Two Distinct Conformations in Bet v 2 Determine Its Proteolytic Resistance to Cathepsin S.

ABSTRACT: Birch pollen allergy affects more than 20% of the European allergic population. On a molecular level, birch pollen allergy can be linked to the two dominant allergens Bet v 1 and Bet v 2. Bet v 2 belongs to the profilin family, which is abundant in the plant kingdom. Importantly, the homologous plant profilins have a conserved cysteine motif with a currently unknown functional relevance. In particular, it is unknown whether the motif is relevant for disulfide formation and to what extent it would affect the profilins' structural, functional and immunological properties. Here we present crystal structures of Bet v 2 in the reduced and the oxidized state, i.e., without and with a disulfide bridge. Despite overall structural similarity, the two structures distinctly differ at their termini wh

SUBMITTER: Soh WT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5666837 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature