scholarly journals Cytochrome c impaled: investigation of the extended lipid anchorage of a soluble protein to mitochondrial membrane models

2007 ◽  
Vol 407 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erta Kalanxhi ◽  
Carmichael J. A. Wallace

Cyt c (cytochrome c) has been traditionally envisioned as rapidly diffusing in two dimensions at the surface of the mitochondrial inner membrane when not engaged in redox reactions with physiological partners. However, the discovery of the extended lipid anchorage (insertion of an acyl chain of a bilayer phospholipid into the protein interior) suggests that this may not be exclusively the case. The physical and structural factors underlying the conformational changes that occur upon interaction of ferrous cyt c with phospholipid membrane models have been investigated by monitoring the extent of the spin state change that result from this interaction. Once transiently linked by electrostatic forces between basic side chains and phosphate groups, the acyl chain entry may occur between two parallel hydrophobic polypeptide stretches that are surrounded by positively charged residues. Alteration of these charges, as in the case of non-trimethylated (TML72K) yeast cyt c and Arg91Nle horse cyt c (where Nle is norleucine), led to a decline in the binding affinity for the phospholipid liposomes. The electrostatic association was sensitive to ionic strength, polyanions and pH, whereas the hydrophobic interactions were enhanced by conformational changes that contributed to the loosening of the tertiary structure of cyt c. In addition to proposing a mechanistic model for the extended lipid anchorage of cyt c, we consider what, if any, might be the physiological relevance of the phenomenon.

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1031
Author(s):  
Jianhua Zhan ◽  
Guangqing Zhang ◽  
Xin Chai ◽  
Qinjun Zhu ◽  
Peng Sun ◽  
...  

Conformational change of cytochrome c (cyt c) caused by interaction with cardiolipin (CL) is an important step during apoptosis, but the underlying mechanism is controversial. To comprehensively clarify the structural transformations of cyt c upon interaction with CL and avoid the unpredictable alias that might come from protein labeling or mutations, the conformation of purified yeast iso–1 cyt c with natural isotopic abundance in different contents of CL was measured by using NMR spectroscopy, in which the trimethylated group of the protein was used as a natural probe. The data demonstrate that cyt c has two partially unfolded conformations when interacted with CL: one with Fe–His33 coordination and the other with a penta–coordination heme. The Fe–His33 coordination conformation can be converted into a penta–coordination heme conformation in high content of CL. The structure of cyt c becomes partially unfolded with more exposed heme upon interaction with CL, suggesting that cyt c prefers a high peroxidase activity state in the mitochondria, which, in turn, makes CL easy to be oxidized, and causes the release of cyt c into the cytoplasm as a trigger in apoptosis.


2004 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilianna Trynda-Lemiesz

Cytochrome c is an important electron transfer protein in the respiratory chain, shuttling electrons from cytochrome c reductase to cytochrome c oxidase. Extensive chemical modification studies indicate significant electrostatic interactions between these proteins and show that all structural and conformational changes of cytochrome c can influence the electron transport. In the present work we examine the effect of an anticancer ruthenium complex, trans-Indazolium (bisindazole) tetrachlororuthenate(III) (HInd[RuInd(2)Cl(4)]), on the conformation of cytochrome c, the state of the heme moiety, formation of the protein dimer and on the folding state of apocytochrome c. For this purpose, gel-filtration chromatography, absorption second derivative spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP(AES)) were used. The present data have revealed that binding of the potential anticancer drug HInd[RuInd(2)Cl(4)] complex to cytochrome c induces a conformation of the protein with less organized secondary and tertiary structure.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1334
Author(s):  
Francesca Ripanti ◽  
Almerinda Di Venere ◽  
Mariangela Cestelli Guidi ◽  
Martina Romani ◽  
Alessandra Filabozzi ◽  
...  

The interaction of cytochrome c (cyt c) with natural and synthetic membranes is known to be a complex phenomenon, involving both protein and lipid conformational changes. In this paper, we combined infrared and fluorescence spectroscopy to study the structural transformation occurring to the lipid network of cardiolipin-containing large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs). The data, collected at increasing protein/lipid ratio, demonstrate the existence of a multi-phase process, which is characterized by: (i) the interaction of cyt c with the lipid polar heads; (ii) the lipid anchorage of the protein on the membrane surface; and (iii) a long-distance order/disorder transition of the cardiolipin acyl chains. Such effects have been quantitatively interpreted introducing specific order parameters and discussed in the frame of the models on cyt c activity reported in literature.


Glycobiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margrethe Gaardløs ◽  
Sergey A Samsonov ◽  
Marit Sletmoen ◽  
Maya Hjørnevik ◽  
Gerd Inger Sætrom ◽  
...  

Abstract Mannuronan C-5 epimerases catalyse the epimerization of monomer residues in the polysaccharide alginate, changing the physical properties of the biopolymer. The enzymes are utilized to tailor alginate to numerous biological functions by alginate-producing organisms. The underlying molecular mechanisms that control the processive movement of the epimerase along the substrate chain is still elusive. To study this, we have used an interdisciplinary approach combining molecular dynamics simulations with experimental methods from mutant studies of AlgE4, where initial epimerase activity and product formation were addressed with NMR spectroscopy, and characteristics of enzyme-substrate interactions were obtained with isothermal titration calorimetry and optical tweezers. Positive charges lining the substrate-binding groove of AlgE4 appear to control the initial binding of poly-mannuronate, and binding also seems to be mediated by both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. After the catalytic reaction, negatively charged enzyme residues might facilitate dissociation of alginate from the positive residues, working like electrostatic switches, allowing the substrate to translocate in the binding groove. Molecular simulations show translocation increments of two monosaccharide units before the next productive binding event resulting in MG-block formation, with the epimerase moving with its N-terminus towards the reducing end of the alginate chain. Our results indicate that the charge pair R343-D345 might be directly involved in conformational changes of a loop that can be important for binding and dissociation. The computational and experimental approaches used in this study complement each other, allowing for a better understanding of individual residues’ roles in binding and movement along the alginate chains.


1986 ◽  
Vol 238 (2) ◽  
pp. 485-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
S R Martin ◽  
P M Bayley

Near-u.v. and far-u.v. c.d. spectra of bovine testis calmodulin and its tryptic fragments (TR1C, N-terminal half, residues 1-77, and TR2C, C-terminal half, residues 78-148) were recorded in metal-ion-free buffer and in the presence of saturating concentrations of Ca2+ or Cd2+ under a range of different solvent conditions. The results show the following: if there is any interaction between the N-terminal and C-terminal halves of calmodulin, it has not apparent effect on the secondary or tertiary structure of either half; the conformational changes induced by Ca2+ or Cd2+ are substantially greater in TR2C than they are in TR1C; the presence of Ca2+ or Cd2+ confers considerable stability with respect to urea-induced denaturation, both for the whole molecule and for either of the tryptic fragments; a thermally induced transition occurs in whole calmodulin at temperatures substantially below the temperature of major thermal unfolding, both in the presence and in the absence of added metal ion; the effects of Cd2+ are identical with those of Ca2+ under all conditions studied.


2000 ◽  
Vol 350 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego F. GÓMEZ CASATI ◽  
Miguel A. AON ◽  
Alberto A. IGLESIAS

The kinetic and (supra)molecular properties of the ultrasensitive behaviour of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) from Anabaena PCC 7120 (a cyanobacterium) were exhaustively studied. The response of the enzyme toward the allosteric activator 3-phosphoglycerate (3PGA) occurs with ultrasensitivity as a consequence of the cross-talk with the inhibitor Pi. Molecular ‘crowding’renders AGPase more sensitive to the interplay between the allosteric regulators and, consequently, enhances the ultrasensitive response. In crowded media, and when orthophosphate is present, the activation kinetics of the enzyme with 3PGA proceed with increased co-operativity and reduced affinity toward the activator. Under conditions of ultrasensitivity, the enzyme's maximal activation takes place in a narrow range of 3PGA concentrations. Moreover, saturation kinetics of the enzyme with respect to its substrates, glucose 1-phosphate and ATP, were different at low or high 3PGA levels in crowded media. Only under the latter conditions did AGPase exhibit discrimination between low or high levels of the activator, which increased the affinity toward the substrates and the maximal activity reached by the enzyme. Studies of fluorescence emission of tryptophan residues, fourth-derivative spectroscopy and size-exclusion chromatography indicated that the ultrasensitive behaviour is correlated with intramolecular conformational changes induced in the tertiary structure of the homotetrameric enzyme. The results suggest a physiological relevance of the ultrasensitive response of AGPase in vivo, since the enzyme could be subtly sensing changes in the levels of allosteric regulators and substrates, and thus determining the flux of metabolites toward synthesis of storage polysaccharides.


2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fouzia Rashid ◽  
Sandeep Sharma ◽  
M A Baig ◽  
Bilqees Bano

Acid-induced conformational changes were studied in human placental cystatin (HPC) in terms of circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, the binding of hydrophobic dye 1-anilinonapthalene-8-sulphonic acid (ANS), and intrinsic fluorescence measurements. Our results show the formation of an acid-induced molten globule state at pH 2.0, with significant secondary and tertiary interactions that resemble the native state, exposed hydrophobic regions and the effects of trifluoroethanol (TFE) and methanol in conversion of the acid-denatured state of HPC to the alcohol-induced state, which is characterized by increased helical content, disrupted tertiary structure, and the absence of hydrophobic clusters. Alcohol-induced formation of α-helical structures at pH 2.0 is evident from the increase in the ellipticity values at 222 nm, with native-like secondary structural features at 40% TFE. The increase in helical content was observed up to 80% TFE concentration. The ability of TFE (40%) to refold acid-denatured HPC to native-state conformation is also supported by intrinsic and ANS fluorescence measurements.Key words: human placental cystatin, molten globule, acid-induced state, trifluoroethanol, methanol, CD spectroscopy, ANS fluorescence, pH, protein folding.


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