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Predictions of the secondary structure and antigenicity of human and bovine tropoelastins

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Abstract

Secondary structure and antigenicity predictive methods have been applied to the sequences of human and bovine tropoelastins in order to have some insight into the molecular structure of its insoluble counterpart, i.e., elastin. For both tropoelastins, all the predictions yielded 11 major regions, in which the pleated conformation was predominant, separated by 10 strong helical segments of various lengths located within alanyl rich regions of the chains. The overall conformations of human and bovine tropoelastins were estimated to contain 18 ± 5% α-helices, 63 ± 17% β-sheets, 13 ± 13% β-turns and 6 ± 6% random coil. For both tropoelastins, antigenicity predictions indicated the presence of seven synthetic decapeptides corresponding to continuous linear epitopes of the molecule. Some of the predicted epitopes are located in the same regions in both species while others are not. These predictions have allowed us to propose an α/β conformation for tropoelastin. Therefore this extracellular matrix macromolecule might be more structured (10 helical segments for about 18% of the overall structure) than previously suggested.

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Abbreviations

HTPE:

human tropoelastin

BTPE:

bovine tropoelastin

AG:

antigenic index

CF:

Chou and Fasman algorithm

GOR:

method of Garnier Osguthorpe and Robson

DC:

decision constant

CD:

circular dichroism

NMR:

nuclear magnetic resonance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Spectroscopies et Structures Biomoléculaires, INSERM U314 - CHR Maison-Blanche, 45 rue Cognacq Jay, 51092, Reims Cedex, France

    L. Debelle & A. J. P. Alix

  2. Laboratoire de Biologie du Tissu Conjonctif, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris - Val de Marne, CNRS URA 1460, 8 rue du Général Sarrail, 94010, Créil, Cedex, France

    S. M. Wei, M. P. Jacob & W. Hornebeck

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  1. L. Debelle
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  2. S. M. Wei
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  3. M. P. Jacob
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  4. W. Hornebeck
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  5. A. J. P. Alix
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Debelle, L., Wei, S.M., Jacob, M.P. et al. Predictions of the secondary structure and antigenicity of human and bovine tropoelastins. Eur Biophys J 21, 321–329 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00188344

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00188344

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