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The functional properties of the recombinant C-terminal dimerization domain of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Fur (ferric uptake regulator) protein expressed in and purified from Escherichia coli have been evaluated. Sedimentation velocity measurements demonstrate that this domain is dimeric, and the UV CD spectrum is consistent with a secondary structure similar to that observed for the corresponding region of the crystallographically characterized wild-type protein. The thermal stability of the domain as determined by CD spectroscopy decreases significantly as pH is increased and increases significantly as metal ions are added. Potentiometric titrations (pH 6.5) establish that the domain possesses a high-affinity and a low-affinity binding site for metal ions. The high-affinity (sensory) binding site demonstrates association constants (K(A)) of 10(+/-7)x10(6), 5.7(+/-3)x10(6), 2.0(+/-2)x10(6) and 2.0(+/-3)x10(4) M(-1) for Ni2+, Zn2+, Co2+ and Mn2+ respectively, while the low-affinity (structural) site exhibits association constants of 1.3(+/-2)x10(6), 3.2(+/-2)x10(4), 1.76(+/-1)x10(5) and 1.5(+/-2)x10(3) M(-1) respectively for the same metal ions (pH 6.5, 300 mM NaCl, 25 degrees C). The stability of metal ion binding to the sensory site follows the Irving-Williams order, while metal ion binding to the partial sensory site present in the domain does not. Fluorescence experiments indicate that the quenching resulting from binding of Co2+ is reversed by subsequent titration with Zn2+. We conclude that the domain is a reasonable model for many properties of the full-length protein and is amenable to some analyses that the limited solubility of the full-length protein prevents.

Cationic peanut peroxidase has three N-linked glycans. Two glycoforms, CP− and CP+, are known to occur. In this study, the glycans of CP− and CP+ were sequentially separated and identified by trypsin digestion, Bio-Gel P-6 filtration, and reverse phase HPLC. Sugar composition analyses of the glycans were carried out by hydrolysis with TFA, labeling the released sugars with ABEE, and reverse phase HPLC of the ABEE-sugar derivatives. Five different sugars (GlcNAc, Gal, Man, Xyl, Fuc) were found in each of the six glycans investigated. Mannose residues accounted for 31 ± 1.8% of CP− and 40 ± 2.2% of CP+ glycans in term of molar content. The galactose content was 57% lower in CP+ glycans as compared to CP−. The Xyl and Fuc contents were also lower in CP+ than in CP− glycans. A hypothesis made has been confirmed one step further, that is the Gal is one of the terminal sugars of the glycans and the removal of the Gal as a terminal sugar residue in CP− leads to the exposure of Man residue, which is then able to bind to Con-A. Keywords: Cationic peanut peroxidases; glycans; HPLC; sugar compositions

The cationic peanut peroxidase has been studied in detail, not only with regard to its peptide structure, but also to the sites and role of the three moieties linked to it. Peanut peroxidase lends itself well to a close examination as a potential example for other plant peroxidase studies. It was the first plant peroxidase for which a 3-D structure was derived from crystals, with the glycans intact. Subsequent analysis of peroxidases structures from other plants have not shown great differences to that of the peanut peroxidase. As the period of proteomics follows on the era of genomics, the study of glycans has been brought back into focus. With the potential use of peroxidase as a polymerization agent for industry, there are some aspects of the overall structure that should be kept in mind for successful use of this enzyme. A variety of techniques are now available to assay for these structures/moieties and their roles. Peanut peroxidase data are reviewed in that light, as well as defining some true terms for isozymes. Because a high return of the enzyme in a pure form has been obtained from cultured cells in suspension culture, a brief review of this is also offered.