Molecular chaperone-like properties of sodium caseinate to suppress the pressure-induced aggregation of β-lactoglobulin

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to determine whether sodium caseinate can inhibit the aggregation of whey protein induced by pressure treatment. Solutions of β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg, 0.2%, w/v) and mixtures containing 0.2% (w/v) β-Lg and 0–0.5% (w/v) sodium caseinate (NaCas) were pressurized at 400–800?MPa. NaCas suppressed the aggregation of β-Lg induced by pressure treatment, and this function was dependent on the concentration of NaCas. Furthermore, NaCas altered the aggregation process of β-Lg by suppressing the transition of the aggregate from the soluble phase to the insoluble phase and, as a result, the fraction of insoluble aggregates was decreased. During this process, NaCas formed stable complexes with the denatured β-Lg, and the formation of complexes prevented further aggregation of β-Lg. These results indicate that NaCas exhibits a chaperone-like activity under high pressure.     

High pressure studies on the misfolding and aggregation of p53 in cancer and of α-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease

ABSTRACT

High pressure research can be used to aid in answering why some polypeptide chains reversibly unfold and others adopt a misfolding conformation culminating in aggregation. This topic is one of the fundamental questions in biology that we seek to understand, and for that, we have been experimentally applying pressure to proteins for the last 20 years. Here, we exemplify how pressure research should be used to identify preamyloidogenic protein intermediates as well as to dissociate supramolecular complexes. We believe that the applications of high pressure to understand the behavior of proteins are diverse and can help biologists answer fundamental questions of biomedical relevance.     

Unfolding and Fibrillogenesis of Insulin: Temperature,Pressure and Chemistry

Protein folding or unfolding can lead to the population of intermediates or partially unfolded conformations that have a high aggregation tendency. Some of these states associate in vivo to form fibrillar structures. These fibrils are the hallmark of molecular diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. It has been suggested that in vitro fibril formation is a generic property of all proteins. Insulin has been chosen as a model protein to study the process of fibrillation with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. It is found that the formation of fibrils is preceded by amorphous aggregation. We also investigated the effect of hydrostatic pressure on insulin fibrils. The observed spectral changes are interpreted in terms of fibril dissociation into protofilaments. Preliminary results indicate that pressure is an interesting tool to characterize the interactions that maintain the fibril structure.     

High Pressure and Protein Oligomeric Dissociation

High hydrostatic pressure techniques - in the absence or presence of externally added chaotropes - are increasingly used as tools to study dissociation and unfolding of protein aggregates [1]. G. Weber had reported some causes for the pressure-induced dissociation of oligomeric proteins: imperfect van der Waals contact between monomers, solvent electrostriction at the level of salt linkages at the interfaces of monomers-subunits, and solvation of the non-polar groups at the boundaries of contact in the oligomers [2]. In this paper, we present some typical examples from recent publications and from the laboratory.     

Pressure stability of insulin: A fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study

High hydrostatic pressure can induce partially unfolded protein conformations that are highly aggregation prone under conditions that normally favour the native state. We investigated the pressure stability of insulin at pH 2 with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. We do not observe any cooperative change up to 13 kbar. All spectral changes in the amide I area are fully reversible and are assumed to arise from the elastic effect of pressure, which causes no conformational changes. Moreover, insulin has no higher temperature-induced aggregation tendency when pressure pre-treated.     

Pressure unfolding facilitates the formation of temperature gels

Abstract

The formation of protein aggregates after pressure treatment was investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the pressure unfolded protein ends in a conformation, after the release of the pressure, which has an increased tendency to aggregate, even at temperatures lower than the denaturation temperature of the untreated protein. After pressure pretreatment the infrared spectrum shows the same intermolecular antiparallel β-structure features as observed after a temperature treatment that gives rise to protein gelation. on the other hand, this structure can be destabilized by applying moderate pressures, which are significantly lower than the corresponding denaturation pressure.     

Atypical perceptual narrowing in prematurely born infants is associated with compromised language acquisition at 2 years of age

Background

Protein aggregation plays important roles in several neurodegenerative disorders. For instance, insoluble aggregates of phosphorylated tau and of Aβ peptides are cornerstones in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. Soluble protein aggregates are therefore potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for their cognate disorders. Detection of the aggregated species requires sensitive tools that efficiently discriminate them from monomers of the same proteins. Here we have established a proximity ligation assay (PLA) for specific and sensitive detection of Aβ protofibrils via simultaneous recognition of three identical determinants present in the aggregates. PLA is a versatile technology in which the requirement for multiple target recognitions is combined with the ability to translate signals from detected target molecules to amplifiable DNA strands, providing very high specificity and sensitivity.

Results

For specific detection of Aβ protofibrils we have used a monoclonal antibody, mAb158, selective for Aβ protofibrils in a modified PLA, where the same monoclonal antibody was used for the three classes of affinity reagents required in the assay. These reagents were used for detection of soluble Aβ aggregates in solid-phase reactions, allowing detection of just 0.1 pg/ml Aβ protofibrils, and with a dynamic range greater than six orders of magnitude. Compared to a sandwich ELISA setup of the same antibody the PLA increases the sensitivity of the Aβ protofibril detection by up to 25-fold. The assay was used to measure soluble Aβ aggregates in brain homogenates from mice transgenic for a human allele predisposing to Aβ aggregation.

Conclusions

The proximity ligation assay is a versatile analytical technology for proteins, which can provide highly sensitive and specific detection of Aβ aggregates - and by implication other protein aggregates of relevance in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.     

Pressure-assisted cold unfolding of proteins and its effects on the conformational stability compared to pressure and heat unfolding

Abstract

The pressure-assisted cold unfolding of metmyoglobin was investigated and the cold unfolded state was compared to the heat and pressure unfolded states. Conformationally and mechanistically the pressure and cold unfolding processes are found to be very alike, while the heat unfolding shows some pronounced differences. We also propose a hypothesis on protein aggregation.     

Formation and magnetic properties of fractal aggregates of cobalt

Macroscopic fractal aggregates of cobalt are obtained by thermal evaporation of cobalt metal in an argon atmosphere and subsequent deposition on a silicon substrate heated to 1000 K. It is established that the fractal structure is formed by diffusion-limited aggregation of cobalt particles. The macroscopic fractal cobalt aggregates are ferromagnetic. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 66, No. 8, 556–558 (25 October 1997)     

Dual improvement in curcumin encapsulation efficiency and lyophilized complex dispersibility through ultrasound regulation of curcumin–protein assembly

Ultrasound has a recognized ability to modulate the structure and function of proteins. Discovering the influential mechanism of ultrasound on the intramolecular interactions of egg-white protein isolate–curcumin (EPI–Cur) nanoparticles and their intermolecular interaction during freeze drying and redispersion is meaningful. In this study, under the extension of pre-sonication time, the protein solubility, surface hydrophobicity, and curcumin encapsulation rate showed an increasing trend, reaching the highest value at 12 min of treatment. However, the values decreased under the followed extension of ultrasound time. After freeze drying and redispersion were applied, the EPI–Cur sample under 12 min of ultrasound treatment exhibited minimal aggregation degree and loss of curcumin. The retention and loading rates of curcumin in the lyophilized powder reached 96 % and 33.60 mg/g EPI, respectively. However, under excessive ultrasound of >12 min, scanning electron microscopy showed distinct blocky aggregates. Overexposure of the hydrophobic region of the protein triggered protein-mediated hydrophobic aggregation after freeze drying. X-ray diffraction patterns showed the highest crystallinity, indicating that the free curcumin-mediated hydrophobic aggregation during freeze drying was enhanced by the concentration effect and intensified the formation of larger aggregates. This work has practical significance for developing the delivery of hydrophobic active substances. It provides theoretical value for the dynamic dispersity change in protein-hydrophobic active substances during freeze drying and redissolving.     

The role of disaccharides for protein–protein interactions – a SANS study

ABSTRACT

The disaccharide trehalose has shown outstanding anti-aggregation properties for proteins, which are highly important for the possibility to treat neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. However, the role and mechanism of trehalose for such stabilising effects are still largely unknown, partly because a direct structural picture of how trehalose organises around proteins in an aqueous system is missing. Here we compare small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) data on myoglobin in aqueous solutions of either sucrose or trehalose, in order to investigate their effect on protein–protein interactions. We find that both trehalose and sucrose induces a well-defined protein–protein distance, which could explain why these inhibit protein–protein interactions and associated protein aggregation. It does not however explain the superior anti-aggregation effect of trehalose and suggests that the local solvent structures are highly important for explaining the protein stabilisation mechanism. In a broader perspective, these findings are important for understanding the role of sugars in biological stabilisation, and could provide a structural explanation for why trehalose is a promising candidate for the treatment of neurodegenerative and other protein aggregation related diseases.     

The application of hybrid pixel detectors for in‐house SAXS instrumentation with a view to combined chromatographic operation

This study analyses the potential for laboratory‐based size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC) integrated small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) instrumentation to characterize protein complexes. Using a high‐brilliance home source in conjunction with a hybrid pixel X‐ray detector, the efficacy of SAXS data collection at pertinent protein concentrations and exposure times has been assessed. Scattering data from SOD1 and from the complex of SOD1 with its copper chaperone, using 10 min exposures, provided data quality in the range 0.03 < q < 0.25 Å^?1 that was sufficient to accurately assign radius of gyration, maximum dimension and molecular mass. These data demonstrate that a home source with integrated SEC–SAXS technology is feasible and would enable structural biologists studying systems containing transient protein complexes, or proteins prone to aggregation, to make advanced preparations in‐house for more effective use of limited synchrotron beam time.     

Self-assembly of twisted,multi-sheet aggregates

ABSTRACT

Hierarchical self-assembly underpins much of the diversity of form and function seen in soft systems, yet the pathways by which they achieve their final form are not always straightforward – intermediate steps, kinetic effects and finite sizes of aggregates all influence the self-assembly pathways of these systems. In this paper, we use molecular dynamics simulations of binary mixtures of spheres and ellipsoidal discs to investigate the self-assembly of anisotropic aggregates with internal structures. Through this, the full aggregation pathways of spontaneously chiral, multi-bilayer and multi-layer assemblies have been tracked and characterised via a semi-qualitative analysis. This includes the unambiguous identification of first-, second- and third-generation hierarchical assemblies within a single simulation. Given the significant challenge of tracking full aggregation pathways in experimental systems, our findings strongly support the notion that molecular simulation has much to contribute to improving our understanding of hierarchical self-assembling systems.     

Gel forming behaviour of milk protein concentrates at moderate pressures

Abstract

Gel formation is a time dependent process, which is a function of many external variables. Here we report the effect of pressure on the gelation of certain milk proteins. It is found that hydrostatic pressure (1000 bar) decreases the gelation time of concentrated reconstituted milk (13%w/w protein) at around 50°C by more than sevenfold.     

Fractal structure of fullerite

We have obtained macroscopic fractal aggregates of fullerite ranging in size from 100 to 400 μm. The fractal structure of fullerite is formed by microscopic (30–100 nm) fullerite crystals in the presence of a temperature gradient under conditions of diffusion-limited aggregation. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 9, 684–685 (10 May 1998)     

Detection and Analysis of Protein Aggregation with Confocal Single Molecule Fluorescence Spectroscopy

The misfolding and aggregation of proteins is a common phenomenon both in the cell, in in vitro protein refolding, and the corresponding biotechnological applications. Most importantly, it is involved in a wide range of diseases, including some of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders. However, the range of methods available to analyze this highly heterogeneous process and the resulting aggregate structures has been very limited. Here we present an approach that uses confocal single molecule detection of FRET-labeled samples employing four detection channels to obtain information about diffusivity, anisotropy, fluorescence lifetimes and Förster transfer efficiencies from a single measurement. By combining these observables, this method allows the separation of subpopulations of folded and misfolded proteins in solution with high sensitivity and a differentiation of aggregates generated under different conditions. We demonstrate the versatility of the method with experiments on rhodanese, an aggregation-prone two-domain protein.     

Measurement of Aggregate Fractal Dimensions Using Static Light Scattering

Aggregates formed from colloidal particles will vary in shape according to the aggregation regime prevalent. Compact structures are formed when the aggregation is slow, whilst loose tenuous structures are formed when rapid (or diffusion limited) aggregation prevails. These structures can be fractal in nature, that is, there is a relationship between porosity and the number of primary particles making up the aggregate, and is described by the fractal dimension, d_F. Fractal dimensions of hematite aggregates have been measured experimentally using the static light scattering technique. Fractal dimensions varied with aggregation regimes; for the rapid aggregation regime, d_F was found to be 2.8, whilst for conditions in which aggregation was slow (retardation forces prevail), d_F's of 2.3 were measured. For conditions which lead to aggregation in which both diffusion and retardation forces play a part, structures with fractal dimensions such that 2.3 < d_F < 2.8 were found. The effects of adsorbed fulvic acid, a naturally occuring organic acid, on the kinetics of hematite aggregation and on the resulting structure of hematite aggregates were also investigated. The study of aggregate structure shows that the fractal dimensions of hematite aggregates which are partially coated with fulvic acid molecules are higher than those obtained with no adsorbed fulvic acid. The scattering exponents obtained from static light scattering experiments of these aggregates range from 2.83 ± 0.08 to 3.42 ± 0.1. The scattering exponents of greater than 3 indicate that the scattering is the result of objects that contains pores which are bounded by surfaces with a fractal structure, and can be related only to surface fractal dimension. The high fractal dimensions are due to restructuring within the aggregates, which only occured at low coverage by the organic acid.     

High pressure effects on myofibrillar proteins

Abstract

Myofibrillar proteins were extracted from post rigor bovine meat with a potassium phosphate/potassium chloride buffer. Viscoelastic properties of myofibrillar properties were studied in a 0.6MKCl buffer, at pH = 6, used in an oscillating mode. Enthalpy patterns were determined with a differential scanning calorimeter. SDS PAGE was performed.

Results show that high pressure processing denatures myofibrillar proteins, which result in a decrease of myofibrillar protein extractability. Moreover, the viscoelastic properties of myofibrillar extracts are modified by a preliminary high-pressure treatment of meat. The storage modulus (G′) versus temperature graph presents an intermediate peak; the height of this peak and the final value (90°C) are dependant on the level of pressure.

Finally, enthalpy and electrophoresis patterns allow us to understand myofibrillar protein modifications induced by high hydrostatic pressure processing of meat.     

Membrane tube pearling induced by a coupling of osmotic pressure and nanoparticle adhesion

ABSTRACT

In this work, a coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation method that belongs to the class of dissipative particle dynamics scheme with implicit solvent was used to indicate that adsorption of nanoparticles (NPs) inside a lipid membrane tube and pressure difference across the membrane, e.g. osmotic pressure, cooperatively induce membrane tube pearling. We demonstrate that NP adsorption and aggregation initiate the shape transformation of the lipid tube, and pressure difference provides a driving force for pearling transition. Depending on the dynamic coupling of tube shape transition and NP aggregation in the interior of the tube, different shape transitions via four kinds of pearling pathways are recognised, including pearls on a string (i.e. vesicles are interconnected via either a chain or double-chain of NPs) and tube-to-vesicle transition that is dominated kinetically either by NP-membrane attraction or by pressure difference. Considering the fact that biological membranes are semipermeable and many proteins interact with the membranes, these findings not only provide a mechanism of membrane tube pearling but also demonstrate the importance of osmotic pressure and protein–membrane interaction for many cell activities related to shape transitions of biomembrane.