Hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) is a recessive connective tissue disorder of Quarter Horse lineages. This study correlates previously identified decreases in skin tensile strength in HERDA with abnormal dermal collagen cross linking patterns that are also identified in urine from HERDA horses. Dermal collagen from HERDA horses has significantly less pyridinoline and significantly more deoxypyridinoline than control or carriers. Concentrations of hydroxylysine, the rate limiting substrate for these crosslinks were significantly lower in HERDA versus control and carriers. These characteristics of HERDA skin parallel humans with a similar syndrome of skin fragility, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome TypeVIA. This is the first biochemical evidence explaining the clinical skin fragility that characterizes HERDA and suggests that altered collagen lysine metabolism may be physiologically relevant to the clinical manifestation of HERDA. Evaluations of mature scars indicate that lesion and nonlesioned skin should not be viewed as biologically equivalent in HERDA investigations.

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It is often not clear how values are incorporated into policy decision-making about health systems. This is perhaps not surprising given the complexity of decision-making about health systems, the wide range of values prioritized (and advocated for) by different stakeholders, the broad array of sources for or mechanisms available to identify values, and the many ways in which values can drive policy decisions, as well as the reality that policymakers often do not want to be explicit about the values used in policy decision-making process. Using synthesis and qualitative research methods, this dissertation investigates the role of values in policy decision-making about health system financing in Latin America and contributes to the understanding of this field by providing insights for policy and research. The dissertation moves from a general and descriptive focus to a specific and explanatory focus. First, a critical interpretive synthesis was used to develop a theoretical framework that identifies how and under what conditions values inform policy decision-making about health system financing in Latin American countries. In chapters 3 and 4, the focus narrows by using an embedded multiple-case study design that analyzes two specific decisions in each of Chile and Colombia. Frameworks that explain government agenda setting and policy development and the theoretical framework developed in chapter 2, are used to analyze these decisions. The second study (chapter 3) is a discourse analysis which qualitatively assess how declared values inform the four decisions in Chile and Colombia. The third study (chapter 4), draws on in-depth qualitative interviews to understand how and why policymakers and stakeholders use declared and undeclared values in those four decisions in Chile and Colombia. The research chapters build on each other and make substantive, methodological and theoretical contributions. The dissertation provides a rich understanding of the roles of values in health system financing decisions through a critical interpretive synthesis and two qualitative studies, adding to the evidence base that stakeholders and policymakers can draw from when making or shaping policy decisions. These studies collectively build an understanding about what values inform the health policy process in Latin America, how those values work, under what conditions they come to be influential, how they are applied in real decisions, and why policymakers and stakeholders perceive that values play a role in real decisions. All of this evidence has contributed to the development a new theoretical framework about the roles of values in health systems. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Values are important at all stages of the policy process. However, it is often not clear how they are incorporated into policy decision-making about health systems. In Latin America, the study of the role of values and how they inform the prioritization, development, and implementation of policies in different contexts, is an emerging field. This dissertation addresses key gaps in understanding by: 1) developing a framework, which can be used as a tool by policymakers and stakeholders to identify which values support or compete with their initiatives, how to make initiatives more socially supported, and how to focus policies according to the goals of the government and the health system; 2) analyzing how, based on media reports and governmental and non-governmental documents, values have informed two health system financing decisions in each of Chile and Colombia; and 3) examining the views and experiences of policymakers and stakeholders about how and why values were used in decision-making processes related to the same two policy decisions in each of Chile and Colombia.

The phosphorylation-dependent PPIase (peptidyl prolyl isomerase), Pin1 (Protein interacting with NIMA#1), has been found to regulate cell cycle through a simple conformational change, the cis-trans isomerization of phospho-Ser/Thr-Pro amide bonds. A variety of key cell cycle regulatory phosphoproteins, including Cdc25 phosphatase,Cdc27, p53 oncogene, c-Myc oncogene, Wee1 kinase, Myt1 kinase, and NIMA kinas, have been confirmed as substrates of Pin1. Pin1 was also observed to be overexpressed in a variety of cancer cell lines, and the inhibitors of Pin1 showed antiproliferative activities towards these cancer cells. These results implied that Pin1 might serve as a potential anti-cancer drug target. Besides, Pin1 has an important neuroprotective function and represents a potential new therapeutic agent for Alzheimer's disease. In order to understand the interaction between Pin1 and Cdc25c and the role of Pin1 in the mechanism for the regulation of mitosis, two amide isosteres, Ser-Ψ[(Z)CH=C]-Pro-OH and Ser-Ψ[(E)CH=C]-Pro-OH were incorporated into two peptidomimetics derived from human Cdc25c. Phosphorylation of these two peptidomimetics by the incubation with Cdc2 was studied using LC-MS/MS technique. It was found that Cdc2 kinase was conformationally specific to its Cdc25c substrate. Only the trans conformer of Cdc25c at its Ser168-Pro position can be recognized and phosphorylated by Cdc2 kinase, thereby creating the binding site for Pin1. In an effort to improve the cell permeability of the charged inhibitors of Pin1, bisPOM (pivaloyloxymethyl) prodrug moiety was introduced to mask the phosphate group of Fmoc-pSer-Ψ[(Z)CH=C]-Pro-(2)-N-(3)-ethylaminoindole, which is one inhibitor of Pin1. Fmoc-pSer-Ψ[(Z)CH=C]-Pro-(2)-N-(3)-ethylaminoindole and its bisPOM prodrug were synthesized efficiently starting with Boc-Ser-Ψ[(Z)CH=C]-Pro-OH in 24% and 12% yields respectively. The charged inhibitor showed a moderate inhibition towards Pin1 (IC50 = 28.3 μM). Its antiproliferative activity towards A2780 ovarian cancer cells (IC50 = 46.2 μM) was significantly improved by its bisPOM prodrug (IC50 = 26.9 μM), which is comparable to the IC50 of the charged inhibitor towards Pin1 enzymatic activity. These results not only established the bisPOM strategy as an efficient prodrug choice for Pin1 inhibitors, but also added additional evidence for Pin1 as a potential anticancer drug target. / Ph. D.

Xylella fastidiosa é uma bactéria gram-negativa, não flagelada, agente causal de doenças de importância econômica como a doença de Pierce nas videiras e a clorose variegada dos citros (CVC) nas laranjeiras. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi realizar análises in silico das sequências promotoras dos genes deste fitopatógeno em uma tentativa de arrecadar novas evidências para o melhor entendimento da dinâmica de regulação transcricional de seus genes, incluindo aqueles envolvidos em mecanismos de patogenicidade e virulência. Para tanto, duas estratégias foram utilizadas para predição de elementos cis-regulatórios em regiões promotoras do genoma da cepa referência 9a5c, comprovadamente associada à CVC. A primeira, conhecida como phylogenetic footprinting, foi empregada para identificação de elementos regulatórios conservados em promotores de unidades transcricionais ortólogas, levando em consideração o conjunto de genes de X. fastidiosa e 7 espécies comparativas. O critério para identificação de unidades transcricionais ortólogas, isto é, unidades trancricionais oriundas de espécies distintas e cujos promotores compartilham elementos cis-regulatórios, foi paralelamente estudado utilizando-se informações regulatórias das bactérias modelos: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis e Escherichia coli. Os resultados obtidos com análise de phylogenetic footprinting nos permitiu acessar a rede regulatória transcricional da espécie de forma compreensiva (global). Foram estabelecidas 2990 interações regulatórias, compreendendo 80 motivos distribuídos nos promotores de 56.8% das unidades transcricionais do genoma de X. fastidiosa. Na segunda estratégia recuperamos informações regulatórias experimentalmente validadas em E. coli e complementamos o conhecimento de dez regulons de X. fastidiosa, através de uma metodologia de scanning (varredura), dos quais algumas interações regulatórias já haviam sido previamente descritas por outros trabalhos. Destacamos os regulons de Fur e CRP, reguladores transcricionais globais, que se mostraram responsáveis pela modulação de genes relacionados a mecanismos de invasão e colonização do hospedeiro vegetal entre outros. Por fim, análises comparativas em regiões regulatórias correspondentes entre cepas foram realizadas e diferenças possivelmente associadas a particularidades fenotípicas foram identificadas entre 9a5c e J1a12, um isolado de citros não virulento, e 9a5c e Temecula1, um isolado de videira causador da doença de Pierce. / Xylella fastidiosa is a gram-negative, non-flagellated bacterium responsible for causing economically important diseases such as Pierce\'s disease in grapevines and Citrus Variegated Clorosis (CVC) in sweet orange trees. In the present work we performed in silico analysis on promoter sequences of protein-coding genes from this phytopathogen, including those involved in virulence and pathogenic mechanisms, in an attempt to better understand the underlying transcriptional regulatory dynamics. Two strategies for cis-regulatory elements prediction were applied on promoter sequences from 9a5c strain genome, a proven causal agent of CVC. The first one, known as phylogenetic footprinting, involved the prediction of regulatory motifs conserved on promoter sequences of orthologous transcription units from X. fastidiosa and a set of 7 comparatives species. The criteria to identify orthologous transcription units, i. e., those from different species and whose promoter sequences share at least one common regulatory motif, was studied based on regulatory information available for model organisms: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. The results obtained with the phylogenetic footprinting analysis permitted us to access the underlying transcriptional regulatory network from the species in a comprehensive manner (genome-wide), with a total of 2990 regulatory interactions corresponding to 80 predicted motifs distributed on promoter sequences of 56.8% of all transcription units. In the second strategy regulatory information from E. coli was recovered and used to expand the knowledge of ten regulons in X. fastidiosa, through a scanning process, of which some regulatory interactions were previously described by independent studies. We emphasize some genes related to host invasion and colonization present in the Fur and CRP regulons, two global transcription regulators. Lastly, comparative analysis on corresponding regulatory regions among strains were performed and differences possibly associated to phenotypic variation were identified between 9a5c and J1a12, a non-virulent strain isolated from orange trees, and between 9a5c and Temecula1, a strain associated to Pierce\'s disease on grapevines.

Sphingolipide sind essentielle Bestandteile der Plasmamembranen aller eukaryotischen Organismen und besitzen als Signalmoleküle regulierende Eigenschaften auf diverse zelluläre Prozesse. Hierbei spielen die G-Protein-gekoppelten S1P-Rezeptoren eine wichtige Rolle. Diese werden durch das natürliche Sphingosin-1-phosphat sowie die Sphingosin-Derivate FTY720 und cis-4-Methylsphingosin selektiv adressiert. Diese Arbeit beschreibt die Synthese von fünfzehn neuartigen Sphingosin-Derivaten mit potenziell neuen biologischen Eigenschaften. Hierfür wurde die Leitstruktur des natürlichen D-erythro-Sphingosins an den Positionen 1, 3 und/oder 4 modifiziert. Die biologischen Studien mit diesen Verbindungen lieferten erste Erkenntnisse zur Inhibition des S1P-induzierten Calcium-Anstiegs, der Wechselwirkung mit den S1P-Rezeptoren und der zellulären Lokalisation in Chlamydia trachomatis infizierten Zellen. Darüber hinaus wurde eine Methode, die einen schnelleren und variablen Zugang zu den 4-verzweigten Sphingosin-Derivaten erlaubt, etabliert. / Sphingolipids are essential constituents of plasma membranes in all eukaryotic organisms. They also participate as signalling molecules in almost all physiological processes. Here G-protein coupled S1P receptors play an important role. These receptors are selectively addressed by natural ligand sphingosine-1-phosphate as well as by sphingosine analogues FTY720 and cis-4-methylsphingosine. This work describes the synthesis of fifteen sphingosine analogues with potential biological activity. For this purpose, the natural lead structure of D-erythro-sphingosine was modified at positions 1, 3 and/or 4. The biological studies of these compounds provided the first insights to the inhibition of S1P-induced calcium increase, the interaction with S1P receptors and the cellular localization in Chlamydia trachomatis infected cells. Moreover, an adapted method that allowed faster and adaptable access to 4-branched sphingosines was established.

Dans cette étude, les fruits du Nephelium Lappaceum L. (ramboutan) ont été récoltés en Mars 2015 à Boko, dans la zone sud de la République du Congo. Plante à graines oléagineuses avec un noyau riche en huile (36 %), particulièrement composée d’acides gras saturés et monoinsaturés à longues chaines : C16:0 4,84 %, C18:0 5,48 %, C18:1 45,62 %, C18:2 2,70 %, C20:0 26,53 %, C20:1 9,27 % et C22:0 2,64 %. L’huile de ramboutan a été hydrolysée par voie enzymatique en présence de lipase Candida rugosa, les acides gras libres sont obtenus avec un ratio acides gras saturés (AGS)/acides gras monoinsaturés (AGI) de 0,67. La disponibilité des acides gras saturés et monoinsaturés des familles en C20 et C22 a stimulé nos investigations vers l’élaboration des shortenings et biotensioactifs à haut point de fusion. Deux stratégies ont été mises en place à partir des concentrats en acides gras libres issus de l’hydrolyse enzymatique de l’huile de ramboutan en présence de lipase de Candida rugosa. La première a consisté à la cristallisation à froid des acides gras saturés par la technologie de gélification/dégélification. On observe à l’issu de ce procédé une séparation physique du mélange d’acides gras en deux fractions. Une étude thermique des fractions solide et fluide a été effectuée et a montré que les AGS (To = 15, 86 °C ; Tf = 18,49 °C) refroidissent plus vite, mais fondent moins vite que les AGI (To = -19, 46 °C, Tf= 3,87 °C). Les teneurs des AGI passent de 55,6 % après hydrolyse à 63,53 % dans la fraction fluide et celles des AGS passent de 39,1 % après hydrolyse à 45,13 %. Les résultats de la SFC indique une teneur en AGS de 25,98 % dans la fraction fluide mais de 38,24 % dans la fraction solide ; Et le rendement massique de la fraction fluide passent de 16% à 55 % et de 84 % à 45 % respectivement de la fraction fluide et la fraction solide. La deuxième stratégie a consisté à réaliser l'insertion allylique de l'oxygène singulet dans les acides gras libres monoinsaturés à longues chaines C18:1 et C20:1. Elle est réalisée dans un milieu émulsionné constitué d'un système multiphase NaOH/H2O2/Na2MoO4. Le produit de réaction, au moyen de la GC, montre la présence des acides gras non conventionnels, deux isomères d’hydroperoxydes d’acides gras respectifs de chaque AGMI (C18:1 et C20:1) de conformation trans. Il en résulte une augmentation de la teneur en acides gras saturés à longues chaines C20: 0 (26,21% à 56,46%) et C22 (2,48 % à 3,77 %). Le produit de cette réaction présente un ratio AGS/ AGT (acides gras totaux): 0,82. La valorisation séquencée des acides gras de l'huile de noyau de ramboutan permet de proposer deux plateformes de biomolécules shortenings à haut point de fusion: Une plateforme de composition bien définie en acides gras saturés C20:0 et C22:0 et une autre constituée par un bulk en acides gras saturés C20:0-C22:0 et acides gras insaturés monohydroxyperoxydés trans. Les investigations sur l'hydroperoxydation des acides gras insaturés ont révélé un intérêt particulier sur l'impact du radical hydroxy peroxyde sur le mouvement de la configuration trans et cis dans ces acides gras modifiés en présence de glycidol en monoesters de glycérol et d'acides gras hydroxy peroxydes insaturés cis. C'est une autre plateforme de synthèse originale de biotensioactifs hydroxy peroxydes insaturés cis nouveaux qu'offre la valorisation séquencée des concentrats d'acides gras insaturés de l'huile de ramboutan. / In this study, the fruits of Nephelium Lappaceum L. (Rambutan) were harvested in Boko, in the southern area of the Republic of Congo. Oilseed plant with an oil-rich core (36 %), particularly composed of long chain fatty acids: C16:0 4.84 %, C18:0 5.48 %, C18:1 45.62 %, C18:2 2.70 %, C20:0 26.53 %, C20:1 9.27 % and C22:0 2.64 %. Rambutan oil was hydrolyzed enzymatically in the presence of lipase Candida rugosa, the free fatty acids are obtained with a ratio of saturated fatty acids (AGS)/monounsaturated (AGI) of 0.67. The availability of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids of the C20 and C22 families stimulated our investigations towards the development of shortenings and biotensioactives with a high melting point. Two strategies have been implemented using free fatty acid concentrates derived from the enzymatic hydrolysis of rambutan oil in the presence of Candida rugosa lipase. The first was to achieve the cold crystallization of saturated fatty acids by gelation / defrosting technology. At the end of this process, a physical separation of the fatty acid mixture into two fractions is observed. A thermal study of the solid and fluid fractions was carried out and showed that the AGS (To = 15, 86 °C, Tf = 18.49 °C) cool faster, but melt slower than the AGI (To = -19 46 °C, mp = 3.87 °C). The contents go from 55.6% after hydrolysis to 63.53 % of AGI in the fluid fraction and 39.1 % after hydrolysis to 45.13 % of AGS. The results of the SFC indicate an AGS content of 25.98 % in the fluid fraction but of 38.24 % in the solid fraction ; And the mass yield of 16 % to 55 % and 84 % to 45 % respectively of the fluid fraction (enriched in AGI, in particular in MUFA) and the solid fraction (enriched with AGS). The second strategy was to perform the allyl insertion of singlet oxygen in long-chain monounsaturated free fatty acids C18:1 and C20:1, carried out in an emulsified medium consisting of a multiphase NaOH / H2O2/Na2MoO4 system. The reaction product, using GC, shows the presence of unconventional fatty acids, two isomers of respective fatty acid hydroperoxides of each trans-conforming MUFA (C18:1 and C20:1) and an increase in saturated fatty acids content with long chain C20:0 (26.21 % to 56.46 %) and C22:0 (2.48 % to 3.77 %). The product of this reaction has an AGS/AGT ratio of 0.82. The sequential evaluation of the fatty acids of the Ramboutan core oil makes it possible to propose two platforms of biomolecules shortenings with a high melting point: A platform with a well defined composition of saturated fatty acids C20:0 and C22:0 and another constituted by a bulk of C20:0-C22:0 saturated fatty acids and transmonohydroxyperoxide trans unsaturated fatty acids. Investigations on the hydroperoxidation of unsaturated fatty acids have revealed a particular interest on the impact of hydroxyperoxide radical on the movement of the trans and cis configuration in these fatty acids modified in the presence of glycidol in monoesters of glycerol and hydroxyperoxide fatty acids unsaturated cis. This is another novel synthesis platform of new cis-unsaturated hydroxyperoxyd biotensiatives offered by the sequenced recovery of unsaturated fatty acid concentrates from rambutan oil.

Die Pektat-Lyasen gehören zu einer Proteinfamilie, die meistens von pflanzenpathogenen Mikroorganismen sekretiert werden. Die Enzyme katalysieren den Abbau von Polygalakturonsäure, einem Hauptbestandteil in <br /> pflanzlichen Mittellamellen und Primärzellwänden. Der Abbau der alpha-1,4-verbrückten Galakturonsäurereste erfogt durch eine beta-Eliminierungsreaktion, dabei entsteht ein Produkt mit einer ungesättigten C4-C5 Bindung am nicht reduzierenden Ende, das durch spektroskopische Messungen beobachtet werden kann. Für die enzymatische Reaktion der Pektat-Lyasen ist Calcium nötig und das pH-Optimum der Reaktion liegt bei pH 8.5. Alle bis jetzt bekannten Strukturen der Pektat- und Pektin-Lyasen haben das gleiche Strukturmotiv - eine rechtsgängige parallele beta-Helix. Die Struktur der Pektat-Lyase aus Bacillus subtilis (BsPel) ist im Komplex mit Calcium gelöst worden. BsPel ist ein monomeres Protein mit einer ungefähren Molekularmasse von 43 kDa, das keine Disulfidbrücken enthält. Dies erlaubte sowohl eine effiziente rekombinante Expression des Wildtypproteins, als auch von destabilisierten Mutanten im Cytoplasma von E. coli. Parallele beta-Helices sind relativ große, jedoch verhältnismäßig einfach aufgebaute Proteine. Um detailliertere Informationen über die kritischen Schritte bei der in vitro-Faltung von parallelen beta-Helices zu erhalten, sollte in der vorliegenden Arbeit versucht werden, den Faltungsmechanismus dieses Proteins näher zu charakterisieren. Dabei sollte vor allem die Frage geklärt werden, welche Wechselwirkungen für die Stabilität dieses Proteins einerseits und für die Stabilität von essentiellen Faltungsintermediaten andererseits besonders wichtig sind.<BR><br>Rückfaltung von BsPel, ausgehend vom guanidiniumchlorid-denaturierten Zustand, war bei kleinen Proteinkonzentrationen und niedrigen Temperaturen vollständig möglich. GdmCl-induzierte Faltungsübergänge waren aber nicht reversibel und zeigten eine apparente Hysterese. Kinetische Messungen des Fluoreszenz- und CD-Signals im fernen UV ergaben eine extreme Denaturierungsmittelabhängigkeit der Rückfaltungsrate im Bereich des Übergangmittelpunktes. Der extreme Abfall der Rückfaltungsraten mit steigender Denaturierungsmittelkonzentration kann als kooperative <br /> Entfaltung eines essentiellen Faltungsintermediats verstanden werden. Dieses Faltungsintermediat ist temperaturlabil und kann durch den Zusatz Glycerin im Renaturierungspuffer stabilisiert werden, wobei sich die Hysterese verringert, jedoch nicht vollständig aufgehoben wird. Durch reverse Doppelsprungexperimente konnten zwei transiente Faltungsintermediate nachgewiesen werden, die auf zwei parallelen Faltungswegen liegen und beide zum nativen Zustand weiterreagieren können. Fluoreszenzemissionsspektren der beiden Intermediate zeigten, daß beide schon nativähnliche Struktur aufweisen. Kinetische Daten von Prolin-Doppelsprungexperimenten zeigten, daß Prolinisomerisierung den geschwindigkeitsbestimmenden Schritt in der Reaktivierung des denaturierten Enzyms darstellt. Desweiteren konnte durch Prolin-Doppelsprungexperimenten an Mutanten mit Substitutionen im Prolinrest 281 gezeigt werden, daß die langsame Renaturierung von BsPel nicht durch die Isomerisierung der einzigen cis-Peptidbindung an Prolin 281 verursacht wird, sondern durch die Isomerisierung mehrerer trans-Proline. Die beiden beobachteten transienten Faltungsintermediate sind somit wahrscheinlich zwei Populationen von Faltungsintermediaten mit nicht-nativen X-Pro-Peptidbindungen, wobei sich die Populationen durch mindestens eine nicht-native X-Pro-Peptidbindung unterscheiden.<BR><br>Der Austausch des Prolinrestes 281 gegen verschiedene Aminosäuren (Ala, Ile, Leu, Phe, Gly) führte zu einer starken Destabilisierung des nativen Proteins und daneben auch zu einer Reduktion in der Aktivität, da die Mutationsstelle in der Nähe der putativen Substratbindetasche liegt. Die Rückfaltungskinetiken der Prolinmutanten war bei 10&#176;C annähernd gleich zum Wildtyp und die geschwindigkeitsbestimmenden Schritte der Faltung waren durch die Mutation nicht verändert. Die durch die Mutation verursachte drastische Destabilisierung des nativen Zustands führte zu einem reversiblen Entfaltungsgleichgewicht bei pH 7 und 10&#176;C. GdmCl-induzierte Faltungsübergänge der Mutante P281A zeigten bei Messungen der Tryptophanfluoreszenzemission und der Aktivität einen kooperativen Phasenübergang mit einem Übergangsmittelpunkt bei 1.1 M GdmCl. Durch die Übereinstimmung der Faltungsübergänge bei beiden Messparametern konnten die Faltungsübergänge nach dem Zwei-Zustandsmodell ausgewertet werden. Dabei wurde eine freie Sabilisierungsenthalpie der Faltung für die Mutante von <nobr>-&nbsp;64.2&nbsp;&#177;&nbsp;0.4&nbsp;kJ/mol</nobr> und eine Kooperativität des Übergangs <br /> von <nobr>-&nbsp;58.2&nbsp;&#177;&nbsp;0.3&nbsp;kJ/(mol&#183;M)</nobr> bestimmt.<BR> <br /> <br>BsPel enthält, wie die meisten monomeren rechtsgängigen parallelen beta-Helix-Proteine, einen internen Stapel wasserstoffverbrückter Asparagin-Seitenketten. Die Mehrheit der erzeugten Mutanten mit Substitutionen im Zentrum der Asn-Leiter (N271X) waren als enzymatisch aktives Protein zugänglich. Die Auswirkung der Mutation auf die Stabilität und Rückfaltung wurde an den Proteinen BsPel-N271T und BsPel-N271A näher analysiert. Dabei führte die Unterbrechung des Asparaginstapels im Inneren der beta-Helix zu keiner drastischen Destabilisierung des nativen Proteins. Allerdings führten diese Mutationen zu einem temperatur-sensitiven Faltungsphänotyp und die Hysterese im Denaturierungsübergang wurde verstärkt. Offenbar wird durch die Unterbrechung des Asparaginstapel ein essentielles, thermolabiles Faltungsintermediat destabilisiert. Der Asparaginstapel wird somit bei der Faltung sehr früh ausgebildet und ist wahrscheinlich schon im Übergangszustand vorhanden. / Pectate lyases belong to a family of proteins secreted by plant pathogenic microbes. The enzymes cleave alpha-1,4 linked galacturonic acid by a beta-elimination that results in an unsaturated product, which can be quantified spectrophotometrically. Calcium is essential for the activity and the pH-optimum is near 8.5. All known structures of pectate and pectin lyases have the same structural motif - a right handed parallel beta-helix. The structure of pectate lyase from Bacillus subtilis (BsPel) has been solved in complex with calcium. It is a monomeric protein, with a molecular mass of about 43 kDa and without disulfide bonds. This allows its high-yield recombinant expression in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli. Parallel beta-helices are relative large proteins, however with a simple folding topology. The objective of this work was to characterize the folding mechanism of BsPel. In particular we investigated the role of the interactions of certain residues in the parallel beta-helix for the stability of the native protein and the stability of essential folding intermediates.<br /> <br /> Refolding of BsPel was possible at low protein concentrations and low temperature. However, denaturation of BsPel was not freely reversible. De- and renaturation curves showed a large apparent hysteresis. Furthermore, the folding rate constant deduced from fluorescence and circulardichroism measurements showed a very strong dependence on denaturant concentrations near the midpoint of the renaturation transition. This can be explained with a cooperative unfolding of an essential folding intermediate. Upon stabilisation of the temperature-sensitive intermediate by addition of glycerol in the renaturation buffer, the hysteresis is reduced, but does not disappear. Reverse double mixing kinetic experiments have shown that two transient folding intermediates are on the folding pathway. These intermediates are on parallel pathways and both can fold to the native state. Fluorescence emission spectra have shown the native-like structure of both intermediates. Furthermore, data from proline double mixing kinetic experiments revealed that isomerization of peptidyl-prolyl bonds was responsible for the slow kinetics in the reactivation of the enzyme. However, the isomerization of the single cis-peptidyl-prolyl bond at Pro281 was not responsible for the slowest folding phase observed, but rather the isomerization of other trans-peptidyl-prolyl bonds. Thus, both transient folding intermediates observed probably represent two populations of folding intermediates with non-native X-Pro-peptide bonds. The difference of the two populations is at least one non-native X-Pro-peptide bond.<br /> <br /> Mutations of the proline 281 against various residues (Ala, Ile, Leu, Phe, Gly) resulted in a strong destabilization of the native protein. Also, the activity of the mutant proteins was strong reduced due to the position of the mutation site near the putative active center of the protein. At 10&#176;C the kinetic folding behavior of the proline mutants was not significant changed. However, the strong destabilization of the native state in the proline mutants resulted in a reversible folding equilibrium at pH 7 and 10&#176;C. The unfolding of the P281A mutant was reversible as determined by fluorescence emission and enzyme activity measurements. The coincidence of these detected transitions is consistent with a two-state equilibrium transition. At pH 7 and 10&#176;C the delta G&#176;(H₂O) for folding of P281A was <nobr>-&nbsp;64.2&nbsp;&#177;&nbsp;0.4&nbsp;kJ/mol,</nobr> with a midpoint of the transition at 1.1 M GdmCl and a cooperativity of <nobr>-&nbsp;58.2&nbsp;&#177;&nbsp;0.3&nbsp;kJ/(mol&#183;M).</nobr><br /> <br /> BsPel has an asparagine ladder in turn 2 of the parallel beta-helix with extensive network of side-chain hydrogen bonds between the Asn residues. Such an Asn-ladder is a conserved feature of many monomeric beta-helices crystallized so far. The middle Asn residue (271) was selected and exchanged for various residues. Most of the mutants were expressed at 25&#176;C as soluble and active proteins but with a significant reduction in yield. Mutants N271T and N271A were selected to study the stability and refolding of these proteins in comparison with the wild-type protein. The substitution in the Asn-ladder did not drastically destabilize the native protein, but caused a temperature-sensitive-folding (tsf) phenotype with an increased hysteresis in the de- and renaturation transition curves. In addition, the disruption of the Asn-ladder resulted in destabilization of an essential, thermosensitive folding intermediate. Thus, the Asn-ladder is formed very early during the folding, probably well before the transition state of folding.