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Biomedical subjects

Amy E Schmidt

Publications and source records attributed to Amy E Schmidt.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Structural role of Gly(193) in serine proteases: investigations of a G555E (GLY193 in chymotrypsin) mutant of blood coagulation factor XI.

In serine proteases, Gly(193) is highly conserved with few exceptions. A patient with inherited deficiency of the coagulation serine protease factor XI (FXI) was reported to be homozygous for a Gly(555) --> Glu substitution. Gly(555) in FXI corresponds to Gly(193) in chymotrypsin, which is the numbering system used subsequently. To investigate the abnormality in FXI(G193E), we expressed and purified recombinant FXIa(G193E), activated it to FXIa(G193E), and compared its activity to wild type-activated FXI (FXIa(WT)). FXIa(G193E) activated FIX with approximately 300-fold reduced k(cat) and similar K(m), and hydrolyzed synthetic substrate with approximately 10-fold reduced K(m) and modestly reduced k(cat). Binding of antithrombin and the amyloid beta-precursor protein Kunitz domain inhibitor (APPI) to FXIa(G193E) was impaired approximately 8000- and approximately 100000-fold, respectively. FXIa(G193E) inhibition by diisopropyl fluoro-phosphate was approximately 30-fold slower and affinity for p-aminobenzamidine (S1 site probe) was 6-fold weaker than for FXIa(WT). The rate of carbamylation of NH(2)-Ile(16), which forms a salt bridge with Asp(194) in active serine proteases, was 4-fold faster for FXIa(G193E). These data indicate that the unoccupied active site of FXIa(G193E) is incompletely formed, and the amide N of Glu(193) may not point toward the oxyanion hole. Inclusion of saturating amounts of p-aminobenzamidine resulted in comparable rates of carbamylation for FXIa(WT) and FXIa(G193E), suggesting that the occupied active site has near normal conformation. Thus, binding of small synthetic substrates or inhibitors provides sufficient energy to allow the amide N of Glu(193) to point correctly toward the oxyanion hole. Homology modeling also indicates that the inability of FXIa(G193E) to bind antithrombin/APPI or activate FIX is caused, in part, by impaired accessibility of the S2' site because of a steric clash with Glu(193). Such arguments will apply to other serine proteases with substitutions of Gly(193) with a non-glycine residue.

Animals↗

Structure-function analysis of the reactive site in the first Kunitz-type domain of human tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2.

Human tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 (TFPI-2) is a Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor that regulates a variety of serine proteinases involved in coagulation and fibrinolysis through their non-productive interaction with a P(1) residue (Arg-24) in its first Kunitz-type domain (KD1). Previous kinetic studies revealed that TFPI-2 was a more effective inhibitor of plasmin than several other serine proteinases, but the molecular basis for this specificity was unclear. In this study, we employed molecular modeling and mutagenesis strategies to produce several variants of human TFPI-2 KD1 in an effort to identify interactive site residues other than the P(1) Arg that contribute significantly to its inhibitory activity and specificity. Molecular modeling of KD1 based on the crystal structure of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor revealed that KD1 formed a more energetically favorable complex with plasmin versus trypsin and/or the factor VIIa-tissue factor complex primarily due to strong ionic interactions between Asp-19 (P(6)) and Arg residues in plasmin (Arg-644, Arg-719, and Arg-767), Arg-24 (P(1)) with Asp-735 in plasmin, and Arg-29 (P(5)') with Glu-606 in plasmin. In addition, Leu-26 through Leu-28 (P(2)'-P(4)') in KD1 formed strong van der Waals contact with a hydrophobic cluster in plasmin (Phe-583, Met-585, and Phe-587). Mutagenesis of Asp-19, Tyr-20, Arg-24, Arg-29, and Leu-26 in KD1 resulted in substantial reductions in plasmin inhibitory activity relative to wild-type KD1, but the Asp-19 and Tyr-20 mutations revealed the importance of these residues in the specific inhibition of plasmin. In addition to the reactive site residues in the P(6)-P(5)' region of KD1, mutation of a highly conserved Phe at the P(18)' position revealed the importance of this residue in the inhibition of serine proteinases by KD1. Thus, together with the P(1) residue, the nature of other residues flanking the P(1) residue, particularly at P(6) and P(5)', strongly influences the inhibitory activity and specificity of human TFPI-2.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structure-function relationships in factor IX and factor IXa.

Factor IX (FIX) consists of an N-terminal gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) domain followed by two epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains, and the C-terminal serine protease domain. During physiologic coagulation, one of the activators of FIX is the FVIIa/tissue factor (TF) complex. In this reaction, the Gla and EGF1 domains of FIX are thought to interact with TF. The FIXa that is generated then combines with FVIIIa on the platelet surface to activate FX in the coagulation cascade. In this assembly, the protease domain and possibly the EGF2 domain of FIXa are thought to provide the primary specificity in binding to FVIIIa. Disruption of the interaction of FIX/FX with TF and of the FIXa:FVIIIa interface may provide a pharmacologic target as an alternative strategy for the development of antithrombotic agents.

Blood Coagulation↗

Thermodynamic linkage between the S1 site, the Na+ site, and the Ca2+ site in the protease domain of human activated protein C (APC). Sodium ion in the APC crystal structure is coordinated to four carbonyl groups from two separate loops.

The serine protease domain of activated protein C (APC) contains a Na+ and a Ca2+ site. However, the number and identity of the APC residues that coordinate to Na+ is not precisely known. Further, the functional link between the Na+ and the Ca2+ site is insufficiently defined, and their linkage to the substrate S1 site has not been studied. Here, we systematically investigate the functional significance of these two cation sites and their thermodynamic links to the S1 site. Kinetic data reveal that Na+ binds to the substrate-occupied APC with K(d) values of approximately 24 mm in the absence and approximately 6 mm in the presence of Ca2+. Sodium-occupied APC has approximately 100-fold increased catalytic efficiency ( approximately 4-fold decrease in K(m) and approximately 25-fold increase in k(cat)) in hydrolyzing S-2288 (H-d-Ile-Pro-Arg-p-nitroanilide) and Ca2+ further increases this k(cat) slightly ( approximately 1.2-fold). Ca2+ binds to the protease domain of APC with K(d) values of approximately 438 microm in the absence and approximately 105 microm in the presence of Na+. Ca2+ binding to the protease domain of APC does not affect K(m) but increases the k(cat) approximately 10-fold, and Na+ further increases this k(cat) approximately 3-fold and decreases the K(m) value approximately 3.7-fold. In agreement with the K(m) data, sodium-occupied APC has approximately 4-fold increased affinity in binding to p-aminobenzamidine (S1 probe). Crystallographically, the Ca2+ site in APC is similar to that in trypsin, and the Na+ site is similar to that in factor Xa but not thrombin. Collectively, the Na+ site is thermodynamically linked to the S1 site as well as to the protease domain Ca2+ site, whereas the Ca2+ site is only linked to the Na+ site. The significance of these findings is that under physiologic conditions, most of the APC will exist in Na2+-APC-Ca2+ form, which has 110-fold increased proteolytic activity.

4-Aminobenzoic Acid↗

The N-terminal epidermal growth factor-like domain in factor IX and factor X represents an important recognition motif for binding to tissue factor.

Factors VII, IX, and X play key roles in blood coagulation. Each protein contains an N-terminal gamma-carboxyglutamic acid domain, followed by EGF1 and EGF2 domains, and the C-terminal serine protease domain. Protein C has similar domain structure and functions as an anticoagulant. During physiologic clotting, the factor VIIa-tissue factor (FVIIa*TF) complex activates both factor IX (FIX) and factor X (FX). FVIIa represents the enzyme, and TF represents the membrane-bound cofactor for this reaction. The substrates FIX and FX may utilize multiple domains in binding to the FVIIa*TF complex. To investigate the role of the EGF1 domain in this context, we expressed wild type FIX (FIX(WT)), FIX(Q50P), FIX(PCEGF1) (EGF1 domain replaced with that of protein C), FIX(DeltaEGF1) (EGF1 domain deleted), FX(WT), and FX(PCEGF1). Complexes of FVIIa with TF as well as with soluble TF (sTF) lacking the transmembrane region were prepared, and activations of WT and mutant proteins were monitored by SDS-PAGE and by enzyme assays. FVIIa*TF or FVIIa*sTF activated each mutant significantly more slowly than the FIX(WT) or FX(WT). Importantly, in ligand blot assays, FIX(WT) and FX(WT) bound to sTF, whereas mutants did not; however, all mutants and WT proteins bound to FVIIa. Further experiments revealed that the affinity of the mutants for sTF was reduced 3-10-fold and that the synthetic EGF1 domain (of FIX) inhibited FIX binding to sTF with K(i) of approximately 60 microm. Notably, each FIXa or FXa mutant activated FVII and bound to antithrombin, normally indicating correct folding of each protein. In additional experiments, FIXa with or without FVIIIa activated FX(WT) and FX(PCEGF1) normally, which is interpreted to mean that the EGF1 domain of FX does not play a significant role in its interaction with FVIIIa. Cumulatively, our data reveal that substrates FIX and FX in addition to interacting with FVIIa (enzyme) interact with TF (cofactor) using, in part, the EGF1 domain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗