Thermodynamics of isomerization reactions involving sugar phosphates

Thermodynamics of isomerization reactions involving sugar phosphates have been studied using heat-conduction microcalorimetry. For the process glucose 6-phosphate2-(aqueous) = fructose 6-phosphate2- (aqueous), K = 0.285 +/- 0.004, delta Go = 3.11 +/- 0.04 kJ.mol-1, delta Ho = 11.7 +/- 0.2 kJ.mol-1, and delta Cop = 44 +/- 11 J.mol-1.K-1 at 298.15 K. For the process mannose 6-phosphate2- (aqueous) = fructose 6-phosphate2- (aqueous), K = 0.99 +/- 0.05, delta Go = 0.025 +/- 0.13 kJ.mol-1, delta Ho = 8.46 +/- 0.2 kJ.mol-1, and delta Cop = 38 +/- 25 J.mol-1.K-1 at 298.15 K. The standard state is the hypothetical ideal solution of unit molality. An approximate result (-14 +/- 5 kJ.mol-1) was obtained for the enthalpy of isomerization of ribulose 5-phosphate (aqueous) to ribose 5-phosphate (aqueous). The data from the literature on isomerization reactions involving sugar phosphates have been summarized, adjusted to a common reference state, and examined for trends and relationships to each other and to other thermodynamic measurements. Estimates are made for thermochemical parameters to predict the state of equilibrium of the several isomerizations considered herein.     

Thermodynamics of hydrolysis of sugar phosphates

Thermodynamics of the enzyme-catalyzed (alkaline phosphatase, EC 3.1.3.1) hydrolysis of glucose 6-phosphate, mannose 6-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, ribose 5-phosphate, and ribulose 5-phosphate have been investigated using microcalorimetry and, for the hydrolysis of fructose 6-phosphate, chemical equilibrium measurements. Results of these measurements for the processes sugar phosphate2- (aqueous) + H2O (liquid) = sugar (aqueous) + HPO2++-(4) (aqueous) at 25 degrees C follow: delta Ho = 0.91 +/- 0.35 kJ.mol-1 and delta Cop = -48 +/- 18 J.mol-1.K-1 for glucose 6-phosphate; delta Ho = 1.40 +/- 0.31 kJ.mol-1 and delta Cop = -46 +/- 11 J.mol-1.dK-1 for mannose 6-phosphate; delta Go = -13.70 +/- 0.28 kJ.mol-1, delta Ho = -7.61 +/- 0.68 kJ.mol-1, and delta Cop = -28 +/- 42 J.mol-1.K-1 for fructose 6-phosphate; delta Ho = -5.69 +/- 0.52 kJ.mol-1 and delta Cop = -63 +/- 37 J.mol-1.K-1 for ribose 5-phosphate; and delta Ho = -12.43 +/- 0.45 kJ.mol-1 and delta Cop = -84 +/- 30 J.mol-1.K-1 for the hydrolysis of ribulose 5-phosphate. The standard state is the hypothetical ideal solution of unit molality. Estimates are made for the equilibrium constants for the hydrolysis of ribose and ribulose 5-phosphates. The effects of pH, magnesium ion concentration, and ionic strength on the thermodynamics of these reactions are considered.     

DSC studies of the conformational stability of barstar wild-type.

The temperature induced unfolding of barstar wild-type of bacillus amyloliquefaciens (90 residues) has been characterized by differential scanning microcalorimetry. The process has been found to be reversible in the pH range from 6.4 to 8.3 in the absence of oxygen. It has been clearly shown by a ratio of delta HvH/delta Hcal near 1 that denaturation follows a two-state mechanism. For comparison, the C82A mutant was also studied. This mutant exhibits similar reversibility, but has a slightly lower transition temperature. The transition enthalpy of barstar wt (303 kJ mol-1) exceeds that of the C82A mutant (276 kJ mol-1) by approximately 10%. The heat capacity changes show a similar difference, delta Cp being 5.3 +/- 1 kJ mol-1 K-1 for the wild-type and 3.6 +/- 1 kJ mol-1 K-1 for the C82A mutant. The extrapolated stability parameters at 25 degrees C are delta G0 = 23.5 +/- 2 kJ mol-1 for barstar wt and delta G0 = 25.5 +/- 2 kJ mol-1 for the C82A mutant.     

Thermodynamics of hydrolysis of disaccharides. Lactulose, alpha-D-melibiose, palatinose, D-trehalose, D-turanose and 3-o-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-D-arabinose

High-pressure liquid chromatography and microcalorimetry have been used to study the thermodynamics of the hydrolysis reactions of a series of disaccharides. The enzymes used to bring about the hydrolyses were: beta-galactosidase for lactulose and 3-o-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-D-arabinose; beta-glucosidase for alpha-D-melibiose; beta-amylase for D-trehalose; isomaltase for palatinose; and alpha-glucosidase for D-turanose. The buffer used was sodium acetate (0.02-0.10 M and pH 4.44-5.65). For the following processes at 298.15 K: lactulose(aq) + H2O(liq) = D-galactose(aq) + D-fructose(aq), K0 = 128 +/- 10 and delta H0 = 2.21 +/- 0.10 kJ mol-1; alpha-D-melibiose(aq) + H2O(liq) = D-galactose(aq) + D-glucose(aq), K0 = 123 +/- 42 and delta H0 = -0.88 +/- 0.50 kJ mol-1; palatinose(aq) + H2O(liq) = D-glucose(aq) + D-fructose(aq), delta H0 = -4.44 +/- 1.1 kJ mol-1; D-trehalose(aq) + H2O(liq) = 2 D-glucose(aq), K0 = 119 +/- 10 and delta H0 = 4.73 +/- 0.41 kJ mol-1; D-turanose(aq) + H2O(liq) = D-glucose(aq) + D-fructose(aq), delta H0 = -2.68 +/- 0.75 kJ mol-1; and 3-o-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-D-arabinose(aq) + H2O(liq) = D-galactose(aq) + D- arabinose(aq),0H0 = 107 +/- 10 and delta H0 = 2.97 +/- 0.10 kJ mol-1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Thermodynamics of hydrolysis of disaccharides. Cellobiose, gentiobiose, isomaltose, and maltose

The thermodynamics of the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellobiose, gentiobiose, isomaltose, and maltose have been studied using both high pressure liquid chromatography and microcalorimetry. The hydrolysis reactions were carried out in aqueous sodium acetate buffer at a pH of 5.65 and over the temperature range of 286 to 316 K using the enzymes beta-glucosidase, isomaltase, and maltase. The thermodynamic parameters obtained for the hydrolysis reactions, disaccharide(aq) + H2O(liq) = 2 glucose(aq), at 298.15 K are: K greater than or equal to 155, delta G0 less than or equal to -12.5 kJ mol-1, and delta H0 = -2.43 +/- 0.31 kJ mol-1 for cellobiose; K = 17.9 +/- 0.7, delta G0 = -7.15 +/- 0.10 kJ mol-1 and delta H0 = 2.26 +/- 0.48 kJ mol-1 for gentiobiose; K = 17.25 +/- 0.7, delta G0 = -7.06 +/- 0.10 kJ mol-1, and delta H0 = 5.86 +/- 0.54 kJ mol-1 for isomaltose; and K greater than or equal to 513, delta G0 less than or equal to -15.5 kJ mol-1, and delta H0 = -4.02 +/- 0.15 kJ mol-1 for maltose. The standard state is the hypothetical ideal solution of unit molality. Due to enzymatic inhibition by glucose, it was not possible to obtain reliable values for the equilibrium constants for the hydrolysis of either cellobiose or maltose. The entropy changes for the hydrolysis reactions are in the range 32 to 43 J mol-1 K-1; the heat capacity changes are approximately equal to zero J mol-1 K-1. Additional pathways for calculating thermodynamic parameters for these hydrolysis reactions are discussed.     

Thermodynamics of the hydrolysis of sucrose

A thermodynamic investigation of the hydrolysis of sucrose to fructose and glucose has been performed using microcalorimetry and high-pressure liquid chromatography. The calorimetric measurements were carried out over the temperature range 298-316 K and in sodium acetate buffer (0.1 M, pH 5.65). Enthalpy and heat capacity changes were obtained for the hydrolysis of aqueous sucrose (process A): sucrose(aq) + H2O(liq) = glucose(aq) + fructose (aq). The determination of the equilibrium constant required the use of a thermochemical cycle calculation involving the following processes: (B) glucose 1-phosphate2-(aq) = glucose 6-phosphate2-(aq); (C) sucrose(aq) + HPO4(2-)(aq) = glucose 1-phosphate2-(aq) + fructose(aq); and (D) glucose 6-phosphate2-(aq) + H2O(liq) = glucose(aq) + HPO4(2-)(aq). The equilibrium constants determined at 298.15 K for processes B and C are 17.1 +/- 1.0 and 32.4 +/- 3.0, respectively. Equilibrium data for process D was obtained from the literature, and in conjunction with the data for processes B and C, used to calculate a value of the equilibrium constant for the hydrolysis of aqueous sucrose. Thus, for process A, delta G0 = -26.53 +/- 0.30 kJ mol-1, K0 = (4.44 +/- 0.54) x 10(4), delta H0 = -14.93 +/- 0.16 kJ mol-1, delta So = 38.9 +/- 1.2 J mol-1 K-1, and delta CoP = 57 +/- 14 J mol-1 K-1 at 298.15 K. Additional thermochemical cycles that bear upon the accuracy of these results are examined.     

Kinetics of calcium dissociation from calmodulin and its tryptic fragments. A stopped-flow fluorescence study using Quin 2 reveals a two-domain structure

The kinetics of calcium dissociation from bovine testis calmodulin and its tryptic fragments have been studied by fluorescence stopped-flow methods, using the calcium indicator Quin 2. Two distinct rate processes, each corresponding to the release of two calcium ions are resolved for calmodulin at both low and high ionic strength. The effect of 0.1 M KCl is to accelerate the slow process from 9.1 +/- 1.5 s-1 to 24 +/- 6.0 s-1 and to reduce the rate of the fast process from 650 s-1 to 240 +/- 50 s-1 at 25 degrees C. In the presence of 0.1 M KCl it was possible to determine activation parameters for the fast process: delta H# = 41 +/- 5 kJ mol-1 and delta S# = -63 +/- 17 J K-1 mol-1. These values are in good agreement with those obtained by 43Ca NMR. Studies of the tryptic fragments TR1C and TR2C, comprising the N-terminal or C-terminal half of calmodulin, clearly identified Ca2+-binding sites I and II as the low-affinity (rapidly dissociating) sites and sites III and IV as the high-affinity (slowly dissociating) sites. The kinetic properties of the two proteolytic fragments are closely similar to the fast and slowly dissociating sites of native calmodulin, supporting the idea that calmodulin is constructed from two largely independent domains. The presence of the calmodulin antagonist trifluoperazine markedly decreased the Ca2+ dissociation rates from calmodulin. One of the two high-affinity trifluoperazine-binding sites was found to be located on the N-terminal half and the other on the C-terminal half of calmodulin. The affinity of the C-terminal site is at least one order of magnitude greater.     

A calorimetric and equilibrium investigation of the hydrolysis of lactose

The thermodynamics of the hydrolysis of lactose to glucose and galactose have been investigated using both high pressure liquid chromatography and heat-conduction microcalorimetry. The reaction was carried out over the temperature range 282-316 K and in 0.1 M sodium acetate buffer at a pH of 5.65 using the enzyme beta-galactosidase to catalyze the reaction. For the process lactose(aq) + H2O(liq) = glucose(aq) + galactose(aq), delta G0 = -8.72 +/- 0.20 kJ.mol-1, K0 = 34 +/- 3, delta H0 = 0.44 +/- 0.11 kJ.mol-1, delta S0 = 30.7 +/- 0.8 J.mol-1.K-1, and delta Cop = 9 +/- 20 J.mol-1.K-1 at 298.15 K. The standard state is the hypothetical ideal solution of unit molality. Thermochemical cycle calculations using enthalpies of combustion and solution, entropies, solubilities, activity coefficients, and apparent molar heat capacities have also been performed. These calculations indicate large discrepancies which are attributable primarily to errors in literature data on the enthalpies of combustion and/or third law entropies of the crystalline forms of the substrates.     

Thermodynamics of the reactions catalyzed by the multifunctional enzyme complex tryptophan synthase

The intrinsic enthalpy changes (corrected for hydration of D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate) for the reactions catalyzed by the alpha and beta 2 subunits of tryptophan synthase from Escherichia coli have been determined calorimetrically. Cleavage of indoleglycerol phosphate (alpha reaction) was found to be associated with a delta H value of 54.0 +/- 2.5 kJ mol-1, while condensation of indole with L-serine (beta reaction) involved -80.3 +/- 4.6 kJ mol-1'. By direct determination of the enthalpy concomitant with the overall synthesis of tryptophan from indoleglycerol phosphate and L-serine an enthalpy value of -13.4 +/- 5.6 kJ mol-1 was observed. In view of the uncertainties of the literature data used for calculation of the hydration contribution, the agreement between the directly measured delta H value of the overall reaction and the sum of the enthalpies of the alpha and beta reactions is fair. Deamination of L-serine, a side reaction catalyzed preferentially by the isolated beta 2 pyridoxal 5'-phosphate2 subunit, was shown to be associated with an enthalpy change of -7.3 +/- 0.4 kJ mol-1.     

Analysis of the thermal unfolding of porcine procarboxypeptidase A and its functional pieces by differential scanning calorimetry

Porcine pancreatic procarboxypeptidase A and its tryptic peptides, carboxypeptidase A and the activation segment, have been studied by high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The thermal denaturation of the zymogen and the active enzyme has been carried out at two pH values, 7.5 and 9.0, at different ionic strengths and at different scan rates. The endothermic transitions for these two proteins were always irreversible under all conditions investigated. The denaturation behaviour of both proteins seems to fit very well with the kinetic model for the DSC study of irreversible unfolding of proteins recently proposed by one of our groups. From this model, the activation energies obtained for the denaturation of the pro- and carboxypeptidase were 300 +/- 20 kJ mol-1 and 250 +/- 14 kJ mol-1 respectively. On the other hand, the isolated activation segment appears as a thermostable piece with a highly reversible thermal unfolding which follows a two-state process. The denaturation temperature observed for the isolated segment was always at least 15 K higher than those of the zymogen and the active enzyme.     

The aminopeptidase from Aeromonas proteolytica can function as an esterase

The aminopeptidase from Aeromonas proteolytica (AAP) can catalyze the hydrolysis of L-leucine ethyl ester ( L-Leu-OEt) with a rate of 96 +/- 5 s-1 and a Km of 700 microM. The observed turnover number for L-Leu-OEt hydrolysis by AAP is similar to that observed for peptide hydrolysis, which is 67 +/- 5 s-1. The k(cat) values for the hydrolysis of L-Leu-OEt and L-leucine- p-nitroanilide ( L- pNA) catalyzed by AAP were determined at different pH values under saturating substrate concentrations. Construction of an Arrhenius plot from the temperature dependence of AAP-catalyzed ester hydrolysis indicates that the rate-limiting step does not change as a function of temperature and is product formation. The activation energy ( Ea) for the activated ES ester complex is 13.7 kJ mol-1, while the enthalpy and entropy of activation at 25 degrees C calculated over the temperature range 298-338 K are 11.2 kJ mol-1 and -175 J K-1 mol-1, respectively. The free energy of activation at 25 degrees C was found to be 63.4 kJ mol-1. The enthalpy of ionization was also measured and was found to be very similar for both peptide and ester substrates, yielding values of 20 kJ mol-1 for L-Leu-OEt and 25 kJ mol-1 for L- pNA. For peptide and L-amino acid ester cleavage reactions catalyzed by AAP, and 6.07, respectively. Proton inventory data suggest that two protons are transferred in the rate-limiting step of ester hydrolysis while only one is transferred in peptide hydrolysis. The combination of these data with the available X-ray crystallographic, kinetic, spectroscopic, and thermodynamic data for AAP provides new insight into the catalytic mechanism of AAP.     

Studies on the role and mode of operation of the very-lysine-rich histones in eukaryote chromatin. Effect of A and B site phosphorylation on the conformation and interaction of histone H1

270-MHz proton magnetic resonance has been used to study the effect of phosphorylation of histone H1 in vitro on the structure of isolated H1 molecules and on the interaction of H1 with DNA. Phosphorylation at serine-105, which is located in the globular region of H1, was found to reduce the enthalpy of structure formation from 24 +/- 2 kcal mol-1 (100 +/- 8 kJ mol-1) to 13 +/- 2 kcal mol-1 (55 +/- 8 kJ mol-1). Phosphorylation at either or both of serine-37 and serine-105 was found to reduce the strength of binding of the histone to DNA considerably at some ionic strengths.     

Thermodynamics of the conversion of penicillin G to phenylacetic acid and 6-aminopenicillanic acid

The thermodynamics of the enzymatic conversion (penicillin acylase) of aqueous penicillin G to phenylacetic acid and 6-aminopenicillanic acid have been studied using both high-pressure liquid-chromatography and microcalorimetry. The reaction was carried out in aqueous phosphate buffer over the pH range 6.0-7.6, at ionic strengths from 0.10 to 0.40 mol kg-1, and at temperatures from 292 to 322 K. The data have been analyzed using a chemical equilibrium model with an extended Debye-Hückel expression for the activity coefficients. For the reference reaction, penicillin G- (aq) + H2O(l) = phenylacetic acid-(aq) + 6-aminopenicillanic acid-(aq) + H+ (aq), the following parameters have been obtained: K = (7.35 +/- 1.5) X 10(-8) mol kg-1, delta G0 = 40.7 +/- 0.5 kJ mol-1, delta H0 = 29.7 +/- 0.6 kJ mol-1, and delta C0p = -240 +/- 50 J mol-1 K-1 at 298.15 K and at the thermochemical standard state. The extent of reaction for the overall conversion is highly dependent upon the pH.     

Calcium binding to calmodulin and its globular domains

The macroscopic Ca(2+)-binding constants of bovine calmodulin have been determined from titrations with Ca2+ in the presence of the chromophoric chelator 5,5'-Br2BAPTA in 0, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 mM KCl. Identical experiments have also been performed for tryptic fragments comprising the N-terminal and C-terminal domains of calmodulin. These measurements indicate that the separated globular domains retain the Ca2+ binding properties that they have in the intact molecule. The Ca2+ affinity is 6-fold higher for the C-terminal domain than for the N-terminal domain. The salt effect on the free energy of binding two Ca2+ ions is 20 and 21 kJ. mol-1 for the N- and C-terminal domain, respectively, comparing 0 and 150 mM KCl. Positive cooperativity of Ca2+ binding is observed within each globular domain at all ionic strengths. No interaction is observed between the globular domains. In the N-terminal domain, the cooperativity amounts to 3 kJ.mol-1 at low ionic strength and greater than or equal to 10 kJ.mol-1 at 0.15 M KCl. For the C-terminal domain, the corresponding figures are 9 +/- 2 kJ.mol-1 and greater than or equal to 10 kJ.mol-1. Two-dimensional 1H NMR studies of the fragments show that potassium binding does not alter the protein conformation.     

An investigation of the equilibria between aqueous ribose, ribulose, and arabinose

The thermodynamics of the equilibria between aqueous ribose, ribulose, and arabinose were investigated using high-pressure liquid chromatography and microcalorimetry. The reactions were carried out in aqueous phosphate buffer over the pH range 6.8-7.4 and over the temperature range 313.15-343.75 K using solubilized glucose isomerase with either Mg(NO3)2 or MgSO4 as cofactors. The equilibrium constants (K) and the standard state Gibbs energy (delta G degrees) and enthalpy (delta H degrees) changes at 298.15 K for the three equilibria investigated were found to be: ribose(aq) = ribulose(aq) K = 0.317, delta G degrees = 2.85 +/- 0.14 kJ mol-1, delta H degrees = 11.0 +/- 1.5 kJ mol-1; ribose(aq) = arabinose(aq) K = 4.00, delta G degrees = -3.44 +/- 0.30 kJ mol-1, delta H degrees = -9.8 +/- 3.0 kJ mol-1; ribulose(aq) = arabinose(aq) K = 12.6, delta G degrees = -6.29 +/- 0.34 kJ mol-1, delta H degrees = -20.75 +/- 3.4 kJ mol-1. Information on rates of the above reactions was also obtained. The temperature dependencies of the equilibrium constants are conveniently expressed as R in K = -delta G degrees 298.15/298.15 + delta H degrees 298.15[(1/298.15)-(1/T)] where R is the gas constant (8.31441 J mol-1 K-1) and T the thermodynamic temperature.     

Interaction of cytidine 3'-monophosphate and uridine 3'-monophosphate with ribonuclease a at the denaturation temperature

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were performed on the thermal denaturation of ribonuclease a and ribonuclease a complexed with an inhibitor, cytidine or uridine 3'-monophosphate, in sodium acetate buffered solutions. Thermal denaturation of the complex results in dissociation of the complex into denatured ribonuclease a and free inhibitor. Binding constants of the inhibitor to ribonuclease a were determined from the increase in the denaturation temperature of ribonuclease a in the complexed form and from the denaturation enthalpy of the complex. Binding enthalpies of the inhibitor to ribonuclease a were determined from the increase in the denaturation enthalpy of ribonuclease a complexed with the inhibitor. For the cytidine inhibitor in 0.2 M sodium acetate buffered solutions, the binding constants increase from 87 +/- 8 M-1 (pH 7.0) to 1410 +/- 54 M-1 (pH 5.0), while the binding enthalpies increase from 17 +/- 13 kJ mol-1 (pH 4.7) to 79 +/- 15 kJ mol-1 (pH 5.5). For the uridine inhibitor in 0.2 M sodium acetate buffered solutions, the binding constants increase from 104 +/- 1 M-1 (pH 7.0) to 402 +/- 7 M-1 (pH 5.5), while the binding enthalpies increase from 16 +/- 5 kJ mol-1 (pH 6.0) to 37 +/- 4 kJ mol-1 (pH 7.0). The binding constants and enthalpies of the cytidine inhibitor in 0.05 M sodium acetate buffered solutions increase respectively from 328 +/- 37 M-1 (pH 6.5) to 2200 +/- 364 M-1 (pH 5.5) and from 22 kJ mol-1 (pH 5.5) to 45 +/- 7 kJ mol-1 (pH 6.5). the denaturation transition cooperativities of the uncomplexed and complexed ribonuclease a were close to unity, indicating that the transition is two state with a stoichiometry of 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Pressure denaturation of beta-lactoglobulin. Different stabilities of isoforms A and B, and an investigation of the Tanford transition.

Beta-lactoglobulin, the main whey protein in bovine milk, exists in several isoforms of which the most abundant are isoforms A and B. We have previously reported the denaturation of beta-lactoglobulin A by hydrostatic pressure [Valente-Mesquita, V.L., Botelho, M.M. & Ferreira, S.T. (1998) Biophys. J. 75, 471-476]. Here, we compare the pressure stabilities of isoforms A and B. These isoforms differ by two amino-acid substitutions: Asp64 and Val118 in isoform A are replaced by glycine and alanine, respectively, in isoform B. Replacement of the buried Val118 residue by the smaller alanine side-chain is not accompanied by significant structural rearrangements of the neighbouring polypeptide chain and creates a cavity in the core of beta-lactoglobulin. Pressure denaturation experiments revealed different stabilities of the two isoforms. Standard volume changes (DeltaVunf) of - 49 +/- 8 mL.mol-1 and -75 +/- 3 mL.mol-1, and unfolding free energy changes (DeltaGunf) of 8.5 +/- 1.3 kJ.mol-1 and 11.3 +/- 0.4 kJ.mol-1 were obtained for isoforms A and B, respectively. The volume occupied by the two methyl groups of Val118 removed in the V118A substitution is approximately 40 A3 per monomer of beta-lactoglobulin, in excellent agreement with the experimentally measured difference in DeltaVunf for the two isoforms (DeltaDeltaVunf = 26 mL.mol-1, corresponding to approximately 43 A3 per monomer). Thus, the existence of a core cavity in beta-lactoglobulin B may explain its enhanced pressure sensitivity relative to beta-lactoglobulin A. beta-Lactoglobulin undergoes a reversible pH-induced conformational change around pH 7, known as the Tanford transition. We have compared the pressure denaturation of beta-lactoglobulin A at pH 7 and 8. Unfolding free energy changes of 8.5 +/- 1.3 and 8.3 +/- 0.3 kJ.mol-1 were obtained at pH 7 and 8, respectively, showing that the thermodynamic stability of beta-lactoglobulin is identical at these pH values. Interestingly, DeltaVunf was dependent on pH, and varied from -49 +/- 8 mL.mol-1 to -68 +/- 2 mL.mol-1 at pH 7 and 8, respectively. The large increase in DeltaVunf at pH 8 relative to pH 7 appears to be associated with an overall expansion of the protein structure and could explain the increased pressure sensitivity of beta-lactoglobulin at alkaline pH.     

Dynamics of carbon monoxide recombination to fully reduced cytochrome c oxidase in plant mitochondria after low-temperature flash photolysis.

Rebinding of CO to reduced cytochrome c oxidase in plant mitochondria has been monitored optically at 590-630 nm after flash photolysis at low temperature from 160 to 200 K. (1) Under 100%-CO saturation, CO rebinding exhibits a four-step mechanism. The thermodynamic parameters of the first phase have been determined; its activation energy, Ea1, is 38.9 kJ.mol-1 and its enthalpy, delta H+/-1, and entropy, delta S+/-1, of activation are respectively 37.5 kJ.mol-1 and -75.8J.mol-1.K-1. (2) When the CO concentration is decreased to 0.2%, rebinding still occurs according to a four-step mechanism. The rate constant of the first phase is CO-concentration-independent. Under non-saturating conditions there is only one CO molecule per occupied site. The rebinding mechanism does not require additional CO molecules to be present in the haem pocket. (3) Dual-wavelength scanning experiments failed to detect optical forms correlated with the resolved phases. (4) Results are discussed with respect to previous work related to CO rebinding to mammalian cytochrome c oxidase and myoglobin.     

Thermodynamics of the Ca2+ binding to bovine alpha-lactalbumin

Bovine alpha-lactalbumin contains one strong Ca2+-binding site. The free energy (delta G0), enthalpy (delta H0), and entropy (delta S0) of binding of Ca2+ to this site have been calculated from microcalorimetric experiments. The enthalpy of binding was dependent on the metal-free bovine alpha-lactalbumin concentration. At 0.8 mg ml-1, metal-free bovine alpha-lactalbumin delta H0 was -110 +/- 6 kJ mol-1. At this concentration the binding constant was estimated from a mathematical analysis of the titration curves to be greater than 10(7) M-1. This means that delta G0 is smaller than -40 kJ mol-1 and delta S0 is less negative than -235 J.K-1 mol-1. The binding of Ca2+ is therefore enthalpy-driven. From binding experiments as a function of temperature, a delta Cp value of -4.1 kJ.K-1 mol-1 was calculated. This value is dependent on the protein concentration. A tentative explanation for this large value is given.     

Thermodynamic analysis of heparin binding to human antithrombin.

The binding of heparin to human antithrombin III (ATIII) was investigated by titration calorimetry (TC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). TC measurements of homogeneous high-affinity pentasaccharide and octasaccharide fragments of heparin in 0.02 M phosphate buffer and 0.15 M sodium chloride (pH 7.3) yielded binding constants of (7.1 +/- 1.3) x 10(5) M-1 and (6.7 +/- 1.2) x 10(6) M-1, respectively, and corresponding binding enthalpies of -48.3 +/- 0.7 and -54.4 +/- 5.4 kJ mol-1. The binding enthalpy of heparin in phosphate buffer (0.02 M, 0.15 M NaCl, pH 7.3) was estimated from TC measurements to be -55 +/- 10 kJ mol-1, while the enthalpy in Tris buffer (0.02 M, 0.15 M NaCl, pH 7.3) was -18 +/- 2 kJ mol-1. The heparin-binding affinity was shown by fluorescence measurements not to change under these conditions. The 3-fold lower binding enthalpy in Tris can be attributed to the transfer of a proton from the buffer to the heparin-ATIII complex. DSC measurements of the ATIII unfolding transition exhibited a sharp denaturation peak at 329 +/- 1 K with a van 't Hoff enthalpy of 951 +/- 89 kJ mol-1, based on a two-state transition model and a much broader transition from 333 to 366 K. The transition peak at 329 K accounted for 9-18% of the total ATIII. At sub-saturate heparin concentrations, the lower temperature peak became bimodal with the appearance of a second transition peak at 336 K. At saturate heparin concentration only the 336 K peak was observed. This supports a two domain model of ATIII folding in which the lower stability domain (329 K) binds and is stabilized by heparin.