title: Structure of soluble and membrane-bound human annexin V.
abstract: Annexins are a family of water-soluble proteins that bind to membranes in a calcium-dependent manner. Some members have been shown to exhibit voltage-dependent calcium channel activity, a property characteristic of integral membrane proteins. The structures of human annexin V in crystals obtained from aqueous solution and in two-dimensional crystals when bound to phospholipid layers have been determined by X-ray and electron crystallography, respectively. They are compared here. Both structures show close correspondence, suggesting that annexins attach to phospholipid membranes without substantial structural change. These observations, together with biochemical data, lead to the conclusion that annexin V interacts with phospholipid membranes with its convex face. We propose that binding is mediated by direct interaction between the phosphoryl headgroups and the calcium bound to polypeptide loops protruding from the convex face. The membrane area covered by annexin may thus become disordered and permeable allowing calcium flux through the membrane and the central channel-like structure found in annexin molecules.
authors.affiliation: CNRS Unité 184 de Biologie Moléculaire et de Génie Génétique, INSERM Institut de Chimie Biologique, Faculté de Médecine, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brisson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mosser
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huber
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017304:Annexin A5; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D017304:Annexin A5; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins