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Modelling and engineering of enzyme/substrate interactions in subtilisin-like enzymes of unknown 3-dimensional structure.

Homology modelling was used to predict enzyme-substrate interactions in three entirely different subtilisin-like enzymes of unknown three-dimensional structure. i.e. (a) cell-envelope proteinase of Lactococcus lactis, (b) putative leader peptidase for pre-nisin from L. lactis, and (c) human furin. Models were based on known three-dimensional structures of subtilisins and thermitase in complex with inhibitors. Detailed analysis of interactions of the P1-P4 residues of model substrates with the S1-S4 binding sites in each enzyme suggest that electrostatic interactions at all four binding sites can contribute to binding and hence to specificity. In particular, one or more negative charges in the S1 or S4 pockets can lead to a high selectivity for Arg residues in the substrate. Many of the predicted interactions have been confirmed by engineering of either enzyme, substrate or both.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Improved leader and putative terminator sequences for high-level production of Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor in Escherichia coli.

A high-level production system in Escherichia coli for an alkaline serine protease inhibitor, termed Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor (SSI), from S. albogriseolus S-3253 was established by replacing the SSI signal sequence with the OmpA signal sequence using the inducible pIN-III-ompA vector. Significant amounts of recombinant SSI, resulting from accurate cleavage of the OmpA signal peptide, were accumulated in the periplasmic space or excreted into the culture medium. The inhibitory activity of the processed protein against subtilisin BPN' was identical with that of authentic SSI. Furthermore, deletion of one of the putative dual terminators (terminator 1) resulted in a 1.9-fold increase in production. This effect on SSI gene expression efficiency was found to be governed mainly at the transcription level.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Kinetics of subtilisin and thiolsubtilisin.

Subtilisin is a bacterial serine protease with a broad specificity in the S1 subsite. It has been very extensively studied using a variety of kinetic and physical techniques. A chemical derivative, thiolsubtilisin, has been subjected to similar studies in order to analyze the effects of the OH to SH conversion on enzyme activity. The native structure of thiolsubtilisin is indicated by a variety of physical techniques. Oligopeptides bind nearly equally well to both enzymes, and a peptide chloromethylketone is much more reactive to thiolsubtilisin than to subtilisin. Both enzymes have a similar level of activity towards activated nonspecific amides and esters. However, thiolsubtilisin is inactive towards highly specific peptide amides and esters. Thiolsubtilisin also does not show good binding to boronic and arsonic acids. The observation that these transition state analog inhibitors bind poorly to thiolsubtilisin while other compounds bind nearly equally well to both enzymes suggests that thiolsubtilisin may not be able to stabilize the transition state during acylation by specific substrates.

Acylation↗

Furin is a subtilisin-like proprotein processing enzyme in higher eukaryotes.

The human fur gene encodes a protein, designated furin, the C-terminal half of which contains a transmembrane and a cysteine-rich receptor-like domain. The N-terminal half of furin exhibits striking primary amino acid sequence similarity to the catalytic domains of members of the subtilisin family of serine proteases. We here report characteristics of the furin protein and propose a three-dimensional model for its presumptive catalytic domain with characteristics, that predict furin to exhibit an endoproteolytic cleavage selectivity at paired basic residues. This prediction is substantiated by transfection and cotransfection experiments, using COS-1 cells. Full length fur cDNA evokes the specific synthesis of two polypeptides of about 100 kDa and 90 kDa as appeared from Western blot analysis of transfected COS-1 cells using a polyclonal anti-furin antiserum. Functional analysis of furin was performed by cotransfection of fur cDNA with cDNA encoding the 'wild type' precursor of von Willebrand factor (pro-vWF) and revealed an increased proteolytic processing of provWF. In contrast, cotransfection of fur cDNA with a recombinant derivative (provWFgly763), having the arginine residue adjacent to the proteolytic cleavage site (arg-ser-lys-arg) replaced by glycine, revealed that provWFgly763 is not processed by the fur gene product. We conclude that in higher eukaryotes, furin is the prototype of a subtilisin-like class of proprotein processing enzymes with substrate specificity for paired basic residues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Increased susceptibility to degradation by trypsin and subtilisin of in vitro peroxidized myelin proteins.

We examined the possibility that the peroxidative damage to central nervous system myelin produced by reactive oxygen species (ROS), could modify the susceptibility of its proteins to the proteolytic action of proteases such as trypsin and subtilisin. Purified myelin membranes obtained from adult rat brains were "in vitro" peroxidized by two non-enzymatic systems: Fe3+ plus ascorbic acid and Cu2+ plus hydrogen peroxide. Myelin proteins were severely affected by peroxidation. There was an increase in the amount of carbonyl groups (CO), accompanied by an enhanced susceptibility to degradation by trypsin and subtilisin of myelin basic proteins (MBP) and of the major proteolipid protein (PLP). The effect upon the degradation of myelin protein is a possible consequence of the appearance in the structure of myelin proteins of peroxidative modifications that contribute to the recognition by proteolytic enzymes. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that if peroxidation of myelin membranes is done in the presence of EDTA, both CO formation and increased sensitivity to enzymatic breakdown disappear. These results suggest that the appearance of abnormal post-translational modifications in the myelin membrane produced by peroxidation could constitute a putative mechanism of modulating the capacity of myelin proteins to be metabolized by proteases.

Animals↗

Thrombin and H64A subtilisin cleavage of fusion proteins for preparation of human recombinant parathyroid hormone.

Human parathyroid hormone, hPTH, an 84 amino acid polypeptide, was produced intracellularly in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein, linked to the C-terminus of a 15 kD IgG-binding protein. Approximately 100 mg fusion protein was obtained per liter fermentation medium. To test the efficiency of two alternative enzymatic cleavage methods, two fusion proteins differing only in the linker region were constructed. Cleavage of a Phe-Phe-Pro-Arg linker was obtained with bovine thrombin and cleavage of a Phe-Ala-His-Tyr linker with recombinant H64A subtilisin. Both enzymes yielded the correct N-terminus and cleaved their respective linkers quantitatively, although additional internal cleavage sites in hPTH were detected and characterized. The linker cleavage conditions were optimized and hPTH was purified to homogeneity. Thrombin cleavage resulted in a final yield of 5 mg hPTH/L, while H64A subtilisin cleavage was more specific and gave 8 mg/L. The purified recombinant product was identical to native hPTH and exhibited full biological activity in an adenylate cyclase assay.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Refolding of trypsin-subtilisin inhibitor from marine turtle eggwhite.

Trypsin-subtilisin inhibitor from marine turtle eggwhite refolded quantitatively from its fully reduced state at pH 8.5 in the presence of reduced and oxidized glutathione. The refolding process was studied by following the accompanying changes in inhibitory activity, fluorescence, sulfhydryl group titer, and hydrodynamic volume. The refolding process followed second-order kinetics with rate constants of 4.80 x 10(2) M-1 sec-1 for trypsin-inhibiting domain and 0.77 x 10(2) M-1 sec-1 for subtilisin-inhibiting domain of the inhibitor at 30 degrees C and their respective activation energies of the refolding process were 15.9 and 21.6 kcal/mol. Fluorescence intensity of the reduced inhibitor decreased with time of refolding until it corresponded to the intensity of the native inhibitor. The inhibitor contained 1-2% alpha-helix, 40-42% beta-sheet, and 57-58% random coil structure. Refolded inhibitor gave a circular dichroic spectrum identical to that of the native inhibitor. A number of principal intermediates were detected as a function of the refolding time. Size-exclusion chromatography separated the intermediates differing in hydrodynamic volume (Stokes radius). The Stokes radius ranged from 23 A (fully reduced inhibitor) to 18.8 A (native inhibitor). Results indicated the independent refolding of two domains of the inhibitor and multiple pathways of folding were followed rather than an ordered sequential pathway.

Animals↗

Improving the activity of immobilized subtilisin by site-directed attachment through a genetically engineered affinity tag.

An octapeptide affinity tag, Asp-Tyr-Lys-Asp-Asp-Asp-Asp-Lys (temied FLAG), was genetically fused to the C-terminus of subtilisin BPN' (SBT) from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The fusion protein SBT-FLAG was immobilized to nonporous polystyrene and silica beads both in a site-directed and a random fashion. Site-directed immobilization was achieved by employing the interaction between protein A and a monoclonal antibody specific for the FLAG peptide, while random immobilization was obtained by using glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking reagent. The activity of the immobilized enzymes was compared. It was found that the site-directed subtilisin had higher catalytic efficiency, kcat/KM, which was more than 7-fold of that of the randomly immobilized enzyme. It was also noted that the site-directly immobilized enzyme had superior storage stability over the homogeneous enzyme.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The two main endoproteases present in dark-induced senescent wheat leaves are distinct subtilisin-like proteases.

We have previously reported the occurrence of two serine endoproteases (referred to as P1 and P2) in dark-induced senescent wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) leaves. P1 enzyme was already purified and identified as a subtilisin-like serine endoprotease (Roberts et al. in Physiol Plant 118:483-490, 2003). In this paper, we demonstrate by Western blot analysis of extracts obtained from dark-induced senescent leaves that an antiserum raised against P1 was able to recognise a second protein band of 78 kDa which corresponded to P2 activity. This result suggested that both enzymes must be structurally related. Therefore, we purified and characterised P2 activity. According to its biochemical and physical properties (inhibition by chymostatin and PMSF, broad pH range of activity, thermostability and ability to hydrolyse Suc-AAPF-pNA) P2 was classified as a serine protease with chymotrypsin-like activity. In addition, P2 was identified by mass spectrometry as a subtilisin-like protease distinct from P1. Western blot analysis demonstrated that P1 appeared in extracts from non-detached dark-induced senescent leaves but was undetectable in leaves senescing after nitrogen (N) deprivation. In contrast, P2 was already present in non-senescent leaves and showed increased levels in leaves senescing after N starvation or incubation in darkness. P1 signal was detected at late stages of ethephon or methyl jasmonate-induced senescence but was undetectable in senescent leaves from plants treated with abscisic acid. None of the three hormones have any effect on P2 protein levels. These results indicate that despite their biochemical and structural similarities, both enzymes are probably involved in different physiological roles.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Enzyme-substrate interactions in the hydrolysis of peptide substrates by thermitase, subtilisin BPN', and proteinase K.

Peptide substrates of the general structure acetyl-Alan (n = 2-5), acetyl-Pro-Ala-Pro-Phe-Alan-NH2 (n = 0-3), and acetyl-Pro-Ala-Pro-Phe-AA-NH2 (AA = various amino acids) were synthesized and used to investigate the enzyme-substrate interactions of the microbial serine proteases thermitase, subtilisin BPN', and proteinase K on the C-terminal side of the scissile bond. The elongation of the substrate peptide chain up to the second amino acid on the C-terminal side (P'2) enhances the hydrolysis rate of thermitase and subtilisin BPN', whereas for proteinase K an additional interaction with the third amino acid (P'3) is possible. The enzyme subsite S'1 specificity of the proteases investigated is very similar. With respect to kcat/Km values small amino acid residues such as Ala and Gly are favored in this position. Bulky residues such as Phe and Leu were hydrolyzed to a lower extent. Proline in P'1 abolishes the hydrolysis of the substrates. Enzyme-substrate interactions on the C-terminal side of the scissile bond appear to affect kcat more than Km for all three enzymes.

Chymotrypsin↗

An unusual fluorescence spectrum of a protein proteinase inhibitor, Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor.

Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor, a dimeric protein proteinase inhibitor isolated in crystalline form by Murae et al. in 1972, contains three tyrosine and one tryptophan residues per monomer unit and has unusual fluorescence properties. When excited at 280 nm, it shows a characteristic fluorescence spectrum having a peak at 307 nm and a shoulder near 340 nm, a feature which has been recognized only for a very few cases in proteins containing both tryosine and tryptophan residues. When excited at 295 nm, at which tryrosine scarcely absorbs, the inhibitor shows an emission spectrum with a peak at 340 nm characteristic of a tryptophan residue. The emission with a peak at 307 nm is considered to arise from the tryrosine residues. The tryptophan quantum yield of Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor excited at 295 nm is very small, indicating that the tryptophan florescence is strongly quenched in the native state of the inhibitor. Below pH 4 the peak of the fluorescence spectrum of the inhibitor excited at 280 nm shifts toward 340-350 nm with a concomitant increase in the quantum yield. The structural change induced by low pH seems to release the tryptophan fluorescence from the quenching.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Enzymatic oxidation of the bifunctional wheat inhibitor of subtilisin and endogenous alpha-amylase.

Oxidation of the bifunctional wheat inhibitor of subtilisin and endogenous alpha-amylase catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase results in the loss of the inhibitory activity against both enzymes. The enzymatic oxidation is accompanied by modification of one methionine and two tryptophan residues in the protein. The results obtained, together with data on chemical modification and limited proteolysis, allow us to conclude that Met34-Ala35 is the reactive site of the inhibitor responsible for the interaction with subtilisin. It is supposed that the reactive site of the inhibitor responsible for the interaction with alpha-amylase contains one or two tryptophan residues.

Chromatography, Affinity↗

Renaturation of the mature subtilisin BPN' immobilized on agarose beads.

We report here another example of renaturation of subtilisin BPN'(Sbtl) by using an immobilized preparation instead of applying a digestible mutant of Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor (SSI), a proteinaceous inhibitor of Sbtl [M. Matsubara et al. (1994) FEBS Letters 342, 193-196]. The mature Sbtl was immobilized on agarose beads employing the amino group of the protein. After thorough washing, the immobilized Sbtl was subjected to denaturation in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) at pH 2.4 for 4 h, followed by renaturation in 2 M potassium acetate at pH 6.5 for 24 h. This denaturation/renaturation cycle was repeated five times. The recovered activity of the renatured immobilized Sbtl settled at a constant level after the third denaturation/renaturation cycle, demonstrating that almost 100% renaturation was attained by use of the immobilized Sbtl. This immobilized Sbtl preparation could well be utilized for the mechanistic study of protein folding. We then found that 2 M potassium acetate was superior to 2 M potassium chloride as a refolding medium and that the ability of SSI to induce the correct shape of the mature Sbtl was lacking in several refolding media in both thermodynamic and kinetic criteria. Thus the main cause for the increase of refolding yield of Sbtl by coexistence of SSI was prevention of the autolysis of Sbtl.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Electrostatic effects on modification of charged groups in the active site cleft of subtilisin by protein engineering.

The dielectric constant in the active site cleft of subtilisin from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens has been probed by mutating charged residues on the rim and measuring the effect on the pKa value of the active site histidine (His64) by kinetics. Mutation of a negatively charged surface residue, which is 12 to 13 A from His64, to an uncharged one Asp----Ser99) lowers the pKa of the histidine by up to 0.4 unit at low ionic strength (0.005 to 0.01 M). This corresponds to an apparent dielectric constant of about 40 to 50 between Asp99 and His64. The mutation is in an external loop that is known to tolerate a serine at position 99 from homologies with subtilisins from other bacilli. The environment between His64 and Asp99 is predominantly protein. Another charged residue that is at a similar distance from His64 (14 to 15 A) and is also in an external loop that is known to tolerate a serine residue is Glu156, at the opposite side of the active site. There is only water in a direct line between His64 and Glu156. Mutation of Glu----Ser156 also lowers the pKa of His64 by up to 0.4 unit at low ionic strength. This change again corresponds to an apparent dielectric constant of about 40 to 50. The pKa values were determined from the pH dependence of kcat/KM for the hydrolysis of peptide substrates, with a precision of typically +/- 0.02 unit. The following suggests that the changes in pKa are real and not artefacts of experimental conditions: Hill plots of the data for pKa determination have gradients (h) of -1.00(+/- 0.02), showing that there are negligible systematic deviations from theoretical ionization curves involving a monobasic acid: the pH dependence for the hydrolysis of two different substrates (succinyl-L-alanyl-L-alanyl-L-prolyl-L-phenylalanyl p-nitroanilide and benzoyl-L-valyl-L-glycyl-L-arginyl p-nitroanilide) gives identical results so that the pKa is independent of substrate; the pH dependence is unaffected by changing the concentration of enzyme, so that aggregation is not affecting the results; the shift in pKa is masked by high ionic strength, as expected qualitatively for ionic shielding of electrostatic interactions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Comparison of secretory expression in Escherichia coli and Streptomyces of Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor (SSI) gene.

To elucidate differences in the mechanism of gene expression between Streptomyces and Escherichia coli, the regulatory region for expression of the gene for a proteinaceous proteinase inhibitor, Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor (SSI), was altered to express efficiently in E. coli. This was carried out by inserting a pre-SSI-encoding region downstream of the tac promoter and ribosome-binding site in a multi-copy plasmid. When the resultant plasmid pMKSI161-9 was introduced into E. coli JM105, SSI protein was found to be expressed and secreted into the periplasmic space by Western blot analysis. When introduced into 'leaky' E. coli strains, this protein was detected in the medium as well as in the periplasmic space in bacteria. NH2-terminal sequencing analysis of the SSI purified from E. coli JM105 indicated two processing sites, Ala(-4)/Ala(-3)-Pro(-2)-Gly and Ala(-4)-Ala-3/Pro(-2)-Gly-1, of pre-SII. These sites were different from those in Streptomyces albogriseolus S-3253 and Streptomyces lividans 66. The inhibitor activity of the processed protein toward subtilisin BPN' was almost the same as that of authentic SSI.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Oxidation of a methionine residue in subtilisin-type proteinases by the hydrogen peroxide/borate system--an active site-directed reaction.

Subtilisin-type proteinases (thermitase, subtilisin Carlsberg, alkaline proteinase ZIMET 10911, proteinase K) are partially inactivated by hydrogen peroxide in the alkaline pH range only in the presence of boric acid or phenylboronic acid. A model is presented to describe the inactivation mechanism. Both boric acid and perboric acid existing in equilibrium in the presence of hydrogen peroxide bind competitively at the active site of the enzyme. The inactivation, which is known to be caused by sulfoxide formation from the methionine residue in the active site (Stauffer, C.E. and Etson, D. (1969) J. Biol. Chem. 244, 5333-5338), is due to the enzyme-bound perboric acid species. The dissociation constants for the boric acid-thermitase and perboric acid-thermitase complexes are 36 +/- 7 and 4 +/- 1 mM, respectively. The first-order rate constant of inactivation is k = 0.63 +/- 0.14 min-1. The same mechanism of inactivation holds true for phenylboronic acid in alkaline hydrogen peroxide solutions.

Bacillus↗

H-NMR studies of native and fragmented subtilisin Carlsberg.

NMR studies have been carried out on subtilisin Carlsberg in order to identify the sharp resonances observed in the proton spectra of the enzyme dissolved in aqueous solution. NMR spectra, obtained with the combination of spin-echo and selective excitation sequences, from both the native and inactivated protein, enabled us to assign sharp signals to subtilisin fragments derived from enzymatic autolysis (monitored by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography), rather than to mobile segments of the intact protein.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗