An infrared study of 2H-bond variation in myoglobin revealed by high pressure

A high pressure cell using metallic windows to investigate the structure of molecular solutions up to 600 MPa by small-angle neutron scattering

We report on a high pressure (HP) cell designed for the determination of the structure of molecular solutions by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The HP cell is fitted up with two thick metallic windows that make the device very resistant under hydrostatic pressures up to 600 MPa (or 6 kbar). The metallic windows are removable, offering the possibility to adapt the HP cell to a given study with the pressure desired on an appropriate spatial range to study the structure of various molecular solutions by SANS. In this context, we report the absorption, transmission, and scattering properties of different metallic windows. Finally, we describe, as a proof of principle, the solution structure changes of myoglobin, a small globular protein.

High pressure Raman study of type-I collagen

The high pressure response of type-I collagen from bovine Achilles tendon is investigated with micro-Raman spectroscopy. Fluorinert™ and methanol-ethanol mixtures were used as pressure transmitting media (PTM) in a diamond anvil cell. The Raman spectrum of collagen is dominated by three bands centred at approximately 1450, 1660 and 2930 cm^-1 , attributed to C-H deformation, C=O stretching of the peptide bond (amide-I band) and C-H stretching modes respectively. Upon pressure increase, using Fluorinert™ as PTM, a shift towards higher frequencies of the C-H stretching and deformation peaks is observed. Contrary, the amide-I band peaks are shifted to lower frequencies with moderate pressure slopes. On the other hand, when using the alcohol mixture as PTM, the amide-I band exhibits more pronounced C=O bond softening, deduced from the shift to lower frequencies, suggesting a strengthening of the hydrogen bonds between glycine and proline residues of different collagen chains due to the presence of the polar alcohol molecules. Furthermore, some of the peaks exhibit abrupt changes in their pressure slopes at approximately 2 GPa, implying a variation in the compressibility of the collagen fibres. This could be attributed to a pitch change from 10/3 to 7/2, sliding of the tropocollagen molecules, twisting variation at the molecular level and/or elimination of the D-gaps induced by kink compression. All spectral changes are reversible upon pressure release, which indicates that denaturation has not taken place. Finally, a minor lipid phase contamination was detected in some sample spots. Its pressure response is also monitored.

Coupling of pressure-induced structural shifts to spectral changes in a yellow fluorescent protein

X-ray diffraction analysis of pressure-induced structural changes in the Aequorea yellow fluorescent protein Citrine reveals the structural basis for the continuous fluorescence peak shift from yellow to green that is observed on pressurization. This fluorescence peak shift is caused by a reorientation of the two elements of the Citrine chromophore. This study describes the structural linkages in Citrine that are responsible for the local reorientation of the chromophore. The deformation of the Citrine chromophore is actuated by the differential motion of two clusters of atoms that compose the beta-barrel scaffold of the molecule, resulting in a slight bending of the beta-barrel. The high-pressure structures also show a perturbation of the hydrogen bonding network that stabilizes the excited state of the Citrine chromophore. The perturbation of this network is implicated in the reduction of fluorescence intensity of Citrine. The blue-shift of the Citrine fluorescence spectrum resulting from the bending of the beta-barrel provides structural insight into the transient blue-shifting of isolated yellow fluorescent protein molecules under ambient conditions and suggests mechanisms to alter the time-dependent behavior of Citrine under ambient conditions.

Effect of pressure on pulse radiolysis reduction of proteins

Pulse radiolysis experiments were performed on proteins under pressure. Whereas many spectroscopic techniques have shown protein modifications at different pressure ranges, the present measurements performed using the water radiolysis allowed to generate radical species and to study the mechanisms implied in their reactions with proteins. This work gives the first results obtained on the effects of pressure on the rate constants of the proteins reduction by the hydrated electron at pressures up to 100 MPa. The reaction with the hydrated electron was investigated on two classes of protein: the horse myoglobin and the mussel metallothioneins. We have successively studied the influence of the pH value of metmyoglobin solutions (pH 6, 7 and 8) and the influence of the metals nature (Zn,Cu,Cd) bound to metallothioneins. For both protein, whatever the experimental conditions, the pressure does not influence the value of the reduction rate constant in the investigated range (0.1-100 MPa).

High-pressure effects on horse heart metmyoglobin studied by small-angle neutron scattering

Small-angle neutron scattering experiments were performed on horse azidometmyoglobin (MbN3) at pressures up to 300 MPa. Other spectroscopic techniques have shown that a reorganization of the secondary structure and of the active site occur in this pressure range. The present measurements, performed using various concentrations of MbN3, show that the compactness of the protein is not altered as the value of its radius of gyration remains constant up to 300 MPa. The value of the second virial coefficient of the protein solution indicates that the interactions between the molecules are always strongly repulsive even if their magnitude decreases with increasing pressure. Taking advantage of the pressure-induced contrast variation, these experiments allow the partial specific volume of MbN3 to be determined as a function of pressure. Its value decreases by 5.4% between atmospheric pressure and 300 MPa. In this pressure range the isothermal compressibility of hydrated MbN3 is found to be almost constant. Its value is (1.6 +/- 0.1) 10-4 MPa-1.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in high-pressure studies on proteins

Several aspects of the application of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in high-pressure studies on proteins are reviewed. Basic methodological considerations regarding spectral band assignments, quantitative analysis, and choice of pressure calibrants are also placed within the scope of this paper. This work attempts to evaluate recent developments in the field of high-pressure FTIR of proteins and its prospects for future. Particular attention is paid to the phenomenon of protein aggregation.

Protein folding in the absence of chemical denaturants. Reversible pressure denaturation of the noncovalent complex formed by the association of two protein fragments

Small monomeric proteins are the best models for studying protein folding, but they are often too stable for denaturation using pressure as the sole perturbant. In the present work we subject [CI-2(1-40).(41-64)], a noncovalent complex formed by the association of two complementary fragments of the chymotrypsin inhibitor-2, to high pressure to investigate the folding mechanism of a model protein. Pressures up to 3.5 kilobar do not affect the intact protein, but it can be unfolded reversibly by pressure in the presence of subdenaturing concentrations of guanidine chloride, with free energy and molar volume changes of 2.5 kcal mol-1 and 42.5 ml mol-1, respectively. In contrast, the complex can be reversibly denatured by high pressure without the addition of chemical denaturants. However, the process is clearly independent of the protein concentration, indicating lack of dissociation. We determined a change in the free energy of 1.4 kcal mol-1 and a molar volume change of 35 ml mol-1 for the pressure denaturation of the complex. A persistent quenching of the tryptophan adds further evidence for the presence of residual structure in the high pressure-denatured state. This state also appears to be compact as the small volume change indicates, compared with pressure denaturation of naturally occurring dimers. Based on observations of a number of pressure-denatured states and on characteristics of large CI-2 fragments with a solvent accessible core but maintaining tertiary interactions, the structure of the pressure-denatured state of the CI-2 complex could be explained by an ordered molten globule-like conformation.

Effects of nucleotides on the denaturation of F actin: a differential scanning calorimetry and FTIR spectroscopy study

We have utilized DSC and high pressure FTIR spectroscopy to study the specificity and mechanism by which ATP protects actin against heat and pressure denaturation. Analysis of the thermograms shows that ATP raises the transition temperature Tm for actin from 69.6 to 75.8 degrees C, and the calorimetric enthalpy, deltaH, from 680 to 990 kJ/mole. Moreover, the peak becomes sharper indicating a more cooperative process. Among the other nucleotide triphosphates, only UTP increases the Tm by 2.5 degrees C, whereas GTP and CTP have negligable effects; ADP and AMP are less active, increasing the Tm by 2.1 and 1.6 degrees C, respectively. Therefore, gamma phosphate plays a key role in this protection, but its hydrolysis is not implicated since the nonhydrolysable analogue of ATP, ATP-PNP have the same activity as ATP. FTIR spectroscopy demonstrates that ATP also protects actin against high pressure denaturation. Analysis of the amide I band during the increase in pressure clearly illustrates that ATP protects particularly a region rich in beta-sheets of the actin molecule.

Pressure-tuning the conformation of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

A hydrostatic pressure of 1.5 GPa induces changes in the secondary structure of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) as revealed by the analysis of the amide I' band with Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in the diamond anvil cell. The features of the secondary structure remain distinct at high pressure suggesting that the protein does not unfold. The fitted percentages of the secondary structure elements during compression and decompression strongly suggest that the pressure-induced changes are reversible. The pressure-induced changes in the tyrosine side chain band are also reversible. The results demonstrate that the infrared technique explores different aspects of the behaviour of proteins in comparison with two published molecular dynamics studies performed up to 1 GPa [Kitchen, D.B., Reed, L.H. & Levy, R.M.(1992) Biochemistry 31, 10083-10093] and 500 MPa [Brunne, R.M. & van Gunsteren, W.F.(1993) FEBS Lett. 323, 215-217]. A possible explanation for the difference is the time scale of the experiments.

High pressure effects on protein structure and function

Many biochemists would regard pressure as a physical parameter mainly of theoretical interest and of rather limited value in experimental biochemistry. The goal of this overview is to show that pressure is a powerful tool for the study of proteins and modulation of enzymatic activity.

Solvent-induced structural distortions of horse metmyoglobin

Structural and dynamic constraints produced by the surrounding solvent on the aquometmyoglobin molecule were investigated by means of circular dichroism and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopies, tritium/hydrogen exchange kinetics and small-angle neutron-scattering experiments. Formamide and ethanol were chosen as cosolvents because they are known to increase and decrease protein activity, respectively. The CD measurements in the Soret region show that no changes occur in the heme molecular structure nor in the protein near the heme. The results of proton-exchange kinetics experiments indicate that the conformational dynamics of aquometmyoglobin is only marginally affected by the cosolvents. However, the small-angle neutron-scattering spectra strongly suggest that these cosolvents induce some distortions of the tertiary conformation. According to the ultraviolet CD and Fourier-transform infrared data, the alteration of the tertiary conformation results from changes in both the number of intrachain hydrogen bonds and the structures of beta turns of type I' for formamide and of type II for either of the two cosolvents. The use of several techniques allows the present approach to demonstrates that the myoglobin structure is extremely sensitive to its environmental conditions.

Mechanism of interaction between actin and membrane lipids: a pressure-tuning infrared spectroscopy study

Using pressure-tuning Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to study an in vitro system consisting of actin and distearoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) liposomes, we have determined the mechanism of interaction between actin and membrane lipids. This interaction results in a significant conformational change in actin molecules. Analysis of the amide I band of actin shows an increase in the beta-sheets to alpha-helix ratio, in random turns, and in interactions between actin monomers. In the absence of lipids, the actin molecules are denatured by pressures of 8 x 10(8) Pa and more, which give rise to a random organization of the peptide chain. However, in the presence of DSPC liposomes, pressure greater than 2 x 10(8) Pa induces a change in actin conformation, which is dominated by strongly interacting beta-sheets. As the spectra of the lipid molecules are not changed by the presence of actin, the organization of the lipid molecules in the bilayer is not affected by the protein. It is concluded from these results that this interaction of actin with membrane lipids involves very few lipid molecules. These lipid molecules may interact with actin at a few specific sites on the protein.