title: Structural and functional characterization of alternative transmembrane domain conformations in VEGF receptor 2 activation.
abstract: Transmembrane signaling by receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) entails ligand-mediated dimerization and structural rearrangement of the extracellular domains. RTK activation also depends on the specific orientation of the transmembrane domain (TMD) helices, as suggested by pathogenic, constitutively active RTK mutants. Such mutant TMDs carry polar amino acids promoting stable transmembrane helix dimerization, which is essential for kinase activation. We investigated the effect of polar amino acids introduced into the TMD of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, regulating blood vessel homeostasis. Two mutants showed constitutive kinase activity, suggesting that precise TMD orientation is mandatory for kinase activation. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that TMD helices in activated constructs were rotated by 180° relative to the interface of the wild-type conformation, confirming that ligand-mediated receptor activation indeed results from transmembrane helix rearrangement. A molecular dynamics simulation confirmed the transmembrane helix arrangement of wild-type and mutant TMDs revealed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
authors: Paul Scherrer Institute, Biomolecular Research, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
authors: Sandro
authors: S
authors: Manni
authors: Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Miklukho-Maklaya Street 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russian Federation.
authors: Konstantin S
authors: KS
authors: Mineev
authors: Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Miklukho-Maklaya Street 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russian Federation; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Institutskiy Pereulok 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region 141700, Russian Federation.
authors: Dinara
authors: D
authors: Usmanova
authors: Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Miklukho-Maklaya Street 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russian Federation.
authors: Ekaterina N
authors: EN
authors: Lyukmanova
authors: Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Miklukho-Maklaya Street 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russian Federation; Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gori 1, Moscow 119234, Russian Federation.
authors: Mikhail A
authors: MA
authors: Shulepko
authors: Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Miklukho-Maklaya Street 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russian Federation; Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gori 1, Moscow 119234, Russian Federation.
authors: Mikhail P
authors: MP
authors: Kirpichnikov
authors: Paul Scherrer Institute, Biomolecular Research, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
authors: Jonas
authors: J
authors: Winter
authors: Paul Scherrer Institute, Biomolecular Research, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
authors: Milos
authors: M
authors: Matkovic
authors: Paul Scherrer Institute, Biomolecular Research, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland; Paul Scherrer Institute, Condensed Matter Theory Group, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
authors: Xavier
authors: X
authors: Deupi
authors: Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Miklukho-Maklaya Street 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russian Federation; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Institutskiy Pereulok 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region 141700, Russian Federation.
authors: Alexander S
authors: AS
authors: Arseniev
authors: Paul Scherrer Institute, Biomolecular Research, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland. Electronic address: kurt.ballmer@psi.ch.
authors: Kurt
authors: K
authors: Ballmer-Hofer
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019281:Dimerization; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C000588866:KDR protein, human; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2