Biomedical subjects

W Saenger

Publications and source records attributed to W Saenger.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

The ordered water cluster in vitamin B12 coenzyme at 15 K is stabilized by C-H...O hydrogen bonds.

The hydrogen-bonding interactions of the ordered water cluster in the pocket region of vitamin B(12) coenzyme at 15 K are analyzed from published atomic coordinates. Several of these water molecules accept C-H.O hydrogen bonds from the pocket wall, most of which have the function to complete tetrahedral hydrogen-bond coordination. This is the largest water assembly for which the stabilizing function of C-H.O interactions has been described.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1993

Secondary structure and temperature-induced unfolding and refolding of ribonuclease T1 in aqueous solution. A Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic study.

The secondary structure of ribonuclease T1 (RNase T1) in aqueous solution and its temperature-induced structural changes have been investigated by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. 13 to 14% alpha-helix and 32 to 33% beta-sheet were estimated from the resolution-enhanced FT-IR spectra, in agreement with the crystal structure which indicates 16% alpha-helix and 35% beta-sheet. Specific IR-marker bands are assigned to the different beta-sheet structures, to the slightly bent alpha-helix, and to beta-turn and irregular conformations present in RNase T1. The temperature dependence of the infrared spectra shows that the thermal unfolding and refolding of RNase T1 is fully reversible. This permitted the detailed analysis of structural changes that occur as a function of temperature by evaluating quantitatively the various secondary structure-related amide I band components and some amino acid side-chain vibrations as specific monitors. The secondary structure of RNase T1 is essentially retained in the temperature range between 20 and 50 degrees C. Significant perturbation of protein structure is initiated between 50 and 55 degrees C within regions of beta-sheet structures while the alpha-helix remains virtually intact up to 55 degrees C suggesting a "premelting" of RNase T1. Between 55 and 60 degrees C, a highly co-operative unfolding process is indicated by the simultaneous breakdown of all secondary structure components and by distinct changes of some specific side-chain vibrations. An analysis of the amide I band contour of RNase T1 at 70 degrees C proves that the unfolded state is predominantly, but not completely, irregular or "random coil". Residual, turn-like structures persisting even in the unfolded state are suggested by minor, turn related band components in the amide I region. From IR-spectra collected along a linear temperature gradient, intensity/temperature and frequency/temperature profiles were constructed using some peptide backbone and amino acid side-chain marker bands as local, structure-sensitive monitors. From these profiles individual transition temperatures tm and transition enthalpies delta H (van't Hoff) were calculated. The tm and delta H values revealed a small but distinct hysteresis between repetitive cycles of unfolding and refolding of the protein, suggesting slow refolding kinetics of RNase T1. Furthermore, the various infrared "marker bands" indicate a slightly different response towards temperature increase/decrease for different regions of the protein. The data demonstrate that infrared spectroscopy permits both the detailed analysis of structural changes occurring in a protein as a function of temperature and the determination of thermodynamic parameters characterizing its folded/unfolded state transition.

Amides↗

PubMed1993

Structure of the complex of proteinase K with a substrate analogue hexapeptide inhibitor at 2.2-A resolution.

The crystal structure of a transition state/product complex formed by the interaction between proteinase K and the substrate analogue N-Ac-L-Pro-L-Ala-L-Pro-L-Phe-D-Ala-L-Ala-NH2 has been determined at a resolution of 2.2 A and refined to an R-factor of 0.165 for 12,725 reflections. The inhibitor forms a stable complex through a series of hydrogen bonds with protein atoms and water molecules. The inhibitor is hydrolyzed between Phe 4I and D-Ala5I (I indicates inhibitor). The two fragments are separated by a distance of 3.07 A between the carbonyl carbon and the main chain nitrogen. Both fragments remain bound to the protein. The N-terminal fragment occupies subsites S5 to S1, whereas the C-terminal part is bound in S1' and S2', the first time that electron density for a substrate analogue has been observed in the P1' and P2' sites of a subtilisin-like enzyme. The flexible segments of the substrate recognition sites Gly100-Tyr104 and Ser132-Gly136 move appreciably to accommodate the inhibitor. Biochemical results indicate an inhibition by this specifically designed peptide of 95%.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

Three-dimensional structure of the ternary complex between ribonuclease T1, guanosine 3',5'-bisphosphate and inorganic phosphate at 0.19 nm resolution.

The ternary complex formed between RNase T1, guanosine 3',5'-bisphosphate (3',5'-pGp) and Pi crystallizes in the cubic space group I23 with a = 8.706(1) nm. In a previous publication [Lenz, A., Heinemann, U., Maslowska, M. & Saenger, W. (1991) Acta Crystallogr. B47, 521-527], the structure of the complex (in which Pi was not located) was described at a resolution of 0.32 nm. This is now extended to 0.19 nm with newly grown, larger crystals. Refinement with restrained least-squares converged at R = 17.8% for 8027 reflections with [Fo[ > or = 1 sigma ([Fo[); the final model comprises 120 water molecules. 3',5'-pGp is bound to RNase T1 in the anti form, with guanine in the specific recognition site; the 3'-phosphate protrudes into the solvent, and the 5'-phosphate hydrogen bonds with Lys41 O and Asn43 N4. A tetrahedral anion assigned as Pi occupies the catalytic site and hydrogen bonds to the side chains of Tyr38, Glu58, Arg77 and His92. The overall polypeptide fold of RNase T1 in the cubic space group does not differ significantly from that in the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) except for changes < or = 0.2 nm in loop regions 69-72 and 95-98.

Guanosine Diphosphate↗

PubMed1993

Computer modeling studies on the binding of 2',5'-linked dinucleoside phosphates to ribonuclease T1-influence of subsite interactions on the substrate specificity.

The modes of binding of Gp(2',5')A, Gp(2',5')C, Gp(2',5')G and Gp(2',5')U to RNase T1 have been determined by computer modelling studies. All these dinucleoside phosphates assume extended conformations in the active site leading to better interactions with the enzyme. The 5'-terminal guanine of all these ligands is placed in the primary base binding site of the enzyme in an orientation similar to that of 2'-GMP in the RNase T1-2'-GMP complex. The 2'-terminal purines are placed close to the hydrophobic pocket formed by the residues Gly71, Ser72, Pro73 and Gly74 which occur in a loop region. However, the orientation of the 2'-terminal pyrimidines is different from that of 2'-terminal purines. This perhaps explains the higher binding affinity of the 2',5'-linked guanine dinucleoside phosphates with 2'-terminal purines than those with 2'-terminal pyrimidines. A comparison of the binding of the guanine dinucleoside phosphates with 2',5'- and 3',5'-linkages suggests significant differences in the ribose pucker and hydrogen bonding interactions between the catalytic residues and the bound nucleoside phosphate implying that 2',5'-linked dinucleoside phosphates may not be the ideal ligands to probe the role of the catalytic amino acid residues. A change in the amino acid sequence in the surface loop region formed by the residues Gly71 to Gly74 drastically affects the conformation of the base binding subsite, and this may account for the inactivity of the enzyme with altered sequence i.e., with Pro, Gly and Ser at positions 71 to 73 respectively. These results thus suggest that in addition to recognition and catalytic sites, interactions at the loop regions which constitute the subsite for base binding are also crucial in determining the substrate specificity.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed1993

Trp59 to Tyr substitution enhances the catalytic activity of RNase T1 and of the Tyr to Trp variants in positions 24, 42 and 45.

Using point mutated overproducing strains of E. coli, ribonuclease T1 was prepared with the single substitutions Tyr24Trp, Tyr42Trp, Tyr45Trp or Trp59Tyr and the corresponding double substitutions Tyr24Trp/Trp59Tyr, Tyr42Trp/Trp59Tyr and Tyr45Trp/Trp59Tyr. Steady state kinetics of the transesterification reaction for the two dinucleoside monophosphate substrates guanylyl-3',5'-cytidine and guanylyl-3',5'-adenosine indicate that the tryptophan can be introduced in different positions within the ribonuclease T1 molecule without abolishing enzymatic activity. The Trp59Tyr exchange even enhances catalysis of the cleavage reaction (kcat/Km) relative to the wild type enzyme and similar effects are found with single tyrosine to tryptophan substitutions. For the pH dependencies of the guanylyl-3',5'-cytidine transesterification reaction of wild type ribonuclease T1 and of the variants, typically bell-shaped curves are observed with a plateau in the range pH 4.5-7.0. Their shapes and slopes indicate that the enzymes are comparable in their macroscopic pKa values. At pH 7.5, the variant Tyr45Trp/Trp59Tyr shows a more than 3-fold higher transesterification activity for guanylyl-3',5'-adenosine and a 2-fold increase for guanylyl-3',5'-cytidine compared to the wild type enzyme, i.e. this variant catalyses the transesterification of the substrate guanylyl-3',5'-adenosine with the same or better efficiency as guanylyl-3',5'-cytidine.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Role of histidine-40 in ribonuclease T1 catalysis: three-dimensionalstructures of the partially active His40Lys mutant.

Histidine-40 is known to participate in phosphodiester transesterification catalyzed by the enzyme ribonuclease T1. A mutant enzyme with a lysine replacing the histidine-40 (His40Lys RNase T1) retains considerable catalytic activity [Steyaert, J., Hallenga, K., Wyns, L., & Stanssens, P. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 9064-9072]. We report on the crystal structures of His40Lys RNase T1 containing a phosphate anion and a guanosine 2'-phosphate inhibitor in the active site, respectively. Similar to previously described structures, the phosphate-containing crystals are of space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with one molecule per asymmetric unit (a = 48.27 A, b = 46.50 A, c = 41.14 A). The complex with 2'-GMP crystallized in the lower symmetry space group P2(1), with two molecules per asymmetric unit (a = 49.20 A, b = 48.19 A, c = 40.16 A, beta = 90.26). The crystal structures have been solved at 1.8- and 2.0-A resolution yielding R values of 14.5% and 16.0%, respectively. Comparison of these His40Lys structures with the corresponding wild-type structures, containing 2'-GMP [Arni, R., Heinemann, U., Tokuoka, R., & Saenger, W. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 15358-15368] and vanadate [Kostrewa, D., Hui-Woog Choe, Heinemann, U., & Saenger, W. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 7692-7600] in the active site, respectively, leads to the following conclusions. First, the His40Lys mutation causes no significant changes in the overall structure of RNase T1; second, the Lys40 side chains in the mutant structures occupy roughly the same space as His40 in the corresponding wild-type RNase T1 structures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Binding Sites↗

PubMed1992

Crystalline beta-cyclodextrin.12H2O reversibly dehydrates to beta-cyclodextrin.10.5 H2O under ambient conditions.

In contact with mother liquor, crystalline beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) hydrate has composition approximately beta-CD.12H2O. If crystals are dried at ambient conditions (18 degrees C, approximately 50% humidity), the unit cell volume diminishes approximately 30 to 50 A3. X-ray structure analysis of a dry crystal (0.89 A resolution, 4617 data, R = 0.059) showed the composition beta-CD.10.5 H2O, with approximately 5.5 water molecules in the beta-CD cavity (7 partially and 2 fully occupied sites) and approximately 5.0 between the beta-CD molecules. The positions of the beta-CD host and of most of the hydration waters are conserved during dehydration, but the occupancies of the waters in the beta-CD cavity diminish. Dry crystals put into solvent re-hydrate to the original form. The mechanism of de- and re-hydration is not evident.

Crystallization↗

PubMed1992

Crystal structure of the factor for inversion stimulation FIS at 2.0 A resolution.

The factor for inversion stimulation (FIS) binds as a homodimeric molecule to a loose 15 nucleotide consensus sequence in DNA. It stimulates DNA-related processes, such as DNA inversion and excision, it activates transcription of tRNA and rRNA genes and it regulates its own synthesis. FIS crystallizes as a homodimer, with 2 x 98 amino acid residues in the asymmetric unit. The crystal structure was determined with multiple isomorphous replacement and refined to an R-factor of 19.2% against all the 12,719 X-ray data (no sigma-cutoff) extending to 2.0 A resolution. The two monomers are related by a non-crystallographic dyad axis. The structure of the dimer is modular, with the first 23 amino acid residues in molecule M1 and the first 24 in molecule M2 disordered and not "seen" in the electron density. The polypeptide folds into four alpha-helices, with alpha A, alpha A' (amino acid residues 26 to 40) and alpha B, alpha B' (49 to 69) forming the core of the FIS dimer, which is stabilized by hydrophobic forces. To the core are attached "classical" helix-turn-helix motifs, alpha C, alpha D (73 to 81 and 84 to 94) and alpha C', alpha D'. The connections linking the helices are structured by two beta-turns for alpha A/alpha B, and alpha C1 type extensions are observed at the C termini of helices alpha B, alpha C and alpha D. Helices alpha D and alpha D' contain 2 x 6 positive charges; they are separated by 24 A and can bind adjacent major grooves in B-type DNA if it is bent 90 degrees. The modular structure of FIS is also reflected by mutation experiments; mutations in the N-terminal part and alpha A interfere with FIS binding to invertases, and mutations in the helix-turn-helix motif interfere with DNA binding.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

The binding of triazine herbicides to the photosynthetic reaction center of Rhodopseudomonas viridis. Energy minimization studies.

The binding of six herbicides of the triazine family to the photosynthetic reaction center of Rhodopseudomonas viridis was investigated with energy-minimization techniques, in order to correlate experimental with calculated data. The inhibitors were modeled in the active site according to the X-ray structure analysis of the complex formed between the triazine terbutryn (2-ethylamino-4-t-butylamino-6-methylthio-s-triazine) and the reaction center of R. viridis [Michel, H., Epp. O. & Deisenhofer, J. (1986) EMBO J. 5, 2445-2451]. 40 different energy minimizations were carried out with varying cutoff radii, partial charges on inhibitor atoms and dielectric constants, i.e. 10 different combinations of these were tested. The impact of these parameters on the calculated binding and interaction energy was either examined for all protein/triazine complexes or, in the case of the dielectric constant, a smaller sample was used. The calculated energies are dominated by van der Waals interactions, which change by up to 20% when extending the cutoff radius from 0.8 nm to 1.5 nm. The use of uniform or distance-dependent dielectric constant or partial charges on the inhibitor atoms does not severely influence the resulting structures, but shows a great impact on the calculated energies. In the two groups of triazines, each containing three inhibitors with methoxy or methylthio substituents, correlations of biological and calculated data were found quite often, but only once with all six triazines. The energy-minimized structures were compared and analysed. A third hydrogen bond, not seen in the X-ray analysis of the reaction center/tertubryn complex, was found between the t-butylamino moiety of terbutryn (and equivalent moieties in the other triazines) and the carbonyl oxygen of TyrL222.

Chemical Phenomena↗

PubMed1992

Modes of mononucleotide binding to ribonuclease T1.

The binding of the mononucleotide inhibitors 2'-GMP, 3'-GMP, and 5'-GMP to genetically engineered ribonuclease T1 has been investigated by conventional inhibition kinetics, fluorimetric titrations, molecular modeling, and fast relaxation techniques. The fluorimetric titrations in conjunction with molecular modeling revealed that apart from the already known primary binding site, three to four additional sites are present on the enzyme's surface. The association constants obtained from the fluorimetric titrations and the temperature jump experiments range between 3.1 x 10(6) M-1 and 4.3 x 10(6) M-1, indicating that the binding of the mononucleotides to the specific binding site of ribonuclease T1 is at least one order of magnitude tighter than has been anticipated so far. The kinetics of binding are nearly diffusion controlled with a kon determined for 2'-GMP and 3'-GMP, as (5.0 +/- 0.5 x 10(9) and 6.1 +/- 0.5 x 10(9) M-1, s-1 and koff as 1.2 +/- 0.2 x 10(3) and 2.0 +/- 0.3 x 10(3) s-1, respectively. Molecular modeling studies indicate that all three nucleotides are able to bind via their phosphate group to a positively charged array of surface amino acids including His27, His40, Lys41, and most probably Lys25 without obvious stereochemical hindrance. We propose that RNA wraps around RNase T1 in a similar fashion via phosphate binding when enzymatic hydrolysis occurs.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed1992

RNase T1 mutant Glu46Gln binds the inhibitors 2'GMP and 2'AMP at the 3' subsite.

On the basis of molecular dynamics and free-energy perturbation approaches, the Glu46Gln (E46Q) mutation in the guanine-specific ribonuclease T1 (RNase T1) was predicted to render the enzyme specific for adenine. The E46Q mutant was genetically engineered and characterized biochemically and crystallographically by investigating the structures of its two complexes with 2'AMP and 2'GMP. The ribonuclease E46Q mutant is nearly inactive towards dinucleoside phosphate substrates but shows 17% residual activity towards RNA. It binds 2'AMP and 2'GMP equally well with dissociation constants of 49 microM and 37 microM, in contrast to the wild-type enzyme, which strongly discriminates between these two nucleotides, yielding dissociation constants of 36 microM and 0.6 microM. These data suggest that the E46Q mutant binds the nucleotides not to the specific recognition site but to the subsite at His92. This was confirmed by the crystal structures, which also showed that the Gln46 amide is hydrogen bonded to the Phe100 N and O atoms, and tightly anchored in this position. This interaction may either have locked the guanine recognition site so that 2'AMP and 2'GMP are unable to insert, or the contribution to guanine recognition of Glu46 is so important that the E46Q mutant is unable to function in recognition of either guanine and adenine.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

PubMed1992

A vibrating flexible chain in a molecular cage: crystal structure of the complex cyclomaltoheptaose (beta-cyclodextrin)-1,4-butanediol.6.25H2O.

A single crystal X-ray diffraction study of the title complex carried out at room temperature revealed space group P2(1), a = 21.199(12), b = 9.973(3), c = 15.271(8) A, beta = 110.87(3) degrees, V = 3017(3) A3, 4681 unique reflections with Fo greater than 1 sigma (Fo). The structure was refined to R = 0.069, resolution lambda/2sin theta max = 0.89 A. The crystal packing is of the cage type and is isomorphous to that of beta-cyclodextrin (beta CD) dodecahydrate. One 1,4-butanediol and approximately 1.25 water molecules are enclosed in each beta CD cavity. The hydroxyl groups of the 1,4-butanediol molecule are located at each end of the cavity and form hydrogen bonds with neighboring water and beta CD molecules. The flexible (CH2)4 moiety vibrates extensively in the central part of the cavity. Water molecules and hydroxyl groups are chelated between O-6 and O-5 of at least five glucose residues.

Butylene Glycols↗

PubMed1992

His92Ala mutation in ribonuclease T1 induces segmental flexibility. An X-ray study.

In the genetically mutated ribonuclease T1 His92Ala (RNase T1 His92Ala), deletion of the active site His92 imidazole leads to an inactive enzyme. Attempts to crystallize RNase T1 His92Ala under conditions used for wild-type enzyme failed, and a modified protocol produced two crystal forms, one obtained with polyethylene glycol (PEG), and the other with phosphate as precipitants. Space groups are identical to wild-type RNase T1, P2(1)2(1)2(1), but unit cell dimensions differ significantly, associated with different molecular packings in the crystals; they are a = 31.04 A, b = 62.31 A, c = 43.70 A for PEG-derived crystals and a = 32.76 A, b = 55.13 A, c = 43.29 A for phosphate-derived crystals, compared to a = 48.73 A, b = 46.39 A, c = 41.10 A for uncomplexed wild-type RNase T1. The crystal structures were solved by molecular replacement and refined by stereochemically restrained least-squares methods based on Fo greater than or equal to sigma (Fo) of 3712 reflections in the resolution range 10 to 2.2 A (R = 15.8%) for the PEG-derived crystal and based on Fo greater than or equal to sigma (Fo) of 6258 reflections in the resolution range 10 to 1.8 A (R = 14.8%) for the phosphate-derived crystal. The His92Ala mutation deletes the hydrogen bond His92N epsilon H ... O Asn99 of wild-type RNase T1, thereby inducing structural flexibility and conformational changes in the loop 91 to 101 which is located at the periphery of the globular enzyme. This loop is stabilized in the wild-type protein by two beta-turns of which only one is retained in the crystals obtained with PEG. In the crystals grown with phosphate as precipitant, both beta-turns are deleted and the segment Gly94-Ala95-Ser96-Gly97 is so disordered that it is not seen at all. In addition, the geometry of the guanine binding site in both mutant studies is different from "empty" wild-type RNase T1 but similar to that found in complexes with guanosine derivatives: the Glu46 side-chain carboxylate hydrogen bonds to Tyr42 O eta; water molecules that are present in the guanine binding site of "empty" wild-type RNase T1 are displaced; the Asn43-Asn44 peptide is flipped such that phi/psi-angles of Asn44 are in alpha L-conformation (that is observed in wild-type enzyme when guanine is bound).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

PubMed1992

Structure of ribonuclease T1 complexed with zinc(II) at 1.8 A resolution: a Zn2+.6H2O.carboxylate clathrate.

In order to study the inhibitory effect of Zn2+ on ribonuclease T1 [RNase T1; Itaya & Inoue (1982). Biochem. J. 207, 357-362], the enzyme was cocrystallized with 2 mM Zn2+, pH 5.2, from a solution containing 55% (v/v) 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol. The crystals are orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 48.71 (1), b = 46.51 (1), c = 41.14 (1) A, Z = 4, V = 93203 A3. The crystal structure was determined by molecular replacement and refined by restrained least-squares methods based on Fhkl for 8291 unique reflections with Fo greater than or equal to 1 sigma (Fo) in the resolution range 10 to 1.8 A and converged at a crystallographic R factor of 0.140. The Zn2+ is not bonded to the active site of RNase T1, probably because the His40 and His92 side chains are protonated. Zn2+ occupies the same site as Ca2+ in a series of crystal structures of free and nucleotide-complexed RNase T1. It is coordinated to Asp15 carboxylate and to six water molecules forming a dodecahedron of square antiprismatic form. The Zn2+...O distances are approximately 2.5 A, suggesting that Zn2+ is clathrated and not coordinated, which would require distances of 2.0 A.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Enzymatic synthesis of low molecular weight amyloses with modified terminal groups.

Low molecular weight amyloses with modified terminal groups were synthesized by cyclomaltohexaose (alpha-cyclodextrin) transfer using (1----4)-alpha-D-glucan: 4-alpha-D-(1----4)- alpha-D-glucopyranosyltransferase (cyclising) (EC 2.4.1.19) from Bacillus macerans. 4-Nitrophenyl alpha-malto-oligosaccharides d.p. 2-7 served as acceptors, and cyclomaltohexaose served as the donor. The reaction was optimized to obtain a majority of species of definite chain lengths in a range of d.p. 10-20, depending upon the chain length of the acceptor. The course of the coupling reactions, as well as the action of the enzyme in disproportionation, cyclisation, and hydrolysis of the products, were observed by h.p.l.c. analysis of the oligomer distributions. Using a 15-fold molar excess of cyclomaltohexaose and 0.5 units enzyme per mumol of acceptor at pH 5.2, the chromatograms revealed that the products of the coupling reaction were predominant during the first reaction period. By incubating the acceptors with the enzyme, but without the donor, the mechanism of disproportionation was elucidated as a transfer of malto-oligosaccharyl residues dependent upon the substrate chain length. The minimum chain length required for a direct cyclisation reaction was d.p. 7. The results were confirmed by separation and investigation of the products of hydrolysis and cyclisation, which were nonmodified alpha-malto-oligosaccharides and cyclomalto-oligosaccharides.

Amylose↗

PubMed1992

Residue solvent accessibilities in the unfolded polypeptide chain.

The difference of solvent accessibilities in the native and unfolded states of the protein is used as a measure of the hydrophobic contribution to the free energy of folding. We present a new approximation of amino acids solvent accessibilities in the unfolded state based on the 1-ns molecular dynamics simulation of Ala-X-Ala tripeptides at a temperature of 368 K. The standard accessibility values averaged from the molecular dynamics study are significantly lower from those previously obtained by considering only selected conformations of Ala-X-Ala tripeptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Modes of binding of 2'-AMP to RNase T1. A computer modeling study.

The modes of binding of adenosine 2'-monophosphate (2'-AMP) to the enzyme ribonuclease (RNase) T1 were determined by computer modelling studies. The phosphate moiety of 2'-AMP binds at the primary phosphate binding site. However, adenine can occupy two distinct sites--(1) The primary base binding site where the guanine of 2'-GMP binds and (2) The subsite close to the N1 subsite for the base on the 3'-side of guanine in a guanyl dinucleotide. The minimum energy conformers corresponding to the two modes of binding of 2'-AMP to RNase T1 were found to be of nearly the same energy implying that in solution 2'-AMP binds to the enzyme in both modes. The conformation of the inhibitor and the predicted hydrogen bonding scheme for the RNase T1-2'-AMP complex in the second binding mode (S) agrees well with the reported x-ray crystallographic study. The existence of the first mode of binding explains the experimental observations that RNase T1 catalyses the hydrolysis of phosphodiester bonds adjacent to adenosine at high enzyme concentrations. A comparison of the interactions of 2'-AMP and 2'-GMP with RNase T1 reveals that Glu58 and Asn98 at the phosphate binding site and Glu46 at the base binding site preferentially stabilise the enzyme-2'-GMP complex.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗