NMR analysis of cbEGF domains gives new insights into the structural consequences of a P1148A substitution in fibrillin-1

Protein Eng. 1998 Nov;11(11):957-9. doi: 10.1093/protein/11.11.957.

Abstract

Fibrillin-1 is a modular glycoprotein and a major component of the 10-12 nm microfibrils of the extracellular matrix. Mutations in the fibrillin-1 (FBN 1) gene result in the connective tissue disease the Marfan syndrome (MFS) and related disorders. The calcium binding EGF-like (cbEGF) domain is the predominant structural motif of the protein and >70% of mutations leading to MFS disrupt this domain. A missense mutation which changes a proline to alanine (P1148A) in cbEGF domain 13 has been associated with a number of fibrillin disorders including MFS and Shprintzen-Goldberg syndrome. However, it has also been described as a polymorphism. In this study comparative NMR analyses on wild-type and mutant forms of covalently-linked fibrillin cbEGF domain pairs have been performed to investigate the structural consequences of this substitution. A comparison of the two-dimensional NOESY spectra of the wild-type and mutant forms of cbEGF domains 12 & 13 and cbEGF domains 13 & 14 indicated that the proline to alanine amino acid change does not introduce a significant structural defect into cbEGF domain 13 or the adjacent domains and most likely represents a polymorphism. These results demonstrate how, in the case of a protein with a well defined domain organisation such as fibrillin-1, comparative NMR analyses can be used to substantiate genetic evidence for the polymorphic status of an amino acid.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alanine / chemistry
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Base Sequence
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA Primers
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / chemistry*
  • Fibrillin-1
  • Fibrillins
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Microfilament Proteins / chemistry*
  • Microfilament Proteins / genetics
  • Proline / chemistry
  • Protein Conformation

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • FBN1 protein, human
  • Fibrillin-1
  • Fibrillins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Epidermal Growth Factor
  • Proline
  • Alanine