Dimerization of lipocalin allergens.
Lipocalins are one of the most important groups of inhalant animal allergens. The analysis of structural features of these proteins is important to get insights into their allergenicity. We have determined two different dimeric crystal structures for bovine dander lipocalin Bos d 2, which was earlier described as a monomeric allergen. The crystal structure analysis of all other determined lipocalin allergens also revealed oligomeric structures which broadly utilize inherent structural features of the β-sheet in dimer formation. According to the moderate size of monomer-monomer interfaces, most of these dimers would be transient in solution. Native mass spectrometry was employed to characterize quantitatively transient dimerization of two lipocalin allergens, Bos d 2 and Bos d 5, in solution.
Department of Chemistry and Biocenter Kuopio, University of Eastern Finland, PO BOX 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland.
Merja H
MH
Niemi
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine and Biocenter Kuopio, University of Eastern Finland, PO BOX 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland.|Institute of Dentistry, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, PO BOX 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland.
Marja
M
Rytkönen-Nissinen
Department of Chemistry and Biocenter Kuopio, University of Eastern Finland, PO BOX 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland.
Ilja
I
Miettinen
Department of Chemistry and Biocenter Kuopio, University of Eastern Finland, PO BOX 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland.
Janne
J
Jänis
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine and Biocenter Kuopio, University of Eastern Finland, PO BOX 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland.
Tuomas
T
Virtanen
Department of Chemistry and Biocenter Kuopio, University of Eastern Finland, PO BOX 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland.
Juha
J
Rouvinen
D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D055503:Protein Multimerization
D000485:Allergens; C113339:Bos d 2 allergen; D054834:Lipocalins