A tradeoff between protein stability and conformational mobility in homotrimeric dUTPases

FEBS Lett. 2004 May 21;566(1-3):48-54. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2004.04.039.

Abstract

Oligomerization directs active site formation in homotrimeric 2'-deoxyuridine triphosphate pyrophosphatases (dUTPases). Stability of the homotrimer is a central determinant in enzyme function. The present comparative studies of bacterial and fruitfly dUTPases with homologous 3D structures by differential scanning microcalorimetry; fluorescence, circular dichorism and infrared spectroscopies, demonstrate that unfolding is a two-state highly cooperative transition in both dUTPases excluding a significantly populated intermediate state of dissociated and folded monomers. The eukaryotic protein is much less resistant against either thermal or guanidine hydrochloride-induced denaturation. Results suggest that hydrophobic packing of the inner threefold channel of the dUTPase homotrimer greatly contributes to stability.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Calorimetry, Differential Scanning
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Drosophila Proteins / chemistry
  • Drosophila melanogaster / enzymology
  • Enzyme Stability
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology
  • Guanidine / chemistry
  • Ligands
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Denaturation
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Pyrophosphatases / chemistry*
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Ligands
  • Pyrophosphatases
  • dUTP pyrophosphatase
  • Guanidine