Alteration of the quaternary structure of cpn60 modulates chaperonin-assisted folding. Implications for the mechanism of chaperonin action

The Possible Role of the Type I Chaperonins in Human Insulin Self-Association

Insulin is a hormone that attends to energy metabolism by regulating glucose levels in the bloodstream. It is synthesised within pancreas beta-cells where, before being released into the serum, it is stored in granules as hexamers coordinated by Zn²⁺ and further packaged in microcrystalline structures. The group I chaperonin cpn60, known for its assembly-assisting function, is present, together with its cochaperonin cpn10, at each step of the insulin secretory pathway. However, the exact function of the heat shock protein in insulin biosynthesis and processing is still far from being understood. Here we explore the possibility that the molecular machine cpn60/cpn10 could have a role in insulin hexameric assembly and its further crystallization. Moreover, we also evaluate their potential protective effect in pathological insulin aggregation. The experiments performed with the cpn60 bacterial homologue, GroEL, in complex with its cochaperonin GroES, by using spectroscopic methods, microscopy and hydrodynamic techniques, reveal that the chaperonins in vitro favour insulin hexameric organisation and inhibit its aberrant aggregation. These results provide new details in the field of insulin assembly and its related disorders.

Molecular chaperone GroEL/ES: unfolding and refolding processes

Molecular chaperones are a special class of heat shock proteins (Hsp) that assist the folding and formation of the quaternary structure of other proteins both in vivo and in vitro. However, some chaperones are complex oligomeric proteins, and one of the intriguing questions is how the chaperones fold. The representatives of the Escherichia coli chaperone system GroEL (Hsp60) and GroES (Hsp10) have been studied most intensively. GroEL consists of 14 identical subunits combined into two interacting ring-like structures of seven subunits each, while the co-chaperone GroES interacting with GroEL consists of seven identical subunits combined into a dome-like oligomeric structure. In spite of their complex quaternary structure, GroEL and GroES fold well both in vivo and in vitro. However, the specific oligomerization of GroEL subunits is dependent on ligands and external conditions. This review analyzes the literature and our own data on the study of unfolding (denaturation) and refolding (renaturation) processes of these molecular chaperones and the effect of ligands and solvent composition. Such analysis seems to be useful for understanding the folding mechanism not only of the GroEL/GroES complex, but also of other oligomeric protein complexes.

Human Hsp60 with its mitochondrial import signal occurs in solution as heptamers and tetradecamers remarkably stable over a wide range of concentrations

It has been established that Hsp60 can accumulate in the cytosol in various pathological conditions, including cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases. Part or all of the cytosolic Hsp60 could be naïve, namely, bear the mitochondrial import signal (MIS), but neither the structure nor the in solution oligomeric organization of this cytosolic molecule has still been elucidated. Here we present a detailed study of the structure and self-organization of naïve cytosolic Hsp60 in solution. Results were obtained by different biophysical methods (light and X ray scattering, single molecule spectroscopy and hydrodynamics) that all together allowed us to assay a wide range of concentrations of Hsp60. We found that Naïve Hsp60 in aqueous solution is assembled in very stable heptamers and tetradecamers at all concentrations assayed, without any trace of monomer presence.

Chaperonin GroEL reassembly: an effect of protein ligands and solvent composition

Chaperonin GroEL is a complex oligomeric heat shock protein (Hsp60) assisting the correct folding and assembly of other proteins in the cell. An intriguing question is how GroEL folds itself. According to the literature, GroEL reassembly is dependent on chaperonin ligands and solvent composition. Here we demonstrate dependence of GroEL reassembly efficiency on concentrations of the essential factors (Mg²⁺, ADP, ATP, GroES, ammonium sulfate, NaCl and glycerol). Besides, kinetics of GroEL oligomerization in various conditions was monitored by the light scattering technique and proved to be two-exponential, which suggested accumulation of a certain oligomeric intermediate. This intermediate was resolved as a heptamer by nondenaturing blue electrophoresis of GroEL monomers during their assembly in the presence of both Mg-ATP and co-chaperonin GroES. Presumably, this intermediate heptamer plays a key role in formation of the GroEL tetradecameric particle. The role of co-chaperonin GroES (Hsp10) in GroEL assembly is also discussed.

Interaction of oxidized chaperonin GroEL with an unfolded protein at low temperatures

The chaperonin GroEL binds to non-native substrate proteins via hydrophobic interactions, preventing their aggregation, which is minimized at low temperatures. In the present study, we investigated the refolding of urea-denatured rhodanese at low temperatures, in the presence of ox-GroEL (oxidized GroEL), which contains increased exposed hydrophobic surfaces and retains its ability to hydrolyse ATP. We found that ox-GroEL could efficiently bind the urea-unfolded rhodanese at 4°C, without requiring excess amount of chaperonin relative to normal GroEL (i.e. non-oxidized). The release/reactivation of rhodanese from GroEL was minimal at 4°C, but was found to be optimal between 22 and 37°C. It was found that the loss of the ATPase activity of ox-GroEL at 4°C prevented the release of rhodanese from the GroEL–rhodanese complex. Thus ox-GroEL has the potential to efficiently trap recombinant or non-native proteins at 4°C and release them at higher temperatures under appropriate conditions.

Stopped-flow Fluorescence Analysis of the Conformational Changes in the GroEL Apical Domain

GroEL undergoes numerous conformational alterations in the course of facilitating the folding of various proteins, and the specific movements of the GroEL apical domain are of particular importance in the molecular mechanism. In order to monitor in detail the numerous movements of the GroEL apical domain, we have constructed a mutant chaperonin (GroEL R231W) with wild type-like function and a fluorescent probe introduced into the apical domain. By monitoring the tryptophan fluorescence changes of GroEL R231W upon ATP addition in the presence and absence of the co-chaperonin GroES, we detected a total of four distinct kinetic phases that corresponded to conformational changes of the apical domain and GroES binding. By introducing this mutation into a single ring variant of GroEL (GroEL SR-1), we determined the extent of inter-ring cooperation that was involved in apical domain movements. Surprisingly, we found that the apical domain movements of GroEL were affected only slightly by the change in quaternary structure. Our experiments provide a number of novel insights regarding the dynamic movements of this protein.

Hydrogen peroxide induces the dissociation of GroEL into monomers that can facilitate the reactivation of oxidatively inactivated rhodanese

Although, several studies have been reported on the effects of oxidants on the structure and function of other molecular chaperones, no reports have been made so far for the chaperonin GroEL. The ability of GroEL to function under oxidative stress was investigated in this report by monitoring the effects of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) on the structure and refolding activity of this protein. Using fluorescence spectroscopy and light scattering, we observed that GroEL showed increases in exposed hydrophobic sites and changes in tertiary and quaternary structure. Differential sedimentation, gel electrophoresis, and circular dichroism showed that H(2)O(2) treated GroEL underwent irreversible dissociation into monomers with partial loss of secondary structure. Relative to other proteins, GroEL was found to be highly resistant to oxidative damage. Interestingly, GroEL monomers produced under these conditions can facilitate the reactivation of H(2)O(2)-inactivated rhodanese but not urea-denatured rhodanese. Recovery of approximately 84% active rhodanese was obtained with either native or oxidized GroEL in the absence of GroES or ATP. In comparison, urea-denatured GroEL, BSA and the refolding mixture in the absence of proteins resulted in the recovery of 72, 50, and 49% rhodanese activity, respectively. Previous studies have shown that GroEL monomers can reactivate rhodanese. Here, we show that oxidized monomeric GroEL can reactivate oxidized rhodanese suggesting that GroEL retains the ability to protect proteins during oxidative stress.

GroEL-substrate-GroES ternary complexes are an important transient intermediate of the chaperonin cycle

GroEL C138W is a mutant form of Escherichia coli GroEL, which forms an arrested ternary complex composed of GroEL, the co-chaperonin GroES and the refolding protein molecule rhodanese at 25 degrees C. This state of arrest could be reversed with a simple increase in temperature. In this study, we found that GroEL C138W formed both stable trans- and cis-ternary complexes with a number of refolding proteins in addition to bovine rhodanese. These complexes could be reactivated by a temperature shift to obtain active refolded protein. The simultaneous binding of GroES and substrate to the cis ring suggested that an efficient transfer of substrate protein into the GroEL central cavity was assured by the binding of GroES prior to complete substrate release from the apical domain. Stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy of the mutant chaperonin revealed a temperature-dependent conformational change in GroEL C138W that acts as a trigger for complete protein release. The behavior of GroEL C138W was reflected closely in its in vivo characteristics, demonstrating the importance of this conformational change to the overall activity of GroEL.

GroEL interacts transiently with oxidatively inactivated rhodanese facilitating its reactivation

When the enzyme rhodanese was inactivated with hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), it underwent significant conformational changes, leading to an increased exposure of hydrophobic surfaces. Thus, this protein seemed to be an ideal substrate for GroEL, since GroEL uses hydrophobic interactions to bind to its substrate polypeptides. Here, we report on the facilitated reactivation (86%) of H(2)O(2)-inactivated rhodanese by GroEL alone. Reactivation by GroEL required a reductant and the enzyme substrate, but not GroES or ATP. Further, we found that GroEL interacted weakly and/or transiently with H(2)O(2)-inactivated rhodanese. A strong interaction with rhodanese was obtained when the enzyme was pre-incubated with urea, indicating that exposure of hydrophobic surfaces alone on oxidized rhodanese was not sufficient for the formation of a strong complex and that a more unfolded structure of rhodanese was required to interact strongly with GroEL. Unlike prior studies that involved denaturation of rhodanese through chemical or thermal means, we have clearly shown that GroEL can function as a molecular chaperone in the reactivation of an oxidatively inactivated protein. Additionally, the mechanism for the GroEL-facilitated reactivation of rhodanese shown here appears to be different than that for the chaperonin-assisted folding of chemically unfolded polypeptides in which a nucleotide and sometimes GroES is required.

High hydrostatic pressure can probe the effects of functionally related ligands on the quaternary structures of the chaperonins GroEL and GroES

We investigated the effects of high hydrostatic pressure in the range of 1--3 kilobars on tetradecameric GroEL, heptameric GroES, and the GroEL-GroES complex. Unlike GroEL monomers formed by urea dissociation, which can be reassembled back to the tetradecamer, the pressure-dissociated monomers do not reassemble readily. This indicates an alteration of their native structures, an example of conformational drift. Pressure versus time profiles and kinetics of the dissociation of both GroEL and GroES at fixed pressures were monitored by light scattering. Unlike GroEL, GroES monomers do reassociate readily. Reaction conditions were varied by adding ATP, Mg(2+), ADP, AMP-PNP, and KCl. At any individual pressure, the dissociation process is governed by both thermodynamics and kinetics. This leads to the decrease in the yield of monomers at lower pressures. In the presence of Mg(2+) and KCl, GroEL is stable up to 3 kilobars. The presence of either ATP or ADP but not AMP-PNP leads to GroEL dissociation at lower pressures. Interestingly, the GroEL-GroES complex is very stable in the range of 1--2.5 kilobars. However, the addition of ADP destabilizes the complex, which dissociates completely at 1.5 kilobars. The results are rationalized in terms of different degrees of cooperativity between individual monomers and heptameric rings in the GroEL tetradecamer. Such allosteric interactions leading to the alteration of quaternary structure of GroEL in the absence of chemical denaturants are important in understanding the mechanism of chaperonin-assisted protein folding by the GroEL-GroES system.

Refolding of target proteins from a "rigid" mutant chaperonin demonstrates a minimal mechanism of chaperonin binding and release

One of the most interesting facets of GroEL-facilitated protein folding lies in the fact that the requirement for a successful folding reaction of a given protein target depends upon the refolding conditions used. In this report, we utilize a mutant of GroEL (GroEL T89W) whose domain movements have been drastically restricted, producing a chaperonin that is incapable of utilizing the conventional cyclic mechanism of chaperonin action. This mutant was, however, still capable of improving the refolding yield of lactate dehydrogenase in the absence of both GroES and ATP hydrolysis. A very rapid interconversion of conformations was detected in the mutant immediately after ATP binding, and this interconversion was inferred to form part of the target release mechanism in this mutant. The possibility exists that some target proteins, although dependent on GroEL for improved refolding yields, are capable of refolding successfully by utilizing only portions of the entire mechanism provided by the chaperonins.

ATP and the core "alpha-Crystallin" domain of the small heat-shock protein alphaB-crystallin

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-LC/MS) of tryptic digests of human alphaB-crystallin in the presence and absence of ATP identified four residues located within the core "alpha-crystallin" domain, Lys(82), Lys(103), Arg(116), and Arg(123), that were shielded from the action of trypsin in the presence of ATP. In control experiments, chymotrypsin was used in place of trypsin. The chymotryptic fragments of human alphaB-crystallin produced in the presence and absence of ATP were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Seven chymotryptic cleavage sites, Trp(60), Phe(61), Phe(75), Phe(84), Phe(113), Phe(118), and Tyr(122), located near or within the core alpha-crystallin domain, were shielded from the action of chymotrypsin in the presence of ATP. Chemically similar analogs of ATP were less protective than ATP against proteolysis by trypsin or chymotrypsin. ATP had no effect on the enzymatic activity of trypsin and the K(m) for trypsin was 0.031 mM in the presence of ATP and 0.029 mM in the absence of ATP. The results demonstrated an ATP-dependent structural modification in the core alpha-crystallin domain conserved in nearly all identified small heat-shock proteins that act as molecular chaperones.

Unfolding and refolding of Escherichia coli chaperonin GroES is expressed by a three-state model

The guanidine-hydrochloride (Gdn-HCl) induced unfolding and refolding characteristics of the co-chaperonin GroES from Escherichia coli, a homoheptamer of subunit molecular mass 10,000 Da, were studied by using intrinsic fluorescence, 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) binding, and size-exclusion HPLC. When monitored by tyrosine fluorescence, the unfolding reaction of GroES consisted of a single transition, with a transition midpoint at around 1.0 M Gdn-HCl. Interestingly, however, ANS binding and size-exclusion HPLC experiments strongly suggested the existence of an intermediate state in the transition. In order to confirm the existence of an intermediate state between the native heptameric and unfolded monomeric states, a tryptophan residue was introduced into the interface of GroES subunits as a fluorescent probe. The unfolding reaction of GroES I48W as monitored by tryptophyl fluorescence showed a single transition curve with a transition midpoint at 0.5 M Gdn-HCl. This unfolding transition curve as well as the refolding kinetics were dependent on the concentration of GroES protein. CD spectrum and size-exclusion HPLC experiments demonstrated that the intermediates assumed a partially folded conformation at around 0.5 M Gdn-HCl. The refolding of GroES protein from 3 M Gdn-HCl was probed functionally by measuring the extent of inhibition of GroEL ATPase activity and the enhancement of lactate dehydrogenase refolding yields in the presence of GroEL and ADP. These results clearly demonstrated that the GroES heptamer first dissociated to monomers and then unfolded completely upon increasing the concentration of Gdn-HCl, and that both transitions were reversible. From the thermodynamic analysis of the dissociation reaction, it was found that the partially folded monomer was only marginally stable and that the stability of GroES protein is governed mostly by the association of the subunits.

GroEL/GroES-dependent reconstitution of alpha2 beta2 tetramers of humanmitochondrial branched chain alpha-ketoacid decarboxylase. Obligatory interaction of chaperonins with an alpha beta dimeric intermediate

The decarboxylase component (E1) of the human mitochondrial branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (approximately 4-5 x 10(3) kDa) is a thiamine pyrophosphate-dependent enzyme, comprising two 45.5-kDa alpha subunits and two 37.8-kDa beta subunits. In the present study, His6-tagged E1 alpha2 beta2 tetramers (171 kDa) denatured in 8 M urea were competently reconstituted in vitro at 23 degrees C with an absolute requirement for chaperonins GroEL/GroES and Mg-ATP. Unexpectedly, the kinetics for the recovery of E1 activity was very slow with a rate constant of 290 M-1 s-1. Renaturation of E1 with a similarly slow kinetics was also achieved using individual GroEL-alpha and GroEL-beta complexes as combined substrates. However, the beta subunit was markedly more prone to misfolding than the alpha in the absence of GroEL. The alpha subunit was released as soluble monomers from the GroEL-alpha complex alone in the presence of GroES and Mg-ATP. In contrast, the beta subunit discharged from the GroEL-beta complex readily rebound to GroEL when the alpha subunit was absent. Analysis of the assembly state showed that the His6-alpha and beta subunits released from corresponding GroEL-polypeptide complexes assembled into a highly structured but inactive 85.5-kDa alpha beta dimeric intermediate, which subsequently dimerized to produce the active alpha2 beta2 tetrameter. The purified alpha beta dimer isolated from Escherichia coli lysates was capable of binding to GroEL to produce a stable GroEL-alpha beta ternary complex. Incubation of this novel ternary complex with GroES and Mg-ATP resulted in recovery of E1 activity, which also followed slow kinetics with a rate constant of 138 M-1 s-1. Dimers were regenerated from the GroEL-alpha beta complex, but they needed to interact with GroEL/GroES again, thereby perpetuating the cycle until the conversion from dimers to tetramers was complete. Our study describes an obligatory role of chaperonins in priming the dimeric intermediate for subsequent tetrameric assembly, which is a slow step in the reconstitution of E1 alpha2 beta2 tetramers.

Mechanisms for GroEL/GroES-mediated folding of a large 86-kDa fusion polypeptide in vitro

Our understanding of mechanisms for GroEL/GroES-assisted protein folding to date has been derived mostly from studies with small proteins. Little is known concerning the interaction of these chaperonins with large multidomain polypeptides during folding. In the present study, we investigated chaperonin-dependent folding of a large 86-kDa fusion polypeptide, in which the mature maltose-binding protein (MBP) sequence was linked to the N terminus of the alpha subunit of the decarboxylase (E1) component of the human mitochondrial branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex. The fusion polypeptide, MBP-alpha, when co-expressed with the beta subunit of E1, produced a chimeric protein MBP-E1 with an (MBP-alpha)2beta2 structure, similar to the alpha2 beta2 structure in native E1. Reactivation of MBP-E1 denatured in 8 M urea was absolutely dependent on GroEL/GroES and Mg2+-ATP, and exhibited strikingly slow kinetics with a rate constant of 376 M-1 s-1, analogous to denatured untagged E1. Chaperonin-mediated refolding of the MBP-alpha fusion polypeptide showed that the folding of the MBP moiety was about 7-fold faster than that of the alpha moiety on the same chain with rate constants of 1.9 x 10(-3) s-1 and 2.95 x 10(-4) s-1, respectively. This explained the occurrence of an MBP-alpha. GroEL binary complex that was isolated with amylose resin from the refolding mixture and transformed Escherichia coli lysates. The data support the thesis that distinct functional sequences in a large polypeptide exhibit different folding characteristics on the same GroEL scaffold. Moreover, we show that when the alpha.GroEL complex (molar ratio 1:1) was incubated with GroES, the latter was capable of capping either the very ring that harbored the 48-kDa (His)6-alpha polypeptide (in cis) or the opposite unoccupied cavity (in trans). In contrast, the MBP-alpha.GroEL (1:1) complex was capped by GroES exclusively in the trans configuration. These findings suggest that the productive folding of a large multidomain polypeptide can only occur in the GroEL cavity that is not sequestered by GroES.

Isolation and characterization of a second subunit of molecular chaperonin from Pyrococcus kodakaraensis KOD1: analysis of an ATPase-deficient mutant enzyme

The cpkA gene encoding a second (alpha) subunit of archaeal chaperonin from Pyrococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant CpkA was studied for chaperonin functions in comparison with CpkB (beta subunit). The effect on decreasing the insoluble form of proteins was examined by coexpressing CpkA or CpkB with CobQ (cobyric acid synthase from P. kodakaraensis) in E. coli. The results indicate that both CpkA and CpkB effectively decrease the amount of the insoluble form of CobQ. Both CpkA and CpkB possessed the same ATPase activity as other bacterial and eukaryal chaperonins. The ATPase-deficient mutant proteins CpkA-D95K and CpkB-D95K were constructed by changing conserved Asp95 to Lys. Effect of the mutation on the ATPase activity and CobQ solubilization was examined. Neither mutant exhibited ATPase activity in vitro. Nevertheless, they decreased the amount of the insoluble form of CobQ by coexpression as did wild-type CpkA and CpkB. These results implied that both CpkA and CpkB could assist protein folding for nascent protein in E. coli without requiring energy from ATP hydrolysis.

Minimal and optimal mechanisms for GroE-mediated protein folding

We have analyzed the effects of different components of the GroE chaperonin system on protein folding by using a nonpermissive substrate (i.e., one that has very low spontaneous refolding yield) for which rate data can be acquired. In the absence of GroES and nucleotides, the rate of GroEL-mediated refolding of heat- and DTT-denatured mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase was extremely low, but some three times higher than the spontaneous rate. This GroEL-mediated rate was increased 17-fold by saturating concentrations of ATP, 11-fold by ADP and GroES, and 465-fold by ATP and GroES. Optimal refolding activity was observed when the dissociation of GroES from the chaperonin complex was dramatically reduced. Although GroEL minichaperones were able to bind denatured mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase, they were ineffective in enhancing the refolding rate. The spectrum of mechanisms for GroE-mediated protein folding depends on the nature of the substrate. The minimal mechanism for permissive substrates (i.e., having significant yields of spontaneous refolding), requires only binding to the apical domain of GroEL. Slow folding rates of nonpermissive substrates are limited by the transitions between high- and low-affinity states of GroEL alone. The optimal mechanism, which requires holoGroEL, physiological amounts of GroES, and ATP hydrolysis, is necessary for the chaperonin-mediated folding of nonpermissive substrates at physiologically relevant rates under conditions in which retention of bound GroES prevents the premature release of aggregation-prone folding intermediates from the chaperonin complex. The different mechanisms are described in terms of the structural features of mini- and holo-chaperones.

Photoincorporation of fluorescent probe into GroEL: defining site of interaction

We have elucidated conditions for the covalent incorporation of a nonspecific hydrophobic probe, bisANS, into various proteins. Using this method, we are able to map hydrophobic surfaces in proteins. In addition, we have shown that for GroEL, we are able to use the fluorescence of the incorporated bisANS to monitor conformational changes in a defined region of the protein in response to various effectors. This method should be useful for studying both protein structure and dynamics.

Comparison of the conformational state and in vitro refolding of yeast chaperonin protein cpn10 with bacterial GroES

Gel filtration studies demonstrate that the heptameric complex of yeast cpn10 (pI around 8.8) reversibly disassembles into monomers when lowering the pH to 4.5, whereas its secondary structure is retained as demonstrated by circular dichroism. Monomeric yeast cpn10 does not bind to GroEL in the presence of nucleotides, whereas under identical conditions E. coli cpn10 (GroES), having a strong sequence homology to the yeast form but a pI of 5.2, shows no pH-dependent dissociation and is able to complex with GroEL at both pH 7.5 and 4.5. Using circular dichroism it is shown that, unlike E. coli cpn10, yeast cpn10 is not able to refold spontaneously after first being fully unfolded in 8 M urea. However, refolding of yeast cpn10 to a complex that can be recognised by GroEL depends on the presence of a lipid-water interface with a specificity for negatively charged lipids. We suggest that the requirements for refolding of yeast cpn10 are related to its post-translational transport and subcellular localization.

Thermodynamic stability and folding of GroEL minichaperones

The apical domain of GroEL (residues 191 to 376) and its C-terminally truncated fragment GroEL(191-345) are expressed with high yield in Escherichia coli to give functional monomeric minichaperones. Owing to the reversible folding behaviour of the minichaperones we can analyse the folding of the polypeptide binding domain of the multidomain GroEL protein, the folding of which is known to be irreversible. The apical domain shows two reversible temperature transitions with transition midpoints at 35 degrees C and at 67 degrees C that can be attributed to the unfolding of the C-terminal helices and the domain core, respectively. The native state of the domain core is stabilized by 5.5 kcal mol-1 relative to the unfolded state. The rate constant of folding of the apical domain core is independent of the minichaperone concentration and the presence of the C-terminal alpha-helices. A folding intermediate on the folding pathway is destabilized relative to the native state by 1.6 kcal mol-1, which is also detected by equilibrium and kinetic binding of the dye bis-ANS. Reversible folding of the polypeptide domain of GroEL guarantees highly efficient chaperonin activity within the GroEL toroid.

ATP-, K+-dependent heptamer exchange reaction produces hybrids between GroEL and chaperonin from Thermus thermophilus

Chaperonin from Thermus thermophilus (Tcpn6014.Tcpn107) splits at the plane between two Tcpn607 rings into two parts in a solution containing ATP and K+ (Ishii, N., Taguchi, H., Sasabe, H., and Yoshida, M. (1995) FEBS Lett. 362, 121-125). When Escherichia coli GroEL14 was additionally included in the solution described above, hybrid chaperonins GroEL7.Tcpn607 and GroEL7. Tcpn607.Tcpn107 were formed rapidly (<20 s) at 37 degrees C. The hybrid was also formed from Tcpn6014 and GroEL14 but not from a mutant GroEL14 lacking ATPase activity. The hybrid formation was saturated at approximately 300 microM ATP and approximately 300 mM K+. These results imply that GroEL14 also splits and undergoes a heptamer exchange reaction with Thermus chaperonin under nearly physiological conditions. Similar to parent chaperonins, the isolated hybrid chaperonins exhibited ATPase activity that was susceptible to inhibition by Tcpn107 or GroES7 and mediated folding of other proteins. Once formed, the hybrid chaperonins were stable, and the parent chaperonins were not regenerated from the isolated hybrids under the same conditions in which the hybrids had been formed. Only under conditions in which GroEL in the hybrids was selectively destroyed, such as incubation at 70 degrees C, Thermus chaperonin, but not GroEL14, was regenerated from the hybrid. Therefore, the split reaction may not be an obligatory event repeated in each turnover of the chaperonin functional cycles but an event that occurs only when chaperonin is first exposed to ATP/K+.

Refolding chromatography with immobilized mini-chaperones

Mini-chaperones (e.g., a peptide consisting of residues 191-345 of GroEL) that are immobilized on agarose have very efficient chaperoning activity with several proteins that are otherwise recalcitrant to renaturation by conventional methods. We have used immobilized mini-chaperones both in column chromatography and batchwise to renature an insoluble protein from an inclusion body, to refold apparently irreversibly denatured proteins, and to recondition enzymes that have lost activity on storage. Refolding chromatography offers an efficient and simple means to renature proteins in high yield and with biological activity.

ATP hydrolysis is critical for induction of conformational changes in GroEL that expose hydrophobic surfaces

The degree of hydrophobic exposure in the molecular chaperone GroEL during its cycle of ATP hydrolysis was analyzed using 1,1'-bis(4-anilino)naphthalene-5,5'disulfonic acid (bisANS), a hydrophobic probe, whose fluorescence is highly sensitive to the environment. In the presence of 10 mM MgCl2 and 10 mM KCl the addition of ATP, but not ADP or AMP-PNP, resulted in a time-dependent, linear increase in the bisANS fluorescence. The rate of the increase in the bisANS fluorescence depended on the concentrations of both GroEL and the probe. The effect could be substantially inhibited by addition of excess ADP or by converting ATP to ADP using hexokinase, showing that the increase in the bisANS fluorescence was correlated with ATP hydrolysis. The rate of ATP hydrolysis catalyzed by GroEL was uncompetitively inhibited in the presence of bisANS. This uncompetitive inhibition suggests that the probe can interact with the GroEL-ATP complex. The inability of the nonhydrolyzable ATP analog, AMP-PNP, to cause a similar effect is explained by the interaction of bisANS with a transient conformational state of GroEL formed consequent to ATP hydrolysis. It is suggested that this short lived hydrophobic exposure reflects a conformational shift in GroEL that results from electrostatic repulsion between the bound products of ATP hydrolysis, and it plays an important role in the mechanism of the chaperonin cycle.

Chaperone activity and structure of monomeric polypeptide binding domains of GroEL

The chaperonin GroEL is a large complex composed of 14 identical 57-kDa subunits that requires ATP and GroES for some of its activities. We find that a monomeric polypeptide corresponding to residues 191 to 345 has the activity of the tetradecamer both in facilitating the refolding of rhodanese and cyclophilin A in the absence of ATP and in catalyzing the unfolding of native barnase. Its crystal structure, solved at 2.5 A resolution, shows a well-ordered domain with the same fold as in intact GroEL. We have thus isolated the active site of the complex allosteric molecular chaperone, which functions as a "minichaperone." This has mechanistic implications: the presence of a central cavity in the GroEL complex is not essential for those representative activities in vitro, and neither are the allosteric properties. The function of the allosteric behavior on the binding of GroES and ATP must be to regulate the affinity of the protein for its various substrates in vivo, where the cavity may also be required for special functions.

GroEL reversibly binds to, and causes rapid inactivation of, human carbonic anhydrase II at high temperatures

The initial yield of reactivation of GuHCl denatured human carbonic anhydrase II does not change with temperature between 3 and 35 degrees C. At temperatures above 35 degrees C, the enzymatic activity is not stable, but decreases over time. If the bacterial chaperonin GroEL is present during reactivation, the initial yield is lower compared to the spontaneous reaction at temperatures of 35-50 degrees C. However, unlike the spontaneous reactivation, the enzymatic activity with time in the presence of GroEL. In the presence of GroEL, native HCA II incubated at elevated temperatures will rapidly loose enzymatic activity to the same value as during reactivation at that particular temperature; most of the activity will recover if the temperature is lowered when GroEL is present. It is evident that there is an equilibrium between an inactive intermediate of HCA II, probably bound to GroEL, and active enzyme. Furthermore, proline isomerization is part of the rate-limiting step of refolding even in the presence of GroEL, and it is very noteworthy that prolyl isomerase will influence the refolding of HCA II in the presence of GroEL.

Solution structures of GroEL and its complex with rhodanese from small-angle neutron scattering

BACKGROUND

Molecular chaperonins 60 are cylindrical oligomeric complexes which bind to unfolded proteins and assist in their folding. Studies to identify the location of the protein substrate have produced contradictory results: some suggest that the substrate-binding site is buried within the interior of the complex, whereas others indicate an external (polar) location.

RESULTS

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements were made on GroEL chaperonin and on a complex of GroEL with rhodanese. The radius of gyration and the molecular weight determined from SANS measurements of GroEL agree well with those from its crystal structure. The positions of residues which were unresolved in the crystal structure have been confirmed. In addition, through model fitting of the SANS data, conformational changes in solution have been assessed and the location of bound rhodanese has been determined.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall structure of GroEL in solution is similar to the crystal structure. In GroEL the N-terminal and C-terminal residues are organized compactly near the equator of the cylinder and the apical domains are flared by about 5 degrees. The best fit of SANS data suggests the existence of an equilibrium between the complex and single rings and monomers. SANS data for the GroEL-rhodanese complex are consistent with a model wherein one rhodanese molecule binds across the opening to the chaperonin cavity, rather than within it.

The C-terminal sequence of the chaperonin GroES is required for oligomerization

The Escherichia coli protein GroES is a co-chaperonin that is able to assist GroEL in the refolding of proteins. GroES is a heptamer of seven identical subunits. Recent work has focused on the structural aspects of GroES. We have investigated the role of the C-terminal portion of GroES on its oligomerization. Limited proteolysis of GroES by carboxypeptidase Y gives a product in which the C-terminal 7 amino acid residues have been removed. Sedimentation velocity analysis reveals that the truncated form of GroES is unable to reassemble. The results presented here implicate the C-terminal sequence in intermonomer actions within the GroES oligomer. In addition, this work provides experimental verification of predictions implied in the recent x-ray determination of the GroES structure (Hunt, J. F., Weaver, A. J., Landry, S. J., Gierasch, L. M., and Deisenhofer, J. Nature, in press).

Conformational cycle of the archaeosome, a TCP1-like chaperonin from Sulfolobus shibatae

The major heat shock proteins in the archaeon Sulfolobus shibatae are similar to the cytosolic eukaryotic chaperonin and form an 18-subunit bitoroidal complex. Two sequence-related subunits constitute a functional complex, named the archaeosome. The archaeosome exists in two distinct conformational states that are part of chaperonin functional cycle. The closed archaeosome complex binds ATP and forms an open complex. Upon ATP hydrolysis, the open complex dissociates into subunits. Free subunits reassemble into a two-ring structure. The equilibrium between the complexes and free subunits is affected by ATP and temperature. Denatured proteins associate with both conformational states as well as with free subunits that form an intermediate complex. These unexpected observations suggest a new mechanism of archaeosome-mediated thermotolerance and protein folding.

The chaperonin GroEL is destabilized by binding of ADP

The urea-induced dissociation and subsequent conformational transitions of the nucleotide-bound form of GroEL were studied by light scattering, 4,4'-bis(1-anilino-8- naphthalenesulfonic acid) binding, and intrinsic tyrosine fluorescence. Magnesium ion alone (10 mM) stabilizes GroEL and leads to coordination of the structural transitions monitored by the different parameters. The midpoint of the light-scattering transition that monitored dissociation of the 14-mer with bound magnesium was raised to approximately 3 M, which is considerably higher than the ligand-free form of the protein, which exhibits a transition with a midpoint at approximately 2 M urea. Binding of ADP results in destabilization of the GroEL oligomeric structure, and complete dissociation of the 14-mer in the presence of 5 mM ADP occurs at about 2 M urea with the midpoint of the transition at approximately 1 M urea. The same destabilization by ADP and stabilization by Mg2+ were seen when the conformation was followed by the intrinsic fluorescence. Complexation with the nonhydrolyzable ATP analog, 5'-adenylimidodiphosphate gave an apparent stability of the quaternary structure that was between that observed with Mg2+ and that with ADP. The ADP-bound form of the protein demonstrated increased hydrophobic exposure at lower urea concentrations than the uncomplexed GroEL. In addition, the GroEL-ADP complex is more accessible for proteolytic digestion by chymotrypsin than the uncomplexed protein, consistent with a more open, flexible form of the protein. The implication of the conformational changes to the mechanism of the GroEL function is discussed.

Inactive GroEL monomers can be isolated and reassembled to functional tetradecamers that contain few bound peptides

For the first time, it has been shown that GroEL can be converted from tetradecamers (14-mers) to monomers under conditions commonly used for the preparation of this chaperonin. The essential requirements are the simultaneous presence of nucleotides such as MgATP or MgADP and a solid-phase anion-exchange medium. The monomers that are formed are metastable in that they only reassemble to a small degree in the absence of additives. These results are in keeping with previous studies on high pressure dissociation that showed the separated monomers display conformational plasticity and can undergo conformational relaxation when relieved of the constraints of the quaternary structure in the oligomer (Gorovits, B., Raman, C. S., and Horowitz, P. M. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 2061-2066). The monomers display greatly enhanced hydrophobic exposure to the probe 1,1'-bis(4-anilino)naphthalene-5,5'-disulfonic acid, although they are not active in folding functions, and they are unable to form complexes with partially folded rhodanese. The monomers can be completely reassembled to 14-mers by incubation in 1 M ammonium sulfate. There is no evidence of intermediates in the reassembly process. Compared with the original oligomers, the reassembled 14-mers have (a) very low levels of polypeptide contaminants and tryptophan-like fluorescence, two problems that previously hampered spectroscopic studies of GroEL structure and function; (b) functional properties that are very similar to the original material; (c) considerably decreased hydrophobic exposure in the native state; and (d) a similar triggered exposure of hydrophobic surfaces after treatment with urea or spermidine. This study demonstrates that the quaternary structure of GroEL is more labile than previously thought. These results are consistent with suggestions that nucleotides can loosen subunit interactions and show that changes in quaternary structure can operate under conditions where GroEL function has been demonstrated.

Refolding and reassembly of active chaperonin GroEL after denaturation

Conditions are reported that, for the first time, permit the folding and assembly of active chaperonin, GroEL, following denaturation in 8 m urea. The folding could be achieved by dilution or dialysis, and the best yields required the simultaneous presence of ammonium sulfate and the Mg2+ complexes of ATP or ADP. Ammonium sulfate was the key to this particular protocol, since there was a small recovery of oligomer in its presence, but no detectable recovery was induced by ATP or ADP without ammonium sulfate. The refolded/reassembled GroEL could arrest the spontaneous folding of rhodanese, and it could participate in the chaperonin-assisted refolding of rhodanese as effectively as GroEL that had never been unfolded. The results demonstrate that the primary sequence of GroEL contains the information required for its folding, assembly, and function. Thus, in contrast to previous studies, although chaperonins may facilitate GroEL folding, they are not necessary for the acquisition of the functional oligomeric state of this chaperone. This ability to fold denatured GroEL in vitro will facilitate studies of the influences that determine the interesting folding pattern adopted by the native protein.

A monomeric variant of GroEL binds nucleotides but is inactive as a molecular chaperone

The heat shock protein GroEL from Escherichia coli is a tetradecameric oligomer that facilitates the refolding of nonnative polypeptides in an ATP-hydrolysis dependent reaction. A mutant in GroEL was prepared in which lysine 3 was substituted with glutamate, which destabilizes the oligomeric structure of GroEL (Horovitz, A., Bochkareva, E.S., and Girshovich, A.S. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 9957-9959). The highly expressed and purified GroELK3E was judged to be monomeric by sedimentation equilibrium, yielding a molecular weight of 54,500, despite a weak tendency of the mutant to reversibly form higher order aggregates above 4 mg ml-1. The monomeric variant appears to be folded based on the far UV circular dichroism spectrum, which shows significant alpha-helical content, but with slight differences in conformation relative to wild-type GroEL. The increase in exposed hydrophobic surface of the monomer was probed with the dye 4,4'-bis-1-anilino-3-naphthalenesulfonate (bis-ANS). The fluorescence of bis-ANS increases approximately 150-fold in the presence of the mutant, and about 4 mol of bis-ANS bind per mol of monomer, with a binding constant of 1.6 microM. Adenosine nucleotide binding to monomeric GroELK3E resulted in considerable quenching of bis-ANS fluorescence, correlating with significant structural changes as seen in the far UV circular dichroism, and permitted the measurement of binding isotherms for ATP and ADP. Hyperbolic ATP binding isotherms yield a dissociation constant of 82 microM, about 4-fold weaker than the K0.5 for ATP seen in steady-state kinetics assays of the wild-type GroEL ATPase.A similar difference was seen for ADP binding. These results suggest that the mutation disrupts the native tetradecameric quaternary structure through conformational changes that may also weaken nucleotide binding. The monomeric mutant exhibited no chaperone activity as evidenced by a filure to inhibit or facilitate the refolding of chemically denatured enolase, an inability to refold denatured rhodanese above spontaneous levels, and a lack of binding to alpha-casein, a competitor in many chaperonin-promoted refolding reactions. Thus, the formation of assembly incompetent monomers by the lysine 3 to glutamate mutation results in a dramatic decrease in the affinity for nonnative polypeptide chains and suggests that the oligomeric nature of GroEL is crucial for its molecular chaperone function.

Monomer-heptamer equilibrium of the Escherichia coli chaperonin GroES

In an effort to clarify the role of GroES in chaperonin-facilitated protein folding, a plasmid-encoding expression system for GroES incorporating a histidine-tagged, thrombin-cleavable, N-terminal sequence was constructed. This approach facilitated the rapid purification of native-like, histidine-cleaved GroES (HC-GroES). The addition of NaSCN to purification buffers to mildly promote subunit dissociation enabled the complete separation of chromosomally encoded, wild-type GroES chains from recombinant chains, allowing the production of homogeneous mutant variants of GroES. A substitution of histidine-7 to tryptophan in GroES was used to demonstrate the concentration-dependent modulation of the heptameric quaternary structure of the chaperonin. Fluorescence and light scattering studies of this mutant suggest that GroES heptamers dissociate to monomers upon dilution with half-times of 2-4 min. Sedimentation equilibrium experiments using either wild-type or HC-GroES can best be described by a monomer--heptamer equilibrium, yielding dissociation constants of 1 x 10(-38) M6 for native GroES and 2 x 10(-32) M6 for HC-GroES. These results are supported by subunit exchange experiments using mixtures of native or HC-GroES and GroES containing the complete N-terminal histidine tail. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrates that these mixtures form an eight-membered hybrid set within minutes. The studies described here suggest a dynamic equilibrium for the quaternary structure of GroES, which may be an important feature for its role in GroEL-mediated protein folding reactions.

The molecular chaperonin cpn60 displays local flexibility that is reduced after binding with an unfolded protein

Steady-state fluorescence polarization was used to examine the chaperonin cpn60 that was covalently labeled with pyrene. Two compounds, 1-pyrenesulfonyl chloride or N-(1-pyrene)maleimide, were used to incorporate up to 8 mol of pyrene per mol of cpn60 14-mer. The fluorescence lifetime of the cpn60-pyrenesulfonyl chloride conjugate exhibited a double exponential decay: 5.36 ns, with a fractional contribution to the intensity of 7%, and 48.77 ns, with a fractional contribution to the intensity of 93%. These yield a second-order average lifetime of 45.58 ns at 20 degrees C. Analysis of the fluorescence polarization data for the pyrene probe by the Perrin-Weber treatment revealed the existence of two components that account for the depolarization. The fast component accounted for 24% of the depolarization at 20 degrees C. The rotational relaxation time for the cpn60 14-mer derived from the low viscosity part of the Perrin-Weber plot which accentuates the slow motion gave rho h = 1113 +/- 55 ns. When this value of rho h is compared with the rho h calculated based on the Stokes radius of cpn60 from ultracentrifugation, rho Stokes, it leads to rho h/rho Stokes = 0.4 which is considerably smaller than the value expected (rho h/rho Stokes = 1) or actually found in the cpn60-rhodanese complex (rho h/rho Stokes = 0.93). These considerations and the observed presence of the fast motion suggest that cpn60 is not a rigid protein. Analysis of the polarization data as a function of temperature, which is weighted more toward the fast motion, showed that the rotational relaxation time assessed by temperature variation is greatly increased (from 552.5 to 2591 ns) for the complex of cpn60 with partially folded rhodanese (34-kDa monomeric protein). No change in rho h was observed upon formation of the cpn60.ATP complex (rho h = 556.9 ns). These data indicate that there is local motion in the cpn60 14-mer molecule that can be frozen by formation of a binary complex with partially folded proteins. This conclusion is in keeping with results showing that the structure of cpn60 is generally stabilized when it forms complexes with passenger proteins (Mendoza, J. A., and Horowitz, P. M. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 25963-25965).

Exposure of hydrophobic surfaces on the chaperonin GroEL oligomer by protonation or modification of His-401

Hydrophobic exposure on the chaperonin GroEL is increased 6-10-fold after the protein is treated with the His-reactive reagent diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEP), or the solution pH is lowered to 5.5. The induced hydrophobic surfaces have the same 1,1'-bis(4-anilino)naphthalene-5,5'-disulfonic acid (bis-ANS) binding characteristics as unperturbed GroEL: a Kd approximately equal to 3.5 microM, a maximum intensity at approximately 500 nm, and an average fluorescence lifetime of approximately 8.0 ns. The pKa for the pH-induced transition is 6.6, most likely attributable to the only histidine in GroEL, His-401, located in the intermediate domain. The modification of one histidine residue per monomer upon DEP treatment is supported by the correlation between the change in the absorbance at 242 nm for the N-carbethoxyhistidyl derivative and the increase in bis-ANS fluorescence. GroEL at pH 5.5 is tetradecameric and can capture urea-denatured rhodanese and release it as active enzyme. The GroEL-rhodanese and release it as active enzyme. The GroEL-rhodanese complex is more stable to dissociation by 2.25 M urea than the complex formed at pH 7.8. We propose that His-401 is in a conformationally sensitive region such that protonation or modification can lead to increased exposure of hydrophobic surfaces capable of binding folding intermediates.

Tetradecameric chaperonin 60 can be assembled in vitro from monomers in a process that is ATP independent

The present work shows that monomers of cpn60 (groEL) formed at 2.5 M urea could be assembled to tetradecamers in a process that was independent of ATP. Reassembled cpn60 was able to assist the folding of urea unfolded rhodanese. When cpn60 was incubated at urea concentrations higher than 2.75 M, assembly of tetradecameric cpn60 did not occur after dialysis, and the presence of ATP did not stimulate the assembly process. The cpn60 used here did not display the previously reported ATP-dependent self-assembly of cpn60 monomers that required a higher urea concentration (4 M) for formation (Lissen et al. (1990) Nature 348, 339-342). Assembly and disassembly of cpn60 tetradecamers were followed as a function of the urea concentration by ultracentrifugation and gel electrophoresis in the presence of urea. The electrophoresis results demonstrate that there is rapid assembly of tetradecamers following preincubation and rapid removal of urea at concentrations lower than 2.5 M. Thus, previous methods monitored irreversible dissociation of cpn60, and the present results indicate that the cpn60 assembly requirements for ATP are dependent on pretreatment conditions.

In vitro dissociation of self-assembly of three chaperonin 60s: the role of ATP

A comparative study has investigated the in vitro dissociation and self-assembly of chaperonin 60 14-mers isolated from E. coli (GroEL), yeast mitochondria and pea chloroplasts. In all cases Mg2+ inhibits, and low temperature stimulates, the urea-induced dissociation. ATP or ADP in the presence of Mg2+ enhance the dissociation of the chaperonins. Re-assembly of the 14-mers from their monomers shows different efficiencies between the three proteins. In all cases, however, self-assembly is stimulated by Mg-adenine nucleotides. Surprisingly, effective self-assembly of GroEL is promoted by 20% glycerol in the absence of ATP. The role of Mg-adenine nucleotides in the dissociation and assembly of the chaperonins is discussed.

Stability of the asymmetric Escherichia coli chaperonin complex. Guanidine chloride causes rapid dissociation

The chaperonin proteins, GroEL14 and GroES7, inhibit protein aggregation and assist in protein folding in a potassium/ATP-dependent manner. In vitro, assays for chaperonin activity typically involve adding a denatured substrate protein to the chaperonins and measuring the appearance of correctly folded substrate protein. The influence of denaturant is generally ignored. Low concentrations of guanidinium chloride (< 100 mM) had a profound effect on the activity/structure of the chaperonins. Guanidinium decreased the ATPase activity of GroEL and attenuated the inhibition of GroEL ATP hydrolysis by GroES. The stable, asymmetric chaperonin complex which forms in the presence of GroES and ADP (GroES7.ADP7.GroEL7-GroEL7) rapidly dissociated upon addition of 80 mM guandinium chloride. Dissociation was enhanced at high ionic strength, but rapid dissociation was guanidinium-specific. Accelerated release of the GroES from the complex was also demonstrated. Unfolded proteins alone had no effect on complex stability. Residual guanidinium depressed the rate of Rhodospirillum rubrum ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco) folding; an increased aggregation rate also decreased the yield of folded Rubisco. Chaperonin-assisted folding is therefore best studied using proteins denatured by means other than guanidinium chloride.

High hydrostatic pressure induces the dissociation of cpn60 tetradecamers and reveals a plasticity of the monomers

Hydrostatic pressures up to 2 kbar have been used to form monomers from the 14-subunit oligomer of the chaperonin, Cpn60. The fluorescence of 1,1'-bi(4-anilino) naphthalene-5,5'-disulfonic acid (bisANS), followed at high pressure, demonstrated an increase in hydrophobic exposure on dissociation. Cpn60 dissociated with first order kinetics. The transition occurred between 1.3 and 2 kbar (P50 = 1.75 kbar), and it was facilitated by MgATP (P50 = 1.1 kbar). With MgATP, the fluorescence showed a rapid first order phase (t1/2 = 3.7 min) in addition to a phase that was similar to the single phase for Cpn60 alone (t1/2 = 11.4 min). The bisANS fluorescence decreased slowly after depressurization, and the relaxation was faster at 25 degrees C (t1/2 = 58 h) than at 4 degrees C (t1/2 = 86 h) and faster still if the sample at 4 degrees C contained MgATP when it was pressurized (t1/2 = 18 h). There was no significant effect if the MgATP was added after depressurization. Analytical ultracentrifugation, after depressurization, confirmed that metastable monomers were produced that slowly reassociated to form the oligomers (t1/2 = 150 h at 25 degrees C). Immediately after depressurization, the monomers (a) had all three sulfhydryl groups exposed for labeling with 6-iodoacetamidofluorescein, (b) showed a proteolytic susceptibility that was intermediate between native Cpn60 and Cpn60 in 2.5 M urea, and (c) were not able to capture a folding intermediate of the enzyme rhodanese. After incubation at atmospheric pressure, monomeric Cpn60 regained the ability to interact with rhodanese intermediates, and the sulfhydryl reactivity fell before significantly reassociating to 14-mers. The different rates of recovery of the native properties indicate that a complex series of conformational events occur following depressurization. Finally, the monomers resulting from pressure were different from those produced from Cpn60 by the action of 2.5 M urea. These results demonstrate that there is a fast, pressure-induced dissociation of the Cpn60 14-mer followed by a conformational drift of the dissociated monomers that can be influenced by the presence of MgATP.

The guanidine-induced conformational changes of the chaperonin GroEL from Escherichia coli. Evidence for the existence of an unfolding intermediate state

Equilibrium unfolding experiments of the E. coli chaperonin GroEL were performed in guanidine hydrochloride. A reversible unfolding intermediate was observed in very low concentrations of denaturant (< 0.5 M guanidine hydrochloride). This intermediate was characterized by a decreased light scattering intensity and an increased binding of the fluorescent probe 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate. No significant changes in circular dichroism spectra were observed for this unfolding intermediate. A second decrease in fluorescence intensity and light scattering was observed in higher concentrations of guanidine hydrochloride, with a transitional midpoint of 1.15 M. This transition was accompanied by the complete loss of secondary structure, as monitored by circular dichroism spectroscopy. This second transition agreed well with the results previously reported in this journal (Price et al. (1993) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1161, 52-58).