Structural motifs in the early metallation steps of Zn(II) and Cd(II) binding to apo-metallothionein 1a.

Many proteins require a metal cofactor to function and these metals are often involved in the protein folding process. The protein metallothionein (MT) has a dynamic structure capable of binding to a variety of metals with different stoichiometries. The most well-understood structure is the seven-metal, two domain structure formed upon metallation using Zn(II) or Cd(II). However, the partially metallated states and the pathways to form these clusters are less well-understood, although it is known that the pathways are pH dependent. Using stopped flow methods, it is shown that the metallation rates of the less cooperative Zn(II) binding pathway is much more impacted by low pH conditions that that of the more cooperative Cd(II) binding pathway. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) methods reveal specific mixtures of bridging and terminally bound MS structures form in the first few metallation steps. Using a combination of methods, the data show that the result of unfolding this intrinsically disordered apo-MT structure using guanidinium chloride is that the formation of preliminary bridging structures that form in the first few metallation steps is impeded. The data show that more terminally bound structures form. Our conclusion is that the compact conformation of the native apo-MT at physiological pH allows for rapid formation of complex metal-thiolate structures with high affinity that provides protection from oxidation, a function that is suppressed upon unfolding. Overall, these results highlight both the importance of the apo-MT structure in the metallation pathway, but also the differences in Zn(II) and Cd(II) binding under different conditions.