The importance of thyroglobulin structure in thyroid peroxidase-catalyzed conversion of diiodotyrosine to thyroxine.

We have previously demonstrated that thyroid peroxidase (TPO) not only catalyzes the iodination of thyroglobulin and other proteins, but that it also catalyzes the intramolecular conversion of DIT residues to T4 (coupling reaction). The present study was designed to determine whether the native structure of thyroglobulin contributes to the efficiency of TPO-catalyzed coupling. Two lines of evidence are presented in support of the view that the conformation of thyroglobulin is important for TPO-catalyzed coupling. The first was based on comparison of T4 yields in thyroglobulin and other proteins. The second involved the effect of guanidine pretreatment on T4 yields in thyroglobulin. Both types of experiment provided evidence that the native structure of thyroglobulin contributes to the efficiency of the coupling reaction. Specificity of thyroid peroxidase activity, on the other hand, does not appear to be of importance in the coupling reaction.