scholarly journals A staphylococcal cyclophilin carries a single domain and unfolds via the formation of an intermediate that preserves cyclosporin A binding activity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soham Seal ◽  
Soumitra Polley ◽  
Subrata Sau

AbstractCyclophilin (Cyp), a peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase), acts as a virulence factor in many bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus. The enzymatic activity of Cyp is inhibited by cyclosporin A (CsA), an immunosuppressive drug. To precisely determine the unfolding mechanism and the domain structure of Cyp, we have investigated a chimeric S. aureus Cyp (rCyp) using various probes. Our limited proteolysis and the consequent analysis of the proteolytic fragments indicate that rCyp is composed of one domain with a short flexible tail at the C-terminal end. We also show that the urea-induced unfolding of both rCyp and rCyp-CsA is completely reversible and proceeds via the synthesis of at least one stable intermediate. The secondary structure, tertiary structure, and the hydrophobic surface area of no intermediate are fully identical to those of other intermediate or the related native protein. Further analyses reveal no loss of CsA binding activity in rCyp intermediate. The thermodynamic stability of rCyp was also significantly increased in the presence of CsA, recommending that this protein could be employed to screen new CsA derivatives in future.

1982 ◽  
Vol 216 (1203) ◽  
pp. 117-135 ◽  

Ribosomes are the only cell organelles occurring in all organisms. E. coli ribosomes, which are the best characterized particles, consist of three RNAs and 53 proteins. All components have been isolated and characterized by chemical, physical and immunological methods. The primary structures of the RNAs and of all the proteins are known. Information about the secondary structure of the proteins derives from circular dichroism measurements and from secondary structure prediction methods. The tertiary structure is being studied by limited proteolysis, proton magnetic resonance and crystallization followed by X-ray analysis. Various methods are being used to elucidate the architecture of the ribosomal particle: three-dimensional image reconstruction of crystals of bacterial ribosomes and/or their subunits; immune electron microscopy; neutron scattering; protein-protein, protein-RNA and RNA‒RNA crosslinking; total reconstitution of ribosomal subunits. The results from these studies yield valuable information on the architecture of the ribosomal particle. Many mutants have been isolated in which one or a few ribosomal proteins are altered or even deleted. The genetic and biochemical characterization of these mutants allows conclusions about the importance of these proteins for the function of the ribosome. Ribosomal proteins from various prokaryotic and eukaryotic species have been compared by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, immunological methods, reconstitution and amino acid sequence analysis. These studies show a strong homology among prokaryotic ribosomal proteins but only a weak homology between proteins from prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosomes. Comparison of the primary and secondary struc­tures of the ribosomal RNAs from various organisms shows that the secondary structure of the RNA molecules has been strongly conserved throughout evolution.


2001 ◽  
Vol 183 (10) ◽  
pp. 3016-3024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank S. Kaczmarek ◽  
Richard P. Zaniewski ◽  
Thomas D. Gootz ◽  
Dennis E. Danley ◽  
Mahmoud N. Mansour ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A Staphylococcus aureus mutant conditionally defective in DNA ligase was identified by isolation of complementing plasmid clones that encode the S. aureus ligA gene. Orthologues of the putative S. aureus NAD+-dependent DNA ligase could be identified in the genomes of Bacillus stearothermophilus and other gram-positive bacteria and confirmed the presence of four conserved amino acid motifs, including motif I, KXDG with lysine 112, which is believed to be the proposed site of adenylation. DNA sequence comparison of the ligA genes from wild type and temperature-sensitive S. aureus strain NT64 identified a single base alteration that is predicted to result in the amino acid substitution E46G. The S. aureus ligA gene was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and the enzyme was purified to near homogeneity. NAD+-dependent DNA ligase activity was demonstrated with the purified enzyme by measuring ligation of 32P-labeled 30-mer and 29-mer oligonucleotides annealed to a complementary strand of DNA. Limited proteolysis of purified S. aureus DNA ligase by thermolysin produced products with apparent molecular masses of 40, 22, and 21 kDa. The fragments were purified and characterized by N-terminal sequencing and mass analysis. The N-terminal fragment (40 kDa) was found to be fully adenylated. A fragment from residues 1 to 315 was expressed as a His-tagged fusion in E. coli and purified for functional analysis. Following deadenylation with nicotinamide mononucleotide, the purified fragment could self-adenylate but lacked detectable DNA binding activity. The 21- and 22-kDa C-terminal fragments, which lacked the last 76 amino acids of the DNA ligase, had no adenylation activity or DNA binding activity. The intact 30-kDa C terminus of the S. aureus LigA protein expressed in E. coli did demonstrate DNA binding activity. These observations suggest that, as in the case with the NAD+-dependent DNA ligase fromB. stearothermophilus, two independent functional domains exist in S. aureus DNA ligase, consisting of separate adenylation and DNA binding activities. They also demonstrate a role for the extreme C terminus of the ligase in DNA binding. As there is much evidence to suggest that DNA ligase is essential for bacterial survival, its discovery in the important human pathogen S. aureus indicates its potential as a broad-spectrum antibacterial target for the identification of novel antibiotics.


2001 ◽  
Vol 356 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-158
Author(s):  
Maengseok SONG ◽  
Haiyan SHAO ◽  
Anwer MUJEEB ◽  
Thomas L. JAMES ◽  
Walter L. MILLER

The first step in steroidogenesis is the movement of cholesterol from the outer to inner mitochondrial membrane; this movement is facilitated by the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). StAR has molten-globule properties at low pH and a protease-resistant N-terminal domain at pH4 and pH8 comprising residues 63–193. To explore the mechanism of action of StAR we investigated the structural properties of the bacterially expressed N-terminal domain (63–193 StAR) using CD, limited proteolysis and NMR. Far- and near-UV CD showed that the amount of secondary structure was greater at acidic than at neutral pH, but there was little tertiary structure at any pH. Unlike 63–193 StAR liberated from N-62 StAR by proteolysis, biosynthetic 63–193 StAR was no longer resistant to trypsin or proteinase K at pH7, or to pepsin at pH4. Addition of trifluoroethanol and SDS increased secondary structure at pH7, and dodecylphosphocholine and CHAPS increased secondary structure at pH2, pH4 and pH7. However, none of these conditions induced tertiary structure, as monitored by near-UV CD or NMR. Liposomes of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine and their mixture increased secondary structure of 63–193 StAR at pH7, as monitored by far-UV CD, and stable protein–liposome complexes were identified by gel-permeation chromatography. These results provide further evidence that the N-terminal domain of StAR is a molten globule, and provide evidence that this conformation facilitates the interaction of the N-terminal domain of StAR with membranes. We suggest that this interaction is the key to understanding the mechanism of StAR's action.


1991 ◽  
Vol 66 (03) ◽  
pp. 310-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C Sane ◽  
Tammy L Moser ◽  
Charles S Greenberg

SummaryVitronectin (VN) stabilizes plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) activity and prevents the fibrin(ogen)-induced acceleration of plasminogen activation by t-PA. These antifibrinolytic activities as well as other functions are mediated by the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) binding domain of VN. Since the GAG binding region is rich in arginyl and lysyl residues, it is a potential target for enzymes such as plasmin. In this paper, the dose and time-dependent proteolysis of VN by plasmin is demonstrated. The addition of urokinase or streptokinase (200 units/ml) to plasma also produced proteolysis of VN. With minimal proteolysis, the 75 kDa band was degraded to a 62-65 kDa form of VN. This minimal proteolysis destroyed the binding of [3H]-heparin to VN and reversed the neutralization of heparin by VN.Thus, the plasmin-mediated proteolysis of the GAG binding activity of VN could destroy the antifibrinolytic activity of VN during physiologic conditions and during thrombolytic therapy. Furthermore, other functions of VN in complement and coagulation systems that are mediated by the GAG binding domain may be destroyed by plasmin proteolysis.


2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (Issue A-2) ◽  
pp. 109-118
Author(s):  
ASHRAF SEIDA ◽  
MAHMOUD GABR ◽  
GABR EZZ EL-GAMAL ◽  
HASSAN IBRAHIM ◽  
MOHAMED EL-GHARIB

1987 ◽  
Vol 248 (3) ◽  
pp. 883-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Pfeilschifter ◽  
U T Rüegg

Pretreatment of rat vascular smooth muscle cells with the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A caused concentration- and time-dependent increases in both the amplitude and duration of the angiotensin II-induced rise in cytosolic free calcium, as measured with quin 2. Cyclosporin A had no significant effect on basal quin 2 fluorescence. However, cyclosporin A increased the basal 45Ca2+ influx. This stimulation of 45Ca2+ influx was not blocked by nifedipine (10(-6) M). Cyclosporin A also augmented the angiotensin II-stimulated influx and efflux of 45Ca2+. These results demonstrate that cyclosporin A increases the permeability of the plasma membrane for Ca2+ and also augments the angiotensin II-induced increases in cytosolic free calcium.


1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (10-11) ◽  
pp. 855-865 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Ping Chung ◽  
Kenneth B. M. Reid

The binding and cofactor activities of C4b-binding protein were examined before and after limited proteolysis by pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin. The major fragments generated were characterized by amino acid sequencing, thus establishing the precise points of limited proteolysis. These studies allow a tentative assignment of the cofactor activity site to the residues 177–322 of the 549 amino acid long chain of C4b-binding protein but indicated that residues in the region 332–395 are important in the binding activity.


Author(s):  
Roma Chandra

Protein structure prediction is one of the important goals in the area of bioinformatics and biotechnology. Prediction methods include structure prediction of both secondary and tertiary structures of protein. Protein secondary structure prediction infers knowledge related to presence of helixes, sheets and coils in a polypeptide chain whereas protein tertiary structure prediction infers knowledge related to three dimensional structures of proteins. Protein secondary structures represent the possible motifs or regular expressions represented as patterns that are predicted from primary protein sequence in the form of alpha helix, betastr and and coils. The secondary structure prediction is useful as it infers information related to the structure and function of unknown protein sequence. There are various secondary structure prediction methods used to predict about helixes, sheets and coils. Based on these methods there are various prediction tools under study. This study includes prediction of hemoglobin using various tools. The results produced inferred knowledge with reference to percentage of amino acids participating to produce helices, sheets and coils. PHD and DSC produced the best of the results out of all the tools used.


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