The neuropeptide galanin adopts an irregular secondary structure.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022;
626:121-128. [PMID:
35994823 DOI:
10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.08.032]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Human galanin is a 30-residue neuropeptide targeted for development of analgesics, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants. While previous work from our group and others has already produced significant insights into galanin's N-terminal region, no extant structures of galanin in databases include its full-length sequence and the function of its C-terminus remains ambiguous. We report the NMR solution structure of full-length human galanin C-terminal amide, determined from 2D 1H-1H COSY, TOCSY, and ROESY NMR data. Galanin adopts an irregular helical structure across its N-terminus, likely the average of several coiling states. We present the NMR structure of a peptide encompassing the C-terminus of galanin as a stand-alone fragment. The C-terminus of full-length galanin appears to indirectly assist the intramolecular association of hydrophobic sidechains within its N-terminus, remotely rigidifying their position when compared to previously studied N-terminal galanin fragments. By contrast, there is flexibility in the C-terminus of galanin, characterized by two i to i + 2 hydrogen-bonded turns within an otherwise dynamic backbone. The C-terminal portion of the peptide renders it soluble, and plays a hitherto undescribed biophysical role in pre-organizing the galanin receptor binding epitope. We speculate that hydrophilic microdomains of signaling peptides, hormones, and perhaps intrinsically disordered proteins may also function similarly.
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