The energetics of phosphate binding to a protein complex

The heat of binding the serine protease, porcine pancreatic elastase, by the inhibitor, turkey ovomucoid third domain, is dependent on the presence of inorganic phosphate. This dependence is saturable and can be accurately modeled as the phosphate binding to a single site on the protease-inhibitor complex; thus, the elastase-ovomucoid system provides a unique opportunity to study phosphate-protein interactions. We have used isothermal titration calorimetry to investigate this binding, thereby providing one of the few complete thermodynamic characterizations of phosphate interacting with proteins. The binding is characterized by a small favorable deltaG degrees, a large unfavorable deltaH degrees, and a positive deltaCp, thermodynamics consistent with the release of water being linked to phosphate binding. These measurements provide insight into the binding of phosphotyrosine containing peptides to SH2 domains by suggesting the energetic consequences of binding phosphate free from other interactions.