Chaperone peptides

Upon entering the cell, the steroid molecule initially binds to the steroid receptor protein (E domain) to form the steroid-hormone-receptor complex. This complex concomitantly binds to an additional eight or more other peptides (also via the E domain) these peptides are termed chaperone peptides and consist of macromolecules such as heat shock proteins (e.g., hsp70, hsp90). The chaperone peptides help to twist and turn the steroid receptor protein into an improved three-dimensional shape for final and optimal binding of the steroid molecule. Following binding of the chaperone peptides, the steroid-hormone-receptor complex becomes a mature steroid-hormone-receptor... 

Most reactions in cells are carried out by enzymes [1], In many instances the rates of enzyme-catalysed reactions are enhanced by a factor of a million. A significantly large fraction of all known enzymes are proteins which are made from twenty naturally occurring amino acids. The amino acids are linked by peptide bonds to fonn polypeptide chains. The primary sequence of a protein specifies the linear order in which the amino acids are linked. To carry out the catalytic activity the linear sequence has to fold to a well defined tliree-dimensional (3D) stmcture. In cells only a relatively small fraction of proteins require assistance from chaperones (helper proteins) [2]. Even in the complicated cellular environment most proteins fold spontaneously upon synthesis. The detennination of the 3D folded stmcture from the one-dimensional primary sequence is the most popular protein folding problem. 

Wearsch PA, Voglino L, Nicchitta CV (1998) Structural transitions accompanying the activation of peptide binding to the endoplasmic reticulum Hsp90 chaperone GRP94. Biochemistry 37(16) 5709-5719... 

The general types of protein-protein interactions that occur in cells include receptor-ligand, enzyme-substrate, multimeric complex formations, structural scaffolds, and chaperones. However, proteins interact with more targets than just other proteins. Protein interactions can include protein-protein or protein-peptide, protein-DNA/RNA or protein-nucleic acid, protein-glycan or protein-carbohydrate, protein-lipid or protein-membrane, and protein-small molecule or protein-ligand. It is likely that every molecule within a cell has some kind of specific interaction with a protein. 

As stated previously, the total normal cytoplasmic free copper concentration is less than 10 18 M or less than one copper ion per cell. In thermodynamic terms, almost all hydrated copper ions are immediately and tightly coordinated by amino acids or biopolymers—peptides, proteins, and other species with free sulfur ligands. An excess of copper ions activates metallothionein synthesis for storage or removal of the excess. Copper chaperones mediate transfer of copper ions from extracellular or storage locations to their target proteins. Instability of copper ion concentrations in vivo results in various disease states. Three of these—FALS, Menkes, and Wilson s diseases—are described below. 

Yonath, A. (2005) Ribosomal Crystallography Peptide Bond Formation, Chaperone Assistance and Antibiotics Activity. Mol. Cells, 20, 1-16. 

The crystal structure of the peptide substrate-binding domain (140—245 of 517 residues of human al subunit) of the human type I enzyme forms 2.5 tetratricopeptide (TPR) repeat domains with five a helices (PDB accession number ITJC). The organization of tyrosine residues is suggested to be key to its interaction with the substrate peptide in a polyproline II helix. The TPR motif is composed of a 34 amino acid repeated a helical motif, and is typically involved in protein-protein interactions. The tandem repeats of TPR motifs are found in many proteins related to chaperone, cell cycle, transcription, and protein transport... 

The intracellular deposition of ABP as the first pathogenic event prior to the appearance of tau pathology in AD (272) is an indirect evidence of ABP aggregation and incapacity of the ubiquitin-proteasome-chaperone system to repair the distorted metabolism of APP-ABP leading to neurodegeneration. A similar phenomenon with aggregation of conformation-abnormal peptides probably plays a key role in many other neurodegenerative disorders. 

To prevent incorrect folding of the growing protein during protein biosynthesis, chaperones (see B) in the lumen of the rER bind to the peptide chain and stabilize it until translation has been completed. Binding protein (BiP) is an important chaperone in the ER. 

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