SEQUENTIAL H-1-NMR ASSIGNMENTS AND SECONDARY STRUCTURE OF AN IGG-BINDING DOMAIN FROM PROTEIN-G

Protein G is a member of a class of cell surface bacterial proteins from Streptococcus that bind IgG with high affinity. A fragment of molecular mass 6988, which retains IgG-binding activity, has been generated by proteolytic digestion and analyzed by H-1 NMR. Two-dimensional DQF-COSY, TOCSY, and NOESY spectra have been employed to assign the H-1 NMR spectrum of the peptide. Elements of regular secondary structure have been identified by using nuclear Overhauser enhancement, coupling constant, and amide proton exchange data. The secondary structure consists of a central alpha-helix (Ala28-Val44), flanked by two portions of beta-sheet (Val5-Val26 and Asp45-Lys62). This is a fundamentally different arrangement of secondary structure from that of protein A, which is made up of three consecutive alpha-helices in free solution (Torigoe et al., 1990). We conclude that the molecular mechanisms underlying the association of protein A and protein G with IgG are different.