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Biomedical subjects

Kenji Okuyama

Publications and source records attributed to Kenji Okuyama.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Conformation of alloHyp in the Y position in the host-guest peptide with the pro-pro-gly sequence: implication of the destabilization of (Pro-alloHyp-Gly)10.

The crystal structure of the host-guest peptide, (Pro-Pro-Gly)4-(Pro-alloHyp-Gly)-(Pro-Pro-Gly)4, was analyzed at high resolution. allohydroxyproline (alloHyp), 4S-hydroxyproline, was successfully characterized through the use of a host-guest peptide, while the previous study indicated the inability of a triple helical formation of (Pro-alloHyp-Gly)10. A detailed analysis of alloHyp conformation in collagen-like models sheds light on the role played by its puckering in the triple-helix stabilization and destabilization. That is, the alloHyp typically adopts down puckering. However, it adopted up puckering in the Y position in the Pro-alloHyp-Gly guest triplet, which was not preferable conformation for alloHyp. Therefore, the energetically unfavorable conformations seemed to play the key role in giving destabilization to the triple helix in (Pro-alloHyp-Gly)10. The intrinsic hydration pattern in (Pro-Pro-Gly)9 was conserved even in the surrounding alloHyp residues.

Collagen↗

Revision of collagen molecular structure.

Based on the fiber diffraction data from native collagen, Rich and Crick proposed the 10/3-helical model with a 28.6 A axial repeat in 1955 (Rich A.; Crick, F. H. C. Nature (Lond) 1955, 176, 915-916). We obtained the 7/2-helical structure with a 20 A axial repeat from the single crystal analysis of (Pro-Pro-Gly)(10). Since the latter structure could explain fiber diffraction patterns from native collagen, we proposed this structure as a new model for collagen in 1977 (Okuyama et al., Polym J 1977, 9, 341-343). These two structural models were refined against observed continuous intensity data from native collagen using a linked-atom least-squares method. It was found that the diffraction data from native collagen could be explained by the 7/2-helical model better than, or at least the same as, the prevailing 10/3-helical model. Together with the evidence that recent single crystal analyses of many model peptides have supported the 7/2-helical model and there was no such active support for the 10/3-helical model, it was concluded that the average molecular structure of native collagen seems to be closer to the 7/2-helical symmetry than the other one.

Animals↗

Helical twists of collagen model peptides.

Average helical twists were calculated by the method of Sugeta and Miyazawa (Biopolymers 1967, 5, 673-679) for all of the collagen model peptides analyzed to date. Calculation of the helical twists of all triplets in each peptide strand provided novel insights for several model peptides. In the (Pro-Pro-Gly)n (n = 9 and 10), the helical twists showed cyclic fluctuations between 40 and 65 degrees with a 20 A period, suggesting that their molecular conformations were close enough to the ideal 7/2-helix to show the helical repeat of 20 A. Rather small helical twists in the guest regions of IBP in complex and T3-785 were attributed to the interaction with Integrin I domain and a relaxed conformation caused by three consecutive triplets lacking imino acid residues, respectively. Although most of the triplets used in this study were imino acid-rich triplets, helical twists were scattered in a wide range from 30 to 70 degrees with an overall average of 52.6 degrees . This distribution of helical twists indicated a strong preference for the 7/2-helical conformation (51.4 degrees ) rather than the 10/3-helical model (36 degrees ).

Collagen↗

Repetitive interactions observed in the crystal structure of a collagen-model peptide, [(Pro-Pro-Gly)9]3.

The crystal structure of a collagen-model peptide [(Pro-Pro-Gly)(9)](3) has been determined at 1.33 A resolution. Diffraction data were collected at 100 K using synchrotron radiation, which led to the first structural study of [(Pro-Pro-Gly)(n)](3) under cryogenic conditions. The crystals belong to the P2(1) space group with cell parameters of a = 25.95, b = 26.56, c = 80.14 Angstroms and beta = 90.0 degrees. The overall molecular conformation was consistent with the left-handed 7/2-helical model with an axial repeat of 20 A for native collagen. A total of 332 water molecules were found in an asymmetric unit. Proline residues in adjacent triple-helices exhibited three types of hydrophobic interactions. Furthermore, three types of hydrogen-bonding networks mediated by water molecules were observed between adjacent triple-helices. These hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen-bonding networks occurred at intervals of 20 Angstroms along the c-axis based on the previous sub-cell structures [(Pro-Pro-Gly)(n)](3) (n = 9, 10), which were also seen in the full-cell structure of [(Pro-Pro-Gly)(10)](3). Five proline residues at the Y position in the X-Y-Gly triplet were found in a down-puckering conformation, this being inconsistent with the recently proposed propensity-based hypothesis. These proline residues were forced to adopt opposing puckering because of the prevailing hydrophobic interaction between triple-helices compared with the Pro:Pro stacking interaction within a triple-helix.

Collagen↗

Molecular and crystal structures of chitosan/HI type I salt determined by X-ray fiber diffraction.

The three-dimensional structure of chitosan/HI type I salt was determined by the X-ray fiber diffraction technique and linked-atom least-squares refinement method. Two polymer chains and four iodide ions (I(-)) crystallized in a monoclinic unit cell with dimensions a = 9.46(2), b = 9.79(2)], c (fiber axis)=10.33(2)A, beta = 105.2(2) degrees and a space group P2(1). Chitosan chains adopted an extended twofold helical conformation that was stabilized by O-3...O-5 hydrogen bonds, and the O-6 atom adopted nearly gt orientation. Polymer chains zigzag along the b-axis and directly connect to each other by N-2...O-6 hydrogen bonds. Two columns of iodide ions were shown to pack at the bending points of the zigzag sheets, and their locations are closely related to those of water columns in the hydrated chitosan. The iodide ions stabilized the salt structure by forming hydrogen bonds with the N-2 and O-6 atoms of the polymer chains together with an electrostatic interaction between N-2 and the iodide ions.

Animals↗

Plausible molecular and crystal structures of chitosan/HI type II salt.

Chitosan/HI type II salt prepared from crab tendon was investigated by X-ray fiber diffraction. Two polymer chains and 16 iodide ions (I(-)) crystallized in a tetragonal unit cell with lattice parameters of a = b = 10.68(3), c (fiber axis) = 40.77(13) A, and a space group P4(1). Chitosan forms a fourfold helix with a 40.77 A fiber period having a disaccharide as the helical asymmetric unit. One of the O-3... O-5 intramolecular hydrogen bonds at the glycosidic linkage is weakened by interacting with iodide ions, which seems to cause the polymer to take the 4/1-helical symmetry rather than the extended 2/1-helix. The plausible orientations of two O-6 atoms in the helical asymmetric unit were found to be gt and gg. Two chains are running through at the corner and the center of the unit cell along the c-axis. They are linked by hydrogen bonds between N-21 and O-61 atoms. Two out of four independent iodide ions are packed between the corner chains while the other two are packed between the corner and center chains when viewing through the ab-plane. The crystal structure of the salt is stabilized by hydrogen bonds between these iodide ions and N-21, N-22, O-32, O-61, O-62 of the polymer chains.

Animals↗

Crystal structures of collagen model peptides with Pro-Hyp-Gly repeating sequence at 1.26 A resolution: implications for proline ring puckering.

Triple-helical structures of (Pro-Hyp-Gly)n (n = 10, 11) at 100 K and room temperature (RT) were analyzed at 1.26 A resolution by using synchrotron radiation data. Totals of 49 and 42 water molecules per seven triplets in an asymmetric unit were found for the structures at 100 K and RT, respectively. These water molecules were classified into two groups, those in the first and second hydration shells. Although there was no significant difference between water molecules in the first shell at 100 K and those at RT, a significant difference between those in the second shell was observed. That is, the number of water molecules at RT decreased to one half and the average distance from peptide chains at RT became longer by about 0.3 A. On the other hand, of seven triplets in an asymmetric unit, three proline residues at the X position at 100 K clearly showed an up-puckering conformation, as opposed to the recent propensity-based hypothesis for the stabilization and destabilization of triple-helical structures by proline hydroxylation. This puckering was attributed to the interaction between proline rings and the surrounding water molecules at 100 K, which is much weaker at RT, as shown by longer average distance from peptide chains.

Collagen↗

Three D structures of chitosan.

Crystal structures of two polymorphs of chitosan, tendon (hydrated) and annealed (anhydrous) polymorphs, have been reported. In both crystals, chitosan molecule takes up similar conformation (Type I form) to each other, an extended two-fold helix stabilized by intramolecular O3-O5 hydrogen bond, which is also similar to the conformation of chitin or cellulose. Three chitosan conformations other than Type I form have been found in the crystals of chitosan-acid salts. In the salts with acetic and some other acids, called Type II salts, chitosan molecule takes up a relaxed two-fold helix composed of asymmetric unit of tetrasaccharide. This conformation seems to be unstable because no strong intramolecular hydrogen bond like Type I form. Type II crystal changes to the annealed polymorph of chitosan by a spontaneous water-removing action of the acid. Chitosan molecule in its hydrogen iodide salt prepared at low temperature takes a 4/1 helix with asymmetric unit of disaccharide. The fourth chitosan conformation was found to be a 5/3 helix in chitosan salts with medical organic acids having phenyl group such as salicylic or gentisic acids. Similar conformation of chitosan molecule in the aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) salt was suggested by a solid-sate NMR measurement.

Chitosan↗

Two different molecular conformations found in chitosan type II salts.

The type II structure of chitosan acidic salts prepared from crab tendon in solid state was studied using an X-ray fiber diffraction technique together with the linked-atom least-squares (LALS) technique. The cylindrical Patterson method was applied to confirm the molecular conformation of the chitosan. It was shown that there are two different helical conformations for type II salts. One is the relaxed twofold helix having a tetrasaccharide as an asymmetric unit as found in chitosan.HCl salt, which was previously reported as a conformation of chitosan.HCOOH salt. The other is the fourfold helix having a disaccharide as an asymmetric unit newly found in chitosan.HI salt.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗

WinLALS for a linked-atom least-square refinement program for helical polymers on WINDOWS PCs.

Fiber diffraction dada from polymers are sufficiently different in kind and quantity from single crystal data as to warrant analyses with a different emphasis: refinement of competing molecular models where torsion angles and bond angles are the explicit variables rather than atomic coordinates. The first linked-atom least-squares (LALS) refinement program had been devolved at Arnott's laboratories at King's College London [Arnott, S., Wonacott, A.J., 1966a. Polymer 7, 157] on mainframe and several revised versions were maintained at Purdue University [Smith, P.J.C., Arnott, S., 1978. Acta Crystallogr. Sect. A 34, 3; Chandrasekan, R. 2000. LALS Users Manual, Whistler Centre for Carbohydrate Researchm Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN] on workstation. Today the LALS users have to choose correctly any one program that they want to use, trigonometric or Bessel functions, from some versions. To develop a new WinLALS program based on the dimensioned version of the latest LALS2000 program [LALS Users Manual (2000)], we reviewed all the mathematical expressions and corrected the optimization of the non-bonded atomic contact terms. The WinLALS is coded with FORTRAN 90 and runs on MICROSOFT-WINDOWS PCs and the many amendments including changing input/output assignments, expanding array sizes, arranging that the update files have all output parameters of each cycle, and correcting several bugs are performed. This paper describes the mathematical expressions in detail employed in WinLALS and compares results of its applications obtained with those obtained earlier.

Journal Article↗

Collagen stabilization at atomic level: crystal structure of designed (GlyProPro)10foldon.

In a designed fusion protein the trimeric domain foldon from bacteriophage T4 fibritin was connected to the C terminus of the collagen model peptide (GlyProPro)(10) by a short Gly-Ser linker to facilitate formation of the three-stranded collagen triple helix. Crystal structure analysis at 2.6 A resolution revealed conformational changes within the interface of both domains compared with the structure of the isolated molecules. A striking feature is an angle of 62.5 degrees between the symmetry axis of the foldon trimer and the axis of the triple helix. The melting temperature of (GlyProPro)(10) in the designed fusion protein (GlyProPro)(10)foldon is higher than that of isolated (GlyProPro)(10,) which suggests an entropic stabilization compensating for the destabilization at the interface.

Animals↗

Fourth 3D structure of the chitosan molecule: conformation of chitosan in its salts with medical organic acids having a phenyl group.

Chitosan salts with two medical organic acids having phenyl groups (salicylic and gentisic acids) exhibited fiber diffraction patterns of a new type of crystal which does not compare with known types I and II. The crystals, called type III salts, showed a fiber repeat of 2.550 nm and a meridional reflection at the 5th layer line. These results coupled with a conformational analysis indicate the chain conformation of chitosan with the salts to be a 5/3 helix, this helix differing from those of type I (an extended two-fold helix) and type II (a relaxed two-fold helix or a 4/1 helix). The fiber patterns of all the type III salts were similar. This observation has also been found with type II salts and is an indication that the acid ions are not arranged in regular positions in the crystals. A comparison of solid-state 13C-NMR spectra of the gentisic acid salt and the aspirin salt, which could not be crystallized, suggests that, in the latter salt, the chitosan molecules also formed a 5/3 helix.

Acids↗