol, -18 cal/mol-deg, and -12 kcal/mol, respectively. Porcine insulin behaved similarly to bovine insulin in its dimerization properties in that delta G degree 25, delta S degree, and delta H degree were found to be -6.8 kcal/mol, -14 cal/mol-deg, and -11 kcal/mol, respectively. At pH 7 delta G degree 25, delta S degree, and delta H degree for dimerization of bovine insulin were found to be -7.2 kcal/mol, -16 cal/mol/deg, and -12 kcal/mol, respectively. At pH 7.0 delta G degree 25, delta S degree, and delta H degree for dimerization of porcine insulin were -6.7 kcal/mol, -11.6 cal/mol-deg, and -10 kcal/mol, respectively. The similarity in the thermodynamic parameters of both insulin species at the different pH's suggests that there are minimal structural changes at the monomer-monomer contact site over this pH range. The dimerization of both insulin species is under enthalpic control. This may suggest that the formation of the insulin dimer is not driven by hydrophobic bonding but, rather, is driven by the formation between subunits of four hydrogen bonds in an apolar environment. At pH 2 delta G degree 25, delta S degree, and delta H degree for dimerization of bovine proinsulin were found to be -5.3 kcal/mol, -26 cal/mol-deg, and -13 kcal/mol, respectively. At pH 7 delta G degree 25, delta S degree, and delta H degree for dimerization of proinsulin were -5.9 kcal/mol, -4.2 cal/mol-deg, and -7.2 kcal/mol, respectively. Although the presence of the C-peptide on proinsulin does not drastically affect the overall free energy change of dimer formation (as compared to insulin), the other thermodynamic parameters are rather drastically altered. This may be because of electrostatic interactions of groups on the C-peptide with groups on the B-chain which are near the subunit contact site in the insulin dimer.     

NMR study of the alkaline isomerization of ferricytochrome c

The pH-induced isomerization of horse heart cytochrome c has been studied by 1H NMR. We find that the transition occurring in D2O with a pKa measured as 9.5 +/- 0.1 is from the native species to a mixture of two basic forms which have very similar NMR spectra. The heme methyl peaks of these two forms have been assigned by 2D exchange NMR. The forward rate constant (native to alkaline cytochrome c) has a value of 4.0 +/- 0.6 s-1 at 27 degrees C and is independent of pH; the reverse rate constant is pH-dependent. The activation parameters are delta H not equal to = 12.8 +/- 0.8 kcal.mol1, delta S not equal to = -12.9 +/- 2.0 e.u. for the forward reaction and delta H not equal to = 6.0 +/- 0.3 kcal.mol-1, delta S not equal to = -35.1 +/- 1.3 e.u. for the reverse reaction (pH* = 9.28). delta H degree and delta S degree for the isomerization are 6.7 +/- 0.6 kcal.mol-1 and 21.9 +/- 1.0 e.u., respectively.     

Thermodynamics of ribonuclease T1 denaturation.

Differential scanning calorimetry has been used to investigate the thermodynamics of denaturation of ribonuclease T1 as a function of pH over the pH range 2-10, and as a function of NaCl and MgCl2 concentration. At pH 7 in 30 mM PIPES buffer, the thermodynamic parameters are as follows: melting temperature, T1/2 = 48.9 +/- 0.1 degrees C; enthalpy change, delta H = 95.5 +/- 0.9 kcal mol-1; heat capacity change, delta Cp = 1.59 kcal mol-1 K-1; free energy change at 25 degrees C, delta G degrees (25 degrees C) = 5.6 kcal mol-1. Both T1/2 = 56.5 degrees C and delta H = 106.1 kcal mol-1 are maximal near pH 5. The conformational stability of ribonuclease T1 is increased by 3.0 kcal/mol in the presence of 0.6 M NaCl or 0.3 M MgCl2. This stabilization results mainly from the preferential binding of cations to the folded conformation of the protein. The estimates of the conformational stability of ribonuclease T1 from differential scanning calorimetry are shown to be in remarkably good agreement with estimates derived from an analysis of urea denaturation curves.     

Dynamics of the quaternary conformational change in trout hemoglobin

The kinetics of conformational changes in trout hemoglobin I have been characterized over the temperature range 2-65 degrees C from time-resolved absorption spectra measured following photodissociation of the carbon monoxide complex. Changes in the spectra of the deoxyheme photoproduct were used to monitor changes in the protein conformation. Although the deoxyheme spectral changes are only about 8% of the total spectral change due to ligand rebinding, a combination of high-precision measurements and singular value decomposition of the data permits a detailed analysis of both their amplitudes and relaxation rates. Systematic variation of the degree of photolysis was used to alter the distribution of liganded tetramers, permitting the assignment of the spectral relaxation at 20 microseconds to the R----T quaternary conformational change of the zero-liganded and singly liganded molecules and spectral relaxations at about 50 ns and 2 microseconds to tertiary conformational changes within the R structure. Analysis of the effect of photoselection by the linearly polarized excitation pulse indicates that a major contribution to the apparent geminate rebinding in the 50-ns relaxation arises from rotational diffusion of molecules containing unphotolyzed heme-CO complexes. The activation enthalpy and activation entropy for the R0----T0 transition are +7.4 kcal/mol and -12 cal mol-1 K-1. Using the equilibrium data, delta H = +29.4 kcal/mol and delta S = +84.4 cal mol-1 K-1 [Barisas, B. G., & Gill, S. J. (1979) Biophys. Chem. 9, 235-244], the activation parameters for the T0----R0 transition are calculated to be delta H = +37 kcal/mol and delta S = +73 cal mol-1 K-1. The similarity of the equilibrium and activation parameters for the T0----R0 transition indicates that the transition state is much more R-like than T-like. This result suggests that in the path from T0 to R0 the subunits have already almost completely rearranged into the R configuration when the transition state is reached, while in the path from R0 to T0 the subunits remain in a configuration close to R in the transition state. The finding of an R-like transition state explains why the binding of ligands causes much smaller changes in the R----T rates than in the T----R rates.     

Thermodynamics of the denaturation of pepsinogen by urea.

The denaturation of swine pepsinogen has been studied as a function of urea concentration, pH, and temperature. The unfolding of the protein by urea has been found to be fully reversible under different conditions of pH, temperature, and denaturant concentration. Kinetic experiments have shown that the transition shows two-state behavior at 25 degrees C in the pH range 6-8 covered in this study. Analysis of the equilibrium data obtained at 25 degrees C according to Tanford (Tanford, C. (1970), Adv. Protein Chem. 24, 1) and Pace (Pace, N.C. (1975), Crit. Rev. Biochem. 3, 1) leads to the conclusion that the free energy of stabilization of native pepsinogen, relative to the denatured state, under physiological conditions, is only 6-12 kcal mol-1. The temperature dependence of the equilibrium constant for the unfolding of pepsinogen by urea in the range 20-50 degrees C at pH 8.0 can be described by assigning the following values of thermodynamic parameters for the denaturation at 25 degrees C: deltaH=31.5 kcal mol-1; deltaS=105 cal deg-1 mol-1; and deltaCp=5215 cal deg-1 mol-1.     

Thermodynamic studies of the reversible association of Escherichia coli ribosomal subunits.

The kinetics of association of Escherichia coli 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits have been carried out as a function of temperature after a magnesium jump from 1.5 to 3 mM. Turbidimetric recordings combined with a stopped-flow apparatus were used to follow the kinetics. The data show that the rates of formation and dissociation of the 70S particles at 3 mM Mg2+ and +25 degrees C were, respectively: k2 = 10(5) M-1 s-1, k1 = 4,5 X 10(-3) s-1; lowering the temperature decreases the rate constants with activation energies equal to E2 = 7.5 kcal/mol, E1 = 26.5 kcal/mol and enhances the association equilibrium towards the 70S species with an enthalpy change (delta H degrees assoc = -19.9 kcal/mol) dominant over the entropy change (delta S degrees assoc = -33 cal/(deg mol)). These thermodynamic parameters were compared to those obtained from studies on the interactions of codon-anticodon in yeast phenylalanine transfer RNA as well as of ribooligonucleotides. The kinetic and thermodynamic data are shown to be consistent with 16S-23S RNA interaction.     

Kinetics of calcium uptake by isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles using flash photolysis of caged adenosine 5'-triphosphate

The kinetics of ATP-induced Ca2+ uptake by vesicular dispersions of sarcoplasmic reticulum were determined with a time resolution of about 10 ms, depending on the temperature. Ca2+ uptake was initiated by the addition of ATP through the flash photolysis of P3-1-(2-nitrophenyl)-ethyl adenosine 5'-triphosphate utilizing a frequency-doubled ruby laser and measured with two different detector systems that followed the absorbance changes of the metallochromic indicator arsenazo III sensitive to changes in the extravesicular [Ca2+]. The temperature range investigated was -2 to 26 degrees C. The Ca2+ ionophore A23187 was used to distinguish those features of the Ca2+ uptake kinetics associated with the formation of a transmembrane Ca2+ gradient. The acid-stable phosphorylated enzyme intermediate, E approximately P, was determined independently with a quenched-flow technique. Ca2+ uptake is characterized by at least two phases, a fast initial phase and a slow phase. The fast phase exhibits pseudo-first-order kinetics with a specific rate constant of 64 +/- 10 s-1 at 23-26 degrees C, an activation energy of 16 +/- 1 kcal mol-1, and a delta S* of approximately 5 cal deg-1 mol-1, is insensitive to the presence of a Ca2+ ionophore, and occurs simultaneously with the formation of the phosphorylated enzyme, E approximately P, with a stoichiometry of approximately 2 mol of Ca2+/mol of phosphorylated enzyme intermediate. The slow phase also exhibits pseudo-first-order kinetics with a specific rate constant of 0.60 +/- 0.09 s-1 at 25-26 degrees C, an activation energy of 22 +/- 1 kcal mol-1, and a delta S* of approximately 16 cal deg-1 mol-1, is inhibited by the presence of a Ca2+ ionophore, and has a stoichiometry of approximately 2 mol of Ca2+/mol of ATP hydrolyzed.     

Kinetics and thermodynamics of ouabain binding by intact turkey erythrocytes: effects of external sodium ion, potassium ion, and temperature

The kinetics of association and dissociation for the ouabain-Na+,K+- dependent ATPase complex have been studied in intact turkey erythrocytes as a function of external Na+ concentration, K+ concentration, and temperature. At free ligand concentrations substantially exceeding the concentration of available binding sites, the association reaction exhibits pseudo-first-order kinetics with an association rate constant (k1) that is conveniently determined over a wide range of temperatures (5-37 degrees C). The dissociation reaction exhibits strict first-order kinetics with a dissociation rate constant (k-1) that has the unusual property, in the turkey cell, of being sufficiently great to permit its direct determination even at temperatures as low as 5 degrees C. Values for the equilibrium binding constant for the ouabain-ATPase complex (KA) predicted from the ratio of the association and dissociation rate constants agree closely with independently measured values of KA determined directly under conditions of equilibrium binding. KA is a sensitive function of the composition of the external ionic environment, rising with increasing Na+ concentration and falling with increasing K+ concentration. These changes in KA are shown to be quantitatively attributable to changes in the rate constant k1, k-1 in contrast being unaffected at any given temperature by even very large changes in Na+ or K+ concentration. Arrhenius plots of k1 and k-1 both yield straight lines over the entire temperature range corresponding to activation energies for association and dissociation of 29.5 and 24.2 kcal/mol, respectively. These observations have made it possible to calculate the following standard values for the ouabain binding reaction in the presence of 150 mM Na+: delta G degree = -9.8 kcal/mol; delta H degree = +5.3 kcal/mol; delta S degree = +48.7 cal/degree/mol. The large positive value of delta S degree presumably reflects a highly ordered configuration of the ouabain-free ATPase molecule that is lost upon ouabain binding and that "drives" the reaction despite the positive value of delta H degree.     

Two-state equilibria of myosin subfragment 1 and its complexes with ADP and actin

We previously reported that the nucleotide complex of myosin subfragment 1, S1.epsilon ADP, exists in two states on the basis of the temperature dependence of the fluorescence decay of bound 1,N6-ethenoadenosine diphosphate (epsilon ADP) [Aguirre, R., Lin. S.-H., Gonsoulin, F., Wang, C.-K., & Cheung, H.C. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 799-809]. We have extended the previous study of the equilibrium between the two states, S1L.ADP in equilibrium S1H.ADP, by using a fluorescently labeled myosin S1 (S1-AF). In S1 alkylated with IAF [5-(iodoacetamido)fluorescein], the decay of the label emission was biexponential both in the presence and absence of ADP and/or actin. In the presence of ADP, the two decay times were 4.30 (alpha 1 = 0.55) and 0.80 ns (alpha 2 = 0.45) at 12.4 degrees C, in a medium containing 60 mM KCl, 30 mM TES (pH 7.5), and 2 mM MgCl2. The steady-state fluorescence intensities of S1-AF, (S1-AF).ADP, acto.(S1-AF), and acto.(S1-AF).ADP were dependent on temperature over the range of 5-30 degrees C. By combining lifetime and steady-state intensity data, we obtained for the two-state transition (S1-AF)L.ADP in equilibrium (S1-AF)H.ADP the following parameters: delta H degrees = 16.1 kcal/mol (67.3 kJ/mol) and delta S degrees = 55.8 cal/(deg.mol) [233.5 J/(deg.mol)], in agreement with previous results obtained with epsilon ADP. The delta H degrees values for the two-state transition of S1-AF, acto.(S1-AF), and acto.(S1-AF).ADP are 13.0, 21.6, and 5.2 kcal/mol, respectively. The corresponding delta S degrees values are 46.9, 79.5, and 17.4 cal/(deg.mol).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Thermodynamics of reversible monomer-dimer association of tubulin

The equilibrium between the rat brain tubulin alpha beta dimer and the dissociated alpha and beta monomers has been studied by analytical ultracentrifugation with use of a new method employing short solution columns, allowing rapid equilibration and hence short runs, minimizing tubulin decay. Simultaneous analysis of the equilibrium concentration distributions of three different initial concentrations of tubulin provides clear evidence of a single equilibrium characterized by an association constant, Ka, of 4.9 X 10(6) M-1 (Kd = 2 X 10(-7) M) at 5 degrees, corresponding to a standard free energy change on association delta G degrees = -8.5 kcal mol-1. Colchicine and GDP both stabilize the dimer against dissociation, increasing the Ka values (at 4.5 degrees C) to 20 X 10(6) and 16 X 10(6) M-1, respectively. Temperature dependence of association was examined with multiple three-concentration runs at temperatures from 2 to 30 degrees C. The van't Hoff plot was linear, yielding positive values for the enthalpy and entropy changes on association, delta S degrees = 38.1 +/- 2.4 cal deg-1 mol-1 and delta H degrees = 2.1 +/- 0.7 kcal mol-1, and a small or zero value for the heat capacity change on association, delta C p degrees. The entropically driven association of tubulin monomers is discussed in terms of the suggested importance of hydrophobic interactions to the stability of the monomer association and is compared to the thermodynamics of dimer polymerization.     

Kinetics of the oxidation of Rhus vernicifera stellacyanin by the Co(EDTA)-- ion.

A kinetic study of the oxidation of the copper(I) form of the blue copper protein stellacyanin (St(I) by Co(EDTA)-- has been performed. Observed rate constants approach a saturation limit with increasing [Co(EDTA)--] at pH 7, consistent with a mechanism involving rapid pre-equilibrium oxidant-protein complex formation followed by rate-limiting intramolecular Cu(I) to Co(III) electron transfer: Co(EDTA)-- + St(i Qp in equilibrium Co(EDTA)-- ---St(I) Co(EDTA)-- ---St(I) k2 leads to Co(EDTA)2-- ---St(II) (Qp = 149 M--1, k2 = 0.169 sec--1; 25.1 degrees, pH 7.0 mu 0.5 M (phosphate)). Activation parameters based on k2 (deltaH not equal to = 1.8 kcal/mol, deltaS not equal to = --56 cal/mol-deg) indicate that the electron transfer process is substantially nondiabatic, in marked contrast with results obtained for Co(phen) 3 3+ as the oxidant. Linear kobsd VS. [Co(EDTA)--] plots are reported for the Co(EDTA)-- oxidation of cuprous stellacyanin at pH 10 (k = 8.9 M--1 sec--1; 25.0, pH 10, mu 0.5 M (carbonate); DELTaH not equal to 11.3 kcal/mol, deltaS not equal to = -16 cal/mol-deg) and at pH 7 in the presence of excess EDTA (k = 21.2 M--1 sec--1; 25.1 degree, pH 7.0, mu 0.5 M (phosphate), [EDTA] tot = 5 X 10(--4) M; deltaH not equal to = 5.9 kcal/mol, delta S not equal to = --33 cal/mol-deg). It is concluded that Co(EDTA)-- adopts an electron transfer mechanism similar to that preferred by Co(phen)33+ under conditions where the oxidant is prevented from binding strongly to reduced stellacyanin.     

Calorimetry of apolipoprotein-A1 binding to phosphatidylcholine-triolein-cholesterol emulsions.

The thermotropic properties of triolein-rich, low-cholesterol dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) emulsion particles with well-defined chemical compositions (approximately 88% triolein, 1% cholesterol, 11% diacyl phosphatidylcholine) and particle size distributions (mean diameter, approximately 1000-1100 A) were studied in the absence and presence of apolipoprotein-A1 by a combination of differential scanning and titration calorimetry. The results are compared to egg yolk PC emulsions of similar composition and size. Isothermal titration calorimetry at 30 degrees C was used to saturate the emulsion surface with apo-A1 and rapidly quantitate the binding constants (affinity Ka = 11.1 +/- 3.5 x 10(6) M-1 and capacity N = 1.0 +/- 0.09 apo-A1 per 1000 DPPC) and heats of binding (enthalpy H = -940 +/- 35 kcal mol-1 apo-A1 or -0.92 +/- 0.12 kcal mol-1 DPPC). The entropy of association is -3070 cal deg-1 mol-1 protein or -3 cal deg-1 mol-1 DPPC. Without protein on the surface, the differential scanning calorimetry heating curve of the emulsion showed three endothermic transitions at 24.3 degrees C, 33.0 degrees C, and 40.0 degrees C with a combined enthalpy of 1.53 +/- 0.2 kcal mol-1 DPPC. With apo-A1 on the surface, the heating curve showed the three transitions more clearly, in particular, the second transition became more prominent by significant increases in both the calorimetric and Van't Hoff enthalpies. The combined enthalpy was 2.70 +/- 0.12 kcal mol-1 DPPC and remained constant upon repeated heating and cooling. Indicating that the newly formed DPPC emulsion-Apo-A1 complex is thermally reversible during calorimetry. Thus there is an increase in delta H of 1.17 kcal mol-1 DPPC after apo-A1 is bound, which is roughly balanced by the heat released during binding (-0.92 kcal) of apo-A1. The melting entropy increase, +3.8 cal deg-1 mol-1 DPPC of the three transitions after apo-A1 binds, also roughly balances the entropy (-3 cal deg-1 mol-1 DPPC) of association of apo-A1. These changes indicate that apo-A1 increases the amount of ordered gel-like phase on the surface of DPPC emulsions when added at 30 degrees C. From the stoichiometry of the emulsions we calculate that the mean area of DPPC at the triolein/DPPC interface is 54.5 A2 at 41 degrees C and 54.2 A2 at 30 degrees C. The binding of apo-A1 at 30 degrees C to the emulsion reduces the surface area per DPPC molecule from 54.2 A2 to 50.8 A2. At 30 degrees apo-A1 binds with high affinity and low capacity to the surface of DPPC emulsions and increases the packing density of the lipid domain to which it binds. Apo-A1 was also titrated onto DPPC emulsions at 45 degrees C. This temperature is above the gel liquid crystal transition. No heat was released or adsorbed. Furthermore, egg yolk phosphatidylcholine emulsions of nearly identical composition were also titrated at 30 degrees C with apo-A1 and were euthermic. Association constants were previously measured using a classical centrifugation assay and were used to calculate the entropy of apo-A1 binding (+28 cal deg-1 mol-1 apo-A1). This value indicates that apo-A1 binding to a fluid surface like egg yolk phosphatidylcholine or probably DPPC at 45 degrees C is hydrophobic and is consistent with hydrocarbon lipid or protein moities coming together and excluding water. Thus the binding of apo-A1 to partly crystalline surfaces is entropically negative and increases the order of the already partly ordered phases, whereas binding to liquid surfaces is mainly an entropically driven hydrophobic process.     

Energetics of thrombin-fibrinogen interaction.

The kinetic mechanism of thrombin-fibrinogen interaction has been elucidated by steady-state measurements of synthetic substrate hydrolysis by human alpha-thrombin in the presence of human fibrinogen used as a competitive inhibitor and sucrose used as a viscogenic agent. Sucrose greatly affects the FKm for thrombin-fibrinogen interaction, without altering the intrinsic properties of the system. Under conditions of pH 7.5 and 0.1 M NaCl, fibrinogen behaves like a sticky substrate for thrombin, with acylation being comparable to dissociation in the temperature range 20-37 degrees C. In the same temperature range, deacylation is much faster than acylation. The van't Hoff enthalpy of binding for thrombin-fibrinogen interaction is -24 +/- 3 kcal/mol and the entropy is -55 +/- 11 cal mol-1 deg-1. A chemical compensation effect is present in the binding of fibrinogen and synthetic amide substrates to thrombin, with the delta H and delta G values being linked through a linear relationship.     

Direct determination of the association constant between elongation factor Tu X GTP and aminoacyl-tRNA using fluorescence

We have investigated the formation of the aa-tRNA X EF-Tu X GTP ternary complex spectroscopically by monitoring a fluorescence change that accompanies the association of EF-Tu X GTP with Phe-tRNAPhe-F8, a functionally active analogue of Phe-tRNAPhe with a fluorescein moiety covalently attached to the s4U-8 base. With this approach, the protein-nucleic acid interaction could be examined by direct means and at equilibrium. The fluorescence emission intensity of each Phe-tRNAPhe-F8 increased by 36-55% upon association with EF-Tu X GTP, depending on the solvent conditions. Thus, when Phe-tRNAPhe-F8 was titrated with EF-Tu X GTP, the extent of ternary complex formation was determined from the increase in emission intensity. A nonlinear least-squares analysis of the titration data yielded a dissociation constant of 0.85 nM for the ternary complex in 50 mM N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (pH 7.6), 10 mM MgCl2, and 50 mM NH4Cl, at 6 degrees C. The delta H degrees of this interaction, determined by the temperature dependence of Kd, was -16 kcal/mol; the delta S degrees was therefore -16 cal mol-1 deg-1 at 6 degrees C in this buffer. In a more physiological polycation-containing solvent ("polymix"), the Kd was 4.7 nM. The ionic strength dependence of ternary complex formation showed that a minimum of two salt bridges and a substantial nonelectrostatic contribution are involved in the binding of aa-tRNA to EF-Tu. The affinities of unmodified aa-tRNAs for EF-Tu X GTP were determined by their abilities to compete with the fluorescent aa-tRNA for binding to the protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Kinetics and thermodynamics of diacetyl reduction with NADPH by alpha-dicarbonyl reductase from pigeon liver

alpha-dicarbonyl reductase from pigeon liver catalyzes diacetyl reduction with NADPH via an ordered Bi-Bi mechanism in which the coenzyme is the leading substrate, as deduced from the inhibition pattern by products and by acetone. The activation energy of the reaction has been calculated as 16.6 kcal/mol, delta H and delta F as 15.6 and 15.3 kcal/mol, respectively, and delta S as 1 cal/mol per k. Kinetic constants obtained for substrates (KmNADPH = 15 microM, KsNADPH = 10 microM; Kmdiacetyl = 0.5 mM, Ksdiacetyl = 0.35 mM) and products (KiNADP 50 microM; Kiacetoin = 100 mM) are about 10 times lower than those reported for this enzyme in the reduction of diacetyl with NADH. This confirms that NADPH is its physiological coenzyme.     

Kinetic properties of binding of myosin subfragment-1 with F-actin in the absence of nucleotide

The rate constant for the binding of myosin subfragment-1 (S-1) with F-actin in the absence of nucleotide, k1, and that for dissociation of the F-actin-myosin subfragment-1 complex (acto-S-1), k-1, were measured independently. The rate of S-1 binding with F-actin was measured from the time course of the change in the light scattering intensity after mixing S-1 with various concentrations of F-actin and k1 was found to be 2.55 X 10(6) M-1 X S-1 at 20 degrees C. The dissociation rate of acto-S-1 was determined using F-actin labeled with pyrenyl iodoacetamide (Pyr-FA). Pyr-FA, with its fluorescence decreased by binding with S-1, was mixed with acto-S-1 complex and the rate of displacement of F-actin by Pyr-FA was measured from the decrease in the Pyr-FA fluorescence intensity. The k-1 value was calculated to be 8.5 X 10(-3) S-1 (or 0.51 min-1). The value of the dissociation constant of S-1 from acto-S-1 complex, Kd, was calculated from Kd = k-1/k1 to be 3.3 X 10(-9) M at 20 degrees C. Kd was also measured at various temperatures (0-30 degrees C), and the thermodynamic parameters, delta G degree, delta H degree, and delta S degree, were estimated from the temperature dependence of Kd to be -11.3 kcal/mol, +2.5 kcal/mol, and +47 cal/deg . mol, respectively. Thus, the binding of the myosin head with F-actin was shown to be endothermic and entropy-driven.