Activation and Inactivation of Horseradish Peroxidase by Cobalt Ions

Promoting salt tolerance, growth, and phytochemical responses in coriander (Coriandrum sativum L. cv. Balady) via eco-friendly Bacillus subtilis and cobalt

In plant production, evaluation of salt stress protectants concerning their potential to improve growth and productivity under saline stress is critical. Bacillus subtilis (Bs) and cobalt (Co) have been proposed to optimize salt stress tolerance in coriander (Coriandrum sativum L. cv. Balady) plants by influencing some physiological activities. The main aim of this work is to investigate the response of (Bs) and (Co) as eco-safe salt stress protectants to resist the effect of salinity, on growth, seed, and essential oil yield, and the most important biochemical constituents of coriander produced under salt stress condition. Therefore, in a split-plot factorial experiment design in the RCBD (randomized complete block design), four levels of salinity of NaCl irrigation water (SA) were assigned to the main plots; (0.5, 1.5, 4, and 6 dS m-1); and six salt stress protectants (SP) were randomly assigned to the subplots: distilled water; 15 ppm (Co1); 30 ppm (Co2); (Bs); (Co1 + Bs); (Co2 + Bs). The study concluded that increasing SA significantly reduced coriander growth and yield by 42.6%, which could be attributed to ion toxicity, oxidative stress, or decreased vital element content. From the results, we recommend that applying Bs with Co (30 ppm) was critical for significantly improving overall growth parameters. This was determined by the significant reduction in the activity of reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) and non-enzyme: proline by 5, 11.3, 14.7, and 13.8% respectively, while increasing ascorbic acid by 8% and preserving vital nutrient levels and enhancing plant osmotic potential to buffer salt stress, seed yield per plant, and essential oil yield increased by 12.6 and 18.8% respectively. The quality of essential oil was indicated by highly significant quantities of vital biological phytochemicals such as linalool, camphor, and protein which increased by 10.3, 3.6, and 9.39% respectively. Additional research is suggested to determine the precise mechanism of action of Bs and Co's dual impact on medicinal and aromatic plant salt stress tolerance.

Potassium-induced partial inhibition of lactoperoxidase: structure of the complex of lactoperoxidase with potassium ion at 2.20 Å resolution

Lactoperoxidase, a heme-containing glycoprotein, catalyzes the oxidation of thiocyanate by hydrogen peroxide into hypothiocyanite which acts as an antibacterial agent. The prosthetic heme moiety is attached to the protein through two ester linkages via Glu258 and Asp108. In lactoperoxidase, the substrate-binding site is formed on the distal heme side. To study the effect of physiologically important potassium ion on the structure and function of lactoperoxidase, the fresh protein samples were isolated from yak (Bos grunniens) colostrum and purified to homogeneity. The biochemical studies with potassium fluoride showed a significant reduction in the catalytic activity. Lactoperoxidase was crystallized using 200 mM ammonium nitrate and 20% PEG-3350 at pH 6.0. The crystals of LPO were soaked in the solution of potassium fluoride and used for the X-ray intensity data collection. Structure determination at 2.20 Å resolution revealed the presence of a potassium ion in the distal heme cavity. Structure determination further revealed that the propionic chain attached to pyrrole ring C of the heme moiety, was disordered into two components each having an occupancy of 0.5. One component occupied a position similar to the normally observed position of propionic chain while the second component was found in the distal heme cavity. The potassium ion in the distal heme cavity formed five coordinate bonds with two oxygen atoms of propionic moiety, N^ε2 atom of His109 and two oxygen atoms of water molecules. The presence of potassium ion in the distal heme cavity hampered the catalytic activity of lactoperoxidase.

Cobalt: An Essential Micronutrient for Plant Growth?

Cobalt is a transition metal located in the fourth row of the periodic table and is a neighbor of iron and nickel. It has been considered an essential element for prokaryotes, human beings, and other mammals, but its essentiality for plants remains obscure. In this article, we proposed that cobalt (Co) is a potentially essential micronutrient of plants. Co is essential for the growth of many lower plants, such as marine algal species including diatoms, chrysophytes, and dinoflagellates, as well as for higher plants in the family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. The essentiality to leguminous plants is attributed to its role in nitrogen (N) fixation by symbiotic microbes, primarily rhizobia. Co is an integral component of cobalamin or vitamin B₁₂, which is required by several enzymes involved in N₂ fixation. In addition to symbiosis, a group of N₂ fixing bacteria known as diazotrophs is able to situate in plant tissue as endophytes or closely associated with roots of plants including economically important crops, such as barley, corn, rice, sugarcane, and wheat. Their action in N₂ fixation provides crops with the macronutrient of N. Co is a component of several enzymes and proteins, participating in plant metabolism. Plants may exhibit Co deficiency if there is a severe limitation in Co supply. Conversely, Co is toxic to plants at higher concentrations. High levels of Co result in pale-colored leaves, discolored veins, and the loss of leaves and can also cause iron deficiency in plants. It is anticipated that with the advance of omics, Co as a constitute of enzymes and proteins and its specific role in plant metabolism will be exclusively revealed. The confirmation of Co as an essential micronutrient will enrich our understanding of plant mineral nutrition and improve our practice in crop production.

ANS Interacts with the Ca2+-ATPase Nucleotide Binding Site

The binding of 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) to the nucleotide binding domain (N-domain) of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) was studied. Molecular docking predicted two ANS binding modes (BMI and BMII) in the nucleotide binding site. The molecular interaction was confirmed as the fluorescence intensity of ANS was dramatically increased when in the presence of an engineered recombinant N-domain. Molecular dynamics simulation showed BMI (which occupies the ATP binding site) as the mode that is stable in solution. The above was confirmed by the absence of ANS fluorescence in the presence of a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled N-domain. Further, the labeling of the N-domain with FITC was hindered by the presence of ANS, i.e., ANS was bound to the ATP binding site. Importantly, ANS displayed a higher affinity than ATP. In addition, ANS binding led to quenching the N-domain intrinsic fluorescence displaying a FRET pattern, which suggested the existence of a Trp-ANS FRET couple. Nonetheless, the chemical modification of the sole Trp residue with N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) discarded the existence of FRET and instead indicated structural rearrangements in the nucleotide binding site during ANS binding. Finally, Ca²⁺-ATPase kinetics in the presence of ANS showed a partial mixed-type inhibition. The Dixon plot showed the ANS-Ca²⁺-ATPase complex as catalytically active, hence supporting the existence of a functional dimeric Ca²⁺-ATPase in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. ANS may be used as a molecular platform for the development of more effective inhibitors of Ca²⁺-ATPase and appears to be a new fluorescent probe for the nucleotide binding site. Graphical Abstract Molecular docking of ANS to the nucleotide binding site of Ca²⁺-ATPase. ANS fluorescence increase reveals molecular interaction.

Inhibition kinetic and thermal inactivation of horseradish peroxidase in the presence of Zn2+ ion

Peroxidase as a heme-containing metalloprotein, is an important enzyme for food industries. Hence, the current study is aimed to evaluate the inhibitory properties of zinc ion in terms of activity and thermal stability of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the range of 40-70°C for 1-45 min. The results showed that zinc ion potently inhibited HRP activity by noncompetitive mechanism. The thermal inactivation of enzyme followed first-order reaction kinetics in the presence of ZnCl₂ up to 300 μM. However, higher concentrations of Zn²⁺ -induced irregularities in HRP thermo inactivation pattern from first-order kinetics. According to the kinetic parameters, K and E_a , the rate of reactivation of HRP may be dependent on the amount of zinc ion, inactivation time, and heating duration. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Thermal inactivation kinetics of HRP was investigated in the presence of Zn²⁺ . The results showed that thermal inactivation of HRP followed first-order kinetics for up to 300 μM of Zn²⁺ . HRP inactivation was consistent with biphasic models for higher concentrations of Zn²⁺ at 60°C. The transition free energy of inactivation confirmed that zinc ion increased the enzyme unfolding transition states stability as denatured structure of HRP is more favorable than native one in this condition. Moreover, reactivation potential of enzyme decreased by increasing the zinc ion concentration.

Inhibition mechanism of lanthanum ion on the activity of horseradish peroxidase in vitro

In order to understand the inhibition mechanism of lanthanum ion (La(3+)) on the activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), the effects of La(3+) on the activity, electron transfer and conformation of HRP in vitro were investigated by using cyclic voltammetry (CV), atomic force microscopy (AFM), circular dichroism (CD), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF/MS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). It was found that La(3+) can combine with the amide groups of the polypeptide chain in HRP molecule, forming the complex of La(3+) and HRP (La-HRP). The formation of the La-HRP complex causes the destruction of the native structure of HRP molecule, leading to the decrease in the non-planarity of the porphyrin ring in the heme group of HRP molecule, and then in the exposure extent of active center, Fe(III) of the porphyrin ring of HRP molecule. Thus, the direct electrochemical and catalytic activities of HRP are decreased. It is a possible inhibition mechanism of La(3+) on the activity of peroxidase.