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J T Gerig

Publications and source records attributed to J T Gerig.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Measurement of cytosolic calcium using 19F NMR.

Fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of cells and perfused organs loaded with fluorinated ion chelators represent a new approach to determining cytosolic free calcium levels in situ. The molecular basis for this approach and the relative advantages and disadvantages of the NMR technique are discussed in this paper. Results obtained on perfused normoxic and ischemic rat hearts are presented, indicating that ischemia is associated with an elevation in the level of cytosolic free calcium before the onset of irreversible cell injury. The results are therefore consistent with this elevation playing a causative role in the mediation of myocardial cell injury resulting from ischemia.

Animals↗

NMR studies of carbonic anhydrase-fluorinated benzenesulfonamide complexes.

Fluorine NMR has been used to examine complexes formed by 2-fluoro-, 3-fluoro-, and 2,5-difluorobenzenesulfonamide and human carbonic anhydrases I and II. The results show that all three inhibitors form complexes with both isozymes that have 2:1 inhibitor/enzyme stoichiometry. The fluorine spectra observed for all inhibitor-isozyme combinations are consistent either with rapid rotation of the aromatic ring of the inhibitor in the complexes or with preferential binding of only one of the two possible conformations of the inhibitors that are isomeric by virtue of rotation about the C1-C4 bond of the fluoro aromatic ring. Because ring rotation is slow in the case of the pentafluorobenzenesulfonamide-CA I complex, selective binding of rotamers is the explanation of these observations presently favored. A computer graphics study shows that formation of 2:1 complexes of CA I is feasible without appreciable distortion of the protein tertiary structure found in the crystalline state.

Binding Sites↗

NMR studies of carbonic anhydrase-4-fluorobenzenesulfonamide complexes.

Binding of 4-fluorobenzenesulfonamide to human carbonic anhydrases I and II has been studied by proton, fluorine, and nitrogen-15 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. All three types of experiments provide evidence that the stoichiometry of the interaction of this inhibitor with both enzymes is 2 mol of inhibitor bound per mole of enzyme. Observations which suggest that the bound forms are involved in an exchange process that is rapid at room temperature but slower at 2 degrees C are described. Nitrogen-15 shift data show that the bound inhibitors are present at the active site as anions. The proton experiments indicate appreciable reorganization of the tertiary structure of the protein upon binding. Saturation-transfer experiments to determine the rate of dissociation of the inhibitor-enzyme complex lead to the conclusion that the dissociation process is more complicated than a simple free-bound equilibrium.

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors↗

Molecular dynamics of collagen side chains in hard and soft tissues. A multinuclear magnetic resonance study.

We have prepared samples of (a) intact calvaria collagen (cross-linked and mineralized), (b) intact tendon collagen (cross-linked but not mineralized), and (c) reconstituted chick calvaria collagen (not cross-linked and not mineralized) containing [methyl-2H3]methionyl, [4,4-2H2]pyrrolidinyl, (4-fluorophenyl)alanyl, and [6-15N]lysyl residues. Using multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we have investigated the molecular dynamics of the labeled amino acids. Guided by model compound studies, we reached the following conclusions regarding collagen side chain dynamics from our analysis of line shapes and relaxation rates. At 22 degrees C, imino residues in all samples have flexible rings with root mean square angular fluctuations in the 11-30 degree range. Nearly all labeled amino acid side chains reorient about at least two side chain single bonds. At temperatures below -30 degrees C, most of these side chain motions are absent in all the samples. Surprisingly, in contrast with results obtained for backbone motions, side chain motions are only marginally more hindered in mineralized samples as compared with nonmineralized samples, a result we discuss with reference to collagen-mineral interactions. We also discuss the possible relationship between collagen dynamics and function.

Achilles Tendon↗

Fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of rabbit carbonmonoxyhemoglobin.

Carbonmonoxyhemoglobin prepared from protein isolated from rabbits maintained on a diet supplemented with 4-fluorophenylalanine (Phe (4F)) has been studied by fluorine NMR spectroscopy. Substitution of Phe(4F) appears to take place randomly at the sixteen nonequivalent phenylalanine positions of the globins; examination of hybrid hemoglobins in which only one type of globin chain contained the fluorinated amino acid, as well as changes in the spectrum upon exposure to oxygen, aided in the assignment of fluorine resonances from the alpha- or beta-globin chains. The effects of modification of Cys-beta-93 with a spin label and variation of pH and sample temperature on the spectrum were also examined. These data in association with theoretical estimates of aromatic ring current and van der Waals effects on chemical shifts were used to support tentative assignments of several signals observed to specific amino acid residues. Evidence suggesting the presence of two conformational forms of the protein, possibly due to disorder of the heme groups, is described.

Animals↗

Fluorine-NMR studies of chimpanzee hemoglobin.

It has been demonstrated that 4-fluorophenylalanine, a known inhibitor of protein synthesis, becomes incorporated into hemoglobin when present in the diet of a chimpanzee. 19F-NMR spectra of various forms of this protein show well-resolved lines, each line presumably corresponding to a unique phenylalanine/fluorophenylalanine position of the primary sequence. Fluorine chemical shifts and, by implication, tertiary structures vary with the oxidation state and ligand.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Motion at the active site of [(4-fluorophenyl)sulfonyl]chymotrypsin.

Fluorine and deuterium NMR relaxation studies have been used to examine the motion of the 4-fluorophenyl ring attached to the active site of [(4-fluorophenyl)sulfonyl]-alpha-chymotrypsin at pH 4. Analysis of the results indicates that rotation about the 2-fold axis of this ring is reasonably rapid, though not as fast as in tosylchymotrypsin. Two-dimensional (2D) nuclear Overhauser effects (NOEs) were used to suggest the shifts of those protons of the enzyme close enough to the fluorine nucleus to lead to relaxation; important proton-fluorine dipolar relaxation contributions arise from protons with shifts of 7.4 +/- 0.3 ppm and between 4.0 and 5.4 ppm. Specific deuteration permits the assignment of the first of these to the protons ortho to the fluorine while serine-189, cysteines-191 and -220, and methionine-192 are suggested as possible bearers of the other protons. The fluorine chemical shift effect observed for the native conformation of this protein is 9 ppm downfield of the shift observed with the denatured protein; this large shift may be the result of van der Waals interactions between the fluorine and one or more of the protons whose signals appear in the 2D NOE experiments.

Binding Sites↗

NMR studies of fluorophenylalanine-containing carbonic anhydrase.

Rabbits ingesting 4-fluorophenylalanine are known to incorporate small amounts of this fluorinated amino acid into their proteins. Carbonic anhydrase I isolated from the erythrocytes of animals so maintained exhibits a well-resolved fluorine NMR signal for each phenylalanine in the sequence. The chemical shifts of most of these signals respond to the binding of inhibitors, suggesting that most if not all of the tertiary structure of the enzyme adjusts to the presence of inhibitors at the active site.

Animals↗

NMR studies of fluorinated serine protease inhibitors.

Powers and co-workers have provided evidence that thiobenzyl N-heptafluorobutyrylanthranilate (I) is an extremely potent inhibitor of serine proteases, especially alpha-chymotrypsin (Teshima, T., Griffin, J. C., and Powers, J. C. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 5085-5091). We have prepared additional derivatives of this structure in which fluorine substitutions have been made on the aromatic rings and have attempted to carry out fluorine NMR studies of the interaction of Powers' compound and these new derivatives with chymotrypsin. The solubility of all inhibitors examined in solvent systems compatible with the retention of native enzyme structure is extremely low. While some nmr evidence for complex formation could be obtained, preparations of the complexes examined were metastable and precipitation of the inhibitor eventually limits the amount of complex that can be present in solution to such low levels that nmr experiments are impractical. An unusual effect of solvent composition on fluorine chemical shifts suggests that the conformation of the inhibitors in aqueous solution and when bound to the enzyme is different from that in organic solvents.

Dimethyl Sulfoxide↗

Proton chemical shifts in fluorocinnamate-chymotrypsin complexes.

Binding of cinnamate or fluorocinnamate anions to alpha-chymotrypsin is accompanied by chemical shift changes at each proton of the cinnamate structure. The direction and magnitude of these shifts are consistent with the expected binding of these inhibitors at the active site of the enzyme. The protein-induced fluorine chemical shift effects at each position in the aromatic ring are compared to the shift effects observed when a hydrogen occupies the same position. There is no discernible relation between the proton and fluorine chemical shifts, leading to the conclusion that those factors dominantly responsible for the shift effects are different for the two sets of data.

Binding Sites↗

Assignment of fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance signals from rabbit cyanomethemoglobin.

A fluorine NMR study of cyanomethemoglobin prepared from hemoglobin isolated from rabbits maintained on a diet containing DL-p-fluorophenylalanine is described. The results indicate that substitution of fluorophenylalanine occurs essentially randomly at all phenylalanine positions of the alpha- and beta-globin chains; a set of hybrid hemoglobins in which only the alpha- or only the beta-chains contain the fluorinated amino acid was prepared and used to ascertain the fluorine NMR signals arising from each chain. The temperature and pH dependences of chemical shifts, spin-lattice relaxation times, 19F(1H) nuclear Overhauser effects, and the effect of chemical modification of the beta-93 sulfhydryl groups were examined. When considered in light of presently available X-ray structures of human and horse hemoglobins, the available data permit a tentative assignment of most signals to particular fluorophenylalanine/phenylalanine positions in the globin sequences.

Amino Acids↗

Reactions of alpha-chymotrypsin with 4-(trifluoromethyl)-alpha-bromoacetanilide.

4-(Trifluoromethyl)-alpha-bromoacetanilide is structurally similar to a large number of compounds that inactivate alpha-chymotrypsin by alkylating the methionine-192 residue or occasionally serine-195. Fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments suggest that this material reacts with the enzyme at two distinct loci. One of these involves alkylation of methionine while reaction at a second site, which does not appear to be near the active site, diminishes the proclivity for reaction at methionine. Solvent effects (H2O/D2O) and fluorine-proton Overhauser experiments indicate that the reporter group attached to methionine closely contacts the protein surface and is thereby shielded from solvent while the CF3 group at the second site is more accessible to solvent.

Acetanilides↗

Evidence for multiple forms of p-trifluoromethylbenzenesulfonyl-alpha-chymotrypsin.

p-Trifluoromethylbenzenesulfonyl-alpha-chymotrypsin, an analog of tosylchymotrypsin, has been prepared and shown to be stable enough to permit fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance experiments. Up to four distinct trifluoromethyl resonances can be observed for the modified protein at 94.1 MHz even when the enzyme derivative is prepared from protein which has been purified by several methods. The resonances observed appear to represent proteins which are grossly similar as regards molecular size and the ability to bind and hydrolyze substrates, but nonetheless distinctive enough in the active-site region to produce appreciable chemical-shift effects.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Modification of human serum albumin with N-(2,5-dinitro-4-fluorophenyl)-4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidinooxy radical.

Human serum albumin has been treated with the spin-labeling reagent indicated in the title. Ultraviolet spectral studies of the protein so modified suggest that reaction takes place at lysine and tyrosine sidechains; kinetic experiments indicate that there are two especially reactive amino groups of the protein which are preferentially modified. Evidence is presented that these groups include the one acetylated by aspirin (Lys-199) or those arylated by 2.6-dinitro-4-trifluoromethylbenzenesulfonate. Esr experiments show that bound spin labels have about the same correlation time expected for overall tumbling of the protein; ESR observations indicate that molecular freedom near the spin labels is not increased when the protein is transferred to 8 M urea.

Binding Sites↗

Reactions of 2,6-dinitro-4-trifluoromethylbenzenesulfonate with human serum albumin.

The reaction of the title compound with human serum albumin has been examined at various concentrations of the sulfonate. Kinetic data suggest that there are two highly reactive lysine amino groups on the protein, five lysine residues which are less reactive and an undetermined number of additional nucleophilic groups that react very slowly with the reagent at pH 7.5. One of the rapidly reacting lysines is tentatively identified as lysine-199 in the protein sequence. Fluorine NMR experiments indicate the presence of tight binding sites on the protein for the sulfonate which are not near reactive functional groups.

Benzenesulfonates↗