Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering Reveals Compact Domain-Domain Interactions in the N-Terminal Region of Filamin C

Filamins are multi-domain, actin cross-linking, and scaffolding proteins. In addition to the actin cross-linking function, filamins have a role in mechanosensor signaling. The mechanosensor function is mediated by domain-domain interaction in the C-terminal region of filamins. Recently, we have shown that there is a three-domain interaction module in the N-terminal region of filamins, where the neighboring domains stabilize the structure of the middle domain and thereby regulate its interaction with ligands. In this study, we have used small-angle X-ray scattering as a tool to screen for potential domain-domain interactions in the N-terminal region. We found evidence of four domain-domain interactions with varying flexibility. These results confirm our previous study showing that domains 3, 4, and 5 exist as a compact three domain module. In addition, we report interactions between domains 11–12 and 14–15, which are thus new candidate sites for mechanical regulation.     

The Structure of High Molecular Weight Ribonucleic Acid in Solution: A Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering Study

Small-angle x-ray scattering studies on an absolute scale have been carried out on isotropic solutions of high molecular weight RNA obtained from ascites tumor cells, E. coli, and yeast. It was found that in all three cases the RNA is composed of short rigid rods (50 to 150Å in length) joined by small flexible regions. The rods account for almost the entire structure (at least 90 per cent); their radius of gyration about the axis and their mass per unit length are similar to those of DNA, suggesting a double-stranded helical structure. The rods are joined in an array forming the compact RNA molecule. On thermal degradation, the molecular superstructure disappears while the rods persist.     

酸性品红与牛血清白蛋白变色反应机理的研究

利用光谱探针技术研究酸性品红(fuchsine ac id,FA)与牛血清白蛋白(bovine serum album in,BSA)的变色反应机理,考察了不同实验条件对FA-BSA复合物吸收光谱的影响。实验结果表明,FA与BSA分子相互作用产生变色反应的机理主要是由FA与BSA间的疏水相互作用引起,而静电作用则是形成FA-BSA桃红色复合物的必要条件。     

Modeling the Structure of RNA Molecules with Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering Data

We propose a novel fragment assembly method for low-resolution modeling of RNA and show how it may be used along with small-angle X-ray solution scattering (SAXS) data to model low-resolution structures of particles having as many as 12 independent secondary structure elements. We assessed this model-building procedure by using both artificial data on a previously proposed benchmark and publicly available data. With the artificial data, SAXS-guided models show better similarity to native structures than ROSETTA decoys. The publicly available data showed that SAXS-guided models can be used to reinterpret RNA structures previously deposited in the Protein Data Bank. Our approach allows for fast and efficient building of de novo models of RNA using approximate secondary structures that can be readily obtained from existing bioinformatic approaches. We also offer a rigorous assessment of the resolving power of SAXS in the case of small RNA structures, along with a small multimetric benchmark of the proposed method.     

粘度法研究牛血清白蛋白的溶液行为

经粘度法测量证明牛血清白蛋白在NaCl,KSCN和KI3种盐溶液中的流体力学行为有较大差别,并按经验公式由粘度数据计算了表观分子轴比和分子体积,它们也随盐的种类不同而相应变化．     

Reverse Conformational Changes of the Light Chain-Binding Domain of Myosin V and VI Processive Motor Heads during and after Hydrolysis of ATP by Small-Angle X-Ray Solution Scattering

We used small-angle X-ray solution scattering (SAXS) technique to investigate the nucleotide-mediated conformational changes of the head domains [subfragment 1 (S1)] of myosin V and VI processive motors that govern their directional preference for motility on actin. Recombinant myosin V-S1 with two IQ motifs (MV-S1IQ2) and myosin VI-S1 (MVI-S1) were engineered from Sf9 cells using a baculovirus expression system. The radii of gyration (R_g) of nucleotide-free MV-S1IQ2 and MVI-S1 were 48.6 and 48.8 Å, respectively. In the presence of ATP, the R_g value of MV-S1IQ2 decreased to 46.7 Å, while that of MVI-S1 increased to 51.7 Å, and the maximum chord length of the molecule decreased by ca 9% for MV-S1IQ2 and increased by ca 6% for MVI-S1. These opposite directional changes were consistent with those occurring in S1s with ADP and Vi or AlF₄^− 2 bound (i.e., in states mimicking the ADP/Pi-bound state of ATP hydrolysis). Binding of AMPPNP induced R_g changes of both constructs similar to those in the presence of ATP, suggesting that the timing of the structural changes for their motion on actin is upon binding of ATP (the pre-hydrolysis state) during the ATPase cycle. Binding of ADP to MV-S1IQ2 and MVI-S1 caused their R_g values to drop below those in the nucleotide-free state. Thus, upon the release of Pi, the reverse conformational change could occur, coupling to drive the directional motion on actin. The amount of R_g change upon the release of Pi was ca 6.4 times greater in MVI-S1 than in MV-S1IQ2, relating to the production of the large stroke of the MVI motor during its translocation on actin. Atomic structural models for these S1s based upon the ab initio shape reconstruction from X-ray scattering data were constructed, showing that MVI-S1 has the light-chain-binding domain positioned in the opposite direction to MV-S1IQ2 in both the pre- and post-powerstroke transition. The angular change between the light chain-binding domains of MV-S1IQ2 in the pre- to post-powerstroke transition was ∼ 50°, comparable to that of MII-S1. On the other hand, that of MVI-S1 was ∼ 100° or ∼ 130° much less than the currently postulated changes to allow the maximal stroke size of myosin VI-S1 but still significantly larger than those of other myosins reported so far. The results suggest that some additional alterations or elements are required for MVI-S1 to take maximal working strokes along the actin filament.     

从反胶束溶液中反萃牛血清白蛋白的研究

由近红外光谱证实,十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)/正己醇-正辛烷反胶束溶液是牛血清白蛋白(BSA)增溶于非极性有机溶剂的较理想中介。研究了反萃液酸度、离子强度和种类等参数对BSA反萃率的影响,过低的溶液酸度导致BSA变性。适宜的反萃液为:1.0～2.0mol/L KBr,pH4.3～4.9。蛋白质的紫外光谱表明,BSA分子在料液,反胶束溶液和反萃液中的构象大致相同。此外,探讨了反胶束溶液循环使用的效率问题。最后,通过采用适当的相比,成功地实现了蛋白质的回收和浓缩。     

水溶性壳聚糖与牛血清白蛋白相互作用的研究

采用紫外和荧光光谱研究了水溶性壳聚糖(CS)与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)之间的相互作用。结果表明:随CS浓度的增加,BSA的紫外吸收光谱表现出明显的增色效应和较小的紫移;CS可以猝灭BSA的内源荧光,其猝灭机理是CS与BSA形成复合物的静态猝灭。并且测定了在不同温度下,该反应的结合常数KA分别为6.92×106(298 K),5.01×106(308 K),3.31×106(318 K),CS与BSA以摩尔比1∶1结合。同时采用同步荧光光谱法探讨了CS对BSA构象的影响。     

基于光纤式动态光散射的人血清白蛋白研究

人体尿液中血清白蛋白急剧增加会导致肾脏病发生几率增大,利用动态光散射技术(dynamic light scattering,DLS)研究人血清白蛋白有助于推动诊断肾脏病的早期发现。分析了人血清白蛋白的物理模型;利用单模光纤搭建了动态光散射实验系统,并配制了实验所需的人血清白蛋白水溶液;最后使用该系统研究了人血清白蛋白分子的扩散系数在不同蛋白浓度和pH值条件下的扩散系数。实验和分析结果表明库仑力对蛋白质的扩散起主要作用,在等电位点下(pH=5.2)库仑力的影响消失,蛋白质的扩散系数最小;在等电位点测量出扩散系数随浓度的增加而线性减小;在浓度5 mg/mL～40 mg/mL内互扩散系数Dm=D0[1-(0.00194±0.00008)],D0=(6.74±0.01)×10-7cm2/s为外推至零浓度下23℃时蛋白质的扩散系数。这里C为蛋白质浓度,实验测得人血清白蛋白的半径为(3.44±0.01)nm。     

Heat-Induced Conformational Unfolding of Fatty Acid-Free and Fatted Camel Serum Albumin: A Comparative Study

Albumin is a multifunctional non-glycosylated, negatively charged plasma protein, with extraordinary ligand-binding and transport properties, antioxidant functions, and enzymatic activities. Physiologically, albumin transports free fatty acids in plasma and contributes in maintaining colloid osmotic pressure. Recent progresses in using albumin as a versatile protein carrier for drug targeting and for improving the pharmacokinetic profile of peptide or protein-based drugs, increased the attempts for improving albumin stability. Studying the thermal stability of camel albumin may provide us not only new clues for designing recombinant albumins, but also molecular insights on camel physiology. This study aims to determine the thermal stability of camel albumin. Fatted camel serum albumin (FCSA) was purified from blood via combination of Cohn’s method and anion-exchange chromatography. Activated charcoal treatment was used to obtain defatted camel serum albumin (CSA). Fluorescence spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to study thermal denaturation of this protein. The set of fluorescence spectra were deconvoluted using the convex constraint analysis method (CCA). The results from deconvolution of fluorescence spectroscopy and DSC showed three and two components for CSA and FCSA, respectively. The bimodal DSC transition can be attributed to a crevice between domains I and II and formation of two independent thermodynamic domains. The crevice formation can be prevented by fatty acid binding between domains I and II. The calculated values of ?H _v/?H _cal, approximately 0.4 for CSA and near 1 for FCSA, confirmed the presence of at least one intermediate in thermal unfolding of CSA and the absence of the intermediate for FCSA. The obtained midpoint transition temperature (T _m) of FCSA was about 20 °C higher than that of CSA. Such enormous stabilizing effect may be attributed to the fact that fatty acid serves as glue which preserves different domains beside each other and prevents formation of the mentioned intermediate.     

Binding of Paeonol to Human Serum Albumin: A Hybrid Spectroscopic Approach and Conformational Study

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the binding of paeonol to human serum albumin (HSA) through spectroscopic methods. The fluorescence quenching of HSA by paeonol was a result of the formation of the HSA–paeonol complex with low binding affinity (K = 4.45 × 10³ M^?1 at 298 K). Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG^○ = –2.08 × 10⁴ J·mol^?1, ΔS^○ = 77.9 J·mol^?1·K^?1, ΔH^○ = 2.41 × 10³ J·mol^?1, k_q = 9.67 × 10¹² M^?1·s^?1) revealed that paeonol mainly binds HSA through hydrophobic force following a static quenching mode. The binding distance was estimated to be 1.91 nm by fluorescence resonant energy transfer. The conformation of HSA was changed and aggregates were formed in the presence of paeonol, revealed by synchronous fluorescence, circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, three‐dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy, and resonance light scattering results.     

The Interaction of New Pyridylporphyrins with Bovine Serum Albumin

The interaction of meso-tetra(4-N-hydroxyethylpyridyl)porphyrin, meso-tetra(3-N-hydroxyethylpyridyl)porphyrin, and their zinc complexes with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied by electronic spectroscopy, CD, and equilibrium dialysis at pH 7.2. The titration of the porphyrins with BSA was accompanied by a decrease in light absorption and a bathochromic shift of the Soret band, as well as by the appearance of an isobestic point. The porphyrin interaction with BSA also led to the induction of positive CD spectra in the visible region, which is explained by the porphyrin sorption on the protein globule. The equilibrium dialysis helped in determining the stoichiometry of binding and the binding constants of the porphyrins under study with BSA using Scatchard plots. This interaction is nonspecific and reversible.     

Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering of the Cholesterol Incorporation into Human ApoA1-POPC Discoidal Particles

Structural and functional aspects of high-density lipoproteins have been studied for over half a century. Due to the plasticity of this highly complex system, new aspects continue to be discovered. Here, we present a structural study of the human Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) and investigate the role of its N-terminal domain, the so-called globular domain of ApoA1, in discoidal complexes with phospholipids and increasing amounts of cholesterol. Using a combination of solution-based small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and molecular constrained data modeling, we show that the ApoA1-1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)-based particles are disk shaped with an elliptical cross section and composed by a central lipid bilayer surrounded by two stabilizing ApoA1 proteins. This structure is very similar to the particles formed in the so-called nanodisc system, which is based on N-terminal truncated ApoA1 protein. Although it is commonly agreed that the nanodisc is plain disk shaped, several more advanced structures have been proposed for the full-length ApoA1 in combination with POPC and cholesterol. This prompted us to make a detailed comparative study of the ApoA1 and nanodisc systems upon cholesterol uptake. Based on the presented SAXS analysis it is found that the N-terminal domains of ApoA1-POPC-cholesterol particles are not globular but instead an integrated part of the protein belt stabilizing the particles. Upon incorporation of increasing amounts of cholesterol, the presence of the N-terminal domain allows the bilayer thickness to increase while maintaining an overall flat bilayer structure. This is contrasted by the energetically more strained and less favorable lens shape required to fit the SAXS data from the N-terminal truncated nanodisc system upon cholesterol incorporation. This suggests that the N-terminal domain of ApoA1 actively participates in the stabilization of the ApoA1-POPC-cholesterol discoidal particle and allows for a more optimal lipid packing upon cholesterol uptake.     

The Statistical Conformation of a Highly Flexible Protein: Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering of S. aureus Protein A

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羧甲基化壳聚糖季铵盐与牛血清白蛋白的相互作用研究

应用荧光光谱研究了羧甲基化壳聚糖季铵盐(CMCQA)与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)的相互作用.研究表明:CMCQA对BSA内源性荧光猝灭机制属于CMCQA和BSA形成复合物所引起的静态猝灭.在室温下,二者的结合常数为2.45×104 L/mol,结合位点数为1.04.二者主要靠静电引力相互作用.     

槐定碱与牛血清白蛋白的相互作用研究

在模拟动物体生理条件下,用荧光猝灭、荧光偏振和紫外-可见吸收光谱法研究了槐定碱与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)结合作用。荧光猝灭数据显示,槐定碱与BSA发生反应生成了新的复合物,属于静态荧光猝灭。求出了不同温度(19、25、31、37℃)下槐定碱与BSA作用的结合常数分别为1.219×106,1.164×106,1.110×106和1.057×106L/mol,由van’tHoff方程式计算槐定碱与BSA反应的热力学参数:焓变ΔH和熵变ΔS值分别为-5.97kJ/mol和96.11J/(mol.K),表明槐定碱与BSA间的作用力以静电引力为主。以华法林和布洛芬(分别为siteI和siteII探针)为标记药物研究槐定碱在BSA上的结合位点,结果表明,槐定碱结合在BSA疏水空腔的siteI位点。     

A Spectroscopic Approach to Investigate the Molecular Interactions between the Newly Approved Irreversible ErbB blocker Afatinib and Bovine Serum Albumin

The interaction of afatinib (AFB) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was examined via fluorescence and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Spectrofluorimetric measurements revealed that AFB can strongly quench the BSA intrinsic fluorescence through producing a non-fluorescent complex. This quenching mechanism was thoroughly investigated with regard to the type of quenching, binding constant, number of binding locations and the fundamental thermodynamic parameters. Subsequently, the association constant of AFB with BSA was computed at three different temperatures and was found to range from 7.34 to 13.19 x10⁵ L mol^-1. Thermodynamic parameters calculations demonstrated a positive ΔS^Ɵvalue with both negative ΔH^ϴand ΔG^ϴvalues for AFB–BSA complex, which in turn infers thata spontaneous binding is taking place with both electrostatic bonding and hydrophobic interactions participating in the binding of AFB and BSA. Similarly, the UV absorption spectra of AFB-BSA system were studied and confirmed the interaction. Conformational alteration of the protein upon binding to AFB was elaborated with the aid of three dimensional fluorescence measurements as well as synchronous fluorescence spectra.