Native-like conformations are sampled by partially folded and disordered variants of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor

Biochemistry. 2004 Feb 17;43(6):1591-8. doi: 10.1021/bi035301a.

Abstract

Partially folded conformational ensembles of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) are accessed by replacing Cys 5, 30, 51, and 55 by alpha-amino-n-butyric acid (Abu) while retaining the disulfide between Cys 14 and 38; the resultant variant is termed [14-38](Abu). Two new analogues with modifications in the beta-turn, P26D27[14-38](Abu) and N26G27K28[14-38](Abu), are compared to partially folded [14-38](Abu), as well as to [R](Abu), the unfolded protein with all six Cys residues replaced by Abu. Structural features of the new analogues of [14-38](Abu) have been determined by circular dichroism (CD), one-dimensional (1)H NMR, and 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) fluorescence experiments. Both analogues are more disordered than the parent [14-38](Abu), but while P26D27[14-38](Abu) has a small population of native-like conformations observed by NMR, no ordered structure is detected for N26G27K28[14-38](Abu). Trypsin inhibition assays were carried out using a modified rat trypsin, C191A/C220A, that minimizes cleavage of unfolded peptides. Both [14-38](Abu) and P26D27[14-38](Abu) significantly inhibit modified trypsin. N26G27K28[14-38](Abu) has low but measurable inhibitor activity, while [R](Abu) has no activity even when in very high molar excess relative to trypsin. ANS fluorescence is enhanced by [14-38](Abu) and by both variants but not by [R](Abu). We conclude that partially folded ensembles of BPTI, even those with little or no CD- or NMR-detectable structure, contain minor populations of native-like conformations. Partially folded [14-38](Abu) and both variants, as well as [R](Abu), have enhanced negative ellipticity in CD spectra acquired in the presence of the osmolyte trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). TMAO-induced structure is formed cooperatively, as indicated by thermal unfolding curves. Inhibitor activity as a function of TMAO concentration implies that the osmolyte-induced structure is native-like for [14-38](Abu) and P26D27[14-38](Abu) and is probably native-like for N26G27K28[14-38](Abu). [R](Abu) also shows increased CD-detected structure in the presence of TMAO, but such structure is likely to be collapsed and non-native.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution*
  • Aminobutyrates / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Aprotinin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Aprotinin / chemical synthesis
  • Aprotinin / chemistry*
  • Cattle
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Cysteine / chemistry
  • Enzyme Stability
  • Methylamines / chemistry
  • Osmolar Concentration
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Folding*
  • Protein Isoforms / chemistry
  • Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Trypsin Inhibitors / chemistry

Substances

  • Aminobutyrates
  • Methylamines
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Serine Proteinase Inhibitors
  • Trypsin Inhibitors
  • 2-aminobutyric acid methyl ester
  • Aprotinin
  • trimethyloxamine
  • Cysteine