Disordered regions in C-domain structure of influenza virus M1 protein

• Published in: Molekuliarnaia biologiia Vol. 45; no. 4; p. 689
• Main Authors: Ksenofontov, A L, Dobrov, E N, Fedorova, N V, Radiukhin, V A, Badun, G A, Arutiunian, A M, Bogacheva, E N, Baratova, L A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russia (Federation) 01-07-2011
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Circular Dichroism; Humans; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - chemistry; Influenza, Human - virology; Models, Molecular; Molecular Sequence Data; Protein Binding; Protein Structure, Secondary; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Viral Matrix Proteins - chemistry; Viral Matrix Proteins - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 0026-8984

Influenza virus matrix M1 protein is one of the main structural components of the virion performing also many different functions in infected cell. X-ray analysis data with 2.08 angstrom resolution were obtained only for the N-terminal part of M1 protein molecule (residues 2-158) but not for its C-terminal domain (159-252). In the present work M1 protein of A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) virus strain in acidic solution was investigated with the help of tritium bombardment. Tritium label incorporation into M1 protein domains preferentially labeled the C-domain and inter-domain loops. Analytical centrifugation and dynamic light scattering experiments demonstrated increased hydrodynamic parameters (diameter) that may be explained by low degree of M1 structural organization. Computational analysis of M1 protein by intrinsic disorder predictions methods also demonstrated the presence of unfolded regions mostly in the C-domain and inter-domain loops. It is suggested, that influenza virus M1 polyfunctionality in infected cell is determined by its tertiary structure plasticity which in its turn results from the presence of unstructured regions.