Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review
Sequential pH-driven dimerization and stabilization of the N-terminal domain enables rapid spider silk formation. / Kronqvist, Nina; Otikovs, Martins; Chmyrov, Volodymyr et al.
I: Nature Communications, Bind 5, 3254, 10.02.2014.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Sequential pH-driven dimerization and stabilization of the N-terminal domain enables rapid spider silk formation
AU - Kronqvist, Nina
AU - Otikovs, Martins
AU - Chmyrov, Volodymyr
AU - Chen, Gefei
AU - Andersson, Marlene
AU - Nordling, Kerstin
AU - Landreh, Michael
AU - Sarr, Médoune
AU - Jörnvall, Hans
AU - Wennmalm, Stefan
AU - Widengren, Jerker
AU - Meng, Qing
AU - Rising, Anna
AU - Otzen, Daniel
AU - Knight, Stefan D
AU - Jaudzems, Kristaps
AU - Johansson, Jan
PY - 2014/2/10
Y1 - 2014/2/10
N2 - The mechanisms controlling the conversion of spider silk proteins into insoluble fibres, which happens in a fraction of a second and in a defined region of the silk glands, are still unresolved. The N-terminal domain changes conformation and forms a homodimer when pH is lowered from 7 to 6; however, the molecular details still remain to be determined. Here we investigate site-directed mutants of the N-terminal domain from Euprosthenops australis major ampullate spidroin 1 and find that the charged residues D40, R60 and K65 mediate intersubunit electrostatic interactions. Protonation of E79 and E119 is required for structural conversions of the subunits into a dimer conformation, and subsequent protonation of E84 around pH 5.7 leads to the formation of a fully stable dimer. These residues are highly conserved, indicating that the now proposed three-step mechanism prevents premature aggregation of spidroins and enables fast formation of spider silk fibres in general.
AB - The mechanisms controlling the conversion of spider silk proteins into insoluble fibres, which happens in a fraction of a second and in a defined region of the silk glands, are still unresolved. The N-terminal domain changes conformation and forms a homodimer when pH is lowered from 7 to 6; however, the molecular details still remain to be determined. Here we investigate site-directed mutants of the N-terminal domain from Euprosthenops australis major ampullate spidroin 1 and find that the charged residues D40, R60 and K65 mediate intersubunit electrostatic interactions. Protonation of E79 and E119 is required for structural conversions of the subunits into a dimer conformation, and subsequent protonation of E84 around pH 5.7 leads to the formation of a fully stable dimer. These residues are highly conserved, indicating that the now proposed three-step mechanism prevents premature aggregation of spidroins and enables fast formation of spider silk fibres in general.
U2 - 10.1038/ncomms4254
DO - 10.1038/ncomms4254
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 24510122
VL - 5
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
SN - 2041-1723
M1 - 3254
ER -