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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Human glycolipid transfer protein (GLTP) fold represents a novel structural motif for lipid binding/transfer and reversible membrane translocation. GLTPs transfer glycosphingolipids (GSLs) that are key regulators of cell growth, division, surface adhesion, and neurodevelopment. Herein, we report structure-guided engineering of the lipid binding features of GLTP. New crystal structures of wild-type GLTP and two mutants (D48V and A47D ||D48V), each containing bound N-nervonoyl-sulfatide, reveal the molecular basis for selective anchoring of sulfatide (3-O-sulfo-galactosylceramide) by D48V-GLTP. Directed point mutations of "portal entrance" residues, A47 and D48, reversibly regulate sphingosine access to the hydrophobic pocket via a mechanism that could involve homodimerization. "Door-opening" conformational changes by phenylalanines within the hydrophobic pocket are revealed during lipid encapsulation by new crystal structures of bona fide apo-GLTP and GLTP complexed with N-oleoyl-glucosylceramide. The development of "engineered GLTPs" with enhanced specificity for select GSLs provides a potential new therapeutic approach for targeting GSL-mediated pathologies.

Enhanced selectivity for sulfatide by engineered human glycolipid transfer protein.,Samygina VR, Popov AN, Cabo-Bilbao A, Ochoa-Lizarralde B, Goni-de-Cerio F, Zhai X, Molotkovsky JG, Patel DJ, Brown RE, Malinina L Structure. 2011 Nov 9;19(11):1644-54. PMID:22078563^[5]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.