The trimeric solution structure and fucose-binding mechanism of the core fucosylation-specific lectin PhoSL

Sci Rep. 2018 May 17;8(1):7740. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-25630-2.

Abstract

The core α1-6 fucosylation-specific lectin from a mushroom Pholiota squarrosa (PhoSL) is a potential tool for precise diagnosis of cancers. This lectin consists of only 40 amino acids and can be chemically synthesized. We showed here that a synthesized PhoSL peptide formed a trimer by gel filtration and chemical cross-linking assays, and determined a structure of the PhoSL trimer by NMR. The structure possesses a β-prism motif with a three-fold rotational symmetry, where three antiparallel β-sheets are tightly connected by swapping of β-strands. A triad of Trp residues comprises the structural core, forming NH-π electrostatic interactions among the indole rings. NMR analysis with an excess amount of fucose revealed the structural basis for the molecular recognition. Namely, fucose deeply enters a pocket formed at a junction of β-sheet edges, with the methyl group placed at the bottom. It forms a number of hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding interactions with PhoSL residues. In spite of partial similarities to the structures of other functionally related lectins, the arrangement of the antiparallel β-sheets in the PhoSL trimer is novel as a structural scaffold, and thus defines a novel type of lectin structure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • Fucose / chemistry
  • Fucose / metabolism*
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Mannose / chemistry
  • Mannose / metabolism
  • Mannose-Binding Lectin / chemistry*
  • Mannose-Binding Lectin / metabolism*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry*
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Pholiota / metabolism*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Multimerization*

Substances

  • Mannose-Binding Lectin
  • Peptide Fragments
  • core-specific lectin
  • Fucose
  • Mannose