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PubMedDate not supplied

[Effect of protonation of nucleic acid bases on the energy of formation of the Watson-Crick pairs].

Neutral and protonated nucleic bases and their complexes were calculated using a modified MNDO method. On the basis of the obtained proton affinities we conclude that proton transfer from positively charged amino acid residues to nucleic bases is quite possible. The protonation influence upon the structure and the energy of complementary base pairs was studied. The protonation of guanine is shown to stabilize the GC complex, but the protonation of cytosine destabilizes it. The energy of the AU pair increases upon protonation of adenine due to ion--dipole interactions. The protonation of uracil leads to a proton transfer between the bases and to the stabilization of the AU pair.

Base Composition↗

PubMed1985

Proton therapy in Japan.

There are two facilities for clinical trials with protons in Japan: the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), Chiba, and the Particle Radiation Medical Science Center (PARMS), University of Tsukuba. At the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, patient treatment with the 70 MeV proton beam began in November 1979, and 29 patients were treated through December 1984. Of 11 patients who received protons only, 9 have had local control of the tumor. Two of the 9 patients, suffering from recurrent tumor after radical photon beam irradiation, developed complications after proton treatment. In the patients treated with photons or neutrons followed by proton boost, tumors were controlled in 12 of 18 patients (66.6%), and no complications were observed in this series. Malignant melanoma could not be controlled with the proton beam. A spot-beam-scanning system for protons has been effectively used in the clinical trials to minimize the dose to the normal tissues and to concentrate the dose in the target volume. At the Particle Radiation Medical Science Center, University of Tsukuba, treatment with a vertical 250 MeV proton beam was begun in April 1983, and 22 patients were treated through February 1984. Local control of the tumor was observed in 14 of 22 patients (63.6%), whereas there was no local control in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. There have been no severe complications in patients treated at PARMS. The results suggest that local control of tumors will be better with proton beams than with photon beams, whereas additional modalities are required to manage radioresistant tumors.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

The photosynthetic water oxidase: its proton pumping activity is short-circuited within the protein by DCCD.

The photosynthetic water oxidase is composed of 15 polypeptides which are grouped around two functional parts: photosystem II and the catalytic manganese centre. Photochemically driven vectorial electron transfer between the manganese centre and bound plastoquinone causes deprotonation-protonation reactions at opposite sides of the thylakoid membrane. Thereby the water oxidase acts as a proton pump. Incubation of stacked thylakoids with N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) short-circuited its proton pumping activity. Under flashing light, the extent of both proton release into the lumen by water oxidation and of proton uptake from the medium by reduced quinone was diminished. Instead there was a rapid electrogenic backreaction with a strong H/D-isotope effect. Apparently protons which were produced by water oxidation were channelled across the transmembrane protein to the bound quinone. A more rapid protonation of the reduced quinone was evident from a shortening of the time lag for the reduction of photosystem I. These effects were paralleled by the preferential labelling with [C]DCCD in stacked thylakoids of two polypeptides with 20 and 24 kd apparent molecular mass. These may be capping the oxidizing and the reducing terminus of the water oxidase to control proton extrusion and proton uptake respectively.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

First-principle studies of intermolecular and intramolecular catalysis of protonated cocaine.

We have performed a series of first-principles electronic structure calculations to examine the reaction pathways and the corresponding free energy barriers for the ester hydrolysis of protonated cocaine in its chair and boat conformations. The calculated free energy barriers for the benzoyl ester hydrolysis of protonated chair cocaine are close to the corresponding barriers calculated for the benzoyl ester hydrolysis of neutral cocaine. However, the free energy barrier calculated for the methyl ester hydrolysis of protonated cocaine in its chair conformation is significantly lower than for the methyl ester hydrolysis of neutral cocaine and for the dominant pathway of the benzoyl ester hydrolysis of protonated cocaine. The significant decrease of the free energy barrier, approximately 4 kcal/mol, is attributed to the intramolecular acid catalysis of the methyl ester hydrolysis of protonated cocaine, because the transition state structure is stabilized by the strong hydrogen bond between the carbonyl oxygen of the methyl ester moiety and the protonated tropane N. The relative magnitudes of the free energy barriers calculated for different pathways of the ester hydrolysis of protonated chair cocaine are consistent with the experimental kinetic data for cocaine hydrolysis under physiologic conditions. Similar intramolecular acid catalysis also occurs for the benzoyl ester hydrolysis of (protonated) boat cocaine in the physiologic condition, although the contribution of the intramolecular hydrogen bonding to transition state stabilization is negligible. Nonetheless, the predictability of the intramolecular hydrogen bonding could be useful in generating antibody-based catalysts that recruit cocaine to the boat conformation and an analog that elicited antibodies to approximate the protonated tropane N and the benzoyl O more closely than the natural boat conformer might increase the contribution from hydrogen bonding. Such a stable analog of the transition state for intramolecular catalysis of cocaine benzoyl-ester hydrolysis was synthesized and used to successfully elicit a number of anticocaine catalytic antibodies.

Antibodies, Catalytic↗

PubMed2001

Guest-to-host proton transfer in melatonin-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex by ionspray, fast atom bombardment and tandem mass spectrometry.

Ionspray (IS) and fast atom bombardment (FAB) positive ionization mass spectrometry (MS) of 1 : 1 beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD)-melatonin (MLT) host-guest complex allowed the detection of gaseous protonated 1 : 1 beta-CD-MLT. Tandem MS collision-induced dissociation (CID) of such protonated 1 : 1 beta-CD-MLT species showed the proton (charge) to be retained to a significant extent by the host and by its cage fragmentation products, in spite of the higher proton affinity of MLT with respect to that of beta-CD. This requires an endothermic guest-to-host proton transfer to occur within the gaseous association. Collisional activation could be accounted for by the promotion of such an endothermic process; however, the proton affinity decrease of the guest determined by the loss of the elements of acetamide, which is a dominant MS dissociation reaction of pure protonated MLT, could also provide a rationale for such an endothermic guest-to-host proton transfer. This proposal parallels the reaction scheme we had previously formulated for the analogous MS and tandem MS behaviour of 1 : 1 beta-CD-5-methoxytryptamine inclusion complex with the protonated 5-methoxytryptamine guest undergoing deamination.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1998

The contribution of cytosine protonation to the stability of parallel DNA triple helices.

The influence of the position of the CG.C+ triplet and the contribution of protonation at the N3 of the Hoogsteen cytosine residue on the stability of various sequences of parallel triple helices having the general composition d[(A5G)-x-(T5C)-x-(T5C)] and d[(A4G2)-x-(T4C2)-x-(T4C2)], where x is the hexaethylene glycol linker, has been determined by NMR, ultraviolet melting and absorbance spectrophotometry. The apparent pK value, i.e. the pH at which the observable has changed by 50% of its range, was typically in the range 6 to 7. However, the NMR spectra unequivocally showed that the pK of the protonated cytosine residue must be at least 9.5 for internal positions. This is five units above the pK of the free nucleotide, and represents a free energy of stabilisation from protonation of >11.5 RT. The pK of terminal cytosine residues is much lower, in the range 6.2 to 7.2, accounting for a free energy of stabilisation from protonation of 3.6 to 6 RT. The van't Hoff enthalpies were determined for the dissociation of the protonated triplex into the duplex+strand, and for the duplex to strand transition. The mean value for the duplexes were 23 to 27 kJ mol-1 base-pair, and 25 to 30 kJ mol-1 for the triplexes containing internal CG.C+ triplets. Good agreement was obtained for the thermodynamic parameters by the different methods. Free energy differences for the transition between the protonated triplex and the duplex+protonated strand were calculated at 298 K. The DeltaG of stabilisation of an internal CG.C triplet compared with a terminal CG.C triplet was about 6 kJ mol-1 ; a similar stabilisation was observed for the triplexes containing two CG.C triplets compared with those containing a single CG.C triplet. The very large stabilisation from protonation is too large to be accounted for by a single hydrogen bond, and is likely to include contributions from electrostatic interactions of the positive charge with the phosphate backbone, and more favourable interactions between neighbouring bases owing to the very different electronic properties of the protonated C.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Proton efflux in human skeletal muscle during recovery from exercise.

In recovery from exercise, phosphocreatine resynthesis results in the net generation of protons, while the net efflux of protons restores pH to resting values. Because proton efflux rate declines as pH increases, it appears to have an approximately linear pH-dependence. We set out to examine this in detail using recovery data from human calf muscle. Proton efflux rates were calculated from changes in pH and phosphocreatine concentration, measured by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy, after incremental dynamic exercise to exhaustion. Results were collected post hoc into five groups on the basis of end-exercise pH. Proton efflux rates declined approximately exponentially with time. These were rather similar in all groups, even when pH changes were small, so that the apparent rate constant (the ratio of efflux rate to pH change) varied widely. However, all groups showed a consistent pattern of decrease with time; the halftimes of both proton efflux rate and the apparent rate constant were longer at lower pH. At each time-point, proton efflux rates showed a significant pH-dependence [slope 17 (3) mmol x l(-1) x min(-1) x pH unit(-1) at the start of recovery, mean (SEM)], but also a significant intercept at resting pH [16 (3) mmol x l(-1) x min(-1) at the start of recovery]. The intercept and the slope both decreased with time, with halftimes of 0.37 (0.06) and 1.4 (0.4) min, respectively. We conclude that over a wide range of end-exercise pH, net proton efflux during recovery comprises pH-dependent and pH-independent components, both of which decline with time. Comparison with other data in the literature suggests that lactate/proton cotransport can be only a small component of this initial recovery proton efflux.

Adult↗

PubMed1975

On the stimulation of the light-induced proton uptake by uncoupling aminoacridine derivatives in spinach chloroplasts.

1. Light-induced proton uptake by spinach chloroplasts is enhanced several-fold by 9-(4-diethylamino-1-methylbutylamino)-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine (atebrin). This stimulation does not depend on the chlorophyll concentration. The amount of extra protons taken up in the presence of atebrin is determined by the pKa values of atebrin and the pH of the incubation medium. 2. Both the stimulation of the proton uptake and the maximal binding capacity for atebrin is sensitive to uncouplers. However, the ratio of bound to free atebrin does not depend on the presence of uncoupler up to the saturating atebrin concentration. 3. From simultanious kinetic measurements of atebrin fluorescence and proton movement it seems that after binding of the completely protonated atebrin the dye and the protons can move separately. This can also be inferred from the spectral behaviour of atebrin in illuminated chloroplasts. 4. The stimulation of the proton uptake by atebrin does not depend on the presence of salts in the incubation medium. However, the 'saturating' atebrin concentration increases strongly with increasing salt concentration in the medium. 5. It is concluded that the interaction of atebrin and other acridines with energized chloroplasts most likely occurs at the level of the membrane proper. 6. It is proposed that uncoupling by atebrin is a consequence of the creation of a high proton activity at the periphery of the thylakoid membrane, which opposes a proton gradient across the membrane. The uncoupling by atebrin is not of the protonophoric type according to this mechanism.

Anilides↗

PubMed1978

Proton-translocating cytochrome c oxidase in artificial phospholipid vesicles.

The proton translocating properties of cytochrome c oxidase have been studied in artificial phospholipid vesicles into the membranes of which the isolated and purified enzyme was incorporated. Initiation of oxidation of ferrocytochrome c by addition of the cytochrome, or by addition of oxygen to an anaerobic vesicle suspension, leads to ejection of H+ from the vesicles provided that charge compensation is permitted by the presence of valinomycin and K+. Proton ejection is not observed if the membranes have been specifically rendered permeable to protons. The proton ejection is the result of true translocation of H+ across the membrane as indicated by its dependence on the intravesicular buffering power relative to the number of particles (electrons and protons) transferred by the system, and since it can be shown not to be due to a net formation of acid in the system. Comparison of the initial rates of proton ejection and oxidation of cytochrome c yields a H+/e- quotient close to 1.0 both in cytochrome c and oxygen pulse experiments. An approach towards the same stoichiometry is found by comparison of the extents of proton ejection and electron transfer under appropriate experimental conditions. It is concluded that cytochrome c oxidase is a proton pump, which conserves redox energy by converting it into an electrochemical proton gradient through electrogenic translocation of H+.

Aerobiosis↗

PubMed1996

A proton nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of the conformation of daunomycin.

The 500 MHz proton NMR spectra of 4.95 mM daunomycin in D2O have been investigated in the temperature range 277-350 K. Down field shifts of approximately 0.15 to 0.20 ppm in 1H, 2H and 3H protons with increasing temperature indicate that daunomycin exists in aggregated form at 277 K which is stabilized by stacking of aromatic rings. The 7H, 10axH and 10eqH protons show a change in chemical shift of 0.12 to 0.16 ppm, while other ring A/sugar protons shift by 0.0 to 0.08 ppm due to self association. The drug exists in monomer state at about 350 K. The conformational features have been ascertained from NOESY spectra at 297 K. The 7H proton is found to be strongly coupled to 8axH (J = 5 Hz) as compared to 8eqH (J = 2 Hz), while the 4'H-5'H connectivity is not observed in the COSY spectra. Besides the NOESY cross peaks between the spin-spin coupled protons, several intramolecular NOEs are seen. The 8axH and 8eqH are equally distant from 5'H proton. The distances of 3'H and 4'H daunosamine sugar protons from the ring A protons--7H, 8eqH, 9COCH3--are in the range 2.9-3.1 A, giving moderate cross peaks in NOESY spectra. The observed results imply the existence of predominantly 9H8 half chair conformation of ring A in aqueous solution, which is marginally different from that obtained by X-ray crystal analysis.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic↗

PubMed1984

Proton relaxation mechanisms and the measurements of r phi, r psi and transannular interproton distances in gramicidin S.

Monoselective, Rio(SE), biselective, Rio(i,j), and nonselective proton spin-lattice relaxation rates have been measured for dilute solutions of gramicidin S in dimethyl sulfoxide and used to evaluate cross-relaxation rates (sigma ij = Rio(i,j)-Rio(SE)) and Fi ratios (Fi = Ri(NS)/Rio(SE)). The cross-relaxation parameters, sigma, and Fi ratios measured for backbone gramicidin S protons predict that the same correlation time, tau c = 1.2 X 10(-9)s, modulates all the dipolar proton-proton interactions and that these interactions represent the main source for the proton spin-lattice relaxation process. The larger relaxation rates for amide versus alpha-protons of the backbone are attributed to dipolar relaxation between 14N and its directly bonded protons and is an approximate measure of the extent of this. The intrabackbone proton-proton distances, evaluated from sigma values, were consistent with the antiparallel beta-plated sheet/beta II'-turn conformation previously proposed for gramicidin S in solution.

Gramicidin↗

PubMed1999

H+-proton-pumping inorganic pyrophosphatase: a tightly membrane-bound family.

The earliest known H+-proton-pumping inorganic pyrophosphatase, the integrally membrane-bound H+-proton-pumping inorganic pyrophosphate synthase from Rhodospirillum rubrum, is still the only alternative to H+-ATP synthase in biological electron transport phosphorylation. Cloning of several higher plant vacuolar H+-proton-pumping inorganic pyrophosphatase genes has led to the recognition that the corresponding proteins form a family of extremely similar proton-pumping enzymes. The bacterial H+-proton-pumping inorganic pyrophosphate synthase and two algal vacuolar H+-proton-pumping inorganic pyrophosphatases are homologous with this family, as deduced from their cloned genes. The prokaryotic and algal homologues differ more than the H+-proton-pumping inorganic pyrophosphatases from higher plants, facilitating recognition of functionally significant entities. Primary structures of H+-proton-pumping inorganic pyrophosphatases are reviewed and compared with H+-ATPases and soluble proton-pumping inorganic pyrophosphatases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1983

Two-dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of the synthetic deoxyribonucleic acid decamer d(ATATCGATAT)2.

In this study two-dimensional NMR techniques (COSY and NOESY) have been used in conjunction with one-dimensional NMR results to complete the assignment of the proton NMR spectrum of the double-stranded DNA decamer, d(ATATCGATAT)2, and to obtain qualitative information about numerous interproton distances in this molecule and some limited information about conformational dynamics. COSY and NOESY measurements have been combined to systematically assign many of the resonances from the H1' and H2',2" sugar protons to specific nucleotides in the double helix. This method relies on the fact that sugar protons within a specific nucleotide are scalar coupled and that base protons (AH8, GH8, TH6, and CH6) in right-handed helices can interact simultaneously with their own H2',2" sugar protons and those of the adjacent (5'-3') nucleotide attached to its 5' side (i.e., XpA not ApX). A COSY experiment is used to identify sugar resonances within a residue whereas the NOESY experiment allows the neighboring sugar to be connected (linked). The CH5 and CH6 resonances in the spectrum can immediately be identified by the COSY experiment. The methyl protons of thymine residues exhibit strong through-space interbase interactions both with their own TH6 proton and with AH8 proton on the adjacent (5'-3') adenine residue. These interactions are used both to make assignments of the spectra and to establish that the thymine methyl groups are in close proximity to the AH8 protons of adjacent adenine residues [Feigon, J., Wright, J. M., Leupin, W., Denny, W. A., & Kearns, D. R. (1982) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 104, 5540].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1985

Amide proton exchange in proteins by EX1 kinetics: studies of the basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor at variable p2H and temperature.

With the use of one-dimensional 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, two-dimensional correlated spectroscopy, and two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy, the exchange mechanisms for numerous individual amide protons in the basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) were investigated over a wide range of p2H and temperature. Correlated exchange under an EX1 regime was observed only for the most slowly exchanging protons in the central hydrogen bonds of the antiparallel beta-sheet and only over a narrow range of temperature and p2H, i.e., above ca. 55 degrees C and between p2H 7 and 9, where the opening rates of the structure fluctuations which promote the exchange of these protons are of the order 0.1 min-1. At p2H below 7, the exchange of this most stable group of protons is uncorrelated and is governed by an EX2 mechanism. At p2H above 9, the exchange is also uncorrelated and occurs via either EX2 or EX1 processes promoted by strictly local structure fluctuations. For all other backbone amide protons in BPTI, the exchange was found to be uncorrelated and by an EX2 mechanism under all conditions of p2H and temperature where quantitative measurements could be obtained with the methods used, i.e., for kex approximately less than 5 min-1. From these observations with BPTI it can be concluded that the amide proton exchange in globular proteins is quite generally via EX2 processes, with rare exceptions for measurements with extremely stable protons at high temperature and basic p2H. This emphasizes the need for further development of suitable concepts for the structural interpretation of EX2 amide proton exchange [Wagner, G. (1983) Q. Rev. Biophys. 16, 1-57; Wagner, G., Stassinopoulou, C. I., & Wüthrich, K. (1984) Eur. J. Biochem. 145, 431-436] and for more detailed investigations of the intrinsic exchange rates for solvent-exposed amide protons in the "open" states of a protein [Roder, H., Wagner, G., & Wüthrich, K. (1985) Biochemistry (following paper in this issue)].

Amides↗

PubMed1989

NMR studies of exocyclic 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine adducts (X) opposite purines in DNA duplexes: protonated X(syn).A(anti) pairing (acidic pH) and X(syn).G(anti) pairing (neutral pH) at the lesion site.

Proton and phosphorus two-dimensional NMR studies are reported for the complementary d(C1-A2-T3-G4-X5-G6-T7-A8-C9).d(G10-T11-A12-C13-A14-C15-A 16-T17-G18) nonanucleotide duplex (designated X.A 9-mer) that contains a 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine exocyclic adduct, X5, opposite deoxyadenosine A14 in the center of the helix. The NMR studies detect a pH-dependent conformational transition; this paper focuses on the structure present at pH 5.8. The two-dimensional NOESY studies of the X.A 9-mer duplex in H2O and D2O solution establish that X5 adopts a syn orientation while A14 adopts an anti orientation about the glycosidic bond at the lesion site. The large downfield shift of the amino protons of A14 demonstrates protonation of the deoxyadenosine base at pH 5.8 such that the protonated X5(syn).A14(anti) pair is stabilized by two hydrogen bonds at low pH. At pH 5.8, the observed NOE between the H8 proton of X5 and the H2 proton of A14 in the X.A 9-mer duplex demonstrates unequivocally the formation of the protonated X5(syn).A14(anti) pair. The 1,N2-propano bridge of X5(syn) is located in the major groove. Selective NOEs from the exocyclic methylene protons of X5 to the major groove H8 proton of flanking G4 but not G6 of the G4-X5-G6 segment provide additional structural constraints on the local conformation at the lesion site. A perturbation in the phosphodiester backbone is detected at the C13-A14 phosphorus located at the lesion site by 31P NMR spectroscopy. The two-dimensional NMR studies have been extended to the related complementary X.G 9-mer duplex that contains a central X5.G14 lesion in a sequence that is otherwise identical with the X.A 9-mer duplex. The NMR experimental parameters are consistent with formation of a pH-independent X5(syn).G14(anti) pair stabilized by two hydrogen bonds with the 1,N2-propano exocyclic adduct of X5(syn) located in the major groove.

Base Composition↗

PubMed1989

NMR studies of DNA (R+)n.(Y-)n.(Y+)n triple helices in solution: imino and amino proton markers of T.A.T and C.G.C+ base-triple formation.

High-resolution exchangeable proton two-dimensional NMR spectra have been recorded on 11-mer DNA triple helices containing one oligopurine (R)n and two oligopyrimidine (Y)n strands at acidic pH and elevated temperatures. Our two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect studies have focused on an 11-mer triplex where the third oligopyrimidine strand is parallel to the oligopurine strand. The observed distance connectivities establish that the third oligopyrimidine strand resides in the major groove with the triplex stabilized through formation of T.A.T and C.G.C+ base triples. The T.A.T base triple can be monitored by imino protons of the thymidines involved in Watson-Crick (13.65-14.25 ppm) and Hoogsteen (12.9-13.55 ppm) pairing, as well as the amino protons of adenosine (7.4-7.7 ppm). The amino protons of the protonated (8.5-10.0 ppm) and unprotonated (6.5-8.3 ppm) cytidines in the C.G.C+ base triple provide distinct markers as do the imino protons of the guanosine (12.6-13.3 ppm) and the protonated cytidine (14.5-16.0 ppm). The upfield chemical shift of the adenosine H8 protons (7.1-7.3 ppm) establishes that the oligopurine strand adopts an A-helical base stacking conformation in the 11-mer triplex. These results demonstrate that oligonucleotide triple helices can be readily monitored by NMR at the individual base-triple level with distinct markers differentiating between Watson-Crick and Hoogsteen pairing. Excellent exchangeable proton spectra have also been recorded for (R+)n.(Y-)n.(Y+)n 7-mer triple helices with the shorter length permitting spectra to be recorded at ambient temperature.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Composition↗

PubMed1978

Magnetic cross-relaxation among protons in protein solutions.

The magnetic spin-lattice relaxation rates of solvent water nuclei are known to increase upon addition of diamagnetic solute protein. This enhancement of the relaxation rate is a function of magnetic field, and the orientational relaxation time of the protein molecules can be deduced from analysis of the field-dependent relaxation rates. Although the nature of the interactions that convey information about the dynamics of protein motion to the solvent molecules is not established, it is known that there is a contribution to the relaxation rates of solvent protons that plays no role in the relaxation of solvent deuterons and 17O nuclei. We show here that the additional interaction arises from a cross-relaxation process between solvent and solute protons. We introduce a heuristic three-parameter model in which protein protons and solvent protons are considered as two separate thermodynamic systems that interact across the protein-solvent interface. The three parameters are the intrinsic relaxation rates of each system and a cross-relaxation term. The sign of the latter term must always be positive, for all values of magnetic field, in order for magnetization energy to flow from the hotter to the cooler system. We find that the magnetic field-dependence of the cross-relaxation contribution is much like that of the remaining solvent proton relaxation, i.e., about the same as the deuteron relaxation field dependence. This finding is not compatible with the predictions of expressions for the cross-relaxation that have been used by other authors, but not applied to data over a wide range of magnetic field strength. The model predicts that the relaxation behavior of both the protein protons and the solvent protons is the sum of two exponentials, the relative contributions of which would vary with protein concentration and solvent isotopic composition in a fashion suggestive of the presence of two classes of protein protons, when there is in reality only one. This finding has immediate implications for the interpretation of published proton relaxation rates in complex systems such as tissues; these data should be reexamined with cross-relaxation taken into account.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed1996

Interaction of proton and chloride transfer pathways in recombinant bacteriorhodopsin with chloride transport activity: implications for the chloride translocation mechanism.

When the protonated retinal Schiff base dissociates in the photocycle of the proton pump bacteriorhodopsin, asp-85 is the proton acceptor. Replacing this residue with threonine confers halorhodopsin-like properties on the protein, including chloride transport [Sasaki, J., Brown, L.S., Chon, Y.-S., Kandori, H., Maeda, A., Needleman, R., & Lanyi, J.K. (1995) Science 269, 73-75]. However, the electrostatic interaction between the vicinity of residue 85 and glu-204, a residue located about 10 A away near the extracellular surface, that is a part of the proton transport mechanism, should still exist. We find that in the D85T mutant glu-204 becomes protonated when chloride is added. This indicates that the binding of chloride at thr-85 must be equivalent to deprotonation of asp-85. The protonation state of glu-204 reports therefore on the presence or absence of chloride bound at thr-85. During the chloride-transport cycle of D85T, but not D85T/E204Q, fluorescein and pyranine detect the transient release of protons from the protein to the surface and the bulk. The release and the subsequent uptake of the protons occur during the rise and decay of a red-shifted photointermediate, respectively, and confirm the earlier suggestion that this state has the same role in the chloride transport as the M intermediate in the proton transport. Consistent with the red-shift of the absorption maximum, the chloride bound near the Schiff base had already moved away, presumably to be released at the cytoplasmic surface, but another chloride ion has not yet been taken up from the extracellular surface. The switch of the connectivity of the chloride binding site from the cytoplasmic to the extracellular membrane surface must occur therefore during the lifetime of this photointermediate.

Aspartic Acid↗