Relationship between propeptide pH unfolding and inhibitory ability during ProDer p 1 activation mechanism

[摘要] The major allergen Der p1 of the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is a papain-like cysteine protease (CA1) produced as an inactive precursor and associated with allergic diseases. The propeptide of Der p I exhibits a specific fold that makes it unique in the CA1 propeptide family. In this study, we investigated the activation steps involved in the maturation of the recombinant protease Der p 1 expressed in Pichia pastoris and the interaction of the full-length and truncated soluble propepticles with their parent enzyme in terms of activity inhibition and BIAcore interaction analysis. According to our results, the activation of protease Der p 1 is a multistep mechanism that is characterized by at least two intermediates. The propeptide strongly inhibits unglycosylated and glycosylated recombinant Der p 1 (K-D = 7 nM) at neutral pH. This inhibition is pH dependent. It decreases from pH 7 to pH 4 and can be related to conformational changes of the propepticle characterized by an increase of its flexibility and formation of a molten globule state. Our results indicate that activation of the zymogen at pH 4 is a compromise between activity preservation and propeptide unfolding. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[发布日期] 2007-11-16

[关键词] allergy;cysteine protease;inhibition mechanism;propeptide;pH unfolding