Cobra venom contains a protein belongs to the CRISP family]

Amino acid sequences of several fragments of the 25 k protein (molecular mass 24,953 Da) previously isolated from cobra Naja kaouthia (Kukhtina et al. Bioorg. Khim., 2000, vol. 26, pp. 803-807) were determined. Their comparison with the primary structures of known proteins showed that the 25 k protein belongs to the CRISP family and is the first protein of this type identified in cobra venoms.     

Photoaffinity labeling of Escherichia coli ribosomes by an aryl azide analogue of puromycin. Evidence for the functional site specificity of labeling

The photoincorporation of p-azido[3H]puromycin [6-(dimethylamino)-9-[3'-deoxy-3'-[(p-azido-L-phenylalanyl)amino]-beta-D-ribofuranosyl]purine] into specific ribosomal proteins and ribosomal RNA [Nicholson, A. W., Hall, C. C., Strycharz, W. A., & Cooperman, B. S. (1982) Biochemistry (preceding paper in this issue)] is decreased in the presence of puromycin, thus demonstrating that labeling is site specific. The magnitudes of the decreases in incorporation into the major labeled 50S proteins found on addition of different potential ribosome ligands parallel the abilities of these same ligands to inhibit peptidyltransferase. This result provides evidence that p-azidopuromycin photoincorporation into these proteins occurs at the peptidyltransferase center of the 50S subunit, a conclusion supported by other studies of ribosome structure and function. A striking new finding of this work is that puromycin aminonucleoside is a competitive inhibitor of puromycin in peptidyltransferase. The photoincorporation of p-azidopuromycin is accompanied by loss of ribosomal function, but photoincorporated p-azidopuromycin is not a competent peptidyl acceptor. The significance of these results is discussed. Photolabeling of 30S proteins by p-azidopuromycin apparently takes place from sites of lower puromycin affinity than that of the 50S site. The possible relationship of the major proteins labeled, S18, S7, and S14, to tRNA binding is considered.     

Isolation and sequence determination of an active site peptide of rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase

Rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase was inactivated by 2', 3'-dialdehyde ADP with the incorporation of one molecule of reagent per enzyme subunit. The inactivated protein was digested with trypsin after reduction and carboxymethylation. The labeled peptide was isolated by gel filtration and further purified by HPLC. The peptide was sequenced both by liquid-phase and gas-phase automatic Edman degradation. A 34-residue peptide was obtained. This peptide is identical to a tryptic peptide labeled with trinitrobenzenesulfonate, isolated and sequenced by Johnson et al. (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. (1979) 90, 525-530) from bovine muscle pyruvate kinase. Available evidence suggests that dialdehyde ADP labels the enzyme at the same lysine in position 25 of the peptide, as found by Johnson et al. The high homology between the isolated peptide and regions of other pyruvate kinases from low to high eukaryotes supports the idea that this peptide is related to the enzyme active site.     

Primary structure of the nucleotide binding domain of the Ca,Mg-ATPase from cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum

The nucleotide binding domain of the active site of the Ca,Mg-ATPase of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) has been isolated using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) as an active site label and sequenced. After removal of non-specifically incorporated FITC with hydroxylamine, the amount of label incorporated was stoichiometric with residual ATPase activity, demonstrating that the label was incorporated uniquely at the active site. The SR was succinylated before digestion by trypsin in order to obtain a peptide of sufficient length to determine if the cardiac SR ATPase is a candidate for the unidentified cDNA clone recently sequenced by MacLennan et al. (Nature 316: 696-700, 1985). The sequence of the labeled SR peptide, obtained by affinity chromatography on a FITC antibody column, was T S M S K M F K G P E V I D R. This sequence was identical with that predicted by the unidentified clone and is significantly different from the sequence reported by Kirley et al. (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 130: 732-738, 1985) for a FITC labeled peptide isolated from cardiac SR.     

Somatic antigens of pseudomonads: structure of the O-specific polysaccharide of Pseudomonas fluorescens IMV 2366 (biovar C)

The O-specific polysaccharide of P. fluorescens IMV 2366 was studied by sugar and methylation analyses along with 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, including 2D gsCOSY, TOCSY, gsNOESY, H-detected 1H,(13)C gsHSQC, HMQC-TOCSY, and gsHMBC experiments. The polysaccharide contains L-rhamnose, 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-D-galactose (D-FucNAc) and 3-acylamido-3,6-dideoxy-D-glucose (D-Qui3NAcyl, where Acyl is 3-hydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-5-oxoprolyl). The structure 1 of the polysaccharide was found to be similar to the structure 2 of a 6-deoxy-L-talose (L-6dTal)-containing O-specific polysaccharide of a non-classified P. fluorescens strain, 361, studied earlier [Khomenko, V. A.; Naberezhnykh, G. A.; Isakov, V. V.; Solov'eva, T. F.; Ovodov, Y. S.; Knirel, Y. A.; Vinogradov, E. V. Bioorg. Khim. 1986, 12, 1641-1648; Naberezhnykh, G. A.; Khomenko, V. A.; Isakov, V. V., El'kin, Y. N.; Solov'eva, T. F.; Ovodov, Y. S. Bioorg. Khim. 1987, 13, 1428-1429]. --> 2)-beta-D-Quip3NAcyl-(1 --> 3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 --> 3)-alpha-D-FucpNAc-(1 --> 1. --> 4)-beta-D-Quip3NAcyl-(1 --> 3)-alpha-L-6dTalp4Ac-(1 --> 3)-alpha-D-FucpNAc-(1 -->2.     

Photoaffinity labelling with an ATP analog of the N-terminal peptide of myosin.

Photoaffinity labelling of tryptic and chymotryptic heavy meromyosin with 3′O-3-[N-(4-azido-2-nitrophenyl) amino]propionyl-adenosine 5′-triphosphate (arylazido-β-alanine ATP) resulted in incorporation of radioactivity and inhibition of the ATPase activity. ATP prevented the reaction with the photoaffinity label, as shown by the lack of incorporation of ³H and intact ATPase activity. On the tryptic digestion of either type of photoaffinity labeled HMM the label was found in a 25K peptide identifiable with the N-terminus of the myosin heavy chain (Lu et al., Fed. Proc. $\text{37}$ 1695 1978). The results are discussed in the light of previous localization of the reactive thiol groups, SH-1 and SH-2 (Balint et al., Arch. Biochem. Biophys. $\text{190}$, 793 1978).     

Identification of the arylazido-beta-alanyl-NAD+-modified site in rabbit muscle glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase by microsequencing and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

We have identified the site labeled by arylazido-beta-alanyl-NAD+ (A3'-O-(3-[N-(4-azido-2-nitrophenyl)amino]propionyl)NAD+) in rabbit muscle glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase by microsequencing and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. This NAD+ photoaffinity analogue has been previously demonstrated to modify glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in a very specific manner and probably at the active site of the enzyme [Chen, S., Davis, H., Vierra, J. R., & Guillory, R. J. (1984) Biochem. Biophys. Stud. Proteins Nucleic Acids, Proc. Int. Symp., 3rd, 407-425]. The label is associated exclusively with a tryptic peptide that has the sequence Ile-Val-Ser-Asn-Ala-Ser-Cys-Thr-Thr-Asn. In comparison to the amino acid sequence of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from other species, this peptide is in a highly conserved region and is part of the active site of the enzyme. The cysteine residue at position seven was predominantly labeled and suggested to be the site modified by arylazido-beta-alanyl-NAD+. This cysteine residue corresponds to the Cys-149 in the pig muscle enzyme, which has been shown to be an essential residue for the enzyme activity. The present investigation clearly demonstrates that arylazido-beta-alanyl-NAD+ is a useful photoaffinity probe to characterize the active sites of NAD(H)-dependent enzymes.     

A functionally important Tyr-89 residue in Saccharomyces cerevisiae pyrophosphatase. II. A possible role in the mechanism of enzyme action]

Earlier it has been demonstrated that inactivation of inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPase) of S. cerevisiae by 7-chloro-4-nitronbenzofurasane is due to modification of Tyr89. The effect of pH and active center ligands on this reaction has been studied. It was found that pK for Tyr89 does not exceed 8.5; the phosphate-metal complex binding to the high affinity center protects Tyr89 from inactivation. Activating ions (Mg2+ and Zn2+) do not influence the inactivation, whereas the PPase inhibitor, Ca2+, enhances this process after saturation of the high affinity binding site. Saturation of two binding sites with Ca2+ has a protective effect on the enzyme. An increase in the rate of Tyr89 binding to the inhibitor in the presence of low concentrations of Ca2+ is due to the decrease of Tyr89 pK. The data obtained suggest that Tyr89 is located near the high affinity binding site for phosphate. The high reactivity of Tyr89 and its tight binding in the active center point to the presence of a hydrogen bondage with the substrate and suggest a role of a proton donor whose acceptor is the product of the enzymatic reaction, i.e., phosphate.     

Active site labeling of dopamine beta-hydroxylase by two mechanism-based inhibitors: 6-hydroxybenzofuran and phenylhydrazine

6-Hydroxybenzofuran and phenylhydrazine are mechanism-based inhibitors of dopamine beta-hydroxylase (D beta H; EC 1.14.17.1). We report here the isolation and characterization of radiolabeled peptides obtained after inactivation of D beta H with [3H]6-hydroxybenzofuran and [14C]phenylhydrazine followed by digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease. Inactivation of D beta H with [3H]6-hydroxybenzofuran gave only one labeled peptide, whereas inactivation with [14C]phenylhydrazine gave several labeled peptides. Each inhibitor labeled a unique tyrosine in the enzyme corresponding to Tyr477 in the primary sequence of the bovine enzyme (Robertson, J. G., Desai, P. R., Kumar, A., Farrington, G. K., Fitzpatrick, P. F., and Villafranca, J. J. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 1029-1035). In addition, [14C]phenylhydrazine also labeled a unique histidine (His249) as well as several other peptides. Examination of the complete peptide profile obtained by high pressure liquid chromatography analysis also revealed the presence of a modified but nonradioactive peptide. This peptide was isolated and sequenced and was identical whether the enzyme was inactivated by 6-hydroxybenzofuran or phenylhydrazine. An arginine at position 503 was missing from the sequence cycle performed by Edman degradation of the modified peptide, but arginine was present in the identical peptide isolated from native dopamine beta-hydroxylase. These data are analyzed based on an inactivation mechanism involving formation of enzyme bound radicals (Fitzpatrick, P. F., and Villafranca, J. J. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 4510-4518) interacting with active site amino acids that may have a role in substrate binding and binding of the copper ions at the active site.     

4-Fluoro-3-nitrophenyl azide binding sites on purified beef liver monoamine oxidase B

Previous work from this laboratory has shown that 4-fluoro-3-nitrophenyl azide (FNPA) is an effective photoaffinity labeling probe for MAO-B (Chen et al., Biochem. Pharmac.34, 781–785, 1985). The FNPA binding sites have been further studied by using [³H]FNPA. When [³H]FNPA was photolyzed with purified beef liver MAO, then subjected to tryptic and chymotryptic digestion, three radioactive peaks were observed after Sephadex G-25 column chromatography procedure. The extent of [³H]FNPA incorporation varied directly with [³H]FNPA concentration. They could be protected by the presence of the substrate (phenylethylamine) or inhibitors (pargyline and trans-phenylcyclopropylamine) of MAO-B during photolysis. These protections were concentration dependent. Furthermore, the decrease in [³H]FNPA labeling in the presence of inhibitors paralleled the decrease in MAO catalytic activity. These results suggest that the FNPA binding sites were related to the active site of MAO-B. Under the same conditions, the separation profiles of [³H]FNPA labeled and [³H]pargyline labeled tryptic-chymotryptic peptides after Sephadex G-25 column chromatography are distinctly different. This result suggests that FNPA labeling sites may be different from the pargyline binding site. Since pargyline binds to the prosthetic group(-FAD) of MAO, [³H]FNPA may label different domains of the active site. This probe may be useful for the characterization of the active site of MAO-B.     

Detection and characterization of two ATP-dependent conformational changes in proteolytically inactive Escherichia coli Lon mutants by stopped flow kinetic techniques

Lon is an ATP dependent serine protease responsible for degrading denatured, oxidatively damaged and certain regulatory proteins in the cell. In this study we exploited the fluorescence properties of a dansylated peptide substrate (S4) and the intrinsic Trp residues in Lon to monitor peptide interacting with the enzyme. We generated two proteolytically inactive Lon mutants, S679A and S679W, where the active site serine is mutated to an Ala and Trp residue, respectively. Stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy was used to identify key enzyme intermediates generated along the reaction pathway prior to peptide hydrolysis. A two-step peptide binding event is detected in both mutants, where a conformational change occurs after a rapid equilibrium peptide binding step. The Kd for the initial peptide binding step determined by kinetic and equilibrium binding techniques is approximately 164 micromolar and 38 micromolar, respectively. The rate constants for the conformational change detected in the S679A and S679W Lon mutants are 0.74 +/- 0.10 s(-1) and 0.57 +/- 0.10 s(-1), respectively. These values are comparable to the lag rate constant determined for peptide hydrolysis (klag approximately 1 s(-1)) [Vineyard, D., et al. (2005) Biochemistry 45, 4602-4610]. Replacement of the active site Ser with Trp (S679W) allows for the detection of an ATP-dependent conformational change within the proteolytic site. The rate constant for this conformational change is 7.6 +/- 1.0 s(-1), and is essentially identical to the burst rate constant determined for ATP hydrolysis under comparable reaction conditions. Collectively, these kinetic data support a mechanism by which the binding of ATP to an allosteric site on Lon activates the proteolytic site. In this model, the energy derived from the binding of ATP minimally supports peptide cleavage by allowing peptide substrate access to the proteolytic site. However, the kinetics of peptide cleavage are enhanced by the hydrolysis of ATP.     

Studies on the role of sulfhydryls in the myosin ATPase. Characterization of the site of modification by the bifunctional sulfhydryl reagent p-N,N'-phenylenedimaleimide

Myosin has been modified with near stoichiometric amounts of the bifunctional reagent [14C]p-N,N'-phenylenedimaleimide (pPDM) in the presence of MgADP under conditions which abolish its ATPase activity. Subsequent carboxymethylation and CNBr cleavage results in the 14C label being associated with a single polypeptide of Mr approximately 10,000. Amino acid composition and partial sequence analysis of this peptide showed that it corresponded to the peptide containing -SH1 and -SH2 sequenced by Elzinga and Collins (Elzinga, M., and Collins, J.H. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 4281-4284) and to the peptide labeled at -SH1 or -SH2 by N-ethylmaleimide by Kunz et al. (Kunz, P.A., Walser, J.T., Watterson, J.G., and Schaub, M.C. (1977) FEBS Lett. 83, 137-140). These data indicating that pPDM does label the -SH1- and -SH2-containing region in myosin by covalently bridging them and shows that in the presence of MgADP these thiols can approach to within 12 to 14 A.     

Human topoisomerase I inhibition: docking camptothecin and derivatives into a structure-based active site model

Human topoisomerase I (top1) is an important target for anti-cancer drugs, which include camptothecin (CPT) and its derivatives. To elucidate top1 inhibition in vitro, we made a series of duplex DNA substrates containing a deoxyadenosine stereospecifically modified by a covalent adduct of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) diol epoxide [Pommier, Y., et al. (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 97, 10739-10744]. The known orientation of the hydrocarbon adduct in the DNA duplex relative to the top1 cleavage site, in combination with a top1/DNA crystal structure [Redinbo, M. R., et al. (1998) Science 279, 1504-1513], was used to construct a structure-based model to explain the in vitro top1 inhibition results obtained with adducted DNA duplexes. Here we experimentally determined that the lactone form of CPT was stabilized by an irreversible top1/DNA covalent complex. We removed the BaP moiety from the DNA in the published model, and docked the lactone forms of CPT and derivatives into the top1/DNA active site cavity. The docked ligands were minimized, and interaction energy scores between the ligands and the top1/DNA complex were determined. CPT docks perpendicular to the DNA backbone, projects outward from the major groove, and makes a network of potential H-bonds with the active site DNA and top1 residues, including Arg364, Lys532, and Asn722. The results are consistent with the known structure-activity relationships of CPT and derivatives. In addition, the model proposed a novel top1/N352A "resistance" mutation for 10-OH derivatives of CPT. The in vitro biochemical characterization of the top1/N352A mutant supported the model.     

ESR spectra reflect local and global mobility in a short spin-labeled peptide throughout the alpha-helix----coil transition.

A series of short alanine-based synthetic peptides (16 or 17 residues) have previously been shown to exhibit an anomalously high degree of alpha-helicity [Marqusee, S., et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86, 5286-5290; Marqusee, S., & Baldwin, R.L. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 8898-8902]. These peptides are ideal models for extracting position-dependent structural and dynamic information. Using the methanethiosulfonate nitroxide spin label (MTSSL), we labeled an analogue of the salt-bridge-stabilized "i+4" peptide, called the "i+4c", which has a specific attachment site created by replacing the central alanine with a cysteine. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra demonstrate that the i+4c-MTSSL peptide retains nearly the same helicity as the original i+4 peptide. The ESR spectra of the labeled peptide indicate no significant aggregation. ESR spectra were acquired throughout the helix-coil transition by temperature variation. From the motionally narrowed spectra, we extracted the rotational correlation times of the nitroxide label. Parallel measurements with circular dichroism enabled us to relate these parameters directly to the fractional helicity. For comparison, we followed a similar procedure with MTSSL-labeled glutathione (GS-MTSSL), a tripeptide that does not form an alpha-helix. Our results are interpreted in terms of a local tumbling volume, V(L), which reflects the portion of the peptide that reorients with the nitroxide label. At high fractional helicity, V(L) is similar to the volume expected for a 17-residue helix.     

Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the structural gene encoding for human tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase.

A structural gene encoding bovine (b) tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (WRS) has recently been cloned and sequenced [Garret et al., Biochemistry 30 (1991) 7809-7817]. Using part of this sequence as a hybridisation probe we have cloned and sequenced a structural gene encoding human polypeptide highly homologous with two mammalian proteins, bWRS [Garret et al., Biochemistry 30 (1991) 7809-7817; EMBL accession No. X52113] and rabbit peptide chain release factor [Lee et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87 (1990) 3508-3512]. Identification of the sequence encoding a human WRS is based on (i) the presence of 'HIGH' and 'KMSKS' structural motifs typical for class-I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases [Eriani et al., Nature 347 (1990) 203-206]; (ii) coincidence of the number of SH groups per subunit estimated experimentally [Muench et al., Science 187 (1975) 1089-1091] and deduced from the cDNA sequence (six in both cases); (iii) close resemblance of two WRS polypeptides sequenced earlier [Muench et al., Science 187 (1975) 1089-1091] and the predicted structure in two different regions.     

Inhibition of dog and human gastric lipases by enantiomeric phosphonate inhibitors: a structure-activity study

The crystal structures of gastric lipases in the apo form [Roussel, A., et al. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 16995-17002] or in complex with the (R(P))-undecyl butyl phosphonate [C(11)Y(4)(+)] [Roussel, A., et al. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 2266-2274] have improved our understanding of the structure-activity relationships of acid lipases. In this report, we have performed a kinetic study with dog and human gastric lipases (DGL and HGL, respectively) using several phosphonate inhibitors by varying the absolute configuration of the phosphorus atom and the chain length of the alkyl/alkoxy substituents. Using the two previously determined structures and that of a new crystal structure obtained with the other (S(P))-phosphonate enantiomer [C(11)Y(4)(-)], we constructed models of phosphonate inhibitors fitting into the active site crevices of DGL and HGL. All inhibitors with a chain length of fewer than 12 carbon atoms were found to be completely buried in the catalytic crevice, whereas longer alkyl/alkoxy chains were found to point out of the cavity. The main stereospecific determinant explaining the stronger inhibition of the S(P) enantiomers is the presence of a hydrogen bond involving the catalytic histidine as found in the DGL-C(11)Y(4)(-) complex. On the basis of these results, we have built a model of the first tetrahedral intermediate corresponding to the tristearoyl-lipase complex. The triglyceride molecule completely fills the active site crevice of DGL, in contrast with what is observed with other lipases such as pancreatic lipases which have a shallower and narrower active site. For substrate hydrolysis, the supply of water molecules to the active site might be achieved through a lateral channel identified in the protein core.     

Pyrazolopyridines as potent PDE4B inhibitors: 5-Heterocycle SAR

Following the discovery of 4-(substituted amino)-1-alkyl-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-5-carboxamides as potent and selective phosphodiesterase 4B inhibitors, [Hamblin, J. N.; Angell, T.; Ballentine, S., et al. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2008, 18, 4237] the SAR of the 5-position was investigated further. A range of substituted heterocycles showed good potencies against PDE4. Optimisation using X-ray crystallography and computational modelling led to the discovery of 16, with sub-nM inhibition of LPS-induced TNF-α production from isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.     

Structural studies of metal ions in family II pyrophosphatases: the requirement for a Janus ion

Family II inorganic pyrophosphatases (PPases) constitute a new evolutionary group of PPases, with a different fold and mechanism than the common family I enzyme; they are related to the "DHH" family of phosphoesterases. Biochemical studies have shown that Mn(2+) and Co(2+) preferentially activate family II PPases; Mg(2+) partially activates; and Zn(2+) can either activate or inhibit (Zyryanov et al., Biochemistry, 43, 14395-14402, accompanying paper in this issue). The three solved family II PPase structures did not explain the differences between the PPase families nor the metal ion differences described above. We therefore solved three new family II PPase structures: Bacillus subtilis PPase (Bs-PPase) dimer core bound to Mn(2+) at 1.3 A resolution, and, at 2.05 A resolution, metal-free Bs-PPase and Streptococcus gordonii (Sg-PPase) containing sulfate and Zn(2+). Comparison of the new and old structures of various family II PPases demonstrates why the family II enzyme prefers Mn(2+) or Co(2+), as an activator rather than Mg(2+). Both M1 and M2 undergo significant changes upon substrate binding, changing from five-coordinate to octahedral geometry. Mn(2+) and Co(2+), which readily adopt different coordination states and geometries, are thus favored. Combining our structures with biochemical data, we identified M2 as the high-affinity metal site. Zn(2+) activates in the M1 site, where octahedral geometry is not essential for catalysis, but inhibits in the M2 site, because it is unable to assume octahedral geometry but remains trigonal bipyramidal. Finally, we propose that Lys205-Gln81-Gln80 form a hydrophilic channel to speed product release from the active site.     

Vicinal dithiol-disulfide distribution in the Escherichia coli mannitol specific carrier enzyme IImtl

Escherichia coli mannitol specific EII in membrane vesicles can be inhibited by the action of the oxidizable substrate-reduced phenazine methosulfate (PMS) in a manner similar to E. coli enzyme IIGlc [Robillard, G. T., & Konings, W. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 5025-5032]. The fact that reduced PMS and various oxidizing agents protect the enzyme from inactivation by the sulfhydryl reagents N-ethylmaleimide and bromopyruvate suggests that the active form possesses a dithiol which can be protected by conversion to a disulfide. The sulfhydryl-disulfide distribution has been examined in purified EIImtl by labeling studies with N-[1-14C]ethylmaleimide ( [14C]NEM). EIImtl can be alkylated at three positions per peptide chain. When alkylation takes place in 8 M urea, only two positions are labeled. The third position becomes labeled in urea only after treatment with DTT, suggesting that the native enzyme is composed of two subunits linked by a disulfide bridge. The remaining two sulfhydryl groups per peptide chain appear to undergo changes in oxidation state as indicated by the following results. (1) Treatment of the active enzyme with NEM leads to complete inactivation and incorporation of 1 mol of [14C]NEM per peptide chain. Oxidizing agents protect the activity and prevent labeling presumably by forming a disulfide. (2) Phosphorylating the enzyme (one phosphoryl group per peptide chain) fully protects the activity, but 1 mol of NEM per peptide chain is still incorporated. Subsequent dephosphorylation by adding mannitol causes a second mole of [14C]NEM to be incorporated and results in complete inactivation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Biosynthetic thiolase from Zoogloea ramigera. II. Inactivation with haloacetyl CoA analogs

The thiolase involved in biosynthesis of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate in Zoogloea ramigera generates an acetyl-enzyme species during catalysis. Up to 0.86 [14C] acetyl eq/subunit of this homotetrameric enzyme is accumulated by acid precipitation in the presence of [14C]acetyl-CoA. Gel filtration of the same solutions produced only 7% acetyl-enzyme suggesting hydrolytic lability of the acetyl-enzyme during the 10-min isolation at 4 degrees C. In an effort to identify active site residues which may function as basic groups to deprotonate at C-2 of acetyl-CoA to generate the required nucleophilic equivalent in carbon-carbon bond formation, we have prepared and tested haloacetyl-thioesters, oxoesters, and amides in the panthetheine pivalate series (Davis, J. T., Moore, R. N., Imperiali, B., Pratt, A. J., Kobayashi, K., Masamune, S., Sinskey, A. J., and Walsh, C. T. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 82-89). The [14C]bromoacetyl-oxoester alkylatively inactivates thiolase irreversibly with stoichiometric incorporation of four labels/tetramer. Determination of amino acid composition of the radiolabeled tryptic peptide indicated trapping of Cys-89 (Peoples, O. P., Masamune, S., Walsh, C. T., and Sinskey, A. J. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 97-102), the same residue modified by iodoacetamide. When the bromoacetyl-thioester was used, inactivation was pH-dependent. The data are consistent with the competition of two processes, acylation, and alkylation. Direct (rather than secondary) alkylation of thiolase by the inactivator accounts for the significant 14C incorporation into thiolase with the thioester labeled with [14C] in the pantetheine pivalate moiety. It appears likely that the haloacetyl analogs described herein should be generally useful for affinity labeling other enzymes using acetyl-CoA as a substrate.