scholarly journals Klebsiella pneumoniae nitrogenase MoFe protein: chymotryptic proteolysis affects function by limited cleavage of the β-chain and provides high-specific-activity MoFe protein

1993 ◽  
Vol 291 (1) ◽  
pp. 309-314
Author(s):  
K Fisher ◽  
D J Lower ◽  
R N Pau
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Gel Filtration ◽  
High Specific Activity ◽  
Visible Spectrum ◽  
Prolonged Treatment ◽  
Beta Chain ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Alpha Chain ◽  
Mofe Protein

Proteinase treatment with chymotrypsin has been used to probe the structure of native Klebsiella pneumoniae nitrogenase MoFe protein (Kp1). Reaction with chymotrypsin did not bleach Kp1, suggesting that it did not destroy the metal centres, and the Mo and Fe contents of Kp1 were unchanged. High ratios of chymotrypsin to Kp1 (1:1 by mass) cleaved the beta-chain of Kp1 to give 44 and 14 kDa polypeptides, which N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis showed to be derived from cleavage at residue beta-Phe124. A mutant MoFe protein, Kp1Met-124, in which beta-Phe124 is replaced by methionine, was not cleaved by chymotrypsin. Under non-denaturing conditions, the ‘nicked’ beta-chain of the wild-type protein remained associated with the alpha-chain. The alpha-chain was not cleaved by the proteinase treatment. Fission of the wild-type beta-chain was accompanied by loss of enzyme activity, loss of intensity of the g = 3.7 e.p.r. signal derived from dithionite-reduced FeMoco and by changes in the visible spectrum. The e.p.r. spectra of potassium ferricyanide-oxidized native and digested Kp1 show differences in the signals between g = 1.6 and 2.0. After prolonged treatment, the final specific activity of Kp1 was about 25 +/- 5% of the initial activity. This corresponded to 25 +/- 5% of the beta-chain which was resistant to proteolytic action. Brief treatment of Kp1 with a lower concentration of chymotrypsin (chymotrypsin/Kp1 ratio = 1:10 by mass, for 10 min) preferentially cleaved high-molecular-mass polypeptides that routinely contaminate preparations of Kp1 prepared by standard procedures. Treatment with chymotrypsin followed by gel filtration to remove the proteinase and cleaved protein fragments can therefore be used to increase significantly the specific activity of Kp1 preparations and remove contaminating activities, such as the ATPase activity of myokinase.

scholarly journals The inactive MoFe protein (NifB−Kp1) of the nitrogenase from nif B mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Its interaction with FeMo-cofactor and the properties of the active MoFe protein formed

1984 ◽  
Vol 223 (3) ◽  
pp. 783-792 ◽  
Author(s):  
T R Hawkes ◽  
B E Smith
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Signal Intensity ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Maximum Activity ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Activation Reaction ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Femo Cofactor ◽  
Iron Molybdenum Cofactor

The inactive MoFe protein (NifB-Kp1) of nitrogenase from nifB mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae may be activated by addition of the iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMoco) extracted from active MoFe protein (Kp1). However, when apparently saturated with FeMoco, our preparations of NifB-Kp1 yielded activated protein, Kp1-asm, with a specific activity that was at best only 40% of that expected. This was not due to degradation of Kp1-asm, NifB-Kp1 or FeMoco during the activation reaction. Nor could activation be enhanced by addition of other nif-gene products or other proteins. Whereas fully active Kp1 contains 2 FeMoco/molecule, apparent saturation of our NifB-Kp1 preparations required the binding of only 0.4-0.65 FeMoco/molecule. By using chromatography Kp1-asm could be largely resolved from NifB-Kp1 that had not been activated. However, we were unable to isolate fully active MoFe protein (i.e. Kp1-asm containing 2 FeMoco/molecule) from solutions of NifB-Kp1 activated with FeMoco. The maximum activity/ng-atom of total Mo obtained for our purified Kp1-asm was approximately half the maximum activity for FeMoco. Since all NifB-Kp1 preparations contained some Mo, we suggest that FeMoco activated only those NifB-Kp1 molecules already containing one atom of (non-FeMoco) Mo, thus forming Kp1-asm with 2 Mo but only 1 FeMoco/molecule. Kp1-asm was identical with normal Kp1 in terms of its Mr, stability, e.p.r. signals, pattern of substrate reductions, CO inhibition and ATP/2e ratio. In addition, for preparations of differing specific activity, there was a constant and identical relationship between the e.p.r. signal intensity (from FeMoco) and the activity of both Kp1 and Kp1-asm. Assuming the above hypothesis on the structure of Kp1-asm, these data demonstrate that the two FeMoco sites in wild-type Kp1 operate independently.

scholarly journals Purification and characterization of the inactive MoFe protein (NifB-Kp1) of the nitrogenase from nifB mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae

1983 ◽  
Vol 209 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
T R Hawkes ◽  
B E Smith
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Double Mutant ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Equimolar Amount ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Purification And Characterization ◽  
Point Mutant ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Iron Molybdenum Cofactor

The inactive MoFe protein of nitrogenase, NifB-Kp1, from two distinct nifB mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Kp5058 (a nifB point mutant) and UNF1718 (a nifB, nifJ double mutant) has been purified and characterized. NifB-Kp1 can be activated by reaction with the iron-molybdenum cofactor, FeMoco, extracted from active MoFe protein. NifB-Kp1 purified from either source had similar properties and was contaminated with an approximately equimolar amount of protein of mol.wt. 21 000. Like active wild-type Kp1, it was an alpha 2 beta 2 tetramer, but it was far less stable than Kp1, deteriorating rapidly at temperatures above 8 degrees C or on mild oxidation. NifB-Kp1 preparations contained 0.4-0.9 Mo and 9.0 +/- 0.9 Fe atoms . mol-1 and, when activated by FeMoco, had a specific activity of approx. 500 units . mg-1. The Mo in our preparations was not associated with the e.p.r. signal normally observed from FeMoco. All preparations exhibited a weak gav. = 1.95 e.p.r. signal which was probably not associated with activatable protein.

scholarly journals Isolation and characterization of nitrogenase MoFe protein from the mutant strain pHK17 of Klebsiella pneumoniae in which the two bridging cysteine residues of the P-clusters are replaced by the non-coordinating amino acid alanine

1996 ◽  
Vol 318 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faridoon K YOUSAFZAI ◽  
Martin BUCK ◽  
Barry E. SMITH
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Mutant Strain ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Relative Distribution ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Surface Charges ◽  
Ph Profile ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Specific Activities

Nitrogenase MoFe protein (Kp1) from the mutant strain pHK17 of Klebsiella pneumoniae has been purified to give three catalytically active fractions. In this mutant, each of the two bridging cysteine ligands to the P-clusters, α-Cys-89 and β-Cys-94, has been replaced by a non-coordinating residue, alanine. SDS/PAGE and earlier native gels showed that the three fractions retained the normal α2β2 tetrameric form of wild-type Kp1; therefore we conclude that in each of the fractions the subunits are folded differently, thus resulting in different surface charges and allowing separation of the fractions on ion-exchange chromatography. Earlier EPR and magnetic CD data had shown that the mutant fractions contain P-clusters, and thus the mutated residues are not as essential for maintaining the integrity of the P-clusters as they appear from the X-ray structure. The specific activity of each of the three fractions was less than that of wild-type Kp1, the most active fraction having only 50% of wild-type activity. No change in substrate specificity or in the relative distribution of electrons to various substrates was found. The relationship between ATP hydrolysis and substrate-reducing activity, the EPR spectra of the S = 3/2 spin state of the iron–molybdenum cofactor (FeMoco) and the pH profile of acetylene-reduction activities of the three fractions did not differ significantly from those exhibited by wild-type Kp1. The specific activities of the three mutant fractions and of wild-type Kp1 were linearly proportional to the intensity of the S = 3/2 EPR signal from the FeMoco centres. This implies that those molecules of the three mutant fractions and the wild-type protein that contain EPR-active FeMoco are fully active, i.e. that the Cys to Ala substitution of the P-cluster ligands does not affect the specific activity of the protein. This in turn implies that the P-clusters are not directly associated with the rate-limiting step in enzyme turnover. We conclude that the lower specific activities of the mutant fractions are observed because the fractions are mixtures of species containing a full complement of FeMoco and P-clusters and species lacking some or all of these clusters. On the basis of the Mo contents and EPR spectroscopy of the mutant fractions, we propose that the loss of the P-clusters causes (i) the physical loss or inhibition of binding of some FeMoco; (ii) the EPR and catalytic inactivation of some FeMoco; and/or (iii) the incorporation of a FeMoco-like species into the FeMoco site of the mutant molecules.

The metallo-sulphur centres of the nitrogenase MoFe protein (Kp1) from wild-type and mutant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 348
Author(s):  
B.E. Smith ◽  
M. Buck ◽  
K.Y. Faridoon ◽  
C.A. Gormal ◽  
B.D. Howes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Mutant Strains

The metallo-sulphur centres of the nitrogenase MoFe protein (Kp1) from wild-type and mutant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 357
Author(s):  
B.E. Smith ◽  
M. Buck ◽  
K.Y. Faridoon ◽  
C.A. Gormal ◽  
B.D. Howes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Mutant Strains

scholarly journals Purification of the enzyme NADPH: protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase

1981 ◽  
Vol 195 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
N S Beer ◽  
W T Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Specific Activity ◽  
Gradient Centrifugation ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Gel Filtration ◽  
High Specific Activity ◽  
Sucrose Density Gradient ◽  
Sucrose Density Gradient Centrifugation ◽  
Triton X ◽  
Etioplast Membranes

A procedure for the purification of the enzyme NADPH:protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase is described. This involves fractionation of sonicated oat etioplast membranes by discontinuous-sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation, which gives membranes in which the enzyme is present at a high specific activity. The enzyme is solubilized from the membranes with Triton X-100, followed by gel filtration of the extract; enzyme activity is eluted in fractions corresponding to a mol.wt of approx. 35000. Sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of the enzyme-containing fractions from gel filtration shows two peptides, of mol.wts. approx. 35000 and 37000.

Factor VIII:E113A Represents a High Specific Activity Factor VIII Arising from a Single Point Mutation within a Ca2+ Binding Site.

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 1725-1725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hironao Wakabayashi ◽  
Philip J. Fay
Keyword(s):  
Factor Viii ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
High Specific Activity ◽  
Factor Xa ◽  
Saturation Mutagenesis ◽  
Single Amino Acid ◽  
Single Point Mutation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Activity Increase ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract We recently identified an acidic-rich segment in the A1 domain of factor VIII (residues 110-126) that functions in the coordination of Ca2+, an ion necessary for cofactor activity (Wakabayashi et al., J. Biol. Chem.279:12677–12684, 2004). Using Ala-scanning mutagenesis, it was determined that replacement of residue E113 with Ala yielded a factor VIII point mutant that possessed an ~2-fold increased affinity for Ca2+ as compared with wild type, suggesting that this residue did not directly contribute to Ca2+ coordination but rather modulated the affinity of the ion at this site. Furthermore, the E113A factor VIII possessed twice the specific activity of wild type as determined by a one-stage clotting assay. This increased activity was not likely a result of increased affinity for Ca2+, since assays were performed at saturating Ca2+ levels. Saturation mutagenesis at position 113 revealed that substitution at this position with relatively small, nonpolar residues were well-tolerated, whereas replacement with a number of polar or charged residues was detrimental to activity. Ala-substitution yielded the greatest activity increase of ~2-fold and this level was observed over a wide range of factor VIII concentrations. Time course experiments of factor VIII activation following reaction with thrombin revealed similar rates of activation and inactivation of E113A as observed for the wild type. Interestingly, results from factor Xa generation assays using purified reactants showed the mutant possessed <10% greater specific activity than wild type and yielded similar values for Km for substrate factor X, kcat for factor Xa generation and Kd for factor IXa. Thus the single amino acid substitution minimally altered cofactor structure or inter-molecular interactions relating to its participation in factor Xase. These results indicate that mutations within this Ca2+ coordination site may selectively enhance cofactor specific activity as measured in a plasma-based assay compared to activity determined in a purified system. The enhanced activity observed for E113A factor VIII may derive from a subtle alteration in conformation affecting a yet to be identified functional parameter.

scholarly journals Nitrogenase from nifV mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae contains an altered form of the iron-molybdenum cofactor

1984 ◽  
Vol 217 (1) ◽  
pp. 317-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
T R Hawkes ◽  
P A McLean ◽  
B E Smith
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Molybdenum Cofactor ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
H2 Evolution ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Fe Protein ◽  
Metal Contents ◽  
Altered Form ◽  
Iron Molybdenum Cofactor

When the iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMoco) was extracted from the MoFe protein of nitrogenase from a nifV mutant of Klebsiella pneumoniae and combined with the FeMoco-deficient MoFe protein from a nifB mutant, the resultant MoFe protein exhibited the NifV phenotype, i.e. in combination with wild-type Fe protein it exhibited poor N2-fixation activity and its H2-evolution activity was inhibited by CO. These data provide strong evidence that FeMoco contains the active site of nitrogenase. The metal contents and e.p.r. properties of FeMoco from wild-type and nifV mutants of K. pneumoniae are very similar.

Directed evolution to produce an alkalophilic variant from a Neocallimastix patriciarum xylanase

2001 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 1088-1094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yew-Loom Chen ◽  
Tsung-Yin Tang ◽  
Kuo-Joan Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Directed Evolution ◽  
Catalytic Domain ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
High Specific Activity ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Amino Acid Substitutions ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Neocallimastix Patriciarum

The catalytic domain of a xylanase from the anaerobic fungus Neocallimastix patriciarum was made more alkalophilic through directed evolution using error-prone PCR. Transformants expressing the alkalophilic variant xylanases produced larger clear zones when overlaid with high pH, xylan-containing agar. Eight amino acid substitutions were identified in six selected mutant xylanases. Whereas the wild-type xylanase exhibited no activity at pH 8.5, the relative and specific activities of the six mutants were higher at pH 8.5 than at pH 6.0. Seven of the eight amino acid substitutions were assembled in one enzyme (xyn-CDBFV) by site-directed mutagenesis. Some or all of the seven mutations exerted positive and possibly synergistic effects on the alkalophilicity of the enzyme. The resulting composite mutant xylanase retained a greater proportion of its activity than did the wild type at pH above 7.0, maintaining 25% of its activity at pH 9.0, and its retention of activity at acid pH was no lower than that of the wild type. The composite xylanase (xyn-CDBFV) had a relatively high specific activity of 10 128 µmol glucose·min–1·(mg protein)–1 at pH 6.0. It was more thermostable at 60°C and alkaline tolerant at pH 10.0 than the wild-type xylanase. These properties suggest that the composite mutant xylanase is a promising and suitable candidate for paper pulp bio-bleaching.Key words: xylanase, Neocallimastix patriciarum, alkalophilicity, random mutagenesis, directed evolution.

scholarly journals Purification and some characteristics of an oestrogen sulphotransferase from guinea pig adrenal gland and its non-identity with adrenal pregnenolone sulphotransferase

1990 ◽  
Vol 268 (3) ◽  
pp. 759-764 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Hobkirk ◽  
M A Glasier ◽  
L Y Brown
Keyword(s):  
Adrenal Glands ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Gel Filtration ◽  
High Specific Activity ◽  
Protein Band ◽  
Thiol Groups ◽  
Reducing Conditions ◽  
Main Protein ◽  
Salt Fractionation

An oestrogen sulphotransferase, active towards both oestrone and oestradiol, and of high specific activity, is present in cytosol prepared from adrenal glands of both sexes of English Shorthair and Hartley guinea pigs. The ovarian and testicular cytosolic activities of this enzyme are markedly low in comparison with the adrenal activity. The adrenal enzyme is distinct from an accompanying pregnenolone sulphotransferase as judged by f.p.l.c. gel filtration, chromatofocusing, and differences in activation brought about by the addition of thiol groups. The oestrogen sulphotransferase behaved as a 67 kDa protein on a Sephadex G100 column and as a 48 kDa protein on f.p.l.c. gel-filtration columns. Two forms of the enzyme with apparent pI values of 6.1 and 5.5 were eluted during f.p.l.c. chromatofocusing. Sequential salt fractionation, f.p.l.c. gel filtration and elution from an agarose-hexane-adenosine-3′,5′-diphosphate affinity gel has resulted in a preparation which, when resubmitted to f.p.l.c. gel filtration, yields a considerably purified oestrogen sulphotransferase. When submitted to SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions, a main protein band of 34-36 kDa is observed. It is suggested that the enzyme may exist as a dimer in the cytosol.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document