RRC ID 52821
Author Navarro-Retamal C, Bremer A, Alzate-Morales J, Caballero J, Hincha DK, González W, Thalhammer A.
Title Molecular dynamics simulations and CD spectroscopy reveal hydration-induced unfolding of the intrinsically disordered LEA proteins COR15A and COR15B from Arabidopsis thaliana.
Journal Phys Chem Chem Phys
Abstract The LEA (late embryogenesis abundant) proteins COR15A and COR15B from Arabidopsis thaliana are intrinsically disordered under fully hydrated conditions, but obtain α-helical structure during dehydration, which is reversible upon rehydration. To understand this unusual structural transition, both proteins were investigated by circular dichroism (CD) and molecular dynamics (MD) approaches. MD simulations showed unfolding of the proteins in water, in agreement with CD data obtained with both HIS-tagged and untagged recombinant proteins. Mainly intramolecular hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) formed by the protein backbone were replaced by H-bonds with water molecules. As COR15 proteins function in vivo as protectants in leaves partially dehydrated by freezing, unfolding was further assessed under crowded conditions. Glycerol reduced (40%) or prevented (100%) unfolding during MD simulations, in agreement with CD spectroscopy results. H-bonding analysis indicated that preferential exclusion of glycerol from the protein backbone increased stability of the folded state.
Volume 18(37)
Pages 25806-16
Published 2016-10-7
DOI 10.1039/c6cp02272c
PMID 27255148
MeSH Amino Acid Sequence Arabidopsis / chemistry* Arabidopsis Proteins / chemistry* Circular Dichroism Hydrogen Bonding Molecular Dynamics Simulation Plant Extracts / chemistry Plant Leaves / chemistry Protein Structure, Secondary Protein Unfolding
IF 3.43
Times Cited 15
Resource
Arabidopsis / Cultured plant cells, genes pda02804 pda06312