Intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of rat liver elongation factor eEF-2 to monitor the interaction with guanylic and adenylic nucleotides and related conformational changes

Spectrofluorimetric methods for the determination of mirabegron by quenching tyrosine and L-tryptophan fluorophores: Recognition of quenching mechanism by stern volmer relationship, evaluation of binding constants and binding sites

Green spectrofluorimetric methods have been adopted for the determination of Mirabegron (MG) in pure drug and pharmaceutical dosage form. The developed methods based on fluorescence quenching of tyrosine and L-tryptophan amino acids fluorophores by the effect of Mirabegron as a quencher. Experimental conditions of the reaction were studied and optimized. The Fluorescence quenching (ΔF) values were proportional to the concentration range of MG 2-20 μg/ml for the tyrosine-MG system in buffered media pH 2 and 1-30 μg/ml for L-tryptophan-MG system pH 6. Good correlation coefficients with low detection limits of 0.163 and 0.234 μg/ml for the two systems respectively. Method validation was applied according to ICH guidelines. The cited methods were successively applied for MG determination in tablet formulation. No statistically significant difference between the results of the cited and the reference methods regarding t and F tests. The proposed spectrofluorimetric methods are simple, rapid, eco-friendly and can contribute to MG's methodologies in quality control labs. Stern-Volmer relationship, the effect of temperature, quenching constant (K_q), and UV spectra were studied to identify the mechanism by which the quenching might occur. The results demonstrated that fluorescence quenching of tyrosine was a dynamic quenching process and L-tryptophan was static. The double log plots were constructed to determine the binding constants and binding sites. The greenness profile of the developed methods has been assessed by Green Analytical procedure index (GAPI) and Analytical Greenness Metric Approach (AGREE).

Spectrofluorimetric study on fluorescence quenching of tyrosine and l-tryptophan by the aniracetam cognition enhancer drug: quenching mechanism using Stern-Volmer and double-log plots

A novel approach on fluorescence quenching of tyrosine and l-tryptophan is presented for spectrofluorimetric determination of aniracetam in drug substances and products. The quenching mechanism was investigated using Stern-Volmer plots and ultraviolet spectra figures of quencher-fluorophore mixtures. Binding constant and stoichiometry were calculated using double-log plots. The spectrofluorimetric method was optimized for the experimental conditions affecting fluorescence quenching including fluorophore concentration, diluent, and reaction time. Moreover, the pH-rate profile of aniracetam was studied using simple kinetics and found to be stable within the pH range 5-8. Fluorescence quenching of tyrosine and l-tryptophan were observed on addition of aniracetam in aqueous medium at pH 5.5-6.5. Aniracetam quenched the fluorescence of tyrosine and l-tryptophan in the concentration range 1-20 μg/ml and 0.3-20 μg/ml, respectively, with binomial relationships between quenching values (ΔF) and aniracetam concentration. Limits of detection were found to be 0.10 μg/ml for tyrosine-aniracetam and 0.14 μg/ml for l-tryptophan-aniracetam. Method validation was performed as per ICH guidelines and demonstrated that the developed spectrofluorimetric method was accurate, precise, specific, and suitable for analysis of aniracetam in routine quality control laboratories. All experimental materials and solvents used are eco-friendly, indicating that the cited spectrofluorimetric procedure is an excellent green method.

Conformational changes in dynamin on GTP binding and oligomerization reported by intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence

The effects of guanine nucleotides on the intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence properties of dynamin were assessed. The intrinsic Trp (tryptophan) fluorescence spectra of purified recombinant dynamin-1 and -2 were very similar, with a maximum at 332 nm. Collisional quenching by KI was weak (approximately 30%), suggesting that the majority of Trp residues are buried. Binding of guanine nucleotides decreased intrinsic fluorescence by 15-20%. Titration of the effects showed that GTP and GDP bound to a single class of non-interacting sites in dynamin tetramers with apparent dissociation constants (K(d)) values of 5.4 and 7.4 microM (dynamin-1) and 13.2 and 7.1 microM (dynamin-2) respectively. Similar dissociation constant values for both nucleotides were obtained by titrating the quenching of IAEDANS [N-iodoacetyl-N'-(5-sulpho-1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine]-labelled dynamin-2. Despite the similar binding affinities, GTP and GDP result in different conformations of the protein, as revealed by sensitivity to proteinase K fragmentation. Dynamins contain five Trp residues, of which four are in the PH domain (pleckstrin homology domain) and one is in the C-terminal PRD (proline/arginine-rich domain). Guanine nucleotides quenched fluorescence emission from a truncated (DeltaPRD) mutant dynamin-1 to the same extent as in the full-length protein, suggesting conformational coupling between the G (groove)-domain and the PH domain. Efficient resonance energy transfer from PH domain Trp residues to bound mant-GTP [where mant stands for 2'-(3')-O-(N-methylanthraniloyl)] suggests that the G-domain and PH domain are in close proximity (5-6 nm). Promotion of dynamin-2 oligomerization, by reduction in ionic strength or increasing protein concentration, had little effect on intrinsic dynamin fluorescence. However, fluorescence emission from IAEDANS.dynamin-2 showed a significant spectral shift on oligomerization. In addition, energy transfer was observed when oligomerization was promoted in mixtures of IAEDANS.dynamin-2 and 4-(4-dimethylaminophenylazo)benzoic acid-coupled dynamin-2, an effect that was counteracted by GTP but not GDP.

Insight into the catalytic mechanism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A. Studies of toxin interaction with eukaryotic elongation factor-2

The molecular nature of the protein-protein interactions between the catalytic domain from Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (PE24H) and its protein substrate, eukaryotic elongation factor-2 (eEF-2) were probed using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer method. Single cysteine mutant proteins of PE24H were prepared and site-specifically labeled with the donor fluorophore IAEDANS (5-(2-iodoacetylaminoethylamino)-1-napthalenesulfonic acid), whereas eEF-2 was labeled with the acceptor fluorophore fluorescein. The association was found to be independent of ionic strength and of the co-substrate, NAD(+) but dependent upon pH. The lack of requirement for NAD(+) to produce the toxin-eEF-2 complex demonstrates that the catalytic process is a random order mechanism, thereby disputing the current model. The previously observed pH dependence for catalytic function can be assigned to the toxin-eEF-2 binding event, as the pH dependence of binding observed in this study showed a strong correlation with enzymatic activity. The ability of the toxin to bind eEF-2 with bound GTP/GDP was assessed using nonhydrolyzable analogues. The results from the substrate binding and catalytic activity experiments indicate that PE24H is able to interact and bind with eEF-2 in all of its guanyl nucleotide-induced conformational states. Thus, the toxin ribosylates eEF-2 regardless of the nucleotide-charged state of eEF-2. These results represent the first detailed characterization of the molecular details and physiological conditions governing this protein-protein interaction.

Identification of a putative sordarin binding site in Candida albicans elongation factor 2 by photoaffinity labeling

Candida albicans EF-2 binds sordarin to a single class of binding sites with K(d) = 1.26 microm. Equimolar mixtures of EF-2 and ribosomes, in the presence of a non-hydrolyzable GTP analog, reveal two classes of high affinity sordarin binding sites with K(d) = 0.7 and 41.5 nm, probably due to the existence of two ribosome populations. Photoaffinity labeling of C. albicans EF-2 in the absence of ribosomes has been performed with [(14)C]GM258383, a photoactivatable sordarin derivative. Labeling is saturable and can be considered specific, because it can be prevented with another sordarin analog. The fragment Gln(224)-Lys(232) has been identified as the modified peptide within the EF-2 sequence, Lys(228) being the residue to which the photoprobe was linked. This fragment is included within the G"-subdomain of EF-2. These results are discussed in the light of the high sordarin specificity toward fungal systems.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the association of the catalytic domain of diphthamide-specific ribosyltransferases to eukaryotic elongation factor-2

The X-ray structure of the catalytic domain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (PE24) has recently been solved to high resolution, facilitating studies on the interaction of PE24 with its target substrate, eukaryotic elongation factor-2 (eEF-2). PE24 exhibits mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase (ADPRT) activity in a mechanism that has been proposed to feature a nucleophilic attack by the diphthamide residue (nucleophile) of eEF-2 on the C-1 of the nicotinamide ribose of NAD(+). The interaction of wheat germ eEF-2 with PE24 was studied by employing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), devised to assess protein-protein interactions. It was shown that the proteins associate with each other only in the presence of the enzyme's nucleotide substrate, NAD(+), and exhibit a dose-dependent association that is saturable. The apparent dissociation constant (K(d)) for this protein-protein interaction is 50 nM and is salt-dependent. The association is maximal at low ionic strength and is progressively weaker at higher salt concentrations, which corroborates previous findings on the salt dependence of ADPRT activity for this toxin. This finding suggests that the sensitivity of ADPRT activity toward high salt resides in the interaction between the catalytic domain of the toxin and eEF-2. A major product of the glycohydrolase activity of PE24, nicotinamide, inhibits the binding between PE24 and eEF-2 with an ID(50) of 20 microM. The naturally occurring, noncatalytic mutant of PE24, H426Y, did not bind eEF-2 in the ELISA, verifying that His 426 is located at the center of the eEF-2 binding site within ETA.

A specific role for the phosphorylation of mammalian acidic ribosomal protein P2

The acidic ribosomal proteins P1-P2 from rat liver were overproduced for the first time by expression of their cDNA in Escherichia coli. They were tested for their ability to reactivate inactive P1-P2-deficient core particles derived from 60 S ribosomal subunits treated with dimethylmaleic anhydride, in poly(U)-directed poly(Phe) synthesis. The recombinant P1-P2 were unable to reactivate these core particles although they could bind to them. When recombinant P1-P2 had been phosphorylated first with casein kinase II, they were as efficient in the reactivation process as P1-P2 extracted with ethanol/KCl from the 60 S subunits. Reconstitution experiments were carried out using all possible combinations of the two recombinant proteins phosphorylated or not. Reactivation of the core particles required the presence of both P1 and P2 with the latter in its phosphorylated form. These experiments reveal a distinct role for P1 and P2 in protein synthesis. Phosphorylated P2 produced a partial quenching of the intrinsic fluorescence of eukaryotic elongation factor 2, which was not observed with the unphosphorylated protein. This result demonstrates the existence of an interaction between phosphorylated P2 and eukaryotic elongation factor 2. P2 also quenched part of the intrinsic fluorescence of P1, due to the interaction between the two proteins.

Photoaffinity labeling of elongation factor-2 with 8-azido derivatives of GTP and ATP

Elongation factor 2 (eEF-2) can interact not only with guanylic nucleotides but also with adenylic ones, as was shown by intrinsic fluorescence quenching studies [Sontag, B., Reboud, A.M., Divita, G., Di Pietro, A., Guillot, D. & Reboud, J.P. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 1976-1980]. Here we studied sites of these interactions by using photoactivable 8-azido-[gamma-32P]GTP and 8-azido-[gamma-32P]ATP. Photoincorporation of the radioactive GTP derivative into eEF-2 was prevented by the previous addition of GTP and GDP. The addition of adenylic nucleotides (ATP, ADP) and some adenylic derivatives [NAD+, NADH,poly(A)] decreased the photoincorporation by only 40% at most. However, photoincorporation of the radioactive ATP derivative was prevented by the previous addition not only of adenylic compounds [ATP, ADP, NAD+, NADH, poly(A)] but also of GTP and GDP. Photoincorporation of radioactive nucleotide derivatives was not decreased by the addition of other nucleotidic compounds [UTP, poly(U), ITP, NADP+, NADPH]. ATP and GTP acted as non-competitive inhibitors of the photoincorporation of 8-azido-[gamma-32P]GTP and 8-azido-[gamma-32P]ATP, respectively. eEF-2 photolabeled with these radioactive nucleotide derivatives was submitted to trypsin digestion under different conditions and the labeled peptidic fragments identified after HPLC purification and gel electrophoresis by N-terminal sequencing. An octapeptide, Y264FDPANGK271, was the only peptide photolabeled with 8-azido-[gamma-32P]GTP whereas a N-terminal fragment of about 7 kDa was the only one photolabeled with 8-azido-[gamma-32P]ATP. The different results support the hypothesis that guanylic and adenylic nucleotides do not interact with the same site of eEF-2.

Properties of elongation factor-2 fragments obtained by partial proteolysis

Rat liver elongation factor eEF-2 was treated with endoproteinase Glu-C. Two major fragments were obtained, which were identified by N-terminal sequencing and purified. The larger one (F61) contained 554 residues including the N-terminal end, and after a second cleavage released a N-terminal peptide (F7) of 62 residues. The smaller one (F34) contained the other 303 residues including the C terminal end. F61 and F34, either isolated or after combination, were unable to catalyze protein synthesis. However, we show by fluorimetry that F61 could still interact with GTP and GDP. This fragment was was able to participate into a ternary complex with ribosome and GDP, but not with ribosome and a GTP analogue. It was unable to protect the ribosome against ricin-inactivation and to be phosphorylated by the eEF-2-specific Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent kinase, though it contained Trp221 and Thr56 involved in these reactions. On the other hand, F34 could be ADP-ribosylated in the presence of NAD+ and diphtheria toxin, but this fragment was apparently unable to bind to ribosomes. These results and those obtained with other proteinases are discussed in the light of the data published recently which show the existence of five different domains in the three-dimensional structure of EF-G.

Interaction of phosphorylated elongation factor EF-2 with nucleotides and ribosomes

The intrinsic fluorescence emission spectrum of elongation factor EF-2 due to the 7 Trp residues was not modified after complete phosphorylation of the factor by the specific Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent kinase III. The effect of nucleotide binding on this fluorescence revealed differences between phosphorylated and unmodified EF-2. Low concentrations of GTP had a smaller quenching effect on the fluorescence of phosphorylated EF-2 than on the fluorescence of unmodified EF-2, whereas GDP had exactly the same quenching effect on the fluorescence of both samples. These results suggest that phosphorylation of EF-2 decreased its affinity for GTP but not for GDP. Ability of phosphorylated EF-2 to form a ternary complex with ribosomes in the presence of a non-hydrolysable GTP analog and its ability to protect ribosomes against ricin-inactivation were both decreased to the same extent. The lower affinity of phosphorylated EF-2 for GTP could be responsible for a weaker and/or incorrect interaction of the factor with the ribosome, in particular with the ricin-site of the 28-S rRNA assumed to be involved in translocation initiation.

An intrinsic-tryptophan-fluorescence study of phage phi 29 connector/nucleic acid interactions

The protein p10 of bacteriophage phi 29 assembled into connectors exhibit an intrinsic fluorescence with an emission peak centered at 335 nm, which suggests a hydrophobic environment of the three tryptohan residues that the protein contains. Upon incubation with linear DNA (but not with circular DNA), a decrease in the connector intrinsic fluorescence is measured which does not show any sequence specificity. The decrease in fluorescence is not observed when DNA is incubated with proteolyzed connectors, which lack the DNA-binding domain, suggesting that the fluorescence quenching is related to the binding of DNA to the phi 29 connectors. Acrylamide quenching studies reveal a higher accessibility of tryptophan residues to the quencher when the connector is bound to DNA. Protein denaturation by guanidine hydrochloride occurs at lower denaturant concentrations in the presence of linear DNA (but not circular DNA) than in its absence, suggesting a conformational change of phi 29 connector upon binding to linear DNA. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the proteolyzed connectors, which do not bind DNA, are denatured at the same denaturant concentration, regardless of the presence of DNA. phi 29 connectors also bind RNA, but this interaction does not exert any effect on acrylamide quenching or guanidine hydrochloride denaturation. This result, together with that showing that proteolyzed connectors are able to interact with RNA, reinforces the idea that phi 29 connectors have two independent domains for interaction with DNA and RNA.