Perchlorate salts confer psychrophilic characteristics in α-chymotrypsin
Abstract Studies of salt effects on enzyme activity have typically been conducted at standard temperatures and pressures, thus missing effects which only become apparent under non-standard conditions. Here we show that perchlorate salts, which are found pervasively on Mars, increase the activity of...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95997-2 |
| _version_ | 1819194840746819584 |
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| author | Stewart Gault Michel W. Jaworek Roland Winter Charles S. Cockell |
| author_facet | Stewart Gault Michel W. Jaworek Roland Winter Charles S. Cockell |
| author_sort | Stewart Gault |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Studies of salt effects on enzyme activity have typically been conducted at standard temperatures and pressures, thus missing effects which only become apparent under non-standard conditions. Here we show that perchlorate salts, which are found pervasively on Mars, increase the activity of α-chymotrypsin at low temperatures. The low temperature activation is facilitated by a reduced enthalpy of activation owing to the destabilising effects of perchlorate salts. By destabilising α-chymotrypsin, the perchlorate salts also cause an increasingly negative entropy of activation, which drives the reduction of enzyme activity at higher temperatures. We have also shown that α-chymotrypsin activity appears to exhibit an altered pressure response at low temperatures while also maintaining stability at high pressures and sub-zero temperatures. As the effects of perchlorate salts on the thermodynamics of α-chymotrypsin’s activity closely resemble those of psychrophilic adaptations, it suggests that the presence of chaotropic molecules may be beneficial to life operating in low temperature environments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T02:03:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-67e0662c8aec45b88c589e3e67e95101 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T02:03:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-67e0662c8aec45b88c589e3e67e951012022-12-21T18:03:56ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222021-08-011111910.1038/s41598-021-95997-2Perchlorate salts confer psychrophilic characteristics in α-chymotrypsinStewart Gault0Michel W. Jaworek1Roland Winter2Charles S. Cockell3UK Centre for Astrobiology, SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of EdinburghPhysical Chemistry I - Biophysical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund UniversityPhysical Chemistry I - Biophysical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund UniversityUK Centre for Astrobiology, SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of EdinburghAbstract Studies of salt effects on enzyme activity have typically been conducted at standard temperatures and pressures, thus missing effects which only become apparent under non-standard conditions. Here we show that perchlorate salts, which are found pervasively on Mars, increase the activity of α-chymotrypsin at low temperatures. The low temperature activation is facilitated by a reduced enthalpy of activation owing to the destabilising effects of perchlorate salts. By destabilising α-chymotrypsin, the perchlorate salts also cause an increasingly negative entropy of activation, which drives the reduction of enzyme activity at higher temperatures. We have also shown that α-chymotrypsin activity appears to exhibit an altered pressure response at low temperatures while also maintaining stability at high pressures and sub-zero temperatures. As the effects of perchlorate salts on the thermodynamics of α-chymotrypsin’s activity closely resemble those of psychrophilic adaptations, it suggests that the presence of chaotropic molecules may be beneficial to life operating in low temperature environments.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95997-2 |
| spellingShingle | Stewart Gault Michel W. Jaworek Roland Winter Charles S. Cockell Perchlorate salts confer psychrophilic characteristics in α-chymotrypsin Scientific Reports |
| title | Perchlorate salts confer psychrophilic characteristics in α-chymotrypsin |
| title_full | Perchlorate salts confer psychrophilic characteristics in α-chymotrypsin |
| title_fullStr | Perchlorate salts confer psychrophilic characteristics in α-chymotrypsin |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perchlorate salts confer psychrophilic characteristics in α-chymotrypsin |
| title_short | Perchlorate salts confer psychrophilic characteristics in α-chymotrypsin |
| title_sort | perchlorate salts confer psychrophilic characteristics in α chymotrypsin |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95997-2 |
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