Syntheses, structures, thermal behavior and solution studies of two types of Hg(II) complexes with [1,3-di(2-methoxy)benzene]triazene

The reaction of [1,3-di(2-methoxy)benzene]triazene, [HL], with Hg(CH₃COO)₂ and Hg(SCN)₂ in methanol as solvent, resulted in the formation of [HgL₂] (1) and [HgL(SCN)] (2), respectively. These compounds were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, CHN and TGA-DTA analysis. In the lattice of the compound 1, the mono-nuclear complexes were connected to dimer structure by intermolecular non-classical C-H···O hydrogen bonds. Also, weak Hg-η²-arene π-interactions link the dimers into 1D supramolecular chains. The compound 2 is a 2D coordination polymer induced by C-H···π stacking interactions between 1D chains produced by weak Hg-η³-η³-arene π-interactions. The results of studies of the stoichiometry and formation of complexes of 1 and 2 in methanol solution were found to be in support of their solid state stoichiometry.     

Disease-associated F198S mutation increases the propensity of the recombinant prion protein for conformational conversion to scrapie-like form

The critical step in the pathogenesis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (prion diseases) is the conversion of a cellular prion protein (PrP(c)) into a protease-resistant, beta-sheet rich form (PrP(Sc)). Although the disease transmission normally requires direct interaction between exogenous PrP(Sc) and endogenous PrP(C), the pathogenic process in hereditary prion diseases appears to develop spontaneously (i.e. not requiring infection with exogenous PrP(Sc)). To gain insight into the molecular basis of hereditary spongiform encephalopathies, we have characterized the biophysical properties of the recombinant human prion protein variant containing the mutation (Phe(198) --> Ser) associated with familial Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease. Compared with the wild-type protein, the F198S variant shows a dramatically increased propensity to self-associate into beta-sheet-rich oligomers. In a guanidine HCl-containing buffer, the transition of the F198S variant from a normal alpha-helical conformation into an oligomeric beta-sheet structure is about 50 times faster than that of the wild-type protein. Importantly, in contrast to the wild-type PrP, the mutant protein undergoes a spontaneous conversion to oligomeric beta-sheet structure even in the absence of guanidine HCl or any other denaturants. In addition to beta-sheet structure, the oligomeric form of the protein is characterized by partial resistance to proteinase K digestion, affinity for amyloid-specific dye, thioflavine T, and fibrillar morphology. The increased propensity of the F198S variant to undergo a conversion to a PrP(Sc)-like form correlates with a markedly decreased thermodynamic stability of the native alpha-helical conformer of the mutant protein. This correlation supports the notion that partially unfolded intermediates may be involved in conformational conversion of the prion protein.     

Polymorphism at residue 129 modulates the conformational conversion of the D178N variant of human prion protein 90-231

One of the arguments in favor of the protein-only hypothesis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies is the link between inherited prion diseases and specific mutations in the PRNP gene. One such mutation (Asp178 --> Asn) is associated with two distinct disorders: fatal familial insomnia or familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, depending upon the presence of Met or Val at position 129, respectively. In this study, we have characterized the biophysical properties of recombinant human prion proteins (huPrP90-231) corresponding to the polymorphic variants D178N/M129 and D178N/V129. In comparison to the wild-type protein, both polymorphic forms of D178N huPrP show a greatly increased propensity for a conversion to beta-sheet-rich oligomers (at acidic pH) and thioflavine T-positive amyloid fibrils (at neutral pH). Importantly, the conversion propensity for the D178N variant is strongly dependent upon the M/V polymorphism at position 129, whereas under identical experimental conditions, no such dependence is observed for the wild-type protein. Amyloid fibrils formed by wild-type huPrP90-231 and the D178N variant are characterized by different secondary structures, and these structures are further modulated by residue 129 polymorphism. Although on the basis of only in vitro data, this study strongly suggests that polymorphism-dependent phenotypic variability of familial prion diseases may be linked to differences in biophysical properties of prion protein variants.     

Molecular basis of barriers for interspecies transmissibility of mammalian prions

Spongiform encephalopathies are believed to be transmitted by a unique mechanism involving self-propagating conformational conversion of prion protein into a misfolded form. Here we demonstrate that fundamental aspects of mammalian prion propagation, including the species barrier and strain diversity, can be reproduced in vitro in a seeded fibrillization of the recombinant prion protein variant Y145Stop. Our data show that species-specific substitution of a single amino acid in a critical region completely changes the seeding specificity of prion protein fibrils. Furthermore, we demonstrate that sequence-based barriers that prevent cross-seeding between proteins from different species can be bypassed, and new barriers established, by a template-induced adaptation process that leads to the emergence of new strains of prion fibrils. Although the seeding barriers observed in this study do not fully match those seen in animals, the present findings provide fundamental insight into mechanistic principles of these barriers at a molecular level.     

On the mechanism of alpha-helix to beta-sheet transition in the recombinant prion protein

It is believed that the critical event in the pathogenesis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies is the conversion of the prion protein from an alpha-helical form, PrP(C), to a beta-sheet-rich conformer, PrP(Sc). Recently, we have shown that incubation of the recombinant prion protein under mildly acidic conditions (pH 5 or below) in the presence of low concentrations of guanidine hydrochloride results in a transition to PrP(Sc)-like beta-sheet-rich oligomers that show fibrillar morphology and an increased resistance to proteinase K digestion [Swietnicki, W., Morillas, M, Chen, S., Gambetti, P., and Surewicz, W. K. (2000) Biochemistry 39, 424-431]. To gain insight into the mechanism of this transition, in the present study we have characterized the biophysical properties of the recombinant human prion protein (huPrP) at acidic pH in the presence of urea and salt. Urea alone induces unfolding of the protein but does not result in protein self-association or a conversion to beta-sheet structure. However, a time-dependent transition to beta-sheet structure occurs upon addition of both urea and NaCl to huPrP, even at a sodium chloride concentration as low as 50 mM. This transition occurs concomitantly with oligomerization of the protein. At a given protein and sodium chloride concentration, the rate of monomeric alpha-helix to oligomeric beta-sheet transition is strongly dependent on the concentration of urea. Low and medium concentrations of the denaturant accelerate the reaction, whereas strongly unfolding conditions are not conducive to the conversion of huPrP into an oligomeric beta-sheet-rich structure. The present data strongly suggest that partially unfolded intermediates may be involved in the transition of the monomeric recombinant prion protein into the oligomeric scrapie-like form.