Appendix: The probability of interactions between molecules coupled to a Sepharose matrix

Intein-mediated biotinylation of proteins and its application in a protein microarray

We report here the first example using an intein-mediated expression system to generate biotinylated proteins suitable for immobilization onto avidin-functionalized glass slides. With this novel array, proteins are site-specifically immobilized on the glass surface and are able to retain their native activity. The advantage of the avidin/biotin linkage over his-tag/Ni-NTA strategies for protein immobilization is highlighted by its ability to withstand a variety of chemical conditions, which makes this new protein array compatible with most biological assays.

Covalent binding of an NAD analogue to liver alcohol dehydrogenase resulting in an enzyme-coenzyme complex not requiring exogenous coenzyme for activity

1. The NAD analogue, N6-[N-(6-aminohexyl)carbamoylmethyl]-NAD, was covalently bound to horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase in a carbodiimide-mediated reaction and in such a way that it was active with the very same enzyme molecule to which it was coupled. 2. The degree of substitution, i.e. the number of NAD analogues per enzyme subunit, could be varied (0.3-1.6). In one preparation 1.6 coenzyme molecules were bound per subunit; the alcohol dehydrogenase activity of this preparation was 40% of the activity obtained after addition of free NAD in excess. 3. It was calculated that every fourth active site of this preparation was provided with a covalently bound functioning coenzyme analogue, and that this analogue had a cycling rate of about 40 000 cycles/h in a coupled substrate assay. 4. The presence of the covalently bound coenzyme made the active sites difficult to inhibit with a competitive inhibitor. For example, 10 mM AMP inhibited the activity of the preparation by 50% whereas a reference system containing native alcohol dehydrogenase was inhibited by 80% in spite of the fact that the reference system contained about 20 000 times as high a concentration of coenzyme.

Preparation of an alcohol-dehydrogenase--NAD(H)--sepharose complex showing no requirement of soluble coenzyme for its activity

1. Horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase and an NADH analogue, N6-[(6-aminohexyl)carbamoylmethyl]-NADH, have been co-immobilized to Sepharose 4B under conditions permitting binary complex formation between the enzyme and the cofactor. 2. The enzyme-coenzyme-matrix preparations were assayed with a coupled oxidoreduction reaction and showed activities, prior to addition of coenzyme, that were up to 40% of that obtained in excess of free coenzyme. 3. A molar ratio of 1:1 between the amount of bound enzyme was sufficient to obtain high activities in the absence of free coenzyme. 4. The highest recycling rate obtained for the immobilized nucleotide was 3400 cycles per hour. 5. Both thermal and storage stability of alcohol dehydrogenase was increased when the enzyme was co-immobilized with the NADH analogue. 6. The efficiency of the immobilized preparations (measured as product formation per minute and per assay volume) was higher (1.4 to 5 times in our assays) than the corresponding systems of free enzyme (in total enzyme units) and nucleotide in an identical assay volume.