title: First characterization of co-chaperonin protein 10 from hyper-thermophilic Aquifex aeolicus.
abstract: All known co-chaperonin protein 10 (cpn10) molecules are heptamers of seven identical subunits that are linked together by beta-strand interactions. Here, we report the first characterization of a cpn10 protein from a thermophilic organism: Aquifex aeolicus. Primary-structure alignment of A. aeolicus cpn10 (Aaecpn10) shows high homology with mesophilic cpn10 sequences, except for a unique 25-residue C-terminal extension not found in any other cpn10. Recombinant Aaecpn10 adopts a heptameric structure in solution at pH values above 4 (20 degrees C). Both monomers and heptamers are folded at 20 degrees C, although the thermal stability of the monomers (pH 3; Tm approximately 58 degrees C) is lower than that of the heptamers (pH 7; Tm approximately 115 degrees C). Aaecpn10 functions in a GroEL-dependent in vitro activity assay. Taken together, Aaecpn10 appears similar in secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure, as well as in many biophysical features, to its mesophilic counterparts despite a functional temperature of 90 degrees C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, LSU Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors.forename: Jesse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guidry
authors.forename: Pernilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wittung-Stafshede
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018835:Chaperonin 10 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase / Q000737:chemistry; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry*; D019791:Guanidine / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D018835:Chaperonin 10; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase; D019791:Guanidine