Download MendeleyStructure of mini-B, a functional fragment of surfactant protein B, in detergent micelles
Sarker, M., Waring, A.J., Walther, F.J., Keough, K.M., Booth, V.(2007) Biochemistry 46: 11047-11056
- PubMed: 17845058
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/bi7011756
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
2JOU - PubMed Abstract:
Surfactant protein B (SP-B) is essential for normal lung surfactant function, which is in itself essential to life. However, the molecular basis for SP-B's activity is not understood and a high-resolution structure for SP-B has not been determined. Mini-B is a 34-residue peptide with internal disulfide linkages that is composed of the N- and C-terminal helical regions of SP-B. It has been shown to retain similar activity to full-length SP-B in certain in vitro and in vivo studies. We have used solution NMR to determine the structure of Mini-B in the presence of micelles composed of the anionic detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Under these conditions, Mini-B forms two alpha-helices connected by an unstructured loop. Mini-B possesses a strikingly amphipathic surface with a large positively charged patch on one face of the peptide and a large hydrophobic patch on the opposite face. A tryptophan side chain extends outward from the peptide in a position to interact with lipids at the polar/apolar interface. Interhelix interactions are stabilized by both disulfide bonds and by interleaving of hydrophobic side chains from the two helices.
Organizational Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Physical Oceanography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
