Taurine Stabilizing Effect on Lysozyme

Abstract

Taurine is an important organic osmolyte in mammalian cells, and it weakens inflammation and oxidative stress mediated injuries in some diseases. Recently, taurine has been demonstrated to play a therapeutic role against neurodegenerative disorders, although its parallel involvement in several biochemical mechanisms makes not clear taurine specific role in these diseases. Furthermore, the stabilizing effect of this molecule in terms of protein stability is known, but not deeply investigated. In this work we explore by Circular Dichroism the stabilizing impact of taurine in lysozyme thermal denaturation and its influence in lysozyme aggregation into amyloid fibrils. Taurine even at low concentration modifies protein-protein interactions in lysozyme native state, as revealed by Small Angle X-ray Scattering experiments, and alters the amyloid aggregation pattern without completely inhibiting it, as confirmed by UV/Vis spectroscopy with Congo Red and by Atomic Force Microscopy. Evaluation of the cytotoxicities of the amyloid fibrils grown in presence or in absence of taurine is investigated on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

Imidazolium-based ionic liquids with increasing alkyl chain length of cations decrease the stability and fibrillation propensity of lysozyme

“…27,28 Also, the cosolvent can alter the kinetic parameters such as the lag time and the elongation rate. Taurine decreases the fibril elongation rate of lysozyme without any effect on the lag time, 29 whereas tetracyclic indole alkaloid increases the lag time and decreases the elongation rate. 30…”

“…27,28 Also, the cosolvent can alter the kinetic parameters such as the lag time and the elongation rate. Taurine decreases the fibril elongation rate of lysozyme without any effect on the lag time, 29 whereas tetracyclic indole alkaloid increases the lag time and decreases the elongation rate. 30 Lysozyme (EC number: EC 3.2.1.17), a glycosidase enzyme that hydrolyzes the b-1,4-glycosidic linkages of peptidoglycan in the bacterial cell wall, serves as a model protein for studying protein stability, folding, misfolding, and fibrillation.…”