Direct evidence for specific interactions of the fibrinogen alphaC-domains with the central E region and with each other

Biochemistry. 2007 Aug 7;46(31):9133-42. doi: 10.1021/bi700944j. Epub 2007 Jul 13.

Abstract

The carboxyl-terminal regions of the fibrinogen Aalpha chains (alphaC regions) form compact alphaC-domains tethered to the bulk of the molecule with flexible alphaC-connectors. It was hypothesized that in fibrinogen two alphaC-domains interact intramolecularly with each other and with the central E region preferentially through its N-termini of Bbeta chains and that removal of fibrinopeptides A and B upon fibrin assembly results in dissociation of the alphaC regions and their switch to intermolecular interactions. To test this hypothesis, we studied the interactions of the recombinant alphaC region (Aalpha221-610 fragment) and its subfragments, alphaC-connector (Aalpha221-391) and alphaC-domain (Aalpha392-610), between each other and with the recombinant (Bbeta1-66)2 and (beta15-66)2 fragments and NDSK corresponding to the fibrin(ogen) central E region, using laser tweezers-based force spectroscopy. The alphaC-domain, but not the alphaC-connector, bound to NDSK, which contains fibrinopeptides A and B, and less frequently to desA-NDSK and (Bbeta1-66)2 containing only fibrinopeptides B; it was poorly reactive with desAB-NDSK and (beta15-66)2 both lacking fibrinopeptide B. The interactions of the alphaC-domains with each other and with the alphaC-connector were also observed, although they were weaker and heterogeneous in strength. These results provide the first direct evidence for the interaction between the alphaC-domains and the central E region through fibrinopeptide B, in agreement with the hypothesis given above, and indicate that fibrinopeptide A is also involved. They also confirm the hypothesized homomeric interactions between the alphaC-domains and display their interaction with the alphaC-connectors, which may contribute to covalent cross-linking of alpha polymers in fibrin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Fibrin / chemistry
  • Fibrin / metabolism
  • Fibrinogen / chemistry*
  • Fibrinogen / genetics
  • Fibrinogen / metabolism
  • Fibrinopeptide A / chemistry
  • Fibrinopeptide A / metabolism
  • Fibrinopeptide B / chemistry
  • Fibrinopeptide B / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological
  • Optical Tweezers
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry*
  • Peptide Fragments / genetics
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Subunits / chemistry
  • Protein Subunits / genetics
  • Protein Subunits / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry*
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • BBeta fibrinogen
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Protein Subunits
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • fibrinogen alphaC
  • fibrinopeptides gamma
  • Fibrinopeptide A
  • Fibrinopeptide B
  • Fibrin
  • Fibrinogen