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Abstract: Saccharomyces cerevisiae leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H) is a bifunctional aminopeptidase/epoxide hydrolase and a member of the M1 family of metallopeptidases. In order to obtain a more thorough understanding of the aminopeptidase activity of the enzyme, two conserved tyrosine residues, Tyr244 and Tyr456, were altered to phenylalanine and the mutant proteins characterized by determining K M and k cat for various amino acid β-naphthylamide substrates. While mutation of Tyr456 exhibited minimal effect on catalysis, mutation of Tyr244 caused an overall 25–100-fold reduction in catalytic activity for all substrates tested. Furthermore, LTA4H Y244F exhibited a 40-fold decrease in affinity for RB-3014, a transition state analog inhibitor, implicating Tyr244 in transition state stabilization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (ApPS) is a zinc metallopeptidase involved in the degradation of neuropeptides. Putative catalytic residues of the enzyme, Cys146, Glu338, and Lys396 were mutated, and the resultant mutant enzymes characterized. ApPS C146S exhibited normal catalytic activity, ApPS E338A exhibited decreased substrate binding, and ApPS K396I exhibited decreases in both substrate binding and catalysis. ApPS K396I and ApPS Y394F were analyzed with respect to transition state inhibitor binding. No effect was seen with the K396I mutation, but ApPS Y394F exhibited a 3.3-fold lower affinity for RB-3014, a transition state inhibitor, indicating that Tyr394 is involved in transition state stabilization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Phoresy is a behaviour where one organism hitches a ride on another more mobile organism. This is a common dispersal mechanism amongst relatively immobile species that specialise on patchy resources. Parasites specialise on patchily distributed resources: their hosts. Although host individuals are isolated in space and time, parasites must transmit between hosts or they will die with their hosts. Lice are permanent obligate ectoparasites that complete their entire life cycle on their host. They typically transmit when hosts come into direct contact; however, lice are also capable of transmitting phoretically. Yet, phoresy is rare amongst some groups of lice. Fundamental morphological differences have traditionally been used to explain the phoretic differences amongst different suborders of lice; however, these hypotheses do not fully explain observed patterns. We propose that a more fundamental natural history trait may better explain variation in phoresy. Species able to disperse under their own power should be less likely to engage in phoresy than more immobile species. Here we experimentally tested the relationship between independent louse mobility and phoresy using a system with four species of lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera and Amblycera) that all parasitize a single host species, the Rock Pigeon ( Columba livia ). We quantified the relative ability of all four species of lice to move independently off the host, and we quantified their ability to attach to, and remain attached to, hippoboscid flies ( Pseudolynchia canariensis ). Our results show that the most mobile louse species is the least phoretic, and the most phoretic species is quite immobile off the host. Our findings were consistent with the hypothesis that phoretic dispersal should be rare amongst species of lice that are capable of independent dispersal; however other factors such as interspecific competition may also play a role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Zinc metallopeptidases are ubiquitous enzymes with diverse cellular functions that can be found in most organisms. Leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H; E.C. 3.3.2.6) is an unusual zinc metallopeptidase of the M1 family that also possesses an epoxide hydrolase activity; however, the role of its peptidase activity remains unknown. To further characterize the peptidase activity of LTA4H and other closely related metallopeptidases, a multiple sequence alignment and predicted structure were used to target three amino acid residues of yeast LTA4H for mutagenesis: Asn362, Trp365, and Asp399. Although mutating Trp365 and Asp399 had little effect on catalysis, altering Asn362 had varying effects on catalysis, depending on the replacement residue. Mutation of Asn362 to glutamine (N362Q) caused minor catalytic defects, while mutation to leucine (N362L) or glutamate (N362E) caused large reductions in activity. Both N362L and N362E also exhibited an altered pH dependence of catalysis, reduced chloride activation, and reduced zinc affinity and content, indicating that Asn362 may interact with the nearby zinc coordinating residue His344, and possibly with Glu363 as well, to polarize and/or orient these residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptokinase (SK) conformationally activates the central zymogen of the fibrinolytic system, plasminogen (Pg). The SK∙Pg* catalytic complex binds Pg as a specific substrate and cleaves it into plasmin (Pm), which binds SK to form the SKPm complex that propagates Pm generation. Catalytic complex formation is dependent on lysine-binding site (LBS) interactions between a Pg/Pm kringle and the SK COOH-terminal Lys414. Pg substrate recognition is also LBS-dependent, but the kringle and SK structural element(s) responsible have not been identified. SK mutants lacking Lys414 with Ala substitutions of charged residues in the SK 13-domain 250-loop were evaluated in kinetic studies that resolved conformational and proteolytic Pg activation. Activation of [Lys]Pg and mini-Pg (containing only kringle 5 of Pg) by SK with Ala substitutions of Arg253, Lys256, and Lys257 showed decreases in the bimolecular rate constant for Pm generation, with nearly total inhibition for the SK Lys256/Lys257 double mutant. Binding of bovine Pg (BPg) to the SKPm complex containing fluorescently labeled Pm demonstrated LBS-dependent assembly of a SKlabeled PmBPg ternary complex, whereas BPg did not bind to the complex containing the SK Lys256/Lys257 mutant. BPg was activated by SKPm with a Km indistinguishable from the KD for BPg binding to form the ternary complex, whereas the SK Lys256/Lys257 mutant did not support BPg activation. We conclude that SK residues Arg253, Lys256, and Lys257 mediate Pg substrate recognition through kringle 5 of the [Lys]Pg and mini-Pg substrates. A molecular model of the SKkringle 5, complex identifies the putative interactions involved in LBS-dependent Pg substrate recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]