Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Facebook Instagram Threads
    Global BiodefenseGlobal Biodefense
    Subscribe
    • Featured News
    • Funding
    • Directory
    • Jobs
    • Events
    Global BiodefenseGlobal Biodefense
    Medical Countermeasures

    Unfolding Protein “Filmed” for the First Time

    By Global Biodefense StaffFebruary 14, 2013
    Share
    Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Email

    Unfolding of the CylR2 proteinA team of researchers led by the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases is the first to image the various stages of a protein’s unfolding, which may lend valuable insight to treatment of a number of diseases.

    Protein folding and unfolding are crucial for a range of biological phenomena and human disease states. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, for example, are caused by misfolded proteins that form insoluble clumps in the brain and eventually destroy the nerve cells. Understanding how proteins achieve or lose their three-dimensional structure is one of the most important questions in the biological sciences because proteins can only perform their functions properly if their amino acid chains are correctly folded.

    But what exactly happens when proteins fold or unfold was previously nearly impossible to investigate. With heat and pressure, proteins easily lose their shape – and thus their function. Such methods are not suitable for directly observing their unfolding process, as the intermediate forms that occur are too transient.

    By combining low temperatures and NMR spectroscopy, the scientists visualized seven intermediate forms of the CylR2 protein while cooling it down from 25°C to – 16°C. This particular protein was chosen because it is made of two identical subunits, which the team believed would make it easier to visualize.  CylR2 is also a key protein for toxin production in Enterococcus faecalis, a pathogen frequently encountered in hospitals where it particularly jeopardizes patients with a weak immune system. 

    Their results show that the most instable intermediate form plays a key role in protein folding and serves as a trigger point. The scientists’ findings may contribute to a better understanding of how proteins adopt their structure and misfold during illness.

    “If a protein is slowly cooled down, its intermediate forms accumulate in larger quantities than in commonly used denaturation methods, such as heat, pressure, or urea. We hoped that these quantities would be sufficient to examine the intermediate forms with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy,” said Markus Zweckstetter, head of the research group.

    The research was conducted in collaboration with the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw and the University of Warsaw. The study was published this week in Nature Chemical Biology: Cold denaturation of a protein dimer monitored at atomic resolution. 

    Image: “Snapshot” of the unfolding of the CylR2 protein from Enterococcus faecalis. If the protein is cooled from 25°C to -16°C, it successively breaks down into its two identical subunits. The latter are initially stable, but at -16°C they form an instable, dynamic protein form, which plays a key role in folding. 

    Source: Max Planck Institute

    Share. Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleTracing TB Outbreaks: Whole Genome Sequencing Better Than Standard Test
    Next Article Military Seeks Decon Lotion for Chemical Warfare Agents

    Related Stories

    Human BCG Challenge Model for Assessment of Tuberculosis Immunity

    December 2, 2023

    Needle-Free Vaccine Patch Against Zika Virus

    December 2, 2023

    Black Death Impact on Microbiome May Have Contributed to Modern-Day Chronic Diseases

    November 29, 2023

    NanoViricides’ Phase 1 Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Highly Effective for Mpox and Smallpox

    November 14, 2023
    News Scan

    Biodefense Headlines – 30 November 2023

    News Scan November 30, 2023

    News highlights on health security threats and countermeasures curated by Global Biodefense This week’s selections include the largest ever outbreak of mpox in the DRC; launch of National Wastewater Surveillance Program dashboard; low uptake of COVID-19 boosters and flu vaccines;…

    Upcoming Events

    Dec 5
    10:45 am - 3:00 pm EST

    Meeting the Moment: Biodefense Policy, Procurement, and Public Health

    Dec 6
    Virtual Event Virtual Event
    6:00 am - 7:00 am EST

    AMR One Health Priority Research Agenda: Transmission

    Mar 12
    Virtual Event Hybrid Event
    March 12, 2024 - March 17, 2024

    2024 Fungal Genetics Conference

    Mar 21
    March 21, 2024 - March 23, 2024

    ASPPH 2024 Annual Meeting

    View Calendar

    Subscribe to Global Biodefense

    Get the latest news on pathogens and preparedness

    News on pathogens and preparedness for public health emergencies

    © 2023 Stemar Media Group LLC
    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Subscribe

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.