RESUMO
Southern bean mosaic virus (SBMV) RNA purified from infected plants was used for cloning the viral genome-linked protein (VPg) and was subsequently expressed in Escherichia coli. Circular dichroism (CD), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and saturation transfer difference (STD) by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements were employed to determine the degree of monodispersity and to investigate the conformational changes in the absence and presence of trifluoroethanol (TFE) which indicated increased helical content with increasing concentration of TFE. 8-Anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) was used as a probe to compare the unfolding regions of the protein before and after addition of TFE. The results indicated that although the TFE concentration influences VPg folding, it does not play a role in nucleotide binding and that the local solvent hydrophobicity causes significant conformational changes.
Assuntos
Fabaceae/virologia , Vírus de Plantas/genética , Vírus de Plantas/metabolismo , Trifluoretanol/metabolismo , Trifluoretanol/farmacologia , Proteínas não Estruturais Virais/genética , Proteínas não Estruturais Virais/metabolismo , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Expressão Gênica , Histidina , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Nucleotídeos/metabolismo , Ligação Proteica , Conformação Proteica/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteínas não Estruturais Virais/químicaRESUMO
Homology modeling of the angiotensin II AT(1A) receptor based on rhodopsin's crystal structure has assigned the 92-100 (YRWPFGNHL) sequence of the receptor to its first extracellular loop. Solution and membrane-bound conformational properties of a peptide containing this sequence (EL1) were examined by CD, fluorescence, and (1)H-NMR. CD spectra in aqueous solution revealed an equilibrium between less organized and folded conformers. NMR spectra indicated the coexistence of trans and cis isomers of the Trp(3)-Pro(4) bond. A positive band at 226 nm in the CD spectra suggested aromatic ring stacking, modulated by EL1's ionization degree. CD spectra showed that trifluoroethanol (TFE), or binding to detergent micelles and phospholipid bilayers, shifted the equilibrium toward conformers with higher secondary structure content. Different media gave rise to spectra suggestive of different beta-turns. Chemical shift changes in the NMR spectra corroborated the stabilization of different conformations. Thus, environments of lower polarity or binding to interfaces probably favored the formation of hydrogen bonds, stabilizing beta-turns, predicted for this sequence in the whole receptor. Increases in Trp(3) fluorescence intensity and anisotropy, blue shifts of the maximum emission wavelength, and pK changes also evinced the interaction between EL1 and model membranes. Binding was seen to depend on both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, as well as lipid phase packing. Studies with water-soluble and membrane-bound fluorescence quenchers demonstrated that Trp(3) is located close to the water-membrane interface. The results are discussed with regard to possible implications in receptor folding and function.