Transmembrane protein rotaxanes reveal kinetic traps in the refolding of translocated substrates

Commun Biol. 2020 Apr 3;3(1):159. doi: 10.1038/s42003-020-0840-5.

Abstract

Understanding protein folding under conditions similar to those found in vivo remains challenging. Folding occurs mainly vectorially as a polypeptide emerges from the ribosome or from a membrane translocon. Protein folding during membrane translocation is particularly difficult to study. Here, we describe a single-molecule method to characterize the folded state of individual proteins after membrane translocation, by monitoring the ionic current passing through the pore. We tag both N and C termini of a model protein, thioredoxin, with biotinylated oligonucleotides. Under an electric potential, one of the oligonucleotides is pulled through a α-hemolysin nanopore driving the unfolding and translocation of the protein. We trap the protein in the nanopore as a rotaxane-like complex using streptavidin stoppers. The protein is subjected to cycles of unfolding-translocation-refolding switching the voltage polarity. We find that the refolding pathway after translocation is slower than in bulk solution due to the existence of kinetic traps.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Toxins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Toxins / genetics
  • Bacterial Toxins / metabolism*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / genetics
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / metabolism*
  • Hemolysin Proteins / chemistry
  • Hemolysin Proteins / genetics
  • Hemolysin Proteins / metabolism*
  • Kinetics
  • Membrane Potentials
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Protein Domains
  • Protein Folding
  • Protein Transport
  • Protein Unfolding
  • Rotaxanes / chemistry
  • Rotaxanes / metabolism*
  • Single Molecule Imaging
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Thioredoxins / chemistry
  • Thioredoxins / genetics
  • Thioredoxins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Hemolysin Proteins
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Rotaxanes
  • staphylococcal alpha-toxin
  • trxC protein, E coli
  • Thioredoxins