Structure of human neutrophil elastase in complex with a peptide chloromethyl ketone inhibitor at 1.84-A resolution.
Navia, M.A., McKeever, B.M., Springer, J.P., Lin, T.Y., Williams, H.R., Fluder, E.M., Dorn, C.P., Hoogsteen, K.(1989) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 86: 7-11
- PubMed: 2911584 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.86.1.7
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1HNE - PubMed Abstract: 
Human neutrophil elastase (HNE) has been implicated as a major contributor to tissue destruction in various disease states, including emphysema. The structure of HNE, at neutral pH, in complex with methoxysuccinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Ala chloromethyl ketone (MSACK), has been solved and refined to an R factor of 16.4% at 1.84-A resolution. Results are consistent with the currently accepted mechanism of peptide chloromethyl ketone inhibition of serine proteases, in that MSACK cross-links the catalytic residues His-57 and Ser-195. The structure of the HNE-MSACK complex is compared with that of porcine pancreatic elastase in complex with L-647,957, a beta-lactam inhibitor of both elastases. The distribution of positively charged residues on HNE is highly asymmetric and may play a role in its specific association with the underlying negatively charged proteoglycan matrix of the neutrophil granules in which the enzyme is stored.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories, Rahway, NJ 07065.