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Functional implications of structural differences between variants A and B of bovine β-lactoglobulin

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 1999

BIN Y. QIN
Affiliation:
Centre for Structural Biology, Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
MARIA C. BEWLEY
Affiliation:
Centre for Structural Biology, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand Current address: Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973.
LAWRENCE K. CREAMER
Affiliation:
New Zealand Dairy Research Institute, Palmerston North, New Zealand
EDWARD N. BAKER
Affiliation:
Centre for Structural Biology, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand Current address: School of Biological Science, Auckland University, Private Bag 92-019, Auckland, New Zealand.
GEOFFREY B. JAMESON
Affiliation:
Centre for Structural Biology, Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Abstract

The structure of the trigonal crystal form of bovine β-lactoglobulin variant B at pH 7.1 has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods at a resolution of 2.22 Å and refined to values for R and Rfree of 0.239 and 0.286, respectively. By comparison with the structure of the trigonal crystal form of bovine β-lactoglobulin variant A at pH 7.1, which was determined previously [Qin BY et al., 1998, Biochemistry 37:14014–14023], the structural consequences of the sequence differences D64G and V118A of variants A and B, respectively, have been investigated. Only minor differences in the core calyx structure occur. In the vicinity of the mutation site D64G on loop CD (residues 61–67), there are small changes in main-chain conformation, whereas the substitution V118A on β-strand H is unaccompanied by changes in the surrounding structure, thereby creating a void volume and weakened hydrophobic interactions with a consequent loss of thermal stability relative to variant A. A conformational difference is found for the loop EF, implicated in the pH-dependent conformational change known as the Tanford transition, but it is not clear whether this reflects differences intrinsic to the variants in solution or differences in crystallization.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1999 The Protein Society

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