Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Journal of Biological Chemistry
Publication Date
10-1989
Volume
264
Issue
29
Disciplines
Biology | Life Sciences
Abstract
The three-dimensional structure of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), a protein hormone secreted by macrophages, has been determined at 2.6 Å resolution by x-ray crystallography. Phases were determined by multiple isomorphous replacement using data collected from five heavy atom derivatives. The multiple isomorphous replacement phases were further improved by real space symmetry averaging, exploiting the non-crystallographic 3-fold symmetry of the TNF-α trimer. An atomic model corresponding to the known amino acid sequence of TNF-α was readily built into the electron density map calculated with these improved phases. The 17,350-dalton monomer forms an elongated, antiparallel β-pleated sheet sandwich with a 'jelly-roll' topology. Three monomers associate intimately about a 3-fold axis of symmetry to form a compact bell-shaped trimer. Examination of the model and comparison to known protein structures reveals striking structural homology to several viral coat proteins, particularly satellite tobacco necrosis virus. Locations of residues conserved between TNF-α and lymphotoxin (TNF-β, a related cytokine known to bind to the same receptors as TNF-α) suggest that lymphotoxin, like TNF-α, binds to the receptor as a trimer and that the general site of interaction with the receptor is at the 'base' of the trimer.
Rights
© 1989 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Eck, M. J. and Sprang, S. R., "The structure of tumor necrosis factor-α at 2.6 Å resolution. Implications for receptor binding" (1989). Biological Sciences Faculty Publications. 558.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/biosci_pubs/558