Cobalt(II) as an NMR probe for the investigation of the coordination sites of conalbumin

The bis and mono cobalt(II) derivatives of conalbumin in the presence of bicarbonate have been prepared. The 1H NMR spectra have been recorded at 60 MHz. Well-shaped isotropically shifted signals in the range -100 to +100ppm have been observed for both the mono and bis cobalt(II) derivatives; besides the intensity, all the isotropically shifted signals for the two derivatives are superimposable, indicating that the two sites are so similar as to be indistinguishable within the resolution of the technique. With the aid of T1 measurements, the signals have been assigned to the protons of two histidine and two tyrosinate ligands. The spectra are consistent with six-coordinated, high-spin cobalt(II) chromophores with two trans tyrosinate moieties at each site.

Investigation of the system copper(II) carbonic anhydrase and HCO3-/CO2

Copper(II) substituted human and bovine carbonic anhydrases B in the presence of bicarbonate have been investigated in solution through water-solvent proton nuclear magnetic resonance (nmr) at variable magnetic fields. HCO3-, contrary to all the other monoanionic inhibitors, partially reduces the water proton relaxation rates. This has been accounted for on the basis of the availability within the active cavity of two coordination positions partially overlapping. 13C-nmr measurements on both CO2 and HCO3- confirm that HCO3- binds the metal, whereas CO2 interacts with the paramagnetic center at nonbonding distance. The upper limit for the CO2 in equilibrium HCO3- interconversion has been estimated to be 10 sec-1.

Water exchange at the active site of carbonic anhydrase. A synthesis of the OH- and H2O-models

We have measured the paramagnetic contribution to the magnetic relaxation rate of solvent protons in highly purified, buffer- and salt-free solutions of Co(2+)-substituted human carbonic anhydrase B (HCAB), as a function of pH in the range 5.5-10 and as a function of magnetic field. We have also measured the optical absorption at 640 nm to characterize the enzyme. The relaxation rates vary with pH much as does the CO(2) hydration activity, increasing with increasing pH. We find that the relaxation rates at all intermediate values of pH can be described as linear combinations of the rates obtained at the extremes of pH used, indicating the existence of low- and high-pH forms of the enzyme with pH-dependent concentrations. The optical data can be similarly represented. The fraction of high-pH form present, determined from either the relaxation or optical data, has a pK(a) of approximately 7.6 when approximated by a single ionization. The data are very similar to that for HCAB in the presence of buffer, in contrast to the bovine enzyme for which the pK(a) is affected substantially by the presence of sulfate. Previous analysis of the high relaxation rates at high pH indicated rapid exchange of Co(2+)-liganded protons, possible only if these exchanging protons were conveyed by water molecules. On the other hand, the present demonstration of the existence of two forms of HCAB in highly purified solutions, coupled with other data, argues strongly for ionization of a water molecule ligand of the metal ion at the active site, with OH(-) as the solvent-donated ligand at high pH. We propose a mechanism of ligand exchange at high pH that reconciles these ostensibly conflicting requirements by invoking a pentacoordinate intermediate having both OH(-) and H(2)O as ligands. Proton exchange can be rapid between these ligands because charge transfer without net ionization can occur, so that the leaving water can carry away the initial OH(-). The low-pH form is a thermal mixture of tetra- and pentacoordinate species, the latter having low relaxation rates by analogy with inhibitor derivatives of the enzyme and model systems. The proposed associative ligand-exchange mechanism reconciles the distinctions between the OH- and H(2)O-models of carbonic anhydrase by merging them, providing the first model is consistent with the observed pH dependence of hydration activity, optical absorption, and solvent magnetic relaxation.

The epr spectra of the inhibitor derivatives of cobalt carbonic anhydrase

The epr spectra at 4.2 K of inhibitor derivatives of cobalt carbonic anhydrase have been recorded. The spectra can be grouped into two classes according to whether the low-field signal is broad or sharp and with g ranges of 6.1-6.8, 2.3-2.9, 1.6-1.8, and 5.8-6.2, 2.2-2.8, 1.5-1.8, respectively, The two kinds of spectra have been empirically related to the features of the room-temperature solution electronic spectra. A third kind of epr spectrum with a single broad signal is obtained when the inhibitor is in large excess. The possibility of using the epr spectra for deducing the geometry of cobalt enzymes is discussed.

Investigation of the system cobalt(II) bovine carbonic anhydrase B-trichloroacetaldehyde

The interactions between hydrated trichloroacetaldehyde and cobalt(II)bovine carbonic anhydrase B have been investigated as a function of pH by means of electronic spectroscopy of FT nmr spectroscopy. The hydrated aldehyde is bound to the metal ion and its apparent affinity constant is pH dependent with a bell-shaped profile. The kinetic parameters of the dissociation process have also been determined.