Biomaterial Database

pH-sensitivity of the E3/K3 heterodimeric coiled coil. 2008

Bojana Apostolovic, and Harm-Anton Klok

E cole Polytechnique Fédé rale de Lausanne, Institut des Matériaux, Laboratoire des Polymères Bâtiment MXD, Station 12, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.

This manuscript reports on the self-assembly properties of two complementary peptide sequences, E3 and K3, which are derived from the known IAAL E3/K3 heterodimeric coiled coil motif. Circular dichroism spectroscopy, analytical ultracentrifugation, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments indicated that a stoichiometric mixture of these two peptides forms a stable heterodimeric coiled coil at pH 7. At pH 5, in contrast, the E3/K3 heterodimeric coiled coil is unstable and unfolds to generate E3 homotrimers that coexist with K3 unimers and a small fraction of K3 homodimers. This pH-induced unfolding transition was unprecedented for this coiled coil motif but is of interest as it occurs within a physiologically relevant pH range, as it is encountered, for example, during cellular uptake via the endosomal pathway. This feature, in combination with the relatively short length of the E3 and K3 peptides and the high stability of the E3/K3 coiled coil at pH 7 makes this folding motif very attractive for the development of noncovalent polymer therapeutics and self-assembled biohybrid hydrogels.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010455	Peptides	Members of the class of compounds composed of AMINO ACIDS joined together by peptide bonds between adjacent amino acids into linear, branched or cyclical structures. OLIGOPEPTIDES are composed of approximately 2-12 amino acids. Polypeptides are composed of approximately 13 or more amino acids. PROTEINS are considered to be larger versions of peptides that can form into complex structures such as ENZYMES and RECEPTORS.	Peptide,Polypeptide,Polypeptides
D011489	Protein Denaturation	Disruption of the non-covalent bonds and/or disulfide bonds responsible for maintaining the three-dimensional shape and activity of the native protein.	Denaturation, Protein,Denaturations, Protein,Protein Denaturations
D002942	Circular Dichroism	A change from planar to elliptic polarization when an initially plane-polarized light wave traverses an optically active medium. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Circular Dichroism, Vibrational,Dichroism, Circular,Vibrational Circular Dichroism
D006863	Hydrogen-Ion Concentration	The normality of a solution with respect to HYDROGEN ions; H+. It is related to acidity measurements in most cases by pH	pH,Concentration, Hydrogen-Ion,Concentrations, Hydrogen-Ion,Hydrogen Ion Concentration,Hydrogen-Ion Concentrations
D013057	Spectrum Analysis	The measurement of the amplitude of the components of a complex waveform throughout the frequency range of the waveform. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed)	Spectroscopy,Analysis, Spectrum,Spectrometry
D017433	Protein Structure, Secondary	The level of protein structure in which regular hydrogen-bond interactions within contiguous stretches of polypeptide chain give rise to ALPHA-HELICES; BETA-STRANDS (which align to form BETA-SHEETS), or other types of coils. This is the first folding level of protein conformation.	Secondary Protein Structure,Protein Structures, Secondary,Secondary Protein Structures,Structure, Secondary Protein,Structures, Secondary Protein
D017510	Protein Folding	Processes involved in the formation of TERTIARY PROTEIN STRUCTURE.	Protein Folding, Globular,Folding, Globular Protein,Folding, Protein,Foldings, Globular Protein,Foldings, Protein,Globular Protein Folding,Globular Protein Foldings,Protein Foldings,Protein Foldings, Globular
D019077	Helix-Turn-Helix Motifs	The first DNA-binding protein motif to be recognized. Helix-turn-helix motifs were originally identified in bacterial proteins but have since been found in hundreds of DNA-BINDING PROTEINS from both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. They are constructed from two alpha helices connected by a short extended chain of amino acids, which constitute the "turn." The two helices are held at a fixed angle, primarily through interactions between the two helices. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 3d ed, p408-9)	HTH Motifs,Motifs, Helix-Turn-Helix,HTH Motif,Helix Turn Helix Motifs,Helix-Turn-Helix Motif,Motif, HTH,Motif, Helix-Turn-Helix,Motifs, HTH,Motifs, Helix Turn Helix
D019281	Dimerization	The process by which two molecules of the same chemical composition form a condensation product or polymer.	Dimerizations
D020816	Amino Acid Motifs	Three-dimensional protein structural elements that are composed of a combination of secondary structures. They include HELIX-LOOP-HELIX MOTIFS and ZINC FINGERS. Motifs are typically the most conserved regions of PROTEIN DOMAINS and are critical for domain function. However, the same motif may occur in proteins or enzymes with different functions.	AA Motifs,Motifs, Amino Acid,Protein Motifs,Protein Structure, Supersecondary,Supersecondary Protein Structure,AA Motif,Amino Acid Motif,Motif, AA,Motif, Amino Acid,Motif, Protein,Motifs, AA,Motifs, Protein,Protein Motif,Protein Structures, Supersecondary,Supersecondary Protein Structures