Direct quantification of human serum albumin in human blood serum without separation of gamma-globulin by the total internal reflected resonance light scattering of thorium-sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate at water/tetrachloromethane interface

A direct quantification of human serum albumin (HSA) in blood serum samples without separation is proposed based on the measurements of total internal reflected resonance light scattering (TIR-RLS) at water/tetrachloromethane (H(2)O/CCl(4)) interfaces. In the pH range of 6.37-6.59, the coadsorption of the binary complex of HSA-Th(IV) with sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate occurs at the H(2)O/CCl(4) interface, forming an amphiphilic layer and displaying greatly enhanced TIR-RLS signals with the maximum peak located at 340-370 nm. The enhanced TIR-RLS intensity is in proportion to the HSA concentration in the range 0.15-1.0 micro gml(-1). The limit of detection is 14.4 ngml(-1). The contents of HSA in blood serum samples were determined with the recovery of 97.1-102.3% and RSD of 0.6-2.9%, which are identical to those obtained according to the spectrofluorimetric method using chrome azurol S.     

NMR structures of the histidine-rich peptide LAH4 in micellar environments: membrane insertion, pH-dependent mode of antimicrobial action, and DNA transfection

The LAH4 family of histidine-rich peptides exhibits potent antimicrobial and DNA transfection activities, both of which require interactions with cellular membranes. The bilayer association of the peptides has been shown to be strongly pH-dependent, with in-planar alignments under acidic conditions and transmembrane orientations when the histidines are discharged. Therefore, we investigated the pH- and temperature-dependent conformations of LAH4 in DPC micellar solutions and in a TFE/PBS solvent mixture. In the presence of detergent and at pH 4.1, LAH4 adopts helical conformations between residues 9 and 24 concomitantly with a high hydrophobic moment. At pH 6.1, a helix-loop-helix structure forms with a hinge encompassing residues His¹⁰-Ala¹³. The data suggest that the high density of histidine residues and the resulting electrostatic repulsion lead to both a decrease in the pK values of the histidines and a less stable α-helical conformation of this region. The hinged structure at pH 6.1 facilitates membrane anchoring and insertion. At pH 7.8, the histidines are uncharged and an extended helical conformation including residues 4-21 is again obtained. LAH4 thus exhibits a high degree of conformational plasticity. The structures provide a stroboscopic view of the conformational changes that occur during membrane insertion, and are discussed in the context of antimicrobial activity and DNA transfection.     

Flexibility in HIV-1 assembly subunits: solution structure of the monomeric C-terminal domain of the capsid protein

The protein CA forms the mature capsid of human immunodeficiency virus. Hexamerization of the N-terminal domain and dimerization of the C-terminal domain, CAC, occur during capsid assembly, and both domains constitute potential targets for anti-HIV inhibitors. CAC homodimerization occurs mainly through its second helix, and is abolished when its sole tryptophan is mutated to alanine. Previous thermodynamic data obtained with the dimeric and monomeric forms of CAC indicate that the structure of the mutant resembles that of a monomeric intermediate found in the folding and association reactions of CAC. We have solved the three-dimensional structure in aqueous solution of the monomeric mutant. The structure is similar to that of the subunits in the dimeric, nonmutated CAC, except the segment corresponding to the second helix, which is highly dynamic. At the end of this region, the polypeptide chain is bent to bury several hydrophobic residues and, as a consequence, the last two helices are rotated 90 degrees when compared to their position in dimeric CAC. The previously obtained thermodynamic data are consistent with the determined structure of the monomeric mutant. This extraordinary ability of CAC to change its structure may contribute to the different modes of association of CA during HIV assembly, and should be taken into account in the design of new drugs against this virus.     

Domain Features of the Peripheral Stalk Subunit H of the Methanogenic A1AO ATP Synthase and the NMR Solution Structure of H1-47

A series of truncated forms of subunit H were generated to establish the domain features of that protein. Circular dichroism analysis demonstrated that H is divided at least into a C-terminal coiled-coil domain within residues 54-104, and an N-terminal domain formed by adjacent α-helices. With a cysteine at the C-terminus of each of the truncated proteins (H_1-47, H_1-54, H_1-59, H_1-61, H_1-67, H_1-69, H_1-71, H_1-78, H_1-80, H_1-91, and H_47-105), the residues involved in formation of the coiled-coil interface were determined. Proteins H_1-54, H_1-61, H_1-69, and H_1-80 showed strong cross-link formation, which was weaker in H_1-47, H_1-59, H_1-71, and H_1-91. A shift in disulfide formation between cysteins at positions 71 and 80 reflected an interruption in the periodicity of hydrophobic residues in the region ₇₁AEKILEETEKE₈₁. To understand how the N-terminal domain of H is formed, we determined for the first time, to our knowledge, the solution NMR structure of H_1-47, which revealed an α-helix between residues 15-42 and a flexible N-terminal stretch. The α-helix includes a kink that would bring the two helices of the C-terminus into the coiled-coil arrangement. H_1-47 revealed a strip of alanines involved in dimerization, which were tested by exchange to single cysteines in subunit H mutants.     

The LC8-RavP ensemble Structure Evinces A Role for LC8 in Regulating Lyssavirus Polymerase Functionality

The rabies and Ebola viruses recruit the highly conserved host protein LC8 for their own reproductive success. In vivo knockouts of the LC8 recognition motif within the rabies virus phosphoprotein (RavP) result in completely nonlethal viral infections. In this work, we examine the molecular role LC8 plays in viral lethality. We show that RavP and LC8 colocalize in rabies infected cells, and that LC8 interactions are essential for efficient viral polymerase functionality. NMR, SAXS, and molecular modeling demonstrate that LC8 binding to a disordered linker adjacent to an endogenous dimerization domain results in restrictions in RavP domain orientations. The resulting ensemble structure of RavP-LC8 tetrameric complex is similar to that of a related virus phosphoprotein that does not bind LC8, suggesting that with RavP, LC8 binding acts as a switch to induce a more active conformation. The high conservation of the LC8 motif in Lyssavirus phosphoproteins and its presence in other analogous proteins such as the Ebola virus VP35 evinces a broader purpose for LC8 in regulating downstream phosphoprotein functions vital for viral replication.