The EMBO Journal
 
Advanced search
Journal home
Aims and scope
Current issue
Advance Online Publication
Web Focuses
Archive:-
Browse by issue
Browse by subject
Browse by category
Free online sample issue
Press releases
Authors & Referees
Editorial process
Guide for authors
Submit an article
Guide for referees
Editorial Team, Senior Advisors and Advisory Editorial Board
Contact Editorial office
Customer services
Subscribe
Order sample copy
Purchase articles
Reprints and permissions
Contact NPG
Advertising
EMBO
www.embo.org
Article
Subject Categories: Membranes & Transport | Proteins
The EMBO Journal (2002) 21, 6763–6770, doi: 10.1093/emboj/cdf685
Is protein disulfide isomerase a redox-dependent molecular chaperone?
Richard A. Lumb and Neil J. Bulleid
School of Biological Sciences, 2.205 Stopford Building, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK

To whom correspondence should be addressed
Neil J. Bulleid, neil.bulleid@man.ac.uk

Received 4 September 2002; Revised 24 October 2002; Accepted 30 October 2002.
Abstract
Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is a multifunctional protein catalysing the formation of disulfide bonds, acting as a molecular chaperone and being a component of the enzymes prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4H) and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein. The role of PDI as a molecular chaperone or polypeptide-binding protein is mediated primarily through an interaction of substrates with its b' domain. It has been suggested that this binding is regulated by the redox state of PDI, with association requiring the presence of glutathione, and dissociation the presence of glutathione disulfide. To determine whether this is the case, we investigated the ability of PDI to bind to a folding polypeptide chain within a functionally intact endoplasmic reticulum and to be dissociated from the alpha-subunit of P4H in vitro in the presence of reducing or oxidizing agents. Our results clearly demonstrate that binding of PDI to these polypeptides is not regulated by its redox state. We also demonstrate that the dissociation of PDI from substrates observed in the presence of glutathione disulfide can be explained by competition for the peptide-binding site on PDI.
Keywords: glutathione, molecular chaperone, procollagen, prolyl 4-hydroxylase, protein disulfide isomerase
Send to a friendEmail link to a friend
PDFDownload PDF
Full textFull text
Next article
Previous article
Table of contents
ToC alertRegister for table of contents by email
  Privacy policy Copyright © 2002 by the European Molecular Biology Organization