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Methionine motifs are methionine-rich metal-binding segments found in many human, yeast, and bacterial proteins involved in the transportation of copper ion to other cellular pathways, and in protecting copper from oxidation. Methionine motifs are found to bind Ag(I) and Cu(I) ions. Proteins or peptides that can bind different metal ions should have the ability to differentiate between them, to be able to shuttle them to various pathways in the cell. This study utilizes electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy together with circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance to probe structural changes in the methionine segment upon coordinating Cu(I) and Ag(I) metal ions. The data collected here indicate that methionine segments experience structural changes while coordinating Cu(I) and Ag(I), however, the differences between the coordination of Cu(I) vs. Ag(I) to the methionine segment are mild. Since Cu(I) and Ag(I) metal ions are pretty similar in their nature and charge, the minor structural changes reported here are significant towards the understanding of the differences in the transport mechanism of these two metal ions in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essentiality and toxicity of copper in human, yeast, and bacteria cells requires precise mechanisms for acquisition, intimately linked to controlled distribution, which have yet to be fully understood. Herein, we utilise continuous wave and pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to explore one aspect in the controlled copper transportation mechanism. This was achieved by probing structural changes that occur in the c-terminal domain of the human copper transporter, CTR1, upon interacting with a methionine segment. The copper transporter CTR1 transports Cu(I) and Ag(I) ions to various intracellular pathways. Methionine motifs are methionine-rich metal binding segments found in many proteins involved in the transportation of copper ions to other cellular pathways. They are also found to bind Ag(I) with an affinity comparable to Cu(I). This study indicates that the methionine motif experiences conformational changes in the presence of the CTR1 c-terminal domain. These structural changes are dependent on the nature of the metal ion, Cu(I) vs. Ag(I). In addition, the data collected in this study emphasise how important the cysteine residue of the CTR1 c-terminal domain is to a correct conformational state of the target metal binding site. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The dissemination of resistant pathogenic microbes has become one of the most challenging problems that modern medicine has faced. Developing novel drugs based on new molecular targets that previously were not targeted, is therefore the highest priority in antibiotics research. One approach that has been recently suggested is to inhibit copper transporters in prokaryotic systems. Copper is required for many biological pathways, but sometimes it can harm the cell. Pathogenic systems have a highly sophisticated copper-regulation network; therefore, a better understanding of how this network operates at the molecular level should assist in developing the next generation of antibiotics. The CusB protein is part of the CusCBA periplasmic Cu(I) efflux system in Gram-negative bacteria, and was recently reported to play a key role in the functioning of the whole CusCBA system, in which conformational changes as well as the assembly/disassembly process control the opening of the transporter. More knowledge of the underlying mechanism is needed to attain a full understanding of CusB functioning, which is associated with targeting specific and crucial residues in CusB. Here, we combine in-vitro structural measurements, which use EPR spectroscopy and UV-Vis measurements, with cell experiments to explore the role of the various methionine residues in CusB. We targeted two methionine residues (M227 and M241) that are essential for the proper functioning of CusB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper transporter 1 (CTR1) is the main copper transporter in the eukaryotic system. CTR1 has several important roles: It binds Cu(II) ions that are present in the blood; it reduces those Cu(II) ions to Cu(I); and it subsequently transfers Cu(I) to the cytoplasmic domain, where the ion is delivered to various cellular pathways. Here, we seek to identify CTR1 binding sites for Cu(II) and Cu(I) and to shed light on the Cu(II)-to-Cu(I) reduction process. We focus on the first 14 amino acids of CTR1. This N-terminal segment is rich with histidine and methionine residues, which are known to bind Cu(II) and Cu(I), respectively; thus, this region has been suggested to have an important function in recruiting Cu(II) and reducing it to Cu(I). We utilize electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy together with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and UV-VIS spectroscopy and alanine substitution to reveal Cu(II) and Cu(I) binding sites in the focal 14-amino-acid segment. We show that H5 and H6 directly coordinate to Cu(II), whereas M7, M9, and M12 are involved in Cu(I) binding. This research is another step on the way to a complete understanding of the cellular copper regulation mechanism in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]