Molecular dynamics of surfactant protein C: from single molecule to heptameric aggregates

Biophys J. 2006 Apr 15;90(8):2698-705. doi: 10.1529/biophysj.105.073270. Epub 2006 Jan 27.

Abstract

Surfactant protein C (SP-C) is a membrane-associated protein essential for normal respiration. It has been found that the alpha-helix form of SP-C can undergo, under certain conditions, a transformation from an alpha-helix to a beta-strand conformation that closely resembles amyloid fibrils, which are possible contributors to the pathogenesis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Molecular dynamics simulations using the NAMD2 package were performed for systems containing from one to seven SP-C molecules to study their behavior in water. The results of our simulations show that unfolding of the protein occurs at the amino terminal, and despite this unfolding, no transition from alpha-helix to beta-strand was observed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein C / chemistry*
  • Pulmonary Surfactants / chemistry*
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein C
  • Pulmonary Surfactants
  • Water