The structure, stability,
and enzymatic activity of the adduct
formed upon the reaction of the V–picolinato (pic) complex
[V
IV
O(pic)
2
(H
2
O)], with an octahedral
geometry and the water ligand in
cis
to the V=O
group, with the bovine pancreatic ribonuclease (RNase A) were studied.
While electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, circular dichroism,
and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy substantiate
the interaction between the metal moiety and RNase A, electron paramagnetic
resonance (EPR) allows us to determine that a carboxylate group, stemming
from Asp or Glu residues, and imidazole nitrogen from His residues
are involved in the V binding at acidic and physiological pH, respectively.
Crystallographic data demonstrate that the V
IV
O(pic)
2
moiety coordinates the side chain of Glu111 of RNase A, by
substituting the equatorial water molecule at acidic pH. Computational
methods confirm that Glu111 is the most affine residue and interacts
favorably with the
OC
-6-23-Δ enantiomer establishing
an extended network of hydrogen bonds and van der Waals stabilizations.
By increasing the pH around neutrality, with the deprotonation of
histidine side chains, the binding of the V complex to His105 and
His119 could occur, with that to His105 which should be preferred
when compared to that to the catalytically important His119. The binding
of the V compound affects the enzymatic activity of RNase A, but it
does not alter its overall structure and stability.