NMR and CD analysis of an intermediate state in the thermal unfolding process of mouse lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase

J Biochem. 2012 Mar;151(3):335-42. doi: 10.1093/jb/mvr140. Epub 2011 Dec 30.

Abstract

We previously reported that the thermal unfolding of mouse lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS) is a completely reversible process under acidic conditions and follows a three-state pathway, including an intermediate state (I) between native state (N) and unfolded state. In the present study, we investigated the intermediate state of mouse C65A L-PGDS and clarified the local conformational changes in the upper and bottom regions by using NMR and CD spectroscopy. The (1)H-(15)N HSQC measurements revealed that the backbone conformation was disrupted in the upper region of the β-barrel at 45°C, which is around the T(m) value for the N ↔ I transition, but that the signals of the residues located at the bottom region of L-PGDS remained at 54°C, where the maximum accumulation of the intermediate state was found. (1)H-NMR and CD measurements showed that the T(m) values obtained by monitoring Trp54 at the upper region and Trp43 at the bottom region of the β-barrel were 41.4 and 47.5°C, respectively, suggesting that the conformational change in the upper region occurred at a lower temperature than that in the bottom region. These findings demonstrate that the backbone conformation of the bottom region is still maintained in the intermediate state.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Circular Dichroism / methods*
  • Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / chemistry*
  • Lipocalins / chemistry*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / methods*
  • Mice
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Denaturation

Substances

  • Lipocalins
  • Intramolecular Oxidoreductases
  • prostaglandin R2 D-isomerase