scholarly journals The role of cysteine residues in the allosteric modulation of the chromophore phototransformations of biphotochromic fluorescent protein SAASoti

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. V. Gavshina ◽  
N. K. Marynich ◽  
M. G. Khrenova ◽  
I. D. Solovyev ◽  
A. P. Savitsky

AbstractBiphotochromic fluorescent protein SAASoti contains five cysteine residues in its sequence and a V127T point mutation transforms it to the monomeric form, mSAASoti. These cysteine residues are located far from the chromophore and might control its properties only allosterically. The influence of individual, double and triple cysteine substitutions of mSAASoti on fluorescent parameters and phototransformation reactions (irreversible green-to-red photoconversion and reversible photoswitching) is studied. A set of mSAASoti mutant forms (C21N, C117S, C71V, C105V, C175A, C21N/C71V, C21N/C175A, C21N/C71G/C175A) is obtained by site-directed mutagenesis. We demonstrate that the C21N variant exists in a monomeric form up to high concentrations, the C71V substitution accelerates photoconversion to the red form and the C105V variant has the maximum photoswitching rate. All C175A-containing variants demonstrate different photoswitching kinetics and decreased photostability during subsequent switching cycles compared with other considered systems. Classical molecular dynamic simulations reveal that the F177 side chain located in the vicinity of the chromophore is considerably more flexible in the mSAASoti compared with its C175A variant. This might be the explanation of the experimentally observed slowdown the thermal relaxation rate, i.e., trans–cis isomerization of the chromophore in mSAASoti upon C175A substitution.

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 621-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-Wei Chen ◽  
Cheng-Ying Jiang ◽  
Qunxin She ◽  
Shuang-Jiang Liu ◽  
Pei-Jin Zhou

ABSTRACT Analysis of known sulfur oxygenase-reductases (SORs) and the SOR-like sequences identified from public databases indicated that they all possess three cysteine residues within two conserved motifs (V-G-P-K-V-C31 and C101-X-X-C104; numbering according to the Acidianus tengchongensis numbering system). The thio-modifying reagent N-ethylmaleimide and Zn2+ strongly inhibited the activities of the SORs of A. tengchongensis, suggesting that cysteine residues are important. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to construct four mutant SORs with cysteines replaced by serine or alanine. The purified mutant proteins were investigated in parallel with the wild-type SOR. Replacement of any cysteine reduced SOR activity by 98.4 to 100%, indicating that all the cysteine residues are crucial to SOR activities. Circular-dichroism and fluorescence spectrum analyses revealed that the wild-type and mutant SORs have similar structures and that none of them form any disulfide bond. Thus, it is proposed that three cysteine residues, C31 and C101-X-X-C104, in the conserved domains constitute the putative binding and catalytic sites of SOR. Furthermore, enzymatic activity assays of the subcellular fractions and immune electron microscopy indicated that SOR is not only present in the cytoplasm but also associated with the cytoplasmic membrane of A. tengchongensis. The membrane-associated SOR activity was colocalized with the activities of sulfite:acceptor oxidoreductase and thiosulfate:acceptor oxidoreductase. We tentatively propose that these enzymes are located in close proximity on the membrane to catalyze sulfur oxidation in A. tengchongensis.


1993 ◽  
Vol 48 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 174-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiko Satoh ◽  
Yasuhiro Kashino ◽  
Hiroyuki Koike

Abstract We have recently shown that binding affinities of benzoquinones can be estimated by two methods in photosystem (PS) II particles (K. Satoh et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1102, 45-52 (1992)). Using these methods we calculated the binding affinity of thymoquinone (2-methyl-5-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone) to the QB site and studied how the quinone accepts electrons in oxygen-evolving PS II particles isolated from the thermophilic cyanobacteria, Synechococcus elongatus and S. vulcanus. The results are as follows: (1) The binding constant of thymoqui­ none to the QB site determined by several methods was around 0.33 mᴍ . (2) At low thymoquinone concentrations the quinone was supposed to accept electrons via QB-plastoquinone, whereas at high concentrations the quinone seemed to bind to the QB site and accept an electron directly from Q-A. Lower rates of photoreduction of the quinone at high concentrations were attributed to a slower turnover rate of the quinone at the QB site than that of endogenous plastoquinone. (3) A model for the function of plastoquinone at the QB site, which can explain all the results, was presented. According to this model, the plastoquinone molecule at the QB site is not replaced by another plastoquinone molecule. Instead, it transfers electrons to pool plastoquinone molecules by turning over its head group but remaining its long side chain bound to the PS II complexes.


1999 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 543-548 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Trépanier ◽  
James R. Knox ◽  
Natalie Clairoux ◽  
François Sanschagrin ◽  
Roger C. Levesque ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Site-directed mutagenesis of Ser-289 of the class C β-lactamase from Enterobacter cloacae P99 was performed to investigate the role of this residue in β-lactam hydrolysis. This amino acid lies near the active site of the enzyme, where it can interact with the C-3 substituent of cephalosporins. Kinetic analysis of six mutant β-lactamases with five cephalosporins showed that Ser-289 can be substituted by amino acids with nonpolar or polar uncharged side chains without altering the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme. These data suggest that Ser-289 is not essential in the binding or hydrolytic mechanism of AmpC β-lactamase. However, replacement by Lys or Arg decreased by two- to threefold the k cat of four of the five β-lactams tested, particularly cefoperazone, cephaloridine, and cephalothin. Three-dimensional models of the mutant β-lactamases revealed that the length and positive charge of the side chain of Lys and Arg could create an electrostatic linkage to the C-4 carboxylic acid group of the dihydrothiazine ring of the acyl intermediate which could slow the deacylation step or hinder release of the product.


2001 ◽  
Vol 360 (3) ◽  
pp. 645-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renu K. JAIN ◽  
Paul B. M. JOYCE ◽  
Miguel MOLINETE ◽  
Philippe A. HALBAN ◽  
Sven-Ulrik GORR

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is used extensively as a reporter protein to monitor cellular processes, including intracellular protein trafficking and secretion. In general, this approach depends on GFP acting as a passive reporter protein. However, it was recently noted that GFP oligomerizes in the secretory pathway of endocrine cells. To characterize this oligomerization and its potential role in GFP transport, cytosolic and secretory forms of enhanced GFP (EGFP) were expressed in GH4C1 and AtT-20 endocrine cells. Biochemical analysis showed that cytosolic EGFP existed as a 27kDa monomer, whereas secretory forms of EGFP formed disulphide-linked oligomers. EGFP contains two cysteine residues (Cys49 and Cys71), which could play a role in this oligomerization. Site-directed mutagenesis of Cys49 and Cys71 showed that both cysteine residues were involved in disulphide interactions. Substitution of either cysteine residue resulted in a reduction or loss of oligomers, although dimers of the secretory form of EGFP remained. Mutation of these residues did not adversely affect the fluorescence of EGFP. EGFP oligomers were stored in secretory granules and secreted by the regulated secretory pathway in endocrine AtT-20 cells. Similarly, the dimeric mutant forms of EGFP were still secreted via the regulated secretory pathway, indicating that the higher-order oligomers were not necessary for sorting in AtT-20 cells. These results suggest that the oligomerization of EGFP must be considered when the protein is used as a reporter molecule in the secretory pathway.


1999 ◽  
Vol 344 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana M. PAJOR ◽  
Sally J. KRAJEWSKI ◽  
Nina SUN ◽  
Rama GANGULA

The role of cysteine residues in the Na+/dicarboxylate co-transporter (NaDC-1) was tested using site-directed mutagenesis. The transport activity of NaDC-1 was not affected by mutagenesis of any of the 11 cysteine residues, indicating that no individual cysteine residue is necessary for function. NaDC-1 is sensitive to inhibition by the impermeant cysteine-specific reagent, p-chloromercuribenzenesulphonate (pCMBS). The pCMBS-sensitive residues in NaDC-1 are Cys-227, found in transmembrane domain 5, and Cys-476, located in transmembrane domain 9. Although cysteine residues are not required for function in NaDC-1, their presence appears to be important for protein stability or trafficking to the plasma membrane. There was a direct relationship between the number of cysteine residues, regardless of location, and the transport activity and expression of NaDC-1. The results indicate that mutagenesis of multiple cysteine residues in NaDC-1 may alter the shape or configuration of the protein, leading to alterations in protein trafficking or stability.


1993 ◽  
Vol 295 (2) ◽  
pp. 485-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Zapata ◽  
P P Roller ◽  
J Crowley ◽  
W F Vann

N-Acetylneuraminic acid cytidyltransferase (CMP-NeuAc synthase) of Escherichia coli K1 is sensitive to mercurials and has cysteine residues only at positions 129 and 329. The role of these residues in the catalytic activity and structure of the protein has been investigated by site-directed mutagenesis and chemical modification. The enzyme is inactivated by the thiol-specific reagent dithiodipyridine. Inactivation by this reagent is decreased in the presence of the nucleotide substrate CTP, suggesting that a thiol residue is at or near the active site. Site-directed mutagenesis of either residue Cys-129 to serine or Cys-329 to selected amino acids has minor effects on the specific activity of the enzyme, suggesting that cysteine is not essential for catalysis and that a disulphide bond is not an essential structural component. The limited reactivity of the enzyme to other thiol-blocking reagents suggests that its cysteine residues are partially exposed. The accessibility and role of the cysteine residues in enzyme structure were investigated by fluorescence, c.d. and denaturation studies of wild-type and mutant enzymes. The mutation of Cys-129 to serine makes the enzyme more sensitive to heat and chemical denaturation, but does not cause gross changes in the protein structure as judged by the c.d. spectrum. The mutant containing Ser-129 instead of Cys-129 had a complex denaturation pathway similar to that of wild-type E. coli K1 CMP-NeuAc synthase consisting of several partially denatured states. Cys-329 reacts more readily with N-[14C]ethylmaleimide when the enzyme is in a heat-induced relaxed state. Cys-129 is less reactive and is probably a buried residue.


Biochemistry ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 32 (25) ◽  
pp. 6374-6380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Aliverti ◽  
Luciano Piubelli ◽  
Giuliana Zanetti ◽  
Thomas Luebberstedt ◽  
Reinhold G. Herrmann ◽  
...  

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