Lysine carboxypeptidase

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Lysine carboxypeptidase
Identifiers
EC no. 3.4.17.3
CAS no. 9013-89-2
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Lysine carboxypeptidase (EC 3.4.17.3) is an enzyme. [1] [2] [3] This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction:

Contents

Release of a C-terminal basic amino acid (lysine or arginine), preferentially lysine.

This is a zinc-activated enzyme found in plasma. It inactivates proteins such as bradykinin and anaphylatoxins in the blood in order to prevent toxic buildup.

Nomenclature

Lysine carboxypeptidase is also known as:

Classification

All enzymes are assigned an Enzyme Commission number based on the chemical reaction they catalyze. An EC number functions to clear up any confusion that arises due to the fact that many enzymes have several different names that can refer to them. Lysine carboxypeptidase's EC number is 3.4.17.3.

The first number in an EC number indicates the main class that the enzyme belongs to (the options being oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, and ligases). Lysine carboxypeptidase belongs to class 3 which indicates that it is a hydrolase. Hydrolases use water to break apart chemical bonds including, but not limited to, carbon-oxygen, carbon-nitrogen, and carbon-carbon bonds. [4]

The second number describes the type of bond that is broken apart in the specific enzyme catalyzed reaction. The "4" places lysine carboxypeptidase in the "peptidase" subclass. This means that this enzyme acts on peptide bonds. [4]

The third number (the sub-subclass) gives more information about the catalytic mechanism of the reaction. Lysine carboxypeptidase is in sub-subclass 17: metallocarboxypeptidases. This subclass first defines lysine carboxypeptidase as an exopeptidase (sub-subclasses 11 and 13-19) which means that it only acts on terminal bonds of a polypeptide chain. It is more specifically a carboxypeptidase (sub-subclasses 16-18) which acts on a C-terminus to break off one amino acid. The overall category of metallocarboxypeptidases indicates that it functions using metal ion catalysis. [5]

The last number in the EC number is simply to differentiate each metallocarboxypeptidase from one another.

Species distribution

Lysine carboxypeptidase can be found in nearly 400 distinct species, all being jawed vertebrates. These species include birds, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, and fish. [6] For simplicity and due to a lack of research of this enzyme in other organisms, the information discussed in this article will be centered around human lysine carboxypeptidase, specifically.

Structure

Lysine carboxypeptidase has a molecular weight of between 270 and 330 kDa (kilodaltons). It is a tetrameric glycoprotein. It is composed of two 83 kDa subunits and two active subunits between 55 kDa and 48 kDa and these are held together by non-covalent interactions. [7]

The 83 kDa subunits are regulatory and do not directly contribute to catalytic activity; they are also heavily glycosylated. These function to stabilize the active subunits and keep them in circulation. Catalytic functioning is retained when the 83 kDa subunits are eliminated from the active subunits, but they are still necessary for their support roles.The active subunits are small and relatively unstable at body temperature and blood pH, so they would not last long in the plasma without the regulatory subunits attached. The 55 kDa-48 kDa portions are both catalytically active. [3]

The primary structure of the 83 kDa subunit can be split into three main domains. The first domain is located at the N-terminus and consists of 52 amino acids with the first 27 being cysteine-rich. The second domain refers to the next 312 amino acids and it consists of 13 leucine-rich repeat (LRR) sections, each made up of 24 residues. The final C-terminal domain refers to the last 145 residues where amino acids 400-425 hold a cysteine-rich section. The secondary/tertiary structure of the subunit has not yet been experimentally determined, but it has been hypothesized based upon how other LRR proteins fold. The working model, which was created using ESyPred3D computer programming, is a horseshoe shape with a β-sheet lining the interior and an α-helix or β-turn lining the exterior. The model also shows an Ig-like domain. In other proteins, the junction between this and the C-terminus of the LRR domain has proven to be a binding site for tetramer formation. Therefore, this may be the binding site for the second 83 kDa subunit of the enzyme, while the active subunit is thought to interact on the interior of the horseshoe shape. [7]

The catalytic subunit is shaped like a pear. Its first domain at the N-terminus is spherical and consists of 319 amino acids. It also contains the catalytic and substrate binding areas and is thus referred to as the carboxypeptidase domain. This domain consists of two disulfide bridges, which leaves one unpaired cysteine which extends into the interior portion of the molecule. It has a central 8 stranded β-sheet which is surrounded by 9 α-helices which, in general, run antiparallel to the sheets. The domain has a mostly hydrophobic core. The second C-terminus domain is cylinder-shaped and made up of 79 residues. It is a β-sandwich transthyretin (TT) domain with a hydrophobic core. It was previously thought that the active unit was not glycosylated; however, the structure shows three residues O-linked to N-acetyl-glucosamines. [8] The area that binds to the regulatory subunit was determined to be the interface between these two domains. There is a hydrophobic patch on this area that is thought to interact with the interior of the horseshoe shape of the 83 kDa subunit to form the heterodimer. [7]

Active site

The spherical carboxypeptidase domain of the catalytic subunit has a circular indentation in the surface which is the location of the active-site groove. The base of the groove is formed by 3 β-sheets while the walls of the groove are lined with α-helices. The electron density in the middle of the groove allows a space for the zinc ion cofactor to bind. The P1' residue of the substrate is placed in a specific cavity (S1') of the active-site groove while the P1 residues and on extend into a mostly hydrophobic area of the groove (in pockets S1, S2, etc.). The scissile peptide bond is held in place with several polar interactions between protein side groups. The nitrogen atom on the C-terminal side is anchored to the nearby guanidine groups of arginine molecules. On the N-terminal side, the nitrogen atom is held by hydrogen bonds with tyrosine while the carbonyl group is held by hydrogen bonds with lysine. These interactions stretch the peptide bond and set it up for the water molecule to break it apart. [8] While there are technically two active sites on the tetramer, one on each active subunit, only one active site can be used at a time. [7]

Structure-function relationship

The structure of lysine carboxypeptidase can explain its preferences for the P1' and P1 residues. The aspartic acid (its orientation determined by the cis-peptide bond between the adjacent proline and tyrosine) that is located near the S1' pocket of the active site is responsible for the preference of lysine over arginine as the P1' residue. Unlike arginine, lysine can approach this area frontally which sets the peptide bond up for an easier break. Meanwhile, the phenolic side chains near pocket S1 cause the enzyme to prefer more medium sized P1 residues over larger ones; this reduces the amount of shifting that needs to occur. This explains the enzyme's preference of alanine and methionine over glycine. [8]

Catalytic mechanism

Lysine carboxypeptidase is produced exclusively in the liver and then is secreted into the blood shortly after. It functions best in an environment with neutral pH.

The enzyme functions to break off arginine or lysine from the C-terminal of a polypeptide chain. Lysine is hydrolyzed more readily because it has a quicker turnover rate than arginine. The penultimate amino acid also contributes to the ease at which the reaction proceeds. Alanine and methionine result in the most efficient reactions while glycine significantly reduces reaction speed. [7]

Lysine carboxypeptidase utilizes metal ion catalysis in order to complete its reaction and has zinc (or another divalent cation like cobalt) as a necessary cofactor. Because of this, its actions can be inhibited by chelating factors which would remove the zinc from the enzyme complex. [7]

Zinc is bound to the active site of the enzyme and acts as a stabilizer. The positive charge of the zinc allows it to interact with the partial negative charge of the oxygen in a water molecule and form a bond. A nearby base will remove one of the hydrogens off of the oxygen molecule to stabilize it. Now, it can effectively act as a nucleophile; it will attack the carbonyl group of the protein to form a temporary tetrahedral. After some energetically favorable electron reconfiguration occurs, the result will be the terminal amino acid being cleaved off from the remainder of the polypeptide chain. [3]

Applications

Lysine carboxypeptidase is found within the plasma and is used to inactivate certain proteins; this functions to protect the body from potent molecules that may escape from tissues. The most well-studied protein that is inactivated by this enzyme is bradykinin (along with other kinins such as kallidin) which contributes to inflammation and blood pressure regulation. [9] However, the primary way bradykinin is degraded is by angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE). Lysine carboxypeptidase is still important nonetheless, especially if a patient is receiving ACE inhibitors to treat a condition. Kinins are most often autocrine or paracrine hormones and are thus often restricted in location. If too much of the hormone escapes into the blood and levels rise too high, this can have harmful effects on the body. Lysine carboxypeptidase prevents this from happening. [7]

This enzyme has also proven to be important in inactivating anaphylatoxins which are inflammation-inducing proteins used in immune responses. Similarly to kinins, harmful effects can occur if too much of these proteins accumulate in the blood. Other molecules that this enzyme is involved in modifying, and consequently regulating, include creatine kinase, hemoglobin, stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α), plasminogen receptors, and enkephalins. The enzymatic interaction with creatine kinase releases one lysine from each of two subunits and modifies its function. With hemoglobin, it speeds up the dissociation of the tetramer into dimers and increases its oxygen affinity. As for SDF-1α, the release of lysine decreases its ability to function, so this enzyme acts as a regulator of activity; SDF-1α is normally important in hematopoietic stem cell trafficking. For plasminogen receptors, cleaving lysine prevents plasminogen's activation into plasmin. [7] Lysine carboxypeptidase regulates enkephalin by reducing its affinity for kappa opioid receptors and consequently making it delta receptor specific. It is also suspected that epidermal growth factor (and possibly other growth factors), acts as a substrate since it is metabolized by the cleavage of C-terminal arginine. [8] Other lesser studied substrates include fibrinopeptides which are involved in blood clotting. [9]

This enzyme is extremely important for proper functioning of the body. There are no records of a person who is completely missing lysine carboxypeptidase and lower than normal levels of the enzyme have been linked to disorders such as angioneurotic edema. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protease</span> Enzyme that cleaves other proteins into smaller peptides

A protease is an enzyme that catalyzes proteolysis, breaking down proteins into smaller polypeptides or single amino acids, and spurring the formation of new protein products. They do this by cleaving the peptide bonds within proteins by hydrolysis, a reaction where water breaks bonds. Proteases are involved in many biological functions, including digestion of ingested proteins, protein catabolism, and cell signaling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Histone methyltransferase</span> Histone-modifying enzymes

Histone methyltransferases (HMT) are histone-modifying enzymes, that catalyze the transfer of one, two, or three methyl groups to lysine and arginine residues of histone proteins. The attachment of methyl groups occurs predominantly at specific lysine or arginine residues on histones H3 and H4. Two major types of histone methyltranferases exist, lysine-specific and arginine-specific. In both types of histone methyltransferases, S-Adenosyl methionine (SAM) serves as a cofactor and methyl donor group.
The genomic DNA of eukaryotes associates with histones to form chromatin. The level of chromatin compaction depends heavily on histone methylation and other post-translational modifications of histones. Histone methylation is a principal epigenetic modification of chromatin that determines gene expression, genomic stability, stem cell maturation, cell lineage development, genetic imprinting, DNA methylation, and cell mitosis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Histone acetyltransferase</span> Enzymes that catalyze acyl group transfer from acetyl-CoA to histones

Histone acetyltransferases (HATs) are enzymes that acetylate conserved lysine amino acids on histone proteins by transferring an acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to form ε-N-acetyllysine. DNA is wrapped around histones, and, by transferring an acetyl group to the histones, genes can be turned on and off. In general, histone acetylation increases gene expression.

A metalloproteinase, or metalloprotease, is any protease enzyme whose catalytic mechanism involves a metal. An example is ADAM12 which plays a significant role in the fusion of muscle cells during embryo development, in a process known as myogenesis.

The kinin–kallikrein system or simply kinin system is a poorly understood hormonal system with limited available research. It consists of blood proteins that play a role in inflammation, blood pressure control, coagulation and pain. Its important mediators bradykinin and kallidin are vasodilators and act on many cell types. Clinical symptoms include marked weakness, tachycardia, fever, leukocytosis and acceleration of ESR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DD-transpeptidase</span>

DD-transpeptidase is a bacterial enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of the R-L-αα-D-alanyl moiety of R-L-αα-D-alanyl-D-alanine carbonyl donors to the γ-OH of their active-site serine and from this to a final acceptor. It is involved in bacterial cell wall biosynthesis, namely, the transpeptidation that crosslinks the peptide side chains of peptidoglycan strands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hemagglutinin esterase</span> Glycoprotein present in some enveloped viruses

Hemagglutinin esterase (HEs) is a glycoprotein that certain enveloped viruses possess and use as an invading mechanism. HEs helps in the attachment and destruction of certain sialic acid receptors that are found on the host cell surface. Viruses that possess HEs include influenza C virus, toroviruses, and coronaviruses of the subgenus Embecovirus. HEs is a dimer transmembrane protein consisting of two monomers, each monomer is made of three domains. The three domains are: membrane fusion, esterase, and receptor binding domains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catalytic triad</span> Set of three coordinated amino acids

A catalytic triad is a set of three coordinated amino acids that can be found in the active site of some enzymes. Catalytic triads are most commonly found in hydrolase and transferase enzymes. An acid-base-nucleophile triad is a common motif for generating a nucleophilic residue for covalent catalysis. The residues form a charge-relay network to polarise and activate the nucleophile, which attacks the substrate, forming a covalent intermediate which is then hydrolysed to release the product and regenerate free enzyme. The nucleophile is most commonly a serine or cysteine amino acid, but occasionally threonine or even selenocysteine. The 3D structure of the enzyme brings together the triad residues in a precise orientation, even though they may be far apart in the sequence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ATP-binding motif</span>

An ATP-binding motif is a 250-residue sequence within an ATP-binding protein’s primary structure. The binding motif is associated with a protein’s structure and/or function. ATP is a molecule of energy, and can be a coenzyme, involved in a number of biological reactions. ATP is proficient at interacting with other molecules through a binding site. The ATP binding site is the environment in which ATP catalytically actives the enzyme and, as a result, is hydrolyzed to ADP. The binding of ATP causes a conformational change to the enzyme it is interacting with.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carboxypeptidase</span>

A carboxypeptidase is a protease enzyme that hydrolyzes (cleaves) a peptide bond at the carboxy-terminal (C-terminal) end of a protein or peptide. This is in contrast to an aminopeptidases, which cleave peptide bonds at the N-terminus of proteins. Humans, animals, bacteria and plants contain several types of carboxypeptidases that have diverse functions ranging from catabolism to protein maturation. At least two mechanisms have been discussed.

Proprotein convertases (PPCs) are a family of proteins that activate other proteins. Many proteins are inactive when they are first synthesized, because they contain chains of amino acids that block their activity. Proprotein convertases remove those chains and activate the protein. The prototypical proprotein convertase is furin. Proprotein convertases have medical significance, because they are involved in many important biological processes, such as cholesterol synthesis. Compounds called proprotein convertase inhibitors can block their action, and block the target proteins from becoming active. Many proprotein convertases, especially furin and PACE4, are involved in pathological processes such as viral infection, inflammation, hypercholesterolemia, and cancer, and have been postulated as therapeutic targets for some of these diseases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aminopeptidase</span> Class of enzymes

Aminopeptidases are enzymes that catalyze the cleavage of amino acids from the amino terminus (N-terminus) of proteins or peptides (exopeptidases). They are widely distributed throughout the animal and plant kingdoms and are found in many subcellular organelles, in cytosol, and as membrane components. Aminopeptidases are used in essential cellular functions. Many, but not all, of these peptidases are zinc metalloenzymes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aspartoacylase</span> Hydrolytic enzyme encoded on human chromosome 17

Aspartoacylase is a hydrolytic enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ASPA gene. ASPA catalyzes the deacylation of N-acetyl-l-aspartate (N-acetylaspartate) into aspartate and acetate. It is a zinc-dependent hydrolase that promotes the deprotonation of water to use as a nucleophile in a mechanism analogous to many other zinc-dependent hydrolases. It is most commonly found in the brain, where it controls the levels of N-acetyl-l-aspartate. Mutations that result in loss of aspartoacylase activity are associated with Canavan disease, a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease.

Protein metabolism denotes the various biochemical processes responsible for the synthesis of proteins and amino acids (anabolism), and the breakdown of proteins by catabolism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carboxypeptidase A</span>

Carboxypeptidase A usually refers to the pancreatic exopeptidase that hydrolyzes peptide bonds of C-terminal residues with aromatic or aliphatic side-chains. Most scientists in the field now refer to this enzyme as CPA1, and to a related pancreatic carboxypeptidase as CPA2.

The discovery of an orally inactive peptide from snake venom established the important role of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in regulating blood pressure. This led to the development of captopril, the first ACE inhibitor. When the adverse effects of captopril became apparent new derivates were designed. Then after the discovery of two active sites of ACE: N-domain and C-domain, the development of domain-specific ACE inhibitors began.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arginine decarboxylase</span>

The enzyme Acid-Induced Arginine Decarboxylase (AdiA), also commonly referred to as arginine decarboxylase, catalyzes the conversion of L-arginine into agmatine and carbon dioxide. The process consumes a proton in the decarboxylation and employs a pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) cofactor, similar to other enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism, such as ornithine decarboxylase and glutamine decarboxylase. It is found in bacteria and virus, though most research has so far focused on forms of the enzyme in bacteria. During the AdiA catalyzed decarboxylation of arginine, the necessary proton is consumed from the cell cytoplasm which helps to prevent the over-accumulation of protons inside the cell and serves to increase the intracellular pH. Arginine decarboxylase is part of an enzymatic system in Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, and methane-producing bacteria Methanococcus jannaschii that makes these organisms acid resistant and allows them to survive under highly acidic medium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CPN1</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Carboxypeptidase N catalytic chain is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the CPN1 gene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peptidyl-dipeptidase Dcp</span> Class of enzymes

Peptidyl-dipeptidase Dcp (EC 3.4.15.5, dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase (Dcp), dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase) is a metalloenzyme found in the cytoplasm of bacterium E. Coli responsible for the C-terminal cleavage of a variety of dipeptides and unprotected larger peptide chains. The enzyme does not hydrolyze bonds in which P1' is Proline, or both P1 and P1' are Glycine. Dcp consists of 680 amino acid residues that form into a single active monomer which aids in the intracellular degradation of peptides. Dcp coordinates to divalent zinc which sits in the pocket of the active site and is composed of four subsites: S1’, S1, S2, and S3, each subsite attracts certain amino acids at a specific position on the substrate enhancing the selectivity of the enzyme. The four subsites detect and bind different amino acid types on the substrate peptide in the P1 and P2 positions. Some metallic divalent cations such as Ni+2, Cu+2, and Zn+2 inhibit the function of the enzyme around 90%, whereas other cations such as Mn+2, Ca+2, Mg+2, and Co+2 have slight catalyzing properties, and increase the function by around 20%. Basic amino acids such as Arginine bind preferably at the S1 site, the S2 site sits deeper in the enzyme therefore is restricted to bind hydrophobic amino acids with phenylalanine in the P2 position. Dcp is divided into two subdomains (I, and II), which are the two sides of the clam shell-like structure and has a deep inner cavity where a pair of histidine residues bind to the catalytic zinc ion in the active site. Peptidyl-Dipeptidase Dcp is classified like Angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) which is also a carboxypeptidase involved in blood pressure regulation, but due to structural differences and peptidase activity between these two enzymes they had to be examined separately. ACE has endopeptidase activity, whereas Dcp strictly has exopeptidase activity based on its cytoplasmic location and therefore their mechanisms of action are differentiated. Another difference between these enzymes is that the activity of Peptidyl-Dipeptidase Dcp is not enhanced in the presence of chloride anions, whereas chloride enhances ACE activity.

Protein methylation is a type of post-translational modification featuring the addition of methyl groups to proteins. It can occur on the nitrogen-containing side-chains of arginine and lysine, but also at the amino- and carboxy-termini of a number of different proteins. In biology, methyltransferases catalyze the methylation process, activated primarily by S-adenosylmethionine. Protein methylation has been most studied in histones, where the transfer of methyl groups from S-adenosyl methionine is catalyzed by histone methyltransferases. Histones that are methylated on certain residues can act epigenetically to repress or activate gene expression.

References

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  2. Levin Y, Skidgel RA, Erdös EG (August 1982). "Isolation and characterization of the subunits of human plasma carboxypeptidase N (kininase i)". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 79 (15): 4618–4622. Bibcode:1982PNAS...79.4618L. doi: 10.1073/pnas.79.15.4618 . PMC   346726 . PMID   6750606.
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  4. 1 2 "Enzyme Classification". iubmb.qmul.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  5. Nomenclature Committee (March 2019). "The Enzyme List - Class 3 - Hydrolases" (PDF). International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. "CPN1 orthologs". NCBI. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
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  8. 1 2 3 4 Keil C, Maskos K, Than M, Hoopes JT, Huber R, Tan F, et al. (February 2007). "Crystal structure of the human carboxypeptidase N (kininase I) catalytic domain". Journal of Molecular Biology. 366 (2): 504–516. doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2006.11.025. PMID   17157876.
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