A protein folding pathway with multiple folding intermediates at atomic resolution

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Apr 5;102(14):5026-31. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0501372102. Epub 2005 Mar 25.

Abstract

Using native-state hydrogen-exchange-directed protein engineering and multidimensional NMR, we determined the high-resolution structure (rms deviation, 1.1 angstroms) for an intermediate of the four-helix bundle protein: Rd-apocytochrome b562. The intermediate has the N-terminal helix and a part of the C-terminal helix unfolded. In earlier studies, we also solved the structures of two other folding intermediates for the same protein: one with the N-terminal helix alone unfolded and the other with a reorganized hydrophobic core. Together, these structures provide a description of a protein folding pathway with multiple intermediates at atomic resolution. The two general features for the intermediates are (i) native-like backbone topology and (ii) nonnative side-chain interactions. These results have implications for important issues in protein folding studies, including large-scale conformation search, -value analysis, and computer simulations.

MeSH terms

  • Biophysical Phenomena
  • Biophysics
  • Cytochromes b5 / chemistry
  • Hydrogen / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nitrogen / chemistry
  • Nitrogen Isotopes
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Protein Engineering
  • Protein Folding*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary

Substances

  • Nitrogen Isotopes
  • Hydrogen
  • Cytochromes b5
  • Nitrogen