Glutamine stability

For many serine and cysteine peptidases catalysis first involves formation of a complex known as an acyl intermediate. An essential residue is required to stabilize this intermediate by helping to form the oxyanion hole. In cathepsin B a glutamine performs this role and sometimes a catalytic tetrad (Gin, Cys, His, Asn) is referred too. In chymotrypsin, a glycine is essential for stabilizing the oxyanion hole. 

Tissue electrodes [2, 3, 4, 5, 45,57], In these biosensors, a thin layer of tissue is attached to the internal sensor. The enzymic reactions taking place in the tissue liberate products sensed by the internal sensor. In the glutamine electrode [5, 45], a thick layer (about 0.05 mm) of porcine liver is used and in the adenosine-5 -monophosphate electrode [4], a layer of rabbit muscle tissue. In both cases, the ammonia gas probe is the indicator electrode. Various types of enzyme, bacterial and tissue electrodes were compared [2]. In an adenosine electrode a mixture of cells obtained from the outer (mucosal) side of a mouse small intestine was used [3j. The stability of all these electrodes increases in the presence of sodium azide in the solution that prevents bacterial decomposition of the tissue. In an electrode specific for the antidiuretic hormone [57], toad bladder is placed over the membrane of a sodium-sensitive glass electrode. In the presence of the antidiuretic hormone, sodium ions are transported through the bladder and the sodium electrode response depends on the hormone concentration. 

Protein-glutamine y-glutamyltransferase [Caj— fibrin-stabilizing factor ... 

The weak physical forces that hold together self-assembled nanoparticles are, of course, susceptible to disruption under the influence of thermodynamic and/or mechanical stresses. Hence some workers have investigated ways to reinforce nanoscale structures via covalent bonding. For instance, improved stability of protein nanoparticles, in particular, casein micelles, can be achieved by enzymatic cross-linking with the enzyme transglutaminase, which forms bonds between protein-bound glutamine and lysine residues. By this means native casein micelles can be converted from semi-reversible association colloids into permanent nanogel particles (Huppertz and de Kruif, 2008). 

As discussed earlier, the enzymic reaction catalyzed by glutamine synthetase requires the presence of divalent metal ions. Extensive work has been conducted on the binding of Mn2+ to the enzyme isolated from E. coli (82, 109-112). Three types of sites, each with different affinities for Mn2+, exist per dodecamer n, (12 sites, 1 per subunit) of high affinity, responsible for inducing a change from a relaxed metal ion free protein to a conformationally tightened catalytically active protein n2 (12 sites) of moderate affinity, involved in active site activation via a metal-ATP complex and n3 (48 sites) of low affinity unnecessary for catalysis, but perhaps involved in overall enzyme stability. The state of adenylylation and pH value alter the metal ion specificity and affinities. 

The main role of the IIA cations in the activation of enzymes seems to be that of weak Lewis acids. In addition the cation may serve as a template to bridge enzyme and substrate and bring them into the correct relative orientation for reaction. Furthermore these cations may stabilize or produce certain protein conformations. Thus glutamine synthetase binds 24 moles of Mn2+ per mole of protein. The binding of the first 12 cations results in conformational changes that lead to the formation of 12 new sites for the binding of the remaining 12 cations, which then have a catalytic role. 

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