Insight into the Complexation Mode of Bis(nitrilotriacetic acid) (NTA) Ligands with Ni2+ Involved in the Labeling of Histidine‐Tagged Proteins

According to literature reports and our own findings, the binding of new Ni²⁺‐preloaded bis(nitrilotriacetic acid) (NTA) ligands with polyhistidine‐tagged proteins has been found to be accompanied by a one‐ to two‐order‐of‐magnitude increase in affinity, compared to the binding of a single Ni²⁺‐preloaded NTA moiety. In spite of the introduction of a second NTA chelating group, a cooperative effect that is less than the theoretical maximum has been observed. Herein, we present a rational explanation for the observed stability of the ternary complex involving the postulated bis‐NTA–(Ni²⁺)₂ species and multivalent polyhistidine tags. We have found that prior to the formation of the ternary complex, the Ni²⁺‐preloading step of bis‐NTA ligands does not form the expected bis‐NTA–(Ni²⁺)₂ exclusively. Instead of the major formation of bis‐NTA–(Ni²⁺)₂ species, it appears that cyclic discrete 1:1 and 2:2 entities are predominantly formed. It is proposed that these species interact upon ring‐opening with multivalent histidine tags. The occurrence of this phenomena accounts for the overall one‐ to two‐order‐of‐magnitude increase in affinity of ternary complexes involving bis‐NTA ligands.