comparative analysis of the folding and misfolding pathways of the third PDZ domain of PSD95 investigated under different pH conditions. Biophysical Chemistry, Elsevier, 2011, 158 (2-3) This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
AbstractEquilibrium unfolding at neutral pH of the third PDZ domain of PSD95 is well described by the presence of a partly unfolded intermediate that presents association phenomena. After some days' incubation annular and fibrillar structures form from the oligomers. At pH values below 3, however, differential scanning calorimetry shows that PDZ3 seems to unfold under a two-state scheme. Kinetic measurements followed by dynamic light scattering, ThT and ANS fluorescence reveal that the misfolding pathway still exists despite the absence of any populated intermediates and shows an irreversible assembling of the supramacromolecular structures as well as an appreciable lag-phase, contrary to what is found in similar experiments at neutral pH. Moreover, as shown by transmission-electronmicroscopy images, the annular structures seen at neutral pH completely disappear from incubated solutions. According to the structural information, this titration behavior appears to be the consequence of a conformational equilibrium that depends on the protonation of some Glu residues located at the C-terminal α3 helix and at the hairpin formed by strands β2 and β3. Our calculations suggest that the enthalpic contribution of these interactions may well be as much as 40 kJ·mol -1 . The possible regulatory role of this equilibrium upon PDZ3 functionality and amyloid formation is briefly discussed.
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ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
IntroductionProtein aggregation is considered today to be a generic property of polypeptides and is thus a considerable problem for living organisms, which must develop response strategies to avoid its harmful effects. These effects span from arthritis to serious neurodegenerative diseases. At the molecular and energetic level, the self-organization mechanism of proteins relies on many properties related to both the protein system (hydrophobicity, β-sheet propensities etc.) and the solvent conditions (pH, ionic strength, organic reagents etc.). These properties can modulate the misfolding pathway in ways ranging from downhill to nucleationcooperative aggregation mechanisms.In spite of extensive reports in the literature, our knowledge of the basic processes by which polypeptide chains can give rise to well ordered supramacromolecular structures is still poorly understood [1]. It has been sug...