The conversion of cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into the pathological conformer PrP(Sc) requires contact between both isoforms and probably also requires a cellular factor, such as a nucleic acid or a glycosaminoglycan (GAG). Little is known about the structural features implicit in the GAG-PrP interaction. In the present work, light scattering, fluorescence, circular dichroism, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were used to describe the chemical and physical properties of the murine recombinant PrP 23-231 interaction with low molecular weight heparin (LMWHep) at pH 7.4 and 5.5. LMWHep interacts with rPrP 23-231, thereby inducing transient aggregation. The interaction between murine rPrP and heparin at pH 5.5 had a stoichiometry of 2:1 (LMWHep:rPrP 23-231), in contrast to a 1:1 binding ratio at pH 7.4. At binding equilibrium, NMR spectra showed that rPrP complexed with LMWHep had the same general fold as that of the free protein, even though the binding can be indicated by significant changes in few residues of the C-terminal domain, especially at pH 5.5. Notably, the soluble LMWHep:rPrP complex prevented RNA-induced aggregation. We also investigated the interaction between LMWHep and the deletion mutants rPrP Δ51-90 and Δ32-121. Heparin did not bind these constructs at pH 7.4 but was able to interact at pH 5.5, indicating that this glycosaminoglycan binds the octapeptide repeat region at pH 7.4 but can also bind other regions of the protein at pH 5.5. The interaction at pH 5.5 was dependent on histidine residues of the murine rPrP 23-231. Depending on the cellular milieu, the PrP may expose different regions that can bind GAG. These results shed light on the role of GAGs in PrP conversion. The transient aggregation of PrP may explain why some GAGs have been reported to induce the conversion into the misfolded, scrapie conformation, whereas others are thought to protect against conversion. The acquired resistance of the complex against RNA-induced aggregation explains some of the unique properties of the PrP interaction with GAGs.

In this study we explore the mechanisms by which a double mutation (E59D/D75Y) in cardiac troponin C (CTnC) associated with dilated cardiomyopathy reduces the Ca 2؉ -activated maximal tension of cardiac muscle. Studying the single mutants (i.e. E59D or D75Y) indicates that D75Y, but not E59D, causes a reduction in the calcium affinity of CTnC in troponin complex, regulated thin filaments (RTF), and the Ca 2؉ sensitivity of contraction and ATPase in cardiac muscle preparations. However, both D75Y and E59D are required to reduce the actomyosin ATPase activity and maximal force in muscle fibers, indicating that E59D enhances the effects of D75Y. Part of the reduction in force/ATPase may be due to a defect in the interactions between CTnC and cardiac troponin T, which are known to be necessary for ATPase activation. An additional mechanism for the reduction in force/ATPase comes from measurements of the binding stoichiometry of myosin subfragment-1 (S-1) to the RTF. Using wild type RTFs, 4.8 mol S-1 was bound per mol filament (seven actins), whereas with E59D/D75Y RTFs, the number of binding sites was reduced by ϳ23% to 3.7. Altogether, these results suggest that the reduction in force and ATPase activation is possibly due to a thin filament conformation that promotes fewer accessible S-1-binding sites. In the absence of any family segregation data, the functional results presented here support the concept that this is likely a dilated cardiomyopathy-causing mutation.

This spectroscopic study examined the steady-state and kinetic parameters governing the cross-bridge effect on the increased Ca 2؉ affinity of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-cardiac troponin C (HCM-cTnC) mutants. Previously, we found that incorporation of the A8V and D145E HCM-cTnC mutants, but not E134D into thin filaments (TFs), increased the apparent Ca 2؉ affinity relative to TFs containing the WT protein. Here, we show that the addition of myosin subfragment 1 (S1) to TFs reconstituted with these mutants in the absence of MgATP 2؊ , the condition conducive to rigor cross-bridge formation, further increased the apparent Ca 2؉ affinity. Stopped-flow fluorescence techniques were used to determine the kinetics of Ca 2؉ dissociation (k off ) from the cTnC mutants in the presence of TFs and S1. At a high level of complexity (i.e. TF ؉ S1), an increase in the Ca 2؉ affinity and decrease in k off was achieved for the A8V and D145E mutants when compared with WT. Therefore, it appears that the cTnC Ca 2؉ off-rate is most likely to be affected rather than the Ca 2؉ on rate. At all levels of TF complexity, the results obtained with the E134D mutant reproduced those seen with the WT protein. We conclude that strong cross-bridges potentiate the Ca 2؉ -sensitizing effect of HCM-cTnC mutants on the myofilament. Finally, the slower k off from the A8V and D145E mutants can be directly correlated with the diastolic dysfunction seen in these patients.