Catalytic activity, structure and stability of proteinase K in the presence of biosynthesized CuO nanoparticles

Here, CuO nanoparticles were synthesized using Sambucus nigra (elderberry) fruit extract. Further, the binding of proteinase K, as a model enzyme with green synthesized nanoparticles was investigated. The results demonstrated that the structural changes in enzyme were induced by the binding of nanoparticles. These changes were accompanied by the decrease in the Michaelis-Menten constant at 298 K. This means that the enzyme affinity for the substrate was increased. Thermodynamic parameters of protein stability and protein-ligand binding were estimated from the spectroscopic measurements at 298–333 K. Depending on the temperature, CuO nanoparticles showed a dual effect on the thermodynamic stability and binding affinity of enzyme. Nanoparticles increase the stability of the native state of enzyme at room temperature. On the other hand, nanoparticles stabilize the unfolded state of enzyme at 310–333 K. An overall favorable Gibbs energy change was observed for the binding process at 298–333 K. The enzyme-nanoparticle binding is enthalpically driven at room temperature. It was concluded that hydrogen bonding plays a key role in the interaction of enzyme with nanoparticles at 298–310 K. At higher temperatures, the protein-ligand binding is entropically driven. This means that hydrophobic association plays a major role in the proteinase K-CuO binding at 310–333 K.