The role of cysteine residues of spinach ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase as assessed by site-directed mutagenesis

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


2003 ◽  
Vol 372 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teijo PELLINEN ◽  
Helena AHLFORS ◽  
Nicolas BLOT ◽  
Guy CONDEMINE

The Erwinia chrysanthemi oligogalacturonate-specific monomeric porin, KdgM, does not present homology with any porins of known structure. A model of this protein, based on sequence similarity and the amphipathy profile, was constructed. The model depicts a β-barrel composed of 14 antiparallel β-strands. The accuracy of this model was tested by the chemical labelling of cysteine residues introduced by site-directed mutagenesis. The protein has seven surface-exposed loops. They are rather small with the exception of one, loop L6. Deletion of this loop allowed the entry of maltopentaose into the bacteria, a molecule too large to enter through the wild-type KdgM. Loop L6 could fold back into the lumen of the pore and play the role of the constriction loop L3 of general porins. With 14 transmembrane segments, the KdgM porin family could represent the smallest porin characterized to date.


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