ISSN:
1432-1327
Keywords:
Key words Metallothionein
;
N-Ethylmaleimide
;
Alkylation
;
Kinetics and mechanism
;
111Cd-NMR
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
Abstract The model alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) reacts reversibly at the metal-bound thiolates of Zn7MT and Cd7MT. An unprecedented feature of this reaction is that it approaches equilibrium and requires a large excess of NEM (〉1 mM for 3 μM protein) to drive it to completion. The complex kinetics of the reaction can be followed by monitoring the release of bound metal ions using the metallochromic dyes Zincon (ZI) for Zn7MT and pyridylazoresorcinol for Cd7MT. An initial lag phase is followed by more rapid release of zinc ions. The observed pseudo-first-order rate constants for the two phases are independent of the ZI and Zn7MT concentrations. The complex NEM concentration dependence of each phase, k f, obs=k f 1+k f 2 [NEM] and k s, obs=k s 1+k s 2 [NEM], demonstrates that the forward reactions are second order and the reverse reactions are first order. The alkylation can be reversed using 2-mercaptoethanol to compete for the protein-bound NEM and regenerate the Zn-binding capability of alkylated MT. An explanation of these observations, based on the reversibility of cysteine alkylation by NEM, was developed and tested. The reactions of Cd7MT are less complete than those of Zn7MT and occur more slowly. 111Cd-NMR studies of the partially alkylated 111Cd7MT reveal that reaction with only four equivalents of NEM completely alters the cluster structure and eliminates the spectral signatures of the α and β clusters, although very little cadmium has been removed from the protein. This finding substantiates the proposed kinetic intermediate, a partially alkylated MT with complete or nearly complete retention of the metal ions, and rules out the possibility of cooperative reactions at either cluster.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s007750050107
