Influence of the interfacial peptide organization on the catalysis of hydrogen evolution

Electrochemistry in sensing of molecular interactions of proteins and their behavior in an electric field

Electrochemical methods can be used not only for the sensitive analysis of proteins but also for deeper research into their structure, transport functions (transfer of electrons and protons), and sensing their interactions with soft and solid surfaces. Last but not least, electrochemical tools are useful for investigating the effect of an electric field on protein structure, the direct application of electrochemical methods for controlling protein function, or the micromanipulation of supramolecular protein structures. There are many experimental arrangements (modalities), from the classic configuration that works with an electrochemical cell to miniaturized electrochemical sensors and microchip platforms. The support of computational chemistry methods which appropriately complement the interpretation framework of experimental results is also important. This text describes recent directions in electrochemical methods for the determination of proteins and briefly summarizes available methodologies for the selective labeling of proteins using redox-active probes. Attention is also paid to the theoretical aspects of electron transport and the effect of an external electric field on the structure of selected proteins. Instead of providing a comprehensive overview, we aim to highlight areas of interest that have not been summarized recently, but, at the same time, represent current trends in the field.

Cysteamine assay for the evaluation of bioactive electrophiles

Covalent modifications of thiol and amine groups may control the function of proteins involved in the regulatory and signaling pathways of the cell. In this study, we developed a simple cysteamine assay which can be used to study the reactivity of electrophilic compounds towards primary amine and thiol groups in an aqueous environment. The detection principle is based on the electrochemical, photometrical and mass spectrometric analyses of cysteamine (2-aminoethanethiol) as the molecular probe. This technique is useful for studying the reaction kinetics of electrophiles with thiol (SH) and amino (NH₂) groups. The decrease in analytical responses of cysteamine was monitored to evaluate the reactivity of three electrophilic activators of the Nrf2 pathway, which mediates the cellular stress response. The SH-reactivity under cell-free conditions of the tested electrophiles decreased in the following order: 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal ≥ nitro-oleic acid > sulforaphane. However, as shown in RAW264.7 cells, the tested compounds activated Nrf2-dependent gene expression in the opposite order: sulforaphane > nitro-oleic acid ≥ 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal. Although other factors in addition to chemical reactivity play a role in biological systems, we conclude that this cysteamine assay is a useful tool for screening potentially bioactive electrophiles and for studying their reactivity at a molecular level.

Bovine Serum Albumin Catalysed Hydrogen and Deuterium Evolution at Mercury Electrodes

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), catalysed by proteins at mercury electrodes and reflected in chronopotentiometric stripping peak H, provides a label-free and reagentless analytical technique that is sensitive to protein structure. Here we show how the kinetic isotope effect affected the HER catalysed by the protein bovine serum albumin (BSA). We found that the deuteron bond, which is stronger than that of a proton, contributed to less effective transport of deuterons mediated by BSA at the Hg|D₂ O interface, and enhanced structural stability of the surface-attached native BSA in D₂ O solution. A structural transition was also observed in the surface-attached urea-denatured BSA, and is probably due to the destabilisation of some secondary structural remnants retained by the 17 SS-bonds. Because the catalytically active groups involved in proton or deuteron transfer in native proteins are often exposed towards solutions and their protons exchange almost instantly, no signs of H/D exchange were observed in native BSA using peak H under the given conditions.

Investigation of protein FTT1103 electroactivity using carbon and mercury electrodes. Surface-inhibition approach for disulfide oxidoreductases using silver amalgam powder

Recently, it was shown that electrochemical methods can be used for analysis of poorly water-soluble proteins and for study of their structural changes and intermolecular (protein-ligand) interactions. In this study, we focused on complex electrochemical investigation of recombinant protein FTT1103, a disulfide oxidoreductase with structural similarity to well described DsbA proteins. This thioredoxin-like periplasmic lipoprotein plays an important role in virulence of bacteria Francisella tularensis. For electrochemical analyses, adsorptive transfer (ex situ) square-wave voltammetry with pyrolytic graphite electrode, and alternating-current voltammetry and constant-current chronopotentiometric stripping analysis with mercury electrodes, including silver solid amalgam electrode (AgSAE) were used. AgSAE was used in poorly water-soluble protein analysis for the first time. In addition to basic redox, electrocatalytic and adsorption/desorption characterization of FTT1103, electrochemical methods were also used for sensitive determination of the protein at nanomolar level and study of its interaction with surface of AgSA microparticles. Proposed electrochemical protocol and AgSA surface-inhibition approach presented here could be used in future for biochemical studies focused on proteins associated with membranes as well as on those with disulfide oxidoreductase activity.

Biophysical properties and cellular toxicity of covalent crosslinked oligomers of α-synuclein formed by photoinduced side-chain tyrosyl radicals

Alpha-synuclein (αS), a 140 amino acid presynaptic protein, is the major component of the fibrillar aggregates (Lewy bodies) observed in dopaminergic neurons of patients affected by Parkinson's disease. It is currently believed that noncovalent oligomeric forms of αS, arising as intermediates in its aggregation, may constitute the major neurotoxic species. However, attempts to isolate and characterize such oligomers in vitro, and even more so in living cells, have been hampered by their transient nature, low concentration, polymorphism, and inherent instability. In this work, we describe the preparation and characterization of low molecular weight covalently bound oligomeric species of αS obtained by crosslinking via tyrosyl radicals generated by blue-light photosensitization of the metal coordination complex ruthenium (II) tris-bipyridine in the presence of ammonium persulfate. Numerous analytical techniques were used to characterize the αS oligomers: biochemical (anion-exchange chromatography, SDS-PAGE, and Western blotting); spectroscopic (optical: UV/Vis absorption, steady state, dynamic fluorescence, and dynamic light scattering); mass spectrometry; and electrochemical. Light-controlled protein oligomerization was mediated by formation of Tyr-Tyr (dityrosine) dimers through -C-C- bonds acting as covalent bridges, with a predominant involvement of residue Y39. The diverse oligomeric species exhibited a direct effect on the in vitro aggregation behavior of wild-type monomeric αS, decreasing the total yield of amyloid fibrils in aggregation assays monitored by thioflavin T (ThioT) fluorescence and light scattering, and by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Compared to the unmodified monomer, the photoinduced covalent oligomeric species demonstrated increased toxic effects on differentiated neuronal-like SH-SY5Y cells. The results highlight the importance of protein modification induced by oxidative stress in the initial molecular events leading to Parkinson's disease.

From DC polarographic presodium wave of proteins to electrochemistry of biomacromolecules

History of electrochemistry of proteins and nucleic acids is briefly reviewed. The ability of proteins to catalyze hydrogen evolution at Hg electrodes was discovered almost 80 years ago in J. Heyrovský’s laboratory. This phenomenon was not sufficiently appreciated for several decades. Recently it has been shown that using constant current chronopotentiometric stripping (CPS) with hanging mercury drop, solid amalgam or Hg-film electrodes the CPS peak H is obtained with nanomolar concentrations of peptides and proteins. This peak is derived from the presodium wave but it has some new properties useful in protein research. It is sensitive to changes in protein structures and to protein redox states, representing a new tool for protein analysis applicable in biomedicine. Electroactivity of nucleic acids was discovered about 50 years ago. Electrochemistry of DNA and RNA is now a booming field because of its potential use in sensors for DNA hybridization and DNA damage. Quite recently it has been shown that electrochemistry can be applied also in polysaccharide analysis. A review with 99 references.