title: Structure of a thrombospondin C-terminal fragment reveals a novel calcium core in the type 3 repeats.
abstract: Thrombospondins (TSPs) are extracellular regulators of cell-matrix interactions and cell phenotype. The most highly conserved region of all TSPs are the calcium-binding type 3 (T3) repeats and the C-terminal globular domain (CTD). The crystal structure of a cell-binding TSP-1 fragment, spanning three T3 repeats and the CTD, reveals a compact assembly. The T3 repeats lack secondary structure and are organised around a core of calcium ions; two DxDxDGxxDxxD motifs per repeat each encapsulate two calcium ions in a novel arrangement. The CTD forms a lectin-like beta-sandwich and contains four strictly conserved calcium-binding sites. Disruption of the hairpin structure of T3 repeats 6 and 7 decreases protein secretion and stability. The availability for cell attachment of an RGD motif in T3 repeat 7 is modulated by calcium loading. The central architectural role of calcium explains how it is critical for the functions of the TSP C-terminal region. Mutations in the T3 repeats of TSP-5/COMP, which cause two human skeletal disorders, are predicted to disrupt the tertiary structure of the T3-CTD assembly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kvansakul
authors.forename: Josephine C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Erhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hohenester
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002460:Cell Line; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D051381:Rats; D020449:Repetitive Sequences, Amino Acid; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D019700:Thrombospondin 1 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D019700:Thrombospondin 1; C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid; D002118:Calcium