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Insights into the Folding of Disulfide-Rich μ-Conotoxins.

ABSTRACT: The study of protein conformations using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations has been in place for decades. A major contribution to the structural stability and native conformation of a protein is made by the primary sequence and disulfide bonds formed during the folding process. Here, we investigated μ-conotoxins GIIIA, KIIIA, PIIIA, SIIIA, and SmIIIA as model peptides possessing three disulfide bonds. Their NMR structures were used for MD simulations in a novel approach studying the conformations between the folded and the unfolded states by systematically breaking the distinct disulfide bonds and monitoring the conformational stability of the peptides. As an outcome, the use of a combination of the existing knowledge and results from the simulations to classify the studied peptides within the extreme models of disulfide folding pathways, namely the bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor pathway and the hirudin pathway, is demonstrated. Recommendations for the design and synthesis of cysteine-rich peptides with a reduced number of disulfide bonds conclude the study.

SUBMITTER: Paul George AA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6217517 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Insights into the Folding of Disulfide-Rich μ-Conotoxins.

Paul George Ajay Abisheck AA Heimer Pascal P Maaß Astrid A Hamaekers Jan J Hofmann-Apitius Martin M Biswas Arijit A Imhof Diana D

ACS omega 20181001 10

The study of protein conformations using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations has been in place for decades. A major contribution to the structural stability and native conformation of a protein is made by the primary sequence and disulfide bonds formed during the folding process. Here, we investigated μ-conotoxins GIIIA, KIIIA, PIIIA, SIIIA, and SmIIIA as model peptides possessing three disulfide bonds. Their NMR structures were used for MD simulations in a novel approach studying the conformati ...[more]

PMID: 30411002

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Project description:In the preparation of synthetic conotoxins containing multiple disulfide bonds, oxidative folding can produce numerous permutations of disulfide bond connectivities. Establishing the native disulfide connectivities thus presents a significant challenge when the venom-derived peptide is not available, as is increasingly the case when conotoxins are identified from cDNA sequences. Here, we investigate the disulfide connectivity of ?-conotoxin KIIIA, which was predicted originally to have a [C1-C9,C2-C15,C4-C16] disulfide pattern based on homology with closely related ?-conotoxins. The two major isomers of synthetic ?-KIIIA formed during oxidative folding were purified and their disulfide connectivities mapped by direct mass spectrometric collision-induced dissociation fragmentation of the disulfide-bonded polypeptides. Our results show that the major oxidative folding product adopts a [C1-C15,C2-C9,C4-C16] disulfide connectivity, while the minor product adopts a [C1-C16,C2-C9,C4-C15] connectivity. Both of these peptides were potent blockers of Na(V)1.2 (K(d) values of 5 and 230 nM, respectively). The solution structure for ?-KIIIA based on nuclear magnetic resonance data was recalculated with the [C1-C15,C2-C9,C4-C16] disulfide pattern; its structure was very similar to the ?-KIIIA structure calculated with the incorrect [C1-C9,C2-C15,C4-C16] disulfide pattern, with an ?-helix spanning residues 7-12. In addition, the major folding isomers of ?-KIIIB, an N-terminally extended isoform of ?-KIIIA identified from its cDNA sequence, were isolated. These folding products had the same disulfide connectivities as ?-KIIIA, and both blocked Na(V)1.2 (K(d) values of 470 and 26 nM, respectively). Our results establish that the preferred disulfide pattern of synthetic ?-KIIIA and ?-KIIIB folded in vitro is 1-5/2-4/3-6 but that other disulfide isomers are also potent sodium channel blockers. These findings raise questions about the disulfide pattern(s) of ?-KIIIA in the venom of Conus kinoshitai; indeed, the presence of multiple disulfide isomers in the venom could provide a means of further expanding the snail's repertoire of active peptides.

Dataset Information

Insights into the Folding of Disulfide-Rich μ-Conotoxins.

Publications

Insights into the Folding of Disulfide-Rich μ-Conotoxins.

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