Dear colleagues, We have solved the crystal structure of a human enzyme. The pKa of a catalytically critical aspartic acid has increased to 6.44. It is hydrogen bonded (2.8 Angstroms) to a water molecule that is supposed to donate a proton during the catalysis. Can anybody help me a) interpret the significance of this increase in pKa of the aspartic acid from 3.8 to 6.44 in context with the catalysis? Is this advantageous or detrimental? b) How is pKa related to an amino acids’ ability to force a water molecule to donate a proton? c) At pH 7.4, the aspartic acid would be de-protonated irrespective of whether the pKa is 3.8 or 6.44; isn’t that true? d) Have similar increase in pKa values observed for aspartic acids before? I would be grateful if anybody could explain or comment on the above queries.
Deepak Oswal
