A structure for the trimeric MHC class II-associated invariant chain transmembrane domain.
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-associated invariant chain (Ii) contains a single transmembrane domain that forms trimers. Ii is involved in the assembly of the MHC and antigen presentation, and is thus central to the function of the immune system. Here, we show by attenuated total reflectance, Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy that the transmembrane domain is alpha-helical and we provide a structural model of the transmembrane domain obtained by a combination of site-specific infrared dichroism and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. This work resolves the backbone structure of a transmembrane peptide by multiple (13)C=(18)O labelling at ten different residues. A second purely computational approach, based on MD simulations of Ii transmembrane homologous sequences, yields a similar structure that is consistent with our experimental results. The structure presented forms a left-handed coiled coil with an average helix tilt of 13(+/-6) degrees; the residue Gln47 implicated in trimer formation forms strong interhelical contacts, Thr50 points to the inside of the trimeric coil and forms a network of hydrogen bonds.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK. akukol@bio.warwick.ac.uk
Andreas
A
Kukol
Jaume
J
Torres
Isaiah T
IT
Arkin
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D002462:Cell Membrane; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; C045084:invariant chain