title: Solution structure of the COMMD1 N-terminal domain.
abstract: COMMD1 is the prototype of a new protein family that plays a role in several important cellular processes, including NF-kappaB signaling, sodium transport, and copper metabolism. The COMMD proteins interact with one another via a conserved C-terminal domain, whereas distinct functions are predicted to result from a variable N-terminal domain. The COMMD proteins have not been characterized biochemically or structurally. Here, we present the solution structure of the N-terminal domain of COMMD1 (N-COMMD1, residues 1-108). This domain adopts an alpha-helical structure that bears little resemblance to any other helical protein. The compact nature of N-COMMD1 suggests that full-length COMMD proteins are modular, consistent with specific functional properties for each domain. Interactions between N-COMMD1 and partner proteins may occur via complementary electrostatic surfaces. These data provide a new foundation for biochemical characterization of COMMD proteins and for probing COMMD1 protein-protein interactions at the molecular level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Cell Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sommerhalter
authors.forename: Yongbo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Amy C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rosenzweig
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D011485:Protein Binding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012996:Solutions; D055672:Static Electricity
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C480519:COMMD1 protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012996:Solutions