Anastellin, an FN3 fragment with fibronectin polymerization activity, resembles amyloid fibril precursors.
J Mol Biol
; 332(1): 205-15, 2003 Sep 05.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-12946358
ABSTRACT
Anastellin is a carboxy-terminal fragment of the first FN3 domain from human fibronectin. It is capable of polymerizing fibronectin in vitro, and it displays anti-tumor, anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic properties in vivo. We have determined the structure of anastellin using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and identified residues critical for its activity. Anastellin exhibits dynamic fluctuations and conformational exchange in solution. Its overall topology is very similar to the corresponding region of full-length FN3 domains. However, its hydrophobic core becomes solvent-accessible and some of its beta-strands lose their protection against hydrogen bonding to beta-strands from other molecules. These features seem to be relevant for the fibronectin polymerization activity of anastellin and resemble the characteristics of amyloid fibril precursors. We suggest that this analogy is not random and may reflect similarities between fibronectin and amyloid fibril formation.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Peptide Fragments
/
Protein Conformation
/
Fibronectins
/
Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
J Mol Biol
Year:
2003
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States