A new side opening on prolyl oligopeptidase revealed by electron microscopy

FEBS Lett. 2009 Oct 20;583(20):3344-8. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2009.09.036. Epub 2009 Sep 25.

Abstract

Prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) has gained importance as a target for the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases and cognitive disturbances. Therefore, a variety of strategies are currently used to identify POP inhibitors. Here we performed electron microscopy (EM) studies of human POP. Our data reveal for the first time the presence of a new side opening in POP that was not observed in any of the crystallographic structures described to date. Finally, molecular dynamics, the relevant normal modes that contribute to the fluctuation of the catalytic triad residues and the algorithm CAVERN also support the existence of a new large side opening on POP.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cognition Disorders / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Structure
  • Prolyl Oligopeptidases
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary*
  • Serine Endopeptidases / chemistry*
  • Serine Endopeptidases / genetics
  • Serine Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Serine Proteinase Inhibitors

Substances

  • Serine Proteinase Inhibitors
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • PREPL protein, human
  • Prolyl Oligopeptidases