title: Solid-state photodegradation of bovine somatotropin (bovine growth hormone): evidence for tryptophan-mediated photooxidation of disulfide bonds.
abstract: Lyophilized recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST; bovine growth hormone) is sensitive to photoinduced degradation. The underlying mechanisms of these processes are identified and presented. Lyophilized rbST was photolyzed with near-ultraviolet (UV) light between 305 and 410 nm, and the protein content was analyzed by various bioanalytical techniques, including tryptic mapping, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), amino acid analysis, and fluorescence, UV, Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The solid-state photodegradation of rbST by near-UV light exclusively targets the protein disulfide bonds. The reaction is initiated by photoionization of tryptophan (Trp) and one-electron reduction of the disulfide. However, in contrast to the behavior of other proteins in solution, rbST appears to undergo back electron transfer to restore Trp and yield a pair of cysteine (Cys) thiyL radicals, which add molecular oxygen and ultimately recombine to yield alpha-disulfoxide, thiosulfinate, and/or thiosulfonate. Photodegradation is strictly dependent on the presence of molecular oxygen, but does not involve singlet oxygen. Between 0.4 and 10%, residual moisture levels do not affect the rate of photodegradation. Our results show a novel mechanism for Trp-mediated photodegradation of protein disulfide bonds via formation of a pair of thiyL radicals followed by addition of molecular oxygen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, 2095 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, USA.
authors.forename: Brian L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hageman
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Thamann
authors.forename: Lorena B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Barròn
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schöneich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004220:Disulfides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008027:Light / Q000009:adverse effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010782:Photolysis; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D004220:Disulfides; D014364:Tryptophan; D013006:Growth Hormone