These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed


  • Title: Osmolyte-induced folding enhances tryptic enzyme activity.
    Author: Kumar R, Serrette JM, Thompson EB.
    Journal: Arch Biochem Biophys; 2005 Apr 01; 436(1):78-82. PubMed ID: 15752711.
    Abstract:
    Osmolytes form a class of naturally occurring small compounds known to protect proteins in their native folded and functional states. Among the osmolytes, trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) has received special interest lately because it has shown an extraordinary capability to support folding of denatured to native-like species, which show significant functional activity. Most enzymes and/or proteins are commonly stored in glycerol to maintain their activity/function. In the present study, we tested whether TMAO can be a better solute than glycerol for two commonly used proteases, trypsin and chymotrypsin. Our enzyme kinetic data suggest that the enzyme activity of trypsin is significantly enhanced in TMAO compared to glycerol, whereas chymotrypsin activity is not significantly changed in either case. These results are in accordance with the osmolyte effects on the folding of these enzymes, as judged by data from fluorescence emission spectroscopy. These results suggest that TMAO may be a better solute than glycerol to maintain optimal tryptic enzyme activity.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]