Cold denaturation of a protein dimer monitored at atomic resolution.
Jaremko, M., Jaremko, L., Kim, H.Y., Cho, M.K., Schwieters, C.D., Giller, K., Becker, S., Zweckstetter, M.(2013) Nat Chem Biol 9: 264-270
- PubMed: 23396077 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.1181
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
2LYJ, 2LYK, 2LYL, 2LYP, 2LYQ, 2LYR, 2LYS - PubMed Abstract: 
Protein folding and unfolding are crucial for a range of biological phenomena and human diseases. Defining the structural properties of the involved transient species is therefore of prime interest. Using a combination of cold denaturation with NMR spectroscopy, we reveal detailed insight into the unfolding of the homodimeric repressor protein CylR2. Seven three-dimensional structures of CylR2 at temperatures from 25 °C to -16 °C reveal a progressive dissociation of the dimeric protein into a native-like monomeric intermediate followed by transition into a highly dynamic, partially folded state. The core of the partially folded state seems critical for biological function and misfolding.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany.