Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Study of Protein Dynamics via Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy
Published on: April 13, 2022
Influences of the N700S thrombospondin-1 polymorphism on protein structure and stability
C Britt Carlson1, Yuanyuan Liu, James L Keck
1Department of Medicine and Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Abstract:
Thrombospondins (THBSs) are multimodular, secreted proteins characterized by a signature domain comprising a unique set of 13 calcium-binding repeats flanked by epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like and lectin-like modules. A polymorphism that changes a conserved Asn to Ser at residue 700 in the most N-terminal calcium-binding repeat of THBS-1 (repeat 1C) is found in 8-10% of European populations and has been linked to increased risk of premature coronary artery disease. The Ser substitution leads to altered stability in the EGF-like and wire modules of the THBS-1 signature domain as assessed by differential scanning calorimetry carried out in 2 mm or 200 mum calcium. Studies of the melting profiles of the THBS-2 signature domain proteins with Asn or Ser at position 702 (homologous to 700 in THBS-1) revealed that the impact of the Ser allele is similar in both THBS-1 and THBS-2. Structure determination of the Ser(702) THBS-2 variant in 2 mm calcium showed that repeat 1C contains two bound calcium ions as in the crystal of the Asn(702) protein, including the ion that is coordinated by Asn(702), and is associated with changes in conformation of repeat 1C and the adjacent EGF-like modules. The Ser substitution leads to the decreased ability of soluble THBS-2 signature domain protein to bind 4B6.13, a conformation-sensitive monoclonal antibody that recognizes an epitope in repeat 1C. These results indicate that although THBS harboring the Ser allele binds a full complement of calcium ions, repeat 1C is altered, leading to destabilization of surrounding structures.
Related Concept Videos
Protein Folding
Protein Folding
Protein Structure Is Critical to Its Biological Function
Proteins perform a wide range of biological functions such as catalyzing chemical reactions, providing...
Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
Globular and Fibrous Proteins
Globular proteins are also known as spheroproteins and typically are approximately round in shape. They contain a mix of amino acid types and contain differing sequences in their primary structures. Globular proteins have many different functions, such as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be...
Protein Organization
The primary structure of a protein is its amino acid sequence.