title: Functional implications of structural differences between variants A and B of bovine beta-lactoglobulin.
abstract: The structure of the trigonal crystal form of bovine beta-lactoglobulin variant B at pH 7.1 has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods at a resolution of 2.22 A and refined to values for R and Rfree of 0.239 and 0.286, respectively. By comparison with the structure of the trigonal crystal form of bovine beta-lactoglobulin variant A at pH 7.1, which was determined previously [Qin BY et al., 1998, Biochemistry 37:14014-14023], the structural consequences of the sequence differences D64G and V118A of variants A and B, respectively, have been investigated. Only minor differences in the core calyx structure occur. In the vicinity of the mutation site D64G on loop CD (residues 61-67), there are small changes in main-chain conformation, whereas the substitution V118A on beta-strand H is unaccompanied by changes in the surrounding structure, thereby creating a void volume and weakened hydrophobic interactions with a consequent loss of thermal stability relative to variant A. A conformational difference is found for the loop EF, implicated in the pH-dependent conformational change known as the Tanford transition, but it is not clear whether this reflects differences intrinsic to the variants in solution or differences in crystallization.
authors: Centre for Structural Biology, Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors: B Y
authors: BY
authors: Qin
authors: M C
authors: MC
authors: Bewley
authors: L K
authors: LK
authors: Creamer
authors: E N
authors: EN
authors: Baker
authors: G B
authors: GB
authors: Jameson
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007782:Lactoglobulins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007782:Lactoglobulins; D020033:Protein Isoforms