Proteomic analysis and molecular modelling characterize the iron-regulatory protein haemojuvelin/repulsive guidance molecule c

Biochem J. 2013 May 15;452(1):87-95. doi: 10.1042/BJ20121845.

Abstract

HJV (haemojuvelin) plays a key role in iron metabolism in mammals by regulating expression of the liver-derived hormone hepcidin, which controls systemic iron uptake and release. Mutations in HJV cause juvenile haemochromatosis, a rapidly progressing iron overload disorder in humans. HJV, also known as RGMc (repulsive guidance molecule c), is a member of the three-protein RGM family. RGMs are GPI (glycosylphosphatidylinositol)-linked glycoproteins that share ~50% amino acid identity and several structural motifs, including the presence of 14 cysteine residues in analogous locations. Unlike RGMa and RGMb, HJV/RGMc is composed of both single-chain and two-chain isoforms. To date there is no structural information for any member of the RGM family. In the present study we have mapped the disulfide bonds in mouse HJV/RGMc using a proteomics strategy combining sequential MS steps composed of ETD (electron transfer dissociation) and CID (collision-induced dissociation), in which ETD induces cleavage of disulfide linkages, and CID establishes disulfide bond assignments between liberated peptides. The results of the present study identified an HJV/RGMc molecular species containing four disulfide linkages. We predict using ab initio modelling that this molecule is a single-chain HJV/RGMc isoform. Our observations outline a general approach using tandem MS and ab initio molecular modelling to define unknown structural features in proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Disulfides / chemistry
  • GPI-Linked Proteins
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Hemochromatosis Protein
  • Humans
  • Iron-Regulatory Proteins / chemistry*
  • Iron-Regulatory Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry*
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Isoforms / chemistry
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Proteomics / methods*

Substances

  • Disulfides
  • GPI-Linked Proteins
  • HJV protein, mouse
  • Hemochromatosis Protein
  • Iron-Regulatory Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Protein Isoforms