Hinge-Type Dimerization of Proteins by a Tetracysteine Peptide of High Pairing Specificity

Biochemistry. 2018 Jul 3;57(26):3658-3664. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00475. Epub 2018 Jun 14.

Abstract

Dimeric disulfide-linked peptides are formed by the regioselective oxidative folding of thiol precursors containing the CX3CX2CX3C tetracysteine motif. Here, we investigate the general applicability of this peptide as a dimerization motif for different proteins. By recombinant DNA technology, the peptide CHWECRGCRLVC was loaded with proteins, and functional homodimers were obtained upon oxidative folding. Attached to the N-terminus of the dodecapeptide, the prokaryotic enzyme limonene epoxide hydrolase (LEH) completely forms a covalent antiparallel dimer. In a diatom expression system, the monoclonal antibody CL4 mAb is released in its functional form when its natural CPPC central parallel hinge is exchanged for the designed tetra-Cys hinge motif. To improve our understanding of the regioselectivity of tetra-disulfide formation, we provoked the formation of heterodimeric hinge peptides by mixing two different tetra-Cys peptides and characterizing the heterodimer by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / chemistry
  • Cysteine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Disulfides / chemistry
  • Hydrolases / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Oligopeptides / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Protein Folding
  • Protein Multimerization*
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Disulfides
  • Oligopeptides
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Hydrolases
  • Cysteine