11 research outputs found

    Long range physical cell-to-cell signalling via mitochondria inside membrane nanotubes: a hypothesis

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    Gas-phase conformation can have an influence on peptide fragmentation

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    International audienceIn the context of proteome analysis, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) can fulfil the two tasks of primary structure verification and protein identification. As an illustration of the first of these tasks, the sequence of Eschericha coli isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase, a protein with 15 reported sequence conflicts, has been established by means of MALDI mass mapping. The identification of mitochondrial proteins participating in a yeast supramolecular complex exhibiting NADH dehydrogenase activity highlights the performances of MALDI-MS for the second task. The spectral suppression phenomenon occurring for complex peptide mixtures analysed by MALDI is discussed, as well as the role of post-source decay analysis for confident protein identification

    The transmembrane domain of the SNARE protein VAMP2 is highly sensitive to its lipid environment

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    Neurotransmitter and hormone exocytosis depends on SNARE protein transmembrane domains and membrane lipids but their interplay is poorly understood. We investigated the interaction of the structure of VAMP2, a vesicular transmembrane SNARE protein, and membrane lipid composition by infrared spectroscopy using either the wild-type transmembrane domain (TMD), VAMP2TM22, or a peptide mutated at the central residues G100/C103 (VAMP2TM22VV) previously identified by us as being critical for exocytosis. Our data show that the structure of VAMP2TM22, in terms of α-helices and ÎČ-sheets is strongly influenced by peptide/lipid ratios, by lipid species including cholesterol and by membrane surface charges. Differences observed in acyl chain alignments further underscore the role of the two central small amino acid residues G100/C103 within the transmembrane domain during lipid rearrangements in membrane fusion

    Selective Tuning of Elastin-like Polypeptide Properties via Methionine Oxidation

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    We have designed and prepared a recombinant elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) containing precisely positioned methionine residues, and performed the selective and complete oxidation of its methionine thioether groups to both sulfoxide and sulfone derivatives. Since these oxidation reactions substantially increase methionine residue polarity, they were found to be a useful means to precisely adjust the temperature responsive behavior of ELPs in aqueous solutions. In particular, lower critical solution temperatures were found to be elevated in oxidized sample solutions, but were not eliminated. These transition temperatures were found to be further tunable by the use of solvents containing different Hofmeister salts. Overall, the ability to selectively and fully oxidize methionine residues in ELPs proved to be a convenient postmodification strategy for tuning their transition temperatures in aqueous media
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