1. Structural characterization of POM6 Fab and mouse prion protein complex identifies key regions for prions conformational conversion
- Author
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Adriano Aguzzi, Pravas Kumar Baral, Michael N.G. James, and Mridula Swayampakula
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Gene isoform ,Models, Molecular ,Protein Folding ,Glycosylation ,medicine.drug_class ,Protein Conformation ,animal diseases ,Static Electricity ,Monoclonal antibody ,Crystallography, X-Ray ,Biochemistry ,Epitope ,Pom1 ,Antigen-Antibody Reactions ,03 medical and health sciences ,Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments ,Mice ,Immune system ,medicine ,Animals ,PrPC Proteins ,Prion protein ,Molecular Biology ,biology ,Chemistry ,Antibodies, Monoclonal ,Cell Biology ,nervous system diseases ,Cell biology ,030104 developmental biology ,biology.protein ,Antibody ,Prion Proteins ,Protein Processing, Post-Translational - Abstract
Conversion of the cellular prion protein PrPC into its pathogenic isoform PrPSc is the hallmark of prion diseases, fatal neurodegenerative diseases affecting many mammalian species including humans. Anti‐prion monoclonal antibodies can arrest the progression of prion diseases by stabilizing the cellular form of the prion protein. Here, we present the crystal structure of the POM6 Fab fragment, in complex with the mouse prion protein (moPrP). The prion epitope of POM6 is in close proximity to the epitope recognized by the purportedly toxic antibody fragment, POM1 Fab also complexed with moPrP. The POM6 Fab recognizes a larger binding interface indicating a likely stronger binding compared to POM1. POM6 and POM1 exhibit distinct biological responses. Structural comparisons of the bound mouse prion proteins from the POM6 Fab:moPrP and POM1 Fab:moPrP complexes reveal several key regions of the prion protein that might be involved in initiating mis‐folding events.
- Published
- 2017