title: Structural study of the zinc and cadmium complexes of a type 2 plant (Quercus suber) metallothionein: insights by vibrational spectroscopy.
abstract: Zn- and Cd-complexes of Quercus suber metallothionein (QsMT) were obtained by in vivo-synthesis, in order to obtain physiologically representative aggregates, and characterized by spectrometric and spectroscopic methods. The secondary structure elements and the coordination environments of the metal binding sites of the two aggregates were determined, as well as the main metal-containing species formed. The results obtained from the analysis of the Raman and IR spectra reveal that these metal-MT complexes predominantly contain beta-sheet elements (about 60%), whereas they lack alpha-helices. These structural features slightly depend on the divalent metal bound. In particular, Cd(II) binding to QsMT induces a slight increase of the beta-sheet percentage, as well as a decrease in beta-turn elements with respect to Zn(II) binding. Conversely, the in vivo capability of QsMT to inglobe metal and sulfide ions is metal-depending. Spectroscopic vibrational data also confirm the presence of sulfide ligands in the metal clusters of both Zn- and Cd-QsMT, while the participation of the spacer His residue in metal coordination was only found in Cd-QsMT, in agreement with the CD results. Overall data suggest different coordination environments for Zn(II) and Cd(II) ions in QsMT.
authors: Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona (Spain).
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Domènech
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Tinti
authors: Mercè
authors: M
authors: Capdevila
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Atrian
authors: Armida
authors: A
authors: Torreggiani
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002104:Cadmium / Q000378:metabolism*; D006639:Histidine / Q000737:chemistry; D008024:Ligands; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D029963:Quercus / Q000737:chemistry*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013455:Sulfur / Q000737:chemistry; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D010940:Plant Proteins; D002104:Cadmium; D006639:Histidine; D013455:Sulfur; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc