title: Characterization of a partially unfolded high potential iron protein.
abstract: A partially unfolded state of the Fe4S4-containing high potential iron-sulfur protein from Chromatium vinosum has been detected and characterized by NMR spectroscopy following addition of a concentrated solution of guanidinium chloride to the native protein. This intermediate species (i) maintains the polymetallic center, (ii) exhibits a largely collapsed secondary structure, and (iii) undergoes fast cluster decomposition upon oxidation. This information is framed into the knowledge about this class of proteins, and the possible role of this intermediate with respect to the in vivo folding/unfolding process is discussed as well its role in the slow hydrolytic degradation characteristic of oxidized HiPIPs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, via Gino Capponi, 7, 50121 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bertini
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luchinat
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Natarajan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piccioli
mesh_terms: D002844:Chromatium / Q000737:chemistry; D017666:Deuterium Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D007506:Iron-Sulfur Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017510:Protein Folding; D011522:Protons
chemical_list: D007506:Iron-Sulfur Proteins; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D011522:Protons; D017666:Deuterium Oxide