title: The basic subdomain of the c-Jun oncoprotein. A joint CD, Fourier-transform infrared and NMR study.
abstract: The structural properties of the basic subdomain of the basic zipper (bZIP) protein c-Jun were examined by joint means of 1H-NMR, CD and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies. The basic subdomain (residues 252-281 in c-Jun) is responsible for sequence-specific recognition of DNA. A modified basic subdomain bSD (residues 1-35) and its N-terminal part and C-terminal part fragments (NP, residues 1-19; and, CP, residues 16-35) were prepared by solid-phase synthesis and purified by HPLC. In aqueous solution, in the absence of DNA, bSD behaved mostly as an unstructured peptide characterized by only 5% alpha helix. However, upon mixing bSD and a specific DNA fragment, i.e. a CRE(cAMP-responsive element)-containing hexadecanucleotide, the alpha helix was stabilized to an extent of 20% at 20 degrees C or 35% at 2 degrees C. At the same time, no significant change could be detected in the DNA spectra. Addition of trifluoroethanol to an aqueous bSD sample resulted in an increase of the alpha-helix content so that about 60% of alpha helix was found at a ratio of 75% trifluoroethanol (20 degrees C). These effects were reflected in both CD and FTIR measurements. Changes shown by the CD spectra during the process suggested a mechanism dominated by a two-state helix/unordered transition. NMR data, namely alpha H chemical shifts, NOE cross-peaks and NH temperature coefficients provided indications for extended or nascent helix structures within four short stretches dispersed along the sequence for c-Jun bSD, contrasting with the unique and continuous stretch reported for Gcn4 (yeast general control protein 4) bSD in aqueous solution. Trifluoroethanol stabilized the alpha-helix structure mainly at these four sites. The malleability of the basic subdomain of c-Jun was emphasized in relation to its ability to fit the DNA helix in adopting an alpha-helix structure. The complex formation apparently requires substantial conformational change from the peptide and only little from the oligonucleotide.
authors.affiliation: Département de Biologie Structurale, URA 147 CNRS, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krebs
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dahmani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: el Antri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monnot
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Convert
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mauffret
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Troalen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fermandjian
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D001665:Binding Sites; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D051790:G-Box Binding Factors; D016350:Leucine Zippers; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014270:Trifluoroethanol
chemical_list: D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D051790:G-Box Binding Factors; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014270:Trifluoroethanol; D011494:Protein Kinases