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The role of an essential histidine residue of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase.

1. Inactivation of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase for diethyl pyrocarbonate indicates that one histidine residue per enzyme subunit is necessary for enzymic activity. The inactivated enzyme regains its activity over a period of days. 2. Enzyme modified by diethyl pyrocarbonate can form the binary enzyme - NADH complex with the same maximum NADH-binding capacity as that of native enzyme. Modified enzyme cannot form normal ternary complexes of the type enzyme - NADH - acetamide and enzyme - NAD+ - pyrazole, which are characteristic of native enzyme. 3. The rate constant for the reaction of enzyme with diethyl pyrocarbonate has been determined over the pH range 5.5--9. The histidine residue involved has approximately the same pKa as free histidine, but is 10-fold more reactive than free histidine.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Possible involvement of cysteine and histidine residues in the (NH4+ + Na+)-activated ATPase of an anaerobic alkaliphile, Amphibacillus xylanus.

Effect of various inhibitors on the (NH4+ + Na+)-activated ATPase of an anaerobic alkaliphile, Ep01(a strain of Amphibacillus xylanus), was examined. Among the chemicals tested, the enzyme was drastically inactivated by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid and diethyl pyrocarbonate. The ATPase activity of the enzyme, which was inactivated by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid and diethyl pyrocarbonate, was remarkably restored by beta-mercaptoethanol and hydroxylamine, respectively, suggesting the involvement of cysteine and histidine residues in the enzyme activity. Analysis of the inhibition kinetics by diethyl pyrocarbonate indicated that modification of a single histidine residue per ATPase molecule was sufficient to inactivate the enzyme.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Histidine residues are essential for the surface binding and autoactivation of human coagulation factor XII.

The role of histidine residue in the surface binding and autoactivation of human factor XII has been investigated by chemical modification with diethyl pyrocarbonate. It is found that low concentrations of diethyl pyrocarbonate have profound inhibitory effects on the surface binding activity of factor XII. At 2.5-fold molar excess of the reagent, six histidines are modified and 80% of the amidolytic activity is lost. Electrophoretic studies show that the modified protein has lost the capacity to bind to the surface, resulting in diminished proteolytic autoactivation. When modification is performed in the presence of the surface, dextran sulfate, two of the six histidines are protected from modification and the amidolytic activity is completely preserved. It is concluded that histidine residues in factor XII play key role in its surface binding activity.

Binding Sites↗

The cytochrome c peroxidase-cytochrome c electron transfer complex. The role of histidine residues.

The histidine-selective reagent diethyl pyrocarbonate and dye-sensitized photooxidation have been used to study the functional role of histidines in cytochrome c peroxidase. Of the 6 histidines in cytochrome c peroxidase, 5 are modified by diethyl pyrocarbonate at alkaline pH and 4 by photooxidation. The sixth histidine serves as the proximal heme ligand and is unavailable for reaction. Both modification reactions result in the loss of enzymic activity. However, photooxidized peroxidase retains its ability to react with H2O2 and to form a 1:1 cytochrome c peroxidase-cytochrome c complex. It is, therefore, concluded that the extra histidine modified by diethyl pyrocarbonate is the catalytic site distal histidine, His 52. In the presence of cytochrome c, no enzymic activity is lost by photooxidation and a single histidine, His 181, is protected from oxidative destruction. This finding provides strong support for the hypothetical model of the cytochrome c peroxidase-cytochrome c complex in which His 181 lies near the center of the intermolecular interface where it seems to provide an important link in the electron transfer process.

Amino Acids↗

Comparison of aspartate transcarbamoylases from wheat germ and Escherichia coli: functionally identical histidines in nonhomologous local sequences.

Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) from wheat germ and the catalytic subunit of the enzyme from Escherichia coli are trimers of similar size. The former is a regulatory enzyme in its trimeric state, while the latter is a component of a complex regulatory dodecamer. In a comparison of the two enzymes, reaction with diethyl pyrocarbonate revealed a highly active, essential histidine residue in each case. The two histidines (i.e., one in each enzyme) behaved nearly identically with respect to the following functional properties: kinetics of acylation (ethoxyformylation) and concomitant inactivation; kinetics of deacylation by hydroxylamine and concomitant reactivation; hyperbolic dependence of the apparent first-order rate constant (kapp) on diethyl pyrocarbonate concentration; pH dependence of kapp; failure of active-center ligands to protect the residue against diethyl pyrocarbonate, producing instead near-identical increases in the inactivation rate. These similarities point to an essential, highly conserved histidine in each enzyme, in a functional microenvironment that has changed relatively little since the divergence of plants and bacteria. Ethoxyformylated peptides were isolated from tryptic digests of the two inactivated enzymes. Sequencing of the major labeled peptide in each case showed the wheat and E. coli histidines embedded in nonhomologous primary segments, suggesting that, contrary to expectation, these segments are not part of the conserved microenvironment. In the case of the E. coli enzyme, the essential residue was identified as His-134 in the known sequence, which has a potential catalytic role on crystallographic evidence [Krause, K. L., Volz, K. W., & Lipscomb, W. N. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82, 1643-1647]. A second, much less reactive histidine was identified as His-64.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Bifunctional intercalator [N-MeCys3,N-MeCys7]TANDEM binds to the dinucleotide TpA.

The binding of [N-MeCys3,N-MeCys7]TANDEM has been examined by DNase I footprinting and diethyl pyrocarbonate modification of several synthetic DNA fragments containing AT-rich regions. DNase I footprinting reveals that at low concentrations the ligand binds preferentially to the center of (AT)n regions. A fragment containing the tetranucleotide AATT was unaffected by the ligand. Diethyl pyrocarbonate modification of several fragments containing blocks of (AT)n revealed a pattern in which alternate adenines were rendered more reactive in the presence of the ligand. These reactive adenines were staggered across the two DNA strands in the 3'-direction, consistent with ligand binding to the dinucleotide TpA. In sequences of the type (TAA)n.(TTA)n, binding of [N-MeCys3,N-MeCys7]TANDEM resulted in strong modification of the second adenine in the sequence TAA, i.e., the base on the 3'-side of the ligand binding site. Data for binding to (AT)n are best explained by suggesting that the adenines sandwiched between the quinoxaline chromophores are rendered most reactive to diethyl pyrocarbonate.

Base Sequence↗

Studies on the chemical modification of hemorrhagic toxin I from five pace snake (Agkistrodon acutus) venom.

The chemical modification of hemorrhagic toxin I (AaHI) from Agkistrodon acutus has been studied. Inactivation was observed upon modification of 3 out of 7 histidine residues with diethyl pyrocarbonate. The His residues are deblocked, accompanied by a return of activity, upon treatment with neutral hydroxylamine. The circular dichroism and fluorescence spectra of diethyl pyrocarbonate inactivated toxin and the native toxin are the same, indicating that modification with diethyl pyrocarbonate does not cause any gross change in the structure of the protein. At least one His residue may thus play an essential role in the enzyme activity. Reaction of the toxin with N-bromosuccimide abolished the enzyme activity, with modification of Trp, Tyr and His residues. The loss of Trp did not parallel the inactivation. Hydrogen peroxide, dioxane and 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl-bromide treatment damaged the Trp residues, but did not affect the activity. Therefore, the modified tryptophan side chains are not essential for activity. Modification of 2.5-3.0 Tyr residues out of 9 with acetylimidazole did not affect the enzyme activity, nor did nitration of the toxin with tetranitromethane. The reactive tyrosines are apparently not essential.

Amino Acids↗

Galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase: isolation and properties of a uridylyl-enzyme intermediate.

Galactose-1-P uridylyltransferase catalyzes the interconversion of UDP-galactose and galactose-1-P with UDP-galactose and glucose-1-P by a double displacement pathway involving a uridylyl-enzyme intermediate. The amount of radioactivity incorporated into the protein by uracil-labeled UDP-glucose is decreased by the presence of UDP-galactose, which completes with UDP-glucose for uridylylating the enzyme. The amount of glucose-1-P released upon reaction of the enzyme with UDP-glucose indicates that the dimeric enzyme contains more than one active site per molecule, 1.7 on the average for the most active preparation obtained. This suggests that there is one uridylylation site per subunit and that the subunits are similar or identical. The ureidylyl-enzyme is stable to mild alkaline conditions, 0.10 M NaOH at 60 degrees C for 1 h, but is very sensitive to acid, being largely hydrolyzed after 12 h at pH 3.5 and 4 degrees C. The principal radioactive product resulting from hydrolysis of [uracil-2-14C]uridylyl-ens of the uridylyl-enzyme under the latter conditions is [l]ump. The hydrolytic properties of the uridylyl-enzyme show that the uridylyl moiety is bonded to the protein through a phosphoramidate linkage. Complementary studies on the effects of group selective reagents on the activity of the enzyme suggest that the active site nucleophile to which the uridylyl group is bonded may be a histidine residue. The enzyme is rapidly inactivated by diethyl pyrocarbonate at pH 6 and 0 degrees C and reactivated by NH2OH. UDP-glucose at 0.5 mM fully protects the enzyme against diethyl pyrocarbonate while 70 mM galactose-1-P has only a slight protective effect. Uridylyl-enzyme in inactivated by diethyl pyrocarbonate at no more than 2% of the rate for free enzyme. The enzyme is not inactivated by NaBH4 or by NaBH4 in the presence of UDP-glucose. It is not inhibited by 1 mM pyridoxal phosphate or by 0.5 mM 5-nitrosalicylaldehyde at pH 8.6 and it is not inactivated by NaBH4 in the presence of pyridoxal phosphate. The enzyme is inactivated by 5 to 50 muM p-hydroxymercuribenzoate at pH 8.5, but substrates exert no detectable protective effect against this reagent. It is concluded that the enzyme contains at least one essential sulfhydryl group which is not located in the active site in such a way as to be shielded by substrates.

Binding Sites↗

Evidence for an essential histidine residue in D-xylose isomerases.

Diethyl pyrocarbonate inactivated D-xylose isomerases from Streptomyces violaceoruber, Streptomyces sp., Lactobacillus xylosus and Lactobacillus brevis with second-order rate constants of 422, 417, 99 and 92 M-1.min-1 respectively (at pH 6.0 and 25 degrees C). Activity was completely restored by the addition of neutral hydroxylamine, and total protection was afforded by the substrate analogue xylitol in the presence of either Mg2+ or Mn2+ according to the genus studied. The difference spectra of the modified enzymes revealed an absorption maximum at 237-242 nm, characteristic for N-ethoxycarbonylhistidine. In addition, the spectrum of ethoxycarbonylated D-xylose isomerase from L. xylosus showed absorption minima at both 280 and 230 nm, indicative for modification of tyrosine residues. Nitration with tetranitromethane followed by diethyl pyrocarbonate treatment eliminated the possibility that modification of tyrosine residues was responsible for inactivation, and resulted in modification of one non-essential tyrosine residue and six histidine residues. Inactivation of the other D-xylose isomerases with diethyl pyrocarbonate required the modification of one (L. brevis), two (Streptomyces sp.) and four (S. violaceoruber) histidine residues per monomer. Spectral analysis and maintenance of total enzyme activities further indicated that either xylitol Mg2+ (streptomycetes) or xylitol Mn2+ (lactobacilli) prevented the modification of one crucial histidine residue. The overall results thus provide evidence that a single active-site histidine residue is involved in the catalytic reaction mechanism of D-xylose isomerases.

Aldose-Ketose Isomerases↗

Identification of two essential histidine residues of ribonuclease T2 from Aspergillus oryzae.

Ribonuclease (RNase) T2 from Aspergillus oryzae was modified by diethyl pyrocarbonate and iodoacetic acid. RNase T2 was rapidly inactivated by diethyl pyrocarbonate above pH 6.0 and by incorporation of a carboxymethyl group. No inactivation occurred in the presence of 3'AMP. 1H-NMR titration and photo-chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization experiments demonstrated that two histidine residues were involved in the active site of RNase T2. Furthermore, analysis of inactive carboxymethylated RNase T2 showed that both His53 and His115 were partially modified to yield a total of one mole of N tau-carboxymethylhistidine/mole enzyme. The results indicate that the two histidine residues in the active site of RNase T2 are essential for catalysis and that modification of either His53 or His115 inactivates the enzyme.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Effect of metal ions on sucrose synthase from rice grains--a study on enzyme inhibition and enzyme topography.

The inhibition of the plant glycosyltransferase sucrose synthase from rice grains by free metal ions was studied. Decreasing sucrose synthase activities in the order of metal ions (Cu2+ >> Zn2+ > or = Ni2+ > Fe2+; 15.4% residual activity with 30 microM Cu2+) as well as inhibition by diethyl pyrocarbonate (27% residual activity at pH 7.2 and 43 microM diethyl pyrocarbonate) provided evidence that histidyl residues are important for sucrose synthase activity. Chelated metal ions, due to the geometric restriction of the reagent, gave a less pronounced inhibitory effect (11.7% residual activity with 100 microM Cu2+), but suggested that surface-accessible histidine residues are probably involved. Inhibition of sucrose synthase could always be prevented by metal ion scavengers [ethyl-enediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA), dithiothreitol (DTT), mercaptoethanol, reduced glutathione, imidazole and histidine]. Sucrose synthase inhibited by free and chelated Cu2+, respectively, could be partly (60%) reactivated by EDTA. These results led to a topographical analysis of histidines on the surface of the homotetrameric protein by immobilized metal ion chromatography (IMAC). From the order by which sucrose synthase was bound to immobilized chelated metal ions in the presence of 1 mM imidazole (Cu2+ > Ni2+ > Zn2+ = Co2+), it could be concluded that the enzyme has at least 5-7 surface-accessible histidines. Sucrose synthase could not be eluted from a Cu2+ column by an increasing imidazole gradient. These results are of particular interest for the further purification of sucrose synthase(s), as well as for the evaluation of cloning and expression strategies using polyhistidine tails.

Cations, Divalent↗

Activation of carboxylic acids by pyrocarbonates. Synthesis of symmetric anhydrides and esters of N-protected amino acids using dialkyl pyrocarbonates as condensing reagents.

Activation of carboxylic acids was achieved via dialkyl pyrocarbonates (ROCO)2O, R = C2H5, i-C3H7, sec-C4H9, tert.-C4H9) in aprotic solvents in the presence tertiary amines. A convenient procedure for the preparation of carboxylic acid anhydrides from carboxylic acids and di-tert.-butyl pyrocarbonate in the presence of pyridine is reported. Analogously, di-isopropyl- or diethyl pyrocarbonate may be used in the presence of N-methylmorpholine (triethylamine). With pyridine, di-isopropyl- or diethyl pyrocarbonate carboxylic acids form isopropyl- or ethyl esters, respectively. A wide variety of esters were prepared in good yields in a one-pot procedure from carboxylic acids, including N-protected amino acids, and alcohols or from phenols by means of di-tert.-butyl pyrocarbonate in the presence of pyridine (Boc2O-pyridine system). t-Butyl esters of carboxylic acids were obtained by the same procedure with 4-dimethylaminopyridine. In the absence of carboxylic acid, with 4-dimethylaminopyridine Boc2O and alcohols generate alkyl tert.-butyl carbonates.

Amino Acids↗

The involvement of one of the three histidine residues of cow kappa-casein in the chymosin-initiated milk clotting process.

Cow kappa-casein has been modified by photo-oxidation in the presence of rose bengal and by the chemical reagents diethyl pyrocarbonate, 2-hydroxy-5-nitro-benzyl bromide and iodoacetic acid. Photo-oxidation resulted in the destruction of histidine and tryptophan residues and all of the histidines could be ethoxy-formylated by treatment with diethyl pyrocarbonate. Both procedures caused a loss in the susceptibility of the Phe-Met linkage of kappa-casein to chymosin hydrolysis. Treatment of kappa-casein with 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide and iodoacetic acid caused the loss of tryptophan and methionine residues respectively but, in both cases, the susceptibility of the modified protein to chymosin hydrolysis remained unaffected. Of the amino acids examined it is concluded that only the histidine residues of cow kappa-casein are important for the hydrolytic action of chymosin and, furthermore, the treatment with diethyl pyrocarbonate suggests that only one of the three histidines plays an essential role.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides. Kinetics of reassociation and reactivation from inactive subunits.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides is denatured in 8 M urea and dissociated into its two inactive subunits. Denaturation leads to an approximately 80% decrease in protein fluorescence and a 20-nm red shift in the emission maximum. Upon dilution, the urea-treated enzyme regains catalytic activity (approximately 70%). The reactivated enzyme is indistinguishable from the native enzyme based on a number of physicochemical and enzymological criteria. The kinetics of renaturation and reactivation were monitored by measuring the rates of regain of native fluorescence and appearance of activity and the accessibility of histidine residues toward diethyl pyrocarbonate modification. Regain of native fluorescence was too rapid to measure at 25 degrees C; at 5 degrees C the initial phase was also too rapid, but a slower phase was monitored and shown to obey first-order kinetics with k = (5.9 +/- 1.3) x 10(-3) s-1. Reappearance of activity was measured at several protein concentrations; reactivation followed second-order kinetics with k = (4.85 +/- 0.47) x 10(-3) M-1 min-1. Reactivation was stimulated to different degrees by either the initial or delayed addition of NAD+, NADP+, or glucose 6-phosphate. During the initial, rapid phase of renaturation, approximately 3 of the enzyme's 12 histidine residues become unreactive toward diethyl pyrocarbonate; concomitant with the subsequent reactivation, approximately 7 more histidines become inaccessible to diethyl pyrocarbonate. The data are consistent with a model for enzyme renaturation and reactivation in which the unfolded subunits rapidly refold to an inactive structure that can dimerize slowly to generate native enzyme. Specific ligands stimulate reactivation by binding to refolded subunits or incompletely folded dimers.

Glucose-6-Phosphate↗

Isocitrate lyase from Cephalosporium acremonium. Role of Mg2+ ions, kinetics, and evidence for a histidine residue in the active site of the enzyme.

Isocitrate lyase was purified from Cephalosporium acremonium CW-19 from cultures growing with poly(oxyethylene)sorbitan monopalmitate as the carbon source. Its subunit M(r) and native M(r) were 63,000 +/- 2000 and 250,000 +/- 5000, respectively. We found the Mg(2+)-isocitrate complex to be the true substrate and that Mg2+ ions act as a nonessential activator, according to the model reported by Giachetti et al. (1988) [Giachetti, E., Pinzauti, G., Bonaccorsi, R., & Vanni, P. (1988) Eur. J. Biochem. 172, 85-91], from which the kinetic parameters were calculated. The kinetic study is consistent with an ordered Uni-Bi mechanism, and the kinetic and rate constants of the model were calculated. pH dependence of the cleavage reaction indicated that the catalysis was dependent on two dissociable groups on the enzyme-substrate complex. The enzyme was inactivated by diethyl pyrocarbonate following first-order kinetics at all reagent concentrations used. The pseudo-first-order rate constant of inactivation increases with pH, suggesting participation of an amino acid residue with pK 6.0. Hydroxylamine added to the inactivated enzyme quickly restored the incremental absorption at 240 nm and most of the activity. Data analyses indicated that diethyl pyrocarbonate inactivation is a consequence of modification of 11 histidine residues per enzyme subunit, and from statistical analysis, we concluded that one is catalytically important. Mg(2+)-isocitrate protects the enzyme against diethyl pyrocarbonate inactivation with a Ks value of 26.8 +/- 2.1 microM, close to the Km value. Isocitrate protects the enzyme but a high concentration, suggesting its binding to the catalytic site of the nonactivated enzyme. Mg2+ ions also produced total competitive protection.

Acremonium↗

Comparative studies on the N-oxidation of aniline and N,N-dimethylaniline by rabbit liver microsomes.

1. Rate studies of N-oxidation of aniline and N,N-dimethylaniline by rabbit liver microsomal preparations were performed at different pH values. The apparent pKs of the free functional groups were 7-2 and 6-9, respectively, at 26 degrees. The apparent heats of ionization of these groups varied from 26-8 to 31-8 kJ mol-1. 2. Photo-oxidation of the microsomal mixed function oxidase resulted in rapid loss of N-oxygenating activity. The enzyme was markedly protected from inactivation by the presence of aniline or N,N-dimethylaniline. The apparent KD values for protection were close to the Km and KS values for the individual arylamines. The pH profiles of the initial rates of photo-inactivation resembled the titration curves of groups with an apparent pKa between 6-0 and 6-2. 3. The N-oxidase was strongly inhibited by diethyl pyrocarbonate at pH 6-2. 3. The N-oxidase was strongly inhibited by diethyl pyrocarbonate at pH 6-0. Catalytic capacity was partially restored by treatment with neutral hydroxylamine. Pyridine protected the enzyme from acylation. 4. A close relationship exists between the N-hydroxylation of aniline and the N-oxide formation from N,N-dimethylaniline with respect to sensitivity to photo-oxidation, reactivity to protective substrates and susceptibility to carbethoxylation.

Aniline Compounds↗

Stimulatory action of internal protons on Slo1 BK channels.

We investigated the internal pH-sensitivity of heterologously expressed hSlo1 BK channels. In the virtual absence of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) to isolate the voltage-dependent gating transitions, low internal pH enhanced macroscopic hSlo1 currents by shifting the voltage-dependence of activation to more negative voltages. The activation time course was faster and the deactivation time course was slower with low pH. The estimated K(d) value of the stimulatory effect was approximately pH = 6.5 or 0.35 micro M. The stimulatory effect was maintained when the auxiliary subunit mouse beta1 was coexpressed. Treatment of the hSlo1 channel with the histidine modifying agent diethyl pyrocarbonate also enhanced the hSlo1 currents and greatly diminished the internal pH sensitivity, suggesting that diethyl pyrocarbonate and low pH may work on the same effector mechanism. High concentrations of Ca(2+) or Mg(2+) also masked the stimulatory effect of low internal pH. These results indicate that the acid-sensitivity of the Slo BK channel may involve the channel domain implicated in the divalent-dependent activation.

Animals↗