Molecular evidence of stereo-specific lactoferrin dimers in solution

作者：Persson Bjorn A^*; Lund Mikael; Forsman Jan; Chatterton Dereck E W; Akesson Torbjorn

来源：Biophysical Chemistry, 2010, 151(3): 187-189.

DOI：10.1016/j.bpc.2010.06.005

• Protein-protein interaction
• Lactoferrin
• Self-assembly
• Stereospecific

Gathering experimental evidence suggests that bovine as well as human lactoferrin self-associate in aqueous solution. Still, a molecular level explanation is unavailable. Using force field based molecular modeling of the protein-protein interaction free energy we demonstrate (1) that lactoferrin forms highly stereo-specific dimers at neutral pH and (2) that the self-association is driven by a high charge complementarity across the contact surface of the proteins. Our theoretical predictions of dimer formation are verified by electrophoretic mobility and N-terminal sequence analysis on bovine lactoferrin.

• 出版日期2010-10