Calcium binding to carbohydrate binding module CBM4-2 of xylanase 10A (Xyn10A) from
Rhodothermus marinus was explored using calorimetry, NMR, fluorescence, and absorbance spectroscopy.CBM4-2 binds two calcium ions, one with moderate affinity and one with extremely high affinity. Themoderate-affinity site has an association constant of (1.3 ± 0.3) × 10
5 M
-1 and a binding enthalpy
Haof -9.3 ± 0.4 kJ mol
-1, while the high-affinity site has an association constant of approximately 10
10M
-1 and a binding enthalpy
Ha of -40.5 ± 0.5 kJ mol
-1. The locations of the binding sites have beenidentified by NMR and structural homology, and were verified by site-directed mutagenesis. The high-affinity site consists of the side chains of E11 and D160 and backbone carbonyls of E52 and K55, whilethe moderate-affinity site comprises the side chain of D29 and backbone carbonyls of L21, A22, V25,and W28. The high-affinity site is in a position analogous to the calcium site in CBM4 structures and ina recent CBM22 structure. Binding of calcium increases the unfolding temperature of the protein (
Tm) byapproximately 23
C at pH 7.5. No correlation between binding affinity and
Tm change was noted, aseach of the two calcium ions contributes almost equally to the increase in unfolding temperature.