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Expanding the Concepts in Protein Structure-Function Relationships and Enzyme Kinetics: Teaching using Morpheeins.

ABSTRACT: A morpheein is a homo-oligomeric protein that can exist as an ensemble of physiologically significant and functionally different alternate quaternary assemblies. Morpheeins exist in nature and utilize conformational equilibria between different tertiary structures to form distinct oligomers as a means of regulating their function. Notably, alternate morpheeins are not misfolded forms of a protein; they are differently assembled native states that contain alternate subunit conformations. Transitions between alternate morpheein assemblies involve oligomer dissociation, conformational change in the dissociated state, and reassembly to a different oligomer. These transitions occur in response to the protein's environment, e.g., effector molecules, and represent a new model of allosteric regulation. The unique features of morpheeins are being revealed through detailed characterization of the prototype enzyme, porphobilinogen synthase, which exists in a dynamic equilibrium of a high activity octamer, a low activity hexamer, and two dimer conformations. Morpheeins are likely far more common than previously appreciated. There are, however, both intellectual and experimental barriers to recognizing proteins as morpheeins. These barriers derive from the way we were taught and continue to teach about protein folding, protein purification, protein structure-function relationships, and enzyme kinetics. This article explores some of these limitations and encourages incorporation of morpheeins into both introductory and advanced biochemistry classes.

SUBMITTER: Lawrence SH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2575429 | biostudies-literature | 2008

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Expanding the Concepts in Protein Structure-Function Relationships and Enzyme Kinetics: Teaching using Morpheeins.

Lawrence Sarah H SH Jaffe Eileen K EK

Biochemistry and molecular biology education : a bimonthly publication of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 20080101 4

A morpheein is a homo-oligomeric protein that can exist as an ensemble of physiologically significant and functionally different alternate quaternary assemblies. Morpheeins exist in nature and utilize conformational equilibria between different tertiary structures to form distinct oligomers as a means of regulating their function. Notably, alternate morpheeins are not misfolded forms of a protein; they are differently assembled native states that contain alternate subunit conformations. Transiti ...[more]

PMID: 19578473

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Project description:Signal transduction by the NF-kappaB pathway is a key regulator of a host of cellular responses to extracellular and intracellular messages. The NEMO adaptor protein lies at the top of this pathway and serves as a molecular conduit, connecting signals transmitted from upstream sensors to the downstream NF-kappaB transcription factor and subsequent gene activation. The position of NEMO within this pathway makes it an attractive target from which to search for new proteins that link NF-kappaB signaling to additional pathways and upstream effectors. In this work, we have used protein microarrays to identify novel NEMO interactors. A total of 112 protein interactors were identified, with the most statistically significant hit being the canonical NEMO interactor IKKbeta, with IKKalpha also being identified. Of the novel interactors, more than 30% were kinases, while at least 25% were involved in signal transduction. Binding of NEMO to several interactors, including CALB1, CDK2, SAG, SENP2 and SYT1, was confirmed using GST pulldown assays and coimmunoprecipitation, validating the initial screening approach. Overexpression of CALB1, CDK2 and SAG was found to stimulate transcriptional activation by NF-kappaB, while SYT1 overexpression repressed TNFalpha-dependent NF-kappaB transcriptional activation in human embryonic kidney cells. Corresponding with this finding, RNA silencing of CDK2, SAG and SENP2 reduced NF-kappaB transcriptional activation, supporting a positive role for these proteins in the NF-kappaB pathway. The identification of a host of new NEMO interactors opens up new research opportunities to improve understanding of this essential cell signaling pathway. For microarray screening, Invitrogen Protoarray v4.0 protein microarrays were used. Human NEMO expressed as a C-terminal GST fusion was purified from E. coli lysates and labelled with biotin. NEMO or biotinylated GST were applied to the microarrays and binding partners detected using streptavidin-Alexa Fluor 647. Significant interactors on both arrays were detected using Invitrogen Protoarray Prospector software and a Z-score cutoff of 3.0. Following subtraction of interactors present on the GST control array, a final set of significant NEMO interactors was derived. Full experimental details are supplied in Fenner, B. J., Scannell, M. & Prehn, J. H. M. (2010). Expanding the substantial interactome of NEMO using protein microarrays. PLoS ONE (in press).

Dataset Information

Expanding the Concepts in Protein Structure-Function Relationships and Enzyme Kinetics: Teaching using Morpheeins.

Publications

Expanding the Concepts in Protein Structure-Function Relationships and Enzyme Kinetics: Teaching using Morpheeins.

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