Structure-function relationships of purple acid phosphatase from red kidney beans based on heterologously expressed mutants.

Purple acid phosphatases are binuclear metalloenzymes, which catalyze the conversion of orthophosphoric monoesters to alcohol and orthophosphate. The enzyme from red kidney beans is characterized with a Fe(III)-Zn(II) active center. So far, the reaction mechanisms postulated for PAPs assume the essentiality of two amino acids, residing near the bimetallic active site. Based on the amino acid sequence of kidney bean PAP (kbPAP), residues H296 and H202 are believed to be essential for catalytic function of the enzyme. In the present study, the role of residue H202 has been elucidated. Mutants H202A and H202R were prepared by site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells. Based on kinetic studies, residue H202 is assumed to play a role in stabilizing the transition state, particularly in charge compensation, steric positioning of the substrate, and facilitating the release of the product by protonating the substrate leaving groups. The study confirmed the essentiality and elucidates the functional role of H202 in the catalytic mechanism of kbPAP.

Porcine purple acid phosphatase: heterologous expression, characterization, and proteolytic analysis.

Uteroferrin is an iron-binding glycoprotein, which is abundantly synthesized in porcine uterine glandular endometrium and believed to be involved in maternal/fetal iron transport. In the present study, uteroferrin has been cloned and functionally expressed using baculovirus-infected insect host cells Spodoptera frugiperda. The work also addresses the possible role of proteolytic cleavage to facilitate the release of uteroferrin-bound iron. The enzyme secreted in culture medium exhibits a molecular mass and catalytic properties similar to native porcine uteroferrin. The specific activity was estimated at 233 U/mg using p-nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate. Partial cleavage of the enzyme with trypsin resulted in a 1.7-fold enhancement in specific activity and a two-subunit polypeptide as observed in preparations of most mammalian purple acid phosphatases. Digestion with the aspartic protease pepsin resulted in a 2.5-fold enzyme inactivation correlated with the appearance of low molecular weight polypeptide fragments and the release of enzyme-bound iron.