NMR Studies on the Structure of Human Annexin I

Annexin I is a member of the annexin family of calcium dependent phospholipid binding proteins and has anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting phospholipase A$_2$ (PLA$_2$). Recent X-ray crystallographic study of annexin I identified six Ca$\^$2+/ binding bites, which was different types (type II, III) from the well-known EF-hand motif (type I). In this work, the structure of annexin I was studied at atomic level by using $^1$H, $\^$15/N and $\^$l3/C NMR(nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy, and the effect of Ca$\^$2+/ binding on the structure of annexin I was studied, and compared with that of Mg$\^$2+/ binding, When Ca$\^$2+/ was added to annexin I, NMR peak change was occured in high- and low-field regions of $^1$H-NMR spectra. NMR peak change by Ca$\^$2+/ binding was different from that by Mg$\^$2+/ binding. Because annexin I is a larger protein with 35 kDa molecular weight, site-specific (amide-$\^$15/N, carbonyl-$\^$l3/C) labeling technique was also used. We were able to detect methionine, tyrosine and phenylalanine peaks respectively in $\^$13/C-NMR spectra, and each residue was able to be assigned by the method of doubly labeling annexin I with [$\^$13/C] carbonyl-amino acid and [$\^$15/N] amide-amino acid. In $\^$l3/C-NMR spectra of [$\^$13/C] carbonyl-Met labeled annexin I, we observed that methionine residues spatially located near Ca$\^$2+/ binding Sites Were Significantly effected by Ca$\^$2+/ binding. From UV spectroscopic data on the effect of Ca$\^$2+/ binding, we knew that Ca$\^$2+/ binding sites of annexin I have cooperativity in Ca$\^$2+/ binding. The interaction of annexin I with PLA$_2$ also could be detected by using heteronuclear NMR spctroscopy. Consequently, we expect that the anti-inflammatory action mechanism of annexin I may be a specific protein-protein interaction. The residues involved in the interaction with PLA$_2$ can be identified as active site by assigning NMR peaks effected by PLA$_2$ binding.