scholarly journals Chimeric Claudins: A New Tool to Study Tight Junction Structure and Function

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4947
Author(s):  
Abigail Taylor ◽  
Mark Warner ◽  
Christopher Mendoza ◽  
Calvin Memmott ◽  
Tom LeCheminant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Tight Junction ◽  
Quaternary Structure ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Biophysical Characterization ◽  
Synthetic Strategy ◽  
Α Helix ◽  
And Function ◽  
Cell Cell

The tight junction (TJ) is a structure composed of multiple proteins, both cytosolic and membranal, responsible for cell–cell adhesion in polarized endothelium and epithelium. The TJ is intimately connected to the cytoskeleton and plays a role in development and homeostasis. Among the TJ’s membrane proteins, claudins (CLDNs) are key to establishing blood–tissue barriers that protect organismal physiology. Recently, several crystal structures have been reported for detergent extracted recombinant CLDNs. These structural advances lack direct evidence to support quaternary structure of CLDNs. In this article, we have employed protein-engineering principles to create detergent-independent chimeric CLDNs, a combination of a 4-helix bundle soluble monomeric protein (PDB ID: 2jua) and the apical—50% of human CLDN1, the extracellular domain that is responsible for cell–cell adhesion. Maltose-binding protein-fused chimeric CLDNs (MBP-CCs) used in this study are soluble proteins that retain structural and functional aspects of native CLDNs. Here, we report the biophysical characterization of the structure and function of MBP-CCs. MBP-fused epithelial cadherin (MBP-eCAD) is used as a control and point of comparison of a well-characterized cell-adhesion molecule. Our synthetic strategy may benefit other families of 4-α-helix membrane proteins, including tetraspanins, connexins, pannexins, innexins, and more.

Biophysical methods toolbox to study ABC exporter structure and function

2017 ◽  
Vol 398 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-235
Author(s):  
Thomas Marcellino ◽  
Vasundara Srinivasan
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Abc Transporter ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Dynamic Membrane ◽  
Biophysical Characterization ◽  
Intermediate States ◽  
And Function

Abstract ABC exporters are highly dynamic membrane proteins that span a huge spectrum of different conformations. A detailed integrated approach of cellular, biochemical and biophysical characterization of these ‘open’, ‘closed’ and other intermediate states is central to understanding their function. Almost 40 years after the discovery of the first ABC transporter, thanks to the enormous development in methodologies, a picture is slowly emerging to visualize how these fascinating molecules transport their substrates. This mini review summarizes some of the biophysical tools that have made a major impact in understanding the function of the ABC exporters.

How Do Lipids Affect the Structure and Function of Integral Membrane Proteins

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (11) ◽  
pp. 866
Author(s):  
Jie HENG ◽  
Yan WU ◽  
Xianping WANG ◽  
Kai ZHANG
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Integral Membrane Proteins ◽  
And Function

Nanoscale lipid membrane mimetics in spin-labeling and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy studies of protein structure and function

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elka R. Georgieva
Keyword(s):  
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance ◽  
Protein Structure ◽  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Spin Labeling ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Protein Structure And Function ◽  
Paramagnetic Resonance ◽  
And Function ◽  
Electron Paramagnetic

AbstractCellular membranes and associated proteins play critical physiological roles in organisms from all life kingdoms. In many cases, malfunction of biological membranes triggered by changes in the lipid bilayer properties or membrane protein functional abnormalities lead to severe diseases. To understand in detail the processes that govern the life of cells and to control diseases, one of the major tasks in biological sciences is to learn how the membrane proteins function. To do so, a variety of biochemical and biophysical approaches have been used in molecular studies of membrane protein structure and function on the nanoscale. This review focuses on electron paramagnetic resonance with site-directed nitroxide spin-labeling (SDSL EPR), which is a rapidly expanding and powerful technique reporting on the local protein/spin-label dynamics and on large functionally important structural rearrangements. On the other hand, adequate to nanoscale study membrane mimetics have been developed and used in conjunction with SDSL EPR. Primarily, these mimetics include various liposomes, bicelles, and nanodiscs. This review provides a basic description of the EPR methods, continuous-wave and pulse, applied to spin-labeled proteins, and highlights several representative applications of EPR to liposome-, bicelle-, or nanodisc-reconstituted membrane proteins.

scholarly journals Bioinformatic approaches for the structure and function of membrane proteins

BMB Reports ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 42 (11) ◽  
pp. 697-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Jun Nam ◽  
Jou-Hyun Jeon ◽  
Sang-Uk Kim
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Bioinformatic Approaches ◽  
And Function

Structure and function of qiuinone binding membrane proteins

2003 ◽  
pp. 151-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Momi Iwata ◽  
Jeff Abramson ◽  
Bernadette Byrne ◽  
S.O Iwata
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
And Function

Bacterial ß-Barrel Outer Membrane Proteins

2009 ◽  
pp. 182-207
Author(s):  
Pantelis G. Bagos ◽  
Stavros J. Hamodrakas
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Bacterial Cell ◽  
Outer Membrane Proteins ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Structural Motif ◽  
Functional Roles ◽  
Bacterial Outer Membrane ◽  
And Function

ß-barrel outer membrane proteins constitute the second and less well-studied class of transmembrane proteins. They are present exclusively in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and presumably in the outer membrane of mitochondria and chloroplasts. During the last few years, remarkable advances have been made towards an understanding of their functional and structural features. It is now wellknown that ß-barrels are performing a large variety of biologically important functions for the bacterial cell. Such functions include acting as specific or non-specific channels, receptors for various compounds, enzymes, translocation channels, structural proteins, and adhesion proteins. All these functional roles are of great importance for the survival of the bacterial cell under various environmental conditions or for the pathogenic properties expressed by these organisms. This chapter reviews the currently available literature regarding the structure and function of bacterial outer membrane proteins. We emphasize the functional diversity expressed by a common structural motif such as the ß-barrel, and we provide evidence from the current literature for dozens of newly discovered families of transmembrane ß-barrels.

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