title: NMR characterization of side chain flexibility and backbone structure in the type I antifreeze protein at near freezing temperatures.
abstract: The flexibility of the polar side chains in the alpha-helical Type I antifreeze protein (AFP) near the solution freezing temperature was investigated by two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These experiments were conducted to define the rotameric conformations of the proposed ice-binding groups, threonines and asparagines, in order to probe the molecular mechanism for ice binding. On the basis of the 3J alpha beta 2 NMR coupling constant values of 7.1, 8.5, 8.5, and 6.8 Hz for residues T2, T13, T24, and T35, respectively, it can be calculated that the regularly spaced ice-binding threonines sample many possible rotameric states prior to ice binding. The lack of a dominant side chain rotamer is further corroborated by nuclear Overhauser distance measurements for T13 and T24. N16 and N27, both with 3J alpha beta 2 and 3J alpha beta 3 coupling constants of 8.4 and 4.5 Hz, respectively, show a slight preference for the side chain conformation with a chi 1 of -60 degrees. These data suggest that prior to ice binding the threonine and asparagine side chains are free to rotate and that a unique preformed ice-binding structure in solution is not apparent. These observations do not support the rigid side chain model proposed recently by an X-ray study [Sicheri, F., & Yang, D. S. C. (1995) Nature 375, 427-431].
authors.affiliation: Protein Engineering Network of Centres of Excellence, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gronwald
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Sykes
authors.forename: F D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Sönnichsen
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D021301:Antifreeze Proteins; D001665:Binding Sites; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D005615:Freezing; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D007053:Ice; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011489:Protein Denaturation
chemical_list: D021301:Antifreeze Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007053:Ice