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PubMed1993

Disulfide bridge structure of the heat-stable sweet protein mabinlin II.

The heat-stable sweet protein mabinlin was composed of a A-chain of 33 amino-acid residues and a B-chain of 72 amino-acid residues (Liu, X., Maeda, S., Hu, Z., Aiuchi, T., Nakaya, K. and Kurihara, Y. (1993) Eur. J. Biochem. 211, 281-287). A-chain and B-chain contain two and six cysteine residues, respectively. The formation of two interchain disulfide bridges at Cys(A5)-Cys(B21) and Cys(A18)-Cys(B10), and two intrachain disulfide bridges at Cys(B11)-Cys(B59) and Cys(B23)-Cys(B67) were determined by amino-acid sequencing and composition analysis of cystine-containing peptides isolated by HPLC. Cleavage of the disulfide bridges with dithiothreitol results in complete loss of the sweet activity of mabinlin II. It was suggested that the structure fixed by four disulfide bridges contributes to heat stability of mabinlin II.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

The functions of the ninth component of human complement are sustained by disulfide bonds with different susceptibilities to reduction.

Purified C9 with expected hemolytic and polymerizing activities was found to contain approximately 0.2 mol of sulfhydryl groups/mol of C9. By proteolysis of C9 with labeled SH groups, the SH residues on intact C9 were mapped to Cys-359 and Cys-384 which, presumably, form an intra-domain disulfide bond in the intact molecule. The blocking of these sulfhydryl residues by alkylation, however, had minimal influence on the functions of C9. On the other hand, reduction of C9 by 1 mM dithiothreitol (DTT) (6-fold molar excess over Cys residues) followed by alkylation resulted in a complete block of polymerization activity and a 50% loss of C9 hemolytic activity. In contrast, the ability of C9 to bind EAC1-8 remained largely unaffected. The loss of poly-C9 formation activity correlated with the alkylation of approx. 6 liberated sulfhydryl groups. Hemolytic activity was abolished by treatment with > 5 mM DTT which allowed the liberation of approximately 18 sulfhydryl groups. Most of the DTT-susceptible disulfides were within the C9a fragment (an N-terminal peptide derived by thrombin). Thus, three major functions of C9, EAC1-8 binding, polymerization, and hemolytic activity, are sustained by disulfide bond-dependent conformational motifs with different susceptibility to reducing reagents. The maintenance of the N-terminal C9a region is essential for polymerization, but not EAC1-8 binding activity of C9. Taken together, the results of the present study differentiate in molecular terms several of the functional portions of C9, and stress the significance of intra-chain disulfide linkages in maintaining the structural components necessary for the functions of C9.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Role of the intersubunit disulfide bond in the unfolding pathway of dimeric red kidney bean purple acid phosphatase.

Quantitative equilibrium denaturation studies on oligomeric proteins have the potential to provide information on the role of subunit interactions in protein function and structure. We studied the equilibrium denaturation of red kidney bean purple acid phosphatase (KBPAP), a homodimer with a single disulfide bond between the two subunits, with an objective to understand the role of the intersubunit disulfide bond in KBPAP structure. Binding of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid, enzymatic activity, size-exclusion chromatography, tryptophan fluorescence and circular dichroism studies revealed that the protein undergoes unfolding through at least three intermediates. Susceptibility of KBPAP for denaturation increases on reduction of the disulfide and aggregation was the predominant product of denaturation. In terms of stability, an intersubunit disulfide bond contributes to 25% of the overall stability of the dimer.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1996

Oxidative-stress induced protein glutathione mixed-disulfide formation in the ocular lens.

The biochemistry of protein-glutathione mixed disulfide formation in the ocular lens was examined by 13C-NMR spectroscopic measurements of glutathione oxidative metabolism in intact rabbit lenses maintained in organ culture. Lenticular amino acid uptake and glutathione biosynthetic mechanisms were employed to facilitate the incorporation of L-[3-13C]cysteine from the incubation medium into the cysteinyl residue of glutathione. Subsequent exposure to increasing levels of oxidative stress induced by tert-butylhydroperoxide resulted in decreased levels of ([3-13C]cysteinyl)-glutathione and a loss of 13C NMR resonance intensity, a reflection of protein-glutathione mixed disulfide formation. The rate of ([3-13C]cysteinyl)-glutathione loss depended on the concentration of tert-butylhydroperoxide; 13C-labeled oxidized glutathione was observed only at the highest concentration (2 mM) of oxidant tested. Removal of the oxidative stress led to a partial recovery of ([3-13C]cysteinyl)-glutathione levels and 13C resonance intensity. Recovery was significantly enhanced by the addition of 2-mercaptoethanol. The mechanism of protein-glutathione adduct formation was further characterized by the in vitro monitoring of the reaction of oxidized glutathione with bovine lens gamma-II crystallin protein using proton NMR spectroscopy. These experiments provided insight into the role of the cellular glutathione redox-couple, [GSH]/[GSSG], in maintaining reduced protein thiol groups, and suggested that protein-glutathione adduct formation may function as a mechanism for modulating the glutathione redox buffer under conditions of oxidative stress in ocular tissue. In addition, the results demonstrate the feasibility of direct chemical reduction of protein-glutathione disulfide bonds in vivo which may reflect a mechanism for the inhibition of disulfide-linked light scattering protein aggregate formation.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Mechanism of protein folding. III. Disulfide bonding.

It was shown in lysozyme and phospholipase, and generally in proteins with disulfide bonds, that after the formation of secondary structures the hydrophobic interactions between the key pairs responsible for folding tertiary structures bring several cysteine residues close together. Among the possible combination of cysteine residues some definite pairs are realized in the tertiary structure. In the Appendix to this paper an algebraic relation is given which must be satisfied for two cysteine residues to make a disulfide bond. This relation is too strict to be applied to real problems, where the two cysteines come close together, but the distance is still too great to yield a disulfide bond. In this case the two residues can attract each other by disulfide formation potential. A geometrical graphic representation is given for the locus of the H atom of the SH group in the cysteine residue. This looks like a lampshade and provides us with a guide to select the correct choice among cysteine pairs. This method is applied to lysozyme and phospholipase to supplement the discussion of the preceding paper (T. Yoshimura, H. Noguchi, T. Inoue and N. Saitô, Biophys. Chem. 40 (1991) 277).

Disulfides↗
PubMed1977

Glutathione dependent control of protein disulfide-sulfhydryl content by subcellular fractions of hepatic tissue.

The disulfide-sulfhydryl (SS/SH) ratios of subcellular fractions of rat hepatic tissue were found to vary diurnally with the ratio lowest in the early morning and highest in the early evening. These changes were found in the nuclear, microsomal and cytosol fractions. The primary reaction is the reversible formation of mixed disulfides of glutathione with proteins. This formation is controlled by the activity of thiol transferase and the level of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) as substrate. Several enzymes including mitochondrial and microsomal oxidases, glutathione reductase and peroxidase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were found to control the levels of GSSG. An NADPH-dependent microsomal oxidase system, inhibited by GSSG, was found to produce activated oxygen which served as substrate for flutathione peroxidase. Evidence is presented for the concept that the formation of mixed disulfides of proteins with glutathione is a mechanism for maintenance of a disulfide-sulfhydryl ratio such that the integrity of particulate membranes is maintaine during oxidative and reductive stresses on the hepatic cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Measurement of glutathione-protein mixed disulfides.

We have undertaken the development of a sensitive and highly specific assay for the presence of mixed disulfides between protein thiol groups and endogenous thiols. Previous investigations on the concentrations of glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulfide (GSSG) and protein glutathione mixed disulfides (ProSSG) have been of limited usefulness because of the poor specificity of the assays used. Our assay for these forms of glutathione is based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and is an extension of an earlier method. After perchloric acid precipitation, the protein sample is washed with an organic solvent to fully denature the protein. Treatment with 25 mM dithiothreitol (DTT) in 50 mM N-morpholinopropane sulfonic acid buffer, pH 8.0, reduces disulfides on the protein, and free thiols resulting from this procedure are analyzed by HPLC. We have found up to a 10-fold increase in GSH released from fetal bovine serum (FBS) protein when the protein precipitate is washed with ethanol rather than ether, as earlier suggested. Similar effects have been observed with an as yet unidentified thiol which elutes in our chromatography system with a retention volume similar to cysteine. Future experiments concerning this unidentified thiol are in progress.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Identification of ephedrines as their carbon disulfide derivatives.

A method for the separation and identification of the diastereoisomers ephedrine and pseudoephedrine and the diastereoisomers norephedrine and norpseudoephedrine is presented. The compounds were derivatised by reaction with carbon disulfide in the presence of alkali. These derivatives and their trifluoroacetic anhydride derivatives were subjected to gas chromatography with nitrogen-selective detection as well as mass-selective detection and high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The results showed that ephedrine and pseudoephedrine can easily be differentiated by gas chromatographic analyses of their carbon disulfide derivatives. Norephedrine and norpseudoephedrine can be differentiated by the different chromatographic retention times of their carbon disulfide derivatives and by the fact that norephedrine yielded two products and norpseudoephedrine only one product when reacted with carbon disulfide under the same conditions. Trifluoroacetylation of the latter compounds gave a more pronounced differentiation.

Carbon Disulfide↗
PubMed1990

Detection of N-acetylcysteine, cysteine and their disulfides in urine by liquid chromatography with a dual-electrode amperometric detector.

A method for the determination of N-acetylcysteine, cysteine and their disulfides in urine is described. The thiols and disulfides are separated by reversed-phase ion-pair chromatography with octyl sodium sulfate as the ion-pairing reagent and detected with a dual-electrode amperometric detector using Au/Hg amalgam electrodes. Both the thiols and disulfides are detected with this system. In addition, dimers and mixed disulfides can be detected individually.

Acetylcysteine↗
PubMed1996

Cloning, expression and genomic organization of human placental protein disulfide isomerase (previously identified as phospholipase C alpha).

Phosphoinositol-specific Phospholipase C plays an important role in transducing receptor generated signals to the rest of the cell. A cDNA encoding a phospholipase has been described (Bennett et al., 1988, Nature 334, 268-270). However it is probable that this cDNA in fact encodes a protein disulfide isomerase. Since the original work suggested that this enzyme was important in the reproductive tract we sort to clone, sequence, express and characterize the recombinant protein isolated from the placenta. We have cloned and sequenced the cDNA encoding the human homolog of this cDNA from human placenta, although the mRNA was widespread in the female reproductive tract. We have transiently expressed it in both COS cells and also 1BR fibroblasts. Cell lysates were assayed for increased phospholipase activity and protein disulfide activity. We describe the entire cDNA sequence which is highly conserved between species. We have also cloned a portion of the genomic gene and described the intron/exon boundaries. In vitro translation of this cDNA showed that it encoded a protein of 61 kD with a cleavable signal peptide. Transient expression showed the protein produced had no phospholipase activity but did show protein disulfide isomerase activity. The expression work shows that this cDNA indeed encodes a protein disulfide isomerase and not a phospholipase. The nucleotide sequence shows marked conservation of the coding and regulatory regions which may suggest that this enzyme has evolved to perform a highly specialized function.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2006

The membrane proximal disulfides of the EGF receptor extracellular domain are required for high affinity binding and signal transduction but do not play a role in the localization of the receptor to lipid rafts.

The EGF receptor is a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase that is enriched in lipid rafts. Subdomains I, II and III of the extracellular domain of the EGF receptor participate in ligand binding and dimer formation. However, the function of the cysteine-rich subdomain IV has not been elucidated. In this study, we analyzed the role of the membrane-proximal portion of subdomain IV in EGF binding and signal transduction. A double Cys-->Ala mutation that breaks the most membrane-proximal disulfide bond (Cys600 to Cys612), ablated high affinity ligand binding and substantially reduced signal transduction. A similar mutation that breaks the overlapping Cys596 to Cys604 disulfide had little effect on receptor function. Mutation of residues within the Cys600 to Cys612 disulfide loop did not alter the ligand binding or signal transducing activities of the receptor. Despite the fact that the C600,612A EGF receptor was significantly impaired functionally, this receptor as well as all of the other receptors with mutations in the region of residues 596 to 612 localized normally to lipid rafts. These data suggest that the disulfide-bonded structure of the membrane-proximal portion of the EGF receptor, rather than its primary sequence, is important for EGF binding and signaling but is not involved in localizing the receptor to lipid rafts.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Preparation and crystallization of the disulfide-linked HLA-G dimer.

HLA-G is a non-classical MHC class I, which binds to inhibitory receptors, such as Leukocyte Ig-like receptors, to induce a wide range of tolerogenic immunological effects. HLA-G can be expressed as a disulfide-liked dimer both in solution and at the cell surface. However, the three-dimensional structure of the HLA-G dimer is unknown. Here, we report the crystallization of the disulfide-linked dimer form of HLA-G by adding dithiothreitol (DTT), enabling a 3.2-A data set to be collected. We also show that DTT promotes disulfide bond exchange of refolded HLA-G, whose free cysteine was protected, thus facilitating its dimerization. This technique could also be applied for disulfide-mediated dimer/multimer formation of refolded proteins harbouring free cysteines.

Crystallization↗
PubMed2006

Cellular disulfide-reducing capacity: an integrated measure of cell redox capacity.

To assess the disulfide reduction capacity of intact cells, EA.hy926 endothelial cells were incubated with alpha-lipoic acid in the presence of 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB). Alpha-lipoic acid was reduced within cells to dihydrolipoic acid, which could be quantified upon efflux from the cells as reduction of DTNB. Uptake of both alpha-lipoic acid and alpha-lipoamide occurred at least in part via a medium chain fatty acid transporter, based on inhibition by octanoate. Alpha-lipoic acid was reduced within cells by pyridine nucleotide-disulfide oxidoreductases, since it is not reduced by GSH and since its reduction was inhibited by carmustine. Nonetheless, reduction was also dependent on the cellular redox environment, since it was inhibited by the redox cycling of menadione, by decreasing intracellular GSH, and by reduction of dehydroascorbate. Together, these results show that alpha-lipoic acid-dependent DTNB reduction provides a simple method to assess the disulfide-reducing capacity of intact cells, especially as determined by pyridine nucleotide-disulfide oxidoreductases.

Cell Line↗
PubMed2006

Mechanism of stabilization of Bacillus circulans xylanase upon the introduction of disulfide bonds.

The introduction of disulfide bonds has been used as a strategy to enhance the stability of Bacillus circulans xylanase. The transition temperature of the S100C/N148C (DS1), V98C/A152C (DS2), and A1GC/G187,C188 (cXl) in comparison to the wild type was increased by 5.0, 4.1 and 3.8 degrees C, respectively. Interestingly, a combination of two disulfide bonds of DS1 and cXl (cDS1, circular disulfide 1) led to a 12 degrees C increase in the transition temperature. Importantly, an increase in the melting point and DeltaDeltaG values of the cDS1 mutant was cooperative. These results suggest that the mechanism of stabilization by disulfide bonds under irreversible denaturation condition is achieved through: (1) a change in the rate-limiting step on the denaturation pathway; (2) destabilizing the unfolded state without affecting the relative rate constants on the denaturation pathway (like cXl mutant); and (3) or combination of the two (cDS1 mutant).

Bacillus↗
PubMed2006

Raman spectroscopic evidence for nuclear disulfide in isolated lenses of hyperbaric oxygen-treated guinea pigs.

Our laboratory treats guinea pigs with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) as a model for investigating the formation of nuclear cataract. Previous analyses of lens supernatants using this model have shown an increase in disulfide (-SS-) and loss of sulfhydryl (-SH) in the lens nucleus of O(2)-treated animals. In this paper, we have used the non-invasive technique of Raman spectroscopy to confirm these findings in intact, freshly-excised lenses. Guinea pigs were treated 3 times per week with HBO for a total of 50 (4 months of treatment) or 85 (7 months of treatment) times to induce an increased level of lens nuclear light scattering. Intact lenses were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy using a 514.5 nm laser and collecting the scattered light in a 90 degrees geometry. The laser beam was focused either in the lens nucleus or equatorial cortex. Changes in the levels of -SS- (503 cm(-1)) and -SH (2577 cm(-1)) vibrations were measured. Raman spectra were analyzed by fitting Lorentzian profiles to the observed data in the -SS- and -SH regions. -SS- levels in the O(2)-treated nucleus were found to have increased by a factor of 2.1 (p=0.0001) and 2.5 (p=0.001) after 50 and 85 HBO treatments, respectively, compared to age-matched controls. Based on previous biochemical analyses, the -SS- increase was due mainly to the formation of protein disulfide (PSSP) with contribution also from protein/thiol mixed disulfides, but not from oxidized glutathione. -SH levels in the O(2)-treated nucleus decreased by 13% (p=0.007) and 35% (p=0.001) after 50 and 85 HBO treatments, respectively, compared to age-matched controls. No significant increase in -SS- or loss of -SH was observed in the lens cortex of the O(2)-treated guinea pigs. The Raman spectroscopy results rule out the possibility that artifactual production of -SS- and loss of -SH occurred during homogenization of lenses in previous studies. The data provide additional evidence to support a link between O(2), disulfide-crosslinking of lens crystallins in the nucleus, and nuclear cataract.

Aging↗
PubMed2006

Protein thiol oxidation in health and disease: techniques for measuring disulfides and related modifications in complex protein mixtures.

Oxidant species are known to contribute to disease and dysfunction in biological systems. However, evidence has been progressively accumulating that demonstrates a more fundamental role for many oxidant species in the regulation of everyday function of healthy cells. Redox dependent signaling events involving the post-translational, oxidative modification of proteins has now been accepted as an important regulatory process, although the full extent of such mechanisms is yet to be determined. Some protein cysteinyl thiols are known to be susceptible to a number of redox-dependent modifications, including an interchange between the reduced thiol and several different oxidized disulfide states. Here, the role of oxidants as regulatory entities is reviewed, as are the many different ways protein disulfide formation can be analysed in complex protein mixtures. This includes an overview of many of the Proteomic strategies that can be used to identify proteins that form disulfides when pro-oxidizing conditions arise in cells, as well as related methods for studying intermediates that may precede disulfide formation.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Overproduction of Pichia pastoris or Plasmodium falciparum protein disulfide isomerase affects expression, folding and O-linked glycosylation of a malaria vaccine candidate expressed in P. pastoris.

Production of recombinant malaria proteins in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris has been difficult due to constraints in transcription, translation and/or post-translation controls. Use of codon-optimized genes has resolved many of the transcriptional controls; however, efforts to overcome translational and post-translational modifications involving disulfide bond formation and glycosylation have been mostly restricted to knocking-out putative N-linked glycosylation sites. We report now on the effect of overproduction of P. pastoris protein disulfide isomerase (PpPDI) and Plasmodium falciparum (PfPDI) on production of a disulfide-rich P. falciparum transmission-blocking vaccine candidate, Pfs25. Pfs25 is expressed in P. pastoris as two isoforms (A and B); the A form has been selected for Phase I human studies. Overproduction of PpPDI in the P. pastoris Pfs25 production clone markedly enhanced the expression level of Pfs25(A) and (B) by 3-fold, while overproduction of PfPDI increased the proportion of Pfs25(A) compared to (B). The resultant Pfs25 products were purified and fully characterized biochemically. In addition to differences in production levels, the mass spectra of PpPDI-Pfs25(A) compared to Pfs25(A) and PfPDI-Pfs25(A) were different due to the pattern and level of O-linked glycosylation. The overproduction of PpPDI or PfPDI provides new platforms for expression of disulfide-rich malaria proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Structure formation in the C terminus of type III collagen guides disulfide cross-linking.

In type III collagen the main triple-helical domain is followed by a disulfide knot and the C-terminal propeptide, which are both essential for nucleation, stabilization and registration of the triple helix. We demonstrate that oxidative inter-chain disulfide bridging does not occur between the knot sequences GlyProCysCysGly of dissociated randomly coiled chains. N-terminal fusion of the obligatory trimeric domain of mini-fibritin is able to direct this process efficiently, demonstrating a folded precursor mechanism in which the thiol groups have to be properly placed for the formation of native disulfide bonds. The natural C-propeptide domain may act in a similar way as the mini-fibritin domain. After disulfide linkage and triple-helix formation the catalyzing mini-fibritin domain was removed by thrombin cleavage. In this way a short but stable triple-helical collagen fragment was expressed in Escherichia coli for structural and functional studies.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗