title: Thermally-induced structural changes in an armadillo repeat protein suggest a novel thermosensor mechanism in a molecular chaperone.
abstract: Molecular chaperones are commonly identified by their ability to suppress heat-induced protein aggregation. The muscle-specific molecular chaperone UNC-45B is known to be involved in myosin folding and is trafficked to the sarcomeres A-band during thermal stress. Here, we identify temperature-dependent structural changes in the UCS chaperone domain of UNC-45B that occur within a physiologically relevant heat-shock range. We show that distinct changes to the armadillo repeat protein topology result in exposure of hydrophobic patches, and increased flexibility of the molecule. These rearrangements suggest the existence of a novel thermosensor within the chaperone domain of UNC-45B. We propose that these changes may function to suppress aggregation under stress by allowing binding to a wide variety of aggregation prone loops on its client.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Biochemistry Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bujalowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Biochemistry Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Biochemistry Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA. Electronic address: jmbarral@utmb.edu.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Barral
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Biochemistry Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA. Electronic address: afoberha@utmb.edu.
authors.forename: Andres F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Oberhauser
mesh_terms: D051186:Armadillo Domain Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018869:Heat-Shock Response; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009218:Myosins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017510:Protein Folding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000235:genetics; D012518:Sarcomeres / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051186:Armadillo Domain Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D009218:Myosins
keywords: ANS fluorescence; Circular-dichroism; Molecular chaperone; Structural transition; Thermal stress; UNC-45