A sequential binding mechanism in a PDZ domain

Biochemistry. 2009 Aug 4;48(30):7089-97. doi: 10.1021/bi900559k.

Abstract

Conformational selection and induced fit are two well-known mechanisms of allosteric protein-ligand interaction. Some proteins, like ubiquitin, have recently been found to exist in multiple conformations at equilibrium, suggesting that the conformational selection may be a general mechanism of interaction, in particular for single-domain proteins. Here, we found that the PDZ2 domain of SAP97 binds its ligand via a sequential (induced fit) mechanism. We performed binding experiments using SAP97 PDZ2 and peptide ligands and observed biphasic kinetics with the stopped-flow technique, indicating that ligand binding involves at least a two-step process. By using an ultrarapid continuous-flow mixer, we then detected a hyperbolic dependence of binding rate constants on peptide concentration, corroborating the two-step binding mechanism. Furthermore, we found a similar dependence of the rate constants on both PDZ and peptide concentration, demonstrating that the PDZ2-peptide interaction involves a precomplex, which then undergoes a conformational change, and thereby follows an induced fit mechanism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / chemistry*
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / genetics
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Discs Large Homolog 1 Protein
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry*
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oncogene Proteins, Viral / genetics
  • PDZ Domains*
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Peptides / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation*
  • Protein Denaturation
  • Protein Folding
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • DLG1 protein, human
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Discs Large Homolog 1 Protein
  • E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 18
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Oncogene Proteins, Viral
  • Peptides