Biomedical subjects

Madhumita Patra

Publications and source records attributed to Madhumita Patra.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Search for glucose/galactose-binding proteins in newly discovered protein sequences using molecular modeling techniques and structural analysis.

Sugar moieties serve as specificity markers in a wide variety of biochemical functions, and periplasmic glucose/galactose-binding proteins (GGBPs) serve as the primary receptors for transport and chemotaxis. Recently, complete genome sequencing projects have revealed many open reading frames for such receptors. On the basis of the homology search with the known x-ray structures (PDB ID: 3GBP/1GCA) of a periplasmic receptor protein from Salmonella typhimurium, we selected four putative proteins with amino acid identities between 30 and 48% for the prediction of three-dimensional (3D) structures of the proteins as well as their complexes with glucose and galactose. We could successfully identify the key residues involved in coordination with calcium ion spanning over two loop structures. We calculated the ligand-binding affinities and hydrogen bonding patterns of the modeled structures and compared with those of the x-ray structures. The calculation of free energies of binding of the modeled structures to glucose and galactose in the presence of water suggested that two of four putative proteins can form complexes with dissociation constants in the micromolar range (1-10 microM). Electrostatic potentials on the surfaces near the sugar and calcium-binding sites of the modeled structures were predominately negative as found in case of the x-ray structure. Taken together, our results suggest that the products of two newly discovered genes would serve as receptors for the transport of glucose and galactose.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Structural studies on mannose-selective glycoprotein receptors using molecular modeling techniques.

Glycoproteins play important roles in various cellular events and their presence in appropriate locations in proper active conformations is essential for many biochemical functions. Recent evidences suggest that some glycoproteins may require sorting receptors for efficient exit from the endoplasmic reticulum. These receptors need the presence of calcium or other metal ions for their native activity. The three-dimensional structure of such a receptor, p58/ERGIC-53, has been recently solved by x-ray crystallography, which is a mannose-selective lectin and contains two Ca(2+) ions. Homology search in the sequence databases indicates a large number of proteins which bear varying degrees of homology in a wide spectrum of species with this receptor. In this study we have systematically searched for such genes which are potential candidates for acting as mannose-mediated glycoprotein receptors in various species as initially inferred from their amino acid sequence homology. Structures of a number of proteins have been predicted using knowledge-based homology modeling, and their ability to act as the glycoprotein receptor has been explored by examining the nature of sugar-binding site. Tetramer of mannose was docked in the binding pockets of the modeled structures followed by energy minimization and molecular dynamics to obtain most probable structures of the complexes. Properties of these modeled complexes were studied to examine the nature of physicochemical forces involved in the complex formation and compared with p58/ERGIC-53-mannose complex.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Search for fucose binding domains in recently sequenced hypothetical proteins using molecular modeling techniques and structural analysis.

The crystal structure of a fucose-binding lectin from the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa in complex with alpha-L-fucose has been recently determined. It is a tetramer; each monomer displays a nine-stranded, antiparallel, beta-sandwiched arrangement and contains two calcium ions that mediate the binding of fucose in a recognition mode unique among protein-carbohydrate interactions. In search of this type of unique interactions in other newly discovered protein sequences, we have used molecular modeling techniques to predict and analyze the 3-D structures of some proteins, which exhibited reasonable degree of homology with the amino acid sequence of the bacterial protein. A BLAST search with the sequence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa as query in the non-redundant sequence database identified four proteins from different species, three organisms from bacteria and one from archaea. We have modeled the structures of these proteins as well as those of the complexes with carbohydrates and studied the nature of physicochemical forces involved in the complex formation both in presence and absence of calcium. The calcium-binding loops have been found to be highly conserved both in terms of primary and tertiary structures in these proteins, although a less acidic character is observed in Photorhabdus lectin due to the absence of two aspartic acid residues on the calcium-binding loop which also resulted in lower binding affinity. All these structures exhibited highly negative electrostatic environment in the vicinity of the calcium-binding loops which was essential for neutralizing the positive charges of two closely situated Ca(+2) ions. The comparison of the binding affinities of some monosaccharides other than fucose, e.g. mannose and fructose, showed higher binding energies confirming the fucose specificity of these proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗