Studies of the cellulolytic system of Trichoderma reesei QM 9414. Binding of small ligands to the 1,4-beta-glucan cellobiohydrolase II and influence of glucose on their affinity.

Binding onto cellobiohydrolase II from Trichoderma reesei of glucose, cellobiose, cellotriose, derivatized and analogous compounds, is monitored by protein-difference-absorption spectroscopy and by titration of ligand fluorescence, either at equilibrium or by the stopped-flow technique. The data complete earlier results [van Tilbeurgh, H., Pettersson, L. G., Bhikhabhai, R., De Boeck, H. and Claeyssens, M. (1985) Eur. J. Biochem. 148, 329-334] indicating an extended active center, with putative subsites ABCD. Subsite A specifically complexes with beta-D-glucosides and D-glucose; at 25 degrees C the latter influences the concomitant binding of other ligands at neighbouring sites. For several ligands this cooperative effect for binding (at 0.33 M glucose and temperature range 4-37 degrees C) was characterized by a substantial increase of the enthalpic term (delta delta H = -35 kJ mol-1). Glucose (0.33 M) decreases the association and dissociation rate parameters of 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-D-cellobioside by one order of magnitude: k+ = (3.6 +/- 0.5) x 10(-5) M-1 s-1 versus (5.1 +/- 0.1) x 10(-6) M-1 s-1 (in the absence of glucose) and k- = (1.3 +/- 0.1) s-1 versus (14.0 +/- 0.3) s-1. As deduced from substrate-specificity studies and inhibition experiments, subsite B interacts with terminal non-reducing glucopyranosyl residues of oligomeric ligands and substrates, whereas catalytic (hydrolytic) cleavage occurs between C and D. Association constants 10-100 times higher than those for cellobiose or its glycosides were observed for D-glucopyranosyl-(1----4)-beta-D-xylopyranose and cellobionolactone derivatives, suggesting 'transition-state'-type binding for these ligands at subsite C. Although subsite D can accomodate a bulky chromophoric group (MeUmb) its preference for a glucosyl residue is reflected in the lower binding enthalpy of cellotriose (-34 kJ mol-1) as compared to cellobiose (-28.3 kJ mol-1) and MeUmb(Glc)2 (-11.6 kJ mol-1). This model indicates that oligomeric ligands (substrates) interact through cooperativity of their subunits at the extended binding site of cellobiohydrolase II.