Memorias de investigación
Artículos en revistas:
Computational study of pH-dependent oligomerization and ligand binding in Alt a 1, a highly allergenic protein with a unique fold
Año:2015
Áreas de investigación
  • Ciencias naturales y ciencias de la salud,
  • Cultivo celular,
  • Biología molecular, celular y genética,
  • Ciencias biológicas,
  • Biología,
  • Ingeniería biológica
Datos
Descripción
Alt a 1 is a highly allergenic protein from Alternaria fungi responsible for several respiratory diseases. Its crystal structure revealed a unique ?-barrel fold that defines a new family exclusive to fungi and forms a symmetrical dimer in a butterfly-like shape as well as tetramers. Its biological function is as yet unknown but its localization in cell wall of Alternaria spores and its interactions in the onset of allergy reactions point to a function to transport ligands. However, at odds with binding features in ?-barrel proteins, monomeric Alt a 1 seems unable to harbor ligands because the barrel is too narrow. Tetrameric Alt a 1 is able to bind the flavonoid quercetin, yet the stability of the aggregate and the own ligand binding are pH-dependent. At pH 6.5, which Alt a 1 would meet when secreted by spores in bronchial epithelium, tetramer-quercetin complex is stable. At pH 5.5, which Alt a 1 would meet in apoplast when infecting plants, the complex breaks down. By means of a combined computational study that includes docking calculations, empirical pKa estimates, Poisson?Boltzmann electrostatic potentials, and Molecular Dynamics simulations, we identified a putative binding site at the dimeric interface between subunits in tetramer. We propose an explanation on the pH-dependence of both oligomerization states and protein?ligand affinity of Alt a 1 in terms of electrostatic variations associated to distinct protonation states at different pHs. The uniqueness of this singular protein can thus be tracked in the combination of all these features.
Internacional
Si
JCR del ISI
Si
Título de la revista
Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design
ISSN
0920-654X
Factor de impacto JCR
2,782
Información de impacto
Volumen
1
DOI
Número de revista
Desde la página
1
Hasta la página
15
Mes
SIN MES
Ranking
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Participantes
  • Autor: Maria Garrido Arandia UPM
  • Autor: Jorge Bretones Department of Biotechnology and Centre for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology (CBGP), Technical University of Madrid
  • Autor: Cristina Gómez Casado Department of Biotechnology and Centre for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology (CBGP), Technical University of Madrid Immunology Section, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University
  • Autor: Nuria Cubells Baeza UPM
  • Autor: Araceli Diaz Perales UPM
  • Autor: Luis Fernandez Pacios UPM
Grupos de investigación, Departamentos, Centros e Institutos de I+D+i relacionados
  • Creador: Grupo de Investigación: Biotecnología Vegetal
  • Departamento: Sistemas y Recursos Naturales