Aw. Ashton et al., PENTAMERIC AND DECAMERIC STRUCTURES IN SOLUTION OF SERUM AMYLOID-P COMPONENT BY X-RAY AND NEUTRON-SCATTERING AND MOLECULAR MODELING ANALYSES, Journal of Molecular Biology, 272(3), 1997, pp. 408-422
Human serum amyloid P component (SAP) is a normal plasma glycoprotein
and the precursor of amyloid P component which is a universal constitu
ent of the abnormal tissue deposits in amyloidosis. X-ray and neutron
scattering data showed that pentameric or decameric ring structures fo
r SAP in solution are readily distinguished. Further neutron data coll
ection showed that SAP pentamers were reproducibly obtained in the pre
sence of Ca2+ at pH 5.5 or in the presence of methyl 6-O-(1-carboxyeth
ylidene)-beta-D-galactopyranoside (MO beta DG) and Ca2+ at pH 6.0 to 8
.0, while SAP decamers were obtained in the presence of EDTA between p
H 5.5 and 8.0. SAP pentamers have a mean X-ray R-G Of 3.99(+/-0.11) nm
and a mean neutron R-G of 3.69(+/-0.12) nm in 100% (H2O)-H-2. SAP dec
amers have a mean X-ray R-G of 4.23(+/-0.12) nm and a mean neutron R-G
Of 4.09(+/-0.14) nm in 100% (H2O)-H-2. The absorption coefficients of
SAT pentamers and decamers differ by 10%. If we infer that the two al
pha-helical A-faces are In contact with each other in the SAP decamer,
the lack of structural change of the decamer with pH may be explained
by the absence of His residues from the A-face of the SAP pentamer, a
nd the change in absorption coefficients is compatible with the presen
ce of Trp residues at this A-face. The rigid ring structure of pentame
ric SAP provided a test of scattering curves calculated from crystal s
tructures. The only structural unknown is the orientation of the five
chemically homogeneous oligosaccharide chains relative to the protein,
but extended oligosaccharide structures were found to account for its
scattering curve. X-ray scattering curves were best calculated using
a hydrated structure, while neutron scattering curves were best calcul
ated using an unhydrated structure. The outcome of these analyses was
used to model the structure of decameric SAP. The evaluation of 640 st
ructures for two SAP pentamers brought face-to-face to form SAP decame
rs gave better curve fits for structures in which the two A-faces were
in contact with each other, in which it is likely that the two pentam
ers were out of alignment by a rotation of 36 degrees and the oligosac
charide chains were extended. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.