
doi: 10.1515/bc.2011.169
pmid: 21848507
Abstract Nicastrin is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein, which is part of the high molecular weight γ-secretase complex. γ-Secretase is one of the key players associated with the generation of Alzheimer's disease pathology, since it liberates the neurotoxic amyloid β-peptide. Four proteins Nicastrin, anterior pharynx-defective-1 (Aph-1), presenilin enhancer-2 (Pen-2) and Presenilin are essential to form the active γ-secretase complex. Recently it has been shown, that Nicastrin has a key function in stabilizing the mature γ-secretase complex and may also be involved in substrate recognition. So far no structural data for the Nicastrin ectodomain or any other γ-secretase component are available. We therefore used Circular Dichroism (CD) spectroscopy to demonstrate that Nicastrin, similar to its homologues, the Streptomyces griseus aminopeptidase (SGAP) and the transferrin receptor (TfR), adopts a thermostable secondary structure. Furthermore, the Nicastrin ectodomain has an exceptionally high propensity to refold after thermal denaturation. These findings provide evidence to further support the hypothesis that Nicastrin may share evolutionary conserved properties with the aminopeptidase and the transferrin receptor family.
chemistry [Membrane Glycoproteins], chemistry [Receptors, Transferrin], Aminopeptidases, Protein Refolding, Protein Structure, Secondary, chemistry [Aminopeptidases], nicastrin protein, Cell Line, Alzheimer Disease, Receptors, Transferrin, Humans, ddc:610, Membrane Glycoproteins, Protein Stability, enzymology [Streptomyces griseus], Circular Dichroism, Streptomyces griseus, Temperature, Protein Structure, Tertiary, chemistry [Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases], Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases, metabolism [Alzheimer Disease], ddc: ddc:570
chemistry [Membrane Glycoproteins], chemistry [Receptors, Transferrin], Aminopeptidases, Protein Refolding, Protein Structure, Secondary, chemistry [Aminopeptidases], nicastrin protein, Cell Line, Alzheimer Disease, Receptors, Transferrin, Humans, ddc:610, Membrane Glycoproteins, Protein Stability, enzymology [Streptomyces griseus], Circular Dichroism, Streptomyces griseus, Temperature, Protein Structure, Tertiary, chemistry [Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases], Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases, metabolism [Alzheimer Disease], ddc: ddc:570
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 4 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
