Targeted oxidation of Torpedo californica acetylcholinesterase by singlet oxygen: identification of N-formylkynurenine tryptophan derivatives within the active-site gorge of its complex with the photosensitizer methylene blue.
The principal role of AChE (acetylcholinesterase) is termination of impulse transmission at cholinergic synapses by rapid hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. The active site of AChE is near the bottom of a long and narrow gorge lined with aromatic residues. It contains a CAS (catalytic 'anionic' subsite) and a second PAS (peripheral 'anionic' site), the gorge mouth, both of which bind acetylcholine via π-cation interactions, primarily with two conserved tryptophan residues. It was shown previously that generation of (1)O(2) by illumination of MB (Methylene Blue) causes irreversible inactivation of TcAChE (Torpedo californica AChE), and suggested that photo-oxidation of tryptophan residues might be responsible. In the present study, structural modification of the TcAChE tryptophan residues induced by MB-sensitized oxidation was investigated using anti-N-formylkynurenine antibodies and MS. From these analyses, we determined that N-formylkynurenine derivatives were specifically produced from Trp(84) and Trp(279), present at the CAS and PAS respectively. Peptides containing these two oxidized tryptophan residues were not detected when the competitive inhibitors, edrophonium and propidium (which should displace MB from the gorge) were present during illumination, in agreement with their efficient protection against the MB-induced photo-inactivation. Thus the bound MB elicited selective action of (1)O(2) on the tryptophan residues facing on to the water-filled active-site gorge. The findings of the present study thus demonstrate the localized action and high specificity of MB-sensitized photo-oxidation of TcAChE, as well as the value of this enzyme as a model system for studying the mechanism of action and specificity of photosensitizing agents.
Laboratory of Toxicology and Pharmacology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, PO Box 12233 MD F0-03, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA. triquigneauxm@mail.nih.gov
Mathilde M
MM
Triquigneaux
Marilyn
M
Ehrenshaft
Esther
E
Roth
Israel
I
Silman
Yakov
Y
Ashani
Ronald P
RP
Mason
Lev
L
Weiner
Leesa J
LJ
Deterding
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004491:Edrophonium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004557:Electric Organ / Q000201:enzymology; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010777:Photochemistry; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D011419:Propidium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011487:Protein Conformation; D026082:Singlet Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014101:Torpedo / Q000378:metabolism*; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D014867:Water; C007772:N'-formylkynurenine; D026082:Singlet Oxygen; D007737:Kynurenine; D011419:Propidium; D004491:Edrophonium; D014364:Tryptophan; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D008751:Methylene Blue