A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Chicken avidin-related proteins show altered biotin-binding and physico-chemical properties as compared with avidin




AuthorsLaitinen OH, Hytonen VP, Ahlroth MK, Pentikainen OT, Gallagher C, Nordlund HR, Ovod V, Marttila AT, Porkka E, Heino S, Johnson MS, Airenne KJ, Kulomaa MS

PublisherPORTLAND PRESS

Publication year2002

JournalBiochemical Journal

Journal name in sourceBIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL

Journal acronymBIOCHEM J

Volume363

First page 609

Last page617

Number of pages9

ISSN0264-6021

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1042/0264-6021:3630609


Abstract
Chicken avidin and bacterial streptavidin are proteins familiar from their use in various (strept)avidin-biotin technological applications. Avidin binds the vitamin biotin with the highest affinity known for non-covalent interactions found in nature. The gene encoding avidin (AVD) has homologues in chicken, named avidin-related genes (AVRs). In the present study we used the AVR genes to produce recombinant AVR proteins (AVRs 1, 2.3, 4/5, 6 and 7) in insect cell cultures and characterized their biotin-binding affinity and biochemical properties. Amino acid sequence analysis and molecular modelling were also used to predict and explain the properties of the AVRs. We found that the AVR proteins are very similar to avidin, both structurally and functionally. Despite the numerous amino acid substitutions in the subunit interface regions, the AVRs form extremely stable tetramers similar to those of avidin. Differences were found in some physico-chemical properties of the AVRs as compared with avidin, including lowered pI. increased glycosylation and. most notably, reversible biotin binding for two AVRs (AVR1 and AVR2). Molecular modelling showed hock the replacement Lys(111)-->isoleucine in AVR2 alters the shape of the biotin-binding pocket and thus results in reversible binding. Both modelling and biochemical analyses showed that disulphide bonds can form and link monomers in AVR4/5, a property not found in avidin. These, together with the other properties of the AVRs described in the present paper, may offer advantages over avidin and streptavidin, making the AVRs applicable for improved avidin-biotin technological applications.



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