Structure of anionic salmon trypsin in a second crystal form

Anionic salmon trypsin in a second crystal form (ST-IIB) has been refined at 1.83 A, resolution. The crystals are orthorhombic and belong to space group P2(1)2(1)2 with lattice parameters a = 77.09, b = 82.33 and c = 31.16 A. The present structure has been compared to salmon trypsin as it appears in a previously reported crystal form (ST-IIA) with cell dimensions a = 61.95, b = 84.33 and c = 39.11 A [Smalås & Hordvik (1993). Acta Cryst. D49, 318-330]. The presence of a sulfate group involved in several hydrogen bonds to active-site residues, and the location of an additional benzamidine site in the crystal lattice, are the most striking differences between the present and the previous structure. Superposition of main-chain atoms in the two structures give an overall r.m.s. difference of 0.26 A, with the main differences located to areas with different molecular packing. The overall coordinate error is estimated to be between 0.20 and 0.25 A, by the method of Luzzati.

High-resolution structures of three new trypsin-squash-inhibitor complexes: a detailed comparison with other trypsins and their complexes

An anionic trypsin from Atlantic salmon and bovine trypsin have been complexed with the squash-seed inhibitors, CMTI-I (Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor I, P1 Arg) and CPTI-II (Cucurbita pepo trypsin inhibitor II, P1 Lys). The crystal structures of three such complexes have been determined to 1.5-1.8 A resolution and refined to crystallographic R factors ranging from 17.6 to 19.3%. The two anionic salmon-trypsin complexes (ST-CPTI and ST-CMTI) and the bovine-trypsin complex (BT-CPTI) have been compared to other trypsin-inhibitor complexes by means of general structure and primary and secondary binding features. In all three new structures, the primary binding residue of the inhibitor binds to trypsin in the classical manner, but with small differences in the primary and secondary binding patterns. Lysine in CPTI-II binds deeper in the specificity pocket of bovine trypsin than lysine in other known lysine-bovine-trypsin complexes, and anionic salmon trypsin lacks some of the secondary binding interactions found in the complexes formed between squash inhibitors and bovine trypsin. The ST-CMTI complex was formed from the reactive-site-cleaved form of the inhibitor. However, well defined electron density was observed for the P1-P1' peptide bond, together with a hydrogen-bonding pattern virtually identical to those of all serine-protease-protein-inhibitor complexes, indicating a resynthesis of the scissile bond.

The crystal structure of anionic salmon trypsin in complex with bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor

The complex formed between anionic salmon trypsin (ST) and bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) has been crystallised, and the X-ray structure has been solved using the molecular replacement method. The crystals are hexagonal and belong to space group P6(1)22 with lattice parameters of a = b = 83.12 A and c = 222.15 A. Data have been collected to 2.1 A and the structure has been refined to a crystallographic R-factor of 20.6%. Catalysis by salmon trypsin is distinguished by a Km value 20-fold lower than that for mammalian trypsins, and a k(cat) twice as high. The present ST-BPTI complex serves as a model for the Michaelis-Menten complex, and has been compared with corresponding bovine and rat trypsin (RT) complexes. The binding of BPTI to salmon trypsin is characterised by stronger primary interactions in the active site, and a somewhat looser secondary binding.

Purification and characterization of pancreatic elastase from North Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

An elastase I-like enzyme was purified to homogeneity from the pyloric caeca of North Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and compared with porcine elastase I. The molecular weight and isoelectric point were estimated to be 27 kDa and over 9.3, respectively. The pH optimum was between 8.0 and 9.5, and the enzyme was unstable at pH values below 4. Kinetic properties examined using Suc-(Ala)3-p-nitroanilide showed that the catalytic efficiency of salmon elastase was about 2.5 times higher than that of porcine elastase. Furthermore, the salmon enzyme was less stable at lower pH values and temperatures than the porcine enzyme. The preference for amino acids at the primary binding site was found to be different from that of the porcine elastase. The salmon elastase binding pocket seems to prefer more branched aliphatic residues than the porcine elastase.

Temperature and pH sensitivity of trypsins from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in comparison with bovine and porcine trypsin

Four differently charged trypsins were purified from pyloric caeca of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). The isoelectric points of three anionic isoforms were 4.70, 4.60, and 4.55 (anionic trypsin I, II and III, respectively). And for the first time a cationic isoform (isoelectric point above 9.3) has been isolated from a marine species. The apparent molecular weights of all four isoforms were about 25 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE. The salmon enzymes were inhibited by serine proteinase inhibitors in general and also by specific trypsin inhibitors. Anionic trypsin I and the cationic isoform were further examined. Anionic trypsin I showed the typical cold-adaptation features, low pH and temperature stability (also lower Gibb's free energy of GdnHCl-induced unfolding) and high catalytic efficiency as compared to the mammalian trypsins. The cationic isoform did not show these features, but resembled the mammalian trypsins.

Structure of native pancreatic elastase from North Atlantic salmon at 1.61 Å resolution

The crystal structure of native salmon pancreatic elastase (SPE) has been solved by molecular-replacement methods, and refined by conventional conjugate-gradient methods and simulated-annealing techniques. The final R value is 17.2% for 21 389 reflections between 8.0 and 1.61 A, and the corresponding free R value is 23.9%. The overall tertiary structure of SPE is remarkably similar to that of porcine pancreatic elastase I (PPE), to which it shows about 67% sequence identity. The primary structure of SPE is determined from the electron-density maps, and only about 15 side chains are somewhat uncertain. Interesting differences between SPE and PPE, are one sequence deletion assigned to position 186, the residue 192 at the entrance of the specificity pocket is substituted from a Gln in PPE to Asn in SPE, and one of the calcium ligands is different. Furthermore, electron density is missing in SPE for the last three residues of the C-terminal helix. A comparison of the present amino-acid sequence of SPE with other sequences available indicates that SPE belongs to the class 1 pancreatic elastases.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of native elastase from North Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Crystals of elastase from North Atlantic salmon have been grown from 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at room temperature. They grow to dimensions of 0.7 x 0.4 x 0.3 mm in three weeks. The crystals belong to the tetragonal space group P4(1)2(1)2 or P4(3)2(1)2 with cell dimensions a = b = 68.0 A and c = 84.0 A. There are eight molecules in the unit cell. The crystals diffract to at least 1.6 A resolution and are suitable for a high-resolution crystal structure determination.