Conformational changes in SP-B as a function of surface pressure

Biophys J. 2003 Oct;85(4):2624-32. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(03)74685-2.

Abstract

X-ray reflectivity of bovine and sheep surfactant-associated protein B (SP-B) monolayers is used in conjunction with pressure-area isotherms and protein models to suggest that the protein undergoes changes in its tertiary structure at the air/water interface under the influence of surface pressure, indicating the likely importance of such changes to the phenomena of protein squeeze out as well as lipid exchange between the air-water interface and subphase structures. We describe an algorithm based on the well-established box- or layer-models that greatly assists the fitting of such unknown scattering-length density profiles, and which takes the available instrumental resolution into account. Scattering-length density profiles from neutron reflectivity of bovine SP-B monolayers on aqueous subphases are shown to be consistent with the exchange of a large number of labile protons as well as the inclusion of a significant amount of water, which is partly squeezed out of the protein monolayer at elevated surface pressures.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Computer Simulation
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Neutron Diffraction
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein B / chemistry*
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein B / classification
  • Sheep
  • Solutions
  • Species Specificity
  • Surface Tension
  • Water / chemistry*
  • X-Ray Diffraction / methods*

Substances

  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein B
  • Solutions
  • Water