Protein-bound Water Molecules Research Articles

Difference FTIR Spectroscopy of Jumping Spider Rhodopsin-1 at 77K.

Animal visual rhodopsins can be classified into monostable and bistable rhodopsins, which are typically found in vertebrates and invertebrates, respectively. The former example is bovine rhodopsin (BovRh), whose structures and functions have been extensively studied. On the other hand, those of bistable rhodopsins are less known, despite their importance in optogenetics. Here, low-temperature Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was applied to jumping spider rhodopsin-1 (SpiRh1) at 77 K, and the obtained light-induced spectral changes were compared with those of squid rhodopsin (SquRh) and BovRh. Although chromophore distortion of the resting state monitored by HOOP vibrations is not distinctive between invertebrate and vertebrate rhodopsins, distortion of the all-trans chromophore after photoisomerization is unique for BovRh, and the distortion was localized at the center of the chromophore in SpiRh1 and SquRh. Highly conserved aspartate (D83 in BovRh) does not change the hydrogen-bonding environment in invertebrate rhodopsins. Thus, present FTIR analysis provides specific structural changes, leading to activation of invertebrate and vertebrate rhodopsins. On the other hand, the analysis of O-D stretching vibrations in D2O revealed unique features of protein-bound water molecules. Numbers of water bands in SpiRh1 and SquRh were less and more than those in BovRh. The X-ray crystal structure of SpiRh1 observed a bridged water molecule between the protonated Schiff base and its counterion (E194), but strongly hydrogen-bonded water molecules were never detected in SpiRh1, as well as SquRh and BovRh. Thus, absence of strongly hydrogen-bonded water molecules is substantial for animal rhodopsins, which is distinctive from microbial rhodopsins.

Specific zinc binding to heliorhodopsin.

Heliorhodopsins (HeRs), a recently discovered family of rhodopsins, have an inverted membrane topology compared to animal and microbial rhodopsins. The slow photocycle of HeRs suggests a light-sensor function, although the actual function remains unknown. Although HeRs exhibit no specific binding of monovalent cations or anions, recent ATR-FTIR spectroscopy studies have demonstrated the binding of Zn2+ to HeR from Thermoplasmatales archaeon (TaHeR) and 48C12. Even though ion-specific FTIR spectra were observed for many divalent cations, only helical structural perturbations were observed for Zn2+-binding, suggesting a possible modification of the HeR function by Zn2+. The present study shows that Zn2+-binding lowers the thermal stability of TaHeR, and slows back proton transfer to the retinal Schiff base (M decay) during its photocycle. Zn2+-binding was similarly observed for a TaHeR opsin that lacks the retinal chromophore. We then studied the Zn2+-binding site by means of the ATR-FTIR spectroscopy of site-directed mutants. Among five and four mutants of His and Asp/Glu, respectively, only E150Q exhibited a completely different spectral feature of the α-helix (amide-I) in ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, suggesting that E150 is responsible for Zn2+-binding. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations built a coordination structure of Zn2+-bound TaHeR, where E150 and protein bound water molecules participate in direct coordination. It was concluded that the specific binding site of Zn2+ is located at the cytoplasmic side of TaHeR, and that Zn2+-binding affects the structure and structural dynamics, possibly modifying the unknown function of TaHeR.

Systematic Improvement of the Performance of Machine Learning Scoring Functions by Incorporating Features of Protein-Bound Water Molecules.

Water molecules at the ligand-protein interfaces play crucial roles in the binding of the ligands, but the behavior of protein-bound water is largely ignored in many currently used machine learning (ML)-based scoring functions (SFs). In an attempt to improve the prediction performance of existing ML-based SFs, we estimated the water distribution with a HydraMap (HM) method and then incorporated the features extracted from protein-bound waters obtained in this way into three ML-based SFs: RF-Score, ECIF, and PLEC. It was found that a combination of HM-based features can consistently improve the performance of all three SFs, including their scoring, ranking, and docking power. HydraMap-based features show consistently good performance with both crystal structures and docked structures, demonstrating their robustness for SFs. Overall, HM-based features, which are a statistical representation of hydration sites at protein-ligand interfaces, are expected to improve the prediction performance for diverse SFs.

Specific protein-urea interactions

The mechanism of urea's action in protein denaturation remains largely unknown. To provide an experimental basis for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on urea-protein interactions, we investigated the effect of urea on human intestinal fatty acid binding protein (hIFABP) by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX) rates at ≤ 2 M urea indicate that urea affects hIFABP in a residue-specific manner via direct urea-protein interactions and preferentially weakens hydrogen bonds between highly protected amides. Residue-specific effects of urea on NMR peak intensities and chemical shifts further support the presence of direct urea-protein interactions. Two-dimensional (2D) water-rotating frame Overhauser enhancement (ROE) data shows one protein-bound water molecule in contact with Val66 and Trp82, one putative bound water molecule in interaction with Thr76 and E-F loop, and that urea at low concentrations cannot displace these protein-bound water molecules. Our urea-nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) experiments using 15N-urea further show no tightly protein-bound urea molecules. Our results thus suggest specific, but weak or transient, urea-protein interactions, supporting the direct interaction model of urea denaturation.

Impact of Ultrafast Electric Field Changes on Photoreceptor Protein Dynamics.

Studies on photoreceptors provide a wealth of information on cofactor and protein dynamics on the microsecond to seconds time-scale. Up to now, ultrafast dynamics addresses mainly the cofactor or chromophore, but ultrafast protein dynamics are poorly understood. Increasing evidence show that protein responses can occur even faster than the cofactor dynamics. The causal reason for the ultrafast protein response cannot be explained by the localized cofactor excitation or its excited-state decay, alone. We propose a Coulomb interaction mechanism started by a shock wave and stabilized by a dipole moment change at least partially responsible for coherent oscillations in proteins, protonation changes, water dislocations, and protein changes prior to and beyond chromophore's excited-state decay. Photoexcitation changes the electron density distribution of the chromophore within a few femtoseconds: The Coulomb shock wave affects polar groups, hydrogen bonds, and protein bound water molecules. The process occurs on a time-scale even faster than excited-state decay of the chromophore. We discuss studies on selected photoreceptors in light of this mechanism and its impact on a detailed understanding of protein dynamics.

Light-induced difference FTIR spectroscopy of primate blue-sensitive visual pigment at 163 K.

Structural studies of color visual pigments lag far behind those of rhodopsin for scotopic vision. Using difference FTIR spectroscopy at 77 K, we report the first structural data of three primate color visual pig­ments, monkey red (MR), green (MG), and blue (MB), where the batho-intermediate (Batho) exhibits photo­equilibrium with the unphotolyzed state. This photo­chromic property is highly advantageous for limited samples since the signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but may not be applicable to late intermediates, because of large structural changes to proteins. Here we report the photochromic property of MB at 163 K, where the BL intermediate, formed by the relaxation of Batho, is in photoequilibrium with the initial MB state. A comparison of the difference FTIR spectra at 77 and 163 K provided information on what happens in the process of transition from Batho to BL in MB. The coupled C11=C12 HOOP vibration in the planer structure in MB is decoupled by distortion in Batho after retinal photoisomerization, but returns to the coupled C11=C12 HOOP vibration in the all-trans chromophore in BL. The Batho formation accompanies helical structural perturbation, which is relaxed in BL. Protein-bound water molecules that form an extended water cluster near the retinal chromophore change hydrogen bonds differently for Batho and BL, being stronger in the latter than in the initial state. In addition to structural dynamics, the present FTIR spectra show no signals of protonated carboxylic acids at 77 and 163 K, suggesting that E181 is deprotonated in MB, Batho and BL.

Molecular Motions and Interactions in Aqueous Solutions of Thymosin-β4 , Stabilin CTD and Their 1 : 1 Complex, Studied by 1 H-NMR Spectroscopy.

Wide-line 1 H NMR measurements were extended and all results were interpreted in a thermodynamics-based new approach on aqueous solutions of thymosin-β4 (Tβ4 ), stabilin cytoplasmic domain (CTD), and their 1 : 1 complex. Energy distributions of potential barriers controlling the motion of protein-bound water molecules were determined. Heterogeneous and homogeneous regions were found in the protein-water interface. The measure of heterogeneity of this interface gives quantitative value for the portion of disordered parts in the protein. Ordered structural elements were found extending up to ∼20 % of the individual whole proteins. About 40 % of the binding sites of free Tβ4 get involved in bonds holding the complex together. The complex has the most heterogeneous solvent accessible surface (SAS) in terms of protein-water interactions. The complex is more disordered than Tβ4 or stabilin CTD. The greater SAS area of the complex is interpreted as a clear sign of its open structure.

Corrigendum: Molecular Motions and Interactions in Aqueous Solutions of Thymosin-β4 , Stabilin C-Terminal Domain (CTD) and Their 1:1 Complex Studied by 1 H NMR Spectroscopy.

Wide-line (1) H NMR measurements were extended and all results were reinterpreted in a new thermodynamics-based approach to study aqueous solutions of thymosin-beta4 (Tbeta4 ), stabilin C-terminal domain (CTD) and their 1:1 complex. The energy distributions of the potential barriers, which control motion of protein-bound water molecules, were determined. Heterogeneous and homogeneous regions were found at the protein-water interface. The measure of heterogeneity gives a quantitative value for the portion of disordered parts in the protein. Ordered structural elements were found extending up to 20 % of the whole proteins. About 40 % of the binding sites of free Tbeta4 become involved in bonds holding the complex together. The complex has the most heterogeneous solvent accessible surface (SAS) in terms of protein-water interactions. The complex is more disordered than Tbeta4 or stabilin CTD. The greater SAS area of the complex is interpreted as a clear sign of its open structure.

Ultrafast energy relaxation dynamics of amide I vibrations coupled with protein-bound water molecules

The influence of hydration water on the vibrational energy relaxation in a protein holds the key to understand ultrafast protein dynamics, but its detection is a major challenge. Here, we report measurements on the ultrafast vibrational dynamics of amide I vibrations of proteins at the lipid membrane/H2O interface using femtosecond time-resolved sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy. We find that the relaxation time of the amide I mode shows a very strong dependence on the H2O exposure, but not on the D2O exposure. This observation indicates that the exposure of amide I bond to H2O opens up a resonant relaxation channel and facilitates direct resonant vibrational energy transfer from the amide I mode to the H2O bending mode. The protein backbone motions can thus be energetically coupled with protein-bound water molecules. Our findings highlight the influence of H2O on the ultrafast structure dynamics of proteins.

Cold-Adaptation Signatures in the Ligand Rebinding Kinetics to the Truncated Hemoglobin of the Antarctic Bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC125.

Cold-adapted organisms have evolved proteins endowed with higher flexibility and lower stability in comparison to their thermophilic homologues, resulting in enhanced reaction rates at low temperatures. In this context, protein-bound water molecules were suggested to play a major role, and their weaker interactions at protein active sites have been associated with cold adaptation. In this work, we tested this hypothesis on truncated hemoglobins (a family of microbial heme-proteins of yet-unclear function) applying molecular dynamics simulations and ligand-rebinding kinetics on a protein from the Antarctic bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC125 in comparison with its thermophilic Thermobifida fusca homologue. The CO rebinding kinetics of the former highlight several geminate phases, with an unusually long-lived geminate intermediate. An articulated tunnel with at least two distinct docking sites was identified by analysis of molecular dynamics simulations and was suggested to be at the origin of the unusual geminate rebinding phase. Water molecules are present in the distal pocket, but their stabilization by TrpG8, TyrB10, and HisCD1 is much weaker than in thermophilic Thermobifida fusca truncated hemoglobin, resulting in a faster geminate rebinding. Our results support the hypothesis that weaker water-molecule interactions at the reaction site are associated with cold adaptation.

Molecular Motions and Interactions in Aqueous Solutions of Thymosin-β4 , Stabilin C-Terminal Domain (CTD) and Their 1:1 Complex Studied by 1 H NMR Spectroscopy.

Wide-line 1 H NMR measurements were extended and all results were reinterpreted in a new thermodynamics-based approach to study aqueous solutions of thymosin-β4 (Tβ4 ), stabilin C-terminal domain (CTD) and their 1:1 complex. The energy distributions of the potential barriers, which control motion of protein-bound water molecules, were determined. Heterogeneous and homogeneous regions were found at the protein-water interface. The measure of heterogeneity gives a quantitative value for the portion of disordered parts in the protein. Ordered structural elements were found extending up to 20 % of the whole proteins. About 40 % of the binding sites of free Tβ4 become involved in bonds holding the complex together. The complex has the most heterogeneous solvent accessible surface (SAS) in terms of protein-water interactions. The complex is more disordered than Tβ4 or stabilin CTD. The greater SAS area of the complex is interpreted as a clear sign of its open structure.

Low-temperature FTIR spectroscopy provides evidence for protein-bound water molecules in eubacterial light-driven ion pumps.

Light-driven H+, Na+ and Cl- pumps have been found in eubacteria, which convert light energy into a transmembrane electrochemical potential. A recent mutation study revealed asymmetric functional conversion between the two pumps, where successful functional conversions are achieved exclusively when mutagenesis reverses the evolutionary amino acid sequence changes. Although this fact suggests that the essential structural mechanism of an ancestral function is retained even after gaining a new function, questions regarding the essential structural mechanism remain unanswered. Light-induced difference FTIR spectroscopy was used to monitor the presence of strongly hydrogen-bonded water molecules for all eubacterial H+, Na+ and Cl- pumps, including a functionally converted mutant. This fact suggests that the strongly hydrogen-bonded water molecules are maintained for these new functions during evolution, which could be the reason for successful functional conversion from Na+ to H+, and from Cl- to H+ pumps. This also explains the successful conversion of the Cl- to the H+ pump only for eubacteria, but not for archaea. It is concluded that water-containing hydrogen-bonding networks constitute one of the essential structural mechanisms in eubacterial light-driven ion pumps.

Sub-nanosecond tryptophan radical deprotonation mediated by a protein-bound water cluster in class II DNA photolyases.

Class II DNA photolyases are flavoenzymes occurring in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes including higher plants and animals. Despite considerable structural deviations from the well-studied class I DNA photolyases, they share the main biological function, namely light-driven repair of the most common UV-induced lesions in DNA, the cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). For DNA repair activity, photolyases require the fully reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide cofactor, FADH-, which can be obtained from oxidized or semi-reduced FAD by a process called photoactivation. Using transient absorption spectroscopy, we have examined the initial electron and proton transfer reactions leading to photoactivation of the class II DNA photolyase from Methanosarcina mazei. Upon photoexcitation, FAD is reduced via a distinct (class II-specific) chain of three tryptophans, giving rise to an FAD˙- TrpH˙+ radical pair. The distal Trp388H˙+ deprotonates to Trp388˙ in 350 ps, i.e., by three orders of magnitude faster than TrpH˙+ in aqueous solution or in any previously studied photolyase. We identified a class II-specific cluster of protein-bound water molecules ideally positioned to serve as the primary proton acceptor. The high rate of Trp388H˙+ deprotonation counters futile radical pair recombination and ensures efficient photoactivation.

Spectral Tuning Mechanism of Primate Blue-sensitive Visual Pigment Elucidated by FTIR Spectroscopy

Protein-bound water molecules are essential for the structure and function of many membrane proteins, including G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Our prior work focused on studying the primate green- (MG) and red- (MR) sensitive visual pigments using low-temperature Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, which revealed protein-bound waters in both visual pigments. Although the internal waters are located in the vicinity of both the retinal Schiff base and retinal β-ionone ring, only the latter showed differences between MG and MR, which suggests their role in color tuning. Here, we report FTIR spectra of primate blue-sensitive pigment (MB) in the entire mid-IR region, which reveal the presence of internal waters that possess unique water vibrational signals that are reminiscent of a water cluster. These vibrational signals of the waters are influenced by mutations at position Glu113 and Trp265 in Rh, which suggest that these waters are situated between these two residues. Because Tyr265 is the key residue for achieving the spectral blue-shift in λmax of MB, we propose that these waters are responsible for the increase in polarity toward the retinal Schiff base, which leads to the localization of the positive charge in the Schiff base and consequently causes the blue-shift of λmax.

A Delocalized Proton-Binding Site within a Membrane Protein

The role of protein-bound water molecules in protein function and catalysis is an emerging topic. Here, we studied the solvation of an excess proton by protein-bound water molecules and the contribution of the surrounding amino acid residues at the proton release site of the membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin. It hosts an excess proton within a protein-bound water cluster, which is hydrogen bonded to several surrounding amino acids. Indicative of delocalization is a broad continuum absorbance experimentally observed by time-resolved Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In combination with site-directed mutagenesis, the involvement of several amino acids (especially Glu-194 and Glu-204) in the delocalization was elaborated. Details regarding the contributions of the glutamates and water molecules to the delocalization mode in biomolecular simulations are controversial. We carried out quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) self-consistent charge density functional tight-binding simulations for all amino acids that have been experimentally shown to be involved in solvation of the excess proton, and systematically investigated the influence of the quantum box size. We compared calculated theoretical infrared spectra with experimental ones as a measure for the correct description of excess proton delocalization. A continuum absorbance can only be observed for small quantum boxes containing few amino acids and/or water molecules. Larger quantum boxes, including all experimentally shown involved amino acids, resulted in narrow absorbance bands, indicating protonation of a single binding site in contradiction to experimental results. We conclude that small quantum boxes seem to reproduce representative extreme cases of proton delocalization modes: proton delocalization only on water molecules or only between Glu-194 and Glu-204. Extending the experimental spectral region to lower wave numbers, a water-delocalized proton reproduces the observed continuum absorbance better than a glutamate-shared delocalized proton. However, a full agreement between QM simulations and experimental results on the delocalized excess proton will require a larger quantum box as well as more sophisticated QM/MM methods.

FTIR Spectroscopy of a Light-Driven Compatible Sodium Ion-Proton Pumping Rhodopsin at 77 K

Krokinobacter eikastus rhodopsin 2 (KR2) is a light-driven sodium ion pump that was discovered in marine bacteria. Although KR2 is able to pump lithium ions similarly, it is converted into a proton pump in potassium chloride or salts of larger cations. In this paper, we applied light-induced difference Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to KR2, a compatible sodium ion-proton pump, at 77 K. The first structural study of the functional cycle showed that the structure and structural changes in the primary processes of KR2 are common to all microbial rhodopsins. The red shifted K formation (KR2K) was accompanied by retinal photoisomerization from an all-trans to a 13-cis form, resulting in a distorted retinal chromophore. The observed hydrogen out-of-plane vibrations were H/D exchangeable, indicating that the chromophore distortion by retinal isomerization is located near the Schiff base region in KR2. This tendency was also the case for bacteriorhodopsin and halorhodopsin but not the case for sensory rhodopsin I and II. Therefore, ion pumps such as proton, chloride, and sodium pumps exhibit local structural perturbations of retinal at the Schiff base moiety, while photosensors show more extended structural perturbations of retinal. The retinal Schiff base of KR2 forms a hydrogen bond that is stronger than in BR. KR2 possesses more protein-bound water molecules than other microbial rhodopsins and contains strongly hydrogen-bonded water (O-D stretch at 2333 cm(-1) in D2O). The light-induced difference FTIR spectra at 77 K were identical between the two states functioning as light-driven sodium ion and proton pumps, indicating that the structural changes in the primary processes are identical between different ion pump functions in KR2. In other words, it is unknown which ions are transported by molecules when they absorb photons and photoisomerize. It is likely that the relaxation processes from the K state lead to an alternative function, namely a sodium ion pump or proton pump, depending on the environment.

Water-Containing Hydrogen-Bonding Network in the Active Center of Channelrhodopsin

Channelrhodopsin (ChR) functions as a light-gated ion channel in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Passive transport of cations by ChR is fundamentally different from the active transport by light-driven ion pumps such as archaerhodopsin, bacteriorhodopsin, and halorhodopsin. These microbial rhodopsins are important tools for optogenetics, where ChR is used to activate neurons by light, while the ion pumps are used for neural silencing. Ion-transport functions by these rhodopsins strongly depend on the specific hydrogen-bonding networks containing water near the retinal chromophore. In this work, we measured protein-bound water molecules in a chimeric ChR protein of ChR1 (helices A to E) and ChR2 (helices F and G) of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using low-temperature FTIR spectroscopy at 77 K. We found that the active center of ChR possesses more water molecules (9 water vibrations) than those of other microbial (2-6 water vibrations) and animal (6-8 water vibrations) rhodopsins. We conclude that the protonated retinal Schiff base interacts with the counterion (Glu162) directly, without the intervening water molecule found in proton-pumping microbial rhodopsins. The present FTIR results and the recent X-ray structure of ChR reveal a unique hydrogen-bonding network around the active center of this light-gated ion channel.

Ulrtrafast Water Dynamics in Bacteriorhodopsin

Protein bound water molecules play an important role for protein function. In the trans-membrane proton pump bacteriorhodopsin (BR) water molecules in the proton transport channel and in the retinal chromophor binding pocket have been shown by means of infrared vibrational spectroscopy to participate in the light driven proton transport mechanism (Garczarek et al., Nature 2006, 439, 109). Static low temperature FTIR experiments strongly suggest that the pentagonal water cluster involving three water molecules W401, W402 and W406 as well as the retinal Schiff-base, Asp85 and Asp212, is perturbed when the ground state BR570 is photoconverted to the K610 state (H. Kandori et al., J.Phys.Chem.B 1998, 102, 7899). We have now investigated the spectral range above 3.3 μm by means of femtosecond time resolved transient mid-IR spectroscopy. Here we find a broad IR absorption band which bleaches within (or even faster than) retinal isomerization, i.e. 0.5 ps. This finding is strongly corroborated by quantum-chemical QM/MM calculations that attribute this continuum band to a polarization coupling between the protonated retinal Schiff-base N-H stretch and water W402 in BR570 (M. Baer et al., ChemPhysChem 2008, 9, 2703). Our results indicate that the pentagonal water cluster is heavily perturbed already on this time scale.

Detection of a protein-bound water vibration of halorhodopsin in aqueous solution

Protein-bound water molecules play crucial roles in their structure and function, but their detection is an experimental challenge, particularly in aqueous solution at room temperature. By applying attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to a light-driven Cl− pump pharaonis halorhodopsin (pHR), here we detected an O-H stretching vibration of protein-bound water molecules in the active center. The pHR(Cl−) minus pHR(Br−) ATR-FTIR spectra show random fluctuation at 3600–3000 cm−1, frequency window of water vibration, which can be interpreted in terms of dynamical fluctuation of aqueous water at room temperature. On the other hand, we observed a reproducible spectral feature at 3617 (+)/3630 (−) cm−1 in the pHR(Cl−) minus pHR(Br−) spectrum, which is absent in the pHR(Cl−) minus pHR(Cl−) and in the pHR(Br−) minus pHR(Br−) spectra. The water O-H stretching vibrations of pHR(Cl−) and pHR(Br−) at 3617 and 3630 cm−1, respectively, are confirmed by light-induced difference FTIR spectra in isotope water (H218O) at 77 K. The observed water molecule presumably binds to the active center of pHR, and alter its hydrogen bond during the Cl− pumping photocycle.

An Internal Water-Retention Site in the Rhomboid Intramembrane Protease GlpG Ensures Catalytic Efficiency

Rhomboid proteases regulate key cellular pathways, but their biochemical mechanism including how water is made available to the membrane-immersed active site remains ambiguous. We performed four prolonged molecular dynamics simulations initiated from both gate-open and gate-closed states of Escherichia coli rhomboid GlpG in a phospholipid bilayer. GlpG was notably stable in both gating states, experiencing similar tilt and local membrane thinning, with no observable gating transitions, highlighting that gating is rate-limiting. Analysis of dynamics revealed rapid loss of crystallographic waters from the active site, but retention of a water cluster within a site formed by His141, Ser181, Ser185, and/or Gln189. Experimental interrogation of 14 engineered mutants revealed an essential role for at least Gln189 and Ser185 in catalysis with no effect on structural stability. Our studies indicate that spontaneous water supply to the intramembrane active site of rhomboid proteases is rare, but its availability for catalysis is ensured by an unanticipated active site element, the water-retention site.