title: Evidences for the unfolding mechanism of three-dimensional domain swapping.
abstract: The full or partial unfolding of proteins is widely believed to play an essential role in three-dimensional domain swapping. However, there is little research that has rigorously evaluated the association between domain swapping and protein folding/unfolding. Here, we examined a kinetic model in which domain swapping occurred via the denatured state produced by the complete unfolding of proteins. The relationships between swapping kinetics and folding/unfolding thermodynamics were established, which were further adopted as criteria to show that the proposed mechanism dominates in three representative proteins: Cyanovirin-N (CV-N), the C-terminal domain of SARS-CoV main protease (M(pro)-C), and a single mutant of oxidized thioredoxin (Trx_W28A(ox)).
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. liuzhirong@pku.edu.cn
authors.forename: Zhirong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yongqi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D020418:Algal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000086782:Coronavirus 3C Proteases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019281:Dimerization; D007700:Kinetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D058849:Protein Refolding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D058767:Protein Unfolding; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013816:Thermodynamics; D013879:Thioredoxins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020418:Algal Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C107733:cyanovirin N; D013879:Thioredoxins; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D000086782:Coronavirus 3C Proteases