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Biomedical subjects

I Phan

Publications and source records attributed to I Phan.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Interactive InterPro-based comparisons of proteins in whole genomes.

MOTIVATION: The SWISS-PROT group at the EBI has developed the Proteome Analysis Database utilizing existing resources and providing comprehensive and integrated comparative analysis of the predicted protein coding sequences of the complete genomes of bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. The Proteome Analysis Database is accompanied by a program that has been designed to carry out interactive InterPro proteome comparisons for any one proteome against any other one or more of the proteomes in the database.

Computational Biology↗

Proteome Analysis Database: online application of InterPro and CluSTr for the functional classification of proteins in whole genomes.

The SWISS-PROT group at EBI has developed the Proteome Analysis Database utilising existing resources and providing comparative analysis of the predicted protein coding sequences of the complete genomes of bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes (http://www.ebi.ac. uk/proteome/). The two main projects used, InterPro and CluSTr, give a new perspective on families, domains and sites and cover 31-67% (InterPro statistics) of the proteins from each of the complete genomes. CluSTr covers the three complete eukaryotic genomes and the incomplete human genome data. The Proteome Analysis Database is accompanied by a program that has been designed to carry out InterPro proteome comparisons for any one proteome against any other one or more of the proteomes in the database.

Animals↗

Drosophila dumpy is a gigantic extracellular protein required to maintain tension at epidermal-cuticle attachment sites.

BACKGROUND: Growth and morphogenesis during development depend both on patterning genes, which assign positional information, and on genes that regulate mechanical forces. The dumpy gene of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an example of the latter class, with mutant phenotypes affecting size and shape of the limbs, thoracic cuticle, trachea and mouthparts. RESULTS: The genetically complex dumpy locus was found to span over 100 kb and encode a gigantic 2.5 MDa extracellular matrix protein. Dumpy represents an extreme form of modular protein evolution, containing 308 epidermal growth factor (EGF) modules, interspersed with a new module class, DPY, and terminating in a crosslinking zona pellucida domain and membrane anchor sequence. We determined the three-dimensional structure of the DPY module by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and found that it forms a disulphide-stabilised beta sheet motif, capable of linking end-to-end with EGF modules to form a fibre. Consistent with its cuticle phenotypes, dumpy is expressed at several sites of cuticle-epidermal cell attachment, including the trachea and the muscle tendon cells, which mediate anchorage of the muscles to the cuticle. CONCLUSIONS: The dumpy gene encodes a gigantic extracellular molecule that we predict to be a membrane-anchored fibre of almost a micrometer in length. Insertion and crosslinking of this fibre within the cuticle may provide a strong anchor for the underlying tissue, allowing it to maintain mechanical tension at sites under stress. This would explain its contribution to tissue morphogenesis through its regulation of mechanical properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Solution structure of a type 2 module from fibronectin: implications for the structure and function of the gelatin-binding domain.

BACKGROUND: Fibronectin is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein involved in cell adhesion and migration events in a range of important physiological processes. Aberrant adhesion of cells to the matrix may contribute to the breakdown of normal tissue function associated with various diseases. The adhesive properties of fibronectin may be mediated by its interaction with collagen, the most abundant extracellular matrix protein. The collagen-binding activity of fibronectin has been localized to a 42 kDa proteolytic fragment on the basis of this fragment's affinity for denatured collagen (gelatin). This gelatin-binding domain contains the only type 2 (F2) modules found in the protein. The F2 modules of the matrix metalloproteinases MMP2 and MMP9 are responsible for the affinity of these proteins for gelatin. Knowledge of the structure of fibronectin will provide insights into its interactions with other proteins, and will contribute to our understanding of the structure and function of the extracellular matrix, in both normal and disease-altered tissues. RESULTS: We have determined the solution structure of the first F2 (1F2) module from human fibronectin by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. The tertiary structure of the 1F2 module is similar to that of a shorter F2 module, PDC-109b, from the bovine seminal plasma protein PDC-109. The 1F2 module has two double-stranded antiparallel beta sheets oriented approximately perpendicular to each other, and enclosing a cluster of highly conserved aromatic residues, five of which form a solvent-exposed hydrophobic surface. The N-terminal extension in 1F2 brings the N and C termini of the module into close proximity. CONCLUSIONS: The close proximity of the N and C termini in 1F2 allows for interactions between non-contiguous modules in the gelatin-binding domain. Thus, instead of forming an extended, linear chain of modules, the domain may have a more compact, globular structure. A pocket in the module's solvent-exposed hydrophobic surface may bind nonpolar residues in the putative fibronectin-binding site of the extracellular matrix component type I collagen.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Solution structure of a pair of fibronectin type 1 modules with fibrin binding activity.

The tertiary structure of the fourth and fifth type 1 module pair from the N terminus of human fibronectin, has been determined by two-dimensional homonuclear 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Comparison of each module fold with those of two other type 1 modules shows that the type 1 "consensus" structure is conserved in the pair. The modules connect end-to-end to form an elongated structure with a limited clockwise twist around the long axis, from N to C terminus. The short five residue linker sequence forms a tight loop and the relative orientation of the two modules is maintained by fixed and intimate hydrophobic contacts, dominated by a non-conserved tryptophan residue from the fourth type 1 module. The protein binds specifically to fibrin in an ELISA and surface accessible residues that may be involved in this and other protein interactions can be identified. The structure provides an insight into how chains of type 1 modules may link up in intact fibronectin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Secondary structure of a pair of fibronectin type 1 modules by two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance.

The fourth and fifth type 1 module pair, corresponding to residues 151-244 from the amino terminus of human fibronectin, has been produced as a recombinant protein using a yeast expression system and studied by two-dimensional homonuclear 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The sequence-specific resonance assignment of the 1H NMR spectrum has been completed using a combination of 2D 1H nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) spectroscopy, homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn, and correlated spectroscopy spectra recorded under a variety of pH and temperature conditions. Slow exchanging amide protons have been identified and estimates of many backbone 3JNH-C alpha H coupling constants were obtained by line shape fitting. The secondary structures of each module conform closely to the "consensus" fibronectin type 1 module structure determined previously for two other single type 1 modules. In the module pair described here, the two modules are linked by a short five-residue linker which appears to form a turn. The intermodule interface is defined by NOEs observed between a hydrophobic three-residue sequence from the fourth type 1 module and residues in the first double-stranded beta-sheet of the fifth type 1 module. The interaction is dominated by a tryptophan residue (unconserved in other type 1 sequences) within the fourth module, which causes large upfield ring current shifts for several proton resonances from the beta-sheet of the fifth module. The NMR data indicate that there is little or no relative reorientation of the two modules about the linker region but rather that the two modules combine with a fixed and intimate hydrophobic contact.

Amino Acid Sequence↗