Paper Citing NAMD - Abstract
Wan, Dun; Liao, Li-fu; Lin, Ying-Wu
Impacts of Uranyl Ion on the Structure and Function of Cytochrome b(5) His39Ser Mutant
FUTURE MATERIAL RESEARCH AND INDUSTRY APPLICATION, PTS 1 AND 2, 455-456:1204-1209, 2012
Uranium is toxic to human body with mechanisms not fully understood. The structural and functional consequences of uranyl ions (UO22+) interacting with an axial mutant of cytochrome b(5), His39Ser (cyt b(5) H39S), were investigated by both spectroscopic and molecular modeling methods. Although slightly disturbs protein folding, UO22+ binding to cyt b(5) H39S leads to a decrease of peroxidase activity. A uranyl binding site was further proposed in the heme-binding domain at Glu37 and Glu43. The impacts of UO22+ binding to cyt b(5) H39S studied herein provide valuable insights into the toxicity mechanism of UO22+ towards membrane heme proteins.
