Two Be or Not Two Be: The Nuclear Autoantigen La/SS-B Is Able to Form Dimers and Oligomers in a Redox Dependent Manner.

ABSTRACT: According to the literature, the autoantigen La is involved in Cap-independent translation. It was proposed that one prerequisite for this function is the formation of a protein dimer. However, structural analyses argue against La protein dimers. Noteworthy to mention, these structural analyses were performed under reducing conditions. Here we describe that La protein can undergo redox-dependent structural changes. The oxidized form of La protein can form dimers, oligomers and even polymers stabilized by disulfide bridges. The primary sequence of La protein contains three cysteine residues. Only after mutation of all three cysteine residues to alanine La protein becomes insensitive to oxidation, indicating that all three cysteines are involved in redox-dependent structural changes. Biophys

SUBMITTER: Berndt N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8036718 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature