title: Neuronal growth-inhibitory factor (metallothionein-3): structure-function relationships.
abstract: Neuronal growth-inhibitory factor (GIF), also named metallothionein-3, inhibits the outgrowth of neuronal cells. Recent studies on the structure of human GIF, carried out using NMR and molecular dynamics simulation techniques, have been summarized. By studying a series of protein-engineered mutants of GIF, we showed that the bioactivity of GIF is modulated by multiple factors, including the unique TCPCP motif-induced characteristic conformation, the solvent accessibility and dynamics of the metal-thiolate cluster, and the domain-domain interactions.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Chun
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Feng-Yun
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Zhong-Xian
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D000090023:Metallothionein 3; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015202:Protein Engineering; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000090023:Metallothionein 3; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins