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The Carbohydrate-Binding Site in Galectin-3 Is Preorganized To Recognize a Sugarlike Framework of Oxygens: Ultra-High-Resolution Structures and Water Dynamics

Kadhirvel, Saraboji LU ; Håkansson, Maria LU ; Genheden, Samuel LU ; Diehl, Carl LU ; Qvist, Johan LU ; Weininger, Ulrich LU ; Nilsson, Ulf LU ; Leffler, Hakon LU ; Ryde, Ulf LU orcid and Akke, Mikael LU orcid , et al. (2012) In Biochemistry 51(1). p.296-306
Abstract
The recognition of carbohydrates by proteins is a fundamental aspect of communication within and between living cells. Understanding the molecular basis of carbohydrate-protein interactions is a prerequisite for the rational design of synthetic ligands. Here we report the high- to ultrahigh-resolution crystal structures of the carbohydrate recognition domain of galectin-3 (Gal3C) in the ligand-free state (1.08 angstrom at 100 K, 1.25 angstrom at 298 K) and in complex with lactose (0.86 angstrom) or glycerol (0.9 angstrom). These structures reveal striking similarities in the positions of water and carbohydrate oxygen atoms in all three states, indicating that the binding site of Gal3C is preorganized to coordinate oxygen atoms in an... (More)
The recognition of carbohydrates by proteins is a fundamental aspect of communication within and between living cells. Understanding the molecular basis of carbohydrate-protein interactions is a prerequisite for the rational design of synthetic ligands. Here we report the high- to ultrahigh-resolution crystal structures of the carbohydrate recognition domain of galectin-3 (Gal3C) in the ligand-free state (1.08 angstrom at 100 K, 1.25 angstrom at 298 K) and in complex with lactose (0.86 angstrom) or glycerol (0.9 angstrom). These structures reveal striking similarities in the positions of water and carbohydrate oxygen atoms in all three states, indicating that the binding site of Gal3C is preorganized to coordinate oxygen atoms in an arrangement that is nearly optimal for the recognition of beta-galactosides. Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation dispersion experiments and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that all water molecules in the lactose-binding site exchange with bulk water on a time scale of nanoseconds or shorter. Nevertheless, molecular dynamics simulations identify transient water binding at sites that agree well with those observed by crystallography, indicating that the energy landscape of the binding site is maintained in solution. All heavy atoms of glycerol are positioned like the corresponding atoms of lactose in the Gal3C complexes. However, binding of glycerol to Gal3C is insignificant in solution at room temperature, as monitored by NMR spectroscopy or isothermal titration calorimetry under conditions where lactose binding is readily detected. These observations make a case for protein cryo-crystallography as a valuable screening method in fragment-based drug discovery and further suggest that identification of water sites might inform inhibitor design. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Biochemistry
volume
51
issue
1
pages
296 - 306
publisher
The American Chemical Society (ACS)
external identifiers
  • wos:000298907400033
  • scopus:84856906856
  • pmid:22111949
ISSN
0006-2960
DOI
10.1021/bi201459p
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Biochemistry and Structural Biology (S) (000006142), Theoretical Chemistry (S) (011001039), Biophysical Chemistry (LTH) (011001011), Division of Microbiology, Immunology and Glycobiology - MIG (013025200), Department of Chemistry (011001220)
id
993ba81e-5c01-4381-a87c-60c5e11f5ade (old id 2358588)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:47:37
date last changed
2023-01-17 23:17:07
@article{993ba81e-5c01-4381-a87c-60c5e11f5ade,
  abstract     = {{The recognition of carbohydrates by proteins is a fundamental aspect of communication within and between living cells. Understanding the molecular basis of carbohydrate-protein interactions is a prerequisite for the rational design of synthetic ligands. Here we report the high- to ultrahigh-resolution crystal structures of the carbohydrate recognition domain of galectin-3 (Gal3C) in the ligand-free state (1.08 angstrom at 100 K, 1.25 angstrom at 298 K) and in complex with lactose (0.86 angstrom) or glycerol (0.9 angstrom). These structures reveal striking similarities in the positions of water and carbohydrate oxygen atoms in all three states, indicating that the binding site of Gal3C is preorganized to coordinate oxygen atoms in an arrangement that is nearly optimal for the recognition of beta-galactosides. Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation dispersion experiments and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that all water molecules in the lactose-binding site exchange with bulk water on a time scale of nanoseconds or shorter. Nevertheless, molecular dynamics simulations identify transient water binding at sites that agree well with those observed by crystallography, indicating that the energy landscape of the binding site is maintained in solution. All heavy atoms of glycerol are positioned like the corresponding atoms of lactose in the Gal3C complexes. However, binding of glycerol to Gal3C is insignificant in solution at room temperature, as monitored by NMR spectroscopy or isothermal titration calorimetry under conditions where lactose binding is readily detected. These observations make a case for protein cryo-crystallography as a valuable screening method in fragment-based drug discovery and further suggest that identification of water sites might inform inhibitor design.}},
  author       = {{Kadhirvel, Saraboji and Håkansson, Maria and Genheden, Samuel and Diehl, Carl and Qvist, Johan and Weininger, Ulrich and Nilsson, Ulf and Leffler, Hakon and Ryde, Ulf and Akke, Mikael and Logan, Derek}},
  issn         = {{0006-2960}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{296--306}},
  publisher    = {{The American Chemical Society (ACS)}},
  series       = {{Biochemistry}},
  title        = {{The Carbohydrate-Binding Site in Galectin-3 Is Preorganized To Recognize a Sugarlike Framework of Oxygens: Ultra-High-Resolution Structures and Water Dynamics}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2139294/3412348.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1021/bi201459p}},
  volume       = {{51}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}