Structure of model peptides based on Nephila clavipes dragline silk spidroin (MaSp1) studied by 13C cross polarization/magic angle spinning NMR

To obtain detailed structural information for spider dragline spidroin (MaSp1), we prepared three versions of the consensus peptide GGLGGQGAGAAAAAAGGAGQGGYGGLGSQGAGR labeled with 13C at six different sites. The 13C CP/MAS NMR spectra were observed after treating the peptides with different reagents known to alter silk protein conformations. The conformation-dependent 13C NMR chemical shifts and peak deconvolution were used to determine the local structure and the fractional compositions of the conformations, respectively. After trifluoroacetic acid (solvent)/diethyl ether (coagulant) treatment, the N-terminal region of poly-Ala (PLA) sequence, Ala8 and Ala10, adopted predominantly the alpha-helix with a substantial amount of beta-sheet. The central region, Ala15, Ala18, and Leu26, and C-terminal region, Ala31, of the peptide were dominated by either 3(1)-helix or alpha-helix. There was no indication of beta-sheet, although peak broadening indicates that the torsion angle distribution is relatively large. After 9 M LiBr/dialysis treatment, three kinds of conformation, beta-sheet, random coil, and 3(1)-helix, appeared, in almost equal amounts of beta-sheet and random coil conformations for Ala8 and Ala10 residues and distorted 3(1)-helix at the central region of the peptide. In contrast, after formic acid/methanol and 8 M urea/acetonitrile treatments, all of the local structure tends to beta-sheet, although small amounts of random coil are also observed. The peak pattern of the Ala Cbeta carbon after 8 M urea/acetonitrile treatment is similar to the corresponding patterns of silk fiber from Bombyx mori and Samia cynthia ricini. We also synthesized a longer 13C-labeled peptide containing two PLA blocks and three Gly-rich blocks. After 8 M urea/acetonitrile treatment, the conformation pattern was closely similar to that of the shorter peptide.