Disorder in Milk Proteins: Caseins, Intrinsically Disordered Colloids

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elrashdy Redwan ◽  
Bin Xue ◽  
Hussein Almehdar ◽  
Vladimir Uversky
Keyword(s):  
Milk Proteins ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered

Formation and Structure of Casein Micelles in Lactating Mammary Tissue

1970 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 150-151
Author(s):  
Robert J. Carroll ◽  
Marvin P. Thompson ◽  
Harold M. Farrell
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Milk Proteins ◽  
Mammary Tissue ◽  
Colloidal System ◽  
Casein Micelles ◽  
The Stability

Milk is an unusually stable colloidal system; the stability of this system is due primarily to the formation of micelles by the major milk proteins, the caseins. Numerous models for the structure of casein micelles have been proposed; these models have been formulated on the basis of in vitro studies. Synthetic casein micelles (i.e., those formed by mixing the purified αsl- and k-caseins with Ca2+ in appropriate ratios) are dissimilar to those from freshly-drawn milks in (i) size distribution, (ii) ratio of Ca/P, and (iii) solvation (g. water/g. protein). Evidently, in vivo organization of the caseins into the micellar form occurs in-a manner which is not identical to the in vitro mode of formation.

Reading the phosphorylation code: binding of the 14-3-3 protein to multivalent client phosphoproteins

2020 ◽  
Vol 477 (7) ◽  
pp. 1219-1225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolai N. Sluchanko
Keyword(s):  
Protein Function ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered Protein ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Major Protein ◽  
Post Translational Modifications ◽  
Protein Protein Interaction ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered ◽  
Biochemical Journal ◽  
Multiple Binding ◽  
And Control

Many major protein–protein interaction networks are maintained by ‘hub’ proteins with multiple binding partners, where interactions are often facilitated by intrinsically disordered protein regions that undergo post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation. Phosphorylation can directly affect protein function and control recognition by proteins that ‘read’ the phosphorylation code, re-wiring the interactome. The eukaryotic 14-3-3 proteins recognizing multiple phosphoproteins nicely exemplify these concepts. Although recent studies established the biochemical and structural basis for the interaction of the 14-3-3 dimers with several phosphorylated clients, understanding their assembly with partners phosphorylated at multiple sites represents a challenge. Suboptimal sequence context around the phosphorylated residue may reduce binding affinity, resulting in quantitative differences for distinct phosphorylation sites, making hierarchy and priority in their binding rather uncertain. Recently, Stevers et al. [Biochemical Journal (2017) 474: 1273–1287] undertook a remarkable attempt to untangle the mechanism of 14-3-3 dimer binding to leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) that contains multiple candidate 14-3-3-binding sites and is mutated in Parkinson's disease. By using the protein-peptide binding approach, the authors systematically analyzed affinities for a set of LRRK2 phosphopeptides, alone or in combination, to a 14-3-3 protein and determined crystal structures for 14-3-3 complexes with selected phosphopeptides. This study addresses a long-standing question in the 14-3-3 biology, unearthing a range of important details that are relevant for understanding binding mechanisms of other polyvalent proteins.

GENE ACTIVATION IN MAMMARY CELLS

1972 ◽  
Vol 71 (2_Suppla) ◽  
pp. S346-S368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger W. Turkington ◽  
Nobuyuki Kadohama
Keyword(s):  
Cell Differentiation ◽  
Gene Transcription ◽  
Hormonal Regulation ◽  
Gene Activation ◽  
Milk Proteins ◽  
Mouse Mammary Gland ◽  
Nuclear Proteins ◽  
Mammary Cells ◽  
Alveolar Cells ◽  
Mammary Cell

ABSTRACT Hormonal activation of gene transcription has been studied in a model system, the mouse mammary gland in organ culture. Transcriptive activity is stimulated in mammary stem cells by insulin, and in mammary alveolar cells by prolactin and insulin. Studies on the template requirement for expression of the genes for milk proteins demonstrate that DNA methylation has an obligatory dependence upon DNA synthesis, but is otherwise independent from hormonal regulation of mammary cell differentiation. Incorporation of 5-bromo-2′deoxyuridine into DNA selectively inhibits expression of the genes for specific milk proteins. Undifferentiated mammary cells activate the synthesis of specific acidic nuclear proteins when stimulated by insulin. Several of these induced acidic nuclear proteins are undetectable in unstimulated undifferentiated cells, but appear to be characteristic components of the nuclei of differentiated cells. These results indicate that mammary cell differentiation is associated with a change in acidic nuclear proteins, and they provide evidence to support the concept that acidic nuclear proteins may be involved in the regulation of gene transcription and of mammary cell differentiation.

Self-Assembling Micelles Based on an Intrinsically Disordered Protein Domain

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Klass ◽  
Matthew J. Smith ◽  
Tahoe Fiala ◽  
Jessica Lee ◽  
Anthony Omole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Delivery ◽  
Fusion Proteins ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered Protein ◽  
Protein Domain ◽  
Enzymatic Cleavage ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered ◽  
Disordered Protein ◽  
Self Assembling ◽  
Protein Tag

Herein, we describe a new series of fusion proteins that have been developed to self-assemble spontaneously into stable micelles that are 27 nm in diameter after enzymatic cleavage of a solubilizing protein tag. The sequences of the proteins are based on a human intrinsically disordered protein, which has been appended with a hydrophobic segment. The micelles were found to form across a broad range of pH, ionic strength, and temperature conditions, with critical micelle concentration (CMC) values below 1 µM being observed in some cases. The reported micelles were found to solubilize hydrophobic metal complexes and organic molecules, suggesting their potential suitability for catalysis and drug delivery applications.

Sequence Specificity Despite Intrinsic Disorder: How a Disease-Associated Val/Met Polymorphism Shifts Tertiary Interactions in a Long Disordered Protein

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruchi Lohia ◽  
Reza Salari ◽  
Grace Brannigan
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Structure ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered Proteins ◽  
Disordered Proteins ◽  
Sequence Specificity ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Heterogeneous Polymer ◽  
Non Local ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

<div>The role of electrostatic interactions and mutations that change charge states in intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) is well-established, but many disease-associated mutations in IDPs are charge-neutral. The Val66Met single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) encodes a hydrophobic-to-hydrophobic mutation at the midpoint of the prodomain of precursor brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), one of the earliest SNPs to be associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, for which the underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. Here we report on over 250 μs of fully-atomistic, explicit solvent, temperature replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations of the 91 residue BDNF prodomain, for both the V66 and M66 sequence.</div><div>The simulations were able to correctly reproduce the location of both local and non-local secondary changes due to the Val66Met mutation when compared with NMR spectroscopy. We find that the local structure change is mediated via entropic and sequence specific effects. We show that the highly disordered prodomain can be meaningfully divided into domains based on sequence alone. Monte Carlo simulations of a self-excluding heterogeneous polymer, with monomers representing each domain, suggest the sequence would be effectively segmented by the long, highly disordered polyampholyte near the sequence midpoint. This is qualitatively consistent with observed interdomain contacts within the BDNF prodomain, although contacts between the two segments are enriched relative to the self-excluding polymer. The Val66Met mutation increases interactions across the boundary between the two segments, due in part to a specific Met-Met interaction with a Methionine in the other segment. This effect propagates to cause the non-local change in secondary structure around the second methionine, previously observed in NMR. The effect is not mediated simply via changes in inter-domain contacts but is also dependent on secondary structure formation around residue 66, indicating a mechanism for secondary structure coupling in disordered proteins. </div>

Association/dissociation Mechanisms of Intrinsically Disordered Region of Protein Beyond Conformational Selection and Induced Fit

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duy Phuoc Tran ◽  
Akio Kitao
Keyword(s):  
Free Energy ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Binding Free Energy ◽  
Energy Structure ◽  
Induced Fit ◽  
Hydrogen Bond Formation ◽  
Conformational Selection ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered Region ◽  
Dissociation Mechanisms

<p>We investigate association and dissociation mechanisms of a typical intrinsically disordered region (IDR), transcriptional activation subdomain of tumor repressor protein p53 (TAD-p53) with murine double-minute clone 2 protein (MDM2). Using the combination of cycles of association and dissociation parallel cascade molecular dynamics, multiple standard MD, and Markov state model, we are successful in obtaining the lowest free energy structure of MDM2/TAD-p53 complex as the structure very close to that in crystal without prior knowledge. This method also reproduces the experimentally measured standard binding free energy, and association and dissociation rate constants solely with the accumulated MD simulation cost of 11.675 μs, in spite of the fact that actual dissociation occurs in the order of a second. Although there exist a few complex intermediates with similar free energies, TAD-p53 first binds MDM2 as the second lowest free energy intermediate dominantly (> 90% in flux), taking a form similar to one of the intermediate structures in its monomeric state. The mechanism of this step has a feature of conformational selection. In the second step, dehydration of the interface, formation of π-π stackings of the side-chains, and main-chain relaxation/hydrogen bond formation to complete α-helix take place, showing features of induced fit. In addition, dehydration (dewetting) is a key process for the final relaxation around the complex interface. These results demonstrate a more fine-grained view of the IDR association/dissociation beyond classical views of protein conformational change upon binding.</p>

The importance of stock herding and dairying in the Neolithic Balkans and the subsistence diversity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darko Stojanovski ◽  
Ivana Živaljević ◽  
Vesna Dimitrijević ◽  
Julie Dunne ◽  
Richard Evershed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Milk Proteins ◽  
Domestic Animal ◽  
Dental Calculus ◽  
Isotopic Study ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Animal Remains ◽  
New Information ◽  
Archaeological Materials ◽  
Ceramic Vessels

The application of biomolecular techniques to archaeological materials from the Balkans is providing valuable new information on the prehistory of the region. This is especially relevant for the study of the neolithisation process in SE Europe, which gradually affected the rest of the continent. Here, to answer questions regarding diet and subsistence practices in early farming societies, we combine organic residue analyses of archaeological pottery, taxonomic and isotopic study of domestic animal remains and biomolecular analyses of human dental calculus. The results from the analyses of the lipid residues from pottery suggest that milk was processed in ceramic vessels. Dairy products were shown to be part of the subsistence strategies of the earliest Neolithic communities in the region but were of varying importance in different areas of the Balkan. On the other hand, we did not confidently detect any milk proteins within the dental calculus. The molecular and isotopic identification of meat, dairy, plants and beeswax in the pottery lipids also provided insights into the diversity of diet in these early Neolithic communities. We also present the first compound-specific radiocarbon dates for the region, obtained directly on absorbed organic residues extracted from pottery, identified as dairy lipids.

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