title: Characterization of self-assembly of Euplotes octocarinatus centrin.
abstract: Centrin, an EF-hand calcium-binding protein with high homology to calmodulin (CaM), is an essential component for microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) in organisms ranging from algae and yeast to human. It plays an important structural role by contributing to the formation of Ca(2+)-sensitive contractile filaments and some super-molecular assemblies. Previous work suggests that the N-terminal domain of centrin especially its first 20-residue fragment, is required for the self-assembly of protein. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (native-PAGE), pull-down assay, fluorescence resonance light scattering (RLS) and yeast two-hybrid assay indicate that the C-terminal domain of Euplotes octocarinatus centrin (EoCen) also contributes to the centrin self-assembly besides its N-terminal domain in vivo and in vitro. On the basis of our results, a self-assembly mode of centrin, which is C-to-C as well as N-to-N (between C- and C-terminal domains as well as between N- and N-terminal domains), is put forward providing maybe some insights into the molecular mechanism of centrin functions in the cell.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
authors.forename: Yaqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Aihua
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Binsheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D020832:EF Hand Motifs; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D016812:Euplotes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins