Biology subjects

Brandmier, K.

Publications and source records attributed to Brandmier, K..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Proline 110 is necessary for maintaining a compact helical arrangement in caveolin-1

Caveolin-1 (Cav1) is an integral membrane protein essential for the formation of caveolae, plasma microdomains implicated in signal transduction and mechanoprotection. Cav1 is comprised of three major alpha helices, but the topology these helices adopt remains unclear. Proline 110 is located between helix 1 and helix 2, and is hypothesized to enable Cav1 to adopt an intramembrane turn crucial for the cytosolic topology of Cav1. To assess the structural role of Proline 110, we utilized Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between native tryptophan (W128) and site-specifically labeled dansyl fluorophores to monitor conformational changes induced by the mutation of Proline 110 to Alanine (P110A). Static light scattering confirmed that all FRET constructs behaved monomerically, ensuring intramolecular energy transfer measurements. Our results show a significant decrease in FRET efficiency upon the P110A mutation consistent with a large conformational change. These findings support the critical role of P110 in maintaining the native topology of Cav1 and highlights the structural sensitivity of the intramembrane turn.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2025

Interhelical distance measurements support a hairpin conformation for Caveolin-1 in phospholipid bicelles

Previous molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of caveolin-1 (Cav1) in our labs revealed the possibility of two stable conformations of its intramembrane helices (H1 and H2). To distinguish between these two conformations, experimental intramolecular distances obtained using FRET (Forster resonance energy transfer) were integrated into the MD simulations to better define the position of these helices. Two mutants of Cav1 were generated where an acceptor fluorophore, dansyl, was positioned at the N-terminal end and center of H1 (A87C, F99C respectively), while a donor fluorophore, a native tryptophan, was positioned at the C-terminal end of H2 (W128). For the A87C W128 mutant, a distance of 22.5 {+/-} 0.3 [A] was observed while a distance of 24.4 {+/-} 0.2 [A] was observed for the F99C W128 mutant in phospholipid bicelles. These experimental FRET distances were compared to distances in MD simulations of over 100 Cav1 structures. Together these studies support that H1 and H2 adopt a hairpin conformation in bicelles.

biochemistry↗