Effects on subtilisin

By changing Ser 221 in subtilisin to Ala the reaction rate (both kcat and kcat/Km) is reduced by a factor of about 10 compared with the wild-type enzyme. The Km value and, by inference, the initial binding of substrate are essentially unchanged. This mutation prevents formation of the covalent bond with the substrate and therefore abolishes the reaction mechanism outlined in Figure 11.5. When the Ser 221 to Ala mutant is further mutated by changes of His 64 to Ala or Asp 32 to Ala or both, as expected there is no effect on the catalytic reaction rate, since the reaction mechanism that involves the catalytic triad is no longer in operation. However, the enzyme still has an appreciable catalytic effect peptide hydrolysis is still about 10 -10 times the nonenzymatic rate. Whatever the reaction mechanism... 

FIGURE 9.4. The autocorrelation function of the time-dependent energy gap Q(t) = (e3(t) — 2(0) for the nucleophilic attack step in the catalytic reaction of subtilisin (heavy line) and for the corresponding reference reaction in solution (dotted line). These autocorrelation functions contain the dynamic effects on the rate constant. The similarity of the curves indicates that dynamic effects are not responsible for the large observed change in rate constant. The autocorrelation times, tq, obtained from this figure are 0.05 ps and 0.07ps, respectively, for the reaction in subtilisin and in water. 

The second group of studies tries to explain the solvent effects on enantioselectivity by means of the contribution of substrate solvation to the energetics of the reaction [38], For instance, a theoretical model based on the thermodynamics of substrate solvation was developed [39]. However, this model, based on the determination of the desolvated portion of the substrate transition state by molecular modeling and on the calculation of the activity coefficient by UNIFAC, gave contradictory results. In fact, it was successful in predicting solvent effects on the enantio- and prochiral selectivity of y-chymotrypsin with racemic 3-hydroxy-2-phenylpropionate and 2-substituted 1,3-propanediols [39], whereas it failed in the case of subtilisin and racemic sec-phenetyl alcohol and traws-sobrerol [40]. That substrate solvation by the solvent can contribute to enzyme enantioselectivity was also claimed in the case of subtilisin-catalyzed resolution of secondary alcohols [41]. 

Tween 85 is used extensively for RME [84]. Russell and coworkers [234] used Tween 85/isopropanol microemulsions in hexane to solubilize proteins and not only showed >80% solubilization of cytochrome C at optimum conditions, but also proved that Tween 85 does not have a detrimental effect on the structure, function, and stability of subtilisin and cytochrome C. There are other reports available on the extraction and purification of proteins using Tween 85-RMs and also on the stability of protein activity in these systems [234]. It has also been shown that Tween 85-RMs can solubilize larger amounts of protein and water than AOT. Tween 85 has an HLB of 11, which indicates that it is soluble in organic solvents. In addition, it is biodegradable and can be successfully used as an additive in fertihzers [235,236]. Pfammatter et al. [35] have demonstrated that RMs made of Tween 85 and Span 80 can be successfully used for the solubilization and growth of whole cells. Recently, Hossain et al. [84] showed an enhanced enzymatic activity of Chromobacterium viscosum Hpase in AOT/Tween 85 mixed reverse micellar systems when compared to that in classical AOT-RMs. This is due to the modification of the interface in AOT-RMs caused by the co-adsorption of Tween 85, and increased availability of the oHve oil molecules (substrate) to the enzyme. 

To illustrate this a model transesterification reaction catalyzed by subtilisin Carls-berg suspended in carbon dioxide, propane, and mixtures of these solvents under pressure has been studied (Decarvalho et al., 1996). To account for solvent effects due to differences in water partitioning between the enzyme and the bulk solvents. Water sorption isotherms were measured for the enzyme in each solvent. Catalytic activity as a function of enzyme hydration was measured, and bell-shaped curves with maxima at the same enzyme hydration (12%) in all the solvents were obtained. The activity maxima were different in all media, being much higher in propane than in either CO2 or the mixtures with 50 and 10% CO2. Considerations based on the solvation ability of the solvents did not offer an explanation for the differences in catalytic activity observed. The results suggest that CO2 has a direct adverse effect on the catalytic activity of subtilisin. 

Table 3.4 Effect of KCI as a salt matrix on subtilisin Carlsberg and chymotrypsin in anhydrous hexanew [88].

Klee (74) has shown that porcine pancreatic elastase has an effect on RNase-A at pH 8 similar to subtilisin. In this case Ala 20 is excised by... 

Loomans, M.E. and Hannon, D.P. An electron microscopic study of the effects of subtilisin and detergents on human stratum corneum, J. Invest. Dermatol., 55, 101-114, 1970. 

Russell, A., Thomas, P. G. and Fersht, A. R. (1987) Electrostatic Effects on the Modification of Charged Groups in the Active Site Cleft of Subtilisin by Protein Engineering, J. Mol. Biol. 193, 803-813. 

Support for an even more remote electrostatic effect on the mechanism is supplied by the studies of Jackson and Fersht (1993). They mutated charged residues on the surface of Subtilisin BPN, that are 13-15A from the active site, to either neutral or oppositely charged residues. The effect of those mutations on the inhibition constant, Ki, of a trifluoromethyl ketone, was compared for wt and mutated subtilisin. The mutations were Asp-36 (located on a surface loop outside the active site cleft and separated from His-64 by about 15-16A) to Gin, and of Asp-99 (about 12-13A from His-64) to Ser and to Lys. The active site of subtilisin includes Ser-221, His-64 and Asp-32. 

Griebenow K and Klibanov AM. Can Conformational Changes be Responsible for Solvent and Excipient Effects on the Catalytic Behavior of Subtilisin Carls-berg in Organic Solvents Biotechnology and Bioengineering 1997] 53 351-362. 

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