Tryptophan environment and functional characterization of a kinetically stable serine protease containing a polyproline II fold

TitleTryptophan environment and functional characterization of a kinetically stable serine protease containing a polyproline II fold
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsRohamare, SB, Gaikwad, SM
JournalJournal of Fluorescence
Volume24
Issue5
Pagination1363-1370
Date PublishedSEP
ISSN1053-0509
KeywordsFluorescence quenching, Hofmeister series, Nocardiopsis, Serine protease, Tryptophan
Abstract

The single tryptophan residue from Nocardiopsis sp. serine protease (NprotI) was studied for its microenvironment using steady state and time-resolved fluorescence. The emission maximum was observed at 353 nm with excitation at 295 nm indicating tryptophan to be solvent exposed. Upon denaturation with 6 M guanidinum thiocyanate (GuSCN) the emission maxima was shifted to 360 nm. Solute quenching studies were performed with neutral (acrylamide) and ionic (I- and Cs+) quenchers to probe the exposure and accessibility of tryptophan residue of the protein. Maximum quenching was observed with acrylamide. In the native state, quenching was not observed with Cs+ indicating presence of only positively charged environment surrounding tryptophan. However; in denatured protein, quenching was observed with Cs+, indicating charge reorientation after denaturation. No quenching was observed with Cs+ even at pH 1.0 or 10.0; while at acidic pH, a higher rate of quenching was observed with KI. This indicated presence of more positive charge surrounding tryptophan at acidic pH. In time resolved fluorescence measurements, the fluorescence decay curves could be best fitted to monoexponential pattern with lifetimes of 5.13 ns for NprotI indicating one conformer of the trp. Chemical modification studies with phenyl glyoxal suggested presence of Arg near the active site of the enzyme. No inhibition was seen with soyabean trypsin and limabean inhibitors, while, CanPI uncompetitively inhibited NprotI. Various salts from Hofmeister series were shown to decrease the activity and PPII content of NprotI.

DOI10.1007/s10895-014-1445-5
Type of Journal (Indian or Foreign)Foreign
Impact Factor (IF)1.85
Divison category: 
Biochemical Sciences