The crystallographically determined structures of atypical strained disulfides engineered into subtilisin

The geometries of two disulfide bridges genetically engineered into subtilisin have been characterized by x-ray crystallography to determine the structural and energetic constraints involved in introducing disulfide bonds into proteins. Both disulfide bridges (Cys-24-Cys-87 and Cys-22-Cys-87) exhibit atypical sets of dihedral angles compared to those for other reported disulfide structures in proteins. The geometric trends for naturally occurring disulfides in protein crystal structures are examined. Comparison of the disulfide-containing mutant protein structures with the wild-type structure shows that, in both cases, disulfide incorporation is accommodated by relatively minor changes in local main-chain conformation. The Cys-22-Cys-87 disulfide has two high energy dihedral angles (X2 = 121 degrees, X2' = 143 degrees). Both disulfides produce short non-bonded contacts with the main-chain.     

Disulfide structure of the pheromone binding protein from the silkworm moth, Bombyx mori

Disulfide bond formation is the only known posttranslational modification of insect pheromone binding proteins (PBPs). In the PBPs from moths (Lepidoptera), six cysteine residues are highly conserved at positions 19, 50, 54, 97, 108 and 117, but to date nothing is known about their respective linkage or redox status. We used a multiple approach of enzymatic digestion, chemical cleavage, partial reduction with Tris-(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine, followed by digestion with endoproteinase Lys-C to determine the disulfide connectivity in the PBP from Bombyx mori (BmPBP). Identification of the reaction products by on-line liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) and protein sequencing supported the assignment of disulfide bridges at Cys-19-Cys-54, Cys-50-Cys-108 and Cys-97-Cys-117. The disulfide linkages were identical in the protein obtained by periplasmic expression in Escherichia coli and in the native BmPBP.     

Function and solution structure of huwentoxin-IV,a potent neuronal tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive sodium channel antagonist from Chinese bird spider Selenocosmia huwena

We have isolated a highly potent neurotoxin from the venom of the Chinese bird spider, Selenocosmia huwena. This 4.1-kDa toxin, which has been named huwentoxin-IV, contains 35 residues with three disulfide bridges: Cys-2-Cys-17, Cys-9-Cys-24, and Cys-16-Cys-31, assigned by a chemical strategy including partial reduction of the toxin and sequence analysis of the modified intermediates. It specifically inhibits the neuronal tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) voltage-gated sodium channel with the IC(50) value of 30 nm in adult rat dorsal root ganglion neurons, while having no significant effect on the tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) voltage-gated sodium channel. This toxin seems to be a site I toxin affecting the sodium channel through a mechanism quite similar to that of TTX: it suppresses the peak sodium current without altering the activation or inactivation kinetics. The three-dimensional structure of huwentoxin-IV has been determined by two-dimensional (1)H NMR combined with distant geometry and simulated annealing calculation by using 527 nuclear Overhauser effect constraints and 14 dihedral constraints. The resulting structure is composed of a double-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet (Leu-22-Ser-25 and Trp-30-Tyr-33) and four turns (Glu-4-Lys-7, Pro-11-Asp-14, Lys-18-Lys-21 and Arg-26-Arg-29) and belongs to the inhibitor cystine knot structural family. After comparison with other toxins purified from the same species, we are convinced that the positively charged residues of loop IV (residues 25-29), especially residue Arg-26, must be crucial to its binding to the neuronal tetrodotoxin-sensitive voltage-gated sodium channel.     

Surfactant protein B: disulfide bridges, structural properties, and kringle similarities.

The disulfide bridges in porcine hydrophobic surfactant protein B (SP-B) were determined. Results show that three intrachain bridges link half-cystine residues 8 and 77, 11 and 71, and 35 and 46, respectively. This gives SP-B an appearance of three loops, a central big loop surrounded by two smaller ones. In the major form of SP-B, the remaining half-cystine, Cys-48, is probably interchain-linked to its counterpart in another molecule, compatible with the existence of dimeric molecules. A minor fraction, with monomeric SP-B but also lacking free thiols, could be due to polypeptides having Cys-57 (instead of Leu in the major form) and hence an additional intrachain bond (Cys-48-Cys-57). Notably, one of the three intrachain bonds common to all SP-B molecules is analogous to one of the disulfide linkages in the kringle structure of complex serine proteases. SP-B and kringles are also similar in size and in positions of half-cystine residues. SP-B and the kringle of coagulation factor XII exhibit 26% residue identity. This structural similarity of SP-B to a binding domain could reflect functional homology, compatible with the notion that SP-B interacts with surfactant anionic phospholipids, which is also in agreement with an SP-B excess of basic residues. Finally, weak similarities between the perform of SP-B and complex serine proteases are also found. This has implications on further possible relationships between kringles, serine proteases, and antiproteases.     

Determination of disulfide array and subunit structure of taste-modifying protein, miraculin

The taste-modifying protein, miraculin (Theerasilp, S. et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 6655-6659) has seven cysteine residues in a molecule composed of 191 amino acid residues. The formation of three intrachain disulfide bridges at Cys-47-Cys-92, Cys-148-Cys-159 and Cys-152-Cys-155 and one interchain disulfide bridge at Cys-138 was determined by amino acid sequencing and composition analysis of cystine-containing peptides isolated by HPLC. The presence of an interchain disulfide bridge was also supported by the fact that the cystine peptide containing Cys-138 showed a negative color test for the free sulfhydryl group and a positive test after reduction with dithiothreitol. The molecular mass of non-reduced miraculin (43 kDa) in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was nearly twice the calculated molecular mass based on the amino acid sequence and the carbohydrate content of reduced miraculin (25 kDa). The molecular mass of native miraculin determined by low-angle laser light scattering was 90 kDa. Application of a crude extract of miraculin to a Sephadex G-75 column indicated that the taste-modifying activity appears at 52 kDa. It was concluded that native miraculin in pure form is a tetramer of the 25 kDa-peptide and native miraculin in crude state or denatured, non-reduced miraculin in pure form is a dimer of the peptide. Both tetramer miraculin and native dimer miraculin in crude state had the taste-modifying activity.     

Role of disulfide bridges in the folding, structure and biological activity of omega-conotoxin GVIA.

Omega-Conotoxin GVIA (GVIA), an N-type calcium channel blocker from the cone shell Conus geographus, is a 27 residue polypeptide cross-linked by three disulfide bonds. Here, we report the synthesis, structural analysis by (1)H NMR and bioassay of analogues of GVIA with disulfide bridge deletions and N- and C-terminal truncations. Two analogues that retain the crucial Lys-2 and Tyr-13 residues in loops constrained by two native disulfide bridges were synthesised using orthogonal protection of cysteine residues. In the first analogue, the Cys-15-Cys-26 disulfide bridge was deleted (by replacing the appropriate Cys residues with Ser), while in the second, this disulfide bridge and the eight C-terminal residues were deleted. No activity was detected for either analogue in a rat vas deferens assay, which measures N-type calcium channel activity in sympathetic nerve, and NMR studies showed that this was due to a gross loss of secondary and tertiary structure. Five inactive analogues that were synthesised without orthogonal protection of Cys residues as part of a previous study (Flinn et al. (1995) J. Pept. Sci. 1, 379-384) were also investigated. Three had single disulfide deletions (via Ser substitutions) and two had N- or C-terminal deletions in addition to the disulfide deletion. Peptide mapping and NMR analyses demonstrated that at least four of these analogues had non-native disulfide pairings, which presumably accounts for their lack of activity. The NMR studies also showed that all five analogues had substantially altered tertiary structures, although the backbone chemical shifts and nuclear Overhauser enhancements (NOEs) implied that native-like turn structures persisted in some of these analogues despite the non-native disulfide pairings. This work demonstrates the importance of the disulfides in omega-conotoxin folding and shows that the Cys-15-Cys-26 disulfide is essential for activity in GVIA. The NMR analyses also emphasise that backbone chemical shifts and short- and medium-range NOEs are dictated largely by local secondary structure elements and are not necessarily reliable monitors of the tertiary fold.     

Rat gro/melanoma growth-stimulating activity. Assessment of the structure responsible for chemotactic activity by use of its fragments prepared by proteolysis and chemical synthesis.

Rat gro/melanoma growth-stimulating activity is a dimer composed of two identical subunits. Each subunit consists of 72 amino-acid residues and contains two disulfide bridges. In order to obtain information on the structure responsible for chemotactic activity, various fragments of gro were prepared and tested for their ability to induce chemotaxis. None of the fragments corresponding to residues 1-6, 1-21, 12-31, 36-50 or 52-72 was active as a chemoattractant. Reduced and carboxymethylated gro as well as the tryptic peptide consisting of three peptides, residues 9-21, 28-45 were and 49-61, linked by two disulfide bonds Cys-9-Cys-35 and Cys-11-Cys-51, were inactive. Also, these, peptides did not inhibit the chemotactic activity of gro. Rat gro lacking the N-terminal 6 residues had a reduced activity and the one lacking the C-terminal Lys was as active as intact gro. Therefore, an almost entire portion of the molecule including disulfide cross-links is required for chemotactic activity.     

Structure of prothrombin fragment 1 refined at 2.8 A resolution

The structure of prothrombin fragment 1, solved at 2.8 A resolution (1 A = 0.1 nm) by a combination of multiple and single isomorphous replacement methods utilizing solvent flattening, has been refined by restrained least-squares methods (R = 0.24), solvent not included, using fairly stringent restraints on the molecular geometry and individual thermal parameters. The inner kringle loop possesses significantly lower B-values than the outer loops even though the former also constitutes a surface of the folded kringle structure. This surface forms the Lys sub-site of the fibrin binding site of other kringles. The hydrogen bonding network and ion pair interactions of fragment 1 appear to maintain a compact folded structure among the various loops of the kringle structure. On the other hand, since there is only one hydrogen bond between the kringle and its preceding 30 residues, considerable flexibility is suggested for the Gla-domain consistent with its disorder in crystals. A chitobiose has been located at the Asn77 glycosylation site, but only a single N-acetyl-glucosamine is ordered at Asn101. The lysine binding site region of other kringles is not properly developed in fragment 1, accounting for its lack of Lys/fibrin affinity. Most of the conserved sequence among 11 different kringles is associated with either: (1) protecting the inner loop disulfides Cys87-127, Cys115-139 upon which the folding is based; or (2) a requirement of the lysine binding site. The remainder of the conservation is generally associated with the ten reverse turns of the folding; of these 40 residues, or about half the sequence, 14 are conserved among eight different turns. The intermolecular packing consists of infinite helical columns of fragment 1 molecules related by a crystallographic 4(3) screw axis, which are held together by van der Waals' interactions of aromatic clusters from different molecules related by a crystallographic 2-fold rotation axis.     

Identification of in vivo disulfide conformation of TRPA1 ion channel

TRPA1 (transient receptor potential ankyrin 1) is an ion channel expressed in the termini of sensory neurons and is activated in response to a broad array of noxious exogenous and endogenous thiol-reactive compounds, making it a crucial player in chemical nociception. A number of conserved cysteine residues on the N-terminal domain of the channel have been identified as critical for sensing these electrophilic pungent chemicals, and our recent EM structure with modeled domains predicts that these cysteines form a ligand-binding pocket, allowing for the possibility of disulfide bonding between the cysteine residues. Here, we present a comprehensive mass spectrometry investigation of the in vivo disulfide bonding conformation and in vitro reactivity of 30 of the 31 cysteine residues in the TRPA1 ion channel. Four disulfide bonds were detected in the in vivo TRPA1 structure: Cys-666-Cys-622, Cys-666-Cys-463, Cys-622-Cys-609, and Cys-666-Cys-193. All of the cysteines detected were reactive to N-methylmaleimide (NMM) in vitro, with varying degrees of labeling efficiency. Comparison of the ratio of the labeling efficiency at 300 μM versus 2 mM NMM identified a number of cysteine residues that were outliers from the mean labeling ratio, suggesting that protein conformation changes rendered these cysteines either more or less protected from labeling at the higher NMM concentrations. These results indicate that the activation mechanism of TRPA1 may involve N-terminal conformation changes and disulfide bonding between critical cysteine residues.     

Structure of bovine prothrombin fragment 1 refined at 2.25 A resolution.

The structure of bovine prothrombin fragment 1 has been refined at 2.25 A resolution using high resolution measurements made with the synchrotron beam at CHESS. The synchrotron data were collected photographically by oscillation methods (R-merge = 0.08). These were combined with lower order diffractometer data for refinement purposes. The structure was refined using restrained least-squares methods with the program PROLSQ to a crystallographic R-value of 0.175. The structure includes 105 water molecules with occupancies of greater than 0.6. The first 35 residues (Ala1-Leu35) of the N-terminal gamma-carboxy glutamic acid-domain (Ala1-Cys48) of fragment 1 are disordered as are two carbohydrate chains of Mr approximately 5000; the latter two combine to render 40% of the structure disordered. The folding of the kringle of fragment 1 is related to the close intramolecular contact between the inner loop disulfide groups. Half of the conserved sequence of the kringle forms an inner core surrounding these disulfide groups. The remainder of the sequence conservation is associated with the many turns of the main chain. The Pro95 residue of the kringle has a cis conformation and Tyr74 is ordered in fragment 1, although nuclear magnetic resonance studies indicate that the comparable residue of plasminogen kringle 4 has two positions. Surface accessibility calculations indicate that none of the disulfide groups of fragment 1 is accessible to solvent.     

Assignment of disulfide bridges in the fusion glycoprotein of Sendai virus.

The mature fusion (F) glycoprotein of the paramyxovirus family consists of two disulfide-linked subunits, the N-terminal F2 and the C-terminal F1 subunits, and contains 10 cysteine residues which are highly conserved at specific positions. The high level of conservation strongly suggests that they are indeed disulfide linked and play important roles in the folding and functioning of the molecule. However, it has not even been clarified which cysteine residues link the F2 and F1 subunits. This report describes our assignment of the disulfide bridges in purified Sendai virus F glycoprotein by fragmentation of the polypeptide and isolation of cystine-containing peptides and determination of their N-terminal sequences. The data demonstrate that all of the 10 cysteine residues participate in disulfide bridges and that Cys-70, the only cysteine in F2, and Cys-199, the most upstream cysteine in F1, form the interchain bond. Of the remaining eight cysteine residues clustered near the transmembrane domain of F1, the specific bridges identified are Cys-338 to Cys-347 and Cys-362 to Cys-370. Although no exact pairings between the subsequent four residues were defined, it seems likely that the most downstream, Cys-424, is linked to Cys-394, Cys-399, or Cys-401. Thus, we conclude that the cysteine-rich domain indeed contributes to the formation of a bunched structure containing at least two tandem cystine loops.     

Structure of Ca2+ prothrombin fragment 1 including the conformation of the Gla domain

The structure of Ca2+ prothrombin fragment 1 has been solved at 2.8-A resolution by X-ray crystallographic methods. Most of the Gla domain of fragment 1 (residues 1-48), which is high homologous with the N-terminal regions of six other blood proteins, cannot be identified in the electron density map of the apo structure. This is not the case when crystals are grown in the presence of Ca2+ ions where the Gla domain exhibits a well-defined folded structure. The folding of the Gla domain is dominated by secondary structure: (a) 3.0 turns of alpha-helix (25%) and (b) five short beta-strands arranged into two beta-structural units (40%). The Cys18-Cys23 disulfide of the small conserved loop of Gla domains is close to a cluster of conserved aromatic residues. The resulting interaction is probably responsible for the fluorescence quenching event accompanying Ca2+ ion binding. Since the Gla domain approximates a discoid, all the Gla residues are easily accessible to solvent. The arrangement of the paired Gla residues (7-8, 20-21, 26-27) is highly suggestive in that they essentially line one edge of the Gla domain creating a potentially intense electronegative environment. This region might well be that associated with phospholipid binding. The kringle structure of Ca2+ fragment 1 is essentially indistinguishable from that of the apoprotein at this stage.     

A general model of the P2 protein of peripheral nervous system myelin based on secondary structure predictions, tertiary folding principles, and experimental observations

The amino acid sequence of the P2 protein of peripheral myelin was analyzed with regard to regions of probable alpha-helix, beta-structure, beta-turn, and unordered conformation by means of several algorithms commonly used to predict secondary structure in proteins. Because of the high beta-sheet content and virtual absence of alpha-helix shown by the circular dichroic spectra of the protein, a bias was introduced into the algorithms to favor the beta-structure over the alpha-helical conformation. In order to define those beta-sheet residues that could lie on the external hydrophilic surface of the protein and those that could lie in its hydrophobic interior, the predicted beta-strands were examined for charged and uncharged amino acids located at alternating positions in the sequence. The sequential beta-strands in the predicted secondary structure were then ordered into beta-sheets and aligned according to generally accepted tertiary folding principles and certain chemical properties peculiar to the P2 protein. The general model of the P2 protein that emerged was a "Greek key" beta-barrel, consisting of eight antiparallel beta-strands with a two-stranded ribbon of antiparallel beta-structure emerging from one end. The model has an uncharged, hydrophobic core and a highly hydrophilic surface. The two Cys residues, which form a disulfide, occur in a loop connecting two adjacent antiparallel strands. Two hydrophilic loops, each containing a cluster of acidic residues and a single Phe, protrude from one end of the molecule. The general model is consistent with many of the properties of the actual protein, including the relatively weak nature of its association with myelin lipids and the positions of amino acid substitutions. Alternative beta-strand orderings yield three specific models having different interstrand connections across the barrel ends.     

Primary structure of a hemorrhagic metalloproteinase, HT-2, isolated from the venom of Crotalus ruber ruber

Crotalidae and Viperidae snake venoms contains several kinds of metalloproteinases which cause localized hemorrhage by direct action on blood vessel walls. We report here the entire amino acid sequence and the disulfide bridge locations of HT-2, one of the hemorrhagic toxins isolated from the venom of Crotalus ruber ruber (red rattlesnake). The non-reduced protein was first cleaved at methionine residues to provide a set of 8 fragments, which covered the entire sequence of HT-2. The disulfide bridge locations of HT-2 were also determined by using these primary fragments. The unambiguous sequence for the whole protein was then established by conventional methods using lysyl endopeptidase and thermolysin digests. HT-2 consisted of 202 amino acid residues with two disulfide bridges, which were assigned to Cys-117-Cys-197 and Cys-157-Cys-164. HT-2 had a typical zinc-chelating sequence His-Glu-X-X-His (residues 142-146) found in thermolysin, and its overall sequence showed, respectively, 50, 52, and 53% identities to those of HR2a, H2-proteinase, and the metalloproteinase domain of HR1B. However, the disulfide bridge locations of HT-2 were different from those in the other metalloproteinases. The primary structure of HT-2 was more closely related to that of Ht-d from Crotalus atrox recently determined (81% identity). From the structural comparison with five metalloproteinases so far elucidated, six conservative amino acid residues, which may possibly be related to the induction of the hemorrhagic activity, were suggested to be present in these toxins.     

Solution structure of the tissue-type plasminogen activator kringle 2 domain complexed to 6-aminohexanoic acid an antifibrinolytic drug.

The solution structure of a recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator kringle 2 domain, complexed with the antifibrinolytic drug 6-aminohexanoic acid (6-AHA) was determined via 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and dynamical simulated annealing calculations. The structure determination is based on 610 intramolecular kringle 2 and 14 intermolecular kringle 2-6-AHA interproton distance restraints, as well as on 82 torsion angle restraints. Three sets of simulated annealing structures were computed from three different classes of starting structures: (1) random conformations devoid of disulfide bridges; (2) random conformations that contain correct disulfide bonds; and (3) a folded conformation modeled after the homologous prothrombin kringle 1 X-ray crystallographic structure. All three sets of structures are well defined, with averaged atomic root-mean-square deviations between individual structures and mean set structures of 0.77, 0.99 and 0.70 A for backbone atoms, and 1.36, 1.55 and 1.41 A for all atoms, respectively. Kringle 2 is an oblate ellipsoid with overall dimensions of approximately 34 A x 30 A x 17 A. It exhibits a compact globular conformation characterized by a number of turns and loop elements as well as by one right-handed alpha-helix and five (1 extended and 4 rudimentary) antiparallel beta-sheets. The extended beta-sheet exhibits a right-handed twist. Close van der Waals' contacts between the Cys22-Cys63 and Cys51-Cys75 disulfide bridges and the central hydrophobic core composed of the Trp25, Leu46, His48a and Trp62 side-chains are among the distinguishing features of the kringle 2 fold. The binding site for 6-AHA appears as a rather exposed cleft with a negatively charged locus defined by the Asp55 and Asp57 side-chains, and with an aromatic pocket structured by the Tyr36, Trp62, His64 and Trp72 side-chains. The Trp62 and His64 rings line the back surface of the pocket, while the Tyr36 and Trp72 rings confine it from two sides. The Trp62 and Trp72 indole rings conform a V-shaped groove. The methyl groups of Val35 also contribute lipophilic character to the ligand-interacting surface. It is suggested that the positively charged side-chains of Lys34 and, potentially, Arg69 may favor interactions with the carboxylate group of the ligand. The Trp25 and Tyr74 aromatic rings, although conserved elements of the binding site structure, seem not to undergo direct contacts with the ligand.     

Carrier subunit of plasma membrane transporter is required for oxidative folding of its helper subunit

We study the amino acid transport system b(0,+) as a model for folding, assembly, and early traffic of membrane protein complexes. System b(0,+) is made of two disulfide-linked membrane subunits: the carrier, b(0,+) amino acid transporter (b(0,+)AT), a polytopic protein, and the helper, related to b(0,+) amino acid transporter (rBAT), a type II glycoprotein. rBAT ectodomain mutants display folding/trafficking defects that lead to type I cystinuria. Here we show that, in the presence of b(0,+)AT, three disulfides were formed in the rBAT ectodomain. Disulfides Cys-242-Cys-273 and Cys-571-Cys-666 were essential for biogenesis. Cys-673-Cys-685 was dispensable, but the single mutants C673S, and C685S showed compromised stability and trafficking. Cys-242-Cys-273 likely was the first disulfide to form, and unpaired Cys-242 or Cys-273 disrupted oxidative folding. Strikingly, unassembled rBAT was found as an ensemble of different redox species, mainly monomeric. The ensemble did not change upon inhibition of rBAT degradation. Overall, these results indicated a b(0,+)AT-dependent oxidative folding of the rBAT ectodomain, with the initial and probably cotranslational formation of Cys-242-Cys-273, followed by the oxidation of Cys-571-Cys-666 and Cys-673-Cys-685, that was completed posttranslationally.     

The positions of the disulfide bonds and the glycosylation site in a lectin of the acorn barnacle Megabalanus rosa

The positions of the interchain and intrachain disulfide bonds and the glycosylation site in a lectin of the acorn barnacle Megabalanus rosa were determined. The lectin (Mr 140,000) is composed of the same subunit (Mr 22,000) which is cross-linked by disulfide bonds to form a dimer. Intact lectin yielded two fragments, CB1 and CB2, by cleavage with cyanogen bromide. One intrachain and two interchain disulfide bonds were identified as Cys-53-Cys-61, Cys-14-Cys-50' and Cys-50-Cys-14', respectively, by enzymatic digestion and Edman degradation of CB1. Two intrachain disulfide bonds were determined as Cys-78-Cys-168 and Cys-144-Cys-160 by enzymatic digestion of CB2. The two intrachain disulfide bonds are well conserved through all invertebrate lectins and calcium-dependent animal lectins. S-Carboxamidomethylated lectin was digested with Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase and separated by reversed-phase HPLC. Glycopeptides were detected by the 4-N,N-dimethylamino-4'-azobenzene sulfonyl hyrazide method. Sequence analyses of the glycopeptides showed that a carbohydrate chain attached to Asn-39.     

Disulfide bridges in tomato pectinesterase: variations from pectinesterases of other species; conservation of possible active site segments.

Analysis of tomato pectinesterase by carboxymethylation, with and without reduction, shows that the enzyme has two intrachain disulfide bridges. Analysis of fragments obtained from the native enzyme after digestion with pepsin identified bridges connecting Cys-98 with Cys-125, and Cys-166 with Cys-200. The locations of disulfide bridges in tomato pectinesterase are not identical to those in three distantly related pectinesterases (18-33% residue identities) from microorganisms. However, one half-Cys (i.e., Cys-166) position is conserved in all four enzymes. Sequence comparisons of the overall structures suggest a special importance for three short segments of the entire protein. One segment is at the N-terminal part of the tomato pectinesterase, another in the C-terminal portion near the distal end of the second disulfide loop, and the third segment is located in the central part between the two disulfide bridges. The latter segment, encompassing only 40 residues of the entire protein, appears to high-light a functional site in a midchain segment.     

Versatility and differential roles of cysteine residues in human prostacyclin receptor structure and function

Prostacyclin plays important roles in vascular homeostasis, promoting vasodilatation and inhibiting platelet thrombus formation. Previous studies have shown that three of six cytoplasmic cysteines, particularly those within the C-terminal tail, serve as important lipidation sites and are differentially conjugated to palmitoyl and isoprenyl groups (Miggin, S. M., Lawler, O. A., and Kinsella, B. T. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 6947-6958). Here we report distinctive roles for extracellular- and transmembrane-located cysteine residues in human prostacyclin receptor structure-function. Within the extracellular domain, all cysteines (4 of 4) appear to be involved in disulfide bonding interactions (i.e. a highly conserved Cys-92-Cys-170 bond and a putative non-conserved Cys-5-Cys-165 bond), and within the transmembrane (TM) region there are several cysteines (3 of 8) that maintain critical hydrogen bonding interactions (Cys-118 (TMIII), Cys-251 (TMVI), and Cys-202 (TMV)). This study highlights the necessity of sulfhydryl (SH) groups in maintaining the structural integrity of the human prostacyclin receptor, as 7 of 12 extracellular and transmembrane cysteines studied were found to be differentially indispensable for receptor binding, activation, and/or trafficking. Moreover, these results also demonstrate the versatility and reactivity of these cysteine residues within different receptor environments, that is, extracellular (disulfide bonds), transmembrane (H-bonds), and cytoplasmic (lipid conjugation).     

Structural and functional relations among thioredoxins of different species

Three-dimensional models have been constructed of homologous thioredoxins and protein disulfide isomerases based on the high resolution x-ray crystallographic structure of the oxidized form of Escherichia coli thioredoxin. The thioredoxins, from archebacteria to humans, have 27-69% sequence identity to E. coli thioredoxin. The models indicate that all the proteins have similar three-dimensional structures despite the large variation in amino acid sequences. As expected, residues in the active site region of thioredoxins are highly conserved. These include Asp-26, Ala-29, Trp-31, Cys-32, Gly-33, Pro-34, Cys-35, Asp-61, Pro-76, and Gly-92. Similar residues occur in most protein disulfide isomerase sequences. Most of these residues form the surface around the active site that appears to facilitate interactions with other enzymes. Other structurally important residues are also conserved. A proline at position 40 causes a kink in the alpha-2 helix and thus provides the proper position of the active site residues at the amino end of this helix. Pro-76 is important in maintaining the native structure of the molecule. In addition, residues forming the internal contact surfaces between the secondary structural elements are generally unchanged such as Phe-12, Val-25, and Phe-27.