Voltammetric Investigation of Zinc Release from Metallothioneins Modulated by the Glutathione Redox Couple and Separated with a Porous Membrane

Glutathione (GSH), in addition to serving as a redox buffer in cellular environment, has been suggested as a modulator in metal regulation and homeostasis by metallothioneins (MTs). The interactions of MTs with both GSH and its oxidized form GSSG have been shown to govern the direction of metal transfer. Common methods for the determination of zinc release from MTs modulated by GSH/GSSG either involve radioactive species or enzymes or are labor‐intensive. In this study, upon separation of Zn²⁺ from the reaction mixture of MTs and GSH with a centrifugal filter membrane, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used for the Zn²⁺ quantification. The same approach is extended to the studies of metal transfer between Zn₇MT with a GSH/GSSG mixture and that between Zn₇MT with GSSG. The concomitant conversion between the free thiol and disulfide bonds was confirmed with UV‐vis spectrophotometry. The results demonstrate that GSSG, GSH, and the GSH/GSSG mixture all modulate zinc release from Zn₇MT. The percentage of zinc release increases in the order of GSH, GSSG, and the GSH/GSSG mixture. The new approach is demonstrated to be well suited for investigation of redox regulation of MT and its reaction with zinc‐containing enzymes.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the catalytic dehydration of HCO3− by zinc(II) complexes of tripod ligands

The kinetics of the catalyzed dehydration of HCO₃^? by zinc(II) containing tripod complexes has been studied at 25°C using the stopped‐flow technique. The direction of reaction curve was changed in aqueous solution when the pH of the solution was greater than 7.5. The pH‐profile of rates of the dehydration reactions indicates that only the aqua complex catalyzes the dehydration of HCO₃^? via a ligand substitution process. The second‐order rate constants for the dehydration of HCO₃^? catalyzed by complexes Zn₃L1, Zn₃L2, Zn₃L3, and Zn₃L4 are 0.96, 2.53, 12.05, and 6.99 mol^?1 dm³ s^?1 respectively. At the same time, the pK_a values 7.60, 7.16, 7.51, and 7.42 for the deprotonation of the Zn(II)‐bound water in the four catalysts were obtained, which are consistent with those that resulted from pH titrations, i.e. 7.47, 7.25, 7.52, and 7.38 respectively. The mechanism is proposed and the results are compared with other model complexes of carbonic anhydrase. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 36: 197–203, 2004     

Resistance of Cu(Aβ4–16) to Copper Capture by Metallothionein‐3 Supports a Function for the Aβ4–42 Peptide as a Synaptic CuII Scavenger

Aβ4‐42 is a major species of Aβ peptide in the brains of both healthy individuals and those affected by Alzheimer's disease. It has recently been demonstrated to bind Cu^II with an affinity approximately 3000 times higher than the commonly studied Aβ1‐42 and Aβ1‐40 peptides, which are implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Metallothionein‐3, a protein considered to orchestrate copper and zinc metabolism in the brain and provide antioxidant protection, was shown to extract Cu^II from Aβ1‐40 when acting in its native Zn₇MT‐3 form. This reaction is assumed to underlie the neuroprotective effect of Zn₇MT‐3 against Aβ toxicity. In this work, we used the truncated model peptides Aβ1‐16 and Aβ4‐16 to demonstrate that the high‐affinity Cu^II complex of Aβ4‐16 is resistant to Zn₇MT‐3 reactivity. This indicates that the analogous complex of the full‐length peptide Cu(Aβ4‐42) will not yield copper to MT‐3 in the brain, thus supporting the concept of a physiological role for Aβ4‐42 as a Cu^II scavenger in the synaptic cleft.     

A De Novo Designed Metalloenzyme for the Hydration of CO2

Protein design will ultimately allow for the creation of artificial enzymes with novel functions and unprecedented stability. To test our current mastery of nature’s approach to catalysis, a Zn^II metalloenzyme was prepared using de novo design. α₃DH₃ folds into a stable single‐stranded three‐helix bundle and binds Zn^II with high affinity using His₃O coordination. The resulting metalloenzyme catalyzes the hydration of CO₂ better than any small molecule model of carbonic anhydrase and with an efficiency within 1400‐fold of the fastest carbonic anhydrase isoform, CAII, and 11‐fold of CAIII.     

Ion mobility spectrometry focusing on speciation analysis of metals/metalloids bound to carbonic anhydrase

In the present work, traveling wave ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (TWIMS-MS) was applied to speciation analysis of metalloproteins. The influence of pH on complexation conditions between some metals and bovine carbonic anhydrase was evaluated from pH 6 to 9, as well as the time involved in their complexation (0–24 h). Employing TWIMS-MS, two conformational states of bovine carbonic anhydrase were observed with charge states of +12 and +11; these configurations being evaluated in terms of the folded state of the apo form and this protein (at charge state +11) being linked to barium, lead, copper, and zinc in their divalent forms. Metalloprotein speciation analysis was carried out for copper (Cu⁺ and Cu²⁺), lead (Pb²⁺ and Pb⁴⁺), and selenium (Se⁴⁺ and Se⁶⁺) species complexed with bovine carbonic anhydrase. Mobilities of all complexed species were compared, also considering the apo form of this protein.     

Binuclear and chain‐structure zinc(II) complexes constructed from 3,4‐dimethoxy‐trans‐cinnamic acid and N‐donor coligands 4‐(1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl)pyridine and 4,4′‐bipyridine

3,4‐Dimethoxy‐trans‐cinnamic acid (Dmca) reacts with zinc sulfate in the presence of 4‐(1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl)pyridine (L₁) or 4,4′‐bipyridine (L₂) under hydrothermal conditions to afford two mixed‐ligand coordination complexes, namely tetrakis(μ‐3,4‐dimethoxy‐trans‐cinnamato‐κ²O:O′)bis[[4‐(1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl)pyridine]zinc(II)] heptahydrate, [Zn₂(C₁₁H₁₁O₄)₄(C₈H₇N₃)₂]·7H₂O or [Zn₂(Dmca)₄(L₁)₂]·7H₂O, (I), and catena‐poly[[bis(3,4‐dimethoxy‐trans‐cinnamato‐κO)zinc(II)]‐μ‐4,4′‐bipyridine‐κ²N:N′], [Zn(C₁₁H₁₁O₄)₂(C₁₀H₈N₂)]_n or [Zn(Dmca)₂(L₂)]_n, (II). The Zn^II centres in the two compounds display different coordination polyhedra. In complex (I), the Zn^II cation is five‐coordinated with a pseudo‐square‐pyramidal geometry, while in complex (II) the Zn^II cation sits on a twofold axis and adopts a distorted tetrahedral coordination environment. Complex (I) features a centrosymmetric binuclear paddle‐wheel‐like structure, while complex (II) shows a chain structure. This study emphasizes the significant effect of the coordination mode of both carboxylate‐group and N‐donor coligands on the formation of complex structures.     

Monodentate and bridging behaviour of the sulfur‐containing ligand 4′‐[4‐(methylsulfanyl)phenyl]‐4,2′:6′,4′′‐terpyridine in two discrete zinc(II) complexes with acetylacetonate

The Zn complexes bis(acetylacetonato‐κ²O,O′)bis{4′‐[4‐(methylsulfanyl)phenyl]‐4,2′:6′,4′′‐terpyridine‐κN¹}zinc(II), [Zn(C₅H₇O₂)₂(C₂₂H₁₇N₃S)₂], (I), and {μ‐4′‐[4‐(methylsulfanyl)phenyl]‐4,2′:6′,4′′‐terpyridine‐κ²N¹:N^1′′}bis[bis(acetylacetonato‐κ²O,O′)zinc(II)], [Zn₂(C₅H₇O₂)₄(C₂₂H₁₇N₃S)], (II), are discrete entities with different nuclearities. Compound (I) consists of two centrosymmetrically related monodentate 4′‐[4‐(methylsulfanyl)phenyl]‐4,2′:6′,4′′‐terpyridine (L1) ligands binding to one Zn^II atom sitting on an inversion centre and two centrosymmetrically related chelating acetylacetonate (acac) groups which bind via carbonyl O‐atom donors, giving an N₂O₄ octahedral environment for Zn^II. Compound (II), however, consists of a bis‐monodentate L1 ligand bridging two Zn^II atoms from two different Zn(acac)₂ fragments. Intra‐ and intermolecular interactions are weak, mainly of the C—H...π and π–π types, mediating similar layered structures. In contrast to related structures in the literature, sulfur‐mediated nonbonding interactions in (II) do not seem to have any significant influence on the supramolecular structure.     

Guest‐Induced Photophysical Property Switching of Artificial Light‐Harvesting Dendrimers

An artificial light‐harvesting multiporphyrin dendrimer ( 8P_ZnP_FB ) composed of a focal freebase porphyrin ( P_FB ) with eight zinc(II) porphyrin ( P_Zn ) wings exhibited unique photophysical property switching in response to specific guest molecule binding. UV/Vis titration studies indicated stable 1:2 host–guest complex formation between 8P_ZnP_FB and meso‐tetrakis(4‐pyridyl)‐porphyrin ( TPyP ) for which the first and second association constants were estimated to be >10⁸ M ^?1 and 3.0×10⁷ M ^?1, respectively. 8P_ZnP_FB originally shows 94 % energy transfer efficiency from P_Zn to the focal P_FB . By the formation of the host–guest complex ( 8P_ZnP_FB? 2 TPyP ) the emission intensity of 8P_ZnP_FB is significantly decreased, and an ultrafast charge separation state is generated. The energy transfer process from P_Zn wings to the P_FB core in 8P_ZnP_FB is almost entirely switched to an electron transfer process by the formation of 8P_ZnP_FB? 2 TPyP .     

Discovery of Novel Sulfonamide‐Based 5‐Arylidenerhodanines as Effective Carbonic Anhydrase (II) Inhibitors: Microwave‐Assisted and Ultrasound‐Assisted One‐Pot Four‐Component Synthesis,Molecular Docking,and Anti‐CA II Screening Studies

The synthesis of N‐substituted‐5‐arylidenerhodanines was carried out by the optimized one‐pot sequential four‐component procedure with the condensation between 4‐aminobenzenesulfonamide, suitable aldehyde, ethyl bromoacetate, and carbon disulfide. In addition to traditional method, microwave‐irradiated and ultrasound‐irradiated techniques were implemented in water at ambitious conditions, and the target compounds were obtained in high yields and purity without purification methods. The enzyme inhibition activity of newly synthesized compounds on carbonic anhydrase (II) was also evaluated. The reference inhibitor molecule was sulfanilamide, the IC₅₀ value of which was 3.5 μM. It was also found that the IC₅₀ values of all examined molecules were in nanomolar level and much smaller than those of sulfanilamide. The inhibition between 93.5 and 99.6% was observed in the presence of new compounds synthesized in the present study at the accessible maximum concentration in the reaction mixtures. 5j , among the tested compounds possessing the lowest IC₅₀ value, was found to be the most potent carbonic anhydrase (II) inhibitor.     

Synchrotron Radiation Provides a Plausible Explanation for the Generation of a Free Radical Adduct of Thioxolone in Mutant Carbonic Anhydrase II

Thioxolone acts as a prodrug in the presence of carbonic anhydrase II (CA II), whereby the molecule is cleaved by thioester hydrolysis to the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, 4-mercaptobenzene-1,3-diol (TH0). Thioxolone was soaked into the proton transfer mutant H64A of CA II in an effort to capture a reaction intermediate via X-ray crystallography. Structure determination of the 1.2 ? resolution data revealed the TH0 had been modified to a 4,4'-disulfanediyldibenzene-1,3-diol, a product of crystallization conditions, and a zinc ligated 2,4-dihydroxybenzenesulfenic acid, most likely induced by radiation damage. Neither ligand was likely a result of an enzymatic mechanism.     

Screening and docking studies of natural phenolic inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase II

Carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) is an important enzyme complex with Zn²⁺, which is involved in many physiological and pathological processes, such as calcification, glaucoma and tumorigenicity. In order to search for novel inhibitors of CA II, inhibition assay of carbonic anhydrase II was performed, by which seven natural phenolic compounds, including four phenolics (grifolin, 4-O-methyl-grifolic acid, grifolic acid, and isovanillic acid) and three flavones (eriodictyol, quercetin and puerin A), showed inhibitory activities against CA II with IC₅₀s in the range of 6.37–71.73 μmol/L. Grifolic acid is the most active one with IC₅₀ of 6.37 _μmol/L. These seven phenolic compounds were proved to be novel natural carbonic anhydrase II inhibitors, which were obtained in flexible docking study with GOLD 3.0 software. Results indicated that the aliphatic chain and polar groups of hydroxyl and carboxyl are important to their inhibitory activities, providing a new insight into study on CA II potent inhibitors. Authors with the equal contribution Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 30725048) and the Foundation of Chinese Academy of Sciences (West Light Program).     

Thermodynamic Parameters for the Association of Fluorinated Benzenesulfonamides with Bovine Carbonic Anhydrase II

This paper describes a calorimetric study of the association of a series of seven fluorinated benzenesulfonamide ligands (C₆H_nF_5?nSO₂NH₂) with bovine carbonic anhydrase II (BCA). Quantitative structure–activity relationships between the free energy, enthalpy, and entropy of binding and pK_a and log P of the ligands allowed the evaluation of the thermodynamic parameters in terms of the two independent effects of fluorination on the ligand: its electrostatic potential and its hydrophobicity. The parameters were partitioned to the three different structural interactions between the ligand and BCA: the Zn^II cofactor–sulfonamide bond (≈65 % of the free energy of binding), the hydrogen bonds between the ligand and BCA (≈10 %), and the contacts between the phenyl ring of the ligand and BCA (≈25 %). Calorimetry revealed that all of the ligands studied bind in a 1:1 stoichiometry with BCA; this result was confirmed by ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray crystallography (for complexes with human carbonic anhydrase II).     

A zinc–lithium complex of 4,7‐bis(2‐aminoethyl)‐1,4,7‐triazacyclononane‐1‐acetate

The asymmetric unit of {[4,7‐bis(2‐amino­ethyl)‐1,4,7‐tri­aza­cyclo­nonan‐1‐yl]acetato}zinc(II) triaqua{μ‐[4,7‐bis(2‐amino­ethyl)‐1,4,7‐tri­aza­cyclo­nonan‐1‐yl]acetato}lithium(I)zinc(II) chloride diperchlorate, [Zn(C₁₂H₂₆N₅O₂)][LiZn(C₁₂H₂₆N₅O₂)(H₂O)₃]Cl(ClO₄)₂, obtained from the reaction between the lithium salt of 4,7‐bis(2‐amino­ethyl)‐1,4,7‐tri­aza­cyclo­nonane‐1‐acetate and Zn(ClO₄)₂, contains two Zn^II complexes in which each Zn^II ion is six‐coordinated by five N‐atom donors and one O‐­atom donor from the ligand. One carboxyl­ate O‐atom donor is not involved in coordination to a Zn^II atom, but coordinates to an Li⁺ ion, the tetrahedral geometry of Li⁺ being completed by three water mol­ecules. The two complexes are linked via a hydrogen bond between a primary amine N—H group and the carboxyl­ate‐O atom not involved in coordination to a metal.     

Catalysis and Electron Transfer in De Novo Designed Helical Scaffolds

The relationship between protein structure and function is one of the greatest puzzles within biochemistry. De novo metalloprotein design is a way to wipe the board clean and determine what is required to build in function from the ground up in an unrelated structure. This Review focuses on protein design efforts to create de novo metalloproteins within alpha‐helical scaffolds. Examples of successful designs include those with carbonic anhydrase or nitrite reductase activity by incorporating a ZnHis₃ or CuHis₃ site, or that recapitulate the spectroscopic properties of unique electron‐transfer sites in cupredoxins (CuHis₂Cys) or rubredoxins (FeCys₄). This work showcases the versatility of alpha helices as scaffolds for metalloprotein design and the progress that is possible through careful rational design. Our studies cover the invariance of carbonic anhydrase activity with different site positions and scaffolds, refinement of our cupredoxin models, and enhancement of nitrite reductase activity up to 1000‐fold.     

Voltammetric Studies of Cadmium‐ and Zinc‐Containing Metallothioneins at Nafion‐Coated Mercury Thin Film Electrodes

Voltammetric studies of rabbit liver metallothioneins (MTs, containing both Zn and Cd ions) and Zn₇‐MT were carried out at Nafion‐coated mercury film electrodes (NCMFEs). The accumulation of MT molecules into the NCMFEs enhances the voltammetric signals and the electrostatic interaction between the Nafion membrane and MT facilitates facile electron transfer reactions. Two well‐defined redox waves, with reduction potential (E_pc) values at ?0.740 and ?1.173 V, respectively, were observed. The peak at E_pc =?0.740 V is attributable to the reduction of the Cd‐MT complex, whereas that at E_pc=?1.173 V was assigned to the reduction of the Zn‐MT complex. Zn₇‐MT exhibits only one redox wave with E_pc=?1.198 V. The NCMFE was found to be more advantageous than thin mercury film electrode (MFE), because the pristine metal ions in MTs (e.g., Cd²⁺ and/or Zn²⁺) are not significantly replaced by Hg²⁺. The NCMFE is also complementary to Nafion‐coated bismuth film electrode in that it has a greater hydrogen overpotential, which allows the reduction of the Zn‐MT complex to be clearly observed. Moreover, intermetallic compound formation between Cd and Zn appears to be less serious at NCMFEs. Consequently, the amounts of Cd and Zn deposited into the electrode upon the reduction reactions can be quantified more accurately.     

Influence of nitrogen‐containing chelating ligands on the structures of zinc(II) 4,4′‐ethylenedibenzoates

The Zn^II compounds, μ‐4,4′‐ethylenedibenzoato‐bis[acetatoaqua(dipyrido[3,2‐a:2′,3′‐c]phenazine)zinc(II)] dihydrate, [Zn₂(C₂H₃O₂)₂(C₁₆H₁₀O₄)(C₁₈H₁₀N₄)₂(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O, (I), and catena‐poly[[[aqua(pyrazino[2,3‐f][1,10]phenanthroline)zinc(II)]‐μ‐4,4′‐ethylenedibenzoato] N,N‐dimethylformamide hemisolvate], {[Zn(C₁₆H₁₀O₄)(C₁₄H₈N₄)(H₂O)]·0.5C₃H₇NO}_n, (II), display very different structures because of the influence of the N‐donor chelating ligands. In (I), the coordination geometry of each Zn^II centre is distorted octahedral, involving two N atoms from one dipyrido[3,2‐a:2′,3′‐c]phenazine (L1) ligand, and four O atoms from one bis‐chelating acetate anion, one bridging 4,4′‐ethylenedibenzoate (bpea) ligand and one water molecule. Adjacent Zn^II atoms are bridged by one bpea ligand to form a dinuclear complex, and the dinuclear species is centrosymmetric. Two types of π–π interactions between neighbouring dinuclear species have been found: one is between the L1 ligands, and the second is between the L1 and bpea ligands. In this way, an interesting two‐dimensional supramolecular layer is formed. The layers are further linked by O—H...O and O—H...N hydrogen bonds, generating a three‐dimensional supramolecular network. In (II), each Zn^II atom is square‐pyramidally coordinated by two N atoms from one pyrazino[2,3‐f][1,10]phenanthroline ligand, three O atoms from two different bpea ligands and one water molecule. The two bpea dianions are situated across inversion centres. The bpea dianions bridge neighbouring Zn^II centres, giving a one‐dimensional chain structure in the ab plane. As in (I), two types of π–π interactions between neighbouring chains complete a three‐dimensional supramolecular structure. The results indicate that the structures of the N‐donor chelating ligands are the dominant factors determining the final supramolecular structures of the two compounds.     

A Thermodynamic Study of Zinc Ion Interaction with Bovine Carbonic Anhydrase II at Different Temperatures

A thermodynamic study of the interaction of bovine carbonic anhydrase II, CAII, with zinc ion was carried out by using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) at 300, 310 and 320 K in Tris buffer solutions at pH=7.5. The heats of Zn²⁺+ CAII interaction are reported and analyzed in terms of the new solvation theory. It was indicated that there are three identical and non-cooperative sites on CAII for Zn²⁺. The binding of a zinc ion is exothermic with dissociation equilibrium constants of 78.32, 95.81 and 116.70 mmol⋅L⁻¹ at 300, 310 and 320 K respectively.     

Structural and spectroscopic characterization of two new blue luminescent pyridylbenzimidazole zinc(II) complexes

Luminescent metal complexes are used in photooptical devices. Zinc(II) complexes are of interest because of the ability to tune their color, their high thermal stability and their favorable carrier transport character. In particular, some zinc(II) complexes with aryl diimine and/or heterocyclic ligands have been shown to emit brightly in the blue region of the spectrum. Zinc(II) complexes bearing derivatized imidazoles have been explored for possible optoelectronic applications. The structures of two zinc(II) complexes of 5,6‐dimethyl‐2‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)‐1‐[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methyl]‐1H‐benzimidazole (L), namely dichlorido(dimethylformamide‐κO){5,6‐dimethyl‐2‐(pyridin‐2‐yl‐κN)‐1‐[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methyl]‐1H‐benzimidazole‐κN³}zinc(II) dimethylformamide monosolvate, [ZnCl₂(C₂₀H₁₈N₄)(C₃H₇NO)]·C₃H₇NO, (I), and bis(acetato‐κ²O,O′){5,6‐dimethyl‐2‐(pyridin‐2‐yl‐κN)‐1‐[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methyl]‐1H‐benzimidazole‐κN³}zinc(II) ethanol monosolvate, [Zn(C₂H₃O₂)₂(C₂₀H₁₈N₄)]·C₂H₅OH, (II), are reported. Complex (I) crystallized as a dimethylformamide solvate and exhibits a distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry. The coordination sphere consists of a bidentate L ligand spanning axial to equatorial sites, two chloride ligands in equatorial sites, and an O‐bound dimethylformamide ligand in the remaining axial site. The other complex, (II), crystallized as an ethanol solvate. The Zn^II atom has a distorted trigonal prismatic coordination geometry, with two bidentate acetate ligands occupying two edges and a bidentate L ligand occupying the third edge of the prism. Complexes (I) and (II) emit in the blue region of the spectrum. The results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the luminescence of L results from π*←π transitions and that the luminescence of the complexes results from interligand charge‐transfer transitions. The orientation of the 2‐(pyridin‐2‐yl) substituent with respect to the benzimidazole system was found to have an impact on the calculated HOMO–LUMO gap (HOMO is highest occupied molecular orbital and LUMO is lowest unoccupied molecular orbital).     

Theoretical studies on substrate binding to the active site of carbonic anhydrase

The role of some amino acids and metal ions in the catalytic activity of carbonic anhydrase (carbonate dehydratase EC 4.2.1.1) has been investigated. The additional stabilization of the transition state complex was used as the qualitative measure of the effect of molecular surrounding on CO₂ hydration reaction calculated within the approximate CNDO /2 approach. The effect of the molecular environment has been simulated by inclusion into the SCF LCAO MO Hamiltonian, a term representing the interaction with a set of point charges and atomic dipoles centered on experimentally determined position of Zn²⁺ ion and all atoms of histidine 94, 96, 119 and threonine 199, 200 (or histidine 200 in the case of carbonic anhydrase B). The possible molecular mechanism of CO₂ hydration inside the active site has been also discussed.