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Perchlorate salts confer psychrophilic characteristics in α-chymotrypsin.
- Source :
- Scientific Reports; 8/16/2021, Vol. 11 Issue 1, p1-9, 9p
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20452322
- Volume :
- 11
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Scientific Reports
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 152013624
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95997-2