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F Lederer

Publications and source records attributed to F Lederer.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

On the rate of proton exchange with solvent of the catalytic histidine in flavocytochrome b2 (yeast L-lactate dehydrogenase).

The family of FMN-dependent, alpha-hydroxy acid-oxidizing enzymes catalyzes substrate dehydrogenation by a mechanism the first step of which is abstraction of the substrate alpha-proton (so-called carbanion mechanism). For flavocytochrome b2 and lactate oxidase, it was shown that once on the enzyme this proton is lost only slowly to the solvent (Lederer F, 1984, In: Bray RC, Engel PC, Mayhew SG, eds, Flavins & flavoproteins, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter & Co., pp 513-526; Urban P, Lederer F, 1985, J Biol Chem 260:11115-11122). This suggested the occurrence of a pKa increase of the catalytic histidine upon enzyme reduction by substrate. For flavocytochrome b2, the crystal structure indicated 2 possible origins for the stabilization of the imidazolium form of His 373: either a network of hydrogen bonds involving His 373, Tyr 254, flavin N5 and O4, a heme propionate, and solvent molecules, and/or electrostatic interactions with Asp 282 and with the reduced cofactor N1 anion. In this work, we probe the effect of the hydrogen bond network at the active site by studying proton exchange with solvent for 2 mutants: Y254F and the recombinant flavodehydrogenase domain, in which this network should be disrupted. The rate of proton exchange, as determined by intermolecular hydrogen transfer experiments, appears identical in the flavodehydrogenase domain and the wild-type enzyme, whereas it is about 3-fold faster in the Y254F mutant. It thus appears that specific hydrogen bonds to the solvent do not play a major role in stabilizing the acid form of His 373 in reduced flavocytochrome b2. Removal of the Y254 phenol group induces a pKa drop of about half a pH unit for His 373 in the reduced enzyme. Even then, the rate of exchange of the imidazolium proton with solvent is still lower by several orders of magnitude than that of a normally ionizing histidine. Other factors must then also contribute to the pKa increase, such as the electrostatic interactions with D282 and the anionic reduced cofactor, as suggested by the crystal structure.

Crystallization↗

The cytochrome b5-fold: an adaptable module.

The family of b5-like cytochromes encompasses, besides cytochrome b5 itself, hemoprotein domains covalently associated with other redox proteins, in flavocytochrome b2 (L-lactate dehydrogenase), sulfite oxidase and assimilatory nitrate reductase. A comparison of about 40 amino acid sequences deposited in data banks shows that eight residues are invariant and about 15 positions carry strongly conservative substitutions. Examination of the location of these invariant and conserved positions in the light of the three-dimensional structures of beef cytochrome b5 and S cerevisiae flavocytochrome b2 suggests a strongly conserved protein structure for the b5-like heme-binding domain throughout evolution. Numerous NMR studies have demonstrated the existence of a positional isomerism for the heme, which involves both a 180 degree-rotation around the heme alpha,gamma-meso carbon atoms and a rotation through an axis normal to the heme plane at the iron. NMR studies did not detect significant differences in protein structure between reduced and oxidized states, or between species. The role of a number of side chains was probed by site-directed mutagenesis. Studies of complex formation and of electron transfer rates between cytochrome b5 and redox partners have led to the idea that complexation is driven by electrostatic forces, that it is generally the exposed heme edge which makes contact with electron donors and acceptors, but that there are multiple overlapping sites within this general area. For the bi- and trifunctional members of the family, extrapolation of available data would suggest a mobile heme-binding domain within a complex structure. In these cases the existence of a single interaction area for both electron donor and acceptor, or of two different ones, remains open to discussion.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Aminoacyl chloromethanes as tools to study the requirements of NADPH oxidase activation in human neutrophils.

Previous studies from this laboratory described the kinetic characteristics of the inhibition by tosylphenylalanine chloromethane (TosPheCH2Cl) on superoxide anion production by human neutrophils (PMN) stimulated with a phorbol ester (PMA). In this study we present further evidence concerning the potential role of the chloromethane target in the normal cellular activation of NADPH oxidase. When PMN are treated with TosPheCH2Cl and subsequently PMA, or with the two reagents in the reverse order, the inhibition of superoxide production by the intact cells is still present in a particulate NADPH oxidase fraction prepared from these cells. Nevertheless, when cells incubated only with the chloromethane and not with PMA are disrupted, both their cytosolic and membrane fractions are fully competent in the cell-free activation assay. Thus, the chloromethane target has a role in NADPH oxidase activation exclusively at the cellular level. This observation constitutes additional evidence in favour of the idea that activation in the cell-free system reflects only partially the events which occur in the cells. When cells are activated with PMA, their cytosol displays a loss of activating capacity in the cell-free activation assay in the presence of arachidonate, as was shown before with SDS as activator [Ambruso, D. R., Bolsher, B. G. J. M., Stockman, P. M., Verhoeven, A. J. & Roos, D. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 924-930]. This phenomenon was shown to arise most probably from the translocation of cytosolic factors to the membrane, resulting in a depleted cytosol. When superoxide production was inhibited by cell treatment with TosPheCH2Cl, either before or after activation with PMA, the cytosol from inhibited cells showed a recovery of activation capacity in the cell-free system. This effect probably results from TosPheCH2Cl inhibiting the translocation of the cytosolic factors when added before PMA. This results in an insufficient activation at the membrane level, which was previously considered as an inhibition. The effect of TosPheCH2Cl, when added after PMA, can best be explained again as an inhibition of translocation in the frame of the continuous replenishment-deactivation hypothesis proposed by Akard et al. [Akard, L. P., English, D. & Gabig, T. G. (1988) Blood 72, 322-327]. Thus, TosPheCH2Cl is apparently a promising new tool for studying the activation of NADPH oxidase at the cellular level.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Cell-Free System↗

Affinity-labeling of an NADPH-binding site on the heavy subunit of flavocytochrome b558 in particulate NADPH oxidase from activated human neutrophils.

Cell stimulation of blood phagocytes activates the superoxide-producing NADPH oxidase. Cytochrome b558, one of the two oxidase redox components, comprises a light (alpha) and a heavy glycosylated (beta) subunit. The other redox component, a flavoprotein, is now thought to be the heavy subunit, on the basis of amino acid sequence comparisons and of reconstitution experiments with purified components. We published that pyridoxal-5'-diphospho-5'-adenosine is an inactivating affinity label for the NADPH-binding site of particulate oxidase from activated neutrophils. We have now radiolabeled the inactivated oxidase by reducing with Na[3H]BH4 the Schiff base formed between proteins and the reagent. Upon SDS-PAGE, the NADPH-inhibitable incorporation is found at the same position as the immunodetectable cytochrome heavy subunit, before and after deglycosylation. Membranes from either activated cells of a cytochrome-deficient X-linked granulomatous disease patient or normal resting cells show no incorporation at this position. Our results provide experimental evidence for the existence on the cytochrome b558 heavy chain of an NADPH-binding site which can only be affinity-labeled by PLP-AMP when the oxidase is active. This suggests the occurrence of a conformational change in the cofactor binding site upon enzyme activation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Behaviour of human immunoglobulin G subclasses on thiophilic gels: comparison with hydrophobic interaction chromatography.

We have used thiophilic and hydrophobic interaction chromatography in an attempt to obtain enriched human immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses from a therapeutic immunoglobulin preparation. Proteins were adsorbed on a thiophilic gel and on Phenyl-, Butyl-, or Octyl-Sepharose in 1 M ammonium sulphate. Elution with a decreasing salt gradient produced no marked subclass selectivity, except with Octyl-Sepharose, which yielded a poorly adsorbed fraction somewhat enriched in IgG2, representing ca. 20% of the total initial protein. Neither thiophilic nor hydrophobic interaction chromatography appear suitable for an efficient enrichment in subclasses, which all show a broad heterogeneity in their affinity for these columns. The influence of the starting salt concentration was also studied. With thiophilic gels, in the absence of ammonium sulphate, ca. 30% of the initial load was not absorbed, and was found to be enriched in IgG2. At 2.5 and 5% ammonium sulphate, practically no adsorption occurred. At 7.5% ammonium sulphate, the non-adsorbed fraction was enriched in IgG3. With Phenyl-Sepharose, adsorption increased smoothly with the salt concentration. It is concluded that different forces come into play for absorption on thiophilic gels at low and high salt concentration.

Adsorption↗

Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of cDNA encoding rat kidney long-chain L-2-hydroxy acid oxidase. Expression of the catalytically active recombinant protein as a chimaera.

Long-chain L-alpha-hydroxy acid oxidase from rat kidney is a member of the family of FMN-dependent alpha-hydroxy-acid-oxidizing enzymes. With the knowledge of the recently determined amino acid sequence, the cDNA encoding the enzyme has now been cloned using the polymerase chain reaction. The 1648-bp cDNA contains an open reading frame coding for the 352 residues of the previously determined sequence, preceded by a methionine codon. In addition, several clones were found to present a nine-base insertion, predicting the existence of an isoform with a tripeptide VRK inserted between residues 188 and 189 of the mature protein. The presence of about 10% of this isoform in the oxidase purified from rat kidney was indeed identified by amino acid sequencing. A recombinant active enzyme was obtained as a protein fused to glutathione S-transferase using the bacterial expression plasmid pGEX-3X. Physico-chemical characterization indicated, for the fused enzyme, properties similar to those of the rat kidney protein. When the chimaera was submitted to factor Xa, proteolysis at the engineered cleavage point was poor. Separation of hydroxy acid oxidase from glutathione S-transferase could not be achieved with trypsin either. With both proteases, the initial cleavage point appeared to be in a peptide loop internal to the hydroxy acid oxidase sequence, close to or in the tripeptide insertion locus and not at the engineered factor-Xa-cleavage point. Comparative tryptic proteolysis of the rat kidney enzyme yielded a form cleaved in the same loop.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Affinity labeling of bovine brain protein kinase C by tosyl lysyl chloromethane. A kinetic study.

The kinetics of inactivation of bovine brain protein kinase C (PKC) by N alpha-p-tosyl L-lysyl chloromethane (TosLysCH2Cl) were investigated. In absence of activators PKC gave non-linear semilog inactivation plots. At each reagent concentration a plateau of residual activity was reached after some time; its value was inversely proportional to TosLysCH2Cl concentration but the plateau was not due to inactivator depletion. On the other hand, in the presence of Ca2+, phosphatidylserine and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, the activity loss followed saturation kinetics, with k(inact) = 0.6 x 10(-3) s-1 and Kinact = 1.9 mM. The study of protection effects by ATP Mg2+ and histone required the presence of 50% glycerol in the incubation mixtures, otherwise the controls (kinase in the presence of activators and ATP Mg2+ or histone) rapidly lost activity. In the presence of 50% glycerol, the inactivation parameters were somewhat altered (k(inact) = 0.3 x 10(-3) s-1 and K(inact) = 0.2 mM); ATP Mg2+ proved to afford a mixed competitive-non competitive protection effect, while histone protected in a competitive manner with a Kp of 0.06 microgram/ml. In the presence and the absence of glycerol, plots of log k(obs) versus log inactivator concentration yielded straight lines with slopes of 0.7-0.9, indicating that 1 mol of reagent is sufficient for inactivation. The results described in this paper suggest that the reagent TosLysCH2Cl hits the catalytic domain of activated PKC at the active site, which is not available in resting PKC; in non-activated PKC, the labeling site would be different.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Tyr-143 facilitates interdomain electron transfer in flavocytochrome b2.

The role of Tyr-143 in the catalytic cycle of flavocytochrome b2 (L-lactate:cytochrome c oxidoreductase) has been examined by replacement of this residue with phenylalanine. The electron-transfer steps in wild-type and mutant flavocytochromes b2 have been investigated by using steady-state and stopped-flow kinetic methods. The most significant effect of the Tyr-143----Phe mutation is a change in the rate-determining step in the reduction of the enzyme. For wild-type enzyme the main rate-determining step is proton abstraction at the C-2 position of lactate, as shown by the 2H kinetic-isotope effect. However, for the mutant enzyme it is clear that the slowest step is interdomain electron transfer between the FMN and haem prosthetic groups. In fact, the rate of haem reduction by lactate, as determined by the stopped-flow method, is decreased by more than 20-fold, from 445 +/- 50 s-1 (25 degrees C, pH 7.5) in the wild-type enzyme to 21 +/- 2 s-1 in the mutant enzyme. Decreases in kinetic-isotope effects seen with [2-2H]lactate for mutant enzyme compared with wild-type, both for flavin reduction (from 8.1 +/- 1.4 to 4.3 +/- 0.8) and for haem reduction (from 6.3 +/- 1.2 to 1.6 +/- 0.5) also provide support for a change in the nature of the rate-determining step. Other kinetic parameters determined by stopped-flow methods and with two external electron acceptors (cytochrome c and ferricyanide) under steady-state conditions are all consistent with this mutation having a dramatic effect on interdomain electron transfer. We conclude that Tyr-143, an active-site residue which lies between the flavodehydrogenase and cytochrome domains of flavocytochrome b2, plays a key role in facilitating electron transfer between FMN and haem groups.

Base Sequence↗

Extreme pKa displacements at the active sites of FMN-dependent alpha-hydroxy acid-oxidizing enzymes.

Flavocytochrome b2 (or L-lactate dehydrogenase) from baker's yeast is thought to operate by the initial formation of a carbanion, as do the evolutionarily related alpha-hydroxy acid-oxidizing FMN-dependent oxidases. Previous work has shown that, in the active site of the unligated reduced flavocytochrome b2, the group that has captured the substrate alpha-proton has a high pKapp, calculated to lie around 15 through the use of Eigen's equation. A detailed inspection of the now known three-dimensional structure of the enzyme leads to the conclusion that the high pKa belongs to His 373, an active site group that plays the role of general base in the forward reaction and of general acid in the reverse direction. Moreover, consideration of the kinetics of proton transfer during the catalytic cycle suggests that the pKa of the reduced FMN N5 position should be lowered by several pH units compared to its pKa of 20 or more when free. The features of the three-dimensional structure possibly responsible for these pK shifts are analyzed; they are proposed to consist of a network of hydrogen bonds with the solvent and of a mutual electrostatic stabilization of anionic reduced flavin and the imidazolium ion. Finally, it is suggested that similar pK shifts affect the active sites of the alpha-hydroxy acid-oxidizing flavooxidases, which are homologous to flavocytochrome b2. The functional significance of these pK shifts in terms of catalysis and semiquinone stabilization is discussed.

Binding Sites↗

Inactivation of NADPH oxidase from human neutrophils by affinity labeling with pyridoxal 5'-diphospho-5'-adenosine.

When a particulate NADPH oxidase prepared from phorbol ester-activated human neutrophils was treated with pyridoxal 5'-diphospho-5'-adenosine (PLP-AMP), the superoxide anion-producing activity was inhibited according to affinity labeling kinetics. NADPH afforded a protection against inactivation which was competitive with respect to PLP-AMP; 2',5'-ADP and 2'-phospho-5' diphosphoadenosine (ATP ribose) appeared to be as potent as NADPH as protecting agents. NADP+ and ATP were less effective, while ADP and GTP-gamma-S did not protect significantly. These results suggest that PLP-AMP can be used, in conjunction with tritiated cyanoborohydride, to identify the elusive NADPH-dependent flavoprotein which is part of the electron transfer chain of NADPH oxidase.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Amino acid sequence of long chain alpha-hydroxy acid oxidase from rat kidney, a member of the family of FMN-dependent alpha-hydroxy acid-oxidizing enzymes.

The complete amino acid sequence of rat kidney long chain alpha-hydroxy acid oxidase has been determined by microsequencing, using a number of standard enzymatic and chemical cleavages. Peptides were purified by high pressure liquid chromatography or by gel electrophoresis followed by electrotransfer. The sequence comprises 352 residues and ends with a peroxisomal targeting sequence SRL. The present work definitely establishes that hydroxy acid oxidase is a member of the family of FMN-dependent alpha-hydroxy acid-oxidizing enzymes. The family includes lactate oxidase, short chain alpha-hydroxy acid oxidase (glycolate oxidase), flavocytochrome b2, and mandelate dehydrogenase. There are altogether 45 totally conserved positions among the six sequences known. The sequence similarities are analyzed in light of the known three-dimensional structure of flavocytochrome b2 and glycolate oxidase. It is concluded that long chain hydroxy acid oxidase should be folded as a beta 8 alpha 8 barrel and should dehydrogenate alpha-hydroxy acids according to the same chemical mechanism as other enzymes of the family, in spite of a Tyr----Phe substitution at the active site.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Processing of the precursor of protamine P2 in mouse. Peptide mapping and N-terminal sequence analysis of intermediates.

Protamine P2, the major basic chromosomal protein of mouse spermatozoa, is synthesized as a precursor almost twice as long as the mature protein, its extra length arising from an N-terminal extension of 44 amino acid residues. This precursor is integrated into chromatin of spermatids, and the extension is processed during chromatin condensation in the haploid cells. We have studied processing in the mouse and have identified two intermediates generated by proteolytic cleavage of the precursor. H.p.l.c. separated protamine P2 from four other spermatid proteins, including the precursor and three proteins known to possess physiological characteristics expected of processing intermediates. Peptide mapping indicated that all of these proteins were structurally similar. Two major proteins were further purified by PAGE, transferred to poly(vinylidene difluoride) membranes and submitted to automated N-terminal sequence analysis. Both sequences were found within the deduced sequence of the precursor extension. The N-terminus of the larger intermediate, PP2C, was Gly-12, whereas the N-terminus of the smaller, PP2D, was His-21. Both processing sites involved a peptide bond in which the carbonyl function was contributed by an acidic amino acid.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Spinach glycolate oxidase and yeast flavocytochrome b2 are structurally homologous and evolutionarily related enzymes with distinctly different function and flavin mononucleotide binding.

A comparison of the three-dimensional structures of the flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-dependent enzymes glycolate oxidase, flavocytochrome b2, and trimethylamine dehydrogenase is presented. Their flavin-binding domains all have the same structural motif, the 8-fold beta/alpha-barrel domain, which is also present in a large number of other enzymes. FMN is bound in a similar fashion in all three enzymes. The binding site is at the carboxyl-terminal end of the eight beta-strands of the barrel where the active site is invariably found in this type of domain structure. The similarity of the structures of glycolate oxidase and flavocytochrome b2 extends to the loop regions and even outside the beta/alpha-barrels with a root mean square deviation of 0.93 A for 311 superimposed C alpha-atoms and with a sequence identity of 37%. A detailed analysis of their active sites shows, however, that the orientation of FMN is significantly different in the two structures due to different conformations of residues in the end of strand one. Thus, in flavocytochrome b2 a hydrogen bond is formed between the FMN N-5 position and the main chain amide of Ala-198, while in glycolate oxidase, the ring system is tilted away from the strand, creating a pocket on the re-side of the FMN ring where a water molecule is bound. Model building shows that this site could accommodate the hydroperoxide moiety of a FMN-4a-hydroperoxide intermediate. Thus, in the course of evolution, a few mutations in, and close to, the active sites have fine tuned these enzymes to exert their specific functions as an oxidase or transferase, respectively.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Fate of injected glucagon taken up by rat liver in vivo. Degradation of internalized ligand in the endosomal compartment.

The uptake and processing of glucagon into liver endosomes were studied in vivo by subcellular fractionation. After injection of [[125I]iodo-Tyr10]glucagon and [[125I]iodo-Tyr13]glucagon to rats, the uptake of radioactivity into the liver was maximum at 2 min (6% of the dose/g of tissue). On differential centrifugation, the radioactivity in the homogenate was recovered mainly in the nuclear (N), microsomal (P) and supernatant (S) fractions, with maxima at 5, 10 and 40 min, respectively; recovery of radioactivity in the mitochondrial-lysosomal (ML) fraction did not exceed 6% and was maximal at 20 min. On density-gradient centrifugation, the radioactivity associated first (2-10 min) with plasma membranes and then (10-40 min) with Golgi-endosomal (GE) fractions, with 2-5-fold and 20-150-fold enrichments respectively. Subfractionation of the GE fractions showed that, unlike the Golgi marker galactosyltransferase, the radioactivity was density-shifted by diaminobenzidine cytochemistry. Subfractionation of the ML fraction isolated at 40 min showed that more than half of the radioactivity was recovered at lower densities than the lysosomal marker acid phosphatase. Throughout the time of study, the [125I]iodoglucagon associated with the P, PM and GE fractions remained at least 80-90% trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-precipitable, whereas that associated with other fractions, especially the S fraction, became progressively TCA-soluble. On gel filtration and h.p.l.c., the small amount of degraded [125I]iodoglucagon associated with GE fractions was found to consist of monoiodotyrosine. Chloroquine treatment of [125I]iodoglucagon-injected rats caused a moderate but significant increase in the late recovery of radioactivity in the ML, P and GE fractions, but had little effect on the association of the ML radioactivity with acid-phosphatase-containing structures. Chloroquine treatment also led to a paradoxical decrease in the TCA-precipitability of the radioactivity associated with the P and GE fractions. Upon h.p.l.c. analysis of GE extracts of chloroquine-treated rats, at least four degradation products less hydrophobic than intact [125I]iodoglucagon were identified. Radio-sequence analysis of four of these products revealed three cleavages, affecting bonds Ser2-Gln3, Thr5-Phe6 and Phe6-Thr7. When GE fractions containing internalized [125I]iodoglucagon were incubated in iso-osmotic KCl at 30 degrees C, a rapid generation of TCA-soluble products was observed, with a maximum at pH 4. We conclude that endosomes are a major site at which internalized glucagon is degraded, endosomal acidification being required for optimum degradation.

Animals↗