title: Membrane-induced folding and structure of membrane-bound annexin A1 N-terminal peptides: implications for annexin-induced membrane aggregation.
abstract: Annexins constitute a family of calcium-dependent membrane-binding proteins and can be classified into two groups, depending on the length of the N-terminal domain unique for each individual annexin. The N-terminal domain of annexin A1 can adopt an alpha-helical conformation and has been implicated in mediating the membrane aggregation behavior of this protein. Although the calcium-independent interaction of the annexin A1 N-terminal domain has been known for some time, there was no structural information about the membrane interaction of this secondary membrane-binding site of annexin A1. This study used circular dichroism spectroscopy to show that a rat annexin A1 N-terminal peptide possesses random coil structure in aqueous buffer but an alpha-helical structure in the presence of small unilamellar vesicles. The binding of peptides to membranes was confirmed by surface pressure (Langmuir film balance) measurements using phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylserine monolayers, which show a significant increase after injection of rat annexin A1 N-terminal peptides. Lamellar neutron diffraction with human and rat annexin A1 N-terminal peptides reveals an intercalation of the helical peptides with the phospholipid bilayer, with the helix axis lying parallel to the surface of membrane. Our findings confirm that phospholipid membranes assist the folding of the N-terminal peptides into alpha-helical structures and that this conformation enables favorable direct interactions with the membrane. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the N-terminal domain of annexin A1 can serve as a secondary membrane binding site in the process of membrane aggregation by providing a peripheral membrane anchor.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nien-Jen
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bradshaw
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lauter
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buckingham
authors.forename: Egle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Solito
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017305:Annexin A1 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008566:Membranes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D033363:Neutron Diffraction; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017510:Protein Folding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D051381:Rats; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D017305:Annexin A1; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D002118:Calcium