The unique aroma of melons (Cucumis melo L., Cucurbitaceae) is composed of many volatile compounds biosynthetically derived from fatty acids, carotenoids, amino acids, and terpenes. Although amino acids are known precursors of aroma compounds in the plant kingdom, the initial steps in the catabolism of amino acids into aroma volatiles have received little attention. Incubation of melon fruit cubes with amino acids and a-keto acids led to the enhanced formation of aroma compounds bearing the side chain of the exogenous amino or keto acid supplied. Moreover, L-[ 13 C6]phenylalanine was also incorporated into aromatic volatile compounds. Amino acid transaminase activities extracted from the flesh of mature melon fruits converted L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-valine, L-methionine, or L-phenylalanine into their respective a-keto acids, utilizing a-ketoglutarate as the amine acceptor. Two novel genes were isolated and characterized (CmArAT1 and CmBCAT1) encoding 45.6 kDa and 42.7 kDa proteins, respectively, that displayed aromatic and branched-chain amino acid transaminase activities, respectively, when expressed in Escherichia coli. The expression of CmBCAT1 and CmArAT1 was low in vegetative tissues, but increased in flesh and rind tissues during fruit ripening. In addition, ripe fruits of climacteric aromatic cultivars generally showed high expression of CmBCAT1 and CmArAT1 in contrast to non-climacteric non-aromatic fruits. The results presented here indicate that in melon fruit tissues, the catabolism of amino acids into aroma volatiles can initiate through a transamination mechanism, rather than decarboxylation or direct aldehyde synthesis, as has been demonstrated in other plants.

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Branched-chain and aromatic amino acid catabolism into aroma volatiles in Cucumis melo L. fruit

To understand the mechanism of ionic detergent-induced protein denaturation, this study examines the action of sodium dodecyl sulfate on ferrocytochrome c conformation under neutral and strongly alkaline conditions. Equilibrium and stopped-flow kinetic results consistently suggest that tertiary structure unfolding in the submicellar and chain expansion in the micellar range of SDS concentrations are the two major and discrete events in the perturbation of protein structure. The nature of interaction between the detergent and the protein is predominantly hydrophobic in the submicellar and exclusively hydrophobic at micellar levels of SDS concentration. The observation that SDS also interacts with a highly denatured and negatively charged form of ferrocytochrome c suggests that the interaction is independent of structure, conformation, and ionization state of the protein. The expansion of the protein chain at micellar concentration of SDS is driven by coulombic repulsion between the protein-bound micelles, and the micelles and anionic amino acid side chains.

On the mechanism of SDS-induced protein denaturation.

The branched-chain amino acids are synthesized by plants, fungi and microorganisms, but not by animals. Therefore, the enzymes of this pathway are potential target sites for the development of antifungal agents, antimicrobials and herbicides. Most research has focused upon the first enzyme in this biosynthetic pathway, acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) largely because it is the target site for many commercial herbicides. In this review we provide a brief overview of the important properties of each enzyme within the pathway and a detailed summary of the most recent AHAS research, against the perspective of work that has been carried out over the past 50 years.

Acetohydroxyacid synthase and its role in the biosynthetic pathway for branched-chain amino acids

The effects of urea on protein stability have been studied using a model system in which we have determined the energetics of dissolution of a homologous series of cyclic dipeptides into aqueous urea solutions of varying concentration at 25 degrees C using calorimetry. The data support a model in which urea denatures proteins by decreasing the hydrophobic effect and by directly binding to the amide units via hydrogen bonds. The data indicate also that the enthalpy of amide hydrogen bond formation in water is considerably higher than previously estimated. Previous estimates included the contribution of hydrophobic transfer of the alpha-carbon resulting in an overestimate of the binding between urea and the amide unit of the backbone and an underestimate of the binding enthalpy.

Urea effects on protein stability: hydrogen bonding and the hydrophobic effect.

The effect of cosolvents on biomolecular equilibria has traditionally been rationalized using simple binding models. More recently, a renewed interest in the use of Kirkwood–Buff (KB) theory to analyze solution mixtures has provided new information on the effects of osmolytes and denaturants and their interactions with biomolecules. Here we review the status of KB theory as applied to biological systems. In particular, the existing models of denaturation are analyzed in terms of KB theory, and the use of KB theory to interpret computer simulation data for these systems is discussed.

Recent Applications of Kirkwood–Buff Theory to Biological Systems

Virtually all studies of the protein-folding reaction add either heat, acid, or a chemical denaturant to an aqueous protein solution in order to perturb the protein structure. When chemical denaturants are used, very high concentrations are usually necessary to observe any change in protein structure. In a solution with such high denaturant concentrations, both the structure of the protein and the structure of the solvent around the protein can be altered. X-ray crystallography is the obvious experimental technique to probe both types of changes. In this paper, we report the crystal structures of dihydrofolate reductase with urea and of ribonuclease A with guanidinium chloride. These two classic denaturants have similar effects on the native structure of the protein. The most important change that occurs is a reduction in the overall thermal factor. These structures offer a molecular explanation for the reduction in mobility. Although the reduction is observed only with the native enzyme in the crystal, a similar decrease in mobility has also been observed in the unfolded state in solution (Makhatadze G, Privalov PL. 1992. Protein interactions with urea and guanidinium chloride: A calorimetric study.

https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/pro.5560060813

The effect of denaturants on protein structure.

The X-ray crystal structure of l-aspartate ammonia-lyase has been determined to 2.8 A resolution. The enzyme contains three domains, and each domain is composed almost completely of α helices. The central domain is composed of five long helices. In the tetramer, these five helices form a 20-helix cluster. Such clusters have also been seen in δ-crystallin and in fumarase. The active site of aspartase has been located in a region that contains side chains from three different subunits. The structure of the apoenzyme has made it possible to identify some of the residues that are involved in binding the substrate. These residues have been examined by site-directed mutagenesis, and their putative roles have been assigned [Jayasekera, M. M. K., Shi, W., Farber, G. K., & Viola, R. E. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 9145−9150].

The structure of L-aspartate ammonia-lyase from Escherichia coli.

The X-ray crystal structure of l-aspartate ammonia-lyase has been determined to 2.8 A resolution. The enzyme contains three domains, and each domain is composed almost completely of alpha helices. The central domain is composed of five long helices. In the tetramer, these five helices form a 20-helix cluster. Such clusters have also been seen in delta-crystallin and in fumarase. The active site of aspartase has been located in a region that contains side chains from three different subunits. The structure of the apoenzyme has made it possible to identify some of the residues that are involved in binding the substrate. These residues have been examined by site-directed mutagenesis, and their putative roles have been assigned [Jayasekera, M. M. K., Shi, W., Farber, G. K., & Viola, R. E. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 9145-9150].

The structure of L-aspartate ammonia lyase from escherichia coli

X-ray crystal structures of three forms of human mitochondrial branched-chain aminotransferase (BCAT) were solved by molecular-replacement methods, using Escherichia coli BCAT as the search model. The enzyme is a homodimer and the polypeptide chain of each monomer has two domains. The small domain is composed of residues 1–175 and the large domain is composed of residues 176–365. The active site is close to the dimer interface. The 4′-aldehyde of the PLP cofactor is covalently linked to the ∊-amino group of the active-site lysine, Lys202, via a Schiff-base linkage in two of the structures. In the third structure, the enzyme is irreversibly inactivated by Tris. The overall fold of the dimer in human mitochondrial BCAT is similar to the structure of two bacterial enzymes, E. coli BCAT and d-amino acid aminotransferase (d-AAT). The residues lining the putative substrate-binding pocket of human BCAT and d-AAT are completely rearranged to allow catalysis with substrates of opposite stereochemistry. In the case of human mitochondrial branched-chain aminotransferase, a hydrogen-bond interaction between the guanidinium group of Arg143 in the first monomer with the side-chain hydroxyl of Tyr70 in the second monomer is important in the formation of the substrate-binding pocket.

Jennifer Dunbar

Papers

The effect of denaturants on protein structure.

The structure of L-aspartate ammonia-lyase from Escherichia coli.

The structure of L-aspartate ammonia lyase from escherichia coli

The structure of human mitochondrial branched-chain aminotransferase

Jennifer Dunbar

Papers

The effect of denaturants on protein structure.

The structure of L-aspartate ammonia-lyase from Escherichia coli.

The structure of L-aspartate ammonia lyase from escherichia coli

The structure of human mitochondrial ­branched-­chain aminotransferase

The structure of human mitochondrial branched-chain aminotransferase