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Lipid exchange in crystal-confined Fatty Acid Binding Proteins: X-ray evidence and Molecular Dynamics explanation
  • +3
  • Eduardo Howard,
  • H. Ariel Alvarez,
  • Alexandra Cousido-Siah,
  • Yanis R. Espinosa,
  • alberto podjarny,
  • C. Carlevaro
Eduardo Howard
Instituto de Fisica de Liquidos y Sistemas Biologicos

Corresponding Author:howard@iflysib.unlp.edu.ar

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H. Ariel Alvarez
Instituto de Fisica de Liquidos y Sistemas Biologicos
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Alexandra Cousido-Siah
Institut de Genetique et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire
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Yanis R. Espinosa
Instituto de Fisica de Liquidos y Sistemas Biologicos
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alberto podjarny
Institut de Genetique et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire
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C. Carlevaro
Instituto de Fisica de Liquidos y Sistemas Biologicos
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Abstract

Fatty Acid Binding Proteins (FABPs) are responsible for the long-chain fatty acids transport inside the cell. But despite the years since their structure is known and the many stud- ies published, there is no definitive answer about the stages of the lipid entry-exit mechanism. Their structure forms a β- barrel of 10 anti-parallel strands with a cap in a helix–turn–helix motif, and there is some consensus on the role of the so- called portal region, involving the second α-helix from the cap ( α2), βC– βD and βE- βF turns in fatty acids exchange. To test the idea of a lid that opens, we performed a soaking experiment on an h-FABP crystal in which the cap is part of the packing contacts, and its movement is strongly restricted. Even in these conditions, we observed the replacement of palmitic acid by 2-Bromohexadecanoic acid (Br-palmitic acid). Our MD simulations reveal a two-step lipid entry process: i.- The travel of the lipid head through the cavity in the order of tens of nanoseconds, and ii.- The accommodation of its hy- drophobic tail in hundreds to thousands of nanoseconds. We observed this even in the cases in which the fatty acids en- ter the cavity by their tail. During this process, the fatty acids do not follow a single trajectory, but multiple ones through which they get into the protein cavity. Thanks to the com- plementary views between experiment and simulation, we can give an approach to a mechanistic view of the exchange process.
13 Mar 2023Submitted to PROTEINS: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics
13 Mar 2023Assigned to Editor
13 Mar 2023Submission Checks Completed
13 Mar 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
25 Mar 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned