We previously reported the de novo design of an
amphiphilic peptide [YGG(IEKKIEA)4]
that forms a native-like, parallel triple-stranded coiled
coil. Starting from this peptide, we sought to regulate
the assembly of the peptide by a metal ion. The replacement
of the Ile18 and Ile22 residues with Ala and Cys residues,
respectively, in the hydrophobic positions disrupted of
the triple-stranded α-helix structure. The addition
of Cd(II), however, resulted in the reconstitution of the
triple-stranded α-helix bundle, as revealed by circular
dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and sedimentation equilibrium
analysis. By titration with metal ions and monitoring the
change in the intensity of the CD spectra at 222 nm, the
dissociation constant Kd was
determined to be 1.5 ± 0.8 μM for Cd(II). The
triple-stranded complex formed by the 113Cd(II)
ion showed a single 113Cd NMR resonance at 572
ppm whose chemical shift was not affected by the presence of
Cl− ions. The 113Cd NMR resonance
was connected with the βH protons of the cysteine residue
by 1H–113Cd heteronuclear multiple
quantum correlation spectroscopy. These NMR results indicate
that the three cysteine residues are coordinated to the
cadmium ion in a trigonal-planar complex. Hg(II) also induced
the assembly of the peptide into a triple-stranded α-helical
bundle below the Hg(II)/peptide ratio of 1/3. With excess Hg(II),
however, the α-helicity of the peptide was decreased,
with the change of the Hg(II) coordination state from three to
two. Combining this construct with other functional domains
should facilitate the production of artificial proteins with
functions controlled by metal ions.