Suzuki K T, Maitani T
Biochem J. 1981 Nov 1;199(2):289-95. doi: 10.1042/bj1990289.
Metal-dependent changes in the properties of metallothionein were investigated in vitro by replacing Zn2+ in zinc-thionein with Cu+ and Cu2+. Metallothionein was separated into isoproteins on a gel-permeation column by elution with alkaline buffer solution, the separation being due to the dissociation of hydroxy groups in the gel material. The two metals in metallothioneins were detected simultaneously by introducing the eluate of the column, which was attached to a high-pressure liquid chromatograph, to two flame atomic-absorption spectrophotometers. Zn2+ in zinc-thionein was replaced with 1.5 and 1 mol. equiv. of Cu+ and Cu2+ respectively. The replacement with Cu2+ accompanied intramolecular oxidation of thiol groups in metallothioneins and the oxidized metallothioneins showed different chromatographic properties from the original ones, probably due to changes in the isoelectric points. The oxidized forms of metallothionein were reducible by mercaptoethanol. Reduction of Cu2+ to Cu+ followed by the replacement of Zn2+ in zinc-thionein with Cu+ occurred in the presence of glutathione.
通过用Cu⁺和Cu²⁺取代锌硫蛋白中的Zn²⁺,在体外研究了金属硫蛋白性质的金属依赖性变化。通过用碱性缓冲溶液洗脱,在凝胶渗透柱上把金属硫蛋白分离成同功蛋白,这种分离是由于凝胶材料中羟基的解离。通过将连接到高压液相色谱仪的柱洗脱液引入两台火焰原子吸收分光光度计,同时检测金属硫蛋白中的两种金属。锌硫蛋白中的Zn²⁺分别被1.5和1摩尔当量的Cu⁺和Cu²⁺取代。用Cu²⁺取代伴随着金属硫蛋白中巯基的分子内氧化,氧化后的金属硫蛋白表现出与原始蛋白不同的色谱性质,这可能是由于等电点的变化。金属硫蛋白的氧化形式可被巯基乙醇还原。在谷胱甘肽存在的情况下,Cu²⁺还原为Cu⁺,随后Cu⁺取代锌硫蛋白中的Zn²⁺。