Probing the stability of the "naked" mucin-like domain of human α-dystroglycan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

α-Dystroglycan (α-DG) is heavily glycosylated within its central mucin-like domain. The glycosylation shell of α-dystroglycan is known to largely influence its functional properties toward extracellular ligands. The structural features of this α-dystroglycan domain have been poorly studied so far. For the first time, we have attempted a recombinant expression approach in E. coli cells, in order to analyze by biochemical and biophysical techniques this important domain of the α-dystroglycan core protein.

Results

We expressed the recombinant mucin-like domain of human α-dystroglycan in E. coli cells, and purified it as a soluble peptide of 174 aa. A cleavage event, that progressively emerges under repeated cycles of freeze/thaw, occurs at the carboxy side of Arg461,

SUBMITTER: Bozzi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3704865 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature