A Simplified Method for Evaluating Chitin-Binding Activity Applied to YKL-40 (HC-gp39, CHI3L1) and Chitotriosidase.

ABSTRACT: YKL-40 is structurally similar to chitotriosidase (CHIT1), an active chitinase, but it lacks chitin-degrading activity while retaining chitin-binding capability. Elevated YKL-40 levels are associated with inflammatory diseases and cancers, making it a valuable biomarker. We previously reported that the W69T substitution in YKL-40 significantly reduces its chitin-binding affinity, identifying W69 as a crucial binding site. In this study, we establish a novel chitin-binding affinity evaluation method using a three-step buffer system to assess the binding strength and specificity of chitin-binding proteins and apply it to characterize YKL-40's binding mechanism. Our findings confirm that YKL-40, through its key residue W69, exhibits highly specific and robust affinity to chitin. Unlike CHIT1,

SUBMITTER: Suzuki K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11721955 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature