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Attempts to define distinct parts of NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I).

The NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) is made up of a peripheral part and a membrane part. The two parts are arranged perpendicular to each other and give the complex an unusual L-shaped structure. The peripheral part protrudes into the matrix space and constitutes the proximal segment of the electron pathway with the NADH-binding site, the FMN and at least three iron-sulfur clusters. The membrane part constitutes the distal segment of the electron pathway with at least one iron-sulfur cluster and the ubiquinone-binding site. Both parts are assembled separately and relationships of the major structural modules of the two parts with different bacterial enzymes suggest, that both parts also emerged independently in evolution. This assumption is further supported by the conserved order of bacterial complex I genes, which correlates with the topological arrangement of the corresponding subunits in the two parts of complex I.

Animals↗

Functional, biochemical and genetic diversity of prokaryotic nitrate reductases.

Prokaryotic nitrate reduction can serve a number of physiological roles and can be catalysed by a number of biochemically distinct nitrate reductases. Three distinct nitrate reductase classes can be indentified in prokaryotes, NAS, NAR and NAP. NAS is located in the cytoplasmic compartment and participates in nitrogen assimilation. NAR is usually a three-subunit complex anchored to the cytoplasmic face of the membrane with its active site located in the cytoplasmic compartment and is involved in anaerobic nitrate respiration. NAP is a two-subunit complex, located in the periplasmic compartment, that is coupled to quinol oxidation via a membrane anchored tetraheme cytochrome. It shows considerable functional flexibility by participating in anaerobic respiration or redox energy dissipation depending on the organism in which it is found. The members of all three classes of enzymes bind the bis-molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide cofactor at the active site, but they differ markedly in the number and nature of cofactors used to transfer electrons to this site. Analysis of prokaryotic genome sequences available at the time of writing reveals that the different nitrate reductases are phylogenetically widespread.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Performance of calorimetric methods for the investigation of microbial systems in combination with additional sensors.

Calorimetric methods are used in combination with online oxygen measurement (using an amperometric sensor) and determination of the optical density (using a fibre optic sensor) to investigate microbial growth behaviour. The calorimetric curves of different batch experiments show a characteristic and reproducible course. Changes in the slope of the DeltaT-time curves indicate the effects of limiting factors on the microbial activity during the cultivation. A first limitation could be correlated with the depletion of oxygen in the medium; a second correlates with the depletion of the carbon source. Measurements of optical density in some cases provide reliable information about the growth of a microorganism culture. Our measurements show a good correlation of the universal calorimetric signal (heat-time curve) to the signal of the miniaturised photometric (OD) sensor.

Calorimetry↗

A model for the thermal unfolding of amicyanin.

In the present study the thermal unfolding of amicyanin has been addressed using differential scanning calorimetry, fluorescence emission, optical density, circular dichroism and electron paramagnetic resonance. The combined use of these techniques has allowed us to assess, during unfolding of the protein, its global conformational changes in relationship to the local structural modifications occurring in the copper environment and close to the fluorescent chromophore Trp46 of the protein. The thermal transition from the native to the denatured state is on the whole irreversible and occurs in the temperature range between 65 and 72 degrees C, depending on the scan rate and technique used. Amicyanin as a whole shows a complex unfolding pathway, which has been described in terms of a three-step model: N <--> U --> F1 --> F2. According to this model, in the first step the native state of the protein (N) goes reversibly to the unfolded state (U), in the second one U goes irreversibly to F1 and, finally, the state F2 is irreversibly reached in the third step. Kinetic factors prevent the experimental separation of these steps. Nevertheless, the comparison of the data obtained with the different experimental techniques testifies the presence, within the unfolding pathway, of some intermediate states, although not sufficiently long-lived to allow a detailed characterization. A first intermediate transient state has been identified around 68 degrees C, whereas a second one can be related to conformational changes that involve the copper environment. Finally, an exothermal phenomenon, caused by irreversible rearrangements of the melted polypeptide chains, is evidenced. In addition, according to the EPR findings, the type 1 copper ion, which is four-fold coordinated by two N and two S atoms in a distorted tetrahedron in the native state of the protein, shows type 2 features after denaturation. A mathematical model simulating the unfolding Cp(exc) profile has been also developed.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Amicyanin metal-site structure and interaction with MADH: PAC and NMR spectroscopy of Ag-, Cd-, and Cu-amicyanin.

To investigate the structural control mechanisms in the metal site of amicyanin when interacting with MADH, redox-inactive Ag(+)- and Cd(2+)-substituted amicyanins were studied with perturbed angular correlations of gamma-rays (PAC) spectroscopy. PAC experiments on (111m)Cd-substituted amicyanin revealed two different metal-site structures, which are very likely in dynamic exchange on a ~5 ns timescale. Only one structure binds to MADH. The dissociation constants, K(d), are 9+/-2 microM with MADH(red) and 38+/-11 microM with MADH(ox), indicating that the Cd-amicyanin binding affinity is regulated by the MADH redox state. PAC experiments on (111)Ag-substituted amicyanin also showed two different forms of Ag-amicyanin, probably reflecting relaxation from Ag to Cd geometry. No binding of Ag-amicyanin to MADH could be observed with PAC, suggesting that the K(d) is larger than 43 microM, based on the 95% confidence limit. NMR revealed large chemical shift differences between native copper amicyanin and both metal-substituted forms. Affected residues are found up to 15 A away from the metal ion. The Ag(+)- and Cd(2+)-substituted amicyanins demonstrate no change in coordination as a function of pH, contrary to Cu(+)-amicyanin which shows protonation of the copper ligand His96 with p K(a)=6.8. It is concluded that, contrary to other blue copper proteins, Ag(+)-amicyanin is not a close mimic of Cu(+)-amicyanin, and that structural changes in the metal site have large effects on the affinity for the redox partner.

Binding Sites↗

Cytochrome c oxidase--structure, function, and physiology of a redox-driven molecular machine.

Cytochome c oxidase is the terminal member of the electron transport chains of mitochondria and many bacteria. Providing an efficient mechanism for dioxygen reduction on the one hand, it also acts as a redox-linked proton pump, coupling the free energy of water formation to the generation of a transmembrane electrochemical gradient to eventually drive ATP synthesis. The overall complexity of the mitochondrial enzyme is also reflected by its subunit structure and assembly pathway, whereas the diversity of the bacterial enzymes has fostered the notion of a large family of heme-copper terminal oxidases. Moreover, the successful elucidation of 3-D structures for both the mitochondrial and several bacterial oxidases has greatly helped in designing mutagenesis approaches to study functional aspects in these enzymes.

Animals↗

Binding constants for a physiologic electron-transfer protein complex between methylamine dehydrogenase and amicyanin. Effects of ionic strength and bound copper on binding.

Two soluble proteins, methylamine dehydrogenase and amicyanin, form a physiologically relevant complex in which intermolecular electron transfer occurs. To characterize and quantitate the binding of these two weakly-associating proteins, an ultrafiltration binding assay has been developed which involves brief centrifugation of mixtures of proteins in centrifuge concentrators followed by quantitation of proteins on each side of the filtration membrane by HPLC. Under low ionic strength conditions which are optimal for the redox reaction between these proteins, a Kd of 4.5 microM was measured for the methylamine dehydrogenase-amicyanin complex. The Kd increased by 8-fold in the presence of added salt. Apoamicyanin, which is known from crystallographic analysis to be structurally very similar to amicyanin, exhibited a much higher Kd and much less specific binding than did the holoprotein. Apoamicyanin also exhibited apparent self-association at low ionic strength which was not observed with amicyanin. These observations are correlated with the known crystal structures of these proteins, free and in complex, and with the available biochemical information on the interactions of these two proteins.

Apoproteins↗