Journal of Protein Chemistry

, Volume 4, Issue 6, pp 353–362 | Cite as

Structural effects of amino acid substitutions on the P21 proteins: Evidence for a malignant conformation

  • Paul W. Brandt-Rauf
  • Matthew R. Pincus
  • Robert P. Carty
  • Jack Lubowsky
  • Matthew Avitable
Article

Abstract

The conformational effects of different amino acid substitutions for Gly at position 12 in theras-oncogene-encoded P21 proteins have been investigated using conformational energy calculations. Mutations that cause amino acid substitutions for Gly 12 result in a protein that produces malignant transformation of cells. It had previously been shown that substitution of Val, Lys, or Ser for Gly at position 12 results in a major conformational change, and that the preferred lowest energy structure for each of the substituted peptides is identical. It is now found that substitution for Gly 12 of other amino acids that have widely disparate helix-nucleating potentials and completely different side chains (Asp, Asn, Cys, Phe, Tle, Leu, and Ala) all produce this identical lowest energy conformation. This finding is consistent with the recent results of site-specific mutagenesis experiments showing that P21 proteins containing these amino acids at position 12 all promote malignant transformation of cells and suggests the existence of a “malignancy-causing” conformation for the P21 proteins.

Key words

conformational energy three-dimensional structure amino acid substitution P21 proteins transformation 

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Brandt-Rauf, P. W., and Pincus, M. R. (1984). Tenth Congress, European Society for Medical Oncology, p. 37.Google Scholar
  2. Capon, D. J., Chen, E. Y., Levinson, A. D., Seeburg, P. H., and Goeddel, D. V. (1983).Nature 303, 33–37.Google Scholar
  3. Chang, E. H., Furth, M. A., Scolnick, E. M., and Lowy, D. R. (1982).Nature 297, 479–483.Google Scholar
  4. Dygert, M., Go, N., and Scheraga, H. A. (1975).Macromolecules 8, 750–761.Google Scholar
  5. Feramisco, J. R., Clark, R., Wong, G., Arnheim, N., Milley, R., and McCormick, F. (1985).Nature 314, 639–642.Google Scholar
  6. Miller, M. H., and Scheraga, H. A. (1976).J. Polymer Sci. Polymer Symp. 54, 171–200.Google Scholar
  7. Momany, F. A., McGuire, R. F., Burgess, A. W., and Scheraga, H. A. (1975).J. Phys. Chem. 79, 2361–2381.Google Scholar
  8. Murakami, M. (1985).J. Theor. Biol. 114, 193–198.Google Scholar
  9. Nemethy, G., and Scheraga, H. A. (1977).Q. Rev. Biophys. 10, 239–352.Google Scholar
  10. Pincus, M. R. (1985). InThe Molecular Basis of Cancer: An Interdisciplinary Discussion on Basic and Applied Aspects of Cancer (Rein, R., ed.), Liss, New York, pp. 419–430.Google Scholar
  11. Pincus, M. R., and Brandt-Rauf, P. W. (1985).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 3596–3600.Google Scholar
  12. Pincus, M. R., and Brandt-Rauf, P. W. (1984). Eighteenth Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting, American Chemical Society, p. 40.Google Scholar
  13. Pincus, M. R., and Klausner, R. D. (1982).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79, 3413–3417.Google Scholar
  14. Pincus, M. R., Klausner, R. D., and Scheraga, H. A. (1982).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 79, 5107–5110.Google Scholar
  15. Pincus, M. R., van Renswoude, J., Harford, J. B., Chang, E. H., Carty, R. P., and Klausner, R. D. (1983).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80, 5253–5257.Google Scholar
  16. Reddy, E. P., Reynolds, R. K., Santos, E., and Barbacid, M. (1982).Nature 300, 149–152.Google Scholar
  17. Santos, E., Reddy, E. P., Pulciani, S., Feldman, R. J., and Barbacid, M. (1983).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80, 4679–4683.Google Scholar
  18. Scheraga, H. A. (1984).Carlsberg Res. Commun. 49, 1–55.Google Scholar
  19. Seeburg, P. H., Colby, W. W., Capon, D. J., Goeddel, D. V., and Levinson, A. D. (1984).Nature 312, 71–75.Google Scholar
  20. Simon, I., Nemethy, G., and Scheraga, H. A. (1980).Macromolecules 11, 797–804.Google Scholar
  21. Stacey, D. W., and Kung, H.-F. (1984).Nature 310, 508–511.Google Scholar
  22. Tabin, C. J., Bradley, S. M., Bargmann, C. I., Weinberg, R. A., Papageorge, A. G., Scolnick, E. M., Dhar, R., Lowy, D. R., and Chang, E. H. (1982).Nature 300, 143–149.Google Scholar
  23. Zimmerman, S. S., Pottle, M. S., Nemethy, G., and Scheraga, H. A. (1977).Macromolecules 10, 1–9.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Plenum Publishing Corporation 1985

Authors and Affiliations

  • Paul W. Brandt-Rauf
    • 1
  • Matthew R. Pincus
    • 2
  • Robert P. Carty
    • 3
  • Jack Lubowsky
    • 4
  • Matthew Avitable
    • 4
  1. 1.Department of Medicine and Environmental SciencesColumbia College of Physicians and SurgeonsNew York
  2. 2.Department of PathologyNew York University Medical CenterNew York
  3. 3.Department of BiochemistryState University of New York, Downstate Medical CenterBrooklyn
  4. 4.Scientific Academic Computing CenterS.U.N.Y. Downstate Medical CenterBrooklyn

Personalised recommendations