Expression, purification, and characterization of coiled coil and leucine zipper domains of C-terminal myosin binding subunit of myosin phosphatase for solution NMR studies

Abstract

Protein-protein interactions between MBS and PKG are mediated by the involvement of C-terminal domain of MBS, MBS(CT180) and N-terminal coiled coil (CC) leucine zipper (LZ) domain of PKG-Iα, PKG-Iα1(-59). MBS(CT180) is comprised of three structurally variant domains of non-CC, CC, and LZ nature. Paucity of three-dimensional structural information of these MBS domains precludes atomic level understanding of MBS-PKG contractile complex structure. Here we present data on cloning, expression, and purification of CC, LZ, and CCLZ domains of MBS(CT180) and their biophysical characterization using size exclusion chromatography (SEC), circular dichroism (CD), and two-dimensional (1)H-(15)N HSQC NMR. The methods as detailed resulted in high level protein expression and high milligram quantities of purified isotopically ((15)N and (13)C) enriched polypeptides. SEC, CD, and (1)H-(15)N HSQC NMR experiments demonstrated that recombinantly expressed MBS CC domain is well folded and exists as a dimer within physiologic pH range, which is supported by our previous findings. The dimerization of CC MBS is likely mediated through formation of coiled coil conformation. In contrast, MBS LZ domain was almost unfolded that exists as non-stable low structured monomer within physiologic pH range. Protein folding and stability of MBS LZ was improved as a function of decrease in pH that adopts a folded, stable, and structured conformation at acidified pH 4.5. SEC and NMR analyses of LZ vs. CCLZ MBS domains indicated that inclusion of CC domain partially improves protein folding of LZ domain.