Zinc ions induce the unfolding and self-association of boar spermadhesin PSP-I, a protein with a single CUB domain architecture, and promote its binding to heparin

Biochemistry. 2006 Jul 11;45(27):8227-35. doi: 10.1021/bi052621g.

Abstract

Spermadhesins are a family of seminal plasma proteins composed of a single CUB domain, which appear to be involved in various aspects of the fertilization process in pigs. PSP-I and PSP-II, the most abundant porcine spermadhesins, occur in seminal plasma as noncovalent heterodimers devoid of heparin-binding capability. Of note is the stability of this dimer, which is significantly affected by physiologically relevant conditions such as Zn2+ ions. Here, we show that PSP-I and PSP-II when separated appear to conserve the overall fold of the CUB domain observed in the crystal structure of the PSP-I/PSP-II heterodimer, as concluded from gel filtration, analytical ultracentrifugation, differential scanning calorimetry, and circular dichroism analyses. However, Zn2+ concentrations in the range of those found in boar seminal plasma induce the unfolding and self-association of PSP-I, apparently as a consequence of the exposure of hydrophobic core residues, whereas they have no effect on PSP-II. Remarkably, Zn2+-denatured and self-associated (but not structured monomeric) PSP-I is retained on a heparin column, resembling the behavior of free PSP-I and homologous spermadhesins of the heparin-binding fraction of boar seminal plasma, which also exhibit different aggregation states. Thus, the modulation of the structural organization and heparin-binding ability of PSP-I by Zn2+ might be a physiological phenomenon in seminal plasma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calorimetry, Differential Scanning
  • Cations, Divalent / chemistry
  • Chromatography, Affinity
  • Dimerization
  • Heparin / chemistry
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Denaturation
  • Protein Folding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Semen / chemistry
  • Semen / metabolism
  • Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins / chemistry*
  • Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins / drug effects
  • Sus scrofa / metabolism
  • Ultracentrifugation
  • Zinc / chemistry*
  • Zinc / pharmacology

Substances

  • Cations, Divalent
  • Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins
  • seminal vesicle secretory protein II, porcine
  • seminal vesicle secretory protein 109, porcine
  • Heparin
  • Zinc