Biomedical subjects

M L Pusey

Publications and source records attributed to M L Pusey.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Protein solubility modeling.

A thermodynamic framework (UNIQUAC model with temperature dependent parameters) is applied to model the salt-induced protein crystallization equilibrium, i.e., protein solubility. The framework introduces a term for the solubility product describing protein transfer between the liquid and solid phase and a term for the solution behavior describing deviation from ideal solution. Protein solubility is modeled as a function of salt concentration and temperature for a four-component system consisting of a protein, pseudo solvent (water and buffer), cation, and anion (salt). Two different systems, lysozyme with sodium chloride and concanavalin A with ammonium sulfate, are investigated. Comparison of the modeled and experimental protein solubility data results in an average root mean square deviation of 5.8%, demonstrating that the model closely follows the experimental behavior. Model calculations and model parameters are reviewed to examine the model and protein crystallization process.

Ammonium Sulfate↗

PubMed1999

The effect of temperature and solution pH on the nucleation of tetragonal lysozyme crystals.

Part of the challenge of macromolecular crystal growth for structure determination is obtaining crystals with a volume suitable for x-ray analysis. In this respect an understanding of the effect of solution conditions on macromolecule nucleation rates is advantageous. This study investigated the effects of supersaturation, temperature, and pH on the nucleation rate of tetragonal lysozyme crystals. Batch crystallization plates were prepared at given solution concentrations and incubated at set temperatures over 1 week. The number of crystals per well with their size and axial ratios were recorded and correlated with solution conditions. Crystal numbers were found to increase with increasing supersaturation and temperature. The most significant variable, however, was pH; crystal numbers changed by two orders of magnitude over the pH range 4.0-5.2. Crystal size also varied with solution conditions, with the largest crystals obtained at pH 5.2. Having optimized the crystallization conditions, we prepared a batch of crystals under the same initial conditions, and 50 of these crystals were analyzed by x-ray diffraction techniques. The results indicate that even under the same crystallization conditions, a marked variation in crystal properties exists.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Growth of (101) faces of tetragonal lysozyme crystals: measured growth-rate trends.

Previous extensive measurements of the growth rates of the (110) face of tetragonal lysozyme crystals have shown unexpected dependencies on the supersaturation. In this study, similar growth-rate measurements were performed for the (101) faces of the crystals. The data show a similar dependence on the supersaturation, becoming appreciable only at high supersaturations, reaching a maximum value and then decreasing. The (101) growth rates are larger at low supersaturations than the (110) growth rates under the same conditions and are smaller at high supersaturations. These trends suggest that the growth mechanism of the (101) face is similar to that of the (110) face: both processes involve the addition of multimeric growth units formed in solution, but the average size of the units for the (101) face is likely to be smaller than for the (110) face.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Growth of (101) faces of tetragonal lysozyme crystals: determination of the growth mechanism.

Measurements of the macroscopic growth rates of the (101) face of tetragonal lysozyme crystals indicate an unusual dependence on the supersaturation [Forsythe et al. (1999), Acta Cryst. D55, 1005-1011] similar to that observed for the (110) face. As performed previously for the (110) face, the surface packing arrangement for the (101) face was constructed in this study based on earlier microscopic observations and theoretical analysis of the internal molecular packing. This allowed the minimum growth unit for this face to be identified as a tetramer corresponding to a single turn of helices centered about the 43 axes and the minimum growth step to be identified as of unimolecular height. A macroscopic mathematical model for the growth of the (101) face was developed based on the reversible formation of multimeric growth units in solution and the addition of a unit to the crystal face by dislocation and two-dimensional nucleation mechanisms. The calculations showed that the best fits were obtained for tetramer or octamer growth units in this model. This and other evidence suggests that while growth may proceed by a variety of growth units, the average size of these units is between that of a tetramer and an octamer.

Crystallization↗

PubMed1999

Determining the molecular-growth mechanisms of protein crystal faces by atomic force microscopy.

A high-resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) study has shown that the molecular packing on the tetragonal lysozyme (110) face corresponds to only one of two possible packing arrangements, suggesting that growth layers on this face are of bimolecular height [Li et al. (1999). Acta Cryst. D55, 1023-1035]. Theoretical analyses of the packing also indicated that growth of this face should proceed by the addition of growth units of at least tetramer size, corresponding to the 43 helices in the crystal. In this study, an AFM linescan technique was used to measure the dimensions of individual growth units on protein crystal faces as they were being incorporated into the lattice. Images of individual growth events on the (110) face of tetragonal lysozyme crystals were observed, shown by jump discontinuities in the growth step in the linescan images. The growth-unit dimension in the scanned direction was obtained from these images. A large number of scans in two directions on the (110) face were performed and the distribution of lysozyme growth-unit sizes were obtained. A variety of unit sizes corresponding to 43 helices were shown to participate in the growth process, with the 43 tetramer being the minimum observed size. This technique represents a new application for AFM, allowing time-resolved studies of molecular processes to be carried out.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Determining the molecular-packing arrangements on protein crystal faces by atomic force microscopy.

Previous atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies and periodic bond-chain (PBC) analyses of tetragonal lysozyme crystals have suggested that the (110) face consists of chains of molecules related to one another by 43 axes parallel to the crystal face. In this study, high-resolution AFM images of the (110) face were obtained and analyzed in order to verify this prediction. A computer program was employed which constructs the theoretical AFM image corresponding to a specific crystallographic molecular-packing arrangement and AFM tip shape. The packing arrangement and tip shape were varied in order to obtain the maximum possible correlation between experimental and theoretical images. The prediction from PBC analysis of an arrangement involving 43 helices was confirmed in this manner, while the alternate arrangement, consisting of molecules related to one another by 21 axes, was not observed. However, the surface structure was found to differ significantly even from this crystallographic arrangement. The molecules were found to pack slightly closer about what will become the 43 axes within the interior of the crystal, suggesting the occurrence of surface reconstruction or rearrangement on the tetragonal lysozyme (110) face. This study represents a new approach for more precise determination of the molecular-packing arrangements on protein crystal faces employing AFM.

Crystallization↗

PubMed1999

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of restriction endonuclease EcoRII.

Crystals of the restriction endonuclease EcoRII have been obtained by the vapor-diffusion technique in the presence of ammonium sulfate or polyethylene glycol. The best crystals were grown with ammonium sulfate as a precipitant. Crystals with dimensions of up to 0.6 x 0. 6 x 0.6 mm have been observed. The crystals diffract to about 4.0 A resolution at a cryo-temperature of 100 K using a rotating-anode X-ray source and a Rigaku R-AXIS IV imaging-plate detector. The space group has been determined to be either I23 or I2(1)3, with unit-cell parameters a = b = c = 160.3 A, alpha = beta = gamma = 90 degrees. The crystal asymmetric unit contains two protein molecules, and self-rotation function analysis shows a pseudo-twofold symmetry relating the two monomers. Attempts to improve the resolution of crystal diffraction and to search for heavy-atom derivatives are under way.

Ammonium Sulfate↗

PubMed1998

The effect of protein impurities on lysozyme crystal growth.

While bulk crystallization from impure solutions is used industrially as a purification step for a wide variety of materials, it is a technique that has rarely been used for proteins. Proteins have a reputation for being difficult to crystallize and high purity of the initial crystallization solution is considered paramount for success in the crystallization. Although little is written on the purifying capability of protein crystallization or of the effect of impurities on the various aspects of the crystallization process, recent published reports show that crystallization shows promise and feasibility as a purification technique for proteins. To further examine the issue of purity in macromolecule crystallization, this study investigates the effect of the protein impurities, avidin, ovalbumin, and conalbumin at concentrations up to 50%, on the solubility, crystal face growth rates, and crystal purity of the protein lysozyme. Solubility was measured in batch experiments while a computer controlled video microscope system was used to measure the ¿110¿ and ¿101¿ lysozyme crystal face growth rates. While little effect was observed on solubility and high crystal purity was obtained (>99.99%), the effect of the impurities on the face growth rates varied from no effect to a significant face specific effect leading to growth cessation, a phenomenon that is frequently observed in protein crystal growth. The results shed interesting light on the effect of protein impurities on protein crystal growth and strengthen the feasibility of using crystallization as a unit operation for protein purification.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Locations of bromide ions in tetragonal lysozyme crystals.

Anions have been shown to play a dominant role in the crystallization of chicken egg-white lysozyme from salt solutions. Previous studies employing X-ray crystallography have found one chloride ion binding site in the tetragonal crystal form of the protein and four nitrate ion binding sites in the monoclinic form. In this study the anion positions in the tetragonal form were determined from the difference Fourier map obtained from lysozyme crystals grown in bromide and chloride solutions. Five possible anion-binding sites were found in this manner. Some of these sites were in pockets containing basic residues while others were near neutral, but polar, residues. The sole chloride ion binding site found in previous studies was confirmed, while four further sites were found which corresponded to the four binding sites found for nitrate ions in monoclinic crystals. The study suggests that most of the anion-binding sites in lysozyme remain unchanged even when different anions and different crystal forms of lysozyme are employed.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Ionic properties of membrane association by vitamin K-dependent proteins: the case for univalency.

Ionic properties of membrane interaction by prothrombin, protein Z, and other vitamin K-dependent proteins were studied to determine the relevance of a monovalent membrane contact mechanism between one phospholipid headgroup and a calcium-lined pore in the protein [McDonald, J. F., Shah, A. M., Schwalbe, R. A., Kisiel, W., Dahlback, B., and Nelsestuen, G. L. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 5120-5127]. For comparison, multivalent ionic interaction was illustrated by peptides of +3 to +5 net charge and by blood clotting factor V. As expected, the peptides were easily dissociated by salt and gave nominal charge-charge interactions (zazb values) of -13 to -17. Factor V showed much higher binding affinity despite nominal zazb values of about 9. Membrane-bound prothrombin and protein Z showed very low sensitivity to salt as long as calcium was at saturating levels (zazb values of approximately -1.3 to -1.4), appropriate for univalent ionic attraction. Prothrombin contains +3 charge groups (Lys-2, Lys-11, Arg-10) that are absent from the GLA domain (residues 1-35) of protein Z, while protein Z contains -4 charge groups (Gla-11, Asp-34, Asp-35) that are absent in prothrombin. Thus, similar zazb relationships indicated little role for these surface charges in direct membrane contact. Calcium-saturated protein Z bound to phosphatidylcholine (PC) in a manner which indicated the addition of one calcium ion, bringing the total calcium stoichiometry in the protein-membrane complex to at least 8. Protein Z bound to phosphatidic acid (PA) in a manner suggesting the need for a fully ionized phosphate headgroup, a property expected by ion pairing in an isolated environment. Electrostatic calculations showed that the proposed protein site for phosphate interaction was electropositive. The cluster of hydrophobic amino acids (Phe-5, Leu-6, and Val-9) on the surface of prothrombin was electronegative, suggesting a role in the electrostatic architecture of the GLA domain. Overall, membrane binding by vitamin K-dependent proteins appeared consistent with the formation of an ion pair in an isolated environment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1997

Crystallization of chicken egg-white lysozyme from ammonium sulfate.

Chicken egg-white lysozyme was crystallized from ammonium sulfate over the pH range 4.0-7.8, with protein concentrations from 100 to 150 mg ml(-1). Crystals were obtained by vapor-diffusion or batch-crystallization methods. The protein crystallized in two morphologies with an apparent morphology dependence on temperature and protein concentration. In general, tetragonal crystals could be grown by lowering the protein concentration or temperature. Increasing the temperature or protein concentration resulted in the growth of orthorhombic crystals. Representative crystals of each morphology were selected for X-ray analysis. The tetragonal crystals belonged to the P4(3)2(1)2 space group with crystals grown at pH 4.4 having unit-cell dimensions of a = b = 78.71, c = 38.6 A and diffracting to beyond 2.0 A. The orthorhombic crystals, grown at pH 4.8, were of space group P2(1)2(1)2 and had unit-cell dimensions of a = 30.51, b = 56.51 and c = 73.62 A.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1997

Growth mechanism of the (110) face of tetragonal lysozyme crystals.

The measured macroscopic growth rates of the (110) face of tetragonal lysozyme show an unexpectedly complex dependence on the supersaturation. In earlier studies it has been shown that an aggregate growth unit could account for experimental growth-rate trends. In particular molecular packing and interactions in the growth of the crystal were favored by completion of the helices along the 4(3) axes. In this study the molecular orientations of the possible growth units and the molecular growth mechanism were identified. This indicated that growth was a two-step process: aggregate growth units corresponding to the 4(3) helix are first formed in the bulk solution by stronger intermolecular bonds and then attached to the crystal face by weaker bonds. A more comprehensive analysis of the measured (110) growth rates was also undertaken. They were compared with the predicted growth rates from several dislocation and two-dimensional nucleation growth models, employing tetramer and octamer growth units in polydisperse solutions and monomer units in monodisperse solutions. The calculations consistently showed that the measured growth rates followed the expected model relations with octamer growth units, in agreement with the predictions from the molecular level analyses.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1996

Growth mechanism and morphology of tetragonal lysozyme crystals.

The tetragonal form of hen egg-white lysozyme is the most investigated protein crystal for growth studies, but the relationship between its surface morphology and internal structure is still not well understood. One method of determining this relationship for inorganic crystals is by employing the periodic bond chain (PBC) theory of Hartman & Perdok [Hartman & Perdok (1955). Acta Cryst. 8, 49-52, 521-524, 525-529]. However, complexities resulting from the packing arrangements and the number of intermolecular bonds in protein crystals have resulted in the use of only simplified versions of this theory so far. In this study a more complete PBC analysis of tetragonal lysozyme crystals was carried out, coupled with an approach incorporating the molecular orientations of the crystal structure. The analysis revealed the existence of a helical tetramer building block of the entire crystal structure, centered around the 4(3) crystallographic axes, resulting in double-layered slices and PBC's throughout. The analysis also indicated that the crystallizing units for the faces are at least as large as this tetramer, with the experimental evidence suggesting that it is a tetramer unit for the {101} faces and an octamer unit for the {110} faces. The {110} faces were shown to be molecularly smooth F faces, while the {101} to be essentially rough S faces. The predicted morphology and growth mechanisms were found to explain numerous experimental observations from electron and atomic force microscopy, etching studies, lysozyme aggregation studies and measurements of growth kinetics.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1996

Monomer concentrations and dimerization constants in crystallizing lysozyme solutions by dialysis kinetics.

Dialysis kinetics measurements have been made to study the effect of ionic strength on the dimerization of lysozyme in acidic solutions that lead to the growth of tetragonal lysozyme crystals. Using glutaraldehyde cross-linked dimers of lysozyme, we have determined that both monomers and dimers can escape from 25,000 molecular weight cutoff dialysis membranes with velocity constants of 5.1 x 10(-7) and 1.0 x 10(-7) s(-1) for the monomer and dimer species, respectively. The flux from 25K MWCO membranes has been measured for lysozyme in pH 4.0 buffered solutions of 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7% NaCl over a wide range of protein concentrations. Assuming that dimerization is the first step in crystallization, a simple monomer to dimer equilibrium was used to model the flux rates. Dimerization constants calculated at low protein concentrations were 265, 750, 1212, and 7879 M(-1) for 3, 4, 5, and 7% NaCl, respectively. These values indicate that dimerization increases with the ionic strength of the solution suggesting that aggregation is moderated by electrostatic interactions. At high protein concentrations and high supersaturation, the dimerization model does not describe the data well. However, the Li model that uses a pathway of monomer <-> dimer <-> tetramer <-> octamer <-> 16-mer fits the measured flux data remarkably well suggesting the presence of higher order aggregates in crystallizing solutions.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Investigation of nucleating lysozyme solutions.

This laboratory has explored the potential of a combination of three analytical techniques to study the nucleation of chicken egg-white lysozyme. Collisional quenching of the fluorescent molecule SPQ [6-methoxy-N-(3-sulfopropyl)quinolinium] by chloride ions was used to determine the binding of the crystallizing agent to the protein at equilibrium and kinetically. Calorimetric measurements show that this binding generates an exothermic peak larger than the energy released during the early stages of nucleation. Light scattering intensity measurements were used to follow the aggregation kinetics.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1986

Protein crystal growth. Growth kinetics for tetragonal lysozyme crystals.

A method for immobilizing protein crystals has been devised for determining face growth rates, and used to investigate the growth kinetics of hen egg white lysozyme crystals. Growth rates were determined at 22 degrees C in 0.1 M sodium acetate, 5% NaCl, pH 4.0, on the visually identified (110) face of tetragonal lysozyme crystals. Protein concentrations ranged from 13 to 57 mg/ml (saturation concentration = 1.7 mg/ml). Growth rate data were fit to the equation R = kappa sigma ri, where R = rate in cm/s; kappa = constant; sigma i = solute growth interface supersaturation; and r = rate dependence upon super-saturation, with the result that kappa = 0.146 X 10(-8) cm/s and r = 2.0. A model of the growth process was developed and the experimental data were used to determine the relative roles of transport and interfacial kinetics in the growth of this crystal. Values for the width of the boundary layer delta, the interfacial concentration Ci, and growth rate R were determined. The model may be used to extrapolate to other growth conditions. The relative role of transport and interfacial kinetics can be expressed by the coefficient gamma = (CB - Ci)/(CB - Cs), when CB is the bulk concentration and Cs the saturation. Values for gamma were found to range from much less than 0.1 for submicron-size crystals to approximately 0.15 for cm sizes. The results indicate that attachment or surface effects are rate-limiting in lysozyme crystal growth in Earth's gravity because solutal convection always provides more transport of solute than can be accommodated by the interface. In order to grow such crystals under transport limiting conditions, it would be necessary to suppress this solutal convection.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

An apparatus for protein crystal growth studies.

An apparatus is described for observing protein crystals growing under varying growth conditions, and for changing or manipulating crystal orientation for viewing selected faces or growth modes. This flexibility permits a wide variety of protein crystal growth experiments to be performed using the same crystal(s).

Crystallization↗

PubMed1985

Studies on the procoagulant activity of human amniotic fluid. II. The role of factor VII.

Partially purified Amniotic Fluid Factor (AFF) is found to directly activate human factor X, with a Km for factor X of 0.37 +/- 0.06 M. Added phospholipid has only a slight effect on the activation at low concentrations, and inhibits the reaction at higher concentrations. Both DIPF and PMSF inhibit AFF factor X activation. Although added phospholipid is not required for AFF-activity, phospholipase C rapidly destroys it, indicating the presence of intrinsic phospholipid. Phospholipase C treated AFF releases factor VII activity, which leads to the conclusion that AFF is in fact a thromboplastin: factor VII complex. Both AFF and a human brain thromboplastin factor VII complex prepared in vitro were inhibited by Zn++ ion, while human brain thromboplastin alone is not. AFF is markedly larger than the human brain thromboplastin-factor VII complex as judged by gel filtration.

Amniotic Fluid↗