LipL41, a hemin binding protein from Leptospira santarosai serovar Shermani

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 12;8(12):e83246. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083246. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Leptospirosis is one of the most widespread zoonotic diseases in the world. It is caused by the pathogen Leptospira that results in multiple-organ failure, in particular of the kidney. Outer membrane lipoprotein is the suspected virulence factor of Leptospira. In Leptospira spp LipL41 is one major lipoprotein and is highly conserved. Previous study suggests that LipL41 bears hemin-binding ability and might play a possible role in iron regulation and storage. However, the characterization of hemin-binding ability of LipL41 is still unclear. Here the hemin-binding ability of LipL41 was examined, yielding a K d = 0.59 ± 0.14 μM. Two possible heme regulatory motifs (HRMs), C[P/S], were found in LipL41 at (140)Cys-Ser and (220)Cys-Pro. The mutation study indicates that Cys140 and Cys220 might be cooperatively involved in hemin binding. A supramolecular assembly of LipL41 was determined by transmission electron microscopy. The LipL41 oligomer consists of 36 molecules and folds as a double-layered particle. At the C-terminus of LipL41, there are two tetratricopeptide repeats (TPRs), which might be involved in the protein-protein interaction of the supramolecular assembly.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Heme-Binding Proteins
  • Hemeproteins / genetics
  • Hemeproteins / metabolism*
  • Hemin / genetics
  • Hemin / metabolism*
  • Leptospira / genetics
  • Leptospira / metabolism*
  • Lipoproteins / genetics
  • Lipoproteins / metabolism*
  • Protein Multimerization / physiology*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Heme-Binding Proteins
  • Hemeproteins
  • Lipoproteins
  • Hemin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Science Council of Taiwan, Republic of China (NSC 101-2311-B-007-009-MY3 to YJS) and National Tsing Hua University Taiwan, Republic of China (102N2787E1 to YJS). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.