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Heid LF, Agerschou ED, Orr AA, Kupreichyk T, Schneider W, Wördehoff MM, Schwarten M, Willbold D, Tamamis P, Stoldt M, Hoyer W. Sequence-based identification of amyloidogenic β-hairpins reveals a prostatic acid phosphatase fragment promoting semen amyloid formation. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:417-430. [PMID: 38223341 PMCID: PMC10787225 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
β-Structure-rich amyloid fibrils are hallmarks of several diseases, including Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's (PD), and type 2 diabetes (T2D). While amyloid fibrils typically consist of parallel β-sheets, the anti-parallel β-hairpin is a structural motif accessible to amyloidogenic proteins in their monomeric and oligomeric states. Here, to investigate implications of β-hairpins in amyloid formation, potential β-hairpin-forming amyloidogenic segments in the human proteome were predicted based on sequence similarity with β-hairpins previously observed in Aβ, α-synuclein, and islet amyloid polypeptide, amyloidogenic proteins associated with AD, PD, and T2D, respectively. These three β-hairpins, established upon binding to the engineered binding protein β-wrapin AS10, are characterized by proximity of two sequence segments rich in hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids, with high β-aggregation scores according to the TANGO algorithm. Using these criteria, 2505 potential β-hairpin-forming amyloidogenic segments in 2098 human proteins were identified. Characterization of a test set of eight protein segments showed that seven assembled into Thioflavin T-positive aggregates and four formed β-hairpins in complex with AS10 according to NMR. One of those is a segment of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) comprising amino acids 185-208. PAP is naturally cleaved into fragments, including PAP(248-286) which forms functional amyloid in semen. We find that PAP(185-208) strongly decreases the protein concentrations required for fibril formation of PAP(248-286) and of another semen amyloid peptide, SEM1(86-107), indicating that it promotes nucleation of semen amyloids. In conclusion, β-hairpin-forming amyloidogenic protein segments could be identified in the human proteome with potential roles in functional or disease-related amyloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laetitia F. Heid
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Emil Dandanell Agerschou
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Asuka A. Orr
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3122, United States
| | - Tatsiana Kupreichyk
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) and JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Walfried Schneider
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael M. Wördehoff
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Melanie Schwarten
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) and JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) and JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Phanourios Tamamis
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3122, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3033, United States
| | - Matthias Stoldt
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) and JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) and JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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2
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Heid LF, Kupreichyk T, Schützmann MP, Schneider W, Stoldt M, Hoyer W. Nucleation of α-Synuclein Amyloid Fibrils Induced by Cross-Interaction with β-Hairpin Peptides Derived from Immunoglobulin Light Chains. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16132. [PMID: 38003322 PMCID: PMC10671648 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterologous interactions between different amyloid-forming proteins, also called cross-interactions, may have a critical impact on disease-related amyloid formation. β-hairpin conformers of amyloid-forming proteins have been shown to affect homologous interactions in the amyloid self-assembly process. Here, we applied two β-hairpin-forming peptides derived from immunoglobulin light chains as models to test how heterologous β-hairpins modulate the fibril formation of Parkinson's disease-associated protein α-synuclein (αSyn). The peptides SMAhp and LENhp comprise β-strands C and C' of the κ4 antibodies SMA and LEN, which are associated with light chain amyloidosis and multiple myeloma, respectively. SMAhp and LENhp bind with high affinity to the β-hairpin-binding protein β-wrapin AS10 according to isothermal titration calorimetry and NMR spectroscopy. The addition of SMAhp and LENhp affects the kinetics of αSyn aggregation monitored by Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence, with the effect depending on assay conditions, salt concentration, and the applied β-hairpin peptide. In the absence of agitation, substoichiometric concentrations of the hairpin peptides strongly reduce the lag time of αSyn aggregation, suggesting that they support the nucleation of αSyn amyloid fibrils. The effect is also observed for the aggregation of αSyn fragments lacking the N-terminus or the C-terminus, indicating that the promotion of nucleation involves the interaction of hairpin peptides with the hydrophobic non-amyloid-β component (NAC) region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laetitia F. Heid
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tatsiana Kupreichyk
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) and JuStruct, Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Marie P. Schützmann
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Walfried Schneider
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Matthias Stoldt
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) and JuStruct, Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) and JuStruct, Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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3
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Zheng X, Zhang J, Lu C, Zhuang Y, Zhang X. Rational Design of Peptide Inhibitor Against Amyloidogenesis-Correlated Membrane Disruption by Merozoite Surface Protein 2. Int J Pept Res Ther 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-021-10198-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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4
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Agerschou ED, Schützmann MP, Reppert N, Wördehoff MM, Shaykhalishahi H, Buell AK, Hoyer W. β-Turn exchanges in the α-synuclein segment 44-TKEG-47 reveal high sequence fidelity requirements of amyloid fibril elongation. Biophys Chem 2020; 269:106519. [PMID: 33333378 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2020.106519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The folding of turns and β-hairpins has been implicated in amyloid formation, with diverse potential consequences such as promotion or inhibition of fibril nucleation, fibril elongation, or off-pathway oligomer formation. In the Parkinson's disease-associated protein α-synuclein (αS), a β-hairpin comprised of residues 36-56 was detected in complex with an engineered binding protein, with a turn formed by the αS sequence segment 44-TKEG-47. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed extensive populations of transient β-hairpin conformations in this region in free, monomeric αS. Here, we investigated potential effects of turn formation on αS fibril formation by studying the aggregation kinetics of an extensive set of αS variants with between two and four amino acid exchanges in the 44-TKEG-47 segment. The exchanges were chosen to specifically promote formation of β1-, β1'-, or β2'-turns. All variants assembled into amyloid fibrils, with increased β1'- or β2'-turn propensity associated with faster aggregation and increased β1-turn propensity with slower aggregation compared to wild-type (WT) αS. Atomic force microscopy demonstrated that β-turn exchanges altered fibril morphology. In cross-elongation experiments, the turn variants showed a low ability to elongate WT fibril seeds, and, vice versa, WT monomer did not efficiently elongate turn variant fibril seeds. This demonstrates that sequence identity in the turn region is crucial for efficient αS fibril elongation. Elongation experiments of WT fibril seeds in the presence of both WT and turn variant monomers suggest that the turn variants can bind and block WT fibril ends to different degrees, but cannot efficiently convert into the WT fibril structure. Our results indicate that modifications in the 44-TKEG-47 segment strongly affect amyloid assembly by driving αS into alternative fibril morphologies, whose elongation requires high sequence fidelity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Dandanell Agerschou
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marie P Schützmann
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nikolas Reppert
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael M Wördehoff
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Hamed Shaykhalishahi
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alexander K Buell
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) and JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany.
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Mukherjee M, Banerjee N, Chatterjee S. De Novo designed 13 mer hairpin-peptide arrests insulin and inhibits its aggregation: role of OH–π interactions between water and hydrophobic amino acids. RSC Adv 2020; 10:14991-14999. [PMID: 35497136 PMCID: PMC9052121 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra00832j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Protein aggregation in the cellular systems can be highly fatal causing a series of diseases including neurodegenerative diseases like ALS, Alzheimer, Prion Diseases, Parkinson's and other diseases like type II diabetes. To date, there is no crucial mechanism invented that shows how a protein molecule unfolds or misfolds. Insulin fibrillation in type II diabetes is an alarming event that brings every year deaths of millions of people around the globe. Pharmaceutical companies are still in the cultivation of finding newer therapeutic agents which halt/impede insulin aggregation to combat diabetes II and improve the patient's life expectancy. Methods and Results: Here in this report, we have engineered four short 13 mer peptides (N-term-DMYY- N-term-DITT- N-term-DIFF- N-term-KVYY-) which target monomeric insulin in its globular form. The de Novo designed peptides are found to be non-cytotoxic in human HEK293 cells. Among these four peptides, only DITT- showed complete inhibition of insulin fibrillation, whereas DIFF- and DIYY- and KVYY- lost their functionality to impede insulin aggregation to a great extent. High-resolution multi-dimensional NMR experiments portrayed the 13 mer sequences of peptides in the beta-hairpin forms. A series of biophysical techniques like CD, ThT assay, DLS, SEM, ITC, size-exclusion chromatography, and molecular dynamics simulation strongly evidenced inhibition of insulin fibrillation by N-term-DITT- compared to those by the other peptides. Conclusion and significance: Here we tried to unravel how DITT- could impede insulin fibrillation. Protein aggregation in the cellular systems can be highly fatal causing a series of diseases including neurodegenerative diseases like ALS, Alzheimer, Prion Diseases, Parkinson's and other diseases like type II diabetes.![]()
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Gill AC. β-hairpin-mediated formation of structurally distinct multimers of neurotoxic prion peptides. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87354. [PMID: 24498083 PMCID: PMC3909104 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding disorders are associated with conformational changes in specific proteins, leading to the formation of potentially neurotoxic amyloid fibrils. During pathogenesis of prion disease, the prion protein misfolds into β-sheet rich, protease-resistant isoforms. A key, hydrophobic domain within the prion protein, comprising residues 109-122, recapitulates many properties of the full protein, such as helix-to-sheet structural transition, formation of fibrils and cytotoxicity of the misfolded isoform. Using all-atom, molecular simulations, it is demonstrated that the monomeric 109-122 peptide has a preference for α-helical conformations, but that this peptide can also form β-hairpin structures resulting from turns around specific glycine residues of the peptide. Altering a single amino acid within the 109-122 peptide (A117V, associated with familial prion disease) increases the prevalence of β-hairpin formation and these observations are replicated in a longer peptide, comprising residues 106-126. Multi-molecule simulations of aggregation yield different assemblies of peptide molecules composed of conformationally-distinct monomer units. Small molecular assemblies, consistent with oligomers, comprise peptide monomers in a β-hairpin-like conformation and in many simulations appear to exist only transiently. Conversely, larger assemblies are comprised of extended peptides in predominately antiparallel β-sheets and are stable relative to the length of the simulations. These larger assemblies are consistent with amyloid fibrils, show cross-β structure and can form through elongation of monomer units within pre-existing oligomers. In some simulations, assemblies containing both β-hairpin and linear peptides are evident. Thus, in this work oligomers are on pathway to fibril formation and a preference for β-hairpin structure should enhance oligomer formation whilst inhibiting maturation into fibrils. These simulations provide an important new atomic-level model for the formation of oligomers and fibrils of the prion protein and suggest that stabilization of β-hairpin structure may enhance cellular toxicity by altering the balance between oligomeric and fibrillar protein assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C. Gill
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Campus, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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7
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Sarkar N, Dubey VK. Exploring critical determinants of protein amyloidogenesis: a review. J Pept Sci 2013; 19:529-36. [DOI: 10.1002/psc.2539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2013] [Revised: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nandini Sarkar
- Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering; National Institute of Technology Rourkela; Rourkela Odisha 769008 India
| | - Vikash Kumar Dubey
- Department of Biotechnology; Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati; Guwahati Assam 781039 India
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8
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Lee YH, Goto Y. Kinetic intermediates of amyloid fibrillation studied by hydrogen exchange methods with nuclear magnetic resonance. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2012; 1824:1307-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2012.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2012] [Revised: 07/24/2012] [Accepted: 07/26/2012] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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9
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Abstract
Peptide/protein aggregation is implicated in many amyloid diseases. Some amyloidogenic peptides/proteins, such as those implicated in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, contain multiple amyloidogenic domains connected by “linker” sequences displaying high propensities to form turn structures. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of physicochemical properties of each amino acid contained in the polypeptide sequences in amyloid aggregation. However, effects on aggregation related to the intramolecular distance between amyloidogenic domains, which may be determined by a linker length, have yet to be examined. In the study presented here, we created peptides containing two copies of KFFE, a simple four-residue amyloidogenic domain, connected by GS-rich linker sequences with different lengths yet similar physicochemical properties. Our experimental results indicate that aggregation occurred most rapidly when KFFE domains were connected by a linker of an intermediate length. Our experimental findings were consistent with estimated entropic contribution of a linker length toward formation of (partially) structured intermediates on the aggregation pathway. Moreover, inclusion of a relatively short linker was found to inhibit formation of aggregates with mature fibril morphology. When the results are assimilated, our study demonstrates that intramolecular distance between amyloidogenic domains is an important yet overlooked factor affecting amyloid aggregation.
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Marshall KE, Morris KL, Charlton D, O'Reilly N, Lewis L, Walden H, Serpell LC. Hydrophobic, aromatic, and electrostatic interactions play a central role in amyloid fibril formation and stability. Biochemistry 2011; 50:2061-71. [PMID: 21288003 DOI: 10.1021/bi101936c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid-like fibrous crystals formed by the peptide KFFEAAAKKFFE have been previously characterized and provide an ideal model system to examine the importance of specific interactions by introducing specific substitutions. We find that the removal of any phenylalanine residue completely abrogates assembly ability, while charged residues modulate interactions within the structure resulting in alternative fibrillar morphologies. X-ray fiber diffraction analysis reveals that the essential backbone packing of the peptide molecules is maintained, while small changes accommodate differences in side chain size in the variants. We conclude that even very short peptides are adaptable and add to the growing knowledge regarding amyloid polymorphisms. Additionally, this work impacts on our understanding of the importance of residue composition for amyloidogenic peptides, in particular the roles of electrostatic, aromatic, and hydrophobic interactions in amyloid assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E Marshall
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, East Sussex BN1 9QG, UK
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11
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Szczepankiewicz O, Cabaleiro-Lago C, Tartaglia GG, Vendruscolo M, Hunter T, Hunter GJ, Nilsson H, Thulin E, Linse S. Interactions in the native state of monellin, which play a protective role against aggregation. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2010; 7:521-32. [PMID: 21076757 DOI: 10.1039/c0mb00155d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
A series of recent studies have provided initial evidence about the role of specific intra-molecular interactions in maintaining proteins in their soluble state and in protecting them from aggregation. Here we show that the amino acid sequence of the protein monellin contains two aggregation-prone regions that are prevented from initiating aggregation by multiple non-covalent interactions that favor their burial within the folded state of the protein. By investigating the behavior of single-chain monellin and a series of five of its mutational variants using a variety of biochemical, biophysical and computational techniques, we found that weakening of the non-covalent interaction that stabilizes the native state of the protein leads to an enhanced aggregation propensity. The lag time for fibrillation was found to correlate with the apparent midpoint of thermal denaturation for the series of mutational variants, thus showing that a reduced thermal stability is associated with an increased aggregation tendency. We rationalize these findings by showing that the increase in the aggregation propensity upon mutation can be predicted in a quantitative manner through the increase in the exposure to solvent of the amyloidogenic regions of the sequence caused by the destabilization of the native state. Our findings, which are further discussed in terms of the structure of monellin and the perturbation by the amino acid substitutions of the contact surface between the two subdomains that compose the folded state of monellin, provide a detailed description of the specific intra-molecular interactions that prevent aggregation by stabilizing the native state of a protein.
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12
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Giehm L, Dal Degan F, Fraser P, Klysner S, Otzen DE. An Aß concatemer with altered aggregation propensities. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2010; 1804:2025-35. [PMID: 20619363 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2010.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2010] [Revised: 05/25/2010] [Accepted: 06/28/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We present an analysis of the conformational and aggregative properties of an Aß concatemer (Con-Alz) of interest for vaccine development against Alzheimer's disease. Con-Alz consists of 3 copies of the 43 residues of the Aß peptide separated by the P2 and P30 T-cell epitopes from the tetanus toxin. Even in the presence of high concentrations of denaturants or fluorinated alcohols, Con-Alz has a very high propensity to form aggregates which slowly coalesce over time with changes in secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure. Only micellar concentrations of SDS were able to inhibit aggregation. The increase in the ability to bind the fibril-binding dye ThT increases without lag time, which is characteristic of relatively amorphous aggregates. Confirming this, electron microscopy reveals that Con-Alz adopts a morphology resembling truncated protofibrils after prolonged incubation, but it is unable to assemble into classical amyloid fibrils. Despite its high propensity to aggregate, Con-Alz does not show any significant ability to permeabilize vesicles, which for fibrillating proteins is taken to be a key factor in aggregate cytotoxicity and is attributed to oligomers formed at an early stage in the fibrillation process. Physically linking multiple copies of the Aß-peptide may thus sterically restrict Con-Alz against forming cytotoxic oligomers, forcing it instead to adopt a less well-organized assembly of intermeshed polypeptide chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Giehm
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Center for insoluble Protein Structures (inSPIN), Department of Molecular Biology, University of Aarhus, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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13
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Nerelius C, Fitzen M, Johansson J. Amino acid sequence determinants and molecular chaperones in amyloid fibril formation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2010; 396:2-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.02.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2010] [Accepted: 02/13/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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14
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Chen Y, Parrini C, Taddei N, Lapidus LJ. Conformational properties of unfolded HypF-N. J Phys Chem B 2010; 113:16209-13. [PMID: 19928868 DOI: 10.1021/jp904189b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We have measured the intramolecular diffusion rate between distant residues in the aggregation-prone protein HypF-N under various denaturing conditions. Using the method of cysteine quenching of the tryptophan triplet state, we find that intramolecular diffusion remains roughly constant at high concentrations of denaturant (2-6 M GdnHCl) and slows down at low concentrations of denaturant, but the decrease is not uniform throughout the chain. Extrapolation of these measurements to 0 M GdnHCl gives D approximately 10(-7) cm(2) s(-1), about 1 order of magnitude lower than unstructured peptides and at least 2 orders of magnitude higher than well-behaved proteins. This suggests that there is a dynamic range of conformational reorganization within which partially unfolded states are prone to aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Chen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
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15
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Yu X, Wang J, Yang JC, Wang Q, Cheng SZ, Nussinov R, Zheng J. Atomic-scale simulations confirm that soluble beta-sheet-rich peptide self-assemblies provide amyloid mimics presenting similar conformational properties. Biophys J 2010; 98:27-36. [PMID: 20085717 PMCID: PMC2800962 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2009.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2009] [Revised: 09/20/2009] [Accepted: 10/01/2009] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The peptide self-assembly mimic (PSAM) from the outer surface protein A (OspA) can form highly stable but soluble beta-rich self-assembly-like structures similar to those formed by native amyloid-forming peptides. However, unlike amyloids that predominantly form insoluble aggregates, PSAMs are highly water-soluble. Here, we characterize the conformations of these soluble beta-sheet-rich assemblies. We simulate PSAMs with different-sized beta-sheets in the presence and absence of end-capping proteins using all-atom explicit-solvent molecular dynamics, comparing the structural stability, conformational dynamics, and association force. Structural and free-energy comparisons among beta-sheets with different numbers of layers and sequences indicate that in similarity to amyloids, the intersheet side chain-side chain interactions and hydrogen bonds combined with intrasheet salt bridges are the major driving forces in stabilizing the overall structural organization. A detailed structural analysis shows that in similarity to amyloid fibrils, all wild-type and mutated PSAM structures display twisted and bent beta-sheets to some extent, implying that a twisted and bent beta-sheet is a general motif of beta-rich assemblies. Thus, our studies indicate that soluble beta-sheet-rich peptide self-assemblies can provide good amyloid mimics, and as such confirm on the atomic scale that they are excellent systems for amyloid studies. These results provide further insight into the usefulness of such mimics for nanostructure design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Yu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio
| | - Jingdai Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jui-Chen Yang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio
| | - Qiuming Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio
| | | | - Ruth Nussinov
- Basic Science Program, SAIC-Frederick Inc., Center for Cancer Research Nanobiology Program, NCI-Frederick, Frederick, Maryland
- Sackler Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio
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16
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Fitzen M, Alvelius G, Nordling K, Jörnvall H, Bergman T, Johansson J. Peptide-binding specificity of the prosurfactant protein C Brichos domain analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2009; 23:3591-3598. [PMID: 19844966 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.4282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The C-terminal domain of lung surfactant protein C (CTC) precursor (proSP-C) is involved in folding of the transmembrane segment of proSP-C. CTC includes a Brichos domain with homologs in cancer- and dementia-associated proteins. Mutations in the Brichos domain cause misfolding of proSP-C and hence amyloid fibril formation in interstitial lung disease. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) with collision-induced dissociation (CID) experiments was applied to study non-covalent interactions between human recombinant CTC or its Brichos domain, and SP-C analogs, homotripeptides and peptides designed to model amyloid fibril formation. The results show that the Brichos domain contains the peptide-binding function of CTC. In titration experiments, apparent dissociation constants (KD) were in the micromolar range where triple-valine showed the lowest KD and triple-tyrosine the highest. Non-hydrophobic peptides failed to form complexes with Brichos. CID revealed that complexes with aromatic peptide ligands are more stable in the gas phase than complexes with non-aromatic ligands. The Brichos domain was also shown to bind fibril-forming peptides containing aromatic/hydrophobic residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Fitzen
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Chemistry I, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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Pandit A, Fay N, Bordes L, Valéry C, Cherif-Cheikh R, Robert B, Artzner F, Paternostre M. Self-assembly of the octapeptide lanreotide and lanreotide-based derivatives: the role of the aromatic residues. J Pept Sci 2008; 14:66-75. [PMID: 17929329 DOI: 10.1002/psc.913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the spectroscopic properties of the aromatic residues in a set of octapeptides with various self-assembly properties. These octapeptides are based on lanreotide, a cyclic peptide analogue of somatostatin-14 that spontaneously self-assembles into very long and monodisperse hollow nanotubes. A previous study on these lanreotide-based derivatives has shown that the disulfide bridge, the peptide hairpin conformation and the aromatic residues are involved in the self-assembly process and that modification of these properties either decreases the self-assembly propensity or modifies the molecular packing resulting in different self-assembled architectures. In this study we probed the local environment of the aromatic residues, naphthyl-alanine, tryptophan and tyrosine, by Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy, comparing nonassembled peptides at low concentrations with the self-assembled ones at high concentrations. As expected, the spectroscopic characteristics of the aromatic residues were found to be sensitive to the peptide-peptide interactions. Among the most remarkable features we could record a very unusual Raman spectrum for the tyrosine of lanreotide in relation to its propensity to form H-bonds within the assemblies. In Lanreotide nanotubes, and also in the supramolecular architectures formed by its derivatives, the tryptophan side chain is water-exposed. Finally, the low fluorescence polarization of the peptide aggregates suggests that fluorescence energy transfer occurs within the nanotubes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Pandit
- IBITECS, CEA and CNRS, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Yang X, Adda CG, Keizer DW, Murphy VJ, Rizkalla MM, Perugini MA, Jackson DC, Anders RF, Norton RS. A partially structured region of a largely unstructured protein,Plasmodium falciparummerozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2), forms amyloid-like fibrils. J Pept Sci 2007; 13:839-48. [PMID: 17883245 DOI: 10.1002/psc.910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2) from the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is expressed as a GPI-anchored protein on the merozoite surface. It has been implicated in the process of erythrocyte invasion and is a leading vaccine candidate. MSP2 is an intrinsically unstructured protein (IUP), and recombinant MSP2 forms amyloid-like fibrils upon storage. We have examined synthetic peptides corresponding to sequences in the conserved N-terminal region of MSP2 for the presence of local structure and the ability to form fibrils related to those formed by full-length MSP2. In a 25-residue peptide corresponding to the entire N-terminal region of mature MSP2, structures calculated from NMR data show the presence of nascent helical and turn-like structures. An 8-residue peptide from the central region of the N-terminal domain (residues 8-15) also formed a turn-like structure. Both peptides formed fibrils that were similar but not identical to the amyloid-like fibrils formed by full-length MSP2. Notably, the fibrils formed by the peptides bound both Congo Red and Thioflavin T, whereas the fibrils formed by full-length MSP2 bound only Congo Red. The propensity of peptides from the N-terminal conserved region of MSP2 to form amyloid-like fibrils makes it likely that this region contributes to fibril formation by the full-length protein. Thus, in contrast to the more common pathway of amyloid formation by structured proteins, which proceeds via partially unfolded intermediates that then undergo beta-aggregation, MSP2 is an example of a largely unstructured protein with at least one small structured region that has an important role in fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Yang
- The Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville 3050, Australia
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Mukrasch MD, Markwick P, Biernat J, Bergen MV, Bernadó P, Griesinger C, Mandelkow E, Zweckstetter M, Blackledge M. Highly populated turn conformations in natively unfolded tau protein identified from residual dipolar couplings and molecular simulation. J Am Chem Soc 2007; 129:5235-43. [PMID: 17385861 DOI: 10.1021/ja0690159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Tau, a natively unstructured protein that regulates the organization of neuronal microtubules, is also found in high concentrations in neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. The conformational transition between these vastly different healthy and pathological forms remains poorly understood. We have measured residual dipolar couplings (RDCs), J-couplings, and nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE) in construct K18 of tau, containing all four repeat domains R1-R4. NHN RDCs were compared with prediction on the basis of a statistical model describing the intrinsic conformational sampling of unfolded proteins in solution. While local variation and relative amplitude of RDCs agrees with propensity-based prediction for most of the protein, homologous sequences in each repeat domain (DLKN, DLSN, DLSK, and DKFD in repeats R1-R4) show strong disagreement characterized by inversion of the sign of the central couplings. Accelerated molecular dynamic simulations (AMD) in explicit solvent revealed strong tendencies to form turns, identified as type I beta-turns for repeats R1-R3. Incorporation of the backbone dihedral sampling resulting from AMD into the statistical coil model closely reproduces experimental RDC values. These localized sequence-dependent conformational tendencies interrupt the propensity to sample more extended conformations in adjacent strands and are remarkably resistant to local environmental factors, as demonstrated by the persistence of the RDC signature even under harsh denaturing conditions (8 M urea). The role that this specific conformational behavior may play in the transition to the pathological form is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco D Mukrasch
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Elgersma RC, Meijneke T, Posthuma G, Rijkers DTS, Liskamp RMJ. Self-Assembly of Amylin(20–29) Amide-Bond Derivatives into Helical Ribbons and Peptide Nanotubes rather than Fibrils. Chemistry 2006; 12:3714-25. [PMID: 16528792 DOI: 10.1002/chem.200501374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Uncontrolled aggregation of proteins or polypeptides can be detrimental for normal cellular processes in healthy organisms. Proteins or polypeptides that form these amyloid deposits differ in their primary sequence but share a common structural motif: the (anti)parallel beta sheet. A well-accepted approach for interfering with beta-sheet formation is the design of soluble beta-sheet peptides to disrupt the hydrogen-bonding network; this ultimately leads to the disassembly of the aggregates or fibrils. Here, we describe the synthesis, spectroscopic analysis, and aggregation behavior, imaged by electron microscopy, of several backbone-modified amylin(20-29) derivatives. It was found that these amylin derivatives were not able to form fibrils and to some extent were able to inhibit fibril growth of native amylin(20-29). However, two of the amylin peptides were able to form large supramolecular assemblies, like helical ribbons and peptide nanotubes, in which beta-sheet formation was clearly absent. This was quite unexpected since these peptides have been designed as soluble beta-sheet breakers for disrupting the characteristic hydrogen-bonding network of (anti)parallel beta sheets. The increased hydrophobicity and the presence of essential amino acid side chains in the newly designed amylin(20-29) derivatives were found to be the driving force for self-assembly into helical ribbons and peptide nanotubes. This example of controlled and desired peptide aggregation may be a strong impetus for research on bionanomaterials in which special shapes and assemblies are the focus of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald C Elgersma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80082, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Harini VV, Aravinda S, Rai R, Shamala N, Balaram P. Molecular Conformation and Packing of Peptide β Hairpins in the Solid State: Structures of Two Synthetic Octapeptides Containing 1-Aminocycloalkane-1-Carboxylic Acid Residues at thei+2 Position of the β Turn. Chemistry 2005; 11:3609-20. [PMID: 15812872 DOI: 10.1002/chem.200401124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Peptide beta-hairpin formation is facilitated by centrally positioned D-Pro-Xxx segments. The synthetic peptides Boc-Leu-Phe-Val-D-Pro-Ac(6)c-Leu-Phe-Val-OMe (1) and Boc-Leu-Phe-Val-D-Pro-Ac(8)c-Leu-Phe-Val-OMe (2) were synthesized in order to explore the role of bulky 1-aminocycloalkane-1-carboxylic acid residues (Ac(n)c, where n is the number of carbon atoms in the ring), at the i+2 position of the nucleating beta turn in peptide beta hairpins. Peptides 1 and 2 crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2(1) with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. The crystal structures of 1 and 2 provide conformational parameters for four peptide hairpin molecules. In all cases, the central segments adopts a type II' beta-turn conformation, and three of the four possible cross-strand hydrogen bonds are observed. Fraying of the hairpins at the termini is accompanied by the observation of NHpi interaction between the Leu(1)NH group and Phe(7) aromatic group. Cross strand stabilizing interactions between the facing residues Phe(2) and Phe(7) are suggested by the observed orientation of aromatic rings. Anomalous far-UV CD spectra observed in solution suggest that close proximity of the Phe rings is maintained even in isolated molecules. In both peptides 1 and 2, the asymmetric unit consists of approximately orthogonal hairpins, precluding the formation of a planar beta-sheet arrangement in the solid state. Solvent molecules, one dioxane and one water in 1, three water molecules in 2, mediate peptide association. A comparison of molecular conformation and packing motifs in available beta-hairpin structures permits delineation of common features. The crystal structures of beta-hairpin peptides provide a means of visualizing different modes of beta-sheet packing, which may be relevant in developing models for aggregates of polypeptides implicated in disease situations.
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Makin OS, Atkins E, Sikorski P, Johansson J, Serpell LC. Molecular basis for amyloid fibril formation and stability. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2005; 102:315-20. [PMID: 15630094 PMCID: PMC544296 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0406847102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 498] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2004] [Accepted: 11/30/2004] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular structure of the amyloid fibril has remained elusive because of the difficulty of growing well diffracting crystals. By using a sequence-designed polypeptide, we have produced crystals of an amyloid fiber. These crystals diffract to high resolution (1 A) by electron and x-ray diffraction, enabling us to determine a detailed structure for amyloid. The structure reveals that the polypeptides form fibrous crystals composed of antiparallel beta-sheets in a cross-beta arrangement, characteristic of all amyloid fibers, and allows us to determine the side-chain packing within an amyloid fiber. The antiparallel beta-sheets are zipped together by means of pi-bonding between adjacent phenylalanine rings and salt-bridges between charge pairs (glutamic acid-lysine), thus controlling and stabilizing the structure. These interactions are likely to be important in the formation and stability of other amyloid fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Sumner Makin
- Structural Medicine, Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2XY, United Kingdom
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Abstract
In recent years, beta-hairpin peptides have been studied in great detail. Much of the focus has been on the thermodynamic stability of beta-hairpin structure. Structural measurements have been conducted with nuclear magnetic resonance, with additional information obtained from circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared, and molecular dynamic simulation studies. Point mutations, both in the beta-strands and in the turn region, have systematically explored the role of turn sequence, side-chain-side-chain interactions, intramolecular hydrogen bonding, and beta-strand length on beta-hairpin peptide conformational stability. In addition to studying the elements of structural stability independently, the cooperative nature of the individual components to combine to form the overall structure has also been investigated. Because the beta-hairpin peptides often spontaneously form their conformation, they have begun to serve as models for studying peptide binding and therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol E Stotz
- The University of Kansas, 2095 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, USA
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