[Study of the role of tryptophan residues in streptokinase molecules using a chemical modification method].

Incubation of streptokinase in an H2O2-dioxane-bicarbonate buffer (pH 8.5) system leads to the oxidation of tryptophan residues as can be evidenced from the changes in absorption and tryptophan fluorescence spectra. A complete oxidation of tryptophan residues of the protein takes place within 3 hours, the number of the residues is 4. The first tryptophanyl of the protein is oxidized the most easily; the activity of streptokinase decreases thereby by 50%. Modification of the second residue leads to complete inactivation of streptokinase. The rate constants for the oxidation of the first, of the two first and of the third plus fourth tryptophanyls are equal to 1.5.10(-2) min-1, 1,1.10(-2) min-1 and 0.5.10(-2) min -1, respectively. The complete oxidation of tryptophan residues is concomitant with the inability of streptokinase to form stable equimolar complexes with human plasminogen, but in does not result (as can be judged from the CD spectroscopy data) in the breakdown of the protein secondary structure. The specificity of oxidation of the protein tryptophan residues is discussed. The importance of readily oxidized tryptophan residues for the streptokinase function is postulated.