title: The mature part of proNGF induces the structure of its pro-peptide.
abstract: Human nerve growth factor (NGF) belongs to the structural family of cystine knot proteins, characterized by a disulfide pattern in which one disulfide bond threads through a ring formed by a pair of two other disulfides connecting two adjacent beta-strands. Oxidative folding of NGF revealed that the pro-peptide of NGF stimulates in vitro structure formation. In order to learn more about this folding assisting protein fragment, a biophysical analysis of the pro-peptide structure has been performed. While proNGF is a non-covalent homodimer, the isolated pro-peptide is monomeric. No tertiary contacts stabilize the pro-peptide in its isolated form. In contrast, the pro-peptide appears to be structured when bound to the mature part. The results presented here demonstrate that the mature part stabilizes the structure in the pro-peptide region. This is the first report that provides a biophysical analysis of a pro-peptide of the cystine knot protein family.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biotechnologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3, 06120 Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kliemannel
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rattenholl
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Golbik
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balbach
authors.forename: Hauke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lilie
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rudolph
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D002942:Circular Dichroism; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D019281:Dimerization; D004220:Disulfides / Q000737:chemistry; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D019791:Guanidine / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D020673:Protein Renaturation; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004220:Disulfides; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011498:Protein Precursors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019791:Guanidine