RESUMEN
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide, and it is caused by crystallin damage and aggregation. Senile cataractous lenses have relatively high levels of metals, while some metal ions can directly induce the aggregation of human γ-crystallins. Here, we evaluated the impact of divalent metal ions in the aggregation of human ßB2-crystallin, one of the most abundant crystallins in the lens. Turbidity assays showed that Pb2+, Hg2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ ions induce the aggregation of ßB2-crystallin. Metal-induced aggregation is partially reverted by a chelating agent, indicating the formation of metal-bridged species. Our study focused on the mechanism of copper-induced aggregation of ßB2-crystallin, finding that it involves metal-bridging, disulfide-bridging, and loss of protein stability. Circular dichroism and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) revealed the presence of at least three Cu2+ binding sites in ßB2-crystallin, one of them with spectroscopic features typical for Cu2+ bound to an amino-terminal copper and nickel (ATCUN) binding motif, which is found in Cu transport proteins. The ATCUN-like Cu binding site is located at the unstructured N-terminus of ßB2-crystallin, and it could be modeled by a peptide with the first six residues in the protein sequence (NH2-ASDHQF-). Isothermal titration calorimetry indicates a nanomolar Cu2+ binding affinity for the ATCUN-like site. An N-truncated form of ßB2-crystallin is more susceptible to Cu-induced aggregation and is less thermally stable, indicating a protective role for the ATCUN-like site. EPR and X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies reveal the presence of a copper redox active site in ßB2-crystallin that is associated with metal-induced aggregation and formation of disulfide-bridged oligomers. Our study demonstrates metal-induced aggregation of ßB2-crystallin and the presence of putative copper binding sites in the protein. Whether the copper-transport ATCUN-like site in ßB2-crystallin plays a functional/protective role or constitutes a vestige from its evolution as a lens structural protein remains to be elucidated.