Relation between structure and function in some partially synthetic ribonucleases S'. Enzymic and spectroscopic investigation on [Orn10, Asn14]-RNase S' and 1epsilon, 7epsilon, 10delta-triguanidino-[Orn10, Asn14]-RNase S'

Kinetic and conformational studies on some partially synthetic ribonuclease S' analogues modified in position 8

Syntheses are described of two S-peptide analogues where the arginyl residue in position 10 has been replaced by ornithine and the phenylalanine in position 8 has been substituted by the unnatural amino acids cyclohexylalanine or p-fluorophenylalanine. In order to regenerate the arginyl residue, which is present in position 10 in the natural sequence, the S-peptide analogues beloning to the [Orn10]-series are transformed into the corresponding guanidinated derivatives by treatment with O-methylisourea. 1epsilon, 7epsilon, 10delta triguan-[Cha8, Orn10]-, 1epsilon, 7epsilon, 10delta-triguan-[pF-Phe8, Orn10]- and 1epsilon, 7epsilon, 10delta-triguan-[Tyr8, Orn10]-S-peptides were prepared. The ability to bind to and activate the S-protein of the synthetic S-peptide analogues, before and after guanidination, was tested by exploring their capacity to generate ribonuclease activity using RNA and C greater than p as substrates. The affinity of the different peptides for the S-protein in the absence of substrate was evaluated by difference spectroscopy.

Ribonuclease S-peptide as a carrier in fusion proteins

S-peptide (residues 1-20) and S-protein (residues 21-124) are the enzymatically inactive products of the limited digestion of ribonuclease A by subtilisin. S-peptide binds S-protein with high affinity to form ribonuclease S, which has full enzymatic activity. Recombinant DNA technology was used to produce a fusion protein having three parts: carrier, spacer, and target. The two carriers used were the first 15 residues of S-peptide (S15) and a mutant S15 in which Asp 14 had been changed to Asn (D14N S15). The spacer consisted of three proline residues and a four-residue sequence recognized by factor Xa protease. The target was beta-galactosidase. The interaction between the S-peptide portion of the fusion protein and immobilized S-protein allowed for affinity purification of the fusion protein under denaturing (S15 as carrier) or nondenaturing (D14N S15 as carrier) conditions. A sensitive method was developed to detect the fusion protein after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by its ribonuclease activity following activation with S-protein. S-peptide has distinct advantages over existing carriers in fusion proteins in that it combines a small size (> or = 15 residues), a tunable affinity for ligand (Kd > or = 10(-9) M), and a high sensitivity of detection (> or = 10(-16) mol in a gel).

Folding of homologous proteins. The refolding of different ribonucleases is independent of sequence variations, proline content and glycosylation

The refolding kinetics of four different pancreatic ribonucleases have been compared. Bovine and ovine RNAase contain 4 proline residues, red deer RNAase has 5 prolines, the enzyme from roe deer 6 prolines. Despite the variation in the amount of prolines, all four proteins show a constant value of 20% fast refolding species UF. The extra proline residues of the deer enzymes do not increase the amount of slow refolding species US. Consequently these residues may be non-essential for folding. Despite many differences in the amino acid sequence, the rates if the fast and slow refolding reactions are very similar for all investigated ribonucleases. This indicates that the pathway of refolding has been conserved during evolution, i.e. the positions where amino acid substitutions occur are not critically important for the rate-determining steps of the folding process. A carbohydrate chain attached to ribonuclease does not alter the folding properties of the protein: RNAase A and RNAase B from roe deer show identical refolding kinetics.

Near-ultraviolet difference absorption and circular dichroism studies on partially synthetic ribonucleases S'

Near-ultraviolet difference absorption and circular dichroism (CD) spectra were recorded upon recombination of synthetic S-peptide analogs, i.e. 1epsilon, 7epsilon-diguanidino-[Tyr8]-,1epsilon,7epsilon-diguanidono-[Asn14]-, [Phe(F)8, Orn10]- and 1epsilon, 7epsilon-diguanidino-S-peptide, with S-protein. Environmental alterations of Phe-8 in the S-peptide and Tyr-25 in the S-protein, derived from the association process, lead to strong optical signals whose location and magnitude were clearly defined by means of a comparative analysis of the above spectra. Additionally, the spectroscopic effects resulting from insertion of a tyrosyl residue into an hydrophobic environment in the presence or absence of hydrogen-bonding partners were identified and compared with similar findings obtained from the model compound p-cresol.

Far-ultraviolet difference absorption and circular dichroism studies on partially synthetic ribonucleases S'

Far-ultraviolet difference absorption and circular dichroism (CD) spectra were recorded upon recombination of synthetic S-peptide analogs, i.e. 1epsilon, 7epsilon-diguanidino-[Tyr8]-, 1epsilon, 7epsilon-diguanidino-[Asn14]-, [Phe(F)8, Orn10]-, [Cha8, Orn10]- and 1epsilon, 7epsilon-diguanidono-S-peptide, with S-protein. The aromatic chromophores contributions to the absorption spectra in the 220-250 nm wavelengths interval strongly exceed the hyperchromism due to the random coil to right handled alpha-helix transition of the S-peptide, accompanying the association process. Contributions resulting from peptide transitions constitute a large portion of the total dichroism, nevertheless substitution of the non aromatic cycloexylalanine residue in position 8 of the S-peptide with phenylalanine, p-fluorophenylalanine and tyrosine leads to CD negative maxima located at 215, 215 and 212,5 nm, respectively. The strongest ellipticity increment (28%), relative to that of the Cha-derivative, was observed at 212,5 nm for the [Tyr8]-S-peptide analog, while in the narrow 222 nm range minimal differences were found upon insertion into the position 8 of the S-peptide of the above aromatic residues. Information derived from above data and from a comparison of RNAase A, S and S-protein CD spectra enabled us to assign the positive CD band at 240 nm in RNAase A spectrum to transitions of phenylalanines and inaccessible tyrosines.