2012- 21st Annual NC State Undergraduate Research Symposium

Session Time : 4/10/12 10:30 AM - 4/10/12 11:45 AM

Content Area : Biochemistry

Poster Appointment: , -

Student Presenters :
Chinwe Coretta Anumudu Biochemistry

Mentors and/or Co-Authors :
Stefan Franzen Chemistry

Abstract Title : ROLE OF POSITIVE CHARGE ON SUBSTRATE BINDING TO DEHALOPEROXIDASE ENZYME FOUND IN ARMPHITRITE ORNATA

Abstract :
The rate of catalytic activity of the Dehaloperoxidase enzyme found in the marine worm, armphitrite ornata, is greatly influenced by its net charge. It was observed that by mutating a charge near the active site of the enzyme to a more positive charge while still maintaining the general structure of the site ( i.e. mutating a glutamate to a glutamine), the rate of binding of TCP to the active increases. This is due most likely to the fact that the affinity of the negative substrate for the now more positive active site is increased based on charge-charge interactions. During this research experience, my goal was to determine if a change in charge will affect the binding rate of the substrate (TCP) to the enzyme (DHP) and what type of effect it would have. The observations presented in this report show how increased positive charge near the active site of the enzyme increases the rate of binding of the substrate to the enzyme when compared to wild type DHP.