1H NMR structural characterization of a recombinant kringle 2 domain from human tissue-type plasminogen activator

The kringle 2 domain of human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) has been characterized via 1H NMR spectroscopy at 300 and 620 MHz. The experiments were performed on the isolated domain obtained by expression of the 174-263 portion of t-PA in Escherichia coli [Cleary et al. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 1884-1891]. The spectrum of t-PA kringle 2 is characteristic of a globular structure and shows overall similarity to that of the plasminogen (PGN) kringle 4. Spectral comparison with human and bovine PGN kringle 4 identifies side-chain resonances from Leu46, which afford a fingerprint of kringle folding, and from most of the aromatic ring spin systems. Assignment of signals arising from the His13, His48a, and His64 side chains, which are unique to t-PA kringle 2, was assisted by the availability of a His64----Tyr mutant. Ligand-binding studies confirm that t-PA kringle 2 binds L-lysine with an association constant Ka approximately 11.9 mM-1. The data indicate that homologous or conserved residues relative to those that compose the lysine-binding sites of PGN kringles 1 and 4 are involved in the binding of L-lysine to t-PA kringle 2. These include Tyr36 and, within the kringle inner loop, Trp62, His64, Trp72, and Tyr74. Acid/base titration of aromatic singlets in the presence of L-lysine yields pKa* approximately 6.25 and approximately 4.41 for His13 and His64, respectively, and shows that the His48a imidazole group does not protonate down to pH* approximately 4.3. Thus, the His48a and His64 side chains are in solvent-shielded locations. As observed for the PGN kringles, the Trp62 indole group titrates with pKa* approximately 4.60, which indicates proximity of the side chain to a titratable carboxyl group, most likely that of Asp57 at the binding site. Several labile NH protons of t-PA kringle 2 exhibit retarded H-exchange kinetics, requiring more than a week in 2H2O for full deuteration in the presence of L-lysine at 37 degrees C. This reveals that kringle 2 is endowed with a compact, dynamically stable conformation. Proton Overhauser experiments in 1H2O, centered on well-resolved NH resonances between 9.8 and 12 ppm, identify signals arising from the His48a imidazole NH3 proton and the three Trp indole NH1 protons. A strong dipolar interaction was observed among the Trp25 indole NH1, the Tyr50 amide NH, and the His48a imidazole CH2 protons, which affords evidence for an aromatic cluster in t-PA kringle 2 similar to that found at the hydrophobic kernel of PGN kringles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Proton magnetic resonance study of kringle 1 from human plasminogen. Insights into the domain structure

The aromatic H NMR spectrum of the kringle 1 domain from human plasminogen has been investigated by proton Overhauser experiments, acid-base titration, and two-dimensional chemical shift correlated spectroscopy. Spin-echo and pH response experiments lead to the identification of the N-terminal Tyr-3 phenol ring signals. The connectivities among the tryptophanyl aromatic protons have been established and sets of singlet-doublet-triplet resonances stemming from each of the two indole groups sorted according to their common side chain origin. Similarly, the four histidyl singlets have been identified and paired per imidazole group. From their pH responses, it is indicated that a histidyl (His31) and a tryptophanyl (Trp-II) residue are placed in the neighborhood of carboxyl groups. The high-field chemical shifts observed for proton resonances of the ligand epsilon-aminocaproic acid upon binding to kringle 1 indicate that the ligand-binding site is rich in aromatic components. Overhauser experiments reveal that Leu46 is surrounded by a cluster of interacting aromatic side chains, which includes Trp25, Phe36, His41, Trp62, and Tyr64, and define a hydrophobic region contiguous to the kringle lysine-binding site. Relative internuclear distances have been estimated for aromatic H-atoms in the vicinity of Leu46 by reference to one of the latter's CH3 sigma, sigma' groups. Some of the connectives have previously been found for Leu46 in kringle 4 which further supports the idea of a common structure for the homologous domains.     

Proton magnetic resonance study of lysine-binding to the kringle 4 domain of human plasminogen. The structure of the binding site

The binding of L-Lys, D-Lys and epsilon-aminocaproic acid (epsilon ACA) to the kringle 4 domain of human plasminogen has been investigated via one and two-dimensional 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 300 and 600 MHz. Ligand-kringle association constants (Ka) were determined assuming single site binding. At 295 K, pH 7.2, D-Lys binds to kringle 4 much more weakly (Ka = 1.2 mM-1) than does L-Lys (Ka = 24.4 mM-1). L-Lys binding to kringle 4 causes the appearance of ring current-shifted high-field resonances within the -1 approximately less than delta approximately less than 0 parts per million range. The ligand origin of these signals has been confirmed by examining the spectra of kringle 4 titrated with deuterated L-Lys. A systematic analysis of ligand-induced shifts on the aromatic resonances of kringle 4 has been carried out on the basis of 300 MHz two-dimensional chemical shift correlated (COSY) and double quantum correlated spectroscopies. Significant differences in the effect of L-Lys and D-Lys binding to kringle 4 have been observed in the aromatic COSY spectrum. In particular, the His31 H4 and Trp72 H2 singlets and the Phe64 multiplets appear to be the most sensitive to the particular enantiomers, indicating that these residues are in proximity to the ligand C alpha center. In contrast, the rest of the indole spectrum of Trp72 and the aromatic resonances of Trp62 and Tyr74, which are affected by ligand presence, are insensitive to the optical nature of the ligand isomer. These results, together with two-dimensional proton Overhauser studies and ligand-kringle saturation transfer experiments reported previously, enabled us to generate a model of the kringle 4 ligand-binding site from the crystallographic co-ordinates of the prothrombin kringle 1. The latter, although lacking recognizable lysine-binding capability, is otherwise structurally homologous to the plasminogen kringles.     

Analysis and identification of aromatic signals in the proton magnetic resonance spectrum of the kringle 4 fragment from human plasminogen

The aromatic 1H NMR spectrum of the kringle 4 domain from human plasminogen has been reexamined in order to identify signals stemming from individual residues. Acid-base titration, nuclear Overhauser effect experiments, and two-dimensional correlated spectroscopies have been implemented in order to analyze the spectrum both in the presence and in the absence of ligands. All six histidyl imidazole singlets have been recognized and paired according to their common side-chain origin. A similar identification has been achieved for the three sets of tryptophanyl resonances, and for Trp-I, the correspondence between indole singlet and multiplets is unambiguously established. The single phenylalanyl side chain and all tyrosyl phenol spin systems have been identified. Titration experiments indicate that one or two of the tryptophans are in the vicinity of carboxyl groups. It is shown that the spectrum for one tyrosyl ring, Tyr-V, undetectable at approximately 300 MHz, becomes visible at 600 MHz, reflecting slow motion on the NMR time scale and a constrained location within the kringle. A simulation of the complete kringle 4 aromatic spectrum is included.     

A proton nuclear Overhauser effect investigation of the subunit interfaces in human normal adult hemoglobin

High-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and nuclear Overhauser effects for the low-field exchangeable proton resonances of human normal adult hemoglobin in aqueous solvents are being used to confirm and extend the assignments of these resonances to specific protons at the intersubunit interfaces of the molecule. Most of these exchangeable proton resonances of human normal adult hemoglobin have been found to be absent in the spectra of isolated alpha or beta subunits. This finding indicates that they are specific spectral markers for the quaternary structure of the hemoglobin tetramer. Based on the nuclear Overhauser effect results, we have assigned the exchangeable proton resonance at +7.4 ppm downfield from H2O to the hydrogen-bonded proton between alpha 103(G10)His and beta 108(G10)Asn at the alpha 1 beta 1 interface. The nuclear Overhauser effect results have also confirmed the assignments of the exchangeable proton resonances at +9.4 and +8.2 ppm downfield from H2O previously proposed by workers in this laboratory based on a comparison of human normal adult hemoglobin and appropriate mutant hemoglobins. This independent confirmation of previously proposed assignments is necessary in view of the possible long-range conformational effects of single amino-acid substitutions in mutant hemoglobin molecules.     

Analysis of the aliphatic 1H-NMR spectrum of plasminogen kringle 4. A comparative study of human, porcine, bovine and chicken homologs

The aliphatic 1H-NMR spectrum of the kringle 4 domain of human plasminogen has been studied via two-dimensional chemical shift correlated (COSY) and nuclear Overhauser correlated (NOESY) experiments at 300 MHz and 620 MHz. A number of aliphatic proton spin systems have been identified and several definite assignments have been made. This was mainly achieved by comparison of the human kringle 4 spectrum with spectra of the porcine, bovine and chicken homologs and also with that of the kringle 1 from human plasminogen on which we have reported previously. The three valyl and two leucyl residues of human kringle 4 have been assigned. The eleven threonyl spin systems have been identified via a RELAYED-COSY experiment and Thr17 has been assigned. The three alanyl spin systems have been identified and assigned. Six seryl spin systems have been identified and the signals from the seven glycyl residues of human kringle 4 have been located with Gly45 assigned. Furthermore, 24 AMX spin systems have been mapped in the COSY spectrum of human kringle 4 and H alpha-H beta,beta' spin systems of Tyr2, Tyr41, Tyr50, Tyr74, Trp25 and Trp62 have been assigned. From the spectrum of a deglycosylated chicken homolog, the epsilon-methyl singlets of Met28 and Met48 have been assigned. Finally, ligand effects on selected aliphatic resonances were observed which could be analyzed in terms of residues likely to neighbor the kringle lysine-binding site.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance study on the structure and interaction of cyclic AMP receptor protein and its mutants: a deuterium-labeling and photo-CIDNP study.

The identification and assignment of the proton magnetic resonances of some aliphatic and aromatic amino acid residues of cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP) are reported. The signals of the leucine and valine residues at around 0 ppm were identified on the basis of intermolecular nuclear Overhauser effects, deuterium labeling, and partial proteolytic digestion. On the addition of cAMP, methyl proton signals due to Val-49 and three leucine residues were detected as upfield-shifted signals at around -0.2 ppm. These signals can be used as indicators of the proper binding of cAMP because they are not observed on the addition of cGMP or 2'-deoxy-cAMP. They are also not observed on cAMP binding to mutant CRP*5 (Ser-62-Phe), which can only be activated by a high concentration of cAMP, but they are observed on cAMP binding to other mutant CRP*s (four species), which can be activated by lower concentrations of cAMP. The resonance of some aromatic protons, i.e., C-2H of two tryptophans, C-2H and C-4H of six histidines, and C-2,6H and C-3,5H of six tyrosine residues in CRP, were assigned by means of deuterium labeling and NOE measurements. The 1H NMR spectrum of labeled CRP [Trp(ring-d5), Phe(ring-d5), and Tyr(3,5-d2)] showed good resolution in the aromatic region. The addition of cAMP to this CRP in D2O caused pronounced line broadening of resonances arising from the residues in the cAMP-binding domain, but the resonances of the DNA-binding domain were not affected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The downfield resonances in the 1H NMR spectra of Azotobacter vinelandii and Pseudomonas putida seven-iron ferredoxins

Pseudomonas putida and Azotobacter vinelandii ferredoxins each contain one [4Fe-4S] cluster and one [3Fe-4S] cluster. Their polypeptide chains are nearly identical, differing by only 15 residues out of a total of 106. T1 measurements and temperature dependence studies of the 1H NMR spectrum of each ferredoxin demonstrate that all six resolved downfield resonances are near an iron-sulfur center. The five most downfield resonances are shown to arise from protons on cysteinyl beta-carbons by incorporation of cysteine deuterated at the beta-carbon into cell protein. The sixth peak (10.5 ppm) is shown to be a non-cysteinyl proton. This peak resolves into two resonances of approximately equal intensity at temperatures below 15 degrees or above 25 degrees C. A nuclear Overhauser effect observed between the two downfield-most resonances of A. vinelandii ferredoxin indicates that they originate from a geminal pair of beta-cysteinyl protons. An Overhauser effect observed between the resonances at 22.3 and 15.7 ppm, in conjunction with other results, implies that the resonance at 22.3 ppm arises from a beta-proton on the 3Fe-center-bound Cys16, while the resonance at 15.7 ppm arises from Cys45 beta-proton, which is bound to the 4Fe center. The five most downfield resonances are pH-dependent. The sixth peak (10.5 ppm in P. putida ferredoxin) is pH-independent. Possible origins for the observed pH dependencies are discussed.     

Kringle 4 from human plasminogen: a proton magnetic resonance study via two-dimensional photochemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization spectroscopy

Two-dimensional (2D) proton magnetic resonance techniques used in conjunction with laser photochemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (photo-CIDNP) spectroscopy have been applied to studying the kringle 4 domain from human plasminogen at 360 MHz. Out of 11 potential CIDNP-sensitive aromatic side chains, only 5 (His3, Tyr41, Tyr50, Trp72, and Tyr74) appear to be accessible to 3-(carboxymethyl)lumiflavin, the dye used to photogenerate spin polarization. Of these, Trp72 and Tyr74 are known to be at, or near, the lysine-binding site. The spin-spin scalar (J) and phase-sensitive dipolar (Overhauser) connectivities in the 2D experiments yield absolute assignments for the aromatic signals stemming from the exposed tyrosyl and tryptophanyl rings. Moreover, a number of side-chain H beta resonances can be identified and assigned to specific types of aromatic amino acid residues.     

Analysis of the aromatic 1H NMR spectrum of chicken plasminogen kringle 4

The intact kringle 4 domain of chicken plasminogen has been characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy at 300 and 620 MHz in both the presence and absence of epsilon-aminocaproic acid, an antifibrinolytic drug. The study focuses on the aromatic resonances. Comparisons with spectra from human, porcine and bovine kringle 4 homologs indicates a strict conservancy of conformation, reflecting the underlying primary sequence homology, and leads to an unambiguous assignment of all the aromatic resonances, including those of Phe15 and His40 which are unique to the chicken domain. Conclusive evidence is found that the Tyr9 ring fluctuates between two states, one in which it flips fast and other in which it is severely hindered. Similarly, the Tyr64 side chain finds itself in a structurally constrained locus. The Trp62, Tyr64, and Trp72 aromatic resonances are most sensitive to ligand presence, supporting a previously reported model of the kringle 4 lysine-binding site. His40, Phe41, and Tyr74 are also perturbed by ligand indicating proximity to the site. In contrast, the Phe15 aromatic spectrum indicates a rather mobile phenyl ring which is insensitive to ligand presence, thus confirming the lesser importance of the corresponding segment within the first kringle loop in determining kringle structure and/or function.     

Ligand interactions with the kringle 5 domain of plasminogen. A study by 1H NMR spectroscopy

The binding of small molecules to the kringle 5 domain fragment of human plasminogen has been investigated by 1H NMR spectroscopy at 300 MHz. The compounds tested as potential ligands include L-arginine, L-lysine, and a number of aliphatic and aromatic analogs of similar size but different ionic charge configurations. Ligand/kringle 5 association constant (Ka) values were obtained from ligand titration experiments at 22 degrees C, pH 7.2. Neither L-arginine nor N alpha-acetyl-L-arginine and N alpha-acetyl-L-arginine methyl ester bind measurably to kringle 5 (Ka approximately less than 0.05 mM-1). In contrast, binding of hexylamine or epsilon-aminocaproic acid (epsilon ACA) is favored (Ka approximately 2.9 and 10.5 mM-1, respectively). Benzamidine and p-benzylaminesulfonic acid associate with kringle 5 with similar affinities (Ka approximately 3.4 and 2.2 mM-1, respectively) while benzylamine binds about twice as tightly (Ka approximately 6.3 mM-1). The higher affinities toward both benzylamine and epsilon ACA indicate that a free carboxylate group is not, by itself, a main determinant of ligand-binding to kringle 5. The experiments also reveal a definite affinity for L-arginine methyl ester, L-lysine, and N alpha-acetyl-L-lysine methyl ester. It is suggested that, although weak (0.1 approximately less than Ka approximately less than 0.6 mM-1), these interactions could be of physiological relevance in the context of plasminogen binding to the fibrin clot. Ligand-induced shifts of kringle 5 proton resonances indicate that the Trp25, His33, Tyr50, Trp62, and Tyr72 (kringle numbering convention) side chains form or neighbor the kringle 5-binding site. Benzamidine-kringle 5 magnetization transfer (Overhauser) experiments verify a close proximity of the bound ligand to these aromatic groups. A model of the binding site is proposed in which the above residues interact closely with each other and define a lipophilic surface which is accessible to the free ligand.     

Isolation, purification and 1H-NMR characterization of a kringle 5 domain fragment from human plasminogen

A scheme is proposed for generating the intact Val-448-Phe-545 polypeptide of human plasminogen which contains the fifth kringle domain of the plasmin heavy chain. The procedure is based on a pepsin fragmentation of miniplasminogen and involves the purification of the kringle 5-containing fragment by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. The final product is characterized by amino acid analysis, N- and C-terminal analyses, and high-resolution 1H-NMR spectroscopy at both 300 MHz and 611 MHz. We detect a (40:60%) Asp/Asn heterogeneity at site 452 of the Glu-plasminogen molecule. In the conventional kringle numbering system, the kringle 5 domain extends from Cys-1 to Cys-80, which corresponds to Cys-461 to Cys-540 in plasminogen. A preliminary 1H-NMR characterization of kringle 5 focuses on the global conformational features of the polypeptide. Assignments are given for a number of resonances, including the Tyr-72, the His imidazoles' and the Trp indoles' spin systems. Comparison with human plasminogen kringles 1 and 4 shows that the kringle 5 conformation is highly structured and very similar to that of the homologous domains. This conservancy is particularly striking in the environment surrounding Leu-46 and in the overall features of the aromatic spectrum. There are some differences, particularly in the buried His-33 imidazole group, whose H2 resonance is shifted to 9.67 ppm. A preliminary study of benzamidine-binding shows that the ligand interacts weakly (Ka approximately equal to 1.7 mM -1) mainly through the amidino functional group. Trp-62 and Tyr-72 are significantly perturbed by benzamidine, suggesting that these residues are part of the ligand-binding site.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance study of exchangeable protons in ferrocytochrome c

Five well-resolved exchangeable proton resonances have been observed in horse ferrocytochrome c in the low-field region between ?10.0 and ?12.0 ppm. A resonance at ?11.6 ppm is assigned to an amino proton of His 26 on the basis of its magnetic field position, pH dependence and its correlation with histidine at this position in eight species. A resonance at ?10.9 ppm observed in horse and donkey ferrocytochrome c is assigned to a hydrogen-bonded ?-amino proton of Lys 60. This resonance shifts upfield with increasing salt and decreasing pH, with the shifts increasing as one goes from chloride to bromide to iodide. With less assurance, a resonance at ?10.6 ppm is assigned to the indole amino of Trp 59 and a resonance at ?10.3 ppm to the amino proton of the His 18. These resonances have been used to study the binding of small anions to ferrocytochrome c, the results of which show that inorganic phosphate, ADP and ATP all bind in the immediate vicinity of His 26, and that the inorganic phosphate has the greatest effect upon the imidazole amino exchange time.     

A 1H-NMR study of isolated domains from human plasminogen. Structural homology between kringles 1 and 4

Kringles 1 and 4 from human plasminogen are polypeptide domains of Mr approximately equal to 10000 each of which can be isolated by proteolysis of the zymogen. They have been studied by 1H-NMR spectroscopy at 300 MHz and 600 MHz. The spectra, characteristic of globular structures, show striking analogies that point to a close conformational relatedness among the two kringles, consistent with their high degree of amino acid conservancy and homology. The interaction of both kringles with p-benzylaminesulfonic acid (BASA), an antifibrinolytic drug that binds to a lysine-binding site, results in better resolved, narrower lines for both spectra. Aromatic and methyl-region spectra of BASA complexes of kringles 1 and 4 were compared and the latter was studied by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. Analysis of the CH3 multiplets in terms of their resonance patterns, and the amino acid compositions and sequences of the two kringles, leads to the identification of most signals and to some assignments. In particular, a doublet at -1 ppm, exhibited by both kringles and also found in reported proton spectra of homologous bovine prothrombin fragments, has been assigned to Leu46, a residue that is conserved in all of the kringles studied to date by 1H-NMR. Since this resonance is somewhat more sensitive to BASA than other methyl signals, it is likely that Leu46 is proximal to the lysine-binding site. Nuclear Overhauser experiments reveal that Leu46 is surrounded by a cluster of closely interacting hydrophobic and aromatic side chains. Kringle 4 was also compared with a derivative chemically modified at Trp72 with dimethyl(2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl)sulfonium bromide. As judged from the proton spectra, the modified kringle 4 retains globularity and is perturbed mainly in the aromatic region, in analogy to that which is observed for the unmodified kringle upon BASA binding. Furthermore, although previous studies have indicated no retention of the modified kringle by lysine-Sepharose, the NMR studies point to a definite interaction between BASA and the kringle derivative. The spectroscopic data also suggest that the His31 imidazole is not significantly affected by the ligand and that the lysine-binding site is structured mostly by hydrophobic side chains, including Trp72 in the case of kringle 4, and probably Tyr72 in kringle 1.     

Ligand-binding effects on the kringle 4 domain from human plasminogen: a study by laser photo-CIDNP 1H-NMR spectroscopy

Photo-chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (photo-CIDNP) one-dimensional and two-dimensional (2D) 1H-NMR techniques have been applied to the study of the kringle 4 domain of human plasminogen both ligand-free and complexed to the antifibrinolytic drugs epsilon-aminocaproic acid and p-benzylaminesulfonic acid (BASA). A number of aromatic side-chains (His3, Trp72, Tyr41, Tyr50 and Tyr74) appear to be exposed and accessible to 3-N-carboxymethyl-lumiflavin, the photopolarizing flavin dye, both in the presence and in the absence of ligands. A lesser exposure is observed for the Trp25 and Trp62 indole groups in the presence of BASA. The spin-spin (J-coupling) and dipolar (Overhauser) connectivities in the 2D experiments afford absolute assignment of aromatic resonances for the above residues, as well as of those stemming from the Trp72 ring in the presence of BASA. Moreover, a number of H beta resonances can be identified and sorted according to specific types of amino acid residues.     

NMR observation of exchangeable protons of pyridoxal phosphate and histidine residues in cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase.

Observation of the 93-kDa cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase by 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy in H2O has revealed a series of resonances in the 10-18 ppm range arising from exchangeable protons. One of these (peak A) has been assigned to the proton bound to the ring nitrogen of the coenzyme pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. A second (peak B) is assigned to H143 which participates in a chain of hydrogen bonds that includes also the coenzyme-bound proton. There is a mutual nuclear Overhauser effect between these two resonances. Peaks A and B respond to changes in pH and to interaction of the enzyme with coenzyme derivatives and inhibitors. Peak A moves from 15.4 to 17.4 ppm as the pH is lowered, while peak B moves in the opposite direction from 14.7 to 13.7 ppm, both with an apparent pKa of 6.15. This pKa is associated with deprotonation of the imine nitrogen at the Schiff base linkage of the coenzyme with K258 of the enzyme. In spectra of enzyme containing pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate, peak A is observed at 16.5 ppm and peak B is at 13.9 ppm over a broad pH range. Peaks A and B are found at 17.8 and 14.0 ppm, respectively, for the enzyme complex with glutarate. When alpha-methylaspartate is added to the enzyme several new resonances appear in the spectrum, which are attributed to formation of the external aldimine. The position of peak A in spectra of various forms of the enzyme is interpreted to reflect the electronic distribution in the coenzyme ring. Several other peaks in this region of the spectrum also are sensitive to changes in pH or the addition of inhibitors. Some possible assignments of these resonances are discussed.     

1H-NMR spectroscopic manifestations of ligand binding to the kringle 4 domain of human plasminogen

Structural aspects of the binding of the linear ligands N alpha-acetyl-L-lysine (AcLys) and epsilon-aminocaproic acid (epsilon ACA) and of the cyclic analogs trans-(aminomethyl)-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (AMCHA) and p-benzylaminesulfonic acid (BASA) to the intact plasminogen kringle 4 domain have been investigated by 1H-NMR spectroscopy at 300 and 600 MHz. Ligand binding results in consistent shifts of the His-II (His31), Trp-I (Trp25?), Trp-II (Trp62?), Trp-III (Trp72), Tyr-II (Tyr50), and Phe64 ring signals. BASA tends to induce larger shifts than elicited by the aliphatic ligands, most noticeably on Trp-II and on Trp72, suggesting that the ligand aromatic ring interacts with the two indole groups. Trp-II and, to lesser extent, Trp-I interact with an acidic side chain group, in a manner that is blocked by BASA. BASA binding also perturbs Tyr-II (Tyr50), Tyr-III (Tyr41), and Tyr-IV (Tyr74) over a wide pH range and lowers the pKa* of His31 from approximately 4.8 to approximately 4.6. His-III (His33) responds to BASA and AMCHA but is relatively insensitive to the linear ligands. His33 carries a sterically shielded side chain which, in conjunction with Leu46, Trp-I, Tyr50, and Tyr74, participates in structuring the kringle hydrophobic core, contiguous to the binding site. Pronounced shifts are observed for aliphatic resonances stemming from the kringle-bound molecules of AMCHA, AcLys, and epsilon ACA. It is proposed that the lysine-binding site is mostly supported by the loop that extends from Cys51 through Cys71 and that aromatic residues, which include Trp-II, Trp72, and Phe64, play a major role in interacting with the nonpolar segment of the ligand molecule. The binding site also encompasses Tyr50, Tyr74, His31, and His33 although it is not clear the extent to which these residues interact directly with the ligand.     

High-pressure nuclear magnetic resonance studies of hemoproteins. Pressure-induced structural changes in the heme environments of ferric low-spin metmyoglobin complexes

In order to gain an insight into nonbonded interactions in the heme microenvironments of hemoproteins, proton NMR spectra of the cyanide and methylamine complexes of metmyoglobin and its derivatives reconstituted with deutero- and meso-hemins in H2O were studied under high pressures. The exchangeable NH proton of distal histidyl imidazole exhibits substantial pressure-induced shift while the proximal histidyl NH proton shows no pressure effect for the cyanide complexes. The heme peripheral proton signals, especially 5- and 8-methyl and vinyl C alpha H resonances, were also affected by pressure. These observations are interpreted as arising from pressure-induced structural changes in the heme crevice in which the pressure effects are localized to the distal side rather than the proximal side and from possible changes in the van der Waals contacts at the heme periphery with nearby amino acid residues.     

The aromatic 1H-NMR spectrum of plasminogen kringle 4. A comparative study of human, porcine and bovine homologs

The isolated kringle 4 domain of human plasminogen has been compared with homologous structures from bovine and porcine sources, both free and in the presence of the ligand 6-aminohexanoic acid, by two-dimensional 1H-NMR spectroscopies at 300 MHz and 600 MHz. The chemical-shift-correlated, spin-echo-correlated, and double-quantum-correlated aromatic spectra of the three proteins reveal that the globular conformation of the fourth kringle is closely maintained throughout the set of homologs. Direct comparison shows that the three conserved Trp residues (at sites 25, 62 and 72) which exhibit highly non-degenerate subspectra, find themselves in similar intramolecular environments. In particular, proton Overhauser experiments reveal that the close steric interaction between the Trp-II (Trp62 or Trp25) indole group and the aromatic ring at site 74 (Tyr74 or Phe74) is strictly preserved. This feature forces the kringle inner loop, closed by the Cys51-Cys75 link, to fold back onto itself so as to place the site 74 residue proximal to the Cys22-Cys63 bridge. Single-residue substitutions enable unambiguous assignments of His-I to His3, Tyr-III to Tyr41 and Tyr-IV to Tyr74. From this direct evidence, comparison with the kringle 1 spectrum, and the previously reported chemical modification of Tyr-II (Tyr50) [Trexler M., Bányai L., Patthy L., Pluck N. D. & Williams R. J. P. (1985) Eur. J. Biochem. 152, 439-446], Tyr-I and Tyr-V (the latter, an immobile ring on the 600-MHz time scale) could be assigned to Tyr2 and Tyr9, respectively. Since Trp-III has previously been assigned to Trp72 at the lysine-binding site, the present study completes the assignment of 10 out of 12 aromatic spin systems in the kringle 4 1H-NMR spectrum; the only ambiguity which remains concerns the Trp-I and Trp-II indole spin systems, which are totally identified but as yet only tentatively assigned to Trp25 and Trp62, respectively.     

Ligand specificity of human plasminogen kringle 4.

The ligand specificity of the human plasminogen kringle 4 was characterized in terms of ligand size, aromatic/aliphatic character, and ionic charge distribution. The binding of the following ligands was investigated via 1H NMR spectroscopy, and their equilibrium association constants (Ka) were determined: (1) p-aminomethylbenzoic acid (Ka approximately 4.8 mM-1), (2) benzylamine (Ka approximately 0.2 mM-1), (3) l-aminohexane (Ka approximately 0.07 mM-1), (4) 7-aminoheptanoic acid (Ka approximately 6.6 mM-1), (5) 5-aminopentanoic acid (Ka approximately 16 mM-1), (6) N alpha-acetyl-L-arginine (Ka approximately 0.3 mM-1), and (7) N alpha-acetyl-L-arginine methyl ester (Ka approximately 0.08 mM-1). Benzamidine and L-arginine do not bind measurably to kringle 4. We have also established that 1-hexanoic acid and 4-methylbenzoic acid do not interact significantly with kringle 4 (Ka less than 0.05 mM-1). The Trp62 resonances were found to be quite sensitive to aromatic ligands as well as to aliphatic ligand length. Phe64 is similarly sensitive to the ligand aromatic/aliphatic character and chain length and to the identity of the ligand anionic group. His31 and His33 do not respond significantly to variations in ligand structure, although they are perturbed by aromatic and aliphatic effectors. The perturbations induced by the arginine derivatives on these residues show that these compounds interact with the lysine-binding site (LBS) of kringle 4. The LBS was further characterized using 2D NMR studies of a kringle 4/trans-(aminomethyl)cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (AMCHA) complex. A complete assignment of the AMCHA spectrum in the bound state was achieved. This enabled the unambiguous identification of intermolecular contact points between the central AMCHA protons and Trp62 and Trp72. A model based on the X-ray crystallographic structure of kringle 4, incorporating these constraints, has been derived.