Structure determination of a peptide model of the repeated helical domain in Samia cynthia ricini silk fibroin before spinning by a combination of advanced solid-state NMR methods

Fibrous proteins unlike globular proteins, contain repetitive amino acid sequences, giving rise to very regular secondary protein structures. Silk fibroin from a wild silkworm, Samia cynthia ricini, consists of about 100 repeats of alternating polyalanine (poly-Ala) regions of 12-13 residues in length and Gly-rich regions. In this paper, the precise structure of the model peptide, GGAGGGYGGDGG(A)(12)GGAGDGYGAG, which is a typical repeated sequence of the silk fibroin, was determined using a combination of three kinds of solid-state NMR studies; a quantitative use of (13)C CP/MAS NMR chemical shift with conformation-dependent (13)C chemical shift contour plots, 2D spin diffusion (13)C solid-state NMR under off magic angle spinning and rotational echo double resonance. The structure of the model peptide corresponding to the silk fibroin structure before spinning was determined. The torsion angles of the central Ala residue, Ala(19), in the poly-Ala region were determined to be (phi, psi) = (-59 degrees, -48 degrees ) which are values typically associated with alpha-helical structures. However, the torsion angles of the Gly(25) residue adjacent to the C-terminal side of the poly-Ala chain were determined to be (phi, psi) = (-66 degrees, -22 degrees ) and those of Gly(12) and Ala(13) residues at the N-terminal of the poly-Ala chain to be (phi, psi) = (-70 degrees, -30 degrees ). In addition, REDOR experiments indicate that the torsion angles of the two C-terminal Ala residues, Ala(23) and Ala(24), are (phi, psi) = (-66 degrees, -22 degrees ) and those of N-terminal two Ala residues, Ala(13) and Ala(14) are (phi, psi) = (-70 degrees, -30 degrees ). Thus, the local structure of N-terminal and C-terminal residues, and also the neighboring residues of alpha-helical poly-Ala chain in the model peptide is a more strongly wound structure than found in typical alpha-helix structures.     

Conformational Transformation Exhibited by the Peptide Extracted from Crystalline Region of Bombyx mori Silk Fibroin in Solid and Solution States

The conformational transformation of a 30-residue peptide H（Ala-Gly-Ser-Gly-AIa-Gly）5OH, i.e., （AGSGAG）5, extracted from highly crystalline region of Bombyx mori （B. mori） silk fibroin was described by using the high resolution solid state 13^C NMR, and CD spectroscopies. Based on the conformation-dependent 13^C NMR chemical shifts of the Ala, Gly and Ser residues and the line-shape analysis of the conformation sensitive Ala Cβ resonance, the peptide revealed a strong preference for silk Ⅱ structural form, i,e,, an antiparallel fl-sheet structure （φ= - 140±20°and ψ= 135±20°） in solid state. On the contrary, the CD spectra of this peptide in the two non-native hexafluorinated fibre spinning solvents, hexafluoroisopropanol （HFIP） and hexafluoroacetone （HFA）, exhibited the existence of an unusual tightly-folded conformation resembling 310-helix （φ=- 60±20° and ψ=-30±20°）, as judged from the R ratio of [θ]222/[θ]203 in HFIP solution, whereas a dynamically averaged unordered structure in HFA, Taken together, the information inclined to hypothesis that the primary structure of the highly crystalline regions of B. mori silk fibroin may be easily accessible to the large conformational changes, which in turn may be critical for facilitating the structural transformation from unprocessed silk fibroin （silk I form） to processed silk fiber （silk Ⅱform）.     

Structural analysis of alanine tripeptide with antiparallel and parallel beta-sheet structures in relation to the analysis of mixed beta-sheet structures in Samia cynthia ricini silk protein fiber using solid-state NMR spectroscopy

The structural analysis of natural protein fibers with mixed parallel and antiparallel beta-sheet structures by solid-state NMR is reported. To obtain NMR parameters that can characterize these beta-sheet structures, (13)C solid-state NMR experiments were performed on two alanine tripeptide samples: one with 100% parallel beta-sheet structure and the other with 100% antiparallel beta-sheet structure. All (13)C resonances of the tripeptides could be assigned by a comparison of the methyl (13)C resonances of Ala(3) with different [3-(13)C]Ala labeling schemes and also by a series of RFDR (radio frequency driven recoupling) spectra observed by changing mixing times. Two (13)C resonances observed for each Ala residue could be assigned to two nonequivalent molecules per unit cell. Differences in the (13)C chemical shifts and (13)C spin-lattice relaxation times (T(1)) were observed between the two beta-sheet structures. Especially, about 3 times longer T(1) values were obtained for parallel beta-sheet structure as compared to those of antiparallel beta-sheet structure, which could be explicable by the difference in the hydrogen-bond networks of both structures. This very large difference in T(1) becomes a good measure to differentiate between parallel or antiparallel beta-sheet structures. These differences in the NMR parameters found for the tripeptides may be applied to assign the parallel and antiparallel beta-sheet (13)C resonances in the asymmetric and broad methyl spectra of [3-(13)C]Ala silk protein fiber of a wild silkworm, Samia cynthia ricini.     

Investigation of structural transition of regenerated silk fibroin aqueous solution by Rheo-NMR spectroscopy

In this study we applied Rheo-NMR to investigate the structural change of Bombyx mori silk fibroin in aqueous solution under shear. Monitoring the time dependence of 1H solution NMR spectra of silk fibroin subjected to constant shear strain, signal intensities of random coil decreased suddenly during shear while peaks from beta-sheet structure did not arise in the solution spectra. After these experiments, an aggregate of silk was found in the Couette flow cell and its secondary structure was determined as beta-sheet by 13C solid-state NMR. In conclusion the moderate shear applied here triggered the change in the secondary structure.     

Use of microcoil probehead for determination of the structure of oriented silk fibers by solid-state NMR

A microcoil probehead for solid-state NMR was developed with a two-channel radio-frequency circuit, and 13C observation with a proton-decoupling probehead was performed to obtain information on the distribution of the orientation of silk fibroin molecules in the fiber. The coil (1 mm (diameter) x 5 mm (length)) of the probehead was placed at the angles 90 degrees and 30 degrees , relative to the static magnetic field. Only 70 mug of [1-13C]Gly silk fibroin fiber was used in a magnet of 9.4 T (400 MHz for proton channel).     

蚕体内不同丝腺部位丝蛋白溶液结构与性质的研究

采用偏光显微镜研究了蚕体内不同丝腺部位(包括前部、中部和后部)中丝蛋白溶液的性质变化,并采用了拉曼光谱和旋转流变仪对中部丝腺(包括前区、中区及后区)的丝蛋白分子结构和流变性能进行了分析。结果发现:蚕体内只有前部丝腺及中部丝腺前区的丝蛋白溶液具有偏光现象;丝蛋白溶液在由中部丝腺后区向前区流动的过程中,粘度及弹性均逐渐变小,其构象则由无规卷曲逐渐向α-螺旋转变,并进一步形成β-折叠构象。由此表明,在蚕体内中部丝腺前区的丝蛋白溶液很可能已经形成了液晶态结构。     

蚕丝蛋白与类动物丝蛋白聚合物共混膜的振动光谱研究

蚕丝纤维具有优良的力学性能 ,不同的环境条件对其力学性能有一定的影响 ,但其力学性能主要取决于形成纤维过程中所形成的以分子链 β-折叠结构及其沿纤维轴方向高度取向为特征的丝纤维凝聚态结构 [1,2 ] .因此在丝纤维的形成及丝蛋白膜的人工制备过程中 ,丝蛋白分子链的构象及其构象转变一直是研究的重点[3～ 6 ] .以蚕丝蛋白 (Silk Fibroin,SF)稀溶液在常温下浇铸的 SF膜一般以无规线团 /α-螺旋为主的构象状态存在 ;经热处理、极性溶剂 (如甲醇等 )处理、应力作用或共混入一些能与SF形成分子间氢键的聚合物组分后 ,SF膜的构象将从无…     

金属离子导致的丝素蛋白的构象转变

蚕丝和蜘蛛丝的优异力学性能一直是科学家们关注的课题^[1-3]。近年来,在蚕丝蛋白结构及其构象方面的研究取得了许多进展^[3-5]。在蚕的腺体中丝素蛋白的构象为silk I（主要是无规线团为主,还有少量的β－转角,α螺旋等）,而在纤维状的丝中为silk Ⅱ（主要是β折叠）。金属离子在蚕叶丝过程中的作用也一直是一个人们关心的问题。Chen等^[6]在研究丝胶（包附在丝素蛋白表层的另外一种蛋白）时发现,在一定pH条件下,Ni^2 离子通过四配位的螯合作用诱导丝素蛋白β折叠的形成。并且,Viney等^[7]根据电感耦合等离子体（ICP－MS）技术推测Ca^2 的增加能使β折叠的形成加速。     

pH值对丝素蛋白构象转变的影响

模仿家蚕吐丝过程中伴随丝素蛋白自然脱水的纤维化过程,研究了再生丝素蛋白在各种pH值的磷酸盐缓冲溶液体系中自然干燥脱水成膜后的构象转变.利用激光拉曼散射光谱及其二维相关光谱,定性分析了丝素蛋白酰胺区(1600～1700cm^-1)散射峰的相关组成及结构.在此基础上,利用¹³CCP-MAS固体核磁共振谱对丝素蛋白丙氨酸C_β峰(δ14.5～22)进行了解析拟合.从而确定了体系中与Silk及Silk构象相关的组成含量与pH值的关系.结果表明,pH=5.2的酸性溶液有利于蚕丝丝素蛋白从Silk向Silk构象转变,而中性与碱性溶液(pH=6.9和8.0)则对丝素蛋白的构象转变影响甚小.     

Structure and dynamics of silk fibroin studied with 13C, 15N and 2H solid state NMR

[1-¹³C]Gly, L-[1-¹³C]Ala, [¹⁵N]Gly, L-[¹⁵N]Ala, [2,2-²H₂]Gly, L-[3,3-²H₂]Ser and [3,3,3-²H₃]Ala labeled silk fibroin fibers from Bombyx mori and Samia cynthia ricini silkworms were prepared in order to analyze structure of backbone and dynamics of side chain. The torsion angles ϕ and Ψ were determined from the angular dependent ¹³C and ¹⁵N solid state NMR spectra for uniaxially oriented fiber samples. In addition, the characteristic side chain dynamics of Ser residue determined from solid state ²H NMR measurements was compared with those of Ala and Gly residues.     

蚕腺体内和再生丝素蛋白水溶液的性能研究

用偏光显微镜观察了蚕腺体内和再生丝素蛋白水溶液的流动状态和各向异性现象,用乌氏粘度计测试了其流出时间,并用HAKKE流变仪测试了其粘度。结果发现蚕腺体内和再生丝素蛋白水溶液的性质差别非常大,认为丝素蛋白水溶液在蚕腺体内存在一个逐步熟成的过程。随着丝素蛋白水溶液在腺体内的前移,丝素蛋白分子逐渐沿移动方向取向而呈有序态,最终成为粘度非常大的各向异性的凝胶体,而再生丝素蛋白水溶液是粘度非常低的各向同性溶液。这些差异表明,丝素蛋白水溶液在蚕腺体内的熟成过程是蚕能够吐出优良蚕丝的关键步骤,要想制备出高性能的纤维,在“仿生纺丝”之前,首先要“仿生制备纺丝液”。     

桑蚕丝素-RGD融合蛋白的固态结构及其细胞粘附性分析

利用基因工程方法把含有短肽RGD的氨基酸序列连接到桑蚕丝素蛋白的结晶序列GAGAGS上, 通过调节DNA的聚合度, 合成了具有[TGRGDSPA(GVPGV)₂GG(GAGAGS)₃AS]_n一级结构、不同分子量大小的桑蚕丝素-RGD融合蛋白, 并且通过在M9培养基中添加[3-¹³C]Ala的方法进行融合蛋白的稳定同位素标记. ¹³C CP/MAS NMR结果显示, 融合蛋白中的GAGAGS部分具有与天然桑蚕丝素结晶部分相同的分子结构, 即Silk I处理后为均一的分子结构, 而Silk II处理后为不均一的分子结构, 它包含了三种不同的结构成分. 另一方面, 通过对小鼠成纤维细胞BALB/3T3在不同蛋白材料载体上的粘附和增殖性能的测定结果显示, 融合蛋白对细胞的增殖性能与天然胶原蛋白相近, 但表现出了比胶原蛋白更好的细胞粘附性能. 该研究结果显示, 如果对该桑蚕丝素-RGD融合蛋白进行适当加工, 可能适合于组织工程支架材料的应用.     

环氧化合物与丝素蛋白化学交联凝胶的结构

对丝素蛋白水溶液与环氧化合物交联剂(PGDE)反应制备的丝素凝胶(CFG)的结构进行了研究.用位相差显微镜观察到CFG具有整体均一的形态结构,而未经PGDE交联的纯丝素凝胶(FG)为颗粒聚集结构.CFG的红外吸收光谱在1104cm^-1处出现PGDE分子中烷醚的吸收峰,而没有出现PGDE两端环醚的特征吸收峰,显示PGDE已经开环交联在丝素蛋白上.氨基酸分析结果显示,酪氨酸、组氨酸和赖氨酸的含量与反应前相比明显减少,PGDE在这些位点与丝素蛋白发生了交联反应.固体¹³CNMR谱观察到酪氨酸羟苯基上的碳发生了化学位移,进一步证实了酪氨酸残基与PGDE发生了化学交联.研究表明,PGDE与丝素蛋白交联形成了分子间交联网络结构,从而使CFG成为较为匀质的凝胶,并有较好的透明度和柔韧性.     

蚕丝丝素纤维中氨基酸在丝素纤维的径向分布研究

通过显微镜观察、红外光谱、氨基酸组成分析、福林试剂分析等方法研究蚕丝丝素纤维的微结构、丝素表层和内层的结构差异 ,研究氨基酸尤其是对丝素纤维的结构和性能起重要影响的主要芳香族氨基酸———酪氨酸在丝素由表及里各层中的含量和分布 ,以期最终揭示丝素结构与蚕丝织物应用中的固有缺陷 (如泛黄、易皱、色牢度等 )的关系 .结果表明蚕丝丝素存在多层次结构 ,表层无定形区的比例较高 ,里层结晶区的比例较高 ;侧基较大的氨基酸和赖氨酸、组氨酸、胱氨酸、精氨酸、天门冬氨酸、苯丙氨酸、亮氨酸、谷氨酸、酪氨酸等在丝素的表层分布相对较多 ,而乙氨酸、丙氨酸、丝氨酸等小侧基氨基酸则在中间层至里层较多     

Determining dihedral angles and local structure in silk peptide by 13C-2H REDOR

13C-2H REDOR NMR experiments were performed on 30-residue (AlaGly)15 silk I mimics of Bombyx mori silk fibroin to gain structural details about the elusive structure of the silk I conformation. 13C,2H-labeling strategies are illustrated for measuring individual dihedral angles in peptides and for determining local structure by REDOR. A major turn of type II character is found in the region Gly(14)-Ala(17).     

Microstructure elucidation of historic silk (Bombyx mori) by nuclear magnetic resonance

¹H NMR cryoporometry and solid-state ¹³C cross-polarization (CP) magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy were used to characterize the microstructure of historic and fresh silk samples. Silk is a polymeric bicomponent material composed of fibroin and water located in micropores. According to the ¹H NMR cryoporometry method, the intensity of the water resonance as a function of the temperature was used to obtain the pore size distribution, which was strongly asymmetric with a well-defined maximum at 1.1 nm. Compared with the fresh silk samples, the volume of pores around 1.1 nm decreased distinctly in the historic silk, and more pores larger than 2 nm emerged accordingly. In addition, these results correlated well with solid-state ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy as the percentage of random coil in the historic silk sample was much less than that in the fresh silk samples. Therefore, it is suggested that the water-filled microvoids grow larger as the random coil conformation fades away in the degradation process.

光谱法研究pH值对再生桑蚕丝素蛋白在水溶液中结构的影响

通过一系列光谱实验手段研究了再生桑蚕(Bombyx mori)丝素蛋白在水溶液中的构象转变情况. 由于丝素蛋白含有较多带电荷的氨基酸残基, 因此环境pH值对丝素蛋白的结构有着一定的影响: 酸性越强, 丝素蛋白越容易发生从无规线团到β-折叠结构转变; 相对而言, 碱性条件则更有利于丝素蛋白以无规线团结构稳定存在. 特别是当pH在4附近时, 丝素蛋白的无规结构最易发生改变; 而pH为6左右时, 丝素蛋白的结构则较为稳定. 这种变化趋势与沿着成熟蚕腺体中丝素蛋白所处的环境及其状态相当吻合, 由此表明pH值的调节是蚕在生物体中控制其丝素蛋白状态的一个相当重要的手段. 这一结果对人工纺制动物丝条件的调控有着极其重要的现实意义. 同时我们还发现, 在相当宽的pH范围内, 丝素蛋白的二级结构存在着中间体形态, 表明丝素蛋白的变性过程不符合简单的二态机制.     

一种天然纳米纤维捕鸟蛛丝的物理化学结构表征

蜘蛛丝作为功能性结构材料, 其独特的纤维成型方法与优良的结构和性能引起许多人的关注. 从20世纪80年代开始有关蜘蛛丝的研究报道日益增加[1]. 与高温高压下或由溶剂纺丝成型的合成纤维相比, 蜘蛛丝在空气中凝固成型, 丝纤维成型安全、无害, 从腹部若干不同吐丝器产生不同种类的丝具有不同的用途[2]. 蜘蛛拖曳丝(dragline silk)的比强度大于钢丝, 且具有较大的断裂伸长率(9%～30%)[3,4], 抗张强度1.1～1.4 GPa. 在相对湿度50%和应变速率100%/min的条件下, 模量值可达10～50 GPa. 在所有已知纤维品种中, 蜘蛛丝的断裂能是最高的. 此外, 蜘蛛丝在许多方面的综合性能优于最优良的人造纤维. 另外, 蜘蛛丝的细度为已知纤度最小的天然有机纤维, 这种高性能丝具有捕捉昆虫甚至鸟类的功能, 因此蜘蛛丝是具有特异功能的天然纤维材料. 目前, 蜘蛛丝结构和性能的研究主要包括其化学组成[5]、结晶结构[6,7]、结构模型[8,9]以及其NMR表征[10]等, 这些研究揭示了蜘蛛丝的氨基酸组成、分子量及其分布、结晶度、晶胞尺寸、链构象以及结构模型等. 这些研究主要集中在少数几种蜘蛛品种上, 如金色圆网织网蛛(Nephila clavipes)、十字圆蛛(A.diadematus)和大腹圆蛛(A.ventrocosus)等. 目前, 已知的蜘蛛种类大于30 000种[11], 以蜘蛛丝为例的生物大分子材料研究是一个挑战性的课题. 国内蜘蛛丝的研究仅有大腹圆蛛拖曳丝蛋白一级结构的研究报道[12,13]. 本文报道了广西捕鸟蛛丝的红外光谱、形貌结构和原子力显微镜的初步研究结果.     

Structural role of tyrosine in Bombyx mori silk fibroin, studied by solid-state NMR and molecular mechanics on a model peptide prepared as silk I and II

The influence of the bulky and H-bonding Tyr side-chain on its Ala- and Gly-rich environment in Bombyx mori silk fibroin was examined by (13)C cross-polarization magic angle spinning (CP/MAS), static (2)H and (19)F NMR and molecular mechanics calculations. Model peptides of the type (AG)(15) were synthesized with Tyr in a number of different positions, precipitated under conditions favoring either of the two characteristic protein conformations, and the resulting structures were assigned from their (13)C chemical shifts. Dialysis of native fibroin or the simple (AG)(15) peptide from a 9 M LiBr solution against water produces silk I (the structure of silk before spinning), whereas drying from formic acid yields silk II (fibrous structure after spinning). We found that the introduction one or more Tyr into (AG)(15) can have a dramatic effect not only on the local backbone conformation but also on the long-range intermolecular chain packing in the samples. The antiparallel beta-sheet conformation of silk II is able readily to accommodate a single Tyr residue. Interestingly, the beta-turn conformation of silk I only remains stable when Tyr is positioned near the chain terminus in (AG)(12)YG(AG)(2), but the conformation is driven towards silk II when Tyr is located in the central region of (AG)(7)YG(AG)(7). The role of H-bonding was tested by replacing Tyr with Phe or 4F-Phe, which are no longer compatible with silk I and fully induced a silk II conformation. In the presence of several Tyr residues a mixture of distorted beta-sheet and beta-turn conformations was obtained, regardless of the precipitation conditions. Static (2)H NMR of ring-deuterated [3',5'-(2)H(2)]Tyr located in the central region of (AG)(7)YG(AG)(7) showed that the side-chain is immobilized in both silk I and II, which was also observed by static (19)F NMR of the 4F-Phe analogue. To visualize the local packing around the Tyr side-chain, molecular mechanics calculations were performed on a mixture of (AG)(4) and AGAGYGAG, starting from either the beta-turn type II or the antiparallel beta-sheet structure. The resulting structures show that the intermolecular chain arrangement is significantly affected by Tyr, thus explaining the long-range packing effects in the semi-crystalline regions of silk fibers compared with the crystalline regions that are devoid of Tyr.     

Structural changes of silk fibroin membranes induced by immersion in methanol aqueous solutions

Structural changes of native and regenerated silk fibroin membranes were induced by immersion in water-methanol solutions and examined as a function of immersion time and methanol concentration. X-ray diffractometry and infrared spectroscopy data showed that transition from random coil to β-sheet structure occurred favorably when both native and regenerated silk fibroin membranes were immersed in water-methanol solutions, regardless of the different immersion time. Only native silk membrane, treated for 2 min with pure methanol, maintained its original amorphous structure, as demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) curves. The degree of displacement, measured by thermomechanical analysis (TMA), was much greater for regenerated than for native silk fibroin membranes. SDS-PAGE pattern showed that native silk fibroin has a molecular weight of 350, while the regenerated sample is formed by a large number of polypeptides in the range of 200-50 KD. The amount of acidic and basic amino acids decreased slightly in regenerated silk fibroin. Physical properties of silk membranes treated with water-methanol solutions are discussed in terms of membrane structure, treatment conditions, and chemical structure of starting material. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.