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Microsecond acquisition of heterogeneous structure in the folding of a TIM barrel protein

Journal Article · · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA
The earliest kinetic folding events for ({beta}{alpha}){sub 8} barrels reflect the appearance of off-pathway intermediates. Continuous-flow microchannel mixing methods interfaced to small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS), circular dichroism (CD), time-resolved Foerster resonant energy transfer (trFRET), and time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy (trFLAN) have been used to directly monitor global and specific dimensional properties of the partially folded state in the microsecond time range for a representative ({beta}{alpha}){sub 8} barrel protein. Within 150 {micro}s, the {alpha}-subunit of Trp synthase ({alpha}TS) experiences a global collapse and the partial formation of secondary structure. The time resolution of the folding reaction was enhanced with trFRET and trFLAN to show that, within 30 {micro}s, a distinct and autonomous partially collapsed structure has already formed in the N-terminal and central regions but not in the C-terminal region. A distance distribution analysis of the trFRET data confirmed the presence of a heterogeneous ensemble that persists for several hundreds of microseconds. Ready access to locally folded, stable substructures may be a hallmark of repeat-module proteins and the source of early kinetic traps in these very common motifs. Their folding free-energy landscapes should be elaborated to capture this source of frustration.
Research Organization:
Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
1006824
Journal Information:
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, Journal Name: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA Journal Issue: (36) ; 2008 Vol. 105; ISSN PNASA6; ISSN 0027-8424
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH

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