Intra- and Intersubunit Ion-Pair Interactions Determine the Ability of Apolipoprotein C-II Mutants To Form Hybrid Amyloid Fibrils

Biochemistry. 2017 Mar 28;56(12):1757-1767. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b01146. Epub 2017 Mar 15.

Abstract

The apolipoprotein family is structurally defined by amphipathic α-helical regions that interact with lipid surfaces. In the absence of lipid, human apolipoprotein (apo) C-II also forms well-defined amyloid fibrils with cross-β structure. Formation of this β-structure is accompanied by the burial of two charged residues, K30 and D69, that form an ion-pair within the amyloid fibril core. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicate these buried residues form both intra- and intersubunit ion-pair interactions that stabilize the fibril. Mutations of the ion-pair (either K30D or D69K) reduce fibril stability and prevent fibril formation by K30D apoC-II under standard conditions. We investigated whether mixing K30D apoC-II with other mutants would overcome this loss of fibril forming ability. Co-incubation of equimolar mixtures of K30D apoC-II with wild-type, D69K, or double-mutant (K30D/D69K) apoC-II promoted the incorporation of K30D apoC-II into hybrid fibrils with increased stability. MD simulations showed an increase in the number of intersubunit ion-pair interactions accompanied the increased stability of the hybrid fibrils. These results demonstrate the important role of both intra- and intersubunit charge interactions in stabilizing apoC-II amyloid fibrils, a process that may be a key factor in determining the general ability of proteins to form amyloid fibrils.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid / chemistry*
  • Amyloid / genetics
  • Amyloid / metabolism
  • Amyloidogenic Proteins / chemistry*
  • Amyloidogenic Proteins / genetics
  • Amyloidogenic Proteins / metabolism
  • Apolipoprotein C-II / chemistry*
  • Apolipoprotein C-II / genetics
  • Apolipoprotein C-II / metabolism
  • Aspartic Acid / chemistry
  • Aspartic Acid / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Lysine / chemistry
  • Lysine / metabolism
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Mutation
  • Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical
  • Protein Conformation, beta-Strand
  • Protein Subunits / chemistry*
  • Protein Subunits / genetics
  • Protein Subunits / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Static Electricity

Substances

  • Amyloid
  • Amyloidogenic Proteins
  • Apolipoprotein C-II
  • Protein Subunits
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Aspartic Acid
  • Lysine