Structural and functional relationships of natural and artificial dimeric bovine ribonucleases: new scaffolds for potential antitumor drugs

Abstract

Protein aggregation via 3D domain swapping is a complex mechanism which can lead to the acquisition of new biological, benign or also malignant functions, such as amyloid deposits. In this context, RNase A represents a fascinating model system, since by dislocating different polypeptide chain regions, it forms many diverse oligomers. No other protein displays such a large number of different quaternary structures. Here we report a comparative structural analysis between natural and artificial RNase A dimers and bovine seminal ribonuclease, a natively dimeric RNase with antitumor activity, with the aim to design RNase A derivatives with improved pharmacological potential.

Keywords: 3D-domain swapping; Antitumor RNase; Bovine seminal ribonuclease; Dimeric RNase; Protein aggregation; Ribonuclease A.