Solution structure of the cold-shock-like protein from Rickettsia rickettsii.

ABSTRACT: Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii infection. R. rickettsii can be transmitted to mammals, including humans, through the bite of an infected hard-bodied tick of the family Ixodidae. Since the R. rickettsii genome contains only one cold-shock-like protein and given the essential nature of cold-shock proteins in other bacteria, the structure of the cold-shock-like protein from R. rickettsii was investigated. With the exception of a short ?-helix found between ?-strands 3 and 4, the solution structure of the R. rickettsii cold-shock-like protein has the typical Greek-key five-stranded ?-barrel structure found in most cold-shock domains. Additionally, the R. rickettsii cold-shock-like protein, with a ?G of unfolding of 18.4?kJ?mol(-1), has a similar stability when compared with other bacterial cold-shock proteins.

SUBMITTER: Gerarden KP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3515365 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature