title: On the structure and function of apolipoproteins: more than a family of lipid-binding proteins.
abstract: Exchangeable apolipoproteins have been the subject of intense biomedical investigation for decades. However, only in recent years the elucidation of the three-dimensional structure reported for several members of the apolipoprotein family has provided insights into their functions at a molecular level for the first time. Moreover, the role of exchangeable apolipoproteins in several cellular events distinct from lipid metabolism has recently been described. This review summarizes these contributions, which have not only allowed the identification of the apolipoprotein domains that determine substrate binding specificity and/or affinity but also the plausible molecular mechanism(s) involved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK. victor@cryst.bioc.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: Victor Martin
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Bolanos-Garcia
authors.forename: Ricardo Nunez
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Miguel
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000682:Amyloid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001665:Binding Sites; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D020365:RNA Helicases; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D015534:Trans-Activators
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D001053:Apolipoproteins; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D015534:Trans-Activators; D020365:RNA Helicases; C101828:UPF1 protein, human