title: Functional cavity dimensions of tear lipocalin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We calibrated the cavity of tear lipocalin with a series of fluorescent labeled lipids of increasing chain length and varying diameter.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cavity length was assessed with competitive fluorescent assays in which DAUDA was displaced from apo-tear lipocalin with ligands of increasing carbon chain lengths from C12-C24. The concentrations of competitors that inhibit 50% of the binding of DAUDA (IC(50)) were compared. Functional diameters of tear lipocalin and beta-lactoglobulin were estimated with fatty acids bearing fluorescent labels of various diameters. The cavity dimensions of other lipocalins were derived from their published crystal structure coordinates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In tear lipocalin, the binding affinities of fatty acids increased up to a carbon chain length of 18 (22.5 A) but remained constant from C18-C24. The cavity length of other lipocalins in crystal form were similar to tear lipocalin in solution. Tear lipocalin showed decreased binding affinities with progressively increasing ring dimensions of the ligand. In contrast to beta-lactoglobulin and retinol binding protein, tear lipocalin bound DAUDA and cholesterol in the calyx. Neither tear lipocalin nor beta-lactoglobulin bound P646 in their respective cavities. The calculated inter-sheet distances at the mouth of the crystallized lipocalins ranged from 16-22A.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tear lipocalin is more promiscuous than beta-lactoglobulin or retinol binding protein because of a greater functional diameter. Differences in ligand specificity of the various lipocalins can not be explained simply by variation in cavity length or the intersheet distances at the calyx mouths as determined by crystal structure. Other factors may influence ligand specificity such as size and/or dynamic motion of loops between the beta strands.
authors: Department of Pathology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors: A R
authors: AR
authors: Abduragimov
authors: O K
authors: OK
authors: Gasymov
authors: T N
authors: TN
authors: Yusifov
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Glasgow
mesh_terms: D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D003619:Dansyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007782:Lactoglobulins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D054835:Lipocalin 1; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D003619:Dansyl Compounds; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; C518443:LCN1 protein, human; D007782:Lactoglobulins; D054835:Lipocalin 1; C054400:11-(dansylamino)undecanoic acid