Structural basis of cholesterol binding by a novel clade of dendritic cell modulators from ticks.
Roversi, P., Johnson, S., Preston, S.G., Nunn, M.A., Paesen, G.C., Austyn, J.M., Nuttall, P.A., Lea, S.M.(2017) Sci Rep 7: 16057-16057
- PubMed: 29167574 Search on PubMedSearch on PubMed Central
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16413-2
- Primary Citation Related Structures: 
4BOE, 4BQU - PubMed Abstract: 
Two crystal structures of Japanin, an 18âkDa immune-modulatory lipocalin from the Brown Ear Tick (Rhipicephalus appendiculatus), have been determined at 2.2 and 2.4âà resolution. In both crystal forms the protein is in complex with cholesterol, which sits in a closed pocket at the centre of the lipocalin barrel. Both crystal forms are dimers, which are also observed in solution. Molecular modelling suggests that previously-described members of a tick protein family bearing high sequence homology to Japanin are also likely to bind cholesterol or cholesterol derivatives.
- Biochemistry Department, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QU, England, United Kingdom. pietro.roversi@bioch.ox.ac.uk.
Organizational Affiliation: 

