Molecular asymmetry in alkaline phosphatase of Escherichia coli

Inorganic Polyphosphates As Storage for and Generator of Metabolic Energy in the Extracellular Matrix

Inorganic polyphosphates (polyP) consist of linear chains of orthophosphate residues, linked by high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds. They are evolutionarily old biopolymers that are present from bacteria to man. No other molecule concentrates as much (bio)chemically usable energy as polyP. However, the function and metabolism of this long-neglected polymer are scarcely known, especially in higher eukaryotes. In recent years, interest in polyP experienced a renaissance, beginning with the discovery of polyP as phosphate source in bone mineralization. Later, two discoveries placed polyP into the focus of regenerative medicine applications. First, polyP shows morphogenetic activity, i.e., induces cell differentiation via gene induction, and, second, acts as an energy storage and donor in the extracellular space. Studies on acidocalcisomes and mitochondria provided first insights into the enzymatic basis of eukaryotic polyP formation. In addition, a concerted action of alkaline phosphatase and adenylate kinase proved crucial for ADP/ATP generation from polyP. PolyP added extracellularly to mammalian cells resulted in a 3-fold increase of ATP. The importance and mechanism of this phosphotransfer reaction for energy-consuming processes in the extracellular matrix are discussed. This review aims to give a critical overview about the formation and function of this unique polymer that is capable of storing (bio)chemically useful energy.

Chloride promotes refolding of active Vibrio alkaline phosphatase through an inactive dimeric intermediate with an altered interface

Most enzymes are homodimers or higher order multimers. Cold‐active alkaline phosphatase from Vibrio splendidus (VAP) transitions into a dimer with very low activity under mild denaturation conditions. The desire to understand why this dimer fails to efficiently catalyse phosphomonoester hydrolysis led us to investigate interfacial communication between subunits. Here, we studied in detail the unfolding mechanism at two pH values and in the presence or absence of sodium chloride. At pH 8.0, the denaturation model had to include an inactive dimer intermediate and follow the pathway: N₂ → I₂ → 2U. At pH 10.5, the model was of a two‐state nature. Enzyme activity was not recovered under several examined refolding conditions. However, in the presence of 0.5 m NaCl, the enzyme was nearly fully reactivated after urea treatment. Thermal inactivation experiments were biphasic where the inactivation could be detected using CD spectroscopy at 190–200 nm. By incorporating a bimane fluorescence probe at the dimer interface, we could monitor inactivation/denaturation at two distinct sites at the dimer interface. A change in bimane fluorescence at both sites was observed during inactivation, but prior to the global unfolding event. Furthermore, the rate of change in bimane fluorescence correlated with inactivation rates at 40 °C. These results indicate and support the hypothesis that the subunits of VAP are only functional in the dimeric state due to the cooperative nature of the reaction mechanism when proper crosstalk between subunits is facilitated.

Dimer asymmetry and the catalytic cycle of alkaline phosphatase fromEscherichia coli

Although alkaline phosphatase (APase) from Escherichia coli crystallizes as a symmetric dimer, it displays deviations from Michaelis-Menten kinetics, supported by a model describing a dimeric enzyme with unequal subunits [Orhanović S., Pavela-Vrancic M. and Flogel-Mrsić M. (1994) Acta. Pharm.44, 87-95]. The possibility, that the observed asymmetry could be attributed to negative cooperativity in Mg2+ binding, has been examined. The influence of the metal ion content on the catalytic properties of APase from E. coli has been examined by kinetic analyses. An activation study has indicated that Mg2+ enhances APase activity by a mechanism that involves interactions between subunits. The observed deviations from Michaelis-Menten kinetics are independent of saturation with Zn2+ or Mg2+ ions, suggesting that asymmetry is an intrinsic property of the dimeric enzyme. In accordance with the experimental data, a model describing the mechanism of substrate hydrolysis by APase has been proposed. The release of the product is enhanced by a conformational change generating a subunit with lower affinity for both the substrate and the product. In the course of the catalytic cycle the conformation of the subunits alternates between two states in order to enable substrate binding and product release. APase displays higher activity in the presence of Mg2+, as binding of Mg2+ increases the rate of conformational change. A conformationally controlled and Mg2+-assisted dissociation of the reaction product (Pi) could serve as a kinetic switch preventing loss of Pi into the environment.

Phosphoglycerate-kinase-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase interaction. Molecular mass studies

When rabbit muscle phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK; a 48-kDa monomeric protein) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GraPDH; a 145-kDa homotetrameric protein) are present together in solution in the proportion of 1 mol PGK/1 mol GraPDH monomer (total protein 0.2-1.0 mg/ml), an 80--82-kDa protein species is observed by gel-penetration (dilution factor) method and by the conventional procedure of elution from a gel column. Individually, PGK and GraPDH do not exhibit any self association or dissociation in the concentration range employed. Electrophoresis of the 80-82-kDa peak eluted from the gel column shows a single protein band with mobility intermediate between those of GraPDH and PGK. In titration experiments by the gel-penetration method, plots of dilution factor of PGK (or GraPDH) activity versus GraPDH (or PGK) concentration shows two linear portions intersecting at approximately 1 mol GraPDH monomer/1 mol PGK. From the molecular-mass values and the titration experiments, it has been suggested that, in solution, these enzymes form a complex consisting of 1 molecule of PGK and one monomeric subunit of GraPDH (expected molecular mass 84 kDa). Its dissociation constant has been estimated to be equal to or less than 13 nM. The complex is dissociated in the presence of KCl or NADH, with approximately half dissociation at 0.1 M salt or 0.25 mM NADH. At 0.1 M KCl, the complex is completely dissociated by adding ATP, NADH or 3-phosphoglycerate. AMP, ADP, NAD+, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, phosphate ions and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate reverse the effect of KCl.

NADP(+)-malic enzyme from sugarcane leaves: structural properties studied by thermal inactivation

The irreversible thermal inactivation of the sugarcane leaf NADP(+)-malic enzyme was studied at 50 degrees C and pH 7.0 and 8.0. Depending on the preincubation conditions, thermal inactivation followed mono- or biphasic first-order kinetics. A two-step behavior in the irreversible denaturation process was found when protein concentration was sufficiently low. The protein concentration necessary to obtain monlphasic thermal inactivation kinetics was lower at pH 8.0 than at pH 7.0. The results suggest that biphasic inactivation kinetics are the consequence of the existence of two different oligomeric forms of the enzyme (dimer and tetramer), with the dimer being more stable in regards to thermal inactivation. The effects of the substrate and essential cofactors on the thermostability and equilibrium between the dimeric and tetrameric enzyme forms were also studied. Depending on the pH, NADP+, L-malate, and Mg2+ all had a protective effect on the stability of the dimeric and tetrameric species during thermal treatment. However, these ligands showed different effects on the aggregation state of the enzyme. NADP+ and L-malate induced dissociation, especially at pH 8.0, whereas Mg2+ induced aggregation of the protein. By studying the thermal inactivation kinetics at 50 degrees C and different pH values it was observed that the equilibrium between dimers and tetramers was dramatically affected in the range of pH 7.0-8.0. These results suggest that an amino acid residue(s) in the protein with an apparent pKa value of 7.7 needs to be deprotonated to stabilize aggregation of the enzyme to the tetrameric form.

pH-dependent conformational transformation in mung bean glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

In thermal inactivation at pH 7.3 and below, the tetrameric apo-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase of mung beans lost half of its activity more rapidly than the rest, suggesting a pairwise arrangement of subunits (or a C2 symmetry). At pH 8.6, the activity was lost in a single exponential decay, characteristic of functional identity of sites as in a tetrahedral arrangement of subunits (or a D2-type symmetry). At intermittent pH values, the kinetics of thermal inactivation were consistent with the presence of a mixture of C2- and D2-symmetry conformations. In "sudden pH change" experiments, the observed thermal inactivation kinetics were characteristic of the final pH at which the enzyme was heated. Thus, the interconversion of the two conformations is facile and very fast. There is no gross change in molecular weight of the enzyme between pH 7.3 and 8.6.

Role of metal ions in activity and site:site heterogeneity in isocitrate lyase of castor seedling endosperm

Time-dependent inactivation of isocitrate lyase with EDTA, ATP, and ADP exhibits biphasic kinetics in which half of the initial activity is lost in a fast and the remaining half in a slow phase. Each phase exhibits first-order kinetics. When Mg2+ ions are added to an enzymatically inactive "apo-protein" obtained by EDTA dialysis of isocitrate lyase, the activity regained exhibits anticooperativity with respect to Mg2+ binding. The data suggest the presence of two classes of Mg2+ binding sites of equal specific activity, but having different affinities for Mg2+. It is proposed that the site:site heterogeneity in isocitrate lyase is a consequence of its quaternary structure constraints, and is independent of any of the known ligands.