Crystal structure of wild-type human thrombin in the Na+-free state

Simulations suggest double sodium binding induces unexpected conformational changes in thrombin

Thrombin is a Na[Formula: see text]-activated serine protease existing in two forms targeted to procoagulant and anticoagulant activities, respectively. There is one Na[Formula: see text]-binding site that has been the focus of the study of the thrombin. However, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations suggest that there might be actually two Na[Formula: see text]-binding sites in thrombin and that Na[Formula: see text] ions can even bind to two sites simultaneously. In this study, we performed 12 independent 2-µs all-atom MD simulations for the wild-type (WT) thrombin and we studied the effects of the different Na[Formula: see text] binding modes on thrombin. From the root-mean-square fluctuations (RMSF) for the [Formula: see text]-carbons, we see that the atomic fluctuations mainly change in the 60s, 170s, and 220s loops, and the connection (residue 167 to 170). The correlation matrices for different binding modes suggest regions that may play an important role in thrombin's allosteric response and provide us a possible allosteric pathway for the sodium binding. Amorim-Hennig (AH) clustering tells us how the structure of the regions of interest changes on sodium binding. Principal component analysis (PCA) shows us how the different regions of thrombin change conformation together with sodium binding. Solvent-accessible surface area (SASA) exposes the conformational change in exosite I and catalytic triad. Finally, we argue that the double binding mode might be an inactive mode and that the kinetic scheme for the Na[Formula: see text] binding to thrombin might be a multiple-step mechanism rather than a 2-step mechanism.

Mass Spectrometry-Based Protein Footprinting for Higher-Order Structure Analysis: Fundamentals and Applications

Proteins adopt different higher-order structures (HOS) to enable their unique biological functions. Understanding the complexities of protein higher-order structures and dynamics requires integrated approaches, where mass spectrometry (MS) is now positioned to play a key role. One of those approaches is protein footprinting. Although the initial demonstration of footprinting was for the HOS determination of protein/nucleic acid binding, the concept was later adapted to MS-based protein HOS analysis, through which different covalent labeling approaches "mark" the solvent accessible surface area (SASA) of proteins to reflect protein HOS. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX), where deuterium in D2O replaces hydrogen of the backbone amides, is the most common example of footprinting. Its advantage is that the footprint reflects SASA and hydrogen bonding, whereas one drawback is the labeling is reversible. Another example of footprinting is slow irreversible labeling of functional groups on amino acid side chains by targeted reagents with high specificity, probing structural changes at selected sites. A third footprinting approach is by reactions with fast, irreversible labeling species that are highly reactive and footprint broadly several amino acid residue side chains on the time scale of submilliseconds. All of these covalent labeling approaches combine to constitute a problem-solving toolbox that enables mass spectrometry as a valuable tool for HOS elucidation. As there has been a growing need for MS-based protein footprinting in both academia and industry owing to its high throughput capability, prompt availability, and high spatial resolution, we present a summary of the history, descriptions, principles, mechanisms, and applications of these covalent labeling approaches. Moreover, their applications are highlighted according to the biological questions they can answer. This review is intended as a tutorial for MS-based protein HOS elucidation and as a reference for investigators seeking a MS-based tool to address structural questions in protein science.

Role of the I16-D194 ionic interaction in the trypsin fold

Activity in trypsin-like proteases is the result of proteolytic cleavage at R15 followed by an ionic interaction that ensues between the new N terminus of I16 and the side chain of the highly conserved D194. This mechanism of activation, first proposed by Huber and Bode, organizes the oxyanion hole and primary specificity pocket for substrate binding and catalysis. Using the clotting protease thrombin as a relevant model, we unravel contributions of the I16-D194 ionic interaction to Na⁺ binding, stability of the transition state and the allosteric E*-E equilibrium of the trypsin fold. The I16T mutation abolishes the I16-D194 interaction and compromises the architecture of the oxyanion hole. The D194A mutation also abrogates the I16-D194 interaction but, surprisingly, has no effect on the architecture of the oxyanion hole that remains intact through a new H-bond established between G43 and G193. In both mutants, loss of the I16-D194 ionic interaction compromises Na⁺ binding, reduces stability of the transition state, collapses the 215–217 segment into the primary specific pocket and abrogates the allosteric E*-E equilibrium in favor of a rigid conformation that binds ligand at the active site according to a simple lock-and-key mechanism. These findings refine the structural role of the I16-D194 ionic interaction in the Huber-Bode mechanism of activation and reveal a functional linkage with the allosteric properties of the trypsin fold like Na⁺ binding and the E*-E equilibrium.

Na+-binding modes involved in thrombin's allosteric response as revealed by molecular dynamics simulations, correlation networks and Markov modeling

The monovalent sodium ion (Na+) is a critical modulator of thrombin. However, the mechanism of thrombin's activation by Na+ has been widely debated for more than twenty years. Details of the linkage between thrombin and Na+ remain vague due to limited temporal and spatial resolution in experiments. In this work, we combine microsecond scale atomic-detailed molecular dynamics simulations with correlation network analyses and hidden Markov modeling to probe the detailed thermodynamic and kinetic picture of Na+-binding events and their resulting allosteric responses in thrombin. We reveal that ASP189 and ALA190 comprise a stable Na+-binding site (referred as "inner" Na+-binding site) along with the previously known one (referred as "outer" Na+-binding site). The corresponding newly identified Na+-binding mode introduces significant allosteric responses in thrombin's regulatory regions by stabilizing selected torsion angles of residues responsive to Na+-binding. Our Markov model indicates that the bound Na+ prefers to transfer between the two Na+-binding sites when an unbinding event takes place. These results suggest a testable hypothesis of a substrate-driven Na+ migration (ΔG ∼ 1.7 kcal mol-1) from the "inner" Na+-binding site to the "outer" one during thrombin's catalytic activities. The binding of a Na+ ion at the "inner" Na+-binding site should be inferred as a prerequisite for thrombin's efficient recognition to the substrate, which opens a new angle for our understanding of Na+-binding's allosteric activation on thrombin and sheds light on detailed processes in thrombin's activation.

Interplay between conformational selection and zymogen activation

Trypsin-like proteases are synthesized as zymogens and activated through a mechanism that folds the active site for efficient binding and catalysis. Ligand binding to the active site is therefore a valuable source of information on the changes that accompany zymogen activation. Using the physiologically relevant transition of the clotting zymogen prothrombin to the mature protease thrombin, we show that the mechanism of ligand recognition follows selection within a pre-existing ensemble of conformations with the active site accessible (E) or inaccessible (E*) to binding. Prothrombin exists mainly in the E* conformational ensemble and conversion to thrombin produces two dominant changes: a progressive shift toward the E conformational ensemble triggered by removal of the auxiliary domains upon cleavage at R271 and a drastic drop of the rate of ligand dissociation from the active site triggered by cleavage at R320. Together, these effects produce a significant (700-fold) increase in binding affinity. Limited proteolysis reveals how the E*-E equilibrium shifts during prothrombin activation and influences exposure of the sites of cleavage at R271 and R320. These new findings on the molecular underpinnings of prothrombin activation are relevant to other zymogens with modular assembly involved in blood coagulation, complement and fibrinolysis.

Visualizing correlated motion with HDBSCAN clustering

Correlated motion analysis provides a method for understanding communication between and dynamic similarities of biopolymer residues and domains. The typical equal-time correlation matrices-frequently visualized with pseudo-colorings or heat maps-quickly convey large regions of highly correlated motion but hide more subtle similarities of motion. Here we propose a complementary method for visualizing correlations within proteins (or general biopolymers) that quickly conveys intuition about which residues have a similar dynamic behavior. For grouping residues, we use the recently developed non-parametric clustering algorithm HDBSCAN. Although the method we propose here can be used to group residues using correlation as a similarity matrix-the most straightforward and intuitive method-it can also be used to more generally determine groups of residues which have similar dynamic properties. We term these latter groups "Dynamic Domains", as they are based not on spatial closeness but rather closeness in the column space of a correlation matrix. We provide examples of this method across three human proteins of varying size and function-the Nf-Kappa-Beta essential modulator, the clotting promoter Thrombin and the mismatch repair protein (dimer) complex MutS-alpha. Although the examples presented here are from all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, this visualization technique can also be used on correlations matrices built from any ensembles of conformations from experiment or computation.

NMR reveals a dynamic allosteric pathway in thrombin

Although serine proteases are found ubiquitously in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, and they comprise the largest of all of the peptidase families, their dynamic motions remain obscure. The backbone dynamics of the coagulation serine protease, apo-thrombin (S195M-thrombin), were compared to the substrate-bound form (PPACK-thrombin). R₁, R₂, ¹⁵N-{¹H}NOEs, and relaxation dispersion NMR experiments were measured to capture motions across the ps to ms timescale. The ps-ns motions were not significantly altered upon substrate binding. The relaxation dispersion data revealed that apo-thrombin is highly dynamic, with μs-ms motions throughout the molecule. The region around the N-terminus of the heavy chain, the Na⁺-binding loop, and the 170 s loop, all of which are implicated in allosteric coupling between effector binding sites and the active site, were dynamic primarily in the apo-form. Most of the loops surrounding the active site become more ordered upon PPACK-binding, but residues in the N-terminal part of the heavy chain, the γ-loop, and anion-binding exosite 1, the main allosteric binding site, retain μs-ms motions. These residues form a dynamic allosteric pathway connecting the active site to the main allosteric site that remains in the substrate-bound form.

Uncovering Large-Scale Conformational Change in Molecular Dynamics without Prior Knowledge

As the length of molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories grows with increasing computational power, so does the importance of clustering methods for partitioning trajectories into conformational bins. Of the methods available, the vast majority require users to either have some a priori knowledge about the system to be clustered or to tune clustering parameters through trial and error. Here we present non-parametric uses of two modern clustering techniques suitable for first-pass investigation of an MD trajectory. Being non-parametric, these methods require neither prior knowledge nor parameter tuning. The first method, HDBSCAN, is fast-relative to other popular clustering methods-and is able to group unstructured or intrinsically disordered systems (such as intrinsically disordered proteins, or IDPs) into bins that represent global conformational shifts. HDBSCAN is also useful for determining the overall stability of a system-as it tends to group stable systems into one or two bins-and identifying transition events between metastable states. The second method, iMWK-Means, with explicit rescaling followed by K-Means, while slower than HDBSCAN, performs well with stable, structured systems such as folded proteins and is able to identify higher resolution details such as changes in relative position of secondary structural elements. Used in conjunction, these clustering methods allow a user to discern quickly and without prior knowledge the stability of a simulated system and identify both local and global conformational changes.

Na+ Binding Is Ineffective in Forming a Primary Substrate Pocket of Thrombin

Thrombin is a serine protease involved in the blood coagulation reaction, and it shows maximum enzymatic activity in the presence of Na⁺. It has been supposed that Na⁺ binding promotes conversion from the inactive form, with a collapsed primary substrate pocket (S1 pocket), to the active form, with a properly formed S1 pocket. However, the evidence supporting this activation mechanism was derived from the X-ray crystallographic structures solved under nonphysiological conditions and using thrombin mutants; thus, it still remains elusive whether the activation mechanism is actually attributed to Na⁺ binding. To address the problem, we employed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations for both active and inactive forms of thrombin in the presence and absence of Na⁺ binding and examined the effect of Na⁺ binding on S1-pocket formation. In contrast to the conventional supposition, we revealed that Na⁺ binding does not prevent S1-pocket collapse virtually, but rather, the bound Na⁺ can move to the S1 pocket, thus blocking substrate access directly. Additionally, it was clarified that Na⁺ binding does not promote S1-pocket formation. According to these insights, we concluded that Na⁺ binding is irrelevant to the interconversion between the inactive and active forms of thrombin.

Direct and indirect mechanisms of KLK4 inhibition revealed by structure and dynamics

The kallikrein-related peptidase (KLK) family of proteases is involved in many aspects of human health and disease. One member of this family, KLK4, has been implicated in cancer development and metastasis. Understanding mechanisms of inactivation are critical to developing selective KLK4 inhibitors. We have determined the X-ray crystal structures of KLK4 in complex with both sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1) and a rationally designed SFTI-1 derivative to atomic (~1 Å) resolution, as well as with bound nickel. These structures offer a structural rationalization for the potency and selectivity of these inhibitors, and together with MD simulation and computational analysis, reveal a dynamic pathway between the metal binding exosite and the active site, providing key details of a previously proposed allosteric mode of inhibition. Collectively, this work provides insight into both direct and indirect mechanisms of inhibition for KLK4 that have broad implications for the enzymology of the serine protease superfamily, and may potentially be exploited for the design of therapeutic inhibitors.

Protein unfolding is essential for cleavage within the α-helix of a model protein substrate by the serine protease, thrombin

Proteolysis has a critical role in transmitting information within a biological system and therefore an important element of biology is to determine the subset of proteins amenable to proteolysis. Until recently, it has been thought that proteases cleave native protein substrates only within solvent exposed loops, but recent evidence indicates that cleavage sites located within α-helices can also be cleaved by proteases, despite the conformation of this secondary structure being generally incompatible with binding into an active site of a protease. In this study, we address the mechanism by which a serine endopeptidase, thrombin, recognizes and cleaves a target sequence located within an α-helix. Thrombin was able to cleave a model substrate, protein G, within its α-helix when a suitable cleavage sequence for the enzyme was introduced into this region. However, structural data for the complex revealed that thrombin was not perturbing the structure of the α-helix, thus it was not destabilizing the helix in order to allow it to fit within its active site. This indicated that thrombin was only cleaving within the α-helix when it was in an unfolded state. In support of this, the introduction of destabilizing mutations within the protein increased the efficiency of cleavage by the enzyme. Our data suggest that a folded α-helix cannot be proteolytically cleaved by thrombin, but the species targeted are the unfolded conformations of the native state ensemble.

Toward understanding allosteric activation of thrombin: a conjecture for important roles of unbound Na(+) molecules around thrombin

We shed light on important roles of unbound Na(+) molecules in enzymatic activation of thrombin. Molecular mechanism of Na(+)-activation of thrombin has been discussed in the context of allostery. However, the recent challenge to redesign K(+)-activated thrombin revealed that the allosteric interaction is insufficient to explain the mechanism. Under these circumstances, we have examined the roles of unbound Na(+) molecule in maximization of thrombin-substrate association reaction rate. We performed all-atomic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of thrombin in the presence of three different cations; Li(+), Na(+), and Cs(+). Although these cations are commonly observed in the vicinity of the S1-pocket of thrombin, smaller cations are distributed more densely and extensively than larger ones. This suggests the two observation rules: (i) thrombin surrounded by Na(+) is at an advantage in the initial step of association reaction, namely, the formation of an encounter complex ensemble, and (ii) the presence of Na(+) molecules does not necessarily have an advantage in the final step of association reaction, namely, the formation of the stereospecific complex. In conclusion, we propose a conjecture that unbound Na(+) molecules also affect the maximization of rate constant of thrombin-substrate association reaction through optimally forming an encounter complex ensemble.

Ensemble refinement shows conformational flexibility in crystal structures of human complement factor D

Human factor D (FD) is a self-inhibited thrombin-like serine proteinase that is critical for amplification of the complement immune response. FD is activated by its substrate through interactions outside the active site. The substrate-binding, or `exosite', region displays a well defined and rigid conformation in FD. In contrast, remarkable flexibility is observed in thrombin and related proteinases, in which Na(+) and ligand binding is implied in allosteric regulation of enzymatic activity through protein dynamics. Here, ensemble refinement (ER) of FD and thrombin crystal structures is used to evaluate structure and dynamics simultaneously. A comparison with previously published NMR data for thrombin supports the ER analysis. The R202A FD variant has enhanced activity towards artificial peptides and simultaneously displays active and inactive conformations of the active site. ER revealed pronounced disorder in the exosite loops for this FD variant, reminiscent of thrombin in the absence of the stabilizing Na(+) ion. These data indicate that FD exhibits conformational dynamics like thrombin, but unlike in thrombin a mechanism has evolved in FD that locks the unbound native state into an ordered inactive conformation via the self-inhibitory loop. Thus, ensemble refinement of X-ray crystal structures may represent an approach alternative to spectroscopy to explore protein dynamics in atomic detail.

GpIbα interacts exclusively with exosite II of thrombin

Activation of platelets by the serine protease thrombin is a critical event in haemostasis. This process involves the binding of thrombin to glycoprotein Ibα (GpIbα) and cleavage of protease-activated receptors (PARs). The N-terminal extracellular domain of GpIbα contains an acidic peptide stretch that has been identified as the main thrombin binding site, and both anion binding exosites of thrombin have been implicated in GpIbα binding, but it remains unclear how they are involved. This issue is of critical importance for the mechanism of platelet activation by thrombin. If both exosites bind to GpIbα, thrombin could potentially act as a platelet adhesion molecule or receptor dimerisation trigger. Alternatively, if only a single site is involved, GpIbα may serve as a cofactor for PAR-1 activation by thrombin. To determine the involvement of thrombin's two exosites in GpIbα binding, we employed the complementary methods of mutational analysis, binding studies, X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy. Our results indicate that the peptide corresponding to the C-terminal portion of GpIbα and the entire extracellular domain bind exclusively to thrombin's exosite II. The interaction of thrombin with GpIbα thus serves to recruit thrombin activity to the platelet surface while leaving exosite I free for PAR-1 recognition.

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We analysed interactions of the platelet receptor GpIbα with thrombin using three complementary methods.

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GpIbα exclusively binds to exosite II of thrombin.

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Exosite I remains available for binding to other ligands.

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GpIbα recruits thrombin to the platelet membrane as a cofactor for PAR-1 cleavage.

Thrombin inhibits osteoclast differentiation through a non-proteolytic mechanism

Thrombin stimulates expression of interleukin 6 and cyclooxygenase 2 by osteoblasts, both of which enhance osteoblast-mediated osteoclast differentiation by increasing the ratio of receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) expression to that of osteoprotegerin (OPG) in osteoblasts. We hypothesised that thrombin would also increase this ratio and thereby stimulate osteoclast differentiation in mixed cultures of osteoblastic cells and osteoclast precursors. In primary mouse osteoblasts, but not in bone marrow stromal cells, thrombin increased the ratio of RANKL to OPG expression. Thrombin inhibited differentiation of osteoclasts, defined as tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive cells with three or more nuclei, in mouse bone marrow cultures treated with osteoclastogenic hormones; this effect was not mediated by the major thrombin receptor, protease-activated receptor 1, nor did it require thrombin's proteolytic activity. Thrombin also caused a decrease in the number of TRAP-positive cells with fewer than three nuclei. Thrombin (active or inactive) also inhibited osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption, respectively, in cultures of mouse spleen cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells induced to undergo osteoclastogenesis by treatment with RANKL and macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Osteoclast differentiation in spleen cells was inhibited when they were exposed to thrombin from days 0 to 3 or 3 to 5 of culture but not days 5 to 7 when most fusion occurred. Thrombin inhibited expression of RANK by spleen cells. These observations indicate that, although thrombin stimulates production of osteoclastogenic factors by osteoblastic cells, it inhibits the early stages of RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation through a direct effect on osteoclast precursors that does not require thrombin's proteolytic activity.

Proton bridging in the interactions of thrombin with hirudin and its mimics

Thrombin is the pivotal serine protease enzyme in the blood cascade system and thus a target of drug design for control of its activity. The most efficient nonphysiologic inhibitor of thrombin is hirudin, a naturally occurring small protein. Hirudin and its synthetic mimics employ a range of hydrogen bonding, salt bridging, and hydrophobic interactions with thrombin to achieve tight binding with K(i) values in the nano- to femtomolar range. The one-dimensional (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum recorded at 600 MHz reveals a resonance 15.33 ppm downfield from silanes in complexes between human α-thrombin and r-hirudin in pH 5.6-8.8 buffers and between 5 and 35 °C. There is also a resonance between 15.17 and 15.54 ppm seen in complexes of human α-thrombin with hirunorm IV, hirunorm V, an Nα(Me)Arg peptide, RGD-hirudin, and Nα-2-naphthylsulfonyl-glycyl-DL-4-amidinophenylalanyl-piperidide acetate salt (NAPAP), while there is no such low-field resonance observed in a complex of porcine trypsin and NAPAP. The chemical shifts suggest that these resonances represent H-bonded environments. H-Donor-acceptor distances in the corresponding H-bonds are estimated to be <2.7 Å. Addition of Phe-Pro-Arg-chloromethylketone (PPACK) to a complex of human α-thrombin with r-hirudin results in an additional signal at 18.03 ppm, which is 0.10 ppm upfield from the observed signal [Kovach, I. M., et al. (2009) Biochemistry 48, 7296-7304] for thrombin covalently modified with PPACK. In contrast, the peak at 15.33 ppm remains unchanged. The fractionation factors for the thrombin-hirudin complexes are near 1.0 within 20% error. The most likely site of the short H-bond in complexes of thrombin with the hirudin family of inhibitors is in the hydrophobic patch of the C-terminus of hirudin where Glu(57') and Glu(58') are embedded and interact with Arg(75) and Arg(77) and their solvate water (on thrombin). Glu(57') and Glu(58') present in the hirudin family of inhibitors make up a key binding epitope of fibrinogen, thrombin's prime substrate, which lends substantial interest to the short hydrogen bond as a binding element at the fibrinogen recognition site.

Acidosis, magnesium and acetylsalicylic acid: effects on thrombin

Thrombin, an enzyme from the hydrolase family, is the main component of the blood coagulation system. In ischemic stroke it acts as a serine protease that converts soluble fibrinogen into insoluble strands of fibrin forming blood clots in the brain. It has been found to phosphoresce at room temperature in the millisecond and microsecond ranges. The phosphorescence of thrombin was studied under physiological conditions, in acidosis (decrease of pH from 8.0 to 5.0) and on the addition of salts (magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride) and of acetylsalicylic acid, and its connection with thrombin function is discussed. Acidosis significantly increased the internal dynamics of thrombin. We propose that lactate-acidosis plays a protective role in stroke, preventing the formation of clots. The addition of NaCl and MgSO(4) in different concentrations increased the internal dynamics of thrombin. Also, the addition of MgSO(4) decreased thrombin-induced platelet aggregation. However, magnesium sulfate and acetylsalicylic acid in the therapeutic concentrations used for treatment of ischemic stroke had no effect on thrombin internal dynamics. The data obtained will help to elucidate the conformational stability of thrombin under conditions modulating lactate-acidosis and in the presence of magnesium sulfate.

The dynamic structure of thrombin in solution

The backbone dynamics of human α-thrombin inhibited at the active site serine were analyzed using R(1), R(2), and heteronuclear NOE experiments, variable temperature TROSY 2D [(1)H-(15)N] correlation spectra, and R(ex) measurements. The N-terminus of the heavy chain, which is formed upon zymogen activation and inserts into the protein core, is highly ordered, as is much of the double beta-barrel core. Some of the surface loops, by contrast, remain very dynamic with order parameters as low as 0.5 indicating significant motions on the ps-ns timescale. Regions of the protein that were thought to be dynamic in the zymogen and to become rigid upon activation, in particular the γ-loop, the 180s loop, and the Na(+) binding site have order parameters below 0.8. Significant R(ex) was observed in most of the γ-loop, in regions proximal to the light chain, and in the β-sheet core. Accelerated molecular dynamics simulations yielded a molecular ensemble consistent with measured residual dipolar couplings that revealed dynamic motions up to milliseconds. Several regions, including the light chain and two proximal loops, did not appear highly dynamic on the ps-ns timescale, but had significant motions on slower timescales.

Structural and functional analysis of HtrA1 and its subdomains

The homotrimeric human serine protease HtrA1 is homologous to bacterial HtrA proteases regarding the trypsin-like catalytic and PDZ domains but differs by the presence of an N-terminal domain with IGFBP and Kazal homology. The crystal structures and SAXS analysis presented herein reveal the rare tandem of IGFBP- and Kazal-like modules, a protease active site that adopts a competent conformation in the absence of substrate or inhibitor and a model for the intact protein in solution. Highly sensitive enzymatic assays and binding studies demonstrate that the N-terminal tandem has no apparent effect on protease activity, and in accordance with the structure-based predictions, neither the IGFBP- nor Kazal-like module retains the function of their prototype proteins. Our structures of the unliganded HtrA1 active site suggest two-state equilibrium and a "conformational selection" model, in which substrate binds to the active conformer.

Fast photochemical oxidation of proteins for epitope mapping

The growing use of monoclonal antibodies as therapeutics underscores the importance of epitope mapping as an essential step in characterizing antibody-antigen complexes. The use of protein footprinting coupled with mass spectrometry, which is emerging as a tool in structural biology, offers opportunities to map antibody-binding regions of antigens. We report here the use of footprinting via fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) with OH radicals to characterize the epitope of the serine protease thrombin. The data correlate well with previously published results that determined the epitope of thrombin. This study marks the first time oxidative labeling has been used for epitope mapping.

A guided mode resonance aptasensor for thrombin detection

Recent developments in aptamers have led to their widespread use in analytical and diagnostic applications, particularly for biosensing. Previous studies have combined aptamers as ligands with various sensors for numerous applications. However, merging the aptamer developments with guided mode resonance (GMR) devices has not been attempted. This study reports an aptasensor based home built GMR device. The 29-mer thrombin aptamer was immobilized on the surface of a GMR device as a recognizing ligand for thrombin detection. The sensitivity reported in this first trial study is 0.04 nm/μM for thrombin detection in the concentration range from 0.25 to 1 μM and the limit of detection (LOD) is 0.19 μM. Furthermore, the binding affinity constant (K_a) measured is in the range of 10⁶ M⁻¹. The investigation has demonstrated that such a GMR aptasensor has the required sensitivity for the real time, label-free, in situ detection of thrombin and provides kinetic information related to the binding.

Structure and behavior of human α-thrombin upon ligand recognition: thermodynamic and molecular dynamics studies

Thrombin is a serine proteinase that plays a fundamental role in coagulation. In this study, we address the effects of ligand site recognition by alpha-thrombin on conformation and energetics in solution. Active site occupation induces large changes in secondary structure content in thrombin as shown by circular dichroism. Thrombin-D-Phe-Pro-Arg-chloromethyl ketone (PPACK) exhibits enhanced equilibrium and kinetic stability compared to free thrombin, whose difference is rooted in the unfolding step. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements in solution reveal an overall similarity in the molecular envelope of thrombin and thrombin-PPACK, which differs from the crystal structure of thrombin. Molecular dynamics simulations performed with thrombin lead to different conformations than the one observed in the crystal structure. These data shed light on the diversity of thrombin conformers not previously observed in crystal structures with distinguished catalytic and conformational behaviors, which might have direct implications on novel strategies to design direct thrombin inhibitors.

Thrombin inhibition by serpins disrupts exosite II

Thrombin uses three principal sites, the active site, exosite I, and exosite II, for recognition of its many cofactors and substrates. It is synthesized in the zymogen form, prothrombin, and its activation at the end of the blood coagulation cascade results in the formation of the active site and exosite I and the exposure of exosite II. The physiological inhibitors of thrombin are all serpins, whose mechanism involves significant conformational change in both serpin and protease. It has been shown that the formation of the thrombin-serpin final complex disorders the active site and exosite I of thrombin, but exosite II is thought to remain functional. It has also been hypothesized that thrombin contains a receptor-binding site that is exposed upon final complex formation. The position of this cryptic site may depend on the regions of thrombin unfolded by serpin complexation. Here we investigate the conformation of thrombin in its final complex with serpins and find that in addition to exosite I, exosite II is also disordered, as reflected by a loss of affinity for the γ'-peptide of fibrinogen and for heparin and by susceptibility to limited proteolysis. This disordering of exosite II occurs for all tested natural thrombin-inhibiting serpins. Our data suggest a novel framework for understanding serpin function, especially with respect to thrombin inhibition, where serpins functionally "rezymogenize" proteases to ensure complete loss of activity and cofactor binding.

Evidence of the E*-E equilibrium from rapid kinetics of Na+ binding to activated protein C and factor Xa

Na(+) binding to thrombin enhances the procoagulant and prothrombotic functions of the enzyme and obeys a mechanism that produces two kinetic phases: one fast (in the microsecond time scale) due to Na(+) binding to the low activity form E to produce the high activity form E:Na(+) and another considerably slower (in the millisecond time scale) that reflects a pre-equilibrium between E and the inactive form E*. In this study, we demonstrate that this mechanism also exists in other Na(+)-activated clotting proteases like factor Xa and activated protein C. These findings, along with recent structural data, suggest that the E*-E equilibrium is a general feature of the trypsin fold.

NMR resonance assignments of thrombin reveal the conformational and dynamic effects of ligation

The serine protease thrombin is generated from its zymogen prothrombin at the end of the coagulation cascade. Thrombin functions as the effector enzyme of blood clotting by cleaving several procoagulant targets, but also plays a key role in attenuating the hemostatic response by activating protein C. These activities all depend on the engagement of exosites on thrombin, either through direct interaction with a substrate, as with fibrinogen, or by binding to cofactors such as thrombomodulin. How thrombin specificity is controlled is of central importance to understanding normal hemostasis and how dysregulation causes bleeding or thrombosis. The binding of ligands to thrombin via exosite I and the coordination of Na(+) have been associated with changes in thrombin conformation and activity. This phenomenon has become known as thrombin allostery, although direct evidence of conformational change, identification of the regions involved, and the functional consequences remain unclear. Here we investigate the conformational and dynamic effects of thrombin ligation at the active site, exosite I and the Na(+)-binding site in solution, using modern multidimensional NMR techniques. We obtained full resonance assignments for thrombin in seven differently liganded states, including fully unliganded apo thrombin, and have created a detailed map of residues that change environment, conformation, or dynamic state in response to each relevant single or multiple ligation event. These studies reveal that apo thrombin exists in a highly dynamic zymogen-like state, and relies on ligation to achieve a fully active conformation. Conformational plasticity confers upon thrombin the ability to be at once selective and promiscuous.

Ligand binding shuttles thrombin along a continuum of zymogen- and proteinase-like states

The critical and multiple roles of thrombin in blood coagulation are regulated by ligands and cofactors. Zymogen activation imparts proteolytic activity to thrombin and also affects the binding of ligands to its two principal exosites. We have used the activation peptide fragment 1.2 (F12), a ligand for anion-binding exosite 2, to probe the zymogenicity of thrombin by isothermal titration calorimetry. We show that F12 binding is sensitive to subtle aspects of proteinase formation beyond simply reporting on zymogen cleavage. Large thermodynamic differences in F12 binding distinguish between a series of thrombin species poised along the transition of zymogen to proteinase. Active-site ligands transitioned a zymogen-like state to a proteinase-like state. Conversely, removal of Na(+) converted proteinase-like thrombin to a more zymogen-like form. Thrombin mutants, with deformed x-ray structures, previously considered to be emblematic of specific regulated states of the enzyme, are instead shown to be variously zymogen-like and can be made proteinase-like by active-site ligation. Thermodynamic linkage between anion-binding exosite 2, the Na(+)-binding site, and the active site arises from interconversions of thrombin between a continuum of zymogen- and proteinase-like states. These interconversions, reciprocally regulated by different ligands, cast new light on the problem of thrombin allostery and provide a thermodynamic framework to explain the regulation of thrombin by different ligands.

Mutant N143P reveals how Na+ activates thrombin

The molecular mechanism of thrombin activation by Na(+) remains elusive. Its kinetic formulation requires extension of the classical Botts-Morales theory for the action of a modifier on an enzyme to correctly account for the contribution of the E*, E, and E:Na(+) forms. The extended scheme establishes that analysis of k(cat) unequivocally identifies allosteric transduction of Na(+) binding into enhanced catalytic activity. The thrombin mutant N143P features no Na(+)-dependent enhancement of k(cat) yet binds Na(+) with an affinity comparable to that of wild type. Crystal structures of the mutant in the presence and absence of Na(+) confirm that Pro(143) abrogates the important H-bond between the backbone N atom of residue 143 and the carbonyl O atom of Glu(192), which in turn controls the orientation of the Glu(192)-Gly(193) peptide bond and the correct architecture of the oxyanion hole. We conclude that Na(+) activates thrombin by securing the correct orientation of the Glu(192)-Gly(193) peptide bond, which is likely flipped in the absence of cation. Absolute conservation of the 143-192 H-bond in trypsin-like proteases and the importance of the oxyanion hole in protease function suggest that this mechanism of Na(+) activation is present in all Na(+)-activated trypsin-like proteases.

Molecular basis of thrombomodulin activation of slow thrombin

BACKGROUND

Coagulation is a highly regulated process where the ability to prevent blood loss after injury is balanced against the maintenance of blood fluidity. Thrombin is at the center of this balancing act. It is the critical enzyme for producing and stabilizing a clot, but when complexed with thrombomodulin (TM) it is converted to a powerful anticoagulant. Another cofactor that may play a role in determining thrombin function is the monovalent cation Na(+). Its apparent affinity suggests that half of the thrombin generated is in a Na(+)-free 'slow' state and half is in a Na(+)-coordinated 'fast' state. While slow thrombin is a poor procoagulant enzyme, when complexed to TM it is an effective anticoagulant.

METHODS

To better understand this molecular transformation we solved a 2.4 A structure of thrombin complexed with EGF domains 4-6 of TM in the absence of Na(+) and other cofactors or inhibitors.

RESULTS

We find that TM binds as previously observed, and that the thrombin component resembles structures of the fast form. The Na(+) binding loop is observed in a conformation identical to the Na(+)-bound form, with conserved water molecules compensating for the missing ion. Using the fluorescent probe p-aminobenzamidine we show that activation of slow thrombin by TM principally involves the opening of the primary specificity pocket.

CONCLUSIONS

These data show that TM binding alters the conformation of thrombin in a similar manner as Na(+) coordination, resulting in an ordering of the Na(+) binding loop and an opening of the adjacent S1 pocket. We conclude that other, more subtle subsite changes are unlikely to influence thrombin specificity toward macromolecular substrates.

Slow thrombin is zymogen-like

Blood coagulation is the result of a cascade of zymogen activation events; however, its initiation is allosteric. Factor VIIa circulates in a zymogen-like state and is allosterically activated by binding to tissue factor. Thrombin, the final protease generated in the blood coagulation cascade, has also been shown to exist in a low activity state in the absence of cofactors, and the structural features of this 'slow' form have been studied for many years. In this manuscript, I will review the general features that render zymogens inactive and how proteolytic cleavage results in activation, but I will also show how this distinction is blurred by zymogens that have activity (protease-like zymogens) and proteases with low activity (zymogen-like proteases). This will then be applied in the analysis of slow thrombin to reveal how allosteric activation of thrombin simply reflects the conversion from a zymogen-like enzyme to an active serine protease.

Structure of granzyme C reveals an unusual mechanism of protease autoinhibition

Proteases act in important homeostatic pathways and are tightly regulated. Here, we report an unusual structural mechanism of regulation observed by the 2.5-A X-ray crystal structure of the serine protease, granzyme C. Although the active-site triad residues adopt canonical conformations, the oxyanion hole is improperly formed, and access to the primary specificity (S1) pocket is blocked through a reversible rearrangement involving Phe-191. Specifically, a register shift in the 190-strand preceding the active-site serine leads to Phe-191 filling the S1 pocket. Mutation of a unique Glu-Glu motif at positions 192-193 unlocks the enzyme, which displays chymase activity, and proteomic analysis confirms that activity of the wild-type protease can be released through interactions with an appropriate substrate. The 2.5-A structure of the unlocked enzyme reveals unprecedented flexibility in the 190-strand preceding the active-site serine that results in Phe-191 vacating the S1 pocket. Overall, these observations describe a broadly applicable mechanism of protease regulation that cannot be predicted by template-based modeling or bioinformatic approaches alone.

How Na+ activates thrombin--a review of the functional and structural data

Thrombin is the ultimate coagulation factor; it is the final protease generated in the blood coagulation cascade and is the effector of clot formation. Regulation of thrombin activity is thus of great relevance to determining the correct haemostatic balance, with dysregulation leading to bleeding or thrombosis. One of the most enigmatic and controversial regulators of thrombin activity is the monovalent cation Na+. When bound to Na+, thrombin adopts a 'fast' conformation which cleaves all procoagulant substrates more rapidly, and when free of Na+, thrombin reverts to a 'slow' state which preferentially activates the protein C anticoagulant pathway. Thus, Na+-binding allosterically modulates the activity of thrombin and helps determine the haemostatic balance. Over the last 30 years, there has been much research investigating the structural basis of thrombin allostery. Biochemical and mutagenesis studies established which regions and residues are involved in the slow-->fast conformational change, and recently several crystal structures of the putative slow form have been solved. In this article, the biochemical and crystallographic data are reviewed to see if we are any closer to understanding the conformational basis of the Na+ activation of thrombin.

Structure of human prostasin, a target for the regulation of hypertension

Prostasin (also called channel activating protease-1 (CAP1)) is an extracellular serine protease implicated in the modulation of fluid and electrolyte regulation via proteolysis of the epithelial sodium channel. Several disease states, particularly hypertension, can be affected by modulation of epithelial sodium channel activity. Thus, understanding the biochemical function of prostasin and developing specific agents to inhibit its activity could have a significant impact on a widespread disease. We report the expression of the prostasin proenzyme in Escherichia coli as insoluble inclusion bodies, refolding and activating via proteolytic removal of the N-terminal propeptide. The refolded and activated enzyme was shown to be pure and monomeric, with kinetic characteristics very similar to prostasin expressed from eukaryotic systems. Active prostasin was crystallized, and the structure was determined to 1.45 A resolution. These apoprotein crystals were soaked with nafamostat, allowing the structure of the inhibited acyl-enzyme intermediate structure to be determined to 2.0 A resolution. Comparison of the inhibited and apoprotein forms of prostasin suggest a mechanism of regulation through stabilization of a loop which interferes with substrate recognition.

Thrombin

Thrombin is a Na+-activated, allosteric serine protease that plays opposing functional roles in blood coagulation. Binding of Na+ is the major driving force behind the procoagulant, prothrombotic and signaling functions of the enzyme, but is dispensable for cleavage of the anticoagulant protein C. The anticoagulant function of thrombin is under the allosteric control of the cofactor thrombomodulin. Much has been learned on the mechanism of Na+ binding and recognition of natural substrates by thrombin. Recent structural advances have shed light on the remarkable molecular plasticity of this enzyme and the molecular underpinnings of thrombin allostery mediated by binding to exosite I and the Na+ site. This review summarizes our current understanding of the molecular basis of thrombin function and allosteric regulation. The basic information emerging from recent structural, mutagenesis and kinetic investigation of this important enzyme is that thrombin exists in three forms, E*, E and E:Na+, that interconvert under the influence of ligand binding to distinct domains. The transition between the Na+ -free slow from E and the Na+ -bound fast form E:Na+ involves the structure of the enzyme as a whole, and so does the interconversion between the two Na+ -free forms E* and E. E* is most likely an inactive form of thrombin, unable to interact with Na + and substrate. The complexity of thrombin function and regulation has gained this enzyme pre-eminence as the prototypic allosteric serine protease. Thrombin is now looked upon as a model system for the quantitative analysis of biologically important enzymes.

Exosites in the substrate specificity of blood coagulation reactions

The specificity of blood coagulation proteinases for substrate, inhibitor, and effector recognition is mediated by exosites on the surfaces of the catalytic domains, physically separated from the catalytic site. Some thrombin ligands bind specifically to either exosite I or II, while others engage both exosites. The involvement of different, overlapping constellations of exosite residues enables binding of structurally diverse ligands. The flexibility of the thrombin structure is central to the mechanism of complex formation and the specificity of exosite interactions. Encounter complex formation is driven by electrostatic ligand-exosite interactions, followed by conformational rearrangement to a stable complex. Exosites on some zymogens are in low affinity proexosite states and are expressed concomitant with catalytic site activation. The requirement for exosite expression controls the specificity of assembly of catalytic complexes on the coagulation pathway, such as the membrane-bound factor Xa*factor Va (prothrombinase) complex, and prevents premature assembly. Substrate recognition by prothrombinase involves a two-step mechanism with initial docking of prothrombin to exosites, followed by a conformational change to engage the FXa catalytic site. Prothrombin and its activation intermediates bind prothrombinase in two alternative conformations determined by the zymogen to proteinase transition that are hypothesized to involve prothrombin (pro)exosite I interactions with FVa, which underpin the sequential activation pathway. The role of exosites as the major source of substrate specificity has stimulated development of exosite-targeted anticoagulants for treatment of thrombosis.

A combined structural dynamics approach identifies a putative switch in factor VIIa employed by tissue factor to initiate blood coagulation

Coagulation factor VIIa (FVIIa) requires tissue factor (TF) to attain full catalytic competency and to initiate blood coagulation. In this study, the mechanism by which TF allosterically activates FVIIa is investigated by a structural dynamics approach that combines molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HX) mass spectrometry on free and TF-bound FVIIa. The differences in conformational dynamics from MD simulations are shown to be confined to regions of FVIIa observed to undergo structural stabilization as judged by HX experiments, especially implicating activation loop 3 (residues 365-374{216-225}) of the so-called activation domain and the 170-loop (residues 313-322{170A-175}) succeeding the TF-binding helix. The latter finding is corroborated by experiments demonstrating rapid deglycosylation of Asn322 in free FVIIa by PNGase F but almost complete protection in the presence of TF or an active-site inhibitor. Based on MD simulations, a key switch of the TF-induced structural changes is identified as the interacting pair Leu305{163} and Phe374{225} in FVIIa, whose mutual conformations are guided by the presence of TF and observed to be closely linked to the structural stability of activation loop 3. Altogether, our findings strongly support an allosteric activation mechanism initiated by the stabilization of the Leu305{163}/Phe374{225} pair, which, in turn, stabilizes activation loop 3 and the S(1) and S(3) substrate pockets, the activation pocket, and N-terminal insertion.

Employing mutants to study thrombin residues responsible for factor XIII activation peptide recognition: a kinetic study

In the last stages of coagulation, thrombin helps to activate Factor XIII. The resultant transglutaminase introduces covalent cross-links into fibrin thus promoting clot stability. To better understand the roles of individual thrombin residues in recognition and hydrolysis of the Factor XIII activation peptide, mutations within thrombin's aryl and apolar binding site were explored. The thrombin mutants W215A, E217A, W215A/E217A, L99A, and I174A were examined through HPLC kinetics against the substrates FXIII (28-41) V34 AP and FXIII (28-41) V34L AP. Several mutants responded differently to FXIII (28-41) V34 AP vs the cardioprotective V34L AP. W215 provides an important platform for binding and directing FXIII APs for proper hydrolysis. Loss of this platform leads to decreases in kinetics, particularly to the kcat of FXIII V34L AP. E217 also plays a supporting role, but the E217A mutation is not as detrimental as W215A. W215A/E217A is unfavorable for both activation peptides and its coupling effect has been characterized. This mutant can readily bind the peptides but cannot orient them for effective hydrolysis. Kinetic studies with I174A indicate that this thrombin residue is more crucial for interactions with the larger V34L AP segment. The L99A mutation causes deleterious effects to binding and hydrolysis of both APs. The V34L, however, is able to partially compensate for the loss perhaps by increasing contact within the aryl and apolar sites. Understanding how specific FXIII and thrombin residues participate in binding and control hydrolysis may lead to the design of coagulation enzymes whose degree of activation and optimal target site can be controlled.

Thrombin allostery

Thrombin is a Na(+)-activated, allosteric serine protease that plays multiple functional roles in blood pathophysiology. Binding of Na(+) is the major driving force behind the procoagulant, prothrombotic and signaling functions of the enzyme. This review summarizes our current understanding of the molecular basis of thrombin allostery with special emphasis on the kinetic aspects of Na(+) activation. The molecular mechanism of thrombin allostery is a remarkable example of long-range communication that offers a paradigm for many other biological systems.

Rapid kinetics of Na+ binding to thrombin

The kinetic mechanism of Na(+) binding to thrombin was resolved by stopped-flow measurements of intrinsic fluorescence. Na(+) binds to thrombin in a two-step mechanism with a rapid phase occurring within the dead time of the spectrometer (<0.5 ms) followed by a single-exponential slow phase whose k(obs) decreases hyperbolically with increasing [Na(+)]. The rapid phase is due to Na(+) binding to the enzyme E to generate the E:Na(+) form. The slow phase is due to the interconversion between E(*) and E, where E(*) is a form that cannot bind Na(+). Temperature studies in the range from 5 to 35 degrees C show significant enthalpy, entropy, and heat capacity changes associated with both Na(+) binding and the E to E(*) transition. As a result, under conditions of physiologic temperature and salt concentrations, the E(*) form is negligibly populated (<1%) and thrombin is almost equally partitioned between the E (40%) and E:Na(+) (60%) forms. Single-site Phe mutations of all nine Trp residues of thrombin enabled assignment of the fluorescence changes induced by Na(+) binding mainly to Trp-141 and Trp-215, and to a lesser extent to Trp-148, Trp-207, and Trp-237. However, the fast phase of fluorescence increase is influenced to different extents by all Trp residues. The distribution of these residues over the entire thrombin surface demonstrates that Na(+) binding induces long-range effects on the structure of the enzyme as a whole, contrary to the conclusions drawn from recent structural studies. These findings elucidate the mechanism of Na(+) binding to thrombin and are relevant to other clotting factors and enzymes allosterically activated by monovalent cations.

Role of Na+and K+in Enzyme Function

Metal complexation is a key mediator or modifier of enzyme structure and function. In addition to divalent and polyvalent metals, group IA metals Na+and K+play important and specific roles that assist function of biological macromolecules. We examine the diversity of monovalent cation (M+)-activated enzymes by first comparing coordination in small molecules followed by a discussion of theoretical and practical aspects. Select examples of enzymes that utilize M+as a cofactor (type I) or allosteric effector (type II) illustrate the structural basis of activation by Na+and K+, along with unexpected connections with ion transporters. Kinetic expressions are derived for the analysis of type I and type II activation. In conclusion, we address evolutionary implications of Na+binding in the trypsin-like proteases of vertebrate blood coagulation. From this analysis, M+complexation has the potential to be an efficient regulator of enzyme catalysis and stability and offers novel strategies for protein engineering to improve enzyme function.

3-Nitrotyrosine as a spectroscopic probe for investigating protein protein interactions

3-Nitrotyrosine (NT) is approximately 10(3)-fold more acidic than Tyr, and its absorption properties are strongly pH-dependent. NT absorbs radiation in the wavelength range where Tyr and Trp emit fluorescence (300-450 nm), and it is essentially nonfluorescent. Therefore, NT may function as an energy acceptor in resonance energy transfer (FRET) studies for investigating ligand protein interactions. Here, the potentialities of NT were tested on the hirudin thrombin system, a well-characterized protease inhibitor pair of key pharmacological importance. We synthesized two analogs of the N-terminal domain (residues 1-47) of hirudin: Y3NT, in which Tyr3 was replaced by NT, and S2R/Y3NT, containing the substitutions Ser2 --> Arg and Tyr3 --> NT. The binding of these analogs to thrombin was investigated at pH 8 by FRET and UV/Vis-absorption spectroscopy. Upon hirudin binding, the fluorescence of thrombin was reduced by approximately 50%, due to the energy transfer occurring between the Trp residues of the enzyme (i.e., the donors) and the single NT of the inhibitor (i.e., the acceptor). The changes in the absorption spectra of the enzyme inhibitor complex indicate that the phenate moiety of NT in the free state becomes protonated to phenol in the thrombin-bound form. Our results indicate that the incorporation of NT can be effectively used to detect protein protein interactions with sensitivity in the low nanomolar range, to uncover subtle structural features at the ligand protein interface, and to obtain reliable Kd values for structure activity relationship studies. Furthermore, advances in chemical and genetic methods, useful for incorporating noncoded amino acids into proteins, highlight the broad applicability of NT in biotechnology and pharmacological screening.

Crystal structure of thrombin in a self-inhibited conformation

The activating effect of Na(+) on thrombin is allosteric and depends on the conformational transition from a low activity Na(+)-free (slow) form to a high activity Na(+)-bound (fast) form. The structures of these active forms have been solved. Recent structures of thrombin obtained in the absence of Na(+) have also documented inactive conformations that presumably exist in equilibrium with the active slow form. The validity of these inactive slow form structures, however, is called into question by the presence of packing interactions involving the Na(+) site and the active site regions. Here, we report a 1.87A resolution structure of thrombin in the absence of inhibitors and salts with a single molecule in the asymmetric unit and devoid of significant packing interactions in regions involved in the allosteric slow --> fast transition. The structure shows an unprecedented self-inhibited conformation where Trp-215 and Arg-221a relocate >10A to occlude the active site and the primary specificity pocket, and the guanidinium group of Arg-187 penetrates the protein core to fill the empty Na(+)-binding site. The extreme mobility of Trp-215 was investigated further with the W215P mutation. Remarkably, the mutation significantly compromises cleavage of the anticoagulant protein C but has no effect on the hydrolysis of fibrinogen and PAR1. These findings demonstrate that thrombin may assume an inactive conformation in the absence of Na(+) and that its procoagulant and anticoagulant activities are closely linked to the mobility of residue 215.

Amide H/2H exchange reveals a mechanism of thrombin activation

Thrombin is a dual action serine protease in the blood clotting cascade. Similar to other clotting factors, thrombin is mainly present in the blood in a zymogen form, prothrombin. Although the two cleavage events required to activate thrombin are well-known, little is known about why the thrombin precursors are inactive proteases. Although prothrombin is much larger than thrombin, prethrombin-2, which contains all of the same amino acids as thrombin, but has not yet been cleaved between Arg320 and Ile321, remains inactive. Crystal structures of both prethrombin-2 and thrombin are available and show almost no differences in the active site conformations. Slight differences were, however, seen in the loops surrounding the active site, which are larger in thrombin than in most other trypsin-like proteases, and have been shown to be important for substrate specificity. To explore whether the dynamics of the active site loops were different in the various zymogen forms of thrombin, we employed amide H/(2)H exchange experiments to compare the exchange rates of regions of thrombin with the same regions of prothrombin, prethrombin-2, and meizothrombin. Many of the surface loops showed less exchange in the zymogen forms, including the large loop corresponding to anion binding exosite 1. Conversely, the autolysis loop and sodium-binding site exchanged more readily in the zymogen forms. Prothrombin and prethrombin-2 gave nearly identical results while meizothrombin in some regions more closely resembled active thrombin. Thus, cleavage of the Arg320-Ile321 peptide bond is the key to formation of the active enzyme, which involves increased dynamics of the substrate-binding loops and decreased dynamics of the catalytic site.

High Resolution Structures of p-Aminobenzamidine- and Benzamidine-VIIa/Soluble Tissue Factor

Factor VIIa (FVIIa) consists of a gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) domain, two epidermal growth factor-like domains, and a protease domain. FVIIa binds seven Ca(2+) ions in the Gla, one in the EGF1, and one in the protease domain. However, blood contains both Ca(2+) and Mg(2+), and the Ca(2+) sites in FVIIa that could be specifically occupied by Mg(2+) are unknown. Furthermore, FVIIa contains a Na(+) and two Zn(2+) sites, but ligands for these cations are undefined. We obtained p-aminobenzamidine-VIIa/soluble tissue factor (sTF) crystals under conditions containing Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Na(+), and Zn(2+). The crystal diffracted to 1.8A resolution, and the final structure has an R-factor of 19.8%. In this structure, the Gla domain has four Ca(2+) and three bound Mg(2+). The EGF1 domain contains one Ca(2+) site, and the protease domain contains one Ca(2+), one Na(+), and two Zn(2+) sites. (45)Ca(2+) binding in the presence/absence of Mg(2+) to FVIIa, Gla-domainless FVIIa, and prothrombin fragment 1 supports the crystal data. Furthermore, unlike in other serine proteases, the amide N of Gly(193) in FVIIa points away from the oxyanion hole in this structure. Importantly, the oxyanion hole is also absent in the benzamidine-FVIIa/sTF structure at 1.87A resolution. However, soaking benzamidine-FVIIa/sTF crystals with d-Phe-Pro-Arg-chloromethyl ketone results in benzamidine displacement, d-Phe-Pro-Arg incorporation, and oxyanion hole formation by a flip of the 192-193 peptide bond in FVIIa. Thus, it is the substrate and not the TF binding that induces oxyanion hole formation and functional active site geometry in FVIIa. Absence of oxyanion hole is unusual and has biologic implications for FVIIa macromolecular substrate specificity and catalysis.

Thrombin-Cofactor Interactions

Precise modulation of thrombin activity throughout the hemostatic response is essential for efficient cessation of bleeding while preventing inappropriate clot growth or dissemination which causes thrombosis. Regulating thrombin activity is made difficult by its ability to diffuse from the surface on which it was generated and its ability to cleave at least 12 substrates. To overcome this challenge, thrombin recognition of substrates is largely controlled by cofactors that act by localizing thrombin to various surfaces, blocking substrate binding to critical exosites, engendering new exosites for substrate recognition and by allosterically modulating the properties of the active site of thrombin. Thrombin cofactors can be classified as either pro- or anticoagulants, depending on how substrate preference is altered. The procoagulant cofactors include glycoprotein Ibα, fibrin, and Na + , and the anticoagulants are heparin and thrombomodulin. Over the last few years, crystal structures have been reported for all of the thrombin-cofactor complexes. The purpose of this article is to summarize the features of these structures and to discuss the mechanisms and physiological relevance of cofactor binding in thrombin regulation.

High resolution crystal structures of free thrombin in the presence of K+ reveal the molecular basis of monovalent cation selectivity and an inactive slow form

Structural biology has recently advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of activation and selectivity in monovalent cation activated enzymes. Here we report a 1.9 Angstrom resolution crystal structure of free thrombin, a Na(+) selective enzyme, in the presence of KCl. There are two molecules in the asymmetric unit, one with the cation site bound to K(+) and the other with this site free. The K(+)-bound form shows key differences compared with the Na(+)-bound structure that explain the different kinetics of activation. The cation-free form, on the other hand, assumes a conformation where the monovalent cation binding site is completely disordered, the S1 pocket is inaccessible to substrate and binding to exosite I is compromised by an unprecedented >20 Angstrom shift in the position of the autolysis loop. This form, named S(*), corresponds to the inactive Na(+)-free slow form identified by early kinetic studies. A simple model of thrombin allostery that incorporates the contribution of S(*) is proposed.