Global Structural Flexibility of Metalloproteins Regulates Reactivity of Transition Metal Ion in the Protein Core: An Experimental Study Using Thiol-subtilisin as a Model Protein.

The functions of metal-containing proteins (metalloproteins) are determined by the reactivities of transition metal ions at their active sites. Because protein macromolecular structures have several molecular degrees of freedom, global structural flexibility may also regulate the properties of metalloproteins. However, the influence of this factor has not been fully delineated in mechanistic studies of metalloproteins. Accordingly, we have investigated the relationship between global protein flexibility and the characteristics of a transition metal ion in the protein core using thiol-subtilisin (tSTL) with a Cys-coordinated Cu2+ ion as a model system. Although tSTL has two Ca2+ -binding sites, the Ca2+ -binding status hardly affects its secondary structure. Nevertheless, guanidinium-induced denaturation and amide H/D exchange indicated the increase in the structural flexibility of tSTL by the removal of bound Ca2+ ions. Electron paramagnetic resonance and absorption spectral changes have revealed that the protein flexibility determines the characteristics of a Cu2+ ion in tSTL. Therefore, global protein flexibility should be recognized as an important factor that regulates the properties of metalloproteins.