Circular dichroism and molecular modeling of the E. coli TolA periplasmic domains

Biospectroscopy. 1999;5(3):189-98. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1520-6343(1999)5:3<189::AID-BSPY8>3.0.CO;2-O.

Abstract

Colicins are killer proteins that use envelope proteins from the outer and the inner membranes to reach their cellular target in susceptible cells of Escherichia coli. Each group A colicin uses a combination of Tol proteins to cross the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria and to exert their killing activity. The TolA protein, necessary for the import of all the group A colicins, is a 421-amino acid residue protein composed of three domains (TolAI, TolAII, and TolAIII). TolAIII interacts with the N-terminal domain of colicin A (AT1). Analytical ultracentrifugation reveals that TolAII and TolAIII are monomer structures, TolAII has an elongated structure, and TolAIII is rather globular. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra were done with TolAII-III, TolAII, TolAIII, AT1, and the AT1-TolAII-III complex. TolA CD spectra reveal the presence of alpha-helix structure in aqueous solution and the intensity of the a-helix signal is the highest with TolAII. Few structural changes are observed with the complex AT1-TolAII-III. Molecular modeling was done for TolAII-III, taking into account CD and ultracentrifugation data and show that domain II can adopt a barrel structure made of three twisted alpha-helices similar to coiled coil helices while domain III can adopt a globular structure.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Bacterial Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Centrifugation
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Colicins / chemistry
  • Colicins / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli Proteins*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / isolation & purification
  • Periplasm / chemistry*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Colicins
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • tolA protein, E coli