TitleMicrosecond sub-domain motions and the folding and misfolding of the mouse prion protein.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsGoluguri RReddy, Sen S, Udgaonkar J
JournalElife
Volume8
Date Published2019 Apr 26
ISSN2050-084X
Abstract

Protein aggregation appear to originate from partially unfolded conformations that are sampled through stochastic fluctuations of the native protein. It has been a challenge to characterize these fluctuations, under native like conditions. Here, the conformational dynamics of the full-length (23-231) mouse prion protein were studied under native conditions, using photoinduced electron transfer coupled to fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (PET-FCS). The slowest fluctuations could be associated with the folding of the unfolded state to an intermediate state, by the use of microsecond mixing experiments. The two faster fluctuations observed by PET-FCS, could be attributed to fluctuations within the native state ensemble. The addition of salt, which is known to initiate the aggregation of the protein, resulted in an enhancement in the time scale of fluctuations in the core of the protein. The results indicate the importance of native state dynamics in initiating the aggregation of proteins.

DOI10.7554/eLife.44766
Alternate JournalElife
PubMed ID31025940