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Reha Celikel

Publications and source records attributed to Reha Celikel.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Platinum-induced space-group transformation in crystals of the platelet glycoprotein Ib alpha N-terminal domain.

The interaction between platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ib alpha and von Willebrand factor (VWF) is essential for thrombus formation, leading to the arrest of bleeding. The N-terminal domain of GP Ib alpha, which contains the binding sites for VWF and alpha-thrombin, crystallized in the tetragonal space group P4(3) with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. When the crystals were treated with platinum, the crystals changed their symmetry from tetragonal to monoclinic P2(1) with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. The structure of the monoclinic form was solved using two-wavelength platinum anomalous dispersion data. The tetragonal crystal structure was subsequently solved using molecular-replacement techniques using the monoclinic structure as the search model and was refined with 1.7 A resolution data.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

Modulation of alpha-thrombin function by distinct interactions with platelet glycoprotein Ibalpha.

Thrombin bound to platelets contributes to stop bleeding and, in pathological conditions, may cause vascular thrombosis. We have determined the structure of platelet glycoprotein Ibalpha (GpIbalpha) bound to thrombin at 2.3 angstrom resolution and defined two sites in GpIbalpha that bind to exosite II and exosite I of two distinct alpha-thrombin molecules, respectively. GpIbalpha occupancy may be sequential, as the site binding to alpha-thrombin exosite I appears to be cryptic in the unoccupied receptor but exposed when a first thrombin molecule is bound through exosite II. These interactions may modulate alpha-thrombin function by mediating GpIbalpha clustering and cleavage of protease-activated receptors, which promote platelet activation, while limiting fibrinogen clotting through blockade of exosite I.

Binding Sites↗

Structure and function of the von Willebrand factor A1 domain.

The role of von Willebrand factor (VWF) in blocking hemorrhage is centered on its ability to act as a bridging adhesive molecule between platelets and components of the extracellular matrix or other platelets. In the course of chronic vascular diseases, moreover, the same properties of VWF may become the cause of pathological thrombus formation leading to arterial occlusion. There is convincing evidence that VWF functions involving interactions with platelets ultimately depend on binding to the membrane glycoprotein (GP) Ibalpha receptor mediated by the A1 domain. In this review, we present the current knowledge on the structural features of the VWF A1 domain that support its functions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A single amino acid change in the binding pocket alters specificity of an anti-integrin antibody AP7.4 as revealed by its crystal structure.

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) AP7.4 is an anti-integrin antibody recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli specific to alphavbeta3. It is known that in a variety of RGD-containing molecules, ligand specificity is regulated by structural determinants within the immediate vicinity of the RGD sequence. To better understand the role of the RGD sequence in integrin specificity, we report here the three-dimensional structure of Fab of mAb AP7.4 to a resolution of 2.25 A. The crystals belong to a triclinic space group P1 and the volume of the unit cell is consistent with the presence of two Fab molecules in it. The RGD sequence is located at the tip of a flexible loop in the complementary determining region (CDR-3) of the heavy chain. It has been shown that specific recognition of RGD ligands by their receptors is influenced mainly by the conformation of the tripeptide RGD and the amino acid residues flanking it on either side. Hence, the flexibility of the RGD-carrying loop observed in the crystal structure may stem from the fact that the antibody molecule mimics the function of these cell adhesion molecules.

Amino Acid Sequence↗