Solution structure, copper binding and backbone dynamics of recombinant Ber e 1-the major allergen from Brazil nut.

Background: The 2S albumin Ber e 1 is the major allergen in Brazil nuts. Previous findings indicated that the protein alone does not cause an allergenic response in mice, but the addition of components from a Brazil nut lipid fraction were required. Structural details of Ber e 1 may contribute to the understanding of the allergenic properties of the protein and its potential interaction partners.

Structure and dynamics of human apolipoprotein CIII.

Human apolipoprotein CIII (apoCIII) is a surface component of chylomicrons, very low density lipoproteins, and high density lipoproteins. ApoCIII inhibits lipoprotein lipase as well as binding of lipoproteins to cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans and receptors. High levels of apoCIII are often correlated with elevated levels of blood lipids (hypertriglyceridemia).

Solution structure of the apical stem-loop of the human hepatitis B virus encapsidation signal.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication is initiated by HBV RT binding to the highly conserved encapsidation signal, epsilon, at the 5' end of the RNA pregenome. Epsilon contains an apical stem-loop, whose residues are either totally conserved or show rare non-disruptive mutations. Here we present the structure of the apical stem-loop based on NOE, RDC and (1)H chemical shift NMR data.

Tryptophan-BODIPY: a versatile donor-acceptor pair for probing generic changes of intraprotein distances.

We demonstrate that Tryptophan (Trp) and N-(4,4-difluoro-5,7-dimethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene-3-yl)methyl iodoacetamide (BODIPY) is a suitable donor-acceptor (D-A) pair for intraprotein distance measurements, applicable to the study of protein folding. The suitability of the Trp-BODIPY electronic energy transfer is exemplified on the extensively-characterised two-state protein, S6, from Thermus thermophilus. This protein has proved to be useful for the elucidation of folding cooperativity and nucleation, as well as the changes upon induction of structural transitions.