Structure and dynamics of the influenza A M2 Channel: a comparison of three structures

The M2 protein is an essential component of the Influenza virus’ infectivity cycle. It is a homo-tetrameric bundle forming a pH-gated H⁺ channel. The structure of M2 was solved by three different groups, using different techniques, protein sequences and pH environment. For example, solid-state NMR spectroscopy was used on a protein in lipid bilayers, while X-ray crystallography and solution NMR spectroscopy were applied on a protein in detergent micelles. The resulting structures from the above efforts are rather distinct. Herein, we examine the different structures under uniform conditions such as a lipid bilayer and specified protonation state. We employ extensive molecular dynamics simulations, in several protonation states, representing both closed and open forms of the channel. Exploring the properties of each of these structures has shown that the X-ray structure is more stable than the other structures according to various criteria, although its water conductance and water-wire formation do not correlate to the protonation state of the channel.     

Structure of the monomeric outer-membrane porin OmpG in the open and closed conformation

OmpG, a monomeric pore-forming protein from Escherichia coli outer membranes, was refolded from inclusion bodies and crystallized in two different conformations. The OmpG channel is a 14-stranded beta-barrel, with short periplasmic turns and seven extracellular loops. Crystals grown at neutral pH show the channel in the open state at 2.3 A resolution. In the 2.7 A structure of crystals grown at pH 5.6, the pore is blocked by loop 6, which folds across the channel. The rearrangement of loop 6 appears to be triggered by a pair of histidine residues, which repel one another at acidic pH, resulting in the breakage of neighbouring H-bonds and a lengthening of loop 6 from 10 to 17 residues. A total of 151 ordered LDAO detergent molecules were found in the 2.3 A structure, mostly on the hydrophobic outer surface of OmpG, mimicking the outer membrane lipid bilayer, with three LDAO molecules in the open pore. In the 2.7 A structure, OmpG binds one OG and one glucose molecule as sugar substrates in the closed pore.     

Visualization of the cytoplasmic surface of Torpedo postsynaptic membranes by freeze-etch and immunoelectron microscopy

The synapse-specific Mr 43,000 protein (43K protein) and the acetylcholine receptor were visualized by freeze-etch immunoelectron microscopy in preparations of purified Torpedo postsynaptic membranes. Vesicles were immobilized on glass and then sheared open by sonication to expose the cytoplasmic surface. Membranes were labeled with monoclonal antibodies to the 43K protein or the acetylcholine receptor. The cytoplasmic surface was devoid of filamentous structure, and the 43K protein and the cytoplasmic projection of the acetylcholine receptor were associated with prominent surface particles. Acetylcholine receptor and 43K protein, in membrane surfaces in direct contact with glass coated with polyornithine, segregated into dense particle aggregates separated by smooth membrane patches, whereas those in contact with glass coated with Alcian Blue underwent little or no detectable rearrangement. After treatment of vesicles at alkaline pH to remove the 43K protein, the cytoplasmic surfaces were still covered by a dense array of particles that were more uniform in shape and appeared slightly shorter than those seen on unextracted membranes, but similar in height to the extracellular projection. Monoclonal antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor labeled these particles, while antibodies to 43K protein did not. We conclude that the 43K protein is in direct association with the receptor and that complexes of the receptor and 43K protein can undergo surface-induced lateral redistribution. In addition, the cytoplasmic projection of the acetylcholine receptor is sufficiently large to be readily detected by freeze-etch electron microscopy and is similar in height to the extracellular projection.     

Detergent-solubilized bovine cytochrome c oxidase: dimerization depends on the amphiphilic environment

The extent to which bovine cytochrome c oxidase (COX) dimerizes in nondenaturing detergent environments was assessed by sedimentation velocity and equilibrium. In contrast to generally accepted opinion, the COX dimer is difficult to maintain and is the major oligomeric form only when COX is solubilized with a low concentration of dodecylmaltoside, i.e., approximately 1 mg/mg protein. The dimer form is intrinsically unstable and dissociates into monomers with increased detergent concentration, i.e., >5 mg/mg protein. The structure of the solubilizing detergent, however, greatly alters detergent effectiveness by inducing either monomerization or aggregation. Triton X-100 is most effective at solubilizing COX, but it destabilizes COX dimers, even at low concentration. Undecylmaltoside, decylmaltoside, and octaethyleneglycolmonododecyl ether (C(12)E(8)) are less effective at solubilizing COX. Each prevents COX aggregation at high detergent concentration, but also destabilizes the COX dimer. Other detergents, e.g., Tween 20, sodium cholate, sodium deoxycholate, CHAPS, or CHAPSO, are completely ineffective COX solubilizers and do not prevent aggregation even at 10-40 mg/mL. The transition from dimers to monomers depends on many factors other than detergent structure and concentration, e.g., protein concentration, phospholipid content and pH. We conclude that the intrinsic dimeric structure of COX can be maintained only after solubilization with low concentrations of dodecylmaltoside at near neutral pH, and even then precautions must be taken to prevent its dissociation into monomers.     

Fine structure of the gap junction in the tunicate heart

Summary The plasma membranes of the tunicate heart exhibit an abundance of macular gap junctions distributed widely over the membrane surface. A study of these junctions by the freeze-etch technique was undertaken in an effort to elucidate the fine structure of this important membrane modification in a primitive heart. In cross or near-cross fractured junctions the junctional particles in contiguous membranes appear to be paired in register and to meet in the midline. In favorable face views, the junctional particles are seen to be disposed in hexagonal array. The individual particles display a distinct rosette-like substructure consistent with a six-membered ring of globular protein molecules clustered around a central channel. Similar junctional-type particles can be found in nonjunctional areas of membrane suggesting that the transport mechanism which they may represent is not restricted to the gap junction.Career Investigator of the American Heart AssociationWe wish to thank Dr. J.B. Jillett for use of the facilities of the Portobello Marine Biological Station; Mr. W.S. Bertaud, Physics and Engineering Laboratory, D.S.I.R., Lower Hutt, who kindly supervised the preparation of some of the freeze-etch replicas; Dr. R.H. Millar of the Dunstaffnage Marine Research Laboratory, Oban, Argyll, Scotland, who identified the tunicate used in the present (and previous) study; Prof. W.D. Trotter who made facilities in the Department of Anatomy, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin, available to one of us (V.L.); and Mrs. S.M. O'Kane for excellent technical assistance. Generous support from the American Heart Association (to V.L.) and from the Medical Research Council of New Zealand (to D.G.R.) is gratefully acknowledged     

The fine structure of the bovine Descemet's membrane with special reference to biochemical nature

Summary A freeze-etch replica method combined with biochemical analyses was used to investigate the ultrastructural organization of the bovine Descemet's membrane.The freeze-etch replica observations revealed that the intact Descemet's membranes were composed of stacks of two-dimensionally arranged hexagonal lattices, in which four components were resolved; (1) round densities as nodes, (2) rod-like structures connecting the densities, (3) randomly oriented fine filaments within the lattices, and (4) amorphous materials covering the lattices.When the membranes were treated with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and mercaptoethanol, only the amorphous materials were solubilized. However, both the amorphous materials and rod-like structures disappeared in SDS-mercaptoethanol-urea-treated membranes. When the membranes were treated with a very low concentration (0.0005%) of collagenase, rod-like structures and round densities remained insoluble. If the concentration was raised to 0.01%, only the round densities persisted.Comparing these data with the amino acid analysis of each fraction, the following conclusions may be drawn: rod-like structures and fine filaments contain collagenous proteins of different solubility, while round densities and amorphous materials are non-collagenous in nature.     

Backbone dynamics of a model membrane protein: 13C NMR spectroscopy of alanine methyl groups in detergent-solubilized M13 coat protein

The filamentous coliphage M13 possesses multiple copies of a 50-residue coat protein which is inserted into the inner membrane of Escherichia coli during infection. 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has been used to probe the structure and dynamics of M13 coat protein solubilized in detergent micelles. A comparison of backbone dynamics within the hydrophobic core region and the hydrophilic terminal domains was obtained by biosynthetic incorporation of [3-13C]alanine. Alanine is distributed throughout the protein and accounts for 10 residues (i.e., 20% of the total). Similar 13C NMR spectra of the protein have been obtained in two anionic detergents, sodium deoxycholate and sodium dodecyl sulfate, although the structures and physical properties of these solubilizing agents are quite different. The N-terminal alanine residues, assigned by pH titration, and the penultimate residue, assigned by carboxypeptidase A digestion, give rise to analogous peaks in both detergent systems. The pKa of Ala-1 (approximately 8.8) and the relaxation parameters of individual carbon atoms (T1, T2, and the nuclear Overhauser enhancement) are also generally similar, suggesting a similarity in the overall protein structure. Relaxation data have been analyzed according to the model-free approach of Lipari and Szabo [Lipari, G., & Szabo, A. (1982) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 104, 4546-4559]. The overall correlation times were obtained by fitting the three experimental relaxation values for a given well-resolved single carbon atom to obtain a unique value for the generalized order parameter, S2, and the effective correlation time, tau e. The former parameter reflects the spatial restriction of motion, and the latter, the rate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The Sodium Channel Has Four Domains Surrounding a Central Pore

The voltage-gated sodium channel generates the action potential. This 300-kDa protein has four homologous regions, which are also homologous to the voltage-sensitive tetrameric potassium channel. We isolated sodium channels fromElectrophorus electricuselectroplax by detergent solubilization and immunoaffinity chromatography and studied their structure by electron microscopy of negatively stained specimens. Different projections were aligned, classified, and averaged. In side view, the channel protein exhibits the shape of a truncated cone, 14 nm in height. One end has a diameter of 12 nm and is asymmetric, while the other is more symmetric and has a diameter of 7–10 nm. In top views, the sodium channel appears to consist of four domains of different size and to have a stain-filled pore in the center.     

The Full-Length Mu-Opioid Receptor: A Conformational Study by Circular Dichroism in Trifluoroethanol and Membrane-Mimetic Environments

The secondary structure content of the recombinant human mu-opioid receptor (HuMOR) solubilized in trifluoroethanol (TFE) and in detergent micelles was investigated by circular dichroism. In both conditions, this G protein-coupled receptor adopts a characteristic alpha-helical structure, with minima at 208 and 222 nm as observed in the circular dichroism spectra. After deconvolution of spectra, the alpha-helix contents were estimated to be in the range of 50% in TFE and in sodium dodecyl sulfate at pH 6. These values are in accordance with the predicted secondary structure content determined for the mu-opioid receptor. A pH-dependent effect was observed on the secondary structure of the receptor solubilized in detergents, which demonstrates the essential role of ionic and hydrophobic interactions on the secondary structure. Circular dichroism spectra of EGFP-HuMOR, a fusion protein between the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and the mu-opioid receptor, and EGFP solubilized in TFE were also analyzed as part of this study.     

Effect of the purified (Mg2+ + Ca2+)-activated ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum upon the passive Ca2+ permeability and ultrastructure of phospholipid vesicles.

The passive Ca2+ permeability of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes is 10(4) to 10(61 times greater than that of liposomes prepared from natural or synthetic phospholipids. The contribution of membrane proteins to the Ca2+ permeability was studied by incorporating the purified [Ca2+ + Mg2+]-activated ATPase into bilayer membranes prepared from different phospholipids. The incorporation of the Ca2+ transport ATPase into the lipid phase increased its Ca2+ permeability to levels approaching that of sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. The permeability change may arise from a reordering of the structure of the lipid phase in the environment of the protein or could represent a specific property of the protein itself. The calcium-binding protein of sarcoplasmic reticulum did not produce a similar effect. The increased rate of Ca2+ release from reconstituted ATPase vesicles is not a carrier-mediated process as indicated by the linear dependence of the Ca2+ efflux upon the gradient of Ca2+ concentration and by the absence of competition and countertransport between Ca2+ and other divalent metal ions. The increased Ca2+ permeability upon incorporation of the transport ATPase into the lipid phase is accompanied by similar increase in the permeability of the vesicles for sucrose, Na+, choline, and SO42- indicating that the transport ATPase does not act as a specific Ca2+ channel. Native sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes are asymmetric structures and the 75-A particles seen by freeze-etch electron microscopy are located primarily in the outer fracture face. In reconstituted ATPase vesicles the distribution of the particles between the two fracture faces is even, indicating that complete structural reconstitution was not achieved. The Ca2+ transport activity of reconstituted ATPase vesicles is also much less than that of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum. The density of the 40-A surface particles visible after negative staining of native or reconstituted vesicles is greater than that of the intramembranous particles and the relationship between these two structures remains to be established.     

Characterization of apolipoprotein B from human serum low density lipoprotein in n-dodecyl octaethyleneglycol monoether: an electron microscope study

We have studied the structure of the totally delipidated polypeptide (apolipoprotein B [apo B]) present in low-density serum lipoprotein in detergent (n-dodecyl octaethyleneglycol monoether) solution by electron microscopy. The protein-detergent complex appears as a rod-shaped particle, 75-80 nm long and 4.5-5.5 nm wide. The volume of this particle is consistent with the previously published composition reported by Watt and Reynolds (1980, Biochemistry 19:1593-1598) of two copies of apo B and five to six equivalent micelles of detergent. The asymmetric particle possesses a high degree of flexibility and a strong tendency to self-associate in an orderly fashion. The extent of this association is pH dependent.     

Recombinant Production,Reconstruction in Lipid–Protein Nanodiscs,and Electron Microscopy of Full-Length α-Subunit of Human Potassium Channel Kv7.1

Voltage-gated potassium channel Kv7.1 plays an important role in the excitability of cardiac muscle. The α-subunit of Kv7.1 (KCNQ1) is the main structural element of this channel. Tetramerization of KCNQ1 in the membrane results in formation of an ion channel, which comprises a pore and four voltage-sensing domains. Mutations in the human KCNQ1 gene are one of the major causes of inherited arrhythmias, long QT syndrome in particular. The construct encoding full-length human KCNQ1 protein was synthesized in this work, and an expression system in the Pichia pastoris yeast cells was developed. The membrane fraction of the yeast cells containing the recombinant protein (rKCNQ1) was solubilized with CHAPS detergent. To better mimic the lipid environment of the channel, lipid–protein nanodiscs were formed using solu- bilized membrane fraction and MSP2N2 protein. The rKCNQ1/nanodisc and rKCNQ1/CHAPS samples were purified using the Rho1D4 tag introduced at the C-terminus of the protein. Protein samples were examined using transmission electron microscopy with negative staining. In both cases, homogeneous rKCNQ1 samples were observed based on image analysis. Statistical analysis of the images of individual protein particles solubilized in the detergent revealed the presence of a tetrameric structure confirming intact subunit assembly. A three-dimensional channel structure reconstructed at 2.5-nm resolution represents a compact density with diameter of the membrane part of ~9 nm and height ~11 nm. Analysis of the images of rKCNQ1 in nanodiscs revealed additional electron density corresponding to the lipid bilayer fragment and the MSP2N2 protein. These results indicate that the nanodiscs facilitate protein isolation, purification, and stabilization in solution and can be used for further structural studies of human Kv7.1.     

The secondary structure of gap junctions. Influence of isolation methods and proteolysis.

Paired intercellular transmembrane channels, termed connexons, comprised of hexameric assemblies of gap junction protein, were isolated and purified from rat liver by exploiting their resistance to either Sarkosyl detergent solubilization or alkali extraction. The secondary structures of the gap junction proteins prepared by these methods were compared by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Both the spectra and the calculated net secondary structures of the proteins obtained by the two isolation methods were different. The protein isolated by the Sarkosyl treatment was found to be approximately 50% alpha-helical, while protein isolated by alkali extraction had a lower helix content (approximately 40%). In both types of preparations, however, the helical content of the gap junction protein was sufficiently large to be consistent with an all-helical model for the membrane-spanning parts of the structure. CD spectroscopy was also used to examine the effects of proteolytic digestion of the cytoplasmic domain on the net secondary structure of the detergent-treated gap junction protein. The membrane-bound fragments had a slightly higher proportion of their residues that were alpha-helical in nature, suggesting that the transmembrane and/or intra-gap domains are indeed enriched in this type of secondary structure. This information constrains the range of models which can be realistically proposed for the channel structure.     

Correct folding of the beta-barrel of the human membrane protein VDAC requires a lipid bilayer

Spontaneous membrane insertion and folding of beta-barrel membrane proteins from an unfolded state into lipid bilayers has been shown previously only for few outer membrane proteins of Gram-negative bacteria. Here we investigated membrane insertion and folding of a human membrane protein, the isoform 1 of the voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (hVDAC1) of mitochondrial outer membranes. Two classes of transmembrane proteins with either alpha-helical or beta-barrel membrane domains are known from the solved high-resolution structures. VDAC forms a transmembrane beta-barrel with an additional N-terminal alpha-helix. We demonstrate that similar to bacterial OmpA, urea-unfolded hVDAC1 spontaneously inserts and folds into lipid bilayers upon denaturant dilution in the absence of folding assistants or energy sources like ATP. Recordings of the voltage-dependence of the single channel conductance confirmed folding of hVDAC1 to its active form. hVDAC1 developed first beta-sheet secondary structure in aqueous solution, while the alpha-helical structure was formed in the presence of lipid or detergent. In stark contrast to bacterial beta-barrel membrane proteins, hVDAC1 formed different structures in detergent micelles and phospholipid bilayers, with higher content of beta-sheet and lower content of alpha-helix when inserted and folded into lipid bilayers. Experiments with mixtures of lipid and detergent indicated that the content of beta-sheet secondary structure in hVDAC1 decreased at increased detergent content. Unlike bacterial beta-barrel membrane proteins, hVDAC1 was not stable even in mild detergents such as LDAO or dodecylmaltoside. Spontaneous folding of outer membrane proteins into lipid bilayers indicates that in cells, the main purpose of membrane-inserted or associated assembly factors may be to select and target beta-barrel membrane proteins towards the outer membrane instead of actively assembling them under consumption of energy as described for the translocons of cytoplasmic membranes.     

Studies on the conformation of α-globulin fromSesamum indicum L. in cationic and nonionic detergents

The circular dichroic spectra of α-globulin fromSesamum indicum L. was recorded in the presence of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide, Triton X-100 and Brij-36T. The protein in 0.2 M phosphate buffer pH 7.4 had about 25% Β-structure and 5% α-helix, the rest being aperiodic or irregular structure and a-helix, structure was increased by cationic detergent cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide. But, the increase in α-helix content was much less than that induced by an anionic detergent, sodium dodecyl sulphate. In non-ionic detergent like Brij-36T and Triton X-100, specific Β-structures like II-Β and I-Β were formed along with changes in α-helical and aperiodic structures. These results suggest that the protein has a fairly labile quaternary structure. Part of this work was presented at the Second FAOB Congress and Golden Jubilee Meeting of the Society of Biological Chemists (India) held during December 14–18, 1980 at Bangalore, India (Indian J. Biochem. Biophys.) and the work was done at the Biochemistry Department, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02254 USA.     

Reconstitution of the M13 major coat protein and its transmembrane peptide segment on a DNA template

The major coat protein (pVIII) of M13 phage is of particular interest to structure biologists since it functions in two different environments: during assembly and infection, it interacts with the bacterial lipid bilayer, but in the phage particle, it exists as a protein capsid to protect a closed circular, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genome. We synthesized pVIII and a 32mer peptide consisting of the transmembrane and DNA binding domains of pVIII. The 32mer peptide displays typically an alpha-helical structure in trifluroethanol or 0.2 M octylglucoside solutions similar to pVIII. Attachment of polyethylene glycol (PEG) onto the N-terminal of 32mer increased the alpha-helical content and the peptide thermal stability. The peptides were reconstituted with DNA from a detergent solution into a discrete (<200 nm diameter) nanoparticle on both linear double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and linear ssDNA, where the linear dsDNA is used to mimic the closed circular, ssDNA in M13 phage, upon removal of the detergent. The peptide/DNA particle was an irregular and not a rod-shaped aggregate when imaged by atomic force microscopy. All three peptides underwent a structural transition from alpha-helix to beta-sheet within approximately 1 h of DNA addition to the detergent solution. There was a further decrease in alpha-helical content when the detergent was removed. The presence of anionic (such as octanoic acid) or cationic (such as 1,5-diaminopentane) molecules in the detergent mixture resulted in the retention of the peptide alpha-helical structure. Thus the interaction between the peptide and DNA in octylglucoside is driven by electrostatic forces, and peptide-peptide interactions are responsible for the transition from alpha-helix to beta-sheet conformation in pVIII and its analogues. These results suggest that the assembly process to form a rod-shaped phage is a delicate balance to maintain pVIII in an alpha-helical conformation that requires either an oriented bilayer to solubilize pVIII prior to interaction with the DNA or other phage proteins to nucleate pVIII in the alpha-helical conformation on the DNA.     

Influenza virus proteins: preparation of a soluble M1 polypeptide by means of a stepwise deproteination of virions

Layer by layer uncoating of influenza A and B viruses with non-ionic detergent (NP-40) at fixed pH was developed. Treatment of virions with NP-40 at neutral or alkaline pH solubilized the lipoprotein envelope and the surface glycopolypeptides HA1 and HA2, but the internal core structures containing matrix protein M1 remained. Exposition of the cores in acidic media (pH 4,5 and lower) selectively solubilized protein M1 and released viral ribonucleoprotein (RNP). The resulting M1 sedimented in a glycerol gradient with a coefficient of 2.8 S and most probably exists as a monomer of 27,000 Da polypeptide. Neutralization of protein M1 with Tris-HC1 at pH 7.0 did not cause aggregation of M1 polypeptides. The described method of viron layer by layer uncoating with non-ionic detergent at fixed pH is suitable for isolation of subvirus structures and individual viral proteins.     

形貌调控与镀层修饰结合制备口服疫苗载体*

口服疫苗因其具有接种方便、能产生黏膜免疫等优点而备受关注,但胃肠道屏障、酸性环境和蛋白酶等不利条件制约了口服疫苗免疫效果的发挥。为提升其免疫效果,将形貌调控与镀层修饰策略结合制备新型口服疫苗载体,具体为将溶剂蒸发法与快速膜乳化法结合制备聚乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物(PLGA)杆状颗粒,并采用能够增强免疫反应的β-葡聚糖及具有更高降解pH的硫醇化修饰的羟丙基甲基纤维素苯二甲酸酯(T-HPMCP)对PLGA杆状颗粒镀层修饰。在制备PLGA杆状颗粒时,通过对外水相条件的摸索制备出了适合小肠上皮细胞摄取的长度在2~4 μm、宽度在1~2 μm的PLGA杆状颗粒。体外实验结果表明通过T-HPMCP修饰的疫苗载体在酸性环境下保持稳定有利于抗原活性保护,同时能够在pH≥7.4时分解而使抗原释放。细胞和动物实验结果表明其特殊的杆状形貌可实现较高的肠道上皮摄取速率及转运效率,并且β-葡聚糖的修饰能活化树突状细胞(DC),提升OVA特异性IgA和IgG抗体水平。综上,制备的镀层PLGA杆状颗粒作为口服疫苗载体可提升机体免疫应答,为口服疫苗的研究提供了新的材料和思路。     

Virus-Induced Cytoplasmic Membrane Structures Associated with Semliki Forest Virus Infection Studied by the Freeze-Etching Method

Intracellular membrane structures associated with the Semliki Forest virus replication process were studied from freeze-etch replicas. Cleaved membrane structures inside the CPV I type vacuoles lacked the typical membrane particles present on most other fractured membranes. CPV II type vacuoles present in thin sections were obscured in the freeze-etch replicas by the cytoplasmic ground substance.     

Interaction of alpha-gliadin with poly(HEMA-co-SS): structural characterization and biological implication

The wheat gluten protein alpha-gliadin, a well known trigger of celiac disease, can be complexed by random copolymers of hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and sodium 4-styrene sulfonate (SS). In this work, influence of alpha-gliadin and poly(HEMA-co-SS) concentrations on alpha-gliadin structure was studied using spectroscopic techniques and dynamic light scattering. In 70% ethanol or 0.06M HCl (pH 1.2), alpha-gliadin was found to self-associate upon increasing its concentrations and displayed decreased alpha-helical content and increased beta-turn and beta-sheet contents. At pH 1.2, alpha-gliadin interacted with poly(HEMA-co-SS) to form supra-molecular complex particles. Poly(HEMA-co-SS) induced alpha-gliadin structural changes that mimicked those obtained by varying the protein concentration in pure solution. At pH 6.8, alpha-gliadin was poorly soluble and formed large particles but alpha-helix is still main secondary structure. The influence of the polymer on protein structure was weaker at neutral than acidic pH. Interaction with poly(HEMA-co-SS) disrupted alpha-gliadin conformation and self-association to form new complex particles at neutral pH. This study provides insight into the mechanism of poly(HEMA-co-SS)/alpha-gliadin interaction and the polymer as alpha-gliadin sequestering agents in the supportive treatment of celiac disease.