ISSN:
0887-3585
Keywords:
subunit interactions
;
icosahedral capsid
;
electrostatic potential
;
Chemistry
;
Biochemistry and Biotechnology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
The role of the electrostatic interactions in the stability of the icosahedral β60 capsid of heavy riboflavin synthase from Bacillus Subtilis has been investigated using an approach based on the theory of Kirkwood and Tanford. The pH dependence of the electrostatic subunit interaction agrees well with experimental data. The electrostatic subunit interaction energy has a pronounced minimum at pH 8.2 for both the ligated and ligand-free capsid. The latter is characterized by a reduction of the magnitude and the pH range of the electrostatic attraction. It is found that only 8 charged groups, which form one cluster and two ion pairs, provide a significant contribution to the capsid stability. The analysis has shown that the aggregation/disaggregation equilibrium seems to be regulated by electrostatic interactions between β-subunits forming dimers, which connect the relatively stable pentamers in the β-60 capsid. The release of the ligand causesareduction of the electrostatic attraction of the dimers, which may induce disaggregation of the capsid. The electrostatic potential field due tothe titratable groups and α-helix macrodipoles has been calculated on the basic of the Coulomb relation. Two different values of the dielectric constant have been used for the protein and the surrounding solvent, respectively. The electrostatic potential shows a radially polardistribution with a positive pole at the inner capsid wall and a negative pole outside the capsid. An interesting feature of the electrostatic field is the formation of the positive potential “channels” that coincide with the channels constituted by the pentameric and trimeric β-subunit aggregates. It is supposed that the electrostatic potential field plays a role in enzyme-substrate recognition.
Additional Material:
9 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/prot.340050308
