Ragd. Silva et al., Folding studies on the human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit using optical spectroscopy of peptide fragments, J AM CHEM S, 122(36), 2000, pp. 8623-8630
Conformational preferences for the peptides SRPINATLAVEKEGSPVSITVNTTISA (H1
) and APTMTRVLQGVLPALPQVVCNYR (H2) corresponding to the amino acid residues
9-35 and 38-60, respectively, of the glycoprotein hormone human chorionic
gonadotropin beta-subunit (hCG beta) were studied by Fourier transform infr
ared spectroscopy (FTIR) and vibrational and electronic circular dichroism
(VCD and ECD) in various environments. These peptides correspond to the H1
(beta-like) and H2 (loop) hairpins of the native-state hCG beta subunit def
ined by X-ray analysis. As demonstrated by FTIR and VCD, the H1 peptide ado
pts a beta-structure in water as well as in environments that normally indu
ce alpha-helix formation; Such as mixed trifluoroethanol/H2O solvent or mic
ellar concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate. By contrast, the H2 peptide
ECD and VCD spectra are consistent with a significant fraction of the resi
dues being in either a poly-L-proline II like or a partially helical confor
mation depending on the environment. A third peptide, H3, corresponding to
the 60-87 hairpin region of hCG beta, which was studied previously, switche
s its conformation depending on both the solvent and peptide concentration.
Taken together, the data suggest that hCG beta may fold by, first, the H1
region rapidly adopting a beta-hairpin structure, followed by its hydrophob
ic collapse with the H3 region, which in turn facilitates the formation of
the H3 beta-hairpin. The H2 hairpin loop is formed as a result of the forma
tion of the H1 and H3 beta-hairpin interactions.