Combined co-solvent and pressure effect on kinetics of a peptide hydrolysis: an activity-based approach.

The application of co-solvents and high pressure has been reported to be an efficient means to tune the kinetics of enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Co-solvents and pressure can lead to increased reaction rates without sacrificing enzyme stability, while temperature and pH operation windows are generally very narrow. Quantitative prediction of co-solvent and pressure effects on enzymatic reactions has not been successfully addressed in the literature. Herein, we are introducing a thermodynamic approach that is based on molecular interactions in the form of activity coefficients of substrate and of enzyme in the multi-component solution. This allowed us to quantitatively predict the combined effect of co-solvent and pressure on the kinetic constants, i.e. the Michaelis constant KM and the catalytic constant kcat, of an α-CT-catalyzed peptide hydrolysis reaction. The reaction was studied in the presence of different types of co-solvents and at pressures up to 2 kbar, and quantitative predictions could be obtained for KM, kcat, and finally even primary Michaelis-Menten plots using activity coefficients provided by the thermodynamic model PC-SAFT.

Water Dynamics from THz Spectroscopy Reveal the Locus of a Liquid-Liquid Binodal Limit in Aqueous CaCO3 Solutions.

Many phenomena depend on CaCO3 nucleation where the role of water remains enigmatic. Changes in THz absorption during the early stages of CaCO3 nucleation evidence altered coupled motions of hydrated calcium and carbonate ions. The direct link between these changes and the continuous development of the ion activity product reveals the locus of a liquid-liquid binodal limit. The data strongly suggest that proto-structured amorphous CaCO3 forms through solidification of initially liquid precursors. Furthermore, polycarboxylates, which stabilize liquid precursors of CaCO3 , significantly enhance the kinetic stability of the metastable liquid-liquid state, but they do not affect the locus of the binodal limit. The importance of water network dynamics in phase separation mechanisms can be understood based on the notions of the pre-nucleation cluster pathway, and is likely to be more general for aqueous systems.

Effect of Short Chain Poly(ethylene glycol)s on the Hydration Structure and Dynamics around Human Serum Albumin.

We report the changes in the hydration dynamics around a globular protein, human serum albumin (HSA), in the presence of two short chain crowding agents, namely poly(ethylene glycol)s (PEG 200 and 400). The change in the network water structure is investigated using FTIR spectroscopy in the far-infrared (FIR) frequency range. Site specific changes are obtained by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopic technique using the intrinsic fluorophore tryptophan (Trp214) of HSA. The collective hydration dynamics of HSA in the presence of PEG molecules are obtained using terahertz (THz) time domain spectroscopy (TTDS) and high intensity p-Ge THz measurements. Our study affirms a considerable perturbation of HSA hydration beyond a critical concentration of PEG.

Non-monotonic dynamics of water in its binary mixture with 1,2-dimethoxy ethane: A combined THz spectroscopic and MD simulation study.

A combined experimental (mid- and far-infrared FTIR spectroscopy and THz time domain spectroscopy (TTDS) (0.3-1.6 THz)) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation technique are used to understand the evolution of the structure and dynamics of water in its binary mixture with 1,2-dimethoxy ethane (DME) over the entire concentration range. The cooperative hydrogen bond dynamics of water obtained from Debye relaxation of TTDS data reveals a non-monotonous behaviour in which the collective dynamics is much faster in the low Xw region (where Xw is the mole fraction of water in the mixture), whereas in Xw ∼ 0.8 region, the dynamics gets slower than that of pure water. The concentration dependence of the reorientation times of water, calculated from the MD simulations, also captures this non-monotonous character. The MD simulation trajectories reveal presence of large amplitude angular jumps, which dominate the orientational relaxation. We rationalize the non-monotonous, concentration dependent orientational dynamics by identifying two different physical mechanisms which operate at high and low water concentration regimes.

Hydrostatic Pressure Increases the Catalytic Activity of Amyloid Fibril Enzymes.

We studied the combined effects of pressure (0.1-200 MPa) and temperature (22, 30, and 38 °C) on the catalytic activity of designed amyloid fibrils using a high-pressure stopped-flow system with rapid UV/Vis absorption detection. Complementary FT-IR spectroscopic data revealed a remarkably high pressure and temperature stability of the fibrillar systems. High pressure enhances the esterase activity as a consequence of a negative activation volume at all temperatures (about -14 cm(3) mol(-1) ). The enhancement is sustained in the whole temperature range covered, which allows a further acceleration of the enzymatic activity at high temperatures (activation energy 45-60 kJ mol(-1) ). Our data reveal the great potential of using both pressure and temperature modulation to optimize the enzyme efficiency of catalytic amyloid fibrils.

Pressure-A Gateway to Fundamental Insights into Protein Solvation, Dynamics, and Function.

Now that the centennial anniversary of the first report on pressure denaturation of proteins by Nobel Laureate P. W. Bridgman can be celebrated, this Review on the application of high pressure as a key variable for studying the energetics and interactions of proteins appears. We demonstrate that combined temperature-pressure-dependent studies help delineate the free-energy landscape of proteins and elucidate which features are essential in determining their stability. Pressure perturbation also serves as an important tool to explore fluctuations in proteins and reveal their conformational substates. From shaping the free-energy landscape of proteins themselves to that of their interactions, conformational fluctuations not only dictate a plethora of biological processes, but are also implicated in a number of debilitating diseases. Finally, the advantages of using pressure to explore biomolecular assemblies and modulate enzymatic reactions are discussed.

Combined pressure and cosolvent effects on enzyme activity - a high-pressure stopped-flow kinetic study on α-chymotrypsin.

We investigated the combined effects of cosolvents and pressure on the hydrolysis of a model peptide catalysed by α-chymotrypsin. The enzymatic activity was measured in the pressure range from 0.1 to 200 MPa using a high-pressure stopped-flow systems with 10 ms time resolution. A kosmotropic (trimethalymine-N-oxide, TMAO) and chaotropic (urea) cosolvent and mixtures thereof were used as cosolvents. High pressure enhances the hydrolysis rate as a consequence of a negative activation volume, ΔV(#), which, depending on the cosolvent system, amounts to -2 to -4 mL mol(-1). A more negative activation volume can be explained by a smaller compression of the ES complex relative to the transition state. Kinetic constants, such as kcat and the Michaelis constant KM, were determined for all solution conditions as a function of pressure. With increasing pressure, kcat increases by about 35% and its pressure dependence by a factor of 1.9 upon addition of 2 M urea, whereas 1 M TMAO has no significant effect on kcat and its pressure dependence. Similarly, KM increases upon addition of urea 6-fold. Addition of TMAO compensates the urea-effect on kcat and KM to some extent. The maximum rate of the enzymatic reaction increases with increasing pressure in all solutions except in the TMAO : urea 1 : 2 mixture, where, remarkably, pressure is found to have no effect on the rate of the enzymatic reaction anymore. Our data clearly show that compatible solutes can easily override deleterious effects of harsh environmental conditions, such as high hydrostatic pressures in the 100 MPa range, which is the maximum pressure encountered in the deep biosphere on Earth.

The influence of charge on the structure and dynamics of water encapsulated in reverse micelles.

Hydrogen-bonded structure and relaxation dynamics of water entrapped inside reverse micelles (RMs) composed of surfactants with different charged head groups: sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) (anionic), didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) (cationic) and Igepal CO-520 (Igepal) (nonionic) in cyclohexane (Cy) have been studied as a function of hydration (defined by ). Sub-diffusive slow (sub-ns) relaxation dynamics of water has been measured by the time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (TRFS) technique using two fluorophores, namely 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) and coumarin-343 (C-343). The hydrogen bonded connectivity network of water confined in these RMs has been investigated by monitoring the hydrogen bond stretching and libration bands of water using far-infrared FTIR spectroscopy. In addition, the ultrafast collective relaxation dynamics of water inside these RMs has been determined by dielectric relaxation in the THz region (0.2-2.0 THz) using THz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). While TRFS measurements establish the retardation of water dynamics for all the RM systems, FTIR and THz-TDS measurements provide with signature of charge specificity.

Solvent dynamics in a reverse micellar water-pool: a spectroscopic investigation of DDAB-cyclohexane-water systems.

We have measured the hydrogen bonded structure and sub-ns relaxation dynamics of water molecules encapsulated in the DDAB-cyclohexane (Cy)-water reverse micellar (RM) water-pool dependent on water concentration (w(0) = [water]/[DDAB]) and temperatures. The interfacial film of DDAB-Cy undergoes significant alteration upon addition of water as the microscopic phase changes from cylindrical aggregates to discrete droplets which is in contrast to the conventional RM systems. FTIR spectroscopy in mid-infrared (MIR) and far-infrared (FIR) regions suggests the encapsulated water molecules to undergo a transition with increasing w(0) towards a bulk-like behavior. Time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy using Coumarin-500 as the fluorophore reveals a decrease in solvation time constant with increasing w(0) as well as with increasing temperature, a behavior consistent with conventional RM systems. The temperature dependent relaxation dynamics is found to follow an Arrhenius type behavior with a value for E(act) in the range of 2.5-3 kcal mol(-1) for all the studied systems. Our results show that phase modification has a marginal effect on the relaxation dynamics.

Terahertz-time domain spectroscopy for the detection of PCR amplified DNA in aqueous solution.

In this work we present a label free quantitative detection method for DNA samples amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in aqueous medium using terahertz-time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) in the frequency range from 0.3 to 1.2 THz. The DNA samples of 133 and 697 base pairs were prepared using PCR. We measured the absorption coefficients of DNA solutions in the concentration range of 0-0.3 ng µl(-1). For both DNA types, the absorption coefficients decreased with increasing DNA concentrations. The average change in absorption coefficients compared to buffer within the frequency range of 0.8-1.0 THz showed a linear behavior. Our results demonstrate that THz-TDS can detect PCR amplified DNA in aqueous solution with a minimum concentration of 0.1 ng µl(-1) and a minimum sample volume of 10 µl.

Do hydration dynamics follow the structural perturbation during thermal denaturation of a protein: a terahertz absorption study.

We investigate the thermal denaturation of human serum albumin and the associated solvation using terahertz (THz) spectroscopy in aqueous buffer solution. Far- and near-ultraviolet circular dichroism spectroscopy reveal that the protein undergoes a native (N) to extended (E) state transition at temperature ≤55°C with a marginal change in the secondary and tertiary structure. At 70°C, the protein transforms into an unfolded (U) state with significant irreversible disruption of its structures. We measure the concentration- and temperature-dependent THz absorption coefficient (α) of the protein solution using a p-Ge THz difference spectrometer (2.1-2.8 THz frequency range), thereby probing the collective protein-water network dynamics. When the solvated protein is heated up to 55°C and cooled down again, a reversible change in THz absorption is observed. When increasing the temperature up to 70°C, we find a dramatic irreversible change of THz absorption. The increase in THz absorption compared to bulk water is attributed to a blue shift in the spectrum of the solvated protein compared to bulk water. This is supported by measurements of THz absorption coefficients using THz time-domain spectroscopy (0.1-1.2 THz frequency range). We also use picosecond-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy of the tryptophan 214 moiety of human serum albumin. All experimental observations can be explained by a change in the hydration dynamics of the solvated protein due to the additional exposure of hydrophobic residues upon unfolding.

Onset of hydrogen bonded collective network of water in 1,4-dioxane.

We have studied the evolution of water hydrogen bonded collective network dynamics in mixtures of 1,4-dioxane (Dx) as the mole fraction of water (X(w)) increases from 0.005 to 0.54. The inter- and intramolecular vibrations of water have been observed using terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) in the frequency range 0.4-1.4 THz (13-47 cm(-1)) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in the far-infrared (30-650 cm(-1)) and mid-infrared (3000-3700 cm(-1)) regions. These results have been correlated with the reactivity of water in these mixtures as determined by kinetic studies of the solvolysis reaction of benzoyl chloride (BzCl). Our studies show an onset of intermolecular hydrogen bonded water network dynamics beyond X(w) ≥ 0.1. At the same concentration, we observe a rapid increase of the rate constant of solvolysis of BzCl in water-Dx mixtures. Our results establish a correlation between the onset of collective hydrogen bonded network with the solvation dynamics and the activity of clustered water.

Pore size dependent dynamics of confined water probed by FIR spectroscopy.

We measured the FIR (Far Infrared) absorbance of a series of organic hydrated sub-nanopores (i.e. pores of the size of several A) containing confined water. Our results show that the FIR frequency region between 400 and 570 cm(-1) is sensitive to the differences in water mobility. The absorbance of these compounds was significantly higher than that of chemically similar anhydrous or non-porous hydrated compounds in the same region. Moreover, changes in the water dynamics inside the hydrated pores were found and characterized by their temperature dependent studies in the range from -5 to 20 degrees C. Upon increasing the temperature, water confined in narrow pores shows a small increase in FIR absorbance, while less confined water molecules inside larger pores exhibit a higher increase in absorbance, resembling more what has been observed for bulk water.

Cosolvent and pressure effects on enzyme-catalysed hydrolysis reactions.

Thermodynamics and kinetics of biochemical reactions depend not only on temperature, but also on pressure and on the presence of cosolvents in the reaction medium. Understanding their effects on biochemical processes is a crucial step towards the design and optimization of industrially relevant enzymatic reactions. Such reactions typically do not take place in pure water. Cosolvents might be present as they are either required as stabilizer, as solubilizer, or in their function to overcome thermodynamic or kinetic limitations. Further, a vast number of enzymes has been found to be piezophilic or at least pressure-tolerant, meaning that nature has adapted them to high-pressure conditions. In this manuscript, we review existing data and we additionally present some new data on the combined cosolvent and pressure influence on the kinetics of biochemical reactions. In particular, we focus on cosolvent and pressure effects on Michaelis constants and catalytic constants of α-CT-catalysed peptide hydrolysis reactions. Two different substrates were considered in this work, N-succinyl-L-phenylalanine-p-nitroanilide and H-phenylalanine-p-nitroanilide. Urea, trimethyl-N-amine oxide, and dimethyl sulfoxide have been under investigation as these cosolvents are often applied in technical as well as in demonstrator systems. Pressure effects have been studied from ambient pressure up to 2 kbar. The existing literature data and the new data show that pressure and cosolvents must not be treated as independent effects. Non-additive interactions on a molecular level lead to a partially compensatory effect of cosolvents and pressure on the kinetic parameters of the hydrolysis reactions considered.

Elucidation of the Catalytic Mechanism of a Miniature Zinc Finger Hydrolase.

To improve our mechanistic understanding of zinc metalloenzymes, we report a joint computational and experimental study of a minimal carbonic anhydrase (CA) mimic, a 22-residue Zn-finger hydrolase. We combine classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) geometry optimizations, and QM/MM free energy simulations with ambient and high-pressure kinetic measurements to investigate the mechanism of the hydrolysis of the substrate p-nitrophenylacetate (pNPA). The zinc center of the hydrolase prefers a pentacoordinated geometry, as found in most naturally occurring CAs and CA-like enzymes. Two possible mechanisms for the catalytic reaction are investigated. The first one is analogous to the commonly accepted mechanism for CA-like enzymes: a sequential pathway, in which a Zn2+-bound hydroxide acts as a nucleophile and the hydrolysis proceeds through a tetrahedral intermediate. The initial rate-limiting step of this reaction is the nucleophilic attack of the hydroxide on pNPA to form the tetrahedral intermediate. The computed free energy barrier of 18.5 kcal/mol is consistent with the experimental value of 20.5 kcal/mol obtained from our kinetics experiments. We also explore an alternative reverse protonation pathway for the hydrolase, in which a nearby hydroxide ion from the bulk acts as the nucleophile (instead of a zinc-bound hydroxide). According to QM/MM MD simulations, hydrolysis occurs spontaneously along this pathway. However, this second scenario is not viable in our system, as the tertiary structure of the hydrolase lacks a suitably positioned residue that would act as a general base and generate a hydroxide ion from a nearby bulk water molecule. Hence, our combined theoretical and experimental study indicates that the investigated minimal CA mimic retains the essential mechanistic features of CA-like enzyme catalysis. The high-pressure experiments show that its catalytic efficiency can be enhanced by applying hydrostatic pressure. According to the simulations, more drastic improvements might be afforded by mutations that make the reverse protonation pathway accessible.