scholarly journals Histidine-Rich Defensins from the Solanaceae and Brasicaceae Are Antifungal and Metal Binding Proteins

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 145
Author(s):  
Mark R. Bleackley ◽  
Shaily Vasa ◽  
Peta J. Harvey ◽  
Thomas M. A. Shafee ◽  
Bomai K. Kerenga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antifungal Activity ◽  
Metal Binding ◽  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Histidine Residues ◽  
Plant Defensins ◽  
Arginine Residues ◽  
Solanaceous Plants

Plant defensins are best known for their antifungal activity and contribution to the plant immune system. The defining feature of plant defensins is their three-dimensional structure known as the cysteine stabilized alpha-beta motif. This protein fold is remarkably tolerant to sequence variation with only the eight cysteines that contribute to the stabilizing disulfide bonds absolutely conserved across the family. Mature defensins are typically 46–50 amino acids in length and are enriched in lysine and/or arginine residues. Examination of a database of approximately 1200 defensin sequences revealed a subset of defensin sequences that were extended in length and were enriched in histidine residues leading to their classification as histidine-rich defensins (HRDs). Using these initial HRD sequences as a query, a search of the available sequence databases identified over 750 HRDs in solanaceous plants and 20 in brassicas. Histidine residues are known to contribute to metal binding functions in proteins leading to the hypothesis that HRDs would have metal binding properties. A selection of the HRD sequences were recombinantly expressed and purified and their antifungal and metal binding activity was characterized. Of the four HRDs that were successfully expressed all displayed some level of metal binding and two of four had antifungal activity. Structural characterization of the other HRDs identified a novel pattern of disulfide linkages in one of the HRDs that is predicted to also occur in HRDs with similar cysteine spacing. Metal binding by HRDs represents a specialization of the plant defensin fold outside of antifungal activity.

scholarly journals Unusual quaternary structure of a homodimeric synergistic-type toxin from mamba snake venom defines its molecular evolution

2020 ◽  
Vol 477 (20) ◽  
pp. 3951-3962
Author(s):  
Narumi Aoki-Shioi ◽  
Chacko Jobichen ◽  
J. Sivaraman ◽  
R. Manjunatha Kini
Keyword(s):  
Disulfide Bond ◽  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Quaternary Structure ◽  
Hydrophobic Interactions ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Three Dimensional Structure ◽  
Common Structure

Snake venoms are complex mixtures of enzymes and nonenzymatic proteins that have evolved to immobilize and kill prey animals or deter predators. Among them, three-finger toxins (3FTxs) belong to the largest superfamily of nonenzymatic proteins. They share a common structure of three β-stranded loops extending like fingers from a central core containing all four conserved disulfide bonds. Most 3FTxs are monomers and through subtle changes in their amino acid sequences, they interact with different receptors, ion channels and enzymes to exhibit a wide variety of biological effects. The 3FTxs have further expanded their pharmacological space through covalent or noncovalent dimerization. Synergistic-type toxins (SynTxs) isolated from the deadly mamba venoms, although nontoxic, have been known to enhance the toxicity of other venom proteins. However, the details of three-dimensional structure and molecular mechanism of activity of this unusual class of 3FTxs are unclear. We determined the first three-dimensional structure of a SynTx isolated from Dendroaspis jamesoni jamesoni (Jameson's mamba) venom. The SynTx forms a unique homodimer that is held together by an interchain disulfide bond. The dimeric interface is elaborate and encompasses loops II and III. In addition to the inter-subunit disulfide bond, the hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions between the monomers contribute to the dimer formation. Besides, two sulfate ions that mediate interactions between the monomers. This unique quaternary structure is evolved through noncovalent homodimers such as κ-bungarotoxins. This novel dimerization further enhances the diversity in structure and function of 3FTxs.

Buckwheat trypsin inhibitor with helical hairpin structure belongs to a new family of plant defence peptides

2012 ◽  
Vol 446 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter B. Oparin ◽  
Konstantin S. Mineev ◽  
Yakov E. Dunaevsky ◽  
Alexander S. Arseniev ◽  
Mikhail A. Belozersky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trypsin Inhibitor ◽  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Plant Defence ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Structural Similarity ◽  
Reversed Phase ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
New Family ◽  
Helical Hairpin

A new peptide trypsin inhibitor named BWI-2c was obtained from buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) seeds by sequential affinity, ion exchange and reversed-phase chromatography. The peptide was sequenced and found to contain 41 amino acid residues, with four cysteine residues involved in two intramolecular disulfide bonds. Recombinant BWI-2c identical to the natural peptide was produced in Escherichia coli in a form of a cleavable fusion with thioredoxin. The 3D (three-dimensional) structure of the peptide in solution was determined by NMR spectroscopy, revealing two antiparallel α-helices stapled by disulfide bonds. Together with VhTI, a trypsin inhibitor from veronica (Veronica hederifolia), BWI-2c represents a new family of protease inhibitors with an unusual α-helical hairpin fold. The linker sequence between the helices represents the so-called trypsin inhibitory loop responsible for direct binding to the active site of the enzyme that cleaves BWI-2c at the functionally important residue Arg19. The inhibition constant was determined for BWI-2c against trypsin (1.7×10−10 M), and the peptide was tested on other enzymes, including those from various insect digestive systems, revealing high selectivity to trypsin-like proteases. Structural similarity shared by BWI-2c, VhTI and several other plant defence peptides leads to the acknowledgement of a new widespread family of plant peptides termed α-hairpinins.

scholarly journals Characterisation of a Novel A-Superfamily Conotoxin

Biomedicines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 128
Author(s):  
David T. Wilson ◽  
Paramjit S. Bansal ◽  
David A. Carter ◽  
Irina Vetter ◽  
Annette Nicke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor ◽  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Structural Type ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Na Channels ◽  
Nicotinic Acetylcholine ◽  
Therapeutic Leads ◽  
Helical Region

Conopeptides belonging to the A-superfamily from the venomous molluscs, Conus, are typically α-conotoxins. The α-conotoxins are of interest as therapeutic leads and pharmacological tools due to their selectivity and potency at nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes. Structurally, the α-conotoxins have a consensus fold containing two conserved disulfide bonds that define the two-loop framework and brace a helical region. Here we report on a novel α-conotoxin Pl168, identified from the transcriptome of Conus planorbis, which has an unusual 4/8 loop framework. Unexpectedly, NMR determination of its three-dimensional structure reveals a new structural type of A-superfamily conotoxins with a different disulfide-stabilized fold, despite containing the conserved cysteine framework and disulfide connectivity of classical α-conotoxins. The peptide did not demonstrate activity on a range of nAChRs, or Ca2+ and Na+ channels suggesting that it might represent a new pharmacological class of conotoxins.

scholarly journals Structural studies of the unusual metal-ion site of the GH124 endoglucanase from Ruminiclostridium thermocellum

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (8) ◽  
pp. 496-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saioa Urresti ◽  
Alan Cartmell ◽  
Feng Liu ◽  
Paul H. Walton ◽  
Gideon J. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Transition Metal ◽  
Metal Binding ◽  
Metal Ion ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Biomass Degradation ◽  
Carbohydrate Active Enzymes ◽  
Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases ◽  
Polysaccharide Monooxygenases ◽  
The Many

The recent discovery of `lytic' polysaccharide monooxygenases, copper-dependent enzymes for biomass degradation, has provided new impetus for the analysis of unusual metal-ion sites in carbohydrate-active enzymes. In this context, the CAZY family GH124 endoglucanase from Ruminiclostridium thermocellum contains an unusual metal-ion site, which was originally modelled as a Ca2+ site but features aspartic acid, asparagine and two histidine imidazoles as coordinating residues, which are more consistent with a transition-metal binding environment. It was sought to analyse whether the GH124 metal-ion site might accommodate other metals. It is demonstrated through thermal unfolding experiments that this metal-ion site can accommodate a range of transition metals (Fe2+, Cu2+, Mn2+ and Ni2+), whilst the three-dimensional structure and mass spectrometry show that one of the histidines is partially covalently modified and is present as a 2-oxohistidine residue; a feature that is rarely observed but that is believed to be involved in an `off-switch' to transition-metal binding. Atomic resolution (<1.1 Å) complexes define the metal-ion site and also reveal the binding of an unusual fructosylated oligosaccharide, which was presumably present as a contaminant in the cellohexaose used for crystallization. Although it has not been possible to detect a biological role for the unusual metal-ion site, this work highlights the need to study some of the many metal-ion sites in carbohydrate-active enzymes that have long been overlooked or previously mis-assigned.

scholarly journals Role of Simian Virus 40 Vp1 Cysteines in Virion Infectivity

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (23) ◽  
pp. 11388-11393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peggy P. Li ◽  
Akira Nakanishi ◽  
Mary A. Tran ◽  
Adler M. Salazar ◽  
Robert C. Liddington ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Simian Virus 40 ◽  
Experimental System ◽  
Simian Virus ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Wild Type

ABSTRACT We have developed a new nonoverlapping infectious viral genome (NO-SV40) in order to facilitate structure-based analysis of the simian virus 40 (SV40) life cycle. We first tested the role of cysteine residues in the formation of infectious virions by individually mutating the seven cysteines in the major capsid protein, Vp1. All seven cysteine mutants—C9A, C49A, C87A, C104A, C207S, C254A, and C267L—retained viability. In the crystal structure of SV40, disulfide bridges are formed between certain Cys104 residues on neighboring pentamers. However, our results show that none of these disulfide bonds are required for virion infectivity in culture. We also introduced five different mutations into Cys254, the most strictly conserved cysteine across the polyomavirus family. We found that C254L, C254S, C254G, C254Q, and C254R mutants all showed greatly reduced (around 100,000-fold) plaque-forming ability. These mutants had no apparent defect in viral DNA replication. Mutant Vp1's, as well as wild-type Vp2/3, were mostly localized in the nucleus. Further analysis of the C254L mutant revealed that the mutant Vp1 was able to form pentamers in vitro. DNase I-resistant virion-like particles were present in NO-SV40-C254L-transfected cell lysate, but at about 1/18 the amount in wild-type-transfected lysate. An examination of the three-dimensional structure reveals that Cys254 is buried near the surface of Vp1, so that it cannot form disulfide bonds, and is not involved in intrapentamer interactions, consistent with the normal pentamer formation by the C254L mutant. It is, however, located at a critical junction between three pentamers, on a conserved loop (G2H) that packs against the dual interpentamer Ca2+-binding sites and the invading C-terminal helix of an adjacent pentamer. The substitution by the larger side chains is predicted to cause a localized shift in the G2H loop, which may disrupt Ca2+ ion coordination and the packing of the invading helix, consistent with the defect in virion assembly. Our experimental system thus allows dissection of structure-function relationships during the distinct steps of the SV40 life cycle.

scholarly journals Diselenide crosslinks for enhanced and simplified oxidative protein folding

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reem Mousa ◽  
Taghreed Hidmi ◽  
Sergei Pomyalov ◽  
Shifra Lansky ◽  
Lareen Khouri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Folding ◽  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Systematic Investigation ◽  
Crystal Structure Analysis ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Folding Rate ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Natural Inhibitor

AbstractThe in vitro oxidative folding of proteins has been studied for over sixty years, providing critical insight into protein folding mechanisms. Hirudin, the most potent natural inhibitor of thrombin, is a 65-residue protein with three disulfide bonds, and is viewed as a folding model for a wide range of disulfide-rich proteins. Hirudin’s folding pathway is notorious for its highly heterogeneous intermediates and scrambled isomers, limiting its folding rate and yield in vitro. Aiming to overcome these limitations, we undertake systematic investigation of diselenide bridges at native and non-native positions and investigate their effect on hirudin’s folding, structure and activity. Our studies demonstrate that, regardless of the specific positions of these substitutions, the diselenide crosslinks enhanced the folding rate and yield of the corresponding hirudin analogues, while reducing the complexity and heterogeneity of the process. Moreover, crystal structure analysis confirms that the diselenide substitutions maintained the overall three-dimensional structure of the protein and left its function virtually unchanged. The choice of hirudin as a study model has implications beyond its specific folding mechanism, demonstrating the high potential of diselenide substitutions in the design, preparation and characterization of disulfide-rich proteins.

scholarly journals Metal Binding Sites in Plant Soluble Inorganic Pyrophosphatases. An Example of the Use of ROSETTA Design and Hidden Markov Models to Guide the Homology Modeling of Proteins

2017 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Rosales-León Rosales-León ◽  
Eric Edmundo Hernández-Domínguez ◽  
Samantha Gaytán-Mondragón ◽  
Rogelio Rodríguez-Sotres
Keyword(s):  
Homology Modeling ◽  
Metal Binding ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Markov Models ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Magnesium Ions ◽  
Three Dimensional Structure ◽  
Metal Binding Sites

In contrast to their counterparts in bacteria and animals the soluble inorganic pyrophosphatases from plant cells are active as monomers. The isoforms 1 and 4 from <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> have been characterized with more detail, but their three-dimensional structure is unavailable. Here, a recently published protocol (ROSETTA design-HMMer), is used to guide well-known techniques for homology-modeling, in the production of reliable models for the three-dimensional structure of these two arabidopsis isoforms. Their interaction with magnesium ions and pyrophosphate is analyzed <em>in silico</em>in silico.

scholarly journals Cross-linking of bovine rhodopsin with sulfosuccinimidyl 4-(N maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylate affects its functionality

2020 ◽  
Vol 477 (12) ◽  
pp. 2295-2312
Author(s):  
Rafael Medina ◽  
Deisy Perdomo ◽  
Carolina Möller ◽  
José Bubis
Keyword(s):  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Bovine Rhodopsin ◽  
Rhodopsin Kinase ◽  
Cross Links ◽  
Guanine Nucleotide Binding

Rhodopsin is the photoreceptor protein involved in visual excitation in retinal rods. The functionality of bovine rhodopsin was determined following treatment with sulfosuccinimidyl 4-(N maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylate (sulfo-SMCC), a bifunctional reagent capable of forming covalent cross-links between suitable placed lysines and cysteines. Denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that rhodopsin incubated with sulfo-SMCC generated intermolecular dimers, trimers, and higher oligomers, although most of the sulfo-SMCC-treated protein remained as a monomer. Minor alterations on the absorption spectrum of light-activated sulfo-SMCC-treated rhodopsin were observed. However, only ∼2% stimulation of the guanine nucleotide binding activity of transducin was measured in the presence of sulfo-SMCC-cross-linked photolyzed rhodopsin. Moreover, rhodopsin kinase was not able of phosphorylating sulfo-SMCC-cross-linked rhodopsin after illumination. Rhodopsin was purified in the presence of either 0.1% or 1% n-dodecyl β-d-maltoside, to obtain dimeric and monomeric forms of the protein, respectively. Interestingly, no generation of the regular F1 and F2 thermolytic fragments was perceived with sulfo-SMCC-cross-linked rhodopsin either in the dimeric or monomeric state, implying the formation of intramolecular connections in the protein that might thwart the light-induced conformational changes required for interaction with transducin and rhodopsin kinase. Structural analysis of the rhodopsin three-dimensional structure suggested that the following lysine and cysteine pairs: Lys66/Lys67 and Cys316, Cys140 and Lys141, Cys140 and Lys248, Lys311 and Cys316, and/or Cys316 and Lys325 are potential candidates to generate intramolecular cross-links in the protein. Yet, the lack of fragmentation of sulfo-SMCC-treated Rho with thermolysin is consistent with the formation of cross-linking bridges between Lys66/Lys67 and Cys316, and/or Cys140 and Lys248.

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