A comparison of covalent immobilization and physical adsorption of a cellulase enzyme mixture.

This paper reports the first use of a linker-free covalent approach for immobilizing an enzyme mixture. Adsorption from a mixture is difficult to control due to varying kinetics of adsorption, variations in the degree of unfolding and competitive binding effects. We show that surface activation by plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) produces a mildly hydrophilic surface that covalently couples to protein molecules and avoids these issues, allowing the attachment of a uniform monolayer from a cellulase enzyme mixture. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that the surface layer of the physically adsorbed cellulase layer on the mildly hydrophobic surface (without PIII) consisted of aggregated enzymes that changed conformation with incubation time. The evolution observed is consistent with the existence of transient complexes previously postulated to explain the long time constants for competitive displacement effects in adsorption from enzyme mixtures. AFM indicated that the covalently coupled bound layer to the PIII-treated surface consisted of a stable monolayer without enzyme aggregates, and became a double layer at longer incubation times. Light scattering analysis showed no indication of aggregates in the solution at room temperature, which indicates that the surface without PIII-treatment induced enzyme aggregation. A model for the attachment process of a protein mixture that includes the adsorption kinetics for both surfaces is presented.

Plasma immersion ion implantation treatment of polyethylene for enhanced binding of active horseradish peroxidase.

Robust attachment of active proteins to synthetic surfaces underpins the development of biosensors and protein arrays. This paper presents the results of experiments in which energetic ions, extracted from an inductively coupled nitrogen plasma, are used to modify the surface of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The ability of the surface to bind active horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is significantly enhanced by the plasma treatment. The amide signal in infrared spectroscopy indicates an increased quantity of surface-attached protein on the modified surface. The activity of the bound HRP remains high compared with that of protein attached to the untreated surface, after repeated washing in buffer solution. Although Tween 20 was an effective blocking agent for the unmodified polyethylene surface, binding of HRP to the modified surface is not inhibited by its presence. We propose that the treatment produces new binding sites on the surface and that the function of the HRP is retained because the treated surface is substantially more hydrophilic.

Actin binding proteins: regulation of cytoskeletal microfilaments.

The actin cytoskeleton is a complex structure that performs a wide range of cellular functions. In 2001, significant advances were made to our understanding of the structure and function of actin monomers. Many of these are likely to help us understand and distinguish between the structural models of actin microfilaments. In particular, 1) the structure of actin was resolved from crystals in the absence of cocrystallized actin binding proteins (ABPs), 2) the prokaryotic ancestral gene of actin was crystallized and its function as a bacterial cytoskeleton was revealed, and 3) the structure of the Arp2/3 complex was described for the first time. In this review we selected several ABPs (ADF/cofilin, profilin, gelsolin, thymosin beta4, DNase I, CapZ, tropomodulin, and Arp2/3) that regulate actin-driven assembly, i.e., movement that is independent of motor proteins. They were chosen because 1) they represent a family of related proteins, 2) they are widely distributed in nature, 3) an atomic structure (or at least a plausible model) is available for each of them, and 4) each is expressed in significant quantities in cells. These ABPs perform the following cellular functions: 1) they maintain the population of unassembled but assembly-ready actin monomers (profilin), 2) they regulate the state of polymerization of filaments (ADF/cofilin, profilin), 3) they bind to and block the growing ends of actin filaments (gelsolin), 4) they nucleate actin assembly (gelsolin, Arp2/3, cofilin), 5) they sever actin filaments (gelsolin, ADF/cofilin), 6) they bind to the sides of actin filaments (gelsolin, Arp2/3), and 7) they cross-link actin filaments (Arp2/3). Some of these ABPs are essential, whereas others may form regulatory ternary complexes. Some play crucial roles in human disorders, and for all of them, there are good reasons why investigations into their structures and functions should continue.

Heart failure and apoptosis: electrophoretic methods support data from micro- and macro-arrays. A critical review of genomics and proteomics.

The multiple causes and multiple consequences of mammalian heart failure make it an attractive proposition for analysis using gene array technology, especially where the failure is idiopathic in nature. However, gene arrays also hold potential artefacts, particularly when gene expression levels are low, and where changes in expression levels are modest. Also, at present, the number of genes available on arrays is not large enough to prevent potential sampling deficiencies. Thus, it may not be wise to place too much reliance on quantitative interpretations of gene array data. Also, recently doubts were raised about the qualitative reliability of array genes. Electrophoretic methods are slow, cumbersome and complex but they can provide confirmation that the trends and numbers arising from the new gene arrays are reliable. In this overview, we compare gene array data with data from protein activity assays such as zymograms, Western blots, two-dimensional electrophoresis, and immunohistochemistry. Similar or complementary data from the same heart tissues analyzed by either microarrays or macroarrays can be reassuring to those interested in reliable molecular analyses of normal and failing hearts. Similar principles will apply to other tissues and cells.

The affinity of chick cofilin for actin increases when actin is complexed with DNase I: formation of a cofilin-actin-DNase I ternary complex.

Cofilin, an actin-binding protein, regulates the rate, nature and extent of assembly of the actin cytoskeleton. Native Phast gels show that the addition of cofilin to an actin-DNase I complex (74 kDa) results in the formation of a ternary complex of 94 kDa indicating an equimolar stoichiometry in the ternary complex. Furthermore, native gels show that the addition of cofilin to a solution containing free actin and actin-DNase I and run at pH 8.3 results in cofilin complexing preferentially to the actin-DNase I complex. Conversely, the addition of DNase I to a solution containing an actin-cofilin complex and free actin results in the preferential binding of DNase I to the actin-cofilin complex. These results show that the affinity of cofilin for actin can be increased when actin forms binary complexes. When native gels were run at pH 6.8 the affinity of cofilin for monomeric actin was greater than for the actin-DNase I complex indicating that the cofilin-actin interaction can be regulated by changes in pH. The addition of cofilin to actin resulted in the polymerisation of actin at pH 6.8 whereas at alkaline pH a stable cofilin-actin binary complex could be formed. The biological implications are discussed.

Conformational stability changes of the amino terminal domain of enzyme I of the Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate: sugar phosphotransferase system produced by substituting alanine or glutamate for the active-site histidine 189: implications for phosphorylation effects.

The amino terminal domain of enzyme I (residues 1-258 + Arg; EIN) and full length enzyme I (575 residues; EI) harboring active-site mutations (H189E, expected to have properties of phosphorylated forms, and H189A) have been produced by protein bioengineering. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and temperature-induced changes in ellipticity at 222 nm for monomeric wild-type and mutant EIN proteins indicate two-state unfolding. For EIN proteins in 10 mM K-phosphate (and 100 mM KCl) at pH 7.5, deltaH approximately 140 +/- 10 (160) kcal mol(-1) and deltaCp approximately 2.7 (3.3) kcal K(-1) mol(-1). Transition temperatures (Tm) are 57 (59), 55 (58), and 53 (56) degrees C for wild-type, H189A, and H189E forms of EIN, respectively. The order of conformational stability for dephospho-His189, phospho-His189, and H189 substitutions of EIN at pH 7.5 is: His > Ala > Glu > His-PO3(2-) due to differences in conformational entropy. Although H189E mutants have decreased Tm values for overall unfolding the amino terminal domain, a small segment of structure (3 to 12%) is stabilized (Tm approximately 66-68 degrees C). This possibly arises from an ion pair interaction between the gamma-carboxyl of Glu189 and the epsilon-amino group of Lys69 in the docking region for the histidine-containing phosphocarrier protein HPr. However, the binding of HPr to wild-type and active-site mutants of EIN and EI is temperature-independent (entropically controlled) with about the same affinity constant at pH 7.5: K(A)' = 3 +/- 1 x 10(5) M(-1) for EIN and approximately 1.2 x 10(5) M(-1) for EI.

Identification and characterization of a putative active site for peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase (MsrA) and its substrate stereospecificity.

Peptide methionine sulfoxide reductases (MsrA) from many different organisms share a consensus amino acid sequence (GCFWG) that could play an important role in their active site. Site-directed single substitution of each of these amino acids except glycines in the yeast MsrA resulted in total loss of enzyme activity. Nevertheless, all the recombinant MsrA mutants and native proteins had a very similar circular dichroism spectrum. The demonstration that either treatment with iodoacetamide or replacement of the motif cysteine with serine leads to inactivation of the enzyme underscores the singular importance of cysteine residues in the activity of MsrA. The recombinant yeast MsrA was used for general characterization of the enzyme. Its K(m) value was similar to the bovine MsrA and appreciably lower than the K(m) of the bacterial enzyme. Also, it was shown that the enzymatic activity increased dramatically with increasing ionic strength. The recombinant yeast MsrA activity and the reduction activity of free methionine sulfoxide(s) were stereoselective toward the L-methionine S-sulfoxide and S-methyl p-tolyl sulfoxide. It was established that a methionine auxotroph yeast strain could grow on either form of L-methionine sulfoxide.

The role of ATP, ADP and divalent cations in the formation of binary and ternary complexes of actin, cofilin and DNase I.

Actin is the major cytoskeletal protein of virtually all eukaryotic cells. Actin assembly/disassembly is involved in a variety of cellular processes and actin-binding proteins are essential in regulation of the pool of actin monomers. Cofilin and DNase I are actin-binding proteins, which form both binary (actin-DNase 1, cofilin-actin) and ternary (cofilin-actin-DNase I) complexes with actin. Here we use native gel electrophoresis to examine the roles of ATP, ADP, Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the formation of these complexes as well as on the ability of actin to self-assemble. Conditions which favour actin polymerisation are: ATP (no Me2+) > or = ADP (no Me2+) > ADP-Ca2+ = ADP-Mg2+ > ATP-Mg2+ > ATP-Ca2+. Preferential conditions for the formation of the binary actin-cofilin complex are: ADP-Mg2+ > or = ADP-Ca2+ >> ATP-Ca2+ approximately equals ATP-Mg2+ approximately equals ADP-No Me2+ approximately equals ATP-No Me2+. Actin forms a very tight complex with DNase I in the order: ATP-Ca2+ > or = ATP-Mg2+ approximately equals ADP-Mg2+ approximately equals ADP-Ca2+ > or = ADP-(no Me2+) > ATP-(no Me2+). Effectively, the complex does not form in the presence of ATP and the absence of free Me2+. Finally, the conditions which favour the formation of a ternary complex of cofilin-actin-DNase I resemble the actin-DNase I, namely: ATP-Ca2+ approximately equals ADP-Ca2+ approximately equals ADP-Mg2+ approximately equals ATPMg2+ ADP (no Me2+) > ATP-(no Me2+).

Reconstitution studies using the helical and carboxy-terminal domains of enzyme I of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system.

Enzyme I of the bacterial phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system can be phosphorylated by PEP on an active-site histidine residue, localized to a cleft between an alpha-helical domain and an alpha/beta domain on the amino terminal half of the protein. The phosphoryl group on the active-site histidine can be passed to an active-site histidine residue of HPr. It has been proposed that the major interaction between enzyme I and HPr occurs via the alpha-helical domain of enzyme I. The isolated recombinant alpha-helical domain (residues 25-145) with approximately 80% alpha-helices as well as enzyme I deficient in that domain [EI(DeltaHD)] with approximately 50% alpha-helix content from M. capricolum were used to further elucidate the nature of the enzyme I-HPr complex. Isothermal titration calorimetry demonstrated that HPr binds to the alpha-helical domain and intact enzyme I with = 5 x 10(4) and 1.4 x 10(5) M(-)(1) at pH 7.5 and 25 degrees C, respectively, but not to EI(DeltaHD), which contains the active-site histidine of enzyme I and can be autophosphorylated by PEP. In vitro reconstitution experiments with proteins from both M. capricolum and E. coli showed that EI(DeltaHD) can donate its bound phosphoryl group to HPr in the presence of the isolated alpha-helical domain. Furthermore, M. capricolum recombinant C-terminal domain of enzyme I (EIC) was shown to reconstitute phosphotransfer activity with recombinant N-terminal domain (EIN) approximately 5% as efficiently as the HD-EI(DeltaHD) pair. Recombinant EIC strongly self-associates ( approximately 10(10) M(-)(1)) in comparison to dimerization constants of 10(5)-10(7) M(-)(1) measured for EI and EI(DeltaHD).

Phosphorylation destabilizes the amino-terminal domain of enzyme I of the Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system.

Thermal stabilities of enzyme I (63 562 M(r) subunit, in the Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP):sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS), and a cloned amino-terminal domain of enzyme I (EIN; 28 346 Mr) were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and far-UV circular dichroism (CD) at pH 7.5. EIN expressed in a delta pts E. coli strain showed a single, reversible, two-state transition with Tm = 57 degrees C and an unfolding enthalpy of approximately 140 kcal/mol. In contrast, monomeric EIN expressed in a wild-type strain (pts+) had two endotherms with Tm congruent with 50 and 57 degrees C and overall delta H = 140 kcal/mol and was converted completely to the more stable form after five DSC scans from 10 to 75 degrees C (without changes in CD: approximately 58% alpha-helices). Thermal conversion to a more stable form was correlated with dephosphorylation of EIN by mass spectral analysis. Dephospho-enzyme I (monomer right arrow over left arrow dimer) exhibited endotherms for C- and N-terminal domain unfolding with Tm = 41 and 54 degrees C, respectively. Thermal unfolding of the C-terminal domain occurred over a broad temperature range ( approximately 30-50 degrees C), was scan rate- and concentration-dependent, coincident with a light scattering decrease and Trp residue exposure, and independent of phosphorylation. Reversible thermal unfolding of the nonphosphorylated N-terminal domain was more cooperative, occurring from 50 to 60 degrees C. DSC of partially phosphorylated enzyme I indicated that the amino-terminal domain was destabilized by phosphorylation (from Tm = 54 to approximately 48 degrees C). A decrease in conformational stability of the amino-terminal domain of enzyme I produced by phosphorylation of the active-site His 189 has the physiological consequence of promoting phosphotransfer to the phosphocarrier protein, HP(r).

Expression, purification, and characterization of enzyme IIA(glc) of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system of Mycoplasma capricolum.

The gene encoding enzyme IIA(glc) (EIIA) of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system of Mycoplasma capricolum was cloned into a regulated expression vector. The purified protein product of the overexpressed gene was characterized as an active phosphoacceptor from HPr with a higher pI than previously described EIIAs. M. capricolum EIIA was unreactive with antibodies directed against the corresponding proteins from either Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria. Enzyme IIA(glc) behaved as a homogeneous, monomeric species of 16,700 Mr in analytical ultracentrifugation. The circular dichroism far-UV spectrum of EIIA reflects a low alpha-helical content and predominantly beta-sheet structural content: temperature-induced changes in ellipticity at 205 nm showed that the protein undergoes reversible, two-state thermal unfolding with Tm = 70.0 +/- 0.3 degrees C and a van't Hoff deltaH of 90 kcal/mol. Enzyme I (64,600 Mr) from M. capricolum exhibited a monomer-dimer-tetramer association at 4 and 20 degrees C with dimerization constants of log K(A) = 5.6 and 5.1 [M(-1)], respectively, in sedimentation equilibrium experiments. A new vector, capable of introducing an N-terminal His tag on a protein, was developed in order to generate highly purified heat-stable protein (HPr). No significant interaction of EIIA with HPr was detected by gel-filtration chromatography, intrinsic tryptophanyl residue fluorescence changes, titration calorimetry, biomolecular interaction, or sedimentation equilibrium studies. While Escherichia coli EIIA inhibits Gram-negative glycerol kinase activity, the M. capricolum EIIA has no effect on the homologous glycerol kinase. The probable regulator of sugar transport systems, HPr(Ser) kinase, was demonstrated in extracts of M. capricolum and Mycoplasma genitalium. Gene mapping studies demonstrated that, in contrast to the clustered arrangement of genes encoding HPr and enzyme I in E. coli, these genes are located diametrically opposite in the M. capricolum chromosome.

Thermal unfolding of dodecameric glutamine synthetase: inhibition of aggregation by urea.

Thermal unfolding of dodecameric manganese glutamine synthetase (622,000 M(r)) at pH 7 and approximately 0.02 ionic strength occurs in two observable steps: a small reversible transition (Tm approximately 42 degrees C; delta H approximately equal to 0.9 J/g) followed by a large irreversible transition (Tm approximately 81 degrees C; delta H approximately equal to 23.4 J/g) in which secondary structure is lost and soluble aggregates form. Secondary structure, hydrophobicity, and oligomeric structure of the equilibrium intermediate are the same as for the native protein, whereas some aromatic residues are more exposed. Urea (3 M) destabilizes the dodecamer (with a tertiary structure similar to that without urea at 55 degrees C) and inhibits aggregation accompanying unfolding at < or = 0.2 mg protein/mL. With increasing temperature (30-70 degrees C) or incubation times at 25 degrees C (5-35 h) in 3 M urea, only dodecamer and unfolded monomer are detected. In addition, the loss in enzyme secondary structure is pseudo-first-order (t1/2 = 1,030 s at 20.0 degrees C in 4.5 M urea). Differential scanning calorimetry of the enzyme in 3 M urea shows one endotherm (Tmax approximately 64 degrees C; delta H = 17 +/- 2 J/g). The enthalpy change for dissociation and unfolding agrees with that determined by urea titrations by isothermal calorimetry (delta H = 57 +/- 15 J/g; Zolkiewski M, Nosworthy NJ, Ginsburg A, 1995, Protein Sci 4: 1544-1552), after correcting for the binding of urea to protein sites exposed during unfolding (-42 J/g). Refolding and assembly to active enzyme occurs upon dilution of urea after thermal unfolding.

Urea-induced dissociation and unfolding of dodecameric glutamine synthetase from Escherichia coli: calorimetric and spectral studies.

Urea-induced dissociation and unfolding of manganese.glutamine synthetase (Mn.GS) have been studied at 37 degrees C (pH 7) by spectroscopic and calorimetric methods. In 0 to approximately 2 M urea, Mn.GS retains its dodecameric structure and full catalytic activity. Mn.GS is dissociated into subunits in 6 M urea, as evidenced by a 12-fold decrease in 90 degrees light scattering and a monomer molecular weight of 51,800 in sedimentation equilibrium studies. The light scattering decrease in 4 M urea parallels the time course of Trp exposure but occurs more rapidly than changes in secondary structure and Tyr exposure. Early and late kinetic steps appear to involve predominantly disruption of intra-ring and inter-ring subunit contacts, respectively, in the layered hexagonal structure of Mn.GS. The enthalpies for transferring Mn.GS into urea solutions have been measured by titration calorimetry. After correcting for the enthalpy of binding urea to the protein, the enthalpy of dissociation and unfolding of Mn.GS is 14 +/- 4 cal/g. A net proton uptake of approximately 50 H+/dodecamer accompanies unfolding reactions. The calorimetric data are consistent with urea binding to multiple, independent sites in Mn.GS and the number of binding sites increasing approximately 9-fold during the protein unfolding.