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N Genov

Publications and source records attributed to N Genov.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Fluorescence properties of subtilisins and related proteinases (subtilases): relation to X-ray models.

The fluorescence properties of six subtilases with known X-ray structure were determined using the same experimental conditions and instrumentation. The steady state and nanosecond lifetime measurements were performed on purified samples of phenylmethanesulphonyl-inhibited proteinases in the presence of 20 mM CaCl2 which stabilizes the molecules. The tryptophan emission quantum yield strongly depends on the local environment and varies from 0.02 to 0.10. The efficiency of tyrosine-to-tryptophan energy transfer also varies (0%-70%) in the different enzymes; the most efficient transfer was observed for thermitase. Experiments with nanosecond excitation indicated that the tryptophan fluorescence of subtilases decays with two exponential components. The X-ray models of the six proteinases were analysed in the region of the tryptophyl residues and were used to explain the observed properties.

Endopeptidases↗
PubMed1993

Kinetic characterization of alkaline mesentericopeptidase. Comparison with serine proteinases from different origins.

Comparative studies of the hydrolysis of succinyl-Ala2-Phe-methylcoumarylamide with mesentericopeptidase, a mesophilic extracellular serine proteinase from Bacillus mesentericus, and proteinases produced by organisms representing different levels of evolutionary development, were performed. Drastic differences in the proteolytic coefficient kcat/Km were found. As regards their catalytic efficiency, the proteinases studied can be placed in the following order: mesentericopeptidase < subtilisin Novo << subtilisin DY < proteinase K < subtilisin Carlsberg < thermitase < alpha-chymotrypsin. The size of the substrate-binding site of mesentericopeptidase for synthetic peptides was studied by using chloromethyl ketones with the general formula benzyloxycarbonyl-Alan-Phe-CH2Cl (n = 1, 2, 3). The presence of at least five binding subsites (S1 ... S5) on the S-side of the hydrolysed bond was suggested. Studies of the primary specificity of mesentericopeptidase with a series of dipeptide chloromethyl ketones having the general formula benzyloxycarbonyl-Ala-Aa-CH2Cl (Aa = Ala, Val, Leu, Phe) revealed the following order of reactivity toward these inhibitors: Aa = Leu >> Ala > Phe > Val. Kinetically, mesentericopeptidase is similar to subtilisin BPN'/Novo.

Dipeptides↗
PubMed1992

Fluorescence properties of native and photooxidised proteinase K: the X-ray model in the region of the two tryptophans.

The fluorescence properties of proteinase K are described and related to the X-ray model refined at 1.48 A resolution. Upon excitation of proteinase K at 295 nm the fluorescence is determined by the two tryptophan residues, Trp-8 and Trp-212. The tryptophans are partly buried just below the surface of the molecule. Neither Trp is in a highly hydrophobic environment, suggesting that this cannot be the explanation for the fluorescence at 330 nm: formation of exiplexes with adjacent peptide bonds would seem to be the more likely cause. Trp-8 is located in a 'cavity', close to an internal cluster of water molecules. The contribution of Trp-8 to the total indole emission is 60% and that of Trp-212 is 40%. The tryptophan fluorescence quantum yield is constant in the pH range 3-9. The fluorescence spectrum resulting from the simultaneous excitation of the tyrosyl and tryptophyl residues at 280 nm is dominated by the indole fluorophores: 61% of the light absorbed by the tyrosyl side chains is transferred to the two indole rings. Iodide and caesium are not efficient quenchers of the proteinase K tryptophan fluorescence, which is explained by restricted access of the ions to the somewhat buried Trp side chains and by electrostatic repulsion of caesium ions. Acrylamide quenching proceeds via both a dynamic and a static process and the data show homogeneity of the indole fluorescence arising from fluorophores in similar environments. The activation energy for the thermal deactivation of the excited tryptophans is 54 kJ mol-1. This value is substantially higher than those found for other proteinases from microorganisms and arises from the thermostability of proteinase K. Photooxidation of proteinase K in the presence of proflavine follows the kinetics of a first order reaction. The two tryptophans differ in their photoreactivity, Trp-212 being considerably more reactive.

Circular Dichroism↗
PubMed1992

Spectroscopic studies on proteinase K and subtilisin DY. Relation to X-ray models.

Circular dichroic spectroscopy has been used to study the effect of pH, guanidinium hydrochloride concentration and temperature on the conformation of the fungal subtilisin-like proteinase K and the bacterial DY. The ellipticity of the bands in the far ultraviolet region remains almost unchanged in the pH range 3.0-11.0 (PMS-proteinase K) and 5.0-10.0 (PMS-subtilisin DY). The same ranges of pH stability were determined from the pH dependence of the near ultraviolet dichroic spectra. Hence the changes in the tertiary and secondary structure occur in parallel. Proteinase K is considerably more stable at acidic and somewhat more stable at alkaline pH than subtilisin DY. At neutral pH proteinase K is more resistant to denaturation by guanidinium hydrochloride than is subtilisin DY. The midpoints of the denaturation curves were 6.2 M and 3.2 M guanidinium, respectively. The thermal unfolding of proteinase K occurred at a higher temperature than for subtilisin DY, the transition midpoints being 65 degrees and 48 degrees, respectively. Thus proteinase K is overall a much more robust molecule than subtilisin DY, showing greater resistance to all three forms of denaturation. The differences in the stability of the two proteinases can be partly explained by differences in their calcium binding sites.

Circular Dichroism↗
PubMed1991

Complex between the subtilisin from a mesophilic bacterium and the leech inhibitor eglin-C.

The alkaline proteinase from the mesophilic bacterium Bacillus mesentericus has been crystallized in a 1:1 complex with the inhibitor eglin-C from the medical leech. The crystals have cell dimensions of a = 43.0, b = 71.9, c = 48.3 A and beta = 110.0 degrees and are in the space group P2(1). Three-dimensional data to 2.0 A have been recorded on film from a single crystal. The orientation and position of the complex in the unit cell have been established using the refined coordinates of subtilisin Carlsberg and of eglin-C as independent models. The structure of the complex has been refined by restrained least-squares minimization. The crystallographic R factor (= sigma[magnitude of Fo - magnitude of Fc[/sigma magnitude of Fo) is 15.1% including two Ca2+ ions and 312 water molecules. The structure is discussed in terms of its physicochemical properties in solution and its relation to other Bacillus subtilisins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Isolation and characterization of a trypsin inhibitor from the seeds of kohlrabi (Brassica napus var. rapifera) belonging to the napin family of storage proteins.

A trypsin inhibitor with a Km of 5 x 10(-5) M has been isolated from kohlrabi (Brassica napus var. rapifera). Subtilisin DY is inhibited only weakly and chymotrypsin not at all. The inhibitor is closely related to napin as determined by amino acid sequence analysis which also showed the inhibitor to be polymorphous. The inhibitor has been further characterized by means of molecular weight determination using SDS gel-electrophoresis and by amino acid analysis, fluorimetry as well as circular dichroism. A simplified method for purification of napins is given.

2S Albumins, Plant↗
PubMed1988

Comparative characterization of the substrate-binding subsites in subtilisins DY and Carlsberg by fluorescence and kinetic studies.

Peptide chloromethanes with the general formula dansyl-(Ala)n-Phe-CH2Cl where n = 0, 1, 2, 3 and dansyl fluoride were used to investigate the substrate-binding sites A and B in subtilisins DY and Carlsberg. Kinetic evidence for the introduction of the dansyl group at the subsites S2, S3, S4 and S5 were obtained. Fluorescence experiments showed that the micro-environment of these subsites is quite apolar. However, some differences in their accessibility to external reagents can be revealed in fluorescence quenching experiments. Efficient singlet-singlet radiationless energy transfer from the single Trp 113 to the dansyl group selectively bound at the respective subsites was observed and intramolecular distances between the chromophores were determined. The values calculated for the pairs Trp 113 plus Dns at S2, Trp 113 plus Dns at S4 and Trp 113 plus Dns at S5 are practically identical (1.7-2.0 nm) for the two enzymes. Conclusions on the shape of the substrate-binding sites in subtilisins DY and Carlsberg are drawn. The mutual spatial orientation of the donor (Trp 113) and acceptor (Dns at Sn) dipoles is also elucidated.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1987

Photoreactivity of histidyl residues in subtilisins Novo and DY. Photooxidation of subtilisins.

Subtilisins Novo and DY were photoinactivated in the presence of methylene blue according to first order kinetics. The competitive inhibitor N alpha-benzoyl-L-arginine protected significantly against inactivation. Under the conditions employed in this study a selective photooxidation of the active site histidine 64 was achieved. Rate constants of 0.32 X 10(-2), s-1 and 0.35 X 10(-2), s-1, were calculated for the Novo enzyme and subtilisin DY, respectively. Apparent pKa values of the catalytically important imidazole group of 7.0 +/- 0.1 (s. Novo) and 7.1 +/- 0.1 (s. DY) were directly determined. The histidyl residues in the two proteases, except the active site histidine, which is the first target of photooxidation, are "buried" in the interior of the protein globule. Conformational studies suggested that the photoreactive histidine is not involved in the stabilization of the protein conformation.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1983

Protonated form of histidine 238 quenches the fluorescence of tryptophan 241 in subtilisin Novo.

The pH dependence of the fluorescence of phenylmethanesulfonyl-subtilisin Novo after excitation at 300 nm is studied. pK values of 5.9 and 10.3 were determined from the titration curve. The major source of indole fluorescence is tryptophan 106. Evidence is presented that the protonated form of histidine 238 quenches the fluorescence of tryptophan 241 in this enzyme. The quenching is explained by a charge-transfer complex formation between the excited indole and imidazole rings which are parallel and quite close to each other in the X-ray model.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1983

Modification of arginine residues in subtilisins Novo and Carlsberg. Effect on the protein structure and enzymatic activity.

The modification of arginine 186 and arginine 247 in subtilisin Novo as well as the four guanidino groups in subtilisin Carlsberg decreased the catalytic activity. The inactivation proceeded by 60-70% toward casein and by 80% toward p-nitrophenyl acetate during 4 h of incubation with glyoxal. No decrease in the lysyl content was found. The modification had little effect on the fluorescence and circular dichroism properties of the two subtilisins. It was deduced that the inactivation of subtilisins was due to changes in the catalytically active conformation of the active sites, induced by the modification of the arginyl residues. The role of guanidino groups in structure and function of the subtilisins Novo, Carlsberg, DY and mesentericopeptidase is quite similar.

Arginine↗
PubMed1982

Chemical, photochemical and spectroscopic characterization of an alkaline proteinase from Bacillus subtilis variant DY.

Circular-dichroism and fluorescence studies indicate that the 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulphonyl and phenylmethanesulphonyl derivatives of subtilisin DY have three-dimensional structure closely similar to that of native enzyme. The single tryptophan residue is largely accessible to the aqueous solvent, and is not directly involved in the enzyme-substrate interactions, since its photochemical modification causes only a partial inhibition of the enzyme activity. It appears very likely that the location of the single tryptophan residue in the three-dimensional structure of subtilisin DY is similar to that of the single tryptophan residue in subtilisin Carlsberg. Fluorescence-quenching experiments further indicate that the 14 tyrosine residues are also largely accessible to the aqueous solvent, and probably interact with hydrated peptide carbonyl groups. The charge environment for tryptophan and tyrosine residues in subtilisin DY, as deduced by quenching experiments with ionic species, is also discussed. In general, subtilisin DY displays strong similarities to subtilisin Carlsberg, as suggested by a comparative analysis of the amino acid composition and fluorescence properties.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1982

Effects of pH and urea on the conformational properties of subtilisin DY.

Subtilisin DY is very resistant to the denaturing action of urea: the conformational properties are not affected up to 4.5 M-urea, and even in the presence of 8 M-urea there is only a slow loss of ordered structure and caseinolytic activity. C.d. and fluorescence-emission studies also show that this proteinase is stable in the 5.5-10.0 pH range, whereas below pH 5.5 a sharp denaturation occurs that is complete at pH 4.5. Protein denaturation leads to a change of the emission quantum yield; in particular, in the native protein, indole fluorescence is quenched by some amino groups. Moreover, subtilisin DY possesses two classes of tyrosine residues: one class of exposed residues titrates normally, with pKapp. = 10.24, whereas one class of partially buried or hydrogen-bonded residues ionizes with pKapp. = 11.58. In general, such conformational properties resemble those of other subtilisins. However, some differences occur: e.g., subtilisin DY is less stable at acidic pH values and its tyrosine residues are more accessible to the solvent. Such differences are probably due to small variations of the three-dimensional structure; e.g., subtilisin DY has a slightly lower alpha-helix content.

Bacillus subtilis↗
PubMed1981

Fluorescence properties of native and chemically modified mesentericopeptidase.

Studies on the fluorescence properties of native mesentericopeptidase as a function of the temperature and/or in the presence of either neutral or ionic fluorescence quenchers demonstrate that the intrinsic emission f this protein is dominated by a partially exposed tryptophyl residue, which is probably located in a site of high dielectric constant containing positively charged amino acid side chains. One largely exposed tryptophan contributes about 14% of the total emission, whereas one deeply buried tryptophan is virtually non-fluorescent. The conversion of the active site serine to cysteine and the insertion of either one phenylmethanesulfonyl or one dansyl substituent into the active site induce only subtle differences in the conformational properties with respect to the native protein; in particular, the mutual distances and orientation between the 13 tyrosyl and 3 tryptophyl residues are unaffected, as shown by singlet-singlet energy transfer experiments.

Dansyl Compounds↗
PubMed1979

pH dependence of the circular dichroic bands of phenylmethanesulfonyl-mesentericopeptidase.

The effect of pH on the circular dichroism spectra of phenylmethanesulfonyl-mesentericopeptidase (peptidyl peptide hydrolase, EC 3.4.21) was studied. The ellipticity of the bands below 250 nm, which reflects the backbone conformation of the protein molecule, remains almost unchanged in the pH range 6.2--10.4. However, below pH 6.2 and above pH 10.4 a conformational transition occurs. The pH-dependent changes above 250 nm were also studied. The titration of the CD band at 296 nm reflects the ionization of the "exposed" tyrosines, which phenolic groups are fully accessible to the solvent. An apparent pK of 9.9 is calculated from the titration curve. It is concluded that ionization of the tyrosyl residues with normal pK's is complete before conformational changes in the protein molecule occur.

Circular Dichroism↗
PubMed1977

Photochemical evidence for the presence of histidyl residue in the active site of alkaline mesentericopeptidase.

The photosensitized oxidation of alkaline mesentericopeptidase in the presence of methylene blue results in a first-order rate of inactivation. The loss of enzymatic activity towards casein and N-acetyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester closely correlates with the destruction of one histidyl residue. A pK value of 6.8 is determined from the sigmoid pH-dependence of the photoinactivation rate. This suggests the involvement of a normal titrating imidazole group in the active site of mesentericopeptidase. The competitive inhibitor Na-benzoyl-L-arginine protects the enzyme from photoinactivation. A conclusion is made that the active site histidyl residue is modified. Circular dichroism spectra show no change in the protein conformation during the photodynamic treatment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1975

Spectrophotometric titration of tyrosyl residues in alkaline mesentericopeptidase.

At pH 7.0 the alkaline mesentericopeptidase has ultraviolet absorption spectrum with a minimum at 251 nm and a maximum at 280 nm and no visible absorption. From the tyrosine to tryptophan ratio a value of 3 tryptophyl residues per mole of protein is obtained. The molar extinction coefficient at 280 nm is 3.55 X 10(4)M-1cm-1. Spectrophotometric titration studies show that the molecule of mesentericopeptidase contains seven phenolic groups with a pKapp - 9.92 and four to five groups with a pKapp = 11.96. Denaturing agents, such as 5 M guanidine hydrochloride or alkali, normalize the ionization of the tyrosyl residues. There is a good correlation between the spectrophotometric titration data and the results for the reactivities of the tyrosines in mesentericopeptidase towards tetranitromethane. The correlation is explained by the mechanism of nitration. Conclusions about the state of the tyrosyl residues and the three-dimensional structure of mesentericopeptidase are made.

Bacillus↗
PubMed1975

Carbamylation of alkaline mesentericopeptidas.

The effects of carbamylation with potassium cyanate, and methylation with methyl p-nitrobenzene sulphonate on the mesentericopeptidase activity are studies. The treatment with potassium cyanate causes the enzyme to lose its activity towards ester substrates and casein. The specific reagent N-trans-cinnamoylimidazole does not acylate the active site in the carbamylated enzyme. The pH dependence of the rate of inactivation indicates that an ionizing group of pK = 7.3, probably the protonated imidazole group of the active site histidine, is involved in the reaction. The competitive inhibitor boric acid protects mesentericopeptidase against inactivation with potassium cyanate. These suggest that the active site residues are modified in the unprotected enzyme. Sixty per cent of the enzyme activity toward N-acetyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester was restored after treatment of the carbamylated mesentericopeptidase with 1 M hydroxylamine hydrochloride. Circular dichroism spectra show that the carbamylation does not change markedly the native protein conformation.

Acylation↗