A calorimetric study of the thermal transitions of three specific transfer ribonucleic acids

Quantitative approaches to the analysis of carbohydrate-binding module function

Carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) are important components of carbohydrate-active enzymes. Their primary functions are to assist in substrate turnover by targeting appended catalytic modules to substrate and concentrating appended catalytic modules on the surface of substrate. Presented here are four well-established methodologies for investigating and quantifying the CBM-polysaccharide binding relationship. These methods include: (1) the solid state depletion assay, (2) affinity gel electrophoresis, (3) UV difference and fluorescence spectroscopy, and (4) isothermal titration calorimetry. In addition, entropy-driven CBM-crystalline cellulose binding events and differential approaches to calculating stoichiometry with polyvalent polysaccharide ligands are also discussed.

Heat capacity changes associated with nucleic acid folding

Whereas heat capacity changes (DeltaCPs) associated with folding transitions are commonplace in the literature of protein folding, they have long been considered a minor energetic contributor in nucleic acid folding. Recent advances in the understanding of nucleic acid folding and improved technology for measuring the energetics of folding transitions have allowed a greater experimental window for measuring these effects. We present in this review a survey of current literature that confronts the issue of DeltaCPs associated with nucleic acid folding transitions. This work helps to gather the molecular insights that can be gleaned from analysis of DeltaCPs and points toward the challenges that will need to be overcome if the energetic contribution of DeltaCP terms are to be put to use in improving free energy calculations for nucleic acid structure prediction.

Study of the influence of metal ions on tRNA(Phe) thermal unfolding equilibria by UV spectroscopy and multivariate curve resolution

The influence of metal ions (Na(+), Mg(2+) and Cd(2+)) on the thermal unfolding of phenylalanine transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA(Phe)) was studied by UV spectroscopy-monitored melting experiments. Absorbance data were obtained during the unfolding process in the range 220-340 nm and later analyzed by a multivariate curve resolution approach (MCR-ALS) based on factor analysis. This procedure determines the number of spectroscopically distinct conformations present during the unfolding process and reveals their concentration profiles and pure spectra, without any initial assumption having to be made about the number of steps in the unfolding pathway. From the concentration profiles and pure spectra, information such as T(m) values can be recovered. The results were compared with those obtained previously in spectroscopic and calorimetric unfolding experiments, showing that the multivariate approach recovers information that complements that obtained in traditional spectroscopic melting experiments.

Binding of the cellulose-binding domain of exoglucanase Cex from Cellulomonas fimi to insoluble microcrystalline cellulose is entropically driven

Isothermal titration microcalorimetry is combined with solution-depletion isotherm data to analyze the thermodynamics of binding of the cellulose-binding domain (CBD) from the beta-1,4-(exo)glucanase Cex of Cellulomonas fimi to insoluble bacterial microcrystalline cellulose. Analysis of isothermal titration microcalorimetry data against two putative binding models indicates that the bacterial microcrystalline cellulose surface presents two independent classes of binding sites, with the predominant high-affinity site being characterized by a Langmuir-type Ka of 6.3 (+/-1.4) x 10(7) M-1 and the low-affinity site by a Ka of 1.1 (+/-0.6) x 10(6) M-1. CBDCex binding to either site is exothermic, but is mainly driven by a large positive change in entropy. This differs from protein binding to soluble carbohydrates, which is usually driven by a relatively large exothermic standard enthalpy change for binding. Differential heat capacity changes are large and negative, indicating that sorbent and protein dehydration effects make a dominant contribution to the driving force for binding.

Spin-labelled nucleic acids

The spin label method developed by McConnell 15 years ago is now widely used in studies of the structure and dynamic properties of a variety of the biological systems such as proteins and protein complexes, lipids and membranes, nucleic acids, nucleoproteins, etc.

The ESR spectrum of the nitroxide radcal – the spin label – is very sensitive to its microenvironment and permits easy registration of even subtle alterations in it. If spin labels are attached to different sites of a macromolecule the information can be gained about conformational properties of all these local regions and, as a result, about the dynamic behaviour of the object as a whole.

Differential scanning calorimetry of the thermal denaturation of lactate dehydrogenase

1. Differential scanning calorimetry has been used to study the thermal denaturation of lactate dehydrogenase. At pH 7.0 in 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer, only one transition was observed. Both the enthalpy of denaturation and the melting temperature are linear function of heating rate. The enthalpy is 430 kcal/mol and the melting temperature 61 degrees C at 0 degrees C/min heating rate. The ratio of the calorimetric heat to the effective enthalpy indicated that the denaturation is highly cooperative. Subunit association does not appear to significantly contribute to the enthalpy of denaturation. 2. Both cofactor and sucrose addition stabilized the protein against thermal denaturation. Pyruvate addition produced no changes. Only a small time-dependent destabilization was observed at low concentrations of urea. Large effects were observed in concentrated NaCl solutions and with sulfhydryl-modified lactate dehydrogenase.

Calorimetric studies on melting of tRNA Phe (yeast)

The heat effects involved in thermal unfolding of tRNAPhe from yeast have been determined in various buffer systems by direct differential scanning calorimetry. Perfect reversibility of the melting process has been demonstrated for measurements in the absence of Mg2+ ions. The overall molar transition enthalpy, delta Ht = 298 +/- 15 kcal mol-1 (1247 +/- 63 kJ mol-1), has been shown to be independent of the NaCl concentration and the nature of the buffers used in this study. Delta Ht is identical in the presence and in the absence of Mg2+ ions within the margin of experimental error. This experimental result implies a vanishing or very small heat capacity change to be associated with melting. Decomposition of the calorimetrically determined complex transition curves, on the assumption that the experimental melting profile represents the sum of independent two-state transitions, results in five transitions which have been assigned to melting of different structural domains of the tRNA.

Calorimetric investigations on thermal stability of tRNAIle (yeast) and tRNASer (yeast)

Variation with temperature of the partial heat capacities of tRNAIle (yeast) and tRNASer (yeast) has been determined in two buffers at various salt conditions by scanning microcalorimetry. The overall molar transition enthalpy, deltaHt = 320 +/- 20 kcal mol-1 (1339 +/- 84 kJ mol-1) is identical for the two tRNA species within the limits of experimental error. deltaHt does not show any dependence on the nature of the buffer, nor does it vary on addition of 1 mM MgCl2 or 150 mM NaCl. Thermal unfolding of the native structure to the random coil cannot adequately be described by a two-state, concerted transition under the experimental conditions applied in this study, but exhibits a multistep mechanism characterized by sequential unfolding of separable cooperative domains.

Kinetics of conformational changes in tRNA Phe (yeast) as studied by the fluorescence of the Y-base and of formycin substituted for the 3'-terminal adenine

The kinetics of the melting transitions of tRNA Phe (yeast) were followed by the fluorescence of the Y-base and of formycin substituted for the 3'-terminal adenine. As judged from differential UV absorbance melting curves the formycin label had virtually no influence on the conformation of the tRNA. A temperature jump apparatus was modified to allow the simultaneous observation of transmission and fluorescence intensities by two independent optical channels. The design of a temperature jump cell with an all quartz center piece is given. The cell is resistant to temperatures up to 90 degrees C; it provides high optical sensitivity, low stray light intensity and the possibility of measuring fluorescence polarization. The T-jump experiments allowed to discriminate between fast unspecific fluorescence quenching (r less than 5 musec) and slow cooperative conformational changes. In the central part of the temperature range of UV-melting (midpoint temperature 30 degrees C in 0.01 M Na+ and 39 degrees C in 0.03 M Na+, pH 6.8) two resolvable relaxation processes were observed. The corresponding relaxation times were 20 msec and 800 msec at 30 degrees C in 0.01 M Na+, and 4 msec and 120 msec at 39 degrees C in 0.03 M Na+. The Y-base fluorescence shows both of the relaxation effects, which almost cancel in equilibrium fluorescence melting, because their amplitudes have opposite signs. From this finding the existence of some residual tertiary structure is inferred which persists after the unfolding of the main part of tertiary structure during early melting (midpoint temperature 24 degrees C in 0.03 M Na+). In the fluorescence signal of the formycin also the two relaxation effects appear. Both of them are connected with a decrease of the fluorescence intensity. From the results a coupled opening of the anticodon and acceptor branches is concluded.

1H nuclear magnetic resonance of modified bases of valine transfer ribonucleic acid (Escherichia coli). A direct monitor of sequential thermal unfolding

Proton magnetic resonances at 220 MHz from three nucleotide residues of valine I tRNA (Escherichia coli) serve as intrinsic probes of local molecular structure. Resonances from the methyl group of ribothymidine, the methyl group of N6-methyladenosine, and the C-5 methylene of dihydrouridine monitor separate conformational transitions in the TpsiC, anticodon, and dihydrouridine loops, respectively. As the temperature is raised in a solution containing 0.23 M Na+ and no Mg2+, the dihydrouridine region melts with a Tm of 55 degrees, the anticodon region at 58 degrees, and the TpsiC region at 67 degrees. The dihydrouridine nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) transition correlates with the major change in absorbance monitored in the uv at 330 nm which is ascribed to structural pertubations near the 4-thiouracil moiety. On the NMR time scale slow exchange is seen throughout the temperature range for dihydrouridine and below the apparent Tm for the ribothymidine methyl group. Chemical shift and line width differences between folded and unfolded forms of the polynucleotide indicate that, in the native structure, ribothymidine is in a highly structured region and N6-methyladenosine is in a somewhat less restricted environment. Narrow line widths for the C-5 methylene triplet are found over the whole temperature range indicating that this base is undergoing rapid internal reorientation relative to the overall macromolecule.