Open AccessN-Terminal Helix-Cap in α-Helix 2 Modulates β-State Misfolding in Rabbit and Hamster Prion Proteins
Author(s) -
Braden Sweeting,
Eric D. Brown,
Mashiat Khan,
Avijit Chakrabartty,
E.F. Pai
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0063047
Subject(s) - hamster , histone octamer , biology , mutant , point mutation , microbiology and biotechnology , native state , mesocricetus , helix (gastropod) , population , biophysics , biochemistry , chemistry , dna , ecology , demography , nucleosome , sociology , snail , gene , histone
Susceptibility of a particular species to prion disease is affected by small differences in the sequence of PrP and correlates with the propensity of its PrP to assume the β-state. A helix-cap motif in the β2−α2-loop of native α-helical rabbit PrP, a resistant species, contains sequence differences that influence intra- and interspecies transmission. To determine the effect the helix-cap motif on β-state refolding propensity, we mutated S170N, S174N, and S170N/S174N of the rabbit PrP helix-cap to resemble that of hamster PrP and conversely, N170S, N174S, and N170S/N174S of hamster PrP to resemble the helix-cap of rabbit PrP. High-resolution crystal structures (1.45–1.6 Å) revealed that these mutations ablate hydrogen-bonding interactions within the helix-cap motif in rabbit PrP C . They also alter the β-state-misfolding propensity of PrP; the serine mutations in hamster PrP decrease the propensity up to 35%, whereas the asparagine mutations in rabbit PrP increase it up to 42%. Rapid dilution of rabbit and hamster into β-state buffer conditions causes quick conversion to β-state monomers. Kinetic monitoring using size-exclusion chromatography showed that the monomer population decreases exponentially mirrored by an increase in an octameric species. The monomer-octamer transition rates are faster for hamster than for rabbit PrP. The N170S/N174S mutant of hamster PrP has a smaller octamer component at the endpoint compared to the wild-type, whereas the kinetics of octamer formation in mutant and wild-type rabbit PrP are comparable. These findings demonstrate that the sequence of the β2−α2 helix-cap affects refolding to the β-state and subsequently, may influence susceptibility to prion disease.