Sequences of B-chain/domain 1-10/1-9 of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 determine their different folding behavior

Biochemistry. 2004 Jul 20;43(28):9225-33. doi: 10.1021/bi049710y.

Abstract

Although insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) belong to one family, insulin folds into one thermodynamically stable structure, while IGF-1-folds into two thermodynamically stable structures (native and swap forms). We have demonstrated previously that the bifurcating folding behavior of IGF-1 is mainly controlled by its B-domain. To further elucidate which parts of the sequences determine their different folding behavior, by exchanging the N-terminal sequences of mini-IGF-1 and recombinant porcine insulin precursor (PIP), we prepared four peptide models: [1-9]PIP, [1-10]mini-IGF-1, [1-4]PIP, and [1-5]mini-IGF-1 by means of protein engineering, and their disulfide rearrangement, V8 digestion, circular dichroic spectra, disulfide stability, and in vitro refolding were investigated. Among them only [1-9]PIP, like mini-IGF-1/IGF-1, was expressed in yeast as two isomers: isomer 1 (corresponding to swap IGF-1) and isomer 2 (corresponding to native IGF-1), which are supported by the experimental results of disulfide rearrangements, peptide mapping of V8 endoprotenase digests, circular dichroic analysis, in vitro refolding, and disulfide stability analysis. The other peptide models, [1-10]mini-IGF-1, [1-4]PIP, and [1-5]mini-IGF-1, fold into one stable structure as PIP does, which indicates that sequence 1-4 of mini-IGF-1 is important for the folding behavior of mini-IGF-1/IGF-1 but not sufficient to lead to a bifurcating folding. The results demonstrated that the folding information, by which mini-IGF-1/IGF-1-folds into two thermodynamically structures, is encoded/written in its sequence 1-9, while sequences 1-10 of B chain in insulin/PIP play an important role in the guide of its unique disulfide pairing during the folding process.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Disulfides
  • Humans
  • Insulin / chemistry*
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / chemistry*
  • Isomerism
  • Protein Folding*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Protein Subunits
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Yeasts / genetics

Substances

  • Disulfides
  • Insulin
  • Protein Subunits
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I