Crystal structure of earthworm fibrinolytic enzyme component B: a novel, glycosylated two-chained trypsin

J Mol Biol. 2005 May 6;348(3):671-85. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2005.02.055.

Abstract

The earthworm fibrinolytic enzyme (EFE), belonging to a group of serine proteases with strong fibrinolytic activity, has been used in a mixture as an oral drug for prevention and treatment of thrombosis in East Asia. The EFE component b (EFE-b) is one of seven EFE components from Eisenia fetida, and among them it has nearly the highest fibrinolytic activity. Here, we report its crystal structure at a resolution of 2.06A. The structural analysis shows that EFE-b should be classified as a trypsin from earthworm. However, it is distinct from other trypsins. It is a two-chained protease with an N-terminal, pyroglutamated light chain and an N-glycosylated heavy chain. Furthermore, the heavy chain contains a novel structural motif, an eight-membered ring resulting from a disulfide bridge between two neighboring cysteine residues, and a cis peptide bond exists between these two cysteine residues. The crystal structure of EFE-b provides the structural basis for its high level of stability and reveals its complicated post-translational modifications in earthworm. This structure is the first reported for a glycosylated two-chained trypsin, which may provide useful clues to explain the origin and evolution of the chymotrypsin family.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Endopeptidases / chemistry*
  • Endopeptidases / genetics
  • Enzyme Stability
  • Glycosylation
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oligochaeta / enzymology*
  • Protein Precursors / genetics
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Trypsin / chemistry*
  • Trypsin / genetics

Substances

  • Protein Precursors
  • Endopeptidases
  • Trypsin
  • Calcium

Associated data

  • PDB/1YM0