Spectral transitions of nitrosyl hemes during ligand binding to hemoglobin.

Human deoxyhemoglobin has been titrated with nitric oxide at several pH values ranging from 6.0 to 9.0, in the presence and absence of the allosteric effector inositol hexaphosphate at 25 degrees C. Samples were frozen for EPR measurements or analyzed optically within 30 s after mixing to ensure a kinetic population of intermediates. Fractions of pentacoordinate alpha-NO heme groups were determined by fitting EPR and absorbance difference spectra in terms of linear combinations of standard signals. Equivalent results were obtained by these techniques. The fraction of alpha-NO heme exhibiting pentacoordinate character in Hb4NO increases from 0.07 to 0.73 in going from pH 9 to 6. The fraction of alpha hemes which are pentacoordinate in fully saturated nitrosyl hemoglobin, Hb4(NO), increases from 0.0 to 0.41 over the same pH range. Only in the presence of bound inositol-P6 are all 4 the alpha-NO hemes pentacoordinate. Thus, the expression of modified NO heme character is not simply a reflection of the formation of low affinity quaternary conformations. Rather, within this conformation the alpha chain iron atoms exhibit an equilibrium between hexa- and pentacoordinate structures which is perturbed markedly by both proton and phosphate binding. No intermediate coordination structure of the type suggested by Chevion et al. (Chevion, M., Stern, A., Peisach, J., Blumberg, W.E., and Simon, S. (1978) Biochemistry 17, 1745-1750) appears to occur since the observed alpha-NO heme spectra can always by represented quantitatively as a linear combination of the normal hexacoordinate and pentacoordinate signals. The formation of pentacoordinate alpha-NO causes this subunit to exhibit a higher affinity for nitric oxide. Thus on standing at low levels of saturation, there is a slow (t1/2 approximately equal to 8 min at pH 7, 25 degrees C) re-equilibration of ligand from beta to alpha subunits. The final ratio of alpha-NO to beta-NO is 2 to 1 in the absence of phosphates and greater than 10 to 1 in the presence of inositol hexaphosphate.     

Kinetics of ligand binding to ferrous heme groups of hemoglobin MSaskatoon.

Hemoglobin M_Saskatoon (α₂^Aβ₂^63tyr) has two α chains in the normal ferrous state, while its two β chains are in the ferric state. The reaction of hemoglobin M_Saskatoon with carbon monoxide at pH 7 and 20 °C in the presence and absence of dithionite was studied. In the absence of dithionite only the α chains react and the combination rate is slow and similar to that of normal deoxyhemoglobin. After the addition of dithionite the rate of reaction is greatly increased initially and then decreases to a rate similar to that seen in the absence of dithionite. The dissociation of oxygen from hemoglobin M_Saskatoon at pH 7 and 20 °C was found for the α subunits to be similar to that seen for normal oxyhemoglobin. This similarity in the kinetic properties of normal hemoglobin and the α subunits of hemoglobin M_Saskatoon in both ligand combination and dissociation reactions indicates that the α subunits of hemoglobin M_Saskatoon undergo a structural transition from a low to high affinity form on liganding. Since the β subunits react rapidly with carbon monoxide even when the α subunits are unliganded, it appears that the ligand binding sites of the β chains are uncoupled from the state of liganding of the α subunits.     

Conformation, co-operativity and ligand binding in human hemoglobin.

There does not appear to be any co-operativity manifest in the four combination rate constants for the binding of nitric oxide to deoxyhemoglobin. The time-course of the observed reaction is best fitted by statistically related rates, and the numerical relation between the rate constants for the binding of the fourth molecule of carbon monoxide and the fourth molecule of nitric oxide, which can be obtained independently, also argues for a statistical relation between the nitric oxide binding rate constants.In spite of the absence of co-operativity, the normal T → R transition occurs on nitric oxide binding, as demonstrated by the release of 8-hydroxy-1,3,6-pyrene trisulfonate, and the R-state shows the normal enhancement of reactivity towards carbon monoxide as compared with the T-state (30-fold).Competition experiments between carbon monoxide and nitric oxide in which the two ligands react simultaneously with deoxyhemoglobin suggest that the switching point (T → R) occurs on the average after 2.7 molecules of nitric oxide have been bound (in 0.05 m-2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2,2′,2″-nitrilotriethanol, pH 7) and after 3 molecules of carbon monoxide (in 0.05 m-phosphate, PH 7).     

Modulation of ligand binding in engineered human hemoglobin distal pocket.

Functional and structural studies on hemoglobin and myoglobin from different animals and engineered variants have enlightened the great importance of the physico-chemical properties of the side-chains at topological position B10 and E7. These residues proved to be crucial to the discrimination and stabilisation of gaseous ligands. In view of the data obtained on the high oxygen affinity hemoglobin from Ascaris worms and a new mutant of sperm whale myoglobin, we selected the two mutations Leu B10-->Tyr and His E7-->Gln as potentially relevant to control ligand binding parameters in the alpha and beta-chains of human hemoglobin. Here, we present an investigation of three new mutants: HbalphaYQ (alpha2YQbeta2A), HbbetaYQ (alpha2Abeta2YQ) and HbalphabetaYQ (alpha2YQbeta2YQ). They are characterised by a very low reactivity for NO, O2 and CO, and a reduced cooperativity. Their functional properties are not inconsistent with the behaviour expected for a two-state allosteric model. Proteins with these substitutions may be considered as candidates for the synthesis of a possible "blood substitute", which should yield an O2 adduct stable to autoxidation and slowly reacting with NO. The mutant HbalphabetaYQ is particularly interesting because the rate of reaction of NO with the oxy and deoxy derivatives is reduced. A structural interpretation of our data is presented based on the 3D structure of deoxy HbalphabetaYQ determined by crystallography at 1.8 A resolution.     

Energetics of subunit assembly and ligand binding in human hemoglobin.

An extensive and self-consistent set of thermodynamic properties has recently been established for the coupled processes of subunit assembly and ligand binding (oxygen and protons) in human hemoglobin. The resulting thermodynamic values permit a consideration of the possible sources of energetic terms accounting for stability of the tetrameric quaternary structures at different stages of ligation, and of the possible sources of cooperative energy. The analysis indicates that: (a) The change in buried surface ara upon oxygenation (i.e., hydrophobic stabilization) does not play a dominant role in stabilizing the unliganded tetramer relative to the liganded tetramer. (b) The pattern of enthalpic and entropic contributions to the free energies of dimer-tetramer. (c) The thermodynamic results are consistent with a dominant role of increased hydrogen bond formation in the deoxy quaternary structure. (d) Within tetramers the variation in free energy for successive oxygenation steps arises from both enthalpic and entropic contributions and the enthalpic contributions are almost entirely attributable to the heats of Bohr proton release. At pH 7.4 the pattern of thermodynamic values suggests that a large contribution to the free energy of cooperativity may arise from the energetics of Bohr proton release. It is suggested that a combination of proton ionization and hydrogen bonding may account for the main energetic features of cooperativity. Possible contributions from fluctuation behavior cannot presently be evaluated.     

Effect of hydrostatic pressure on starch gelatinisation

Samples of wheat and potato starches, mixed with water to four concentrations were subjected to preselected hydrostatic pressures (in the range 200–1500 MPa) and temperatures. Subsequent examination in a polarising microscope revealed that the effect of high hydrostatic pressure was to lower the gelatinisation temperature. With the exception of the low water content samples, the samples did not appear to be greatly affected in any other way by hydrostatic pressure (as evidenced by staining behaviour, appearance in the polarising microscope and subsequent gelatinisation behaviour at ambient pressure). Reduction in gelatinisation temperature was a non-linear function of pressure, being greatest at high pressure. The effect was also more pronounced at the higher water contents. The significance of these results with respect to thermodynamic models of starch gelatinisation is discussed.     

Effect of hydrostatic pressure on translational fidelity

We have used the application of hydrostatic pressure to modify the misreading of polyuridylate template. Pressure was used to test ribosomes isolated from Escherichia coli strains containing mutations in the S12 ribosomal protein which lead to streptomycin-resistance and -dependence. The incorporation of phenylalanine into polypeptide, at a given pressure, was found to vary with the source of ribosomes and was found to correlate with S12-dependent changes in rates of incorporation suggesting a role of the S12 ribosomal protein in the pressure effect. Streptomycin partially alleviated the increased pressure-resistance in those cases where control rates of incorporation were found to be stimulated by the addition of streptomycin. In contrast, the misincorporation of isoleucine was substantially more sensitive to pressure application, regardless of ribosome source or the presence of streptomycin. These results suggest that the application of hydrostatic pressure affects at least two distinct ribosomal reactions important to the discrimination of these two amino acids.     

Effect of hydrostatic pressure on nucleic acids

In comparison to other biomolecules, the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the conformational stability of DNA and RNA has received scant attention. However, the increasing interest in the hydration of biological molecules has resulted in a concomitant increase in the number of investigations of the effect of pressure upon the structure of nucleic acids. In this review, studies concerning the effect of pressure on DNA and RNA oligomers and polymers are presented. The greatest amount of research has been directed at studying the effect of pressure on the stability of the double helix. In general, under most conditions, the helical form of DNA or RNA is stabilized by pressure. The extent of stabilization is small relative to the effect of pressure on other biomolecular systems such as lipid membranes or protein quaternary structure. The absence of a larger pressure effect arises, in part because the state of ionization does not change as a function of the helical state. Initial experiments have also appeared on the effect of pressure upon helix-formation kinetics, B-Z and A-Z equilibria, and DNA topology. Fourier-transform ir spectroscopy of DNA polymers under high pressure has yielded data that showing that pressure does not induce large-scale structural changes.     

Kinetic resolution of ligand binding to the alpha and beta chains within human hemoglobin.

Nitric oxide has been used as a chain-specific, spin label of unliganded heme groups present in kinetic mixtures of human hemoglobin and n-butyl isocyanide. In these experiments, deoxyhemoglobin was reacted with n-butyl isocyanide for a controlled time and then mixed rapidly with a high concentration of nitric oxide to fill residual, unoccupied heme sites. The final mixture was frozen immediately after formation to prevent any displacement of bound isonitrile. The EPR spectrum of the frozen sample was resolved into alpha and beta nitric oxide components; these reflect the relative proportions of alpha- and beta-heme sites which were unoccupied by n-butyl isocyanide. Individual time courses for the alpha and beta subunits were obtained by varying the time between the formation of the isonitrile/hemoglobin mixture and its reaction with nitric oxide. At pH 7.0 only the beta chain time course exhibits an initial rapid phase; the alpha chain time course is monophasic, exhibiting almost, exponential behavior. This result shows unequivocally that the beta-hemes within deoxyhemoglobin react much more rapidly with n-butyl isocyanide than the alpha hemes.     

UV resonance raman spectra of ligand binding intermediates of sol-gel encapsulated hemoglobin.

We report for the first time specific conformational changes for a homogeneous population of ligand-bound adult deoxy human hemoglobin A (HbA) generated by introducing CO into a sample of deoxy-HbA with the effector, inositol hexaphosphate, encapsulated in a porous sol-gel. The preparation of ligand-bound deoxy-HbA results from the speed of ligand diffusion relative to globin conformational dynamics within the sol-gel (1). The ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) difference spectra obtained reveal that E helix motion is initiated upon ligand binding, as signaled by the appearance of an alpha14beta15 Trp W3 band difference at 1559 cm(-1). The subsequent appearance of Tyr (Y8a and Y9a) and W3 (1549 cm(-1)) UVRR difference bands suggest conformational shifts for the penultimate Tyralpha140 on the F helix, the "switch" region Tyralpha42, and the "hinge" region Trpbeta37. The UVRR results expose a sequence of conformational steps leading up to the ligation-induced T to R quaternary structure transition as opposed to a single, concerted switch. More generally, this report demonstrates that sol-gel encapsulation of proteins can be used to study a sequence of specific conformational events triggered by substrate binding because the traditional limitation of substrate diffusion times is overcome.     

Role of histidine in ligand binding ability of hemoglobin gene

The atomic and electronic structures of heme complexes with His, Gly, and Cys residues (Heme-His, Heme-Gly, and Heme-Cys) in the fifth coordination position of the Fe atom and with oxygen and nitrogen oxide molecules in the sixth Fe position were studied by the semiempirical quantum-chemical method PM3. A comparative analysis of internuclear distances showed that the strength of chemical bonding between the ligand molecules (oxygen and nitrogen oxide) is greater for Heme-Cys than for Heme-His and Heme-Gly complexes. Consequently, the strengthening of the chemical bond of the oxygen (or nitrogen oxide) molecule with Heme-Cys substantially weakens the chemical bond in the ligand molecule. The Mulliken population analysis showed that the electronic density of ligand (oxygen or nitrogen oxide) p-orbitals is transferred to the d-orbitals of the Fe atom, whose charge, calculated according to the Mulliken analysis, formally becomes negative. In the Heme-His complex with oxygen, this charge is substantially greater than in the complex with NO, and the oxygen molecule becomes polarized. No oxygen polarization is observed in the Heme-Cys complex, and the electron density (judging from the change in the Fe charge) is transferred to the coordinated sulfur atom. This is also characteristic of Heme-Cys complexes with nitrogen oxide. An analysis of charges on the atoms indicates that the character of chemical bonding of the oxygen molecule in Heme-Cys and Heme-Gly complexes is similar and basically differs from that in the case of the Heme-His complex. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2004, vol. 30, no. 2; see also http://www.maik.ru.     

超高压处理对微生物生理特性的影响

单核增生李斯特菌(Listeriamonocytogenes)NCTC11994和大肠杆菌(Escherichiacoli)ATCC80739经高压处理,其生理特性发生了深刻的变化,主要表现是400MPa以上的压力处理10min,微生物数量下降7个对数单位,压力处理还会导致细胞内pH值的变化,使膜电位下降,细胞内钾流失,ATP浓度降低。