Marcia R. Mauk

Experimental and theoretical analysis of the interaction between cytochromec and cytochromeb5

Experimental and theoretical investigation of the interaction of cytochromec and cytochromeb5 performed over nearly twenty years has produced considerable insight into the manner in which these proteins recognize and bind to each other. The results of these studies and the experimental and theoretical strategies that have been developed to achieve these results have significant implications for understanding the behavior of similar complexes formed by more complex and less-well characterized electron transfer proteins. The current review provides a comprehensive summary and critical evaluation of the literature on which the current status of our understanding of the interaction of cytochromec and cytochromeb5 is based. The general issues related to the study of electron transfer complexes of this type are discussed and some new directions for future investigation of such systems are considered.

An alternative view of the proposed alternative activities of hemopexin

Hemopexin is a plasma protein that plays a well‐established biological role in sequestering heme that is released into the plasma from hemoglobin and myoglobin as the result of intravascular or extravascular hemolysis as well as from skeletal muscle trauma or neuromuscular disease. In recent years, a variety of additional biological activities have been attributed to hemopexin, for example, hyaluronidase activity, serine protease activity, pro‐inflammatory and anti‐inflammatory activity as well as suppression of lymphocyte necrosis, inhibition of cellular adhesion, and binding of divalent metal ions. This review examines the challenges involved in the purification of hemopexin from plasma and in the recombinant expression of hemopexin and evaluates the questions that these challenges and the characteristics of hemopexin raise concerning the validity of many of the new activities proposed for this protein. As well, an homology model of the three‐dimensional structure of human hemopexin is used to reveal that the protein lacks the catalytic triad that is characteristic of many serine proteases but that hemopexin possesses two highly exposed Arg‐Gly‐Glu sequences that may promote interaction with cell surfaces.

Charge compensated binding of divalent metals to bacterioferritin: H+ release associated with cobalt(II) and zinc(II) binding at dinuclear metal sites

Divalent metal ion binding to the bacterial iron-storage protein, bacterioferritin (BFR), which contains a dinuclear metal binding site within each of its 24 subunits, was investigated by potentiometric and spectrophotometric methods. Cobalt(II) and zinc(II) were found to bind at both high- and low-affinity sites. Cobalt(II) binding at the high-affinity site was observed at a level of two per subunit with the release of approximately 1.6 protons per metal ion, thus confirming the dinuclear metal centre as the high-affinity site. Zinc(II) binding at the dinuclear centre (high-affinity site) resulted in the release of approximately 2 protons per metal ion, but exhibited a binding stoichiometry which indicated that not all dinuclear centres were capable of binding two zinc(II) ions. Competition data showed that binding affinities for the dinuclear centre were in the order zinc(II) > cobalt(II), and also confirmed the unexpected stoichiometry of zinc(II) binding. This work emphasises the importance of charge neutrality at the dinuclear centre.Divalent metal ion binding to the bacterial iron‐storage protein, bacterioferritin (BFR), which contains a dinuclear metal binding site within each of its 24 subunits, was investigated by potentiometric and spectrophotometric methods. Cobalt(II) and zinc(II) were found to bind at both high‐ and low‐affinity sites. Cobalt(II) binding at the high‐affinity site was observed at a level of two per subunit with the release of ∼ 1.6 protons per metal ion, thus confirming the dinuclear metal centre as the high‐affinity site. Zinc(II) binding at the dinuclear centre (high‐affinity site) resulted in the release of ∼ 2 protons per metal ion, but exhibited a binding stoichiometry which indicated that not all dinuclear centres were capable of binding two zinc(II) ions. Competition data showed that binding affinities for the dinuclear centre were in the order zinc(II) > cobalt(II), and also confirmed the unexpected stoichiometry of zinc(II) binding. This work emphasises the importance ∼ of charge neutrality at the dinuclear centre.

NMR study of the interaction between cytochrome b5 and cytochrome c: Observation of a ternary complex formed by the two proteins and [Cr(en)3]3+

The interaction between horse cytochrome c and the tryptic fragment of bovine liver microsomal cytochrome b 5 in the absence and presence of [Cr(ethylenediamine)3]Cl3 was studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The protein‐protein interaction region on cytochrome b 5 was found to be different from the [Cr(en)3]3+ binding region. The solvent‐exposed propionate‐bearing edge of the haem of cytochrome b 5 is accessible to [Cr(en)3]3+ in the interprotein complex.The interaction between horse cytochrome c and the tryptic fragment of bovine liver microsomal cytochrome b5 in the absence and presence of [Cr(ethylenediamine)3]Cl3 was studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The protein-protein interaction region on cytochrome b5 was found to be different from the [Cr(en)3]3+-binding region. The solvent-exposed propionate-bearing edge of the haem of cytochrome b5 is accessible to [Cr(en)3]3+ in the interprotein complex.

Metal ion facilitated dissociation of heme from b-type heme proteins.

Addition of Ni(2+), Cu(2+), or Zn(2+) (10-40 equiv) to metMb in sodium bicarbonate buffer (25 degrees C) at alkaline pH (7.8-9.5) results in a time-dependent (2-6 h) change in the electronic absorption spectrum of the protein that is consistent with dissociation of the heme from the active site and that can be largely reversed by addition of EDTA. Similar treatment of cytochrome b(5), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, and cytochrome P450(cam) (in the presence or absence of camphor) produces a similar spectroscopic response. Elution of metMb treated with Ni(2+) in this manner over an anion exchange column in buffer containing Ni(2+) affords apo-myoglobin without exposure to acidic pH or organic solvents as usually required. Bovine liver catalase, in which the heme groups are remote from the surface of the protein, and horseradish peroxidase, which has four disulfide bonds and just three histidyl residues, exhibit a much smaller spectroscopic response. We propose that formation of carbamino groups by reaction of bicarbonate with protein amino groups promotes both protein solubility and the interaction of the protein with metal ions, thereby avoiding precipitation while destabilizing the interaction of heme with the protein. From these observations, bicarbonate buffers may be of value in the study of nonmembrane proteins of limited solubility.

Functional characterization of the dimerization domain of the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The functional properties of the recombinant C-terminal dimerization domain of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Fur (ferric uptake regulator) protein expressed in and purified from Escherichia coli have been evaluated. Sedimentation velocity measurements demonstrate that this domain is dimeric, and the UV CD spectrum is consistent with a secondary structure similar to that observed for the corresponding region of the crystallographically characterized wild-type protein. The thermal stability of the domain as determined by CD spectroscopy decreases significantly as pH is increased and increases significantly as metal ions are added. Potentiometric titrations (pH 6.5) establish that the domain possesses a high-affinity and a low-affinity binding site for metal ions. The high-affinity (sensory) binding site demonstrates association constants (K(A)) of 10(+/-7)x10(6), 5.7(+/-3)x10(6), 2.0(+/-2)x10(6) and 2.0(+/-3)x10(4) M(-1) for Ni2+, Zn2+, Co2+ and Mn2+ respectively, while the low-affinity (structural) site exhibits association constants of 1.3(+/-2)x10(6), 3.2(+/-2)x10(4), 1.76(+/-1)x10(5) and 1.5(+/-2)x10(3) M(-1) respectively for the same metal ions (pH 6.5, 300 mM NaCl, 25 degrees C). The stability of metal ion binding to the sensory site follows the Irving-Williams order, while metal ion binding to the partial sensory site present in the domain does not. Fluorescence experiments indicate that the quenching resulting from binding of Co2+ is reversed by subsequent titration with Zn2+. We conclude that the domain is a reasonable model for many properties of the full-length protein and is amenable to some analyses that the limited solubility of the full-length protein prevents.

Proton linkage of complex formation between cytochrome c and cytochrome b5

Two potentiometric methods have been used to study the pH-dependent changes in proton binding that accompany complex formation between cytochrome c and cytochrome b5. With one method, the number of protons bound or released upon addition of one cytochrome to the other has been measured as a function of pH. The results from these studies are correlated with the complexation-induced difference titration curve calculated from the titration curves of the preformed complex and of the individual proteins. Both methods demonstrate that complex formation at acid pH is accompanied by proton release, that complex formation at basic pH is accompanied by proton uptake, and that the change in proton binding at neutral pH, where stability of complex formation is maximal, is relatively small. Under all conditions studied, the stoichiometry of cytochrome c-cytochrome b5 complex formation is 1:1 with no evidence of higher order complex formation. Although the dependence of complex formation on pH for interaction between different species of cytochrome c and cytochrome b5 are qualitatively similar, they are quantitatively different. In particular, complex formation between yeast iso-1-cytochrome c and lipase-solubilized bovine cytochrome b5 occurs with a stability constant that is 10-fold greater than observed for the other two pairs of proteins under all conditions studied. Interaction between these two proteins is also significantly less dependent on ionic strength than observed for complexes formed by horse heart cytochrome c with either form of cytochrome b5.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

NMR study of the interaction between cytochrome b 5 and cytochrome c

The interaction between horse cytochrome c and the tryptic fragment of bovine liver microsomal cytochrome b 5 in the absence and presence of [Cr(ethylenediamine)3]Cl3 was studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The protein‐protein interaction region on cytochrome b 5 was found to be different from the [Cr(en)3]3+ binding region. The solvent‐exposed propionate‐bearing edge of the haem of cytochrome b 5 is accessible to [Cr(en)3]3+ in the interprotein complex.The interaction between horse cytochrome c and the tryptic fragment of bovine liver microsomal cytochrome b5 in the absence and presence of [Cr(ethylenediamine)3]Cl3 was studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The protein-protein interaction region on cytochrome b5 was found to be different from the [Cr(en)3]3+-binding region. The solvent-exposed propionate-bearing edge of the haem of cytochrome b5 is accessible to [Cr(en)3]3+ in the interprotein complex.

NMR study of the interaction between cytochrome b5 and cytochrome c

The interaction between horse cytochrome c and the tryptic fragment of bovine liver microsomal cytochrome b 5 in the absence and presence of [Cr(ethylenediamine)3]Cl3 was studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The protein‐protein interaction region on cytochrome b 5 was found to be different from the [Cr(en)3]3+ binding region. The solvent‐exposed propionate‐bearing edge of the haem of cytochrome b 5 is accessible to [Cr(en)3]3+ in the interprotein complex.The interaction between horse cytochrome c and the tryptic fragment of bovine liver microsomal cytochrome b5 in the absence and presence of [Cr(ethylenediamine)3]Cl3 was studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The protein-protein interaction region on cytochrome b5 was found to be different from the [Cr(en)3]3+-binding region. The solvent-exposed propionate-bearing edge of the haem of cytochrome b5 is accessible to [Cr(en)3]3+ in the interprotein complex.