Structural characterization of HBXIP: the protein that interacts with the anti-apoptotic protein survivin and the oncogenic viral protein HBx

J Mol Biol. 2011 Jan 14;405(2):331-40. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2010.10.046. Epub 2010 Nov 6.

Abstract

Hepatitis B X-interacting protein (HBXIP) is a ubiquitous protein that was originally identified as a binding partner of the hepatitis B viral protein HBx. HBXIP is also thought to serve as an anti-apoptotic cofactor of survivin, promoting the suppression of pro-caspase-9 activation. Here were port the crystal structure of the shortest isoform of HBXIP (91 aa long,∼11 kDa) at 1.5 Å resolution. HBXIP crystal shows a monomer per asymmetric unit, with a profilin-like fold which is common to a super family of proteins, the Roadblock/LC7 domain family involved in protein-protein interactions. Based on this fold, we propose that HBXIP can form a dimer that can indeed be found in the crystal when symmetric molecules are generated around the asymmetric unit. This dimer shows an extended β-sheet area formed by 10 anti-parallel β-strands from both subunits. Another interesting aspect of the proposed HBXIP dimer interface is the presence of a small leucine zipper between the two α2 helices of each monomer. In solution, the scattering curve obtained by small-angle X-ray scattering for the sample used for crystallization indicates that the protein is dimeric form in solution. The fit between the experimental small angle X-ray scattering curve and the back calculated curves for two potential crystal dimers shows a significant preference for the Roadblock/LC7 fold dimer model. Moreover, the HBXIP crystal structure represents a step towards understanding the cellular role of HBXIP.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / chemistry*
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • Apoptosis*
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Hepatitis B virus
  • Humans
  • Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oncogenes*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Survivin
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • BIRC5 protein, human
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors
  • Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
  • LAMTOR5 protein, human
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Survivin
  • Trans-Activators
  • Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
  • hepatitis B virus X protein