Ultracentrifugal analysis of factor VIII and von Willebrand factor in therapeutic preparations

The X-ray structures of the maltose bound forms of two insertion/deletion mutants of the Escherichia coli maltodextrin binding protein, MalE322 and MalE178, have been determined and refined. MalE322 involves a one residue deletion, two residue insertion in a hinge segment connecting the two (N and C) domains of the protein, an area already identified as being critical for the correct functioning of the protein. MalE178 involves a nine residue deletion and two residue insertion in a helix at the periphery of the C-domain. The function of both mutant proteins is similar to the wild-type, although MalE322 increases the ability to transport maltose and maltodextrin whilst inhibiting the ability of the cell to grow on dextrins. Both proteins exhibit very localized and conservative conformational changes due to their mutations. The structure of MalE322 shows some deformation of the third hinge strand, indicating the likely cause of change in its biochemistry. MalE178 is stable and its activity virtually unchanged from the wild-type. This is most likely due to the long distance of the mutation from the binding site and conservation of the number of interactions between the area around the deletion site and the main body of the protein.     

Hydration of the counterion of the Schiff base in the chloride-transporting mutant of bacteriorhodopsin: FTIR and FT-raman studies of the effects of anion binding when Asp85 is replaced with a neutral residue

The chromophores of the D85T and D85N mutants of bacteriorhodopsin are blue but become purple like the wild type when chloride or bromide binds near the Schiff base. In D85T this occurs near neutral pH, but in D85N only at pH < 4. The structures of the L and the unphotolyzed states of these proteins were examined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The difference spectra of the purple forms, but not the blue forms in the absence of these anions, resembled the spectrum of the wild-type protein. Shift of the ethylenic band toward lower frequency upon replacing chloride by bromide confirmed the contribution of the negative charge of the anions to the Schiff base counterion. These anions restored the change of water, which is bound near the protonated Schiff base but is absent in the blue form of the D85N mutant, though with stronger H-bonding than in the wild type. The C = N stretching vibration of the Schiff base in H2O and 2H2O was detected by Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy. The H-bonding strength of the Schiff base in the unphotolyzed state was weaker when chloride or bromide was bound to the mutants than with Asp85 as the counterion in the wild type. Thus, although the geometry of the environment is different, there is at least one water molecule coordinated to the bound halide in these mutants, in a way similar to water bound to Asp85 in the wild type.     

Mutational analysis of the three cysteines and active-site aspartic acid 103 of ketosteroid isomerase from Pseudomonas putida biotype B

In order to clarify the roles of three cysteines in ketosteroid isomerase (KSI) from Pseudomonas putida biotype B, each of the cysteine residues has been changed to a serine residue (C69S, C81S, and C97S) by site-directed mutagenesis. All cysteine mutations caused only a slight decrease in the k(cat) value, with no significant change of Km for the substrate. Even modification of the sulfhydryl group with 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) has almost no effect on enzyme activity. These results demonstrate that none of the cysteines in the KSI from P. putida is critical for catalytic activity, contrary to the previous identification of a cysteine in an active-site-directed photoinactivation study of KSI. Based on the three-dimensional structures of KSIs with and without dienolate intermediate analog equilenin, as determined by X-ray crystallography at high resolution, Asp-103 was found to be located within the range of the hydrogen bond to the equilenin. To assess the role of Asp-103 in catalysis, Asp-103 has been replaced with either asparagine (D103N) or alanine (D103A) by site-directed mutagenesis. For D103A mutant KSI there was a significant decrease in the k(cat) value: the k(cat) of the mutant was 85-fold lower than that of the wild-type enzyme; however, for the D103N mutant, which retained some hydrogen bonding capability, there was a minor decrease in the k(cat) value. These findings support the idea that aspartic acid 103 in the active site is an essential catalytic residue involved in catalysis by hydrogen bonding to the dienolate intermediate.     

Second-site suppression of regulatory phosphorylation in Escherichia coli isocitrate dehydrogenase

Inactivation of Escherichia coli isocitrate dehydrogenase upon phosphorylation at S113 depends upon the direct electrostatic repulsion of the negatively charged gamma-carboxylate of isocitrate by the negatively charged phosphoserine. The effect is mimicked by replacing S113 with aspartate or glutamate, which reduce performance (kcat/K(i).isocitrat/ Km.NADP) by a factor of 10(7). Here, we demonstrate that the inactivating effects of the electrostatic repulsion are completely eliminated by a second-site mutation, and provide the structural basis for this striking example of intragenic suppression. N115 is adjacent to S113 on one face of the D-helix, interacts with isocitrate and NADP+, and has been postulated to serve in both substrate binding and in catalysis. The single N115L substitution reduces affinity for isocitrate by a factor of 50 and performance by a factor of 500. However, the N115L substitution completely suppresses the inactivating electrostatic effects of S113D or S113E: the performance of the double mutants is 10(5) higher than the S113D and S113E single mutants. These mutations have little effect on the kinetics of alternative substrates, which lack the charged gamma-carboxylate of isocitrate. Both glutamate and aspartate at site 113 remain fully ionized in the presence of leucine. In the crystal structure of the N115L mutant, the leucine adopts a different conformer from the wild-type asparagine. Repacking around the leucine forces the amino-terminus of the D-helix away from the rest of the active site. The hydrogen bond between E113 and N115 in the S113E single mutant is broken in the S113E/N115L mutant, allowing the glutamate side chain to move away from the gamma-carboxylate of isocitrate. These movements increase the distance between the carboxylates, diminish the electrostatic repulsion, and lead to the remarkably high activity of the S113E/N115L mutant.     

Replacement of terminal cysteine with histidine in the metallothionein alpha and beta domains maintains its binding capacity

To generate novel forms of metal-binding proteins, six mutant mouse metallothionein (MT) 1 fragments, in which a terminal cysteine residue was replaced by histidine, were expressed in Escherichia coli. The spectroscopic and analytical results showed that the alphaMT (C33H, C36H, C41H, C57H) and betaMT (C5H, C13H) mutant forms bound 4 and 3 Zn(II) atoms per molecule of protein to the nearest integer, even though in C41H and C5H, species of lower stoichiometry were also detected. In Cd(II) titrations, all the Zn(II) ions bound to the mutant proteins were displaced from the binding sites, giving rise to Cd-mutated MT forms with 4 and 3 Cd(II), respectively. However, although Cys-to-His substitutions maintained the binding capacity of the MT fragments, they caused structural changes with respect to the wild-type proteins. While C13H, C36H and C57H seem to contain Zn(II)-aggregates that are closely related to those of the wild-type proteins, only C41H and C57H gave rise to Cd(II)-aggregates similar to those of Cd4-alphaMT, where the His residue plays the role of the substituted Cys. Despite the structural implications of the Cys-to-His replacement, the dissociation constants showed no major decrease in the Cd-binding affinity in any of the mutants assayed compared with the wild-type.     

Insights into the mechanism of domain closure and substrate specificity of glutamate dehydrogenase from Clostridium symbiosum

Comparisons of the structures of glutamate dehydrogenase (GluDH) and leucine dehydrogenase (LeuDH) have suggested that two substitutions, deep within the amino acid binding pockets of these homologous enzymes, from hydrophilic residues to hydrophobic ones are critical components of their differential substrate specificity. When one of these residues, K89, which hydrogen-bonds to the gamma-carboxyl group of the substrate l-glutamate in GluDH, was altered by site-directed mutagenesis to a leucine residue, the mutant enzyme showed increased substrate activity for methionine and norleucine but negligible activity with either glutamate or leucine. In order to understand the molecular basis of this shift in specificity we have determined the crystal structure of the K89L mutant of GluDH from Clostridium symbiosum. Analysis of the structure suggests that further subtle differences in the binding pocket prevent the mutant from using a branched hydrophobic substrate but permit the straight-chain amino acids to be used as substrates. The three-dimensional crystal structure of the GluDH from C. symbiosum has been previously determined in two distinct forms in the presence and absence of its substrate glutamate. A comparison of these two structures has revealed that the enzyme can adopt different conformations by flexing about the cleft between its two domains, providing a motion which is critical for orienting the partners involved in the hydride transfer reaction. It has previously been proposed that this conformational change is triggered by substrate binding. However, analysis of the K89L mutant shows that it adopts an almost identical conformation with that of the wild-type enzyme in the presence of substrate. Comparison of the mutant structure with both the wild-type open and closed forms has enabled us to separate conformational changes associated with substrate binding and domain motion and suggests that the domain closure may well be a property of the wild-type enzyme even in the absence of substrate.     

The two species of the foot-and-mouth disease virus leader protein, expressed individually, exhibit the same activities

Initiation of protein synthesis on the foot-and-mouth disease virus RNA occurs at two sites, thus, two forms of the leader protein, termed Lab and Lb, are produced. Plasmids have been constructed which encode these proteins either together or individually. Plasmids encoding the Lab protein alone express a modified form of this protein in which the second methionine residue, which corresponds to the first amino acid of Lb, is changed to an alternative residue. Four different mutant forms of the Lab sequence were made. Each of the plasmids was introduced into a mammalian cell transient expression system which allowed the determination of the known activities of the L proteins. It was shown that the Lb protein and each of the modified Lab proteins were capable of cleaving the L/P1 junction in trans. Furthermore, each of these proteins induced the cleavage of the p220 component of the cap-binding complex (eIF-4F) producing inhibition of cap-dependent translation. These results indicate that the two species of L have the same functions.     

Paternal care enhances male reproductive success in pine engraver beetles

His117 of the D2 protein of photosystem II (PS II) is a conserved residue in the second transmembrane region of the protein and has been suggested to bind chlorophyll. Nine site-directed mutations were introduced at residue 117, using both photosystem I (PS I)-containing and PS I-less background strains of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Of these nine, four (H117C, H117M, H117N, and H117T) were photoautotrophic in the PS I-containing background. The other mutants (H117F, H117L, H117P, H117R, and H117Y) did not accumulate appreciable amounts of PS II in their thylakoids. The type of residues that can functionally replace His117 support the notion of His117 serving as a chlorophyll ligand. The properties of the H117N and H117T mutants were characterized in more detail. Whereas the properties of the H117N mutant were close to those of wild type, in the H117T mutant the 77-K fluorescence emission spectrum shows a much smaller amplitude at 695 nm than expected on the basis of the amount of PS II that is present. Moreover, in H117T, the amount of light needed to half-saturate O2-evolution rates was twofold higher than in the control strain, and the variable fluorescence yield was quenched. However, O2 evolution rates at saturating light intensity and electron-transport kinetics were normal in the mutant. Also, the radical accessory chlorophyll (Chlz+) formed by donation of an electron to the PS-II reaction center could be generated normally by illumination at low temperature in the H117T mutant. We conclude that the chlorophyll associated with residue 117 of the D2 protein is important for efficient excitation transfer between the proximal antenna and the PS II reaction center. A possible mechanism involving a chlorophyll cation to explain the quenching in the H117T mutant is discussed.     

Characterization of a Goalpha mutant that binds xanthine nucleotides

Several GTP binding proteins, including EF-Tu, Ypt1, rab-5, and FtsY, and adenylosuccinate synthetase have been reported to bind xanthine nucleotides when the conserved aspartate residue in the NKXD motif was changed to asparagine. However, the corresponding single Goalpha mutant protein (D273N) did not bind either xanthine nucleotides or guanine nucleotides. Interestingly, the introduction of a second mutation to generate the Goalpha subunit D273N/Q205L switched nucleotide binding specificity to xanthine nucleotide. The double mutant protein GoalphaD273N/Q205L (GoalphaX) bound xanthine triphosphate, but not guanine triphosphate. Recombinant GoalphaX (GoalphaD273N/Q205L) formed heterotrimers with betagamma complexes only in the presence of xanthine diphosphate (XDP), and the binding to betagamma was inhibited by xanthine triphosphate (XTP). Furthermore, as a result of binding to XTP, the GoalphaX protein underwent a conformational change similar to that of the activated wild-type Goalpha. In transfected COS-7 cells, we demonstrate that the interaction between GoalphaX and betagamma occurred only when cell membranes were permeabilized to allow the uptake of xanthine diphosphate. This is the first example of a switch in nucleotide binding specificity from guanine to xanthine nucleotides in a heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunit.     

IL-6 expression by oral fibroblasts is regulated by androgen

The leucine-to-alanine mutation at residue 201 of D-amino acid aminotransferase provides a unique enzyme which gradually loses its activity while catalyzing the normal transamination; the co-enzyme form is converted from pyridoxal 5'-phosphate to pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate upon the inactivation [Kishimoto,K., Yoshimura,T., Esaki,N., Sugio,S., Manning,J.M. and Soda,K. (1995) J. Biochem., 117, 691-696]. Crystal structures of both co-enzyme forms of the mutant enzyme have been determined at 2.0 A resolution: they are virtually identical, and are quite similar to that of the wild-type enzyme. Significant differences in both forms of the mutant are localized only on the bound co-enzyme, the side chains of Lys145 and Tyr31, and a water molecule sitting on the putative substrate binding site. Detailed comparisons of the structures of the mutant, together with that of the pyridoxamine-5'-phosphate form of the wild-type enzyme, imply that Leu201 would play a crucial role in the transamination reaction by keeping the pyridoxyl ring in the proper location without disturbing its oscillating motion, although the residue seems to not be especially important for the structural integrity of the enzyme.     

RAC regulation of actin polymerization and proliferation by a pathway distinct from Jun kinase

The RAC guanine nucleotide binding proteins regulate multiple biological activities, including actin polymerization, activation of the Jun kinase (JNK) cascade, and cell proliferation. RAC effector loop mutants were identified that separate the ability of RAC to interact with different downstream effectors. One mutant of activated human RAC protein, RACV12H40 (with valine and histidine substituted at position 12 and 40, respectively), was defective in binding to PAK3, a Ste20-related p21-activated kinase (PAK), but bound to POR1, a RAC-binding protein. This mutant failed to stimulate PAK and JNK activity but still induced membrane ruffling and mediated transformation. A second mutant, RACV12L37 (with leucine substituted at position 37), which bound PAK but not POR1, induced JNK activation but was defective in inducing membrane ruffling and transformation. These results indicate that the effects of RAC on the JNK cascade and on actin polymerization and cell proliferation are mediated by distinct effector pathways that diverge at the level of RAC itself.     

Mutagenic analysis of Vav reveals that an intact SH3 domain is required for transformation

The vav proto-oncogene encodes a protein with multiple modulae domains that enable it to function as a mediator, linking tyrosine signaling to downstream events in hematopoietic cells. Circumstantial evidence suggests that protein-protein interactions exerted by two of these domains, the Src homology 2 (SH2) and the Src homology 3 (SH3), play an important role in the regulation of Vav activity. To study the relevance of the SH3 domain for the function of vav as a transforming gene, we have created several mutations in the SH3 domain located at its carboxy region. Substitution of the non-conserved aspartic acid 797 (to asparagine, D797N) retained the transforming potential of the vav oncogene, whereas substitutions of five highly conserved amino-acids: alanine 789 (to asparagine, A789N), leucine 801 (to arginine, L801R), tryptophan 821 (to arginine, W821R), glycine 830 (to valine, G830V) and valine 837 (to glutamic acid, V837E) greatly reduced its transforming potential. The mutant proteins resemble Vav in many biochemical properties; however, while the transforming mutant protein (D797N) associates with several unidentified proteins in a manner similar to that of Vav, the non-transforming mutant Vav proteins react very poorly with these proteins. Among the known Vav-interacting proteins, hnRNP-K associates with all mutant proteins except A789N and V837E whereas binding of Zyxin to any of the mutant proteins is not affected. Taken together, our results clearly demonstrate that the SH3 domain has a positive effect on vav activity and is needed for vav transformation. The vavSH3C associating protein(s) that are crucial for its activity as a transforming gene have probably not yet been identified.     

Transcription factor Sp1 is essential for early embryonic development but dispensable for cell growth and differentiation

The three-dimensional structures of the catalytic residue Glu219-->Gln mutant of Pseudomonas stutzeri maltotetraose-forming exo-alpha-amylase, and its complex with carbohydrate obtained by cocrystallization with maltopentaose were determined. Two crystal forms were obtained for the complexed enzyme, and a bound maltotetraose was found in each. The structures were analyzed at 2.2 A and 1.9 A resolution, respectively for the uncomplexed and complexed mutant. These structures were compared with the wild-type enzyme structure. In the complexed crystals, the maltotetraose was firmly bound, extensively interacting with the amino acid environments in the active cleft. The non-reducing end glucose unit was hydrogen bonded to the side-chain of Asp160 and the main-chain nitrogen of Gly158, which seem to be predominantly required for the recognition of the non-reducing end of the substrate that determines the exo-wise degradation of this enzyme. The reducing end glucose unit of bound maltotetraose showed clear deformation, adopting a half-chair conformation with extensive hydrogen bonds to surrounding polypeptides. The C1-atom of this deformed glucose unit lies very close to Asp193OD1 with a distance of 2.6 A. The catalytic residue Asp294 is firmly hydrogen-bonded to the O2 and O3-hydroxyl groups of the deformed reducing end glucose unit. Upon binding of the carbohydrate, small but significant induced fits were observed in the regions of Asp294, Phe156, Ile157, and Asp160. Possible roles of the three catalytic residues are also discussed.     

The structural basis for pseudoreversion of the H95N lesion by the secondary S96P mutation in triosephosphate isomerase

The structural basis for the 3000-fold decrease in catalytic efficiency of the H95N mutant chicken triosephosphate isomerase and the 60-fold regain of catalytic efficiency in the double mutant, H95N.S96P, have been analyzed. The results from a combination of X-ray crystallography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy experiments indicate that the predominant defect in the H95N mutant isomerase appears to be its inability to bind the substrate in a coplanar, cis conformation. The structures of each mutant isomerase were determined from X-ray crystallography of the complex of phosphoglycolohydroxamate (PGH), an intermediate analog with the isomerase, and each was solved to a resolution of 1.9 A. The PGH appeared to be in two different conformations in which the enediol-mimicking atoms, O2-N2-C1-O1, of the PGH were not coplanar. No density was observed that would correspond to the coplanar conformation. Two bands are observed for the dihydroxyacetone phosphate carbonyl in the H95N mutant FTIR spectrum, and these can be explained if the O1 of DHAP, like the O1 of PGH in the crystal structure, is in two different positions. Two ordered water molecules are located between O1 of PGH and N delta of N95. Comparison of the structure of the pseudorevertant, H95N.S96P with that for the H95N single mutant, shows that S96P mutation causes the double mutant to regain the ability to bind PGH predominantly in the coplanar, cis conformation. Electron density for a single ordered water molecule bridging the N95 amide side chain and the O2 of PGH is observed, but the density was weak, perhaps indicating that the water molecule is somewhat disordered. Whether or not a water molecule is hydrogen bonded to O2 of PGH may explain the two carbonyl stretching frequencies observed for the GAP carbonyl. Together, the crystal structures and the FTIR data allow a complete explanation of the catalytic properties of these two mutant isomerases.     

The YXXL sequences of a transmembrane protein of bovine leukemia virus are required for viral entry and incorporation of viral envelope protein into virions

The cytoplasmic domain of an envelope transmembrane glycoprotein (gp30) of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) has two overlapping copies of the (YXXL)2 motif. The N-terminal motif has been implicated in in vitro signal transduction pathways from the external to the intracellular compartment and is also involved in infection and maintenance of high viral loads in sheep that have been experimentally infected with BLV. To determine the role of YXXL sequences in the replication of BLV in vitro, we changed the tyrosine or leucine residues of the N-terminal motif in an infectious molecular clone of BLV, pBLV-IF, to alanine to produce mutated proviruses designated Y487A, L490A, Y498A, L501A, and Y487/498A. Transient transfection of African green monkey kidney COS-1 cells with proviral DNAs that encoded wild-type and mutant sequences revealed that all of the mutated proviral DNAs synthesized mature envelope proteins and released virus particles into the growth medium. However, serial passages of fetal lamb kidney (FLK) cells, which are sensitive to infection with BLV, after transient transfection revealed that mutation of a second tyrosine residue in the N-terminal motif completely prevented the propagation of the virus. Similarly, Y498A and Y487/498A mutant BLV that was produced by the stably transfected COS-1 cells exhibited significantly reduced levels of cell-free virion-mediated transmission. Analysis of the protein compositions of mutant viruses demonstrated that lower levels of envelope protein were incorporated by two of the mutant virions than by wild-type and other mutant virions. Furthermore, a mutation of a second tyrosine residue decreased the specific binding of BLV particles to FLK cells and the capacity for viral penetration. Our data indicate that the YXXL sequences play critical roles in both viral entry and the incorporation of viral envelope protein into the virion during the life cycle of BLV.     

Differential stabilization of the three FMN redox forms by tyrosine 94 and tryptophan 57 in flavodoxin from Anabaena and its influence on the redox potentials

Flavodoxins are electron transfer proteins that carry a noncovalently bound flavin mononucleotide molecule as the redox-active center. The redox potentials of the flavin nucleotide are profoundly altered upon interaction with the protein. In Anabaena flavodoxin, as in many flavodoxins, the flavin is sandwiched between two aromatic residues (Trp57 and Tyr94) thought to be implicated in the alteration of the redox potentials. We have individually replaced these two residues by each of the other aromatic residues, by alanine and by leucine. For each mutant, we have determined the redox potentials and the binding energies of the oxidized FMN--apoflavodoxin complexes. From these data, the binding energies of the semireduced and reduced complexes have been calculated. Comparison of the binding energies of wild-type and mutant flavodoxins at the three redox states suggests that the interaction between Tyr94 and FMN stabilizes the apoflavodoxin--FMN complex in all redox states. The oxidized and semireduced complexes are, however, more strongly stabilized than the reduced complex, making the semiquinone/hydroquinone midpoint potential more negative in flavodoxin than in unbound FMN. Trp57 also stabilizes all redox forms of FMN, thus cooperating with Tyr94 in strong FMN binding. On the other hand, Trp57 seems to slightly destabilize the semireduced complex relative to the oxidized one. Finally, we have observed that reduction of mutants lacking Trp57 is slow relative to that of wild-type or mutants lacking Tyr94, which suggests that Trp57 could play a role in the kinetics of flavodoxin redox reactions.     

Mechanisms of autoxidation of the oxygen sensor FixL and Aplysia myoglobin: implications for oxygen-binding heme proteins

On exposure to oxygen, ferrous heme is thought to autoxidize via three distinct mechanisms: (i) dissociation of protonated superoxide from oxyheme; (ii) reaction between a noncoordinated oxygen molecule and pentacoordinate deoxyheme, and (iii) reaction between a noncoordinated oxygen molecule and an intermediate having water coordinated to the ferrous heme iron. The formation of a hexacoordinate aquomet (H2O.Fe3+) species has been proposed to drive mechanism (iii); consequently, heme proteins with a pentacoordinate met (Fe3+) form might be expected to lack this pathway. We have measured the dependence of autoxidation rate on oxygen concentration for Rhizobium meliloti FixL and Aplysia kurodai myoglobin, which have pentacoordinate met forms. For both proteins, the bell shape of this dependence shows that they autoxidize primarily by mechanism (iii), indicating that a hexacoordinate aquomet species is not required for this mechanism. A novel presentation of the oxygen dependence of autoxidation rates that uses heme saturation, rather than oxygen concentration, more clearly reveals the relative contributions of autoxidation pathways.     

The potential role of glycine-160 of human O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase in reaction with O6-benzylguanine as determined by site-directed mutagenesis and molecular modelling comparisons

O6-Alkylguanine DNA-alkyltransferase (ATase) repairs toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic O6-alkylguanine (O6-alkG) lesions in DNA by a highly conserved reaction involving the stoichiometric transfer of the alkyl group to the active centre cysteine residue of the ATase protein. In the Escherichia coli Ada ATase, which is effectively refactory to inhibition by O6-benzylguanine (O6-BzG), the residue corresponding to glycine-160 (G160) for the mammalian proteins of this class is replaced by a tryptophan (W). Therefore, to investigate the potential role of the G160 of the human ATase (hAT) protein in determining sensitivity to O6-BzG, site-directed mutagenesis was used to produce a mutant protein (hATG160W) substituted at position 160 with a W residue. The hATG160W mutant was found to be stably expressed and was 3- and 5-fold more sensitive than hAT to inactivation by O6-BzG, in the absence and presence of additional calf-thymus DNA respectively. A similar, DNA dependent increased sensitivity of the hATG160W mutant relative to wild-type was also found for O6-methylguanine mediated inactivation. The potential role of the W160 residue in stabilising the binding of the O6-alkG to the protein is discussed in terms of a homology model of the structure of hAT. The region occupied by G/W-160 forms the site of a putative hinge that could be important in the conformational change that is likely to occur on DNA binding. Three sequence motifs have been identified in this region which may influence O6-BzG access to the active site; YSGG or YSGGG in mammals (YAGG in E. coli Ogt, YAGS in Dat from Bacillus subtilis), YRWG in E. coli Ada and Salmonella typhimurium (but YKWS in Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or YRGGF in AdaB from B. Subtilis. Finally,conformational and stereoelectronic analysis of the putative transition states for the alkyl transfer from a series of inactivators of hAT, including O6-BzG was undertaken to rationalise the unexpected weak inhibition shown by the alpha-pi-unsaturated electrophiles.     

The molecular mechanism of autoxidation for human oxyhemoglobin. Tilting of the distal histidine causes nonequivalent oxidation in the beta chain

Human oxyhemoglobin showed a biphasic autoxidation curve containing two rate constants, i.e. kf for the fast autoxidation due to the alpha chains, and ks for the slow autoxidation of the beta chains, respectively. Consequently, the autoxidation of the HbO2 tetramer produces two different curves from the pH dependence of kf and ks. The analysis of these curves revealed that the beta chain of the HbO2 tetramer does not exhibit any proton-catalyzed autoxidation, unlike the alpha chain, where a proton-catalyzed process involving the distal histidine residue can play a dominant role in the autoxidation rate. When the alpha and beta chains were separated from the HbO2 tetramer, however, each chain was oxidized much more rapidly than in the tetrameric parent. Moreover, the separated beta chain was recovered completely to strong acid catalysis in its autoxidation rate. These new findings lead us to conclude that the formation of the alpha1beta1 contact produces in the beta chain a conformational constraint whereby the distal histidine at position 63 is tilted away slightly from the bound dioxygen, preventing the proton-catalyzed displacement of O-2 by a solvent water molecule. The beta chains have thus acquired a delayed autoxidation in the HbO2 tetramer.     

Crystal structure of Y34F mutant human mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase and the functional role of tyrosine 34

Tyrosine 34 is a prominent and conserved residue in the active site of the manganese superoxide dismutases in organisms from bacteria to man. We have prepared the mutant containing the replacement Tyr 34 --> Phe (Y34F) in human manganese superoxide dismutase (hMnSOD) and crystallized it in two different crystal forms, orthorhombic and hexagonal. Crystal structures of hMnSOD Y34F have been solved to 1.9 A resolution in a hexagonal crystal form, denoted as Y34Fhex, and to 2.2 A resolution in an orthorhombic crystal form, denoted as Y34Fortho. Both crystal forms give structures that are closely superimposable with that of wild-type hMnSOD, with the phenyl rings of Tyr 34 in the wild type and Phe 34 in the mutant very similar in orientation. Therefore, in Y34F, a hydrogen-bonded relay that links the metal-bound hydroxyl to ordered solvent (Mn-OH to Gln 143 to Tyr 34 to H2O to His 30) is broken. Surprisingly, the loss of the Tyr 34 hydrogen bonds resulted in large increases in stability (measured by Tm), suggesting that the Tyr 34 hydroxyl does not play a role in stabilizing active-site architecture. The functional role of the side chain hydroxyl of Tyr 34 can be evaluated by comparison of the Y34F mutant with the wild-type hMnSOD. Both wild-type and Y34F had kcat/Km near 10(9) M-1 s-1, close to diffusion-controlled; however, Y34F showed kcat for maximal catalysis smaller by 10-fold than the wild type. In addition, the mutant Y34F was more susceptible to product inhibition by peroxide than the wild-type enzyme. This activity profile and the breaking of the hydrogen-bonding chain at the active site caused by the replacement Tyr 34 --> Phe suggest that Tyr 34 is a proton donor for O2* - reduction to H2O2 or is involved indirectly by orienting solvent or other residues for proton transfer. Up to 100 mM buffers in solution failed to enhance catalysis by either Y34F or the wild-type hMnSOD, suggesting that protonation from solution cannot enhance the release of the inhibiting bound peroxide ion, likely reflecting the enclosure of the active site by conserved residues as shown by the X-ray structures. The increased thermostability of the mutant Y34F and equal diffusion-controlled activity of Y34F and wild-type enzymes with normal superoxide levels suggest that evolutionary conservation of active-site residues in metalloenzymes reflects constraints from extreme rather than average cellular conditions. This new hypothesis that extreme rather than normal substrate concentrations are a powerful constraint on residue conservation may apply most strongly to enzyme defenses where the ability to meet extreme conditions directly affects cell survival.