Membrane-induced structure of novel human tachykinin hemokinin-1 (hHK1)

PPT-C encoded hemokinin-1(hHK-1) of Homo sapiens (TGKASQFFGLM) is a structurally distinct neuropeptide among the tachykinin family that participate in the NK-1 receptor downstream signaling processes. Subsequently, signal transduction leads to execution of various effector functions which includes aging, immunological, and central nervous system (CNS) regulatory actions. However the conformational pattern of ligand receptor binding is unclear. The three-dimensional structure of the hemokinin-1 in aqueous and micellar environment has been studied by one and two-dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance (2D 1H-NMR spectroscopy) and distance geometry calculations. Data shows that hemokinin-1 was unstructured in aqueous environment; anionic detergent SDS induces α-helix formation. Proton NMR assignments have been carried out with the aid of correlation spectroscopy (gradient-COSY and TOCSY) and nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY and ROESY) experiments. The inter proton distances and dihedral angle constraints obtained from the NMR data have been used in torsion angle dynamics algorithm for NMR applications (CYANA) to generate a family of structures, which have been refined using restrained energy minimization and dynamics. Helical conformation is observed from residue K3-M11. The conformational range of the peptide revealed by NMR studies has been analyzed in terms of characteristic secondary features. Observed conformational features have been compared to that of Substance P potent NK1 agonist. Thus the report provides a structural insight to study hHK-1-NK1 interaction that is essential for hHK1 based signaling events.