Conformational intermediates in the production of the combinable form of the beta-subunit of chorionic gonadotropin

Human trophoblastic cells synthesize and secrete hCG as well as uncombined forms of the alpha- and beta-subunits of hCG. We have previously reported that the rate-limiting step in alpha beta-dimer assembly in cultured JAR choriocarcinoma cells is a conformational change in beta-subunit accompanied by the formation of intramolecular disulfide bonds. We now report on the intermediate steps in the acquisition of this combinable conformation by the beta-subunit. The earliest biosynthetically labeled form of beta detected in JAR cells is a precursor termed p beta 1 that lacks at least one of the intramolecular disulfide bonds found in mature beta-subunit, that does not combine with alpha-subunit, and that does not react with a monoclonal antibody specific for free beta. The p beta 1 precursor rapidly assumes (within 5 min) a new conformation termed p beta 2 that, in contrast to p beta 1, migrates more slowly on nonreduced sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, combines with alpha to form the hCG dimer, and reacts with the monoclonal anti-free beta antibody. Pulse-chase kinetic experiments support the following sequence of events: p beta 1----uncombined p beta 2----combined p beta 2. The transition of p beta 1 to uncombined p beta 2 involves the formation of at least one intramolecular disulfide bond coincident with the conformational shift of the p beta molecule. Furthermore, treatment of the nonreduced subunits with trypsin releases a [35S]cysteine-labeled peptide from p beta 1, but not from either form of p beta 2. This peptide presumably contains one of the two crucial cysteine residues that participate in forming the disulfide bond that distinguishes p beta 1 from the p beta 2 forms. Dimer p beta 2 differs from both p beta 1 and uncombined p beta 2 in that it contains an O-linked N-acetylgalactosamine, which represents the first step in the formation of the O-linked glycans of beta-subunit. Dimer p beta 2 is, therefore, the most fully processed and kinetically the latest of the three p beta forms that appear in JAR cell lysates. We conclude that formation of an appropriate array of intramolecular S-S bonds accompanies the acquisition of a combinable conformation of beta-subunit, and we have identified intermediate steps in the pathway leading to this conformational change. The data suggest that it is the achievement of this conformation by beta-subunit that limits the alpha beta combination reaction rather than the amount or conformation of alpha-subunit.