Conformational flexibility of cytokine-like C-module of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase monitored by Trp144 intrinsic fluorescence

J Fluoresc. 2006 Sep;16(5):705-11. doi: 10.1007/s10895-006-0113-9. Epub 2006 Sep 6.

Abstract

The non-catalytic COOH-terminal module formed after proteolytic cleavage of full-length mammalian tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase displays dual function: tRNA binding ability and cytokine activity. With the aim to explore the intramolecular dynamics of C-module in solution we used fluorescence spectroscopy to study conformational changes of isolated protein. We used information from fluorescence spectra and computational model for characterization of a microenvironment of a single tryptophan residue (Trp144). Its fluorescence parameters and protection from quenching by Cs+ ions indicate the internal localization--buried into protein globule. The fluorescence quenching of Trp144 by acrylamide suggests rapid conformation dynamics of the C-module in nanosecond time scale. The temperature-induced conformational changes in the C-module were monitored by the fluorescence measurements of Trp144 emission and by red-edge excitation shift. An emission maximum shift up to approximately 349 nm and significant decrease of the red-edge shift effect at 37-52 degrees C indicated a major conformational transition of Trp144 from buried native state into highly relaxing polar solvent environment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Cytokines / chemistry
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Conformation
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Thermodynamics
  • Tryptophan / chemistry
  • Tyrosine-tRNA Ligase / chemistry*
  • Tyrosine-tRNA Ligase / genetics

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Tryptophan
  • Tyrosine-tRNA Ligase