A22 disrupts the bacterial actin cytoskeleton by directly binding and inducing a low-affinity state in MreB.

S-(3,4-Dichlorobenzyl)isothiourea (A22) disrupts the actin cytoskeleton of bacteria, causing defects of morphology and chromosome segregation. Previous studies have suggested that the actin homologue MreB itself is the target of A22, but there has been no direct observation of A22 binding to MreB and no mechanistic explanation of its mode of action. We show that A22 binds MreB with at least micromolar affinity in its nucleotide-binding pocket in a manner that is sterically incompatible with simultaneous ATP binding. A22 negatively affects both the time course and extent of MreB polymerization in vitro in the presence of ATP. A22 prevents assembly of MreB into long, rigid polymers, as determined by both fluorescence microscopy and sedimentation assays. A22 increases the critical concentration of ATP-bound MreB assembly from 500 nM to approximately 2000 nM. We therefore conclude that A22 is a competitive inhibitor of ATP binding to MreB. A22-bound MreB is capable of polymerization, but with assembly properties that more closely resemble those of the ADP-bound state. Because the cellular concentration of MreB is in the low micromolar range, this mechanism explains the ability of A22 to largely disassemble the actin cytoskeleton in bacterial cells. It also represents a novel mode of action for a cytoskeletal drug and the first biochemical characterization of the interaction between a small molecule inhibitor of the bacterial cytoskeleton and its target.

Natural J-coupling analysis: interpretation of scalar J-couplings in terms of natural bond orbitals.

The natural J-coupling (NJC) method presented here analyzes the Fermi contact portion of J-coupling in the framework of finite perturbation theory applied to ab initio/density function theory (DFT) wave functions, to compute individual and pairwise orbital contributions to the net J-coupling. The approach is based on the concepts and formalisms of natural bond orbital (NBO) methods. Computed coupling contributions can be classified as Lewis (individual orbital contributions corresponding to the natural Lewis structure of the molecule), delocalization (resulting from pairwise donor-acceptor interactions), and residual repolarization (corresponding to correlation-like interactions). This approach is illustrated by an analysis of the angular and distance dependences of the contributions to vicinal (3)J(HH) couplings in ethane and to the long-range (6)J(HH) couplings in pentane. The results indicate that approximately 70% or more of the net J-coupling is propagated by steric exchange antisymmetry interactions between Lewis orbitals (predominantly sigma bonding orbitals). Hyperconjugative sigma to sigma delocalization interactions account for the remainder of the coupling. Calculated pairwise-steric and hyperconjugative-delocalization energies provide a means for relating coupling mechanisms to molecular energetics. In this way, J-coupling contributions can be related directly to the localized features of the molecular electronic structure in order to explain measured J-coupling patterns and to predict J-coupling trends that have yet to be measured.

Solution structure of a type I dockerin domain, a novel prokaryotic, extracellular calcium-binding domain.

The type I dockerin domain is responsible for incorporating its associated glycosyl hydrolase into the bacterial cellulosome, a multienzyme cellulolytic complex, via its interaction with a receptor domain (cohesin domain) of the cellulosomal scaffolding subunit. The highly conserved dockerin domain is characterized by two Ca(2+)-binding sites with sequence similarity to the EF-hand motif. Here, we present the three-dimensional solution structure of the 69 residue dockerin domain of Clostridium thermocellum cellobiohydrolase CelS. Torsion angle dynamics calculations utilizing a total of 728 NOE-derived distance constraints and 79 torsion angle restraints yielded an ensemble of 20 structures with an average backbone r.m.s.d. for residues 5 to 29 and 32 to 66 of 0.54 A from the mean structure. The structure consists of two Ca(2+)-binding loop-helix motifs connected by a linker; the E helices entering each loop of the classical EF-hand motif are absent from the dockerin domain. Each dockerin Ca(2+)-binding subdomain is stabilized by a cluster of buried hydrophobic side-chains. Structural comparisons reveal that, in its non-complexed state, the dockerin fold displays a dramatic departure from that of Ca(2+)-bound EF-hand domains. A putative cohesin-binding surface, comprised of conserved hydrophobic and basic residues, is proposed, providing new insight into cellulosome assembly.

Secondary structure and calcium-induced folding of the Clostridium thermocellum dockerin domain determined by NMR spectroscopy.

Assembly of the cellulosome, a large, extracellular cellulase complex, depends upon docking of a myriad of enzymatic subunits to homologous receptors, or cohesin domains, arranged in tandem along a noncatalytic scaffolding protein. Docking to the cohesin domains is mediated by a highly conserved domain, dockerin (DS), borne by each enzymatic subunit. DS consists of two 22-amino-acid duplicated sequences, each bearing homology to the EF-hand calcium-binding loop. To compare the DS structure with that of the EF-hand helix-loop-helix motif, we analyzed the solution secondary structure of the DS from the cellobiohydrolase CelS subunit of the Clostridium thermocellum cellulosome using multidimensional heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. The effect of Ca(2+)-binding on the DS structure was first investigated by using 2D (15)N-(1)H HSQC NMR spectroscopy. Changes in the spectra during Ca(2+) titration revealed that Ca(2+) induces folding of DS into its tertiary structure. This Ca(2+)-induced protein folding distinguishes DS from typical EF-hand-containing proteins. Sequential backbone assignments were determined for 63 of 69 residues. Analysis of the NOE connectivities and H(alpha) chemical shifts revealed that each half of the dockerin contains just one alpha-helix, comparable to the F-helix of the EF-hand motif. Thus, the structure of the DS Ca(2+)-binding subdomain deviates from that of the canonical EF-hand motif.

Electron-nuclear interactions in two prototypical [2Fe-2S] proteins: selective (chiral) deuteration and analysis of (1)H and (2)H NMR signals from the alpha and beta hydrogens of cysteinyl residues that ligate the iron in the active sites of human ferredoxin and Anabaena 7120 vegetative ferredoxin.

A vertebrate ferredoxin (human ferredoxin) and a plant-type ferredoxin (the ferredoxin from the vegetative form of Anabaena 7120) were labeled selectively with deuterium at their active site cysteines. The recombinant proteins were produced in Escherichia coli and labeled by replacing natural abundance cysteine in the defined culture medium with (2)H(alpha)-cysteine, (2)H(beta2), (2)H(beta3)-cysteine, or (2)H(beta2)-cystine. The chiral labeled cystine ((2)H(beta2)-cystine) was prepared by selective hydrogen exchange catalyzed by cystathionine gamma-synthase. NMR spectra of these samples in their oxidized and reduced states support unambiguous identifications by atom type of (1)H and (2)H NMR signals from the cysteine alpha and beta hydrogens. These signals lie outside the normal diamagnetic spectral region as a result of interaction of the hydrogens with unpaired electron density from the iron-sulfur cluster, and their chemical shifts are highly dependent on local conformation at the active site. The very different chemical properties of the iron centers of plant-type and vertebrate ferredoxins reflect relatively small differences in the conformation of the iron-sulfur cluster ligands.

NMR studies of retinoid-protein interactions: the conformation of [13C]-beta-ionones bound to beta-lactoglobulin B.

PURPOSE: Vitamin A (retinol) and its metabolites comprise the natural retinoids. While the biological action of these molecules are thought to be primarily mediated by ca. 55 kDa nuclear retinoic acid receptors, a number of structurally similar 15-20 kDa proteins are involved in the transport, and possibly metabolism, of these compounds. The milk protein beta-lactoglobulin B (beta-LG) is an 18 kDa protein which binds retinol and may be involved in oral delivery of retinol to neonates. beta-LG also binds drugs and other natural products and is of potential interest as a protective delivery vehicle. METHODS: To examine the conformation of the model retinoid beta-ionone both in solution and when bound to beta-LG, NMR and computational methods have been employed. RESULTS: Taken together, NMR studies of beta-ionone in solution measuring scalar and dipolar coupling, as well as CHARMm calculations, suggest beta-ionone prefers a slightly twisted 6-s-cis conformation. Isotope-edited NMR studies of 13C-labeled beta-ionones bound to beta-LG, primarily employing the HMQC-NOE experiment, suggest beta-ionone also binds to beta-LG in its 6-s-cis conformation. CONCLUSIONS: The methods employed here allow estimates of protein-bound ligand conformation. However, additional sites of ligand labeling will be necessary to aid in binding site localization.

Properties of the His57-Asp102 dyad of rat trypsin D189S in the zymogen, activated enzyme, and alpha1-proteinase inhibitor complexed forms.

Structural and biochemical studies suggest that serpins induce structural rearrangements in their target serine-proteinases. Previous NMR studies of the complex between a serpin, alpha1-proteinase inhibitor, and a mutant of recombinant rat trypsin (the Asp189 to Ser mutant, D189S, which is much more stable than wild-type rat trypsin against autoproteolysis) provided information about the state of catalytic residues in this complex: the hydrogen bond between Asp102 and His57 remains intact in the complex, and spectral properties of His57 are more like those of the zymogen than of the activated enzyme (G. Kaslik, et al., 1997, Biochemistry 36, 5455-5464). Here we report the protonation and exchange behavior of His57 of recombinant rat trypsin D189S in three states: the zymogen, the active enzyme, and the complex with human alpha1-proteinase inhibitor and compare these with analogous behavior of His57 of bovine chymotrypsinogen and alpha-chymotrypsin. In these studies the pKa of His57 has been determined from the pH dependence of the 1H NMR signal from the Hdelta1 proton of histidine in the Asp102-His57 dyad, and a measure of the accessibility of this part of the active site has been obtained from the rate of appearance of this signal following its selective saturation. The activation of rat trypsinogen D189S (zymogen, pKa = 7.8 +/- 0.1; Hill coefficient = 0. 86 +/- 0.05) decreased the pKa of His57 by 1.1 unit and made the protonation process cooperative (active enzyme, pKa = 6.7 +/- 0.1; Hill coefficient = 1.37 +/- 0.08). The binding of alpha1-proteinase inhibitor to trypsin D189S led to an increase in the pKa value of His57 to a value higher than that of the zymogen and led to negative cooperativity in the protonation process (complex, pKa = 8.1 +/- 0. 1; Hill coefficient = 0.70 +/- 0.08), as was observed for the zymogen. In spite of these differences in the pKa of His57 in the zymogen, active enzyme, and alpha1-proteinase inhibitor complex, the solvent exchange lifetime of the His57 Hdelta1 proton was the same, within experimental error, in all three states (lifetime = 2 to 12.5 ms). The linewidth of the 1H NMR signal from the Hdelta1 proton of His57 was relatively sharp, at temperatures between 5 and 20 degrees C at both low pH (5.2) and high pH (10.0), in spectra of bovine alpha-chymotrypsin, recombinant rat trypsin D189S, and the complex between rat trypsin D189S and human alpha1-proteinase inhibitor; however, in spectra of the complex between alpha-chymotrypsin and human alpha1-proteinase inhibitor, the peak was broader and could be well-resolved only at the lower temperature (5 degrees C).

Detection and classification of hyperfine-shifted 1H, 2H, and 15N resonances of the Rieske ferredoxin component of toluene 4-monooxygenase.

T4MOC is a 12.3 kDa soluble Rieske ferredoxin that is obligately required for electron transfer between the oxidoreductase and diiron hydroxylase components of toluene 4-monooxygenase from Pseudomonas mendocina KR1. Our preliminary 1H NMR studies of oxidized and reduced T4MOC [Markley, J. L., Xia, B., Chae, Y. K., Cheng, H., Westler, W. M., Pikus, J. D., and Fox, B. G. (1996) in Protein Structure Function Relationships (Zaidi, Z., and Smith, D., Eds.) pp 135-146, Plenum Press, London] revealed the presence of hyperfine-shifted 1H resonances whose short relaxation times made it impractical to use nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) measurements for assignment purposes. We report here the use of selective isotopic labeling to analyze the hyperfine-shifted 1H, 2H, and 15N signals from T4MOC. Selective deuteration led to identification of signals from the four Hbeta atoms of cluster ligands C45 and C64 in the oxidized and reduced forms of T4MOC. In the reduced state, the Curie temperature dependence of the Hbeta protons corresponded to that predicted from the simple vector spin-coupling model for nuclei associated with the localized ferric site. The signal at 25.5 ppm in the 1H spectrum of reduced T4MOC was assigned on the basis of selective 2H labeling to the His Hepsilon1 atom of one of the cluster ligands (H47 or H67). This assignment was corroborated by a one bond 1H-13C correlation (at 25.39 ppm 1H and 136.11 ppm 13C) observed in spectra of [U-13C]T4MOC with a 1H-13C coupling constant of approximately 192 Hz. The carbon chemical shift and one bond coupling constant are those expected for 1Hepsilon1-13Cepsilon1 in the imidazolium ring of histidine and are inconsistent with values expected for cysteine 1Halpha-13Calpha. The His Hepsilon1 proton exhibited weak Curie temperature dependence from 283 to 303 K, contrary to the anti-Curie temperature dependence predicted from the spin coupling model for nuclei associated with the localized ferrous site. A 1H peak at -12.3 ppm was observed in spectra of reduced T4MOC; this signal was found to correspond to a hydrogen (probably in an H-bond to the cluster) that exchanged with solvent with a half-time of about 2 days in the oxidized state but with a much longer (undetectable) half-time in the reduced state. These results with T4MOC call into question certain 1H assignments recently reported on the basis of NOE measurements for the comparable Rieske ferredoxin component of an evolutionarily related alkene monooxygenase from Xanthobacter sp. Py2 [Holz, R. C., Small, F. J., and Ensign, S. A, (1997) Biochemistry 36, 14690-14696]. Selective 15N labeling was used to identify hyperfine-shifted 15N NMR signals from the backbone nitrogens of all four cluster ligands (C45, H47, C64, and H67), from the Nepsilon2 atoms of the two histidine ligands (H47 and H67), and from nonligand Gln and Ala residues (Q48 and A66) present in the cluster-binding motif of T4MOC in the oxidized and reduced states. The results indicate that the Ndelta1 of each of the two ligand histidines of T4MOC are ligated to an iron atom and reveal a pattern of H-bonding to the Rieske [2Fe-2S] center involving four (H47, Q48, A66, and H67 of T4MOC) of the five backbone amide H-bonds expected on the basis of comparison with the crystal structures of other related Rieske proteins; the fifth backbone amide (I50 of T4MOC) failed to exhibit a hyperfine shift. This anomaly may arise from the lack of an associated disulfide in T4MOC, a fundamental structural difference between the three types of Rieske proteins that may be related to functional diversity in this protein family.

Fractionation factors and activation energies for exchange of the low barrier hydrogen bonding proton in peptidyl trifluoromethyl ketone complexes of chymotrypsin.

NMR investigations have been carried out of complexes between bovine chymotrypsin Aalpha and a series of four peptidyl trifluoromethyl ketones, listed here in order of increasing affinity for chymotrypsin: N-Acetyl-L-Phe-CF3, N-Acetyl-Gly-L-Phe-CF3, N-Acetyl-L-Val-L-Phe-CF3, and N-Acetyl-L-Leu-L-Phe-CF3. The D/H fractionation factors (phi) for the hydrogen in the H-bond between His 57 and Asp 102 (His 57-Hdelta1) in these four complexes at 5 degreesC were in the range phi = 0.32-0.43, expected for a low-barrier hydrogen bond. For this series of complexes, measurements also were made of the chemical shifts of His 57-Hepsilon1 (delta2,2-dimethylsilapentane-5-sulfonic acid 8.97-9. 18), the exchange rate of the His 57-Hdelta1 proton with bulk water protons (284-12.4 s-1), and the activation enthalpies for this hydrogen exchange (14.7-19.4 kcal.mol-1). It was found that the previously noted correlations between the inhibition constants (Ki 170-1.2 microM) and the chemical shifts of His 57-Hdelta1 (delta2, 2-dimethylsilapentane-5-sulfonic acid 18.61-18.95) for this series of peptidyl trifluoromethyl ketones with chymotrypsin [Lin, J., Cassidy, C. S. & Frey, P. A. (1998) Biochemistry 37, 11940-11948] could be extended to include the fractionation factors, hydrogen exchange rates, and hydrogen exchange activation enthalpies. The results support the proposal of low barrier hydrogen bond-facilitated general base catalysis in the addition of Ser 195 to the peptidyl carbonyl group of substrates in the mechanism of chymotrypsin-catalyzed peptide hydrolysis. Trends in the enthalpies for hydrogen exchange and the fractionation factors are consistent with a strong, double-minimum or single-well potential hydrogen bond in the strongest complexes. The lifetimes of His 57-Hdelta1, which is solvent shielded in these complexes, track the strength of the hydrogen bond. Because these lifetimes are orders of magnitude shorter than those of the complexes themselves, the enzyme must have a pathway for hydrogen exchange at this site that is independent of dissociation of the complexes.

NMR studies on the conformation of the CD4 36-59 peptide bound to HIV-1 gp120.

A peptide containing residues 36-59 of the human CD4 receptor includes most of the residues thought to be involved in binding the HIV surface glycoprotein, gp120. This peptide was synthesized and inhibited the binding of gp120 to soluble CD4. NMR relaxation experiments indicated that the peptide was in fast exchange between the free and gp120-bound states. Transferred NOESY NMR showed a number of long-range NOEs, from the gp120-bound state, between residues 38, 40, 45, 48, and 49 of the peptide. NMR evidence also suggested that the Phe43 in the peptide, which corresponds to a critical residue in CD4 for the binding of gp120, makes intimate contact with gp120. The Tr-NOESY cross-peak intensities provided proton-proton distance constraints on the conformation of the gp120-bound peptide. The distance constraints were used in simulated annealing, and a set of 20 very similar structures was obtained for the central region of the gp120-bound peptide. Residues 42-49 of the peptide formed a loop with the side chain of Phe43 pointing away from the rest of the peptide. This Phe43 ring points away from the protein surface in two structures of the amino-terminal domain of CD4 found by X-ray crystallography. Differences in the conformation of CD4 in the two crystal forms suggest that the 36-59 region might be flexible. The NMR data on the 36-59 CD4 peptide predicts a gp120-bound conformation different from either of the CD4 crystal forms in the absence of gp120.

Analysis of error propagation from NMR-derived internuclear distances into molecular structure of cyclo-pro-gly.

Analytical expressions have been derived that translate uncertainties in distance constraints (obtained from NMR investigations) into uncertainties in atom positions in the maximum likelihood (ML) structure consistent with these inputs. As a test of this approach, a comparison was made between test structures reconstructed by the new ML approach, which yields a single structure and a covariance matrix for coordinates, and those reconstructed by metric matrix distance-geometry (MMDG), which yields a family of structures that sample uncertainty space. The test structures used were 560 polyhedra, with edges of arbitrary length containing up to 50 vertices, and one polyhedron, with 100 vertices; randomized distance constraints generated from these structures were used in reconstructing the polyhedra. The uncertainties derived from the two methods showed excellent agreement, and the correlation improved, as expected, with increasingly larger numbers of MMDG structures. This agreement supports the validity of the rapid analytical ML approach, which requires the calculation of only a single structure. As a second test of the ML method, the approach was applied to the determination of uncertainties in the structure of a cyclic dipeptide, cyclo(DL-Pro-Gly) (cPG), derived from NMR cross-relaxation data. The input data were interproton distances calculated from NOEs measured for a solution of the peptide in 2:1 DMSO:H2O at -40 degreesC (so as to yield large negative NOEs). In order to evaluate effects of the quality of the input spectral parameters on the precision of the resulting NMR structure, information from the covalent geometry of cPG was not used in the structure calculations. Results obtained from the analytical ML approach compared favorably with those from the much slower random-walk variant of the Monte Carlo method applied to the same input data. As a third test, the ML approach was used with synthetic structural constraints for a small protein; the results indicate that it will be feasible to use this rapid method to translate uncertainties associated with a given set of distance restraints into uncertainties in atom positions in larger molecules.

Effects of serpin binding on the target proteinase: global stabilization, localized increased structural flexibility, and conserved hydrogen bonding at the active site.

The binding of human alpha1-proteinase inhibitor to rat trypsin was shown by NMR spectroscopy to raise the pKa' of His57 in the active site but not to disrupt the hydrogen bond between His57 and Asp102. Similar NMR results were observed for the Asp189 to serine mutant of rat trypsin, which is much more stable than wild-type trypsin against autoproteolysis as the result of mutation of the residue at the base of the specificity pocket. This mutant was used in further studies aimed at determining the extent of the conformational transition in trypsin that accompanies serpin binding and leads to disruption of the catalytic activity of the proteinase such that the inhibitor complex is trapped at the acyl enzyme intermediate stage. The stability of rat trypsin toward thermal denaturation was found to be lower in the free enzyme than in the complex with alpha1-proteinase inhibitor. This suggests that the complex contains extensive protein-protein interactions that stabilize overall folding. On the other hand, previous investigations have shown that the proteinase in serpin-proteinase complexes becomes more susceptible to limited proteolysis, suggesting that the conformational change that accompanies binding leads to the exposure of susceptible loops in the enzyme. The existence of this type of conformational change upon complex formation has been confirmed here by investigation of the rate of cleavage of disulfide linkages by added dithiothreitol. This study revealed that, despite the increased stability of trypsin in the complex, one or more of its disulfide bridges becomes much more easily reduced. We suggest that the process of complex formation with alpha1-proteinase inhibitor converts trypsin D189S into an inactive, loose structure, which serves as a "conformational trap" of the enzyme that prevents catalytic deacylation. It is also proposed that plastic region(s) of the activation domain of trypsin may play a crucial role in this inhibitor-induced structural rearrangement.

Protonation-state dependence of hydrogen bond strengths and exchange rates in a serine protease catalytic triad: bovine chymotrypsinogen A.

Hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to measure D/H fractionation factors and the temperature dependence of the rate of hydrogen exchange at two sites in the catalytic triad of chymotrypsinogen (hydrogen bond between aspartate-102 and histidine-57 and hydrogen bond between histidine-57 and serine-195) as a function of the protonation states of the constituent residues. Connectivities in one-dimensional spectra used to assign NMR data were collected at three pH values: pH 9, at which His-57 is neutral and Asp-102 is negatively charged; pH 3.5, at which His-57 is positively charged and Asp-102 is negatively charged; and pH 1, at which His-57 is positively charged and Asp-102 is neutral. The signal from H epsilon 2 of histidine-57 was assigned by reference to 1H-1H NOE connectivities at pH 3.5 to the previously assigned signals from the H epsilon 1 and H delta 2 of the same residue. The D/H fractionation factor, phi, for the hydrogen bond between Asp-102 and His-57 changed from phi = 2 at pH 9 to phi = 0.4 at pH 3.5. From studies of model systems, it may be concluded that a change of phi of this magnitude corresponds to a large increase in hydrogen bond strength. A signal from the hydrogen bond between Ser-195 and His-57 was detected only at the lower pH values studied. The D/H fractionation factor for this hydrogen bond was phi = 0.7 at pH 3.5, indicative of a moderately strong interaction. Data obtained at pH 1 indicate that the hydrogen bond between Asp-102 and His-57 is weakened but that the hydrogen bond between His-57 and Ser-195 persists. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that changes in hydrogen bonding strength serve to lower barriers along the reaction coordinate in the catalytic mechanism. Large pH-dependent changes were found in the activation enthalpy (delta H ++) for exchange with protons from the solvent at the hydrogen bond between aspartate-102 and histidine-57: delta H ++ was approximately 10-12 kcal.mol-1 higher at pH 3.5 than at pH 1 or 9.

NMR studies of Pi-containing extracellular and cytoplasmic compartments in brain.

The inorganic phosphate (Pi) NMR peak in brain has an irregular shape, which suggests that it represents more than a single homogeneous pool of Pi. To test the ability of the Marquardt-Levenberg (M-L) nonlinear curve fit algorithm software (Peak-Fit) to separate multiple peaks, locate peak centers, and estimate peak heights, we studied simulated Pi spectra with defined peak centers, areas, and signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios ranging from infinity to 5.8. As the S/N ratio decreased below 15, the M-L algorithm located peak centers accurately when they were detected; however, small peaks tended to grow smaller and disappear, whereas the amplitudes of larger peaks increased. We developed an in vitro three-compartment model containing a mixture of Pi buffer, phosphocreatine, phosphate diester, and phosphate monoester (PME), portions of which were adjusted to three different pHs before addition of agar. Weighed samples of each buffered gel together with phospholipid extract and bone chips were placed in an NMR tube and covered with mineral oil. Following baseline correction, it was possible to separate the Pi peaks arising from the three compartments with different pH values if each peak made up 10-35% of total Pi area. In vivo, we identified the plasma compartment by intraarterial infusion of Pi. It was assumed that intracellular compartments contained high-energy phosphates and took up glucose. Based on these assumptions we subjected the brains to complete ischemia and observed that Pi compartments at pH 6.82, 6.92, 7.03, and 7.13 increased markedly in amplitude. If the brain cells took up and phosphorylated 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG), 2-DG-6-phosphate (2-DG-6-P) would appear in the PME portion of the spectrum ionized according to pH. Four 2-DG-6-P peaks with calculated pH values of 6.86, 6.94, 7.04, and 7.15 did appear in the spectrum, thereby confirming that the four larger Pi peaks represented intracellular spaces.

Continuous probability distribution (CUPID) analysis of potentials for internal rotations.

The continuous probability distribution (CUPID) approach for analyzing the rotamer populations from NMR spin-spin couplings and nuclear Overhauser enhancements [Z. Dzakula, W.M. Westler, A.S. Edison, and J.L. Markley, J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 114, 6195 (1992)] can be expanded to allow computation of the rotational potential from the Fourier coefficients of the angular probability distribution. This approach provides a general solution to the nonnegativity problem, which appears when lack of data causes a serious truncation in the Fourier series that defines the probability distribution. In favorable cases, this approach also allows thermodynamic characterization of internal rotation. Use of this extension of the CUPID method is illustrated by the analysis of internal rotations in an amino acid, two peptides, and an oligosaccharide from published experimental data. Three strategies have been devised for dealing with cases where the experimental input data do not provide enough information for complete reconstruction of the potential: (1) two-dimensional grid search for the undetermined third-order Fourier coefficients of the potential, (2) transfer of these coefficients from related model compounds, and (3) restriction of the magnitudes of the Fourier coefficients as required by the assumption of fast-exchange averaging of the input parameters. In addition, equations for translating uncertainties in experimental NMR input data into errors in calculated continuous probability distributions of rotamers are presented. The dependence of errors on various features of the distributions has been studied systematically from simulations. The results show that, typically, the confidence intervals are +/- 30-40 degrees for dihedral angles and +/- 0.2 for rotamer populations. For chi 1 rotamers of amino acids, the analysis is most sensitive to the uncertainties in C'-H beta couplings. A critical reexamination of the use of Gaussian functions to reconstruct a probability distribution is presented. In particular, the simplifying assumption of identical widths for all Gaussian probability peaks has been justified by showing that it does not lead to large errors in other CUPID parameters. finally, the angular dependencies of cross-relaxation rates, their uncertainties, and the potential for their use in studying chi 1 internal rotations in amino acids are discussed.

Comparison of the accuracy of protein solution structures derived from conventional and network-edited NOESY data.

Network-editing experiments are variants of the basic NOESY experiment that allow more accurate direct measurement of interproton distances in macromolecules by defeating specific spin-diffusion pathways. Two network-editing approaches, block-decoupled NOESY and complementary-block-decoupled-NOESY, were applied as three-dimensional, heteronuclear-edited experiments to distance measurement in a small protein, turkey ovomucoid third domain (OMTKY3). Two-hundred and twelve of the original 655 distance constraints observed in this molecule (Krezel AM et al., 1994, J Mol Biol 242:203-214) were improved by their replacement by distances derived from network-edited spectra, and distance geometry/simulated annealing solution structure calculations were performed from both the unimproved and improved distance sets. The resulting two families of structures were found to differ significantly, the most important differences being the hinge angle of a beta-turn and an expansion of the sampled conformation space in the region of the reactive-site loop. The structures calculated from network-editing data are interpreted as a more accurate model of the solution conformation of OMTKY3.

Protein binding chiral discrimination of HPLC stationary phases made with whole, fragmented, and third domain turkey ovomucoid.

Individual protein domains and two domains in combination were prepared by enzymatic and chemical cleavage of turkey ovomucoid followed by isolation and purification by size-exclusion and ion-exchange chromatography. Silica bonded-phase HPLC columns were made from either whole or isolated domains of turkey ovomucoid. The protein columns were tested for chiral recognition by their abilities to resolve enantiomers among a wide range of racemates. The columns made from whole turkey ovomucoid displayed chiral activity toward many racemates, where as a combination of the first and second domain resolved only a selected number of aromatic weak bases. The first and second domains independently gave no appreciable chiral activity. The turkey ovomucoid third domain exhibited enantioselective protein binding for fused-ring aromatic weak acids. Glycosylation of the third domain did not affect chiral recognition. Titration of the third domain with model compounds in conjunction with NMR measurements enabled the identification of the amino acids responsible for binding. Molecular modeling of the ligand-protein complexation provided insights into the ability of a protein surface to discriminate enantiomers on the basis of multiple intermolecular interactions.

Protein expression, selective isotopic labeling, and analysis of hyperfine-shifted NMR signals of Anabaena 7120 vegetative [2Fe-2S]ferredoxin.

Two alternative T7 RNA promoter/polymerase systems have been employed for the heterologous expression of a plant-type [2Fe-2S]ferredoxin, Anabaena 7120 vegetative ferredoxin, in Escherichia coli at high levels (approximately 20 mg/liter of culture). One system was used when 15N-labeling the ferredoxin uniformly by growing E. coli with 15NH4Cl as the nitrogen source; the other was used in conjunction with auxotrophic host strains to enrich the protein selectively by incorporating 2H-, 13C-, and 15N-labeled amino acids. The labeled ferredoxin samples were studied by 1H, 2H, 13C, and 15N NMR spectroscopy. Results from 1H and 2H NMR studies of samples containing [2H alpha]Cys, [2H beta 2, beta 3]Cys, [13 C beta]-Cys, and [15N]Cys have confirmed previous cysteinyl proton resonance assignments (L. Skjeldal, W. M. Westler, B.-H. Oh, A. M. Krezel, H. M. Holden, B. L. Jacobson, I. Rayment, and J. L. Markley (1991) Biochemistry 30, 7363-7368). All four 13C NMR peaks arising from the four cysteinyl beta-carbons and all four 15N NMR peaks from the four cysteinyl nitrogens were resolved in spectra of both the oxidized and reduced ferredoxins. The nitrogen resonance of Cys46, which is located in a unique (Ala-Cys) dipeptide, was assigned by detection of 13Ci-15Ni+1 coupling in a ferredoxin sample with incorporated [13C']Ala and [15N]Cys. The nitrogen signal of Cys 41 was assigned tentatively on the basis of its chemical shift and T1 relaxation time. The cysteinyl beta-carbon resonances in the reduced state have been assigned to individual residues on the basis of correlations with their (previously assigned) beta-protons. The beta-carbons resonance from Cys46 in the oxidized state has been assigned by its correlation with the corresponding resonance in the reduced state; this was accomplished by following the progressive air oxidation of a protein sample reduced by dithionite in the presence of methyl viologen. The spin-lattice relaxation times of the beta-carbons of the two cysteines coordinated to Fe)III) were similar in the oxidized and reduced states. This suggests that the antiferromagnetic coupling present in the reduced cluster has little influence on the electronic relaxation time of the Fe(III). Studies of the temperature dependence of the 1H, 13C, and 15N signals of the cysteinyl ligands to the [2Fe-2S] cluster show that the slope of the temperature dependence (delta delta/delta T-1) can be different for different atom types within a given residue. For example, in the reduced ferredoxin, although delta delta/delta T-1 is positive for Cys49 1H beta 2 and 1H beta 3, it is negative for Cys49 13C beta. Although delta delta/delta T-1 is negative for protons of cysteines ligated to Fe(II) and positive for protons of cysteines ligated to Fe(III), it is positive for all the cysteinyl nitrogens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Estimates of phi and psi torsion angles in proteins from one-, two- and three-bond nuclear spin-spin couplings: application to staphylococcal nuclease.

Calculated coupling constants (3JHNH alpha, 1JC alpha H alpha, 2JC'H alpha, 1JC alpha N and 2JC alpha N) from our accompanying paper [Edison, A.S. et al. (1994) J. Biomol. NMR, 4, 519-542] have been used to generate error surfaces that can provide estimates of the phi and psi angles in proteins. We have used experimental coupling data [3JHNH alpha: Kay, L.E. et al. (1989) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 111, 5488-5490; 1JC alpha H alpha: Vuister, G. W. et al. (1993) J. Biomol. NMR, 3, 67-80; 2JC'H alpha: Vuister, G.W. and Bax, A. (1992) J. Biomol. NMR, 2, 401-405; 1JC alpha N and 2JC alpha N: Delaglio, F. et al. (1991) J. Biomol. NMR, 1, 439-446] to create error surfaces for selected residues of the protein staphylococcal nuclease. The residues were chosen to include all those with five experimental couplings, as well as some with four experimental couplings, to demonstrate the relative importance of 3JHNH alpha and 1JC alpha H alpha. For most of the cases, we obtained good agreement between the X-ray structure [Loll, P.J. and Lattman, E.E. (1989) Protein Struct. Funct. Genet., 5, 183-201] and the NMR data.