Melibiose binding

Abstract: A dimeric 64-kDa melibiose-binding lectin was isolated from the seeds of Bauhinia variegata. The isolation procedure comprised affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel, ion exchange chromatography on Mono Q, and gel filtration on Superdex 75. The lectin was adsorbed on the first two chromatographic media. Its hemagglutinating activity was stable after 30-min exposure to temperatures up to 70 °C. Since lectins may demonstrate biological activities such as antiproliferative, immunomodulatory, antifungal, antiviral, and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitory activities, the isolated lectin was tested for these activities. It was found that the lectin inhibited proliferation in hepatoma HepG2 cells and breast cancer MCF7 cells with an IC50 of 1.4 μM and 0.18 μM, respectively. HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity was inhibited with an IC50 of 1.02 μM. The lectin and concanavalin A (Con A) evoked maximal mitogenic response from mouse splenocytes at similar concentrations, but the maximal response to B. vari...

Abstract: The Na+-coupled melibiose symporter MelB, which can also be coupled to H+ or Li+ transport, is a prototype for the glycoside-pentoside-hexuronide:cation symporter family. Although the 3-D x-ray crystal structure of Salmonella typhimurium MelB (MelBSt) has been determined, the symport mechanisms for the obligatory coupled transport are not well understood. Here, we apply isothermal titration calorimetry to determine the energetics of Na+ and melibiose binding to MelBSt, as well as protonation of this transporter. Studies of the thermodynamic cycle for the formation of the Na+-MelBSt-melibiose ternary complex at pH 7.45 reveal that the binding of Na+ and melibiose is cooperative. The binding affinity for one substrate (Na+ or melibiose) is increased by the presence of the other by about eightfold. The coupling free energies (ΔΔG) of either substrate binding are ∼5 kJ/mol, and binding of both substrates releases a free energy of ∼35 kJ/mol. Measurements of the Na+-binding enthalpy at three different pH values, including the pKa value of MelB, indicate that the binding of one Na+ displaces one H+ per MelBSt molecule. In addition, the absolute dissociation constants for Na+ and H+, determined by competitive binding, show that MelBSt is selective for H+ over Na+ by ∼1,000-fold at a pKa of 6.25. Thus, the Na+ coupling in MelBSt is based not on ion selectivity but on ion concentrations and competitive binding because of a much higher Na+ concentration under physiological conditions. Such a selectivity feature seems to be common for membrane transport proteins that can bind both H+ and Na+ at a common site.

Abstract: The effect of various detergents on the stability and function of the melibiose permeases of Escherichia coli (MelBEc) and Salmonella typhimurium (MelBSt) was studied. In n-dodecyl-β-d-maltoside (DDM) or n-undecyl-β-d-maltoside (UDM), WT MelBSt binds melibiose with an affinity similar to that in the membrane. However, with WT MelBEc or MelBSt mutants (Arg141 → Cys, Arg295 → Cys, or Arg363 → Cys), galactoside binding is not detected in these detergents, but binding to the phosphotransferase protein IIA(Glc) is maintained. In the amphiphiles lauryl maltose neopentyl glycol (MNG-3) or glyco-diosgenin (GDN), galactoside binding with all of the MelB proteins is observed, with slightly reduced affinities. MelBSt is more thermostable than MelBEc, and the thermostability of either MelB is largely increased in MNG-3 or GDN. Therefore, the functional defect with DDM or UDM likely results from the relative instability of the sensitive MelB proteins, and stability, as well as galactoside binding, is retained in MNG-3 or GDN. Furthermore, isothermal titration calorimetry of melibiose binding with MelBSt shows that the favorable entropic contribution to the binding free energy is decreased in MNG-3, indicating that the conformational dynamics of MelB is restricted in this detergent.