Conformational and oligomeric effects on the cysteine pka of Tryparedoxin Peroxidase

Abstract

Typical 2-Cys peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are peroxidases which regulate cell signaling pathways, apoptosis, and differentiation. These enzymes are obligate homodimers, and can form decamers in solution. During catalysis, Prxs exhibit cysteine-dependent reactivity which requires the deprotonation of the peroxidatic cysteine (Cp) supported by a lowered pKa in the initial step. We present the results of molecular dynamics simulations combined with pKa calculations on the monomeric, dimeric and decameric forms of one typical 2-Cys Prx, the tryparedoxin peroxidase from Trypanosoma cruzi (PDB id, 1uul). The calculations indicate that Cp (C52) pKa values are highly affected by oligomeric state; an unshifted Cp pKa (∼ 8.3, comparable to the pKa of isolated cysteine) is calculated for the monomer. In the dimers, starting with essentially identical structures, the Cps evolve dynamically asymmetric pKas during the simulations; one subunit's Cp pKa is shifted downward at a time, while the other is unshifted. However, when averaged over time, or multiple simulations, the two subunits within a dimer exhibit the same Cp, showing no preference for a lowered pKa in either subunit. Two conserved pathways that communicate the asymmetric pKas between Cps of different subunits can be identified. In the decamer, all the Cp pKas are shifted downward, with slight asymmetry in the dimers which form the decamers. Structural analyses implicate oli-gomerization effects as responsible for these oligomeric state-dependent Cp pKa shifts. The intra-dimer and the inter-dimer subunit contacts in the decamer restrict the conformations of the side chains of several residues (T49, T54 and E55) calculated to be key in shifting the Cp pKa. In addition, the backbone fluctuations of a few residues (M46, D47 and F48) result in a different electrostatic environment for the Cp in dimers relative to the monomers. These side chain and backbone interactions which contribute to pKa modulation indicate the importance of oligomerization to the function of the typical 2-Cys Prxs. © 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.