Influence of mutations in tissue factor on the fine specificity of macromolecular substrate activation
The C-terminal fibronectin-type-III-like module of the tissue factor (TF) extracellular domain plays a requisite role in the activation of macromolecular substrates by factor VIIa (VIIa) in complex with TF. Unlike the mutations Lys165→Ala, Lys166→Ala in TF, which prevent efficient proteolysis of factor X, we found that the coagulant defect of a site-specific Trp158→Arg, Ser160→Gly replacement mutant of TF is largely attributable to the inability of TF to efficiently support the activation of the bound zymogen VII to the active protease VIIa. Binding studies demonstrated comparable affinity of binding of VIIa or VII by wild-type TF and TFR158G160. In comparison with wild-type TF, the catalytic efficiency of factor X activation was reduced 56-fold with TFA165A166 as the cofactor, but only 3.5-fold with TFR158G160. The activation of VII bound to TF by factor Xa or VIIa was reduced 2-fold in the presence of TFR158G160 and 7Ő8-fold with TFA165A166. This suggests that the molecular recognition of VII in complex with TF by the enzymes TFŐVIIa and factor Xa are similar. Generation of factor IXa by TFR158G160ŐVIIa was unaltered, but reduced 2-fold with TFA165A166. In addition, the mutations affected the cleavage of the two scissile bonds of factor IX differently, providing further support for the idea that the cofactor, TF, influences the fine specificity of activation of macromolecular substrates by the TFŐVIIa complex.