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Updated: Sep 30, 2026

Tension Gauge Tether Probes for Quantifying Growth Factor Mediated Integrin Mechanics and Adhesion
Published on: February 11, 2022
Solution structure of betacellulin, a new member of EGF-family ligands
Kazunori Miura1, Hideki Doura, Tomoyasu Aizawa
1Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution, 1-40-2 Nisshin, Saitama, Saitama 331-8537, Japan.
Abstract:
The solution structure of the EGF-like domain of betacellulin (BTCe), a newly discovered member of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family, has been determined using two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This is the first report to identify the solution structure of the EGF-family ligand monomers that interact with both ErbB-1 and ErbB-4. The solution structure of BTCe was calculated using 538 NMR-derived restraints. The overall structure of BTCe was stabilized by three disulfide bonds, a hydrophobic core, and 23 hydrogen bonds. It appears that BTCe is comprised of five beta-strands and one short 3(10) helical turn. The secondary structural elements of BTCe are basically similar to those of the other EGF-family proteins, except that several significant variations of the structural properties were found. It is suggested that the structural variations between BTCe and the other EGF-family ligands may affect the specific receptor-recognition properties of EGF-family ligands.
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