Characterization of conformational exchange of a histidine side chain:: Protonation, rotamerization, and tautomerization of His61 in plastocyanin from Anabaena variabilis

A model describing conformational exchange of His 61 in plastocyanin from Anabaena variabilis is presented. A detailed picture of the exchange dynamics has been obtained using solution NMR relaxation measurements, chemical shift titrations, and structural information provided by a high-resolution crystal structure of the protein. A three-site model for chemical exchange that involves interconversion among the tautomeric and protonated forms of the histidine side chain with rates that are fast on the NMR chemical shift time scale can account for all of the data. In general, in the limit of fast exchange, it is not possible to obtain separate measures of chemical shift differences and populations of the participating states using NMR. However, we show here that when the data mentioned above are combined, it is possible to extract values of all of the parameters that characterize the exchange process, including rates, populations, and chemical shift changes, and to provide cross-validations that establish their accuracy. The methodology is generally applicable to the study of histidine side chain dynamics, which can play an important functional role in many protein systems.