Using SANS to monitor the interaction of misfolding alcohol dehydrogenase with the molecular chaperone protein 14-3-3ζ

14-3-3 is a family of acidic, dimeric proteins which are highly conserved across many species. Each monomer is approximately 30kDa in mass and contains 9 α-helices. Dimer formation is initiated at the N-terminal region of the protein as a result of the interaction between several buried polar and hydrophobic residues in this region. 14-3-3 proteins interact with a wide range of proteins to regulate many cellular processes, e.g. apoptosis and mitosis, as well as protein misfolding associated with conformational diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. A potential role of 14-3-3 in these diseases was discovered with the observation that 14-3-3ζ can act as a molecular chaperone, whereby it stabilises intermediately folded proteins to prevent their aggregation. The binding site and mechanism of the chaperone action of 14-3-3ζ are not known, despite being narrowed down in our NMR study. We produced deuterated 14-3-3ζ and used it in SANS experiments with a model misfolding protein, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). Contrast variation allowed us to monitor changes in each component separately after the initiation of ADH misfolding. The R_g and D_max values of ADH under stress show an increase in size with time, consistent with unfolding and aggregation. In the presence of 14-3-3ζ, the unfolding of ADH is reduced and the protein maintains a globular expanded conformation consistent with an adoption of an intermediately folded (molten globule) state. 14-3-3ζ whilst chaperoning showed a reduction in size, possibly due to dissociation. Ab initio models were also obtained. This is the first instance where conformational changes during chaperoning of either a partly folded target protein, or 14-3-3ζ, have been observed.