title: Mercury(II) binds to both of chymotrypsin's histidines, causing inhibition followed by irreversible denaturation/aggregation.
abstract: The toxicity of mercury is often attributed to its tight binding to cysteine thiolate anions in vital enzymes. To test our hypothesis that Hg(II) binding to histidine could be a significant factor in mercury's toxic effects, we studied the enzyme chymotrypsin, which lacks free cysteine thiols; we found that chymotrypsin is not only inhibited, but also denatured by Hg(II). We followed the aggregation of denatured enzyme by the increase in visible absorbance due to light scattering. Hg(II)-induced chymotrypsin precipitation increased dramatically above pH 6.5, and free imidazole inhibited this precipitation, implicating histidine-Hg(II) binding in the process of chymotrypsin denaturation/aggregation. Diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) blocked chymotrypsin's two histidines (his40and his57) quickly and completely, with an IC50of 35 ± 6 µM. DEPC at 350 µM reduced the hydrolytic activity of chymotrypsin by 90%, suggesting that low concentrations of DEPC react with his57at the active site catalytic triad; furthermore, DEPC below 400 µM enhanced the Hg(II)-induced precipitation of chymotrypsin. We conclude that his57reacts readily with DEPC, causing enzyme inhibition and enhancement of Hg(II)-induced aggregation. Above 500 µM, DEPC inhibited Hg(II)-induced precipitation, and [DEPC] >2.5 mM completely protected chymotrypsin against precipitation. This suggests that his40reacts less readily with DEPC, and that chymotrypsin denaturation is caused by Hg(II) binding specifically to the his40residue. Finally, we show that Hg(II)-histidine binding may trigger hemoglobin aggregation as well. Because of results with these two enzymes, we suggest that metal-histidine binding may be key to understanding all heavy metal-induced protein aggregation.
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Willamette University, Salem, Oregon, 97301.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stratton
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Willamette University, Salem, Oregon, 97301.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ericksen
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Willamette University, Salem, Oregon, 97301.
authors.forename: Travis V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Willamette University, Salem, Oregon, 97301.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Symmonds
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Willamette University, Salem, Oregon, 97301.
authors.forename: Todd P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Silverstein
mesh_terms: D002918:Chymotrypsin / Q000737:chemistry*; D006639:Histidine / Q000737:chemistry*; D008628:Mercury / Q000737:chemistry*; D066329:Protein Aggregates; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D066329:Protein Aggregates; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D006639:Histidine; D002918:Chymotrypsin; D008628:Mercury
keywords: enzyme inhibition; mercury toxicity; metal-protein binding; protein denaturation