Csilla Kállay

Transition metal complexes of short multihistidine peptides

Nickel(ii), cobalt(ii) and cadmium(ii) complexes of terminally protected multihistidine peptides including Ac-HGH-OH, Ac-HGH-NHMe, Ac-HHGH-OH, Ac-HAHVH-NH(2), Ac-HVHGH-NH(2), Ac-HGHVH-NH(2) and Ac-(His-Sar)(n)-His-NH(2) (n = 1, 2 or 3) were studied by potentiometric, UV-Vis, CD and (1)H NMR spectroscopic techniques. It was found that the complexes in which the histidine imidazole nitrogens coordinate with ML stoichiometry are the main species in the physiological pH-range in all cases. The stability of these complexes is determined by the number of bound imidazole rings, the presence of the carboxylate group and the quality of the metal ion centre. The larger the number of coordinated imidazole-N donor atoms, the higher the stability of the complex. The stability constants of the ML complexes follow the Ni(ii) > Co(ii) approximately Cd(ii) order. Cobalt(ii) and cadmium(ii) are not, but nickel(ii) is able to promote the deprotonation and the coordination of amide nitrogens and NiH(-2)L and NiH(-3)L (Ni(2)H(-4)L) species predominate in basic solutions. For the pentapeptides with the exception of the sarcosine containing ligand the presence of coordination isomers is supported by spectroscopic methods. These data reveal that the favoured isomers are coordinated on the C-termini, but the ratio of isomers depends on the sequence of peptides.

Complex formation processes of terminally protected peptides containing two or three histidyl residues. Characterization of the mixed metal complexes of peptides

Copper(II), nickel(II) and zinc(II) complexes of the peptides Ac-HVVH-NH2 and Ac-HAAHVVH-NH2 have been studied by potentiometric, UV-vis, CD, EPR and NMR spectroscopic measurements. Both tetra and heptapeptides can form relatively stable macrochelates with copper(II), nickel(II) and zinc(II) ions, in which the ligands are coordinated via the side-chain imidazole functions. Formation of the macrochelates slightly suppresses, but cannot prevent the copper(II) and nickel(II) ion promoted deprotonation and coordination of the amide functionalities. The overall stoichiometry of the major species is [MH(-3)L]- with a 4N (=N-,N-,N-,Nim) coordination mode. In the case of Ac-HAAHVVH-NH2, coordination isomers of this species can exist with a preference for copper(II) or nickel(II) binding at the internal histidyl residue. In the copper(II)-Ac-HAAHVVH-NH2 system, the presence of the two anchoring sites results in the formation of dinuclear complexes. The existence of these species requires the involvement of amide functions in metal binding. Both equilibrium and spectroscopic data support the fact that the copper(II) ions of the dinuclear species are independent from each other providing a good chance for the formation of various mixed metal complexes. It was found that zinc(II) is not able to significantly alter the copper(II) binding of the heptapeptide, but it can occupy the uncoordinated histidyl sites. The formation of the copper(II)-nickel(II) mixed species was obtained in alkaline solutions and CD spectra suggest the statistical distribution of the two metal ions among the histidyl residues. The binding of HAAHVVH to palladium(II) is exclusive below pH 8 and the mixed metal species of palladium(II) and copper(II) ions are formed only in slightly basic solutions.

Nickel(II) complexes of the multihistidine peptide fragments of human prion protein.

Nickel(II) complexes of the peptide fragments of human prion protein containing histidyl residues both inside and outside the octarepeat domain have been studied by the combined application of potentiometric, UV-visible and circular dichroism spectroscopic methods. The imidazole-N donor atoms of histidyl residues are the exclusive metal binding sites below pH 7.5, but the formation of stable macrochelates was characteristic only for the peptide HuPrP(76-114) containing four histidyl residues. Yellow colored square planar complexes were obtained above pH 7.5-8 with the cooperative deprotonation of three amide nitrogens in the [N(im),N(-),N(-),N(-)] coordination mode. It was found that the peptides can bind as many nickel(II) ions as the number of independent histidyl residues. All data supported that the complex formation processes of nickel(II) are very similar to those of copper(II), but with a significantly reduced stability for nickel(II), which shifts the complex formation reactions into the slightly alkaline pH range. The formation of coordination isomers was characteristic of the mononuclear complexes with a significant preference for the nickel(II) binding at the histidyl sites outside the octarepeat domain. The results obtained for the two-histidine fragments of the protein, HuPrP(91-115), HuPrP(76-114)H85A and HuPrP(84-114)H96A, made it possible to compare the binding ability of the His96 and His111 sites. These data reveal a significant difference in the nickel(II) and copper(II) binding sites of the peptides: His96 was found to predominate almost completely for nickel(II) ions, while the opposite order, but with comparable concentrations, was reported for copper(II).

A study of the reactions of a methionine- and histidine-containing tetrapeptide with different Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes: selective cleavage of the amide bond by platination of the peptide and steric modification of the catalyst

(1)H NMR spectroscopy was applied to the study of the reactions of [M(en)(H(2)O)(2)](2+) complexes (M = Pd(ii) and Pt(ii)) with the N-acetylated methionyl-glycyl-histidyl-glycineamide, MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2). All reactions were performed in the pH range 1.5-2.0 with equimolar amounts of the [M(en)(H(2)O)(2)](2+) complex and the tetrapeptide at 60 degrees C. In all these reactions, a metal(ii) complex bound to a methionine residue affects the regioselective cleavage of the amide bond involving the carboxylic group of methionine. The priority in the cleavage of the Met-Gly amide bond in relation to the other amide bonds in this peptide is due to the high affinity of Pt(ii) and Pd(ii) ions for the sulfur donor atom. The mechanism of these hydrolytic reactions is discussed and, for its clarification, the reaction of the [Pd(en)(H(2)O)(2)](2+) complex with MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2) was additionally investigated by potentiometric titration. The steric effects of the various palladium(ii) complexes of the type [Pd(L)(H(2)O)(2)](2+), in which L is a chelating diamine (ethylenediamine, en, 2-picolylamine, pic, or 2,2-dipyridylamine, dpa) on the hydrolytic cleavage of the amide bond involving the carboxylic group of histidine in the MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2) tetrapeptide were also studied by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. All reactions were performed under the above-mentioned conditions and in the initial stage of these reactions, the MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2) was reacted with an equimolar amount of the [Pt(dien)Cl](+) complex (dien is diethylenetriamine) and then the monoplatinated [Pt(dien)(MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2)-S)](2+) complex was treated with an equimolar amount of [Pd(L)(H(2)O)(2)](2+). It was found that the rate of hydrolysis of the His-GlyNH(2) amide bond in [Pt(dien)(MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2)-S)](2+) decreased from the en to the pic complex, with finally a total inhibition of this reaction with [Pd(dpa)(H(2)O)(2)](2+). These results are an important step in the study of the regioselective cleavage of peptides and proteins and in the development of new palladium(ii) complexes as artificial metallopeptidases.

Nickel(II) and mixed metal complexes of amyloid-β N-terminus

Nickel(II) complexes of Abeta(1-16)Y10A and its smaller fragments including Abeta(1-4), Abeta(1-6), Ac-Abeta(1-6) and Ac-Abeta(8-16)Y10A have been studied by potentiometric, UV-Vis and circular dichroism spectroscopic measurements. The formation of mixed metal complexes and the distribution of metal ions among the possible coordination sites in the Cu(II)-Ni(II)-Abeta(1-16)Y10A and Cu(II)-Ni(II)-Zn(ii)-Abeta(1-16)Y10A systems have also been evaluated. It was found that the hexadecapeptide and its fragments are effective nickel(II) binding ligands and complex formation processes of nickel(II) ions are quite similar to those of copper(II). Formation of mono- and di-nuclear complexes was detected in the nickel(II)-Abeta(1-16)Y10A system suggesting the existence of two separated metal binding motifs: the N-terminus and internal histidyl residues. The preference for the coordination at the N-terminus was supported by the spectroscopic measurements but in equilibrium with the metal binding at the internal histidyl sites. Neither zinc(II) nor nickel(II) can, however, substitute copper(II) in the mixed metal complexes of Abeta(1-16)Y10A, but both metal ions are able to alter the distribution of copper(II) ions among the various binding sites. Both N-terminus (amino and His6) and internal histidyl residues (His13 and His14) can work as dinuclear binding motifs, preferably accommodating copper(II) and zinc(II), respectively, while nickel(II) can occupy the remaining free coordination sites.

Mixed metal copper(II)-nickel(II) and copper(II)-zinc(II) complexes of multihistidine peptide fragments of human prion protein

Mixed metal copper(II)-nickel(II) and copper(II)-zinc(II) complexes of four peptide fragments of human prion protein have been studied by potentiometric, UV-vis and circular dichroism spectroscopic techniques. One peptide contained three histidyl residues: HuPrP(84-114) with H85 inside and H96, H111 outside the octarepeat domain. The other three peptides contained two histidyl residues; H96 and H111 for HuPrP(91-115) and HuPrP(84-114)H85A while HuPrP(84-114)H96A contained the histidyl residues at positions 85 and 111. It was found that both histidines of the latter peptides can simultaneously bind copper(II) and nickel(II) ions and dinuclear mixed metal complexes can exist in slightly alkaline solution. One molecule of the peptide with three histidyl residues can bind two copper(II) and one nickel(II) ions. H85 and H111 were identified as the major copper(II) and H96 as the preferred nickel(II) binding sites in mixed metal species. The studies on the zinc(II)-PrP peptide binary systems revealed that zinc(II) ions can coordinate to the 31-mer PrP peptide fragments in the form of macrochelates with two or three coordinated imidazol-nitrogens but the low stability of these complexes cannot prevent the hydrolysis of the metal ion in slightly alkaline solution. These data provide further support for the outstanding affinity of copper(II) ions towards the peptide fragments of prion protein but the binding of nickel(II) can significantly modify the distribution of copper(II) among the available metal binding sites.

Copper(II) complexes of rat amylin fragments

The fragments of rat amylin rIAPP(17-29) (Ac-VRSSNNLGPVLPP-NH(2)), rIAPP(17-22) (Ac-VRSSNN-NH(2)), rIAPP(19-22) (Ac-SSNN-NH(2)) and rIAPP(17-20) (Ac-VRSS-NH(2)) together with the related mutant peptides (Ac-VASS-NH(2) and Ac-VRAA-NH(2)) have been synthesized and their copper(II) complexes studied by potentiometric, UV-Vis, CD and EPR spectroscopic methods. Despite the lack of any common strongly coordinating donor functions some of these fragments are able to bind copper(II) ions in the physiological pH range. The longest fragment rat amylin(17-29) keeps one equivalent copper(II) ion in solution in the whole pH range, while two other peptides Ac-VRSSNN-NH(2) and Ac-SSNN-NH(2) are also able to interact with copper(II) ions in the slightly alkaline pH range. According to the spectral parameters of the complexes, the peptides can be classified into two different categories: (i) the tetrapeptides Ac-VRSS-NH(2), Ac-VASS-NH(2) and Ac-VRAA-NH(2) can interact with copper(II) only under strongly alkaline conditions (pH > 10.0) and the formation of only one species with four amide nitrogen coordination can be detected; (ii) the peptides Ac-VRSSNNLGPVLPP-NH(2), Ac-VRSSNN-NH(2) and Ac-SSNN-NH(2) can form complexes above pH 6.0 with the major stoichiometries [CuH(-2)L], [CuH(-3)L](-) and [CuH(-4)L](2-). These data support that rIAPP(17-29) can interact with copper(II) ions under physiological conditions and the SSNN tetrapeptide fragment can be considered as the shortest sequence responsible for metal binding. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide some information on the possible coordination modes of Ac-SSNN-NH(2) towards the copper(II) ion and suggest that for [CuH(-2)L], [CuH(-3)L](-) and [CuH(-4)L](2-), the binding of two, three and four deprotonated amide nitrogens, with NH(-) of the side chain of asparagine as anchoring group, is probable. Moreover, these data reveal that peptides can be effective metal binding ligands even in the absence of anchoring groups, if more polar side chains are present in a specific sequence.

Affinity, Speciation, and Molecular Features of Copper(II) Complexes with a Prion Tetraoctarepeat Domain in Aqueous Solution: Insights into Old and New Results

Characterization of the copper(II) complexes formed with the tetraoctarepeat peptide at low and high metal-to-ligand ratios and in a large pH range, would provide a breakthrough in the interpretation of biological relevance of the different metal complexes of copper(II)-tetraoctarepeat system. In the present work, the potentiometric, UV/Vis, circular dichroism (CD), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies were carried out on copper(II) complexes with a PEG-ylated derivative of the tetraoctarepeats peptide sequence (Ac-PEG27 -(PHGGGWGQ)4 -NH2 ) and the peptide Ac-(PHGGGWGQ)2 -NH2 . Conjugation of tetraoctarepeat peptide sequence with polyethyleneglycol improved the solubility of the copper(II) complexes. The results enable a straightforward explanation of the conflicting results originated from the underestimation of all metal-ligand equilibria and the ensuing speciation. A complete and reliable speciation is therefore obtained with the released affinity and binding details of the main complexes species formed in aqueous solution. The results contribute to clarify the discrepancies of several studies in which the authors ascribe the redox activity of copper(II)-tetraoctarepeat system considering only the average effects of several coexisting species with very different stoichiometries and binding modes.

Interaction of Cu(II) and Ni(II) with the 63–93 fragment of histone H2B

Chromatin proteins are believed to represent reactive sites for metal ion binding. We have synthesized the 31 amino acid peptide Ac-NSFVNDIFERIAGEASRLAHYNKRSTITSRE-NH2, corresponding to the 63-93 fragment of the histone H2B and studied its interaction with Cu(II) and Ni(II). Potentiometric and spectroscopic studies (UV-vis, CD, NMR and EPR) showed that histidine 21 acts as an anchoring binding site for the metal ion. Complexation of the studied peptide with Cu(II) starts at pH 4 with the formation of the monodentate species CuH2L. At physiological pH values, the 3N complex (N(Im), 2N(-)), CuL is favoured while at basic pH values the 4N (N(Im), 3N(-)) coordination mode is preferred. Ni(II) forms several complexes with the peptide starting from the distorted octahedral NiH2L at about neutral pH, to a square planar complex where the peptide is bound through a (N(Im), 3N(-)) mode in an equatorial plane at basic pH values. These results could be important in revealing more information about the mechanism of metal induced toxicity and carcinogenesis.

Copper(II) complexes of amino acid derivatives of the bis(imidazol-2-yl)methyl residue

Copper(II) complexes of amino acid derivatives of bis(imidazol-2-yl)methylamine (BIMA), α-Asp–BIMA, α-Glu–BIMA, γ-Glu–BIMA and β-Ala–BIMA, were studied by potentiometric, UV-VIS and EPR techniques. The bis(imidazol-2-yl)methyl residue is the main binding site in strong acidic medium in all cases. The formation of ligand-bridged dinuclear [Cu2L2]2+ species was detected in an equimolar solution of α-Asp–BIMA and γ-Glu–BIMA with binding of the N-terminal amino and carboxylate groups. The deprotonation of amide nitrogen takes place above pH 6 for the ligands containing an amide group in a chelatable position with terminal amino group (α-Asp–BIMA, α-Glu–BIMA and β-Ala–BIMA), resulting in the formation of dinuclear [Cu2H−2L2] species with imidazole bridging. For these 3 ligands, deprotonation of the pyrrole-type nitrogen was observed and the existence of a trinuclear species [Cu3H−4L2] was assumed in alkaline solution. This species contains negatively charged imidazolato bridges.