1
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Deng Y, Carnevale V, Ditchfield R, Pletneva EV. Applications of the Newly Developed Force-Field Parameters Uncover a Dynamic Nature of Ω-Loop C in the Lys-Ligated Alkaline Form of Cytochrome c. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 38864552 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Lys-ligated cytochromes make up an emerging family of heme proteins. Density functional theory calculations on the amine/imidazole-ligated c-type ferric heme were employed to develop force-field parameters for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of structural and dynamic features of these proteins. The new force-field parameters were applied to the alkaline form of yeast iso-1 cytochrome c to rationalize discrepancies resulting from distinct experimental conditions in prior structural studies and to provide insights into the mechanisms of the alkaline transition. Our simulations have revealed the dynamic nature of Ω-loop C in the Lys-ligated protein and its unfolding in the Lys-ligated conformer having this loop in the same position as in the native Met-ligated protein. The proximity of Tyr67 or Tyr74 to the Lys ligand of ferric heme iron suggests a possible mechanism of the backward alkaline transition where a proton donor Tyr assists in Lys dissociation. The developed force-field parameters will be useful in structural and dynamic characterization of other native or engineered Lys-ligated heme proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunling Deng
- Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, United States
| | - Vincenzo Carnevale
- Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine, Institute for Computational Molecular Science, and Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
| | - Robert Ditchfield
- Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, United States
| | - Ekaterina V Pletneva
- Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, United States
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2
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Lei H, Kelly AD, Bowler BE. Alkaline State of the Domain-Swapped Dimer of Human Cytochrome c: A Conformational Switch for Apoptotic Peroxidase Activity. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:21184-21195. [PMID: 36346995 PMCID: PMC9743720 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c08325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
A 2.08 Å structure of an alkaline conformer of the domain-swapped dimer of K72A human cytochrome c (Cytc) crystallized at pH 9.9 is presented. In the structure, Lys79 is ligated to the heme. All other domain-swapped dimer structures of Cytc have water bound to this coordination site. Part of Ω-loop D (residues 70-85) forms a flexible linker between the subunits in other Cytc domain-swapped dimer structures but instead converts to a helix in the alkaline conformer of the dimer combining with the C-terminal helix to form two 26-residue helices that bracket both sides of the dimer. The alkaline transition of the K72A human dimer monitored at both 625 nm (high spin heme) and 695 nm (Met80 ligation) yields midpoint pH values of 6.6 and 7.6, respectively, showing that the Met80 → Lys79 and high spin to low spin transitions are distinct. The dimer peroxidase activity increases rapidly below pH 7, suggesting that population of the high spin form of the heme is what promotes peroxidase activity. Comparison of the structures of the alkaline dimer and the neutral pH dimer shows that the neutral pH conformer has a better electrostatic surface for binding to a cardiolipin-containing membrane and provides better access for small molecules to the heme iron. Given that the pH of mitochondrial cristae ranges from 6.9 to 7.2, the alkaline transition of the Cytc dimer could provide a conformational switch to tune the peroxidase activity of Cytc that oxygenates cardiolipin in the early stages of apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Allison D. Kelly
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, USA
| | - Bruce E. Bowler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, USA
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3
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Feng Y, Liu XC, Li L, Gao SQ, Wen GB, Lin YW. Naturally Occurring I81N Mutation in Human Cytochrome c Regulates Both Inherent Peroxidase Activity and Interactions with Neuroglobin. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:11510-11518. [PMID: 35415373 PMCID: PMC8992277 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c01256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Human cytochrome c (hCyt c) is a crucial heme protein and plays an indispensable role in energy conversion and intrinsic apoptosis pathways. The sequence and structure of Cyt c were evolutionarily conserved and only a few naturally occurring mutants were detected in humans. Among those variable sites, position 81 was proposed to act as a peroxidase switch in the initiation stages of apoptosis. In this study, we show that Ile81 not only suppresses the intrinsic peroxidase activity but also is essential for Cyt c to interact with neuroglobin (Ngb), a potential protein partner. The kinetic assays showed that the peroxidase activity of the naturally occurring variant I81N was enhanced up to threefold under pH 5. The local stability of the Ω-loop D (residues 70-85) in the I81N variant was decreased. Moreover, the Alphafold2 program predicted that Ile81 forms stable contact with human Ngb. Meanwhile, the Ile81 to Asn81 missense mutation abolishes the interaction interface, resulting in a ∼40-fold decrease in binding affinity. These observations provide an insight into the structure-function relationship of the conserved Ile81 in vertebrate Cyt c.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Feng
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University
of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Xi-Chun Liu
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University
of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Lianzhi Li
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaocheng
University, Liaocheng 252059, China
| | - Shu-Qin Gao
- Key
Lab of Protein Structure and Function of Universities in Hunan Province, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Ge-Bo Wen
- Key
Lab of Protein Structure and Function of Universities in Hunan Province, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Ying-Wu Lin
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University
of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
- Key
Lab of Protein Structure and Function of Universities in Hunan Province, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
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4
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Sedlák E, Žár T, Varhač R, Musatov A, Tomášková N. Anion-Specific Effects on the Alkaline State of Cytochrome c. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2021; 86:59-73. [PMID: 33705282 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297921010065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Specific effects of anions on the structure, thermal stability, and peroxidase activity of native (state III) and alkaline (state IV) cytochrome c (cyt c) have been studied by the UV-VIS absorbance spectroscopy, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence, and circular dichroism. Thermal and isothermal denaturation monitored by the tryptophan fluorescence and circular dichroism, respectively, implied lower stability of cyt c state IV in comparison with the state III. The pKa value of alkaline isomerization of cyt c depended on the present salts, i.e., kosmotropic anions increased and chaotropic anions decreased pKa (Hofmeister effect on protein stability). The peroxidase activity of cyt c in the state III, measured by oxidation of guaiacol, showed clear dependence on the salt position in the Hofmeister series, while cyt c in the alkaline state lacked the peroxidase activity regardless of the type of anions present in the solution. The alkaline isomerization of cyt c in the presence of 8 M urea, measured by Trp59 fluorescence, implied an existence of a high-affinity non-native ligand for the heme iron even in a partially denatured protein conformation. The conformation of the cyt c alkaline state in 8 M urea was considerably modulated by the specific effect of anions. Based on the Trp59 fluorescence quenching upon titration to alkaline pH in 8 M urea and molecular dynamics simulation, we hypothesize that the Lys79 conformer is most likely the predominant alkaline conformer of cyt c. The high affinity of the sixth ligand for the heme iron is likely a reason of the lack of peroxidase activity of cyt c in the alkaline state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Sedlák
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, 04154, Slovakia. .,Centre for Interdisciplinary Biosciences, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, 04154, Slovakia
| | - Tibor Žár
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Biosciences, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, 04154, Slovakia.
| | - Rastislav Varhač
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, 04154, Slovakia.
| | - Andrej Musatov
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, 040 01, Slovakia.
| | - Nataša Tomášková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, 04154, Slovakia.
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5
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Lalli D, Rosa C, Allegrozzi M, Turano P. Distal Unfolding of Ferricytochrome c Induced by the F82K Mutation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21062134. [PMID: 32244917 PMCID: PMC7139943 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21062134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well known that axial coordination of heme iron in mitochondrial cytochrome c has redox-dependent stability. The Met80 heme iron axial ligand in the ferric form of the protein is relatively labile and can be easily replaced by alternative amino acid side chains under non-native conditions induced by alkaline pH, high temperature, or denaturing agents. Here, we showed a redox-dependent destabilization induced in human cytochrome c by substituting Phe82-conserved amino acid and a key actor in cytochrome c intermolecular interactions-with a Lys residue. Introducing a positive charge at position 82 did not significantly affect the structure of ferrous cytochrome c but caused localized unfolding of the distal site in the ferric state. As revealed by 1H NMR fingerprint, the ferric form of the F82K variant had axial coordination resembling the renowned alkaline species, where the detachment of the native Met80 ligand favored the formation of multiple conformations involving distal Lys residues binding to iron, but with more limited overall structural destabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Lalli
- Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM) and Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy; (D.L.); (C.R.); (M.A.)
- Present Address: Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica, Università del Piemonte Orientale “A. Avogadro”, Viale T. Michel 11, 15121 Alessandria, Italy
| | - Camilla Rosa
- Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM) and Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy; (D.L.); (C.R.); (M.A.)
| | - Marco Allegrozzi
- Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM) and Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy; (D.L.); (C.R.); (M.A.)
| | - Paola Turano
- Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM) and Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy; (D.L.); (C.R.); (M.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-055-457-4266
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6
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Lei H, Nold SM, Motta LJ, Bowler BE. Effect of V83G and I81A Substitutions to Human Cytochrome c on Acid Unfolding and Peroxidase Activity below a Neutral pH. Biochemistry 2019; 58:2921-2933. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Haotian Lei
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
| | - Shiloh M. Nold
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
| | - Luis Jung Motta
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
| | - Bruce E. Bowler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
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7
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Oviedo-Rouco S, Castro MA, Alvarez-Paggi D, Spedalieri C, Tortora V, Tomasina F, Radi R, Murgida DH. The alkaline transition of cytochrome c revisited: Effects of electrostatic interactions and tyrosine nitration on the reaction dynamics. Arch Biochem Biophys 2019; 665:96-106. [DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2019.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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8
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Gu J, Shin DW, Pletneva EV. Remote Perturbations in Tertiary Contacts Trigger Ligation of Lysine to the Heme Iron in Cytochrome c. Biochemistry 2017; 56:2950-2966. [PMID: 28474881 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b01187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Perturbations in protein structure define the mechanism of allosteric regulation and biological information transfer. In cytochrome c (cyt c), ligation of Met80 to the heme iron is critical for the protein's electron-transfer (ET) function in oxidative phosphorylation and for suppressing its peroxidase activity in apoptosis. The hard base Lys is a better match for the hard ferric iron than the soft base Met is, suggesting the key role of the protein scaffold in favoring Met ligation. To probe the role of the protein structure in the maintenance of Met ligation, mutations T49V and Y67R/M80A were designed to disrupt hydrogen bonding and packing of the heme coordination loop, respectively. Electronic absorption, nuclear magnetic resonance, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra reveal that ferric forms of both variants are Lys-ligated at neutral pH. A minor change in the tertiary contacts in T49V, away from the heme coordination loop, appears to be sufficient to execute a change in ligation, suggesting a cross-talk between the different regions of the protein structure and a possibility of built-in conformational switches in cyt c. Analyses of thermodynamic stability, kinetics of Lys binding and dissociation, and the pH-dependent changes in ligation provide a detailed characterization of the Lys coordination in these variants and relate these properties to the extent of structural perturbations. The findings emphasize the importance of the hydrogen-bonding network in controlling ligation of the native Met80 to the heme iron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Gu
- Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College , Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, United States
| | - Dong-Woo Shin
- Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College , Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, United States
| | - Ekaterina V Pletneva
- Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College , Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, United States
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9
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Liu J, Chakraborty S, Hosseinzadeh P, Yu Y, Tian S, Petrik I, Bhagi A, Lu Y. Metalloproteins containing cytochrome, iron-sulfur, or copper redox centers. Chem Rev 2014; 114:4366-469. [PMID: 24758379 PMCID: PMC4002152 DOI: 10.1021/cr400479b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 549] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics
and Computational
Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Saumen Chakraborty
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics
and Computational
Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Parisa Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics
and Computational
Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Yang Yu
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics
and Computational
Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Shiliang Tian
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics
and Computational
Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Igor Petrik
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics
and Computational
Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Ambika Bhagi
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics
and Computational
Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics
and Computational
Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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10
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Zaidi S, Hassan MI, Islam A, Ahmad F. The role of key residues in structure, function, and stability of cytochrome-c. Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 71:229-55. [PMID: 23615770 PMCID: PMC11113841 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-013-1341-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2013] [Revised: 04/05/2013] [Accepted: 04/08/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cytochrome-c (cyt-c), a multi-functional protein, plays a significant role in the electron transport chain, and thus is indispensable in the energy-production process. Besides being an important component in apoptosis, it detoxifies reactive oxygen species. Two hundred and eighty-five complete amino acid sequences of cyt-c from different species are known. Sequence analysis suggests that the number of amino acid residues in most mitochondrial cyts-c is in the range 104 ± 10, and amino acid residues at only few positions are highly conserved throughout evolution. These highly conserved residues are Cys14, Cys17, His18, Gly29, Pro30, Gly41, Asn52, Trp59, Tyr67, Leu68, Pro71, Pro76, Thr78, Met80, and Phe82. These are also known as "key residues", which contribute significantly to the structure, function, folding, and stability of cyt-c. The three-dimensional structure of cyt-c from ten eukaryotic species have been determined using X-ray diffraction studies. Structure analysis suggests that the tertiary structure of cyt-c is almost preserved along the evolutionary scale. Furthermore, residues of N/C-terminal helices Gly6, Phe10, Leu94, and Tyr97 interact with each other in a specific manner, forming an evolutionary conserved interface. To understand the role of evolutionary conserved residues on structure, stability, and function, numerous studies have been performed in which these residues were substituted with different amino acids. In these studies, structure deals with the effect of mutation on secondary and tertiary structure measured by spectroscopic techniques; stability deals with the effect of mutation on T m (midpoint of heat denaturation), ∆G D (Gibbs free energy change on denaturation) and folding; and function deals with the effect of mutation on electron transport, apoptosis, cell growth, and protein expression. In this review, we have compiled all these studies at one place. This compilation will be useful to biochemists and biophysicists interested in understanding the importance of conservation of certain residues throughout the evolution in preserving the structure, function, and stability in proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sobia Zaidi
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025 India
| | - Md. Imtaiyaz Hassan
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025 India
| | - Asimul Islam
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025 India
| | - Faizan Ahmad
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025 India
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11
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Bandi S, Bowler BE. Probing the Dynamics of a His73–Heme Alkaline Transition in a Destabilized Variant of Yeast Iso-1-cytochrome c with Conformationally Gated Electron Transfer Methods. Biochemistry 2011; 50:10027-40. [DOI: 10.1021/bi201082h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Swati Bandi
- Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry and Center
for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, The University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
| | - Bruce E. Bowler
- Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry and Center
for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, The University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
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12
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Weinkam P, Romesberg FE, Wolynes PG. Chemical frustration in the protein folding landscape: grand canonical ensemble simulations of cytochrome c. Biochemistry 2010; 48:2394-402. [PMID: 19199810 DOI: 10.1021/bi802293m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A grand canonical formalism is developed to combine discrete simulations for chemically distinct species in equilibrium. Each simulation is based on a perturbed funneled landscape. The formalism is illustrated using the alkaline-induced transitions of cytochrome c as observed by FTIR spectroscopy and with various other experimental approaches. The grand canonical simulation method accounts for the acid/base chemistry of deprotonation, the inorganic chemistry of heme ligation and misligation, and the minimally frustrated folding energy landscape, thus elucidating the physics of protein folding involved with an acid/base titration of a protein. The formalism combines simulations for each of the relevant chemical species, varying by protonation and ligation states. In contrast to models based on perfectly funneled energy landscapes that contain only contacts found in the native structure, this study introduces "chemical frustration" from deprotonation and misligation that gives rise to many intermediates at alkaline pH. While the nature of these intermediates cannot be easily inferred from available experimental data, this study provides specific structural details of these intermediates, thus extending our understanding of how cytochrome c changes with an increase in pH. The results demonstrate the importance of chemical frustration for understanding biomolecular energy landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Weinkam
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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13
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Ying T, Wang ZH, Zhong F, Tan X, Huang ZX. Distinct mechanisms for the pro-apoptotic conformational transition and alkaline transition in cytochrome c. Chem Commun (Camb) 2010; 46:3541-3. [DOI: 10.1039/b926261j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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14
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Weinkam P, Zimmermann J, Sagle LB, Matsuda S, Dawson PE, Wolynes PG, Romesberg FE. Characterization of alkaline transitions in ferricytochrome c using carbon-deuterium infrared probes. Biochemistry 2009; 47:13470-80. [PMID: 19035653 DOI: 10.1021/bi801223n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The alkaline-induced structural transitions of ferricytochrome c have been studied intensively as a model for how changes in metal ligation contribute to protein function and folding. Previous studies have demonstrated that multiple non-native species accumulate with increasing pH. Here, we used a combination of experiments and simulations to provide a high-resolution view of the changes associated with increasing alkaline conditions. Alkaline-induced transitions were characterized under equilibrium conditions by following changes in the IR absorptions of carbon-deuterium chromophores incorporated at Leu68, Lys72, Lys73, Lys79, and Met80. The data suggest that at least four intermediates are formed as the pH is increased prior to complete unfolding of the protein. The first alkaline transition observed appears to be driven by a single deprotonation and occurs with a midpoint of pH 8.8, but surprisingly, the intermediate formed does not appear to be one of the well-characterized lysine misligates. At higher pH, second and third deprotonations, with a combined apparent midpoint pH of 10.2, induce transitions to Lys73- or Lys79-misligated species. Interestingly, the lysine misligates appear to undergo iron reduction by the coordinated amine. A transition from the lysine misligates to another intermediate, likely a hydroxide-misligated species, is associated with a fourth deprotonation and a midpoint of pH 10.7. Finally, the protein loses tertiary structure with a fifth deprotonation that occurs with a midpoint of pH 12.7. Native topology-based models with enforced misligation are employed to help understand the structures of the observed intermediates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Weinkam
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
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15
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Di Rocco G, Battistuzzi G, Borsari M, De Rienzo F, Ranieri A, Tutino ML, Sola M. Cloning, expression and physicochemical characterization of a di-heme cytochrome c (4) from the psychrophilic bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC 125. J Biol Inorg Chem 2008; 13:789-99. [PMID: 18386080 DOI: 10.1007/s00775-008-0366-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2008] [Accepted: 03/14/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The 20-kDa di-heme cytochrome c (4) from the psycrophilic bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC 125 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and investigated through UV-vis and (1)H NMR spectroscopies and protein voltammetry. The model structure was computed using the X-ray structure of Pseudomonas stutzeri cytochrome c (4) as a template. The protein shows unprecedented properties within the cytochrome c (4) family, including (1) an almost nonpolar surface charge distribution, (2) the absence of high-spin heme Fe(III) states, indicative of a thermodynamically stable and kinetically inert axial heme His,Met coordination, and (3) identical E degrees ' values for the two heme centers (+0.322 V vs the standard hydrogen elecrode). At pH extremes, both heme groups undergo the "acid" and "alkaline" conformational transitions typical of class I cytochromes c, involving ligand-exchange equilibria, whereas at intermediate pH values their electronic properties are sensitive to several residue ionizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Di Rocco
- Department of Chemistry, Università di Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 183, 41100, Modena, Italy
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16
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Battistuzzi G, Borsari M, Bortolotti CA, Di Rocco G, Ranieri A, Sola M. Effects of Mutational (Lys to Ala) Surface Charge Changes on the Redox Properties of Electrode-Immobilized Cytochrome c. J Phys Chem B 2007; 111:10281-7. [PMID: 17685644 DOI: 10.1021/jp0730343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Untrimethylated yeast iso-1-cytochrome c (cytc) and its single and multiple Lys to Ala variants at the surface lysines 72, 73, and 79 were adsorbed on carboxyalkanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold, and the thermodynamics and kinetics of the heterogeneous protein-electrode electron-transfer (ET) reaction were determined by voltammetry. The reaction thermodynamics were also measured for the same species freely diffusing in solution. The selected lysine residues surround the heme group and contribute to the positively charged domain of cytc involved in the binding to redox partners and to carboxyl-terminated SAM-coated surfaces. The E degrees' (standard reduction potential) values for the proteins immobilized on SAMs made of 11-mercapto-1-undecanoic acid and 11-mercapto-1-undecanol on gold were found to be lower than those for the corresponding diffusing species owing to the stabilization of the ferric state by the negatively charged SAM. For the immobilized proteins, Lys to Ala substitution(s) do not affect the surface coverage, but induce significant changes in the E degrees' values, which do not simply follow the Coulomb law. The results suggest that the species-dependent orientation of the protein (and thereby of the heme group) toward the negatively charged SAM influences the electrostatic interaction and the resulting E degree' change. Moreover, these charge suppressions moderately affect the kinetics of the heterogeneous ET acting on the reorganization energy and the donor-acceptor distance. The kinetic data suggest that none of the studied lysines belong to the interfacial ET pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianantonio Battistuzzi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 183, I-41100 Modena, Italy
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Silkstone G, Jasaitis A, Wilson MT, Vos MH. Ligand Dynamics in an Electron Transfer Protein. J Biol Chem 2007; 282:1638-49. [PMID: 17114183 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m605760200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Substitution of the heme coordination residue Met-80 of the electron transport protein yeast iso-1-cytochrome c allows external ligands like CO to bind and thus increase the effective redox potential. This mutation, in principle, turns the protein into a quasi-native photoactivable electron donor. We have studied the kinetic and spectral characteristics of geminate recombination of heme and CO in a series of single M80X (X = Ala, Ser, Asp, Arg) mutants, using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. In these proteins, all geminate recombination occurs on the picosecond and early nanosecond time scale, in a multiphasic manner, in which heme relaxation takes place on the same time scale. The extent of geminate recombination varies from >99% (Ala, Ser) to approximately 70% (Arg), the latter value being in principle low enough for electron injection studies. The rates and extent of the CO geminate recombination phases are much higher than in functional ligand-binding proteins like myoglobin, presumably reflecting the rigid and hydrophobic properties of the heme environment, which are optimized for electron transfer. Thus, the dynamics of CO recombination in cytochrome c are a tool for studying the heme pocket, in a similar way as NO in myoglobin. We discuss the differences in the CO kinetics between the mutants in terms of the properties of the heme environment and strategies to enhance the CO escape yield. Experiments on double mutants in which Phe-82 is replaced by Asp or Gly as well as the M80D substitution indicate that such steric changes substantially increase the motional freedom-dissociated CO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Silkstone
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wivenhoe Park, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
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18
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Latypov RF, Cheng H, Roder NA, Zhang J, Roder H. Structural Characterization of an Equilibrium Unfolding Intermediate in Cytochrome c. J Mol Biol 2006; 357:1009-25. [PMID: 16473367 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2006.01.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2005] [Revised: 01/11/2006] [Accepted: 01/15/2006] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Although the denaturant-induced unfolding transition of cytochrome c was initially thought to be a cooperative process, recent spectroscopic studies have shown deviations from two-state behavior consistent with accumulation of an equilibrium intermediate. However, little is known about the structural and thermodynamic properties of this state, and whether it is stabilized by the presence of non-native heme ligands. We monitored the reversible denaturant-induced unfolding equilibrium of oxidized horse cytochrome c using various spectroscopic probes, including fluorescence, near and far-UV CD, heme absorbance bands in the Soret, visible and near-IR regions of the spectrum, as well as 2D NMR. Global fitting techniques were used for a quantitative interpretation of the results in terms of a three-state model, which enabled us to determine the intrinsic spectroscopic properties of the intermediate. A well-populated intermediate was observed in equilibrium experiments at pH 5 using either guanidine-HCl or urea as a denaturant, both for wild-type cytochrome c as well as an H33N mutant chosen to prevent formation of non-native His-heme ligation. For a more detailed structural characterization of the intermediate, we used 2D 1H-15N correlation spectroscopy to follow the changes in peak intensity for individual backbone amide groups. The equilibrium state observed in our optical and NMR studies contains many native-like structural features, including a well-structured alpha-helical sub-domain, a short Trp59-heme distance and solvent-shielded heme environment, but lacks the native Met80 sulfur-iron linkage and shows major perturbations in side-chain packing and other tertiary interactions. These structural properties are reminiscent of the A-state of cytochrome c, a compact denatured form found under acidic high-salt conditions, as well as a kinetic intermediate populated at a late stage of folding. The denaturant-induced intermediate also resembles alkaline forms of cytochrome c with altered heme ligation, suggesting that disruption of the native methionine ligand favors accumulation of structurally analogous states both in the presence and absence of non-native ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramil F Latypov
- Basic Science Division, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
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19
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Silkstone GG, Cooper CE, Svistunenko D, Wilson MT. EPR and optical spectroscopic studies of Met80X mutants of yeast ferricytochrome c. Models for intermediates in the alkaline transition. J Am Chem Soc 2005; 127:92-9. [PMID: 15631458 DOI: 10.1021/ja045719b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The ferric forms of Met80X mutants of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c (X = Ala, Ser, Asp, and Glu) display EPR and optical spectra that are strongly pH dependent. At low pH values (pH approximately 5) the sixth coordination sites are filled by H(2)O that, on elevating the pH, is replaced by OH(-) in the cases of Met80Ala and -Ser (pK approximately 5.6 and 5.9, respectively) and by a lysine amino group in the cases of Met80Asp and -Glu (pK approximately 9.3 and 11.6, respectively). The ligand sets and the pK values of the transitions are rationalized in terms of the structure of the heme pocket, and a possible mechanism of the "trigger" in the alkaline transition of the native protein is suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary G Silkstone
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, Essex, UK
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20
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Martinez RE, Bowler BE. Proton-mediated dynamics of the alkaline conformational transition of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c. J Am Chem Soc 2004; 126:6751-8. [PMID: 15161303 DOI: 10.1021/ja0494454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The kinetics of the alkaline conformational transition of a Lys 73-->His variant of iso-1-cytochrome c have been investigated using pH jump stopped-flow methods to probe the nature of the ionizable "trigger" group for this conformational change. This mutation moves the pK(a) of the ligand replacing Met 80 from about 10.5 to approximately 6.6 and has unmasked two other ionizable groups, besides the ligand replacing Met 80, that modulate the kinetics of this process. The results are discussed in terms of the impact of ionization equilibria on protein folding mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Martinez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, 2190 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80208-2436, USA
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21
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Yao Y, Tang W. NMR investigation of the alkaline-like conformational transition of horse heart cytochrome c in the presence of exogenous thiazole. Biophys Chem 2003; 104:459-68. [PMID: 12878313 DOI: 10.1016/s0301-4622(03)00031-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The conformational transition of horse heart cyt c in the presence of exogenous thiazole is investigated by NMR spectroscopy. Surprisingly, besides the native form and the ligand-bound form, another species (species A) exists at neutral pH. Titration of thiazole at alkaline condition indicates that this form has Lys as the axial ligands and in fact is one of alkaline cyt c conformers. At a high concentration of thiazole, species A has a dominant population at a pH of approximately 7. It is the first time that a pure alkaline conformer of cyt c is obtained at neutral pH. The observed NOEs show that species A maintains the overall protein fold although large structural rearrangements are expected in the distal pocket. Furthermore, the different effect of imidazole, pyridine and thiazole on the alkaline transformation of cyt c is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, 210093, Nanjing, PR China
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22
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Yao Y, Wu Y, Qian C, Ye K, Wang J, Tang W. NMR study of the conformational transition of cytochrome c upon the displacement of Met80 by exogenous ligand: structural and magnetic characterization of azidoferricytochrome c. Biophys Chem 2003; 103:13-23. [PMID: 12504251 DOI: 10.1016/s0301-4622(02)00141-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
As the exogenous ligand-cytochrome c complexes were purported to represent models for the unfolding intermediate of cytochrome c, NMR spectroscopy has been utilized to study the azide adduct of horse heart cytochrome c. The structure of azidoferricytochrome c was modeled by restrained energy minimization using paramagenetic pseudocontact shifts as constraints. The bound azide moiety was found to be tilted approximately 15 degrees from the heme normal. The displacement of Met80 by the exogenous azide molecule causes large structural rearrangement in the distal cavity. Furthermore, the conformation transition associated with the swing out of the loop containing Met80 and the shift of the 50s-helix increases the solvent accessibility of the heme group. To elucidate the heme electronic structure of the complex, the paramagnetic 13C shifts were analyzed in terms of a model based on the pi molecular orbitals of the heme under perturbed D(4) symmetry. It turned out that the His-Fe bonding provides the protein constraint that orients the in-plane anisotropy in the complex. The electronic properties are in accordance with the calculated magnetic susceptibility anisotropy and the structural information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, PR China
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Battistuzzi G, Borsari M, Ranieri A, Sola M. Conservation of the free energy change of the alkaline isomerization in mitochondrial and bacterial cytochromes c. Arch Biochem Biophys 2002; 404:227-33. [PMID: 12147260 DOI: 10.1016/s0003-9861(02)00283-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The thermodynamic parameters of the alkaline transition for oxidized native yeast iso-1 cytochrome c and Rhodopseudomonas palustris cytochrome c(2) (cytc(2)) have been determined through direct electrochemistry experiments carried out at variable pH and temperature and compared to those for horse and beef heart cytochromes c. We have found that both transition enthalpy and entropy are remarkably species dependent, following the order R. palustris cytc(2) >> beef (horse) heart cytc>yeast iso-1 cytc. Considering the high homology at the heme-protein interface in the native species, this variability is likely to be mainly determined by differences in the structural and solvation properties and the relative abundance of the various alkaline conformers. Notably, changes in transition enthalpy and entropy among these cytochromes c are compensative and result in small variations in the free energy change of the process (which amounts approximately to +50 kJ mol(-1)) and consequently in the apparent pK(a) value. This compensation indicates that solvent reorganization effects play an important role in the thermodynamics of the transition. This mechanism is functional to ensure a relatively high pK(a) value for the alkaline transition, which is needed to preserve His,Met ligation to the heme iron in cytochrome c at physiological pH and temperature, hence the E(o) value required for the biological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianantonio Battistuzzi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 183, 41100, Modena, Italy
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Rosell FI, Mauk AG. Spectroscopic properties of a mitochondrial cytochrome C with a single thioether bond to the heme prosthetic group. Biochemistry 2002; 41:7811-8. [PMID: 12056913 DOI: 10.1021/bi016060e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The yeast iso-1-cytochrome c variant Cys14Ser has been prepared in which one of the two thioether bonds by which the heme prosthetic group is normally bound to the protein has been eliminated. Comparison of the properties of this variant with those of the wild-type cytochrome provides insight into the role of this covalent attachment of the heme group to the apo-protein toward the functional properties of the wild-type cytochrome. Although NMR and EPR spectra indicate that the Cys14Ser variant ferricytochrome adopts the native conformation characteristic of the wild-type protein with His18 and Met80 coordinated to the heme iron (Met80 epsilon-CH -23.6 ppm; g(z), g(y), g(x), at 3.01, 2.29, approximately 1.3, respectively), the electronic spectrum of the variant does not exhibit the 695 nm CT band that is characteristic of native ferricytochromes c with these axial ligands. Chromatographic and spectropolarimetric comparison of the variant and wild-type ferricytochromes suggests that the structure of the variant is more disordered, particularly in the region of the sole tryptophanyl residue (Trp59). Upon reduction, the electronic spectrum of the variant exhibits a symmetrically broadened alpha-band that is shifted approximately 3 nm to the ultraviolet relative to its position in the spectrum in the wild-type protein. In the MCD spectrum, a band appears above 390 nm that is more intense than the Soret A-term which is also shifted to lower energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico I Rosell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3 Canada
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Dadák V, Janiczek O, Vrána O. Cytochrome c forms complexes and is partly reduced at interaction with GPI-anchored alkaline phosphatase. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2002; 1570:9-18. [PMID: 11960683 DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4165(02)00145-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Cytochrome (cyt) c forms complexes, undergoes a conformational change and becomes partly reduced at interaction with membrane anchored alkaline phosphatase (AP), a glycoprotein which is released into the body fluid in forms differing in hydrophobicity. The proportion of products formed in the mixtures depends on pH, ionic strength, temperature and the buffer composition. The reaction terminates in an equilibrium between cyt c(FeII) and other cyt c conformers. Optimal conditions for the rate of the reaction are 100 mM glycine/NaOH, pH 9.7-9.9, at which 68-74% of cyt c is found in the reduced state. The interaction affects compactness of the haem cleft as shown by changes induced in CD spectra of the Soret region and changes in optical characteristics of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan residues. Differential scanning calorimetry of AP+cyt c mixtures revealed a creation of at least two types of complexes. A complex formed by non-coulombic binding prevails at substoichiometric AP/cyt c ratios, at higher ratios more electrostatic attraction is involved and at 1:1 molar ratio an apparent complexity of binding forces occurs. The rapid phase of the cyt c(FeII) formation depends on the presence of the hydrophobic alkylacylphosphoinositol (glycosylphosphatidylinositol) moiety, the protein part of the enzyme participates in an electrostatic and much slower phase of cyt c(FeII) creation. The results show that non-coulombic interaction may participate at interaction of cyt c with cellular proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimír Dadák
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 61137, Brno, Czech Republic
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Blouin C, Guillemette JG, Wallace CJ. Resolving the individual components of a pH-induced conformational change. Biophys J 2001; 81:2331-8. [PMID: 11566802 PMCID: PMC1301703 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-3495(01)75879-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This communication introduces a simple method to determine the pKs of microscopic ionizations from complex titration curves. We used this approach to study the alkaline transition (pH-dependent ligand exchange) of mitochondrial cytochrome c. The linearization of titration curves permitted resolution of two to three limiting microscopic ionizations. By combining these data with studies of the temperature dependence of ligand-exchange equilibria, we found evidence that the alkaline transition comprises two chemically distinct processes: the deprotonation of the alternative ligands and the break of the iron-methionine ligation bond. We also noted that, in the horse and untrimethylated S. cerevisiae iso-1 cytochromes c, the permissible deprotonation of the epsilon-amino group of Lys(72) allows formation of an alkaline isomer at lower pH, with lesser stability, which leads to hysteresis in the titration curves. The linearization of the titration curves for different cytochromes c thus brings insight on the microscopic contributions to conformational stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Blouin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia B3H 4H7, Canada
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