Beta conformation of polyglutamine track revealed by a crystal structure of Huntingtin N-terminal region with insertion of three histidine residues.

ABSTRACT: Huntington disease is an autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion (> 35Q) in the first exon (EX1) of huntingtin protein (Htt). mHtt protein is thought to adopt one or more toxic conformation(s) that are involved in pathogenic interactions in cells . However, the structure of mHtt is not known. Here, we present a near atomic resolution structure of mHtt36Q-EX1. To facilitate crystallization, three histidine residues (3H) were introduced within the Htt36Q stretch resulting in the sequence of Q 7HQHQHQ 27. The Htt36Q3H region adopts α-helix, loop, β-hairpin conformations. Furthermore, we observed interactions between the backbone of the Htt36Q3H β-strand with the aromatic residues mimicking putative-toxic interactions with other proteins. Our f

SUBMITTER: Kim M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3783107 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May-Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature