Skip to main content
NCBI home page
NIHPA Author Manuscripts logoLink to NIHPA Author Manuscripts
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2010 Jan 6.
Published in final edited form as: J Am Chem Soc. 2008 Feb 14;130(10):2952–2953. doi: 10.1021/ja800225k

Stabilization of the Collagen Triple Helix by O-Methylation of Hydroxyproline Residues

Frank W Kotch †,‡, Ilia A Guzei †, Ronald T Raines †,§
PMCID: PMC2802593  NIHMSID: NIHMS167417  PMID: 18271593

The hydroxylation of proline residues in collagen is the most common posttranslational modification in humans. The hydroxylation is stereoselective, affording (2S,4R)-4-hydroxyproline (Hyp) in the Yaa position of the canonical Xaa–Yaa–Gly triad and thereby bestowing marked stabilization upon the collagen triple helix.1 The means by which Hyp stabilizes collagen has engendered dispute. One hypothesis suggests that a network of water molecules links the Hyp hydroxyl groups and main-chain carbonyl groups.2,3 An alternative hypothesis invokes a stereoelectronic effect by which the electronegative oxygen preorganizes the main chain in the proper conformation for triple-helix formation. 4

The latter explanation originates from the observation that replacing Hyp with (2S,4R)-4-fluoroproline (Flp) increases triple-helix stability; the fluoro group is strongly electron-withdrawing but cannot participate effectively in a putative hydrogen-bonded network. Similar results have been obtained with (2S,4R)-4-chloroproline.5 This explanation has been challenged by a host–guest study in which a single Hyp→Flp substitution was shown to destabilize a triple helix.6 A similar study has, however, reported a stabilization.7 So the question remains: does Hyp stabilize collagen by serving as a template for a water network or through stereoelectronic effects?

To differentiate between these hypotheses, we have made perhaps the simplest of covalent modifications to Hyp: O-methylation. Similar alkylations are known to decrease the hydration of alcohols,8,9 nucleobases,10 and phospholipids.11 Yet, O-methylation conserves the stereoelectronic effects of a hydroxyl group, as the electron-withdrawing12 and hyperconjugative ability13 of OH and OCH3 are similar. Moreover, the O-methylation of Hyp introduces less steric encumbrance than does O-acetylation, which is known to destabilize the collagen triple helix.14

We used commercial (ProHypGly)10 (1) as a basis for comparison. Then, we synthesized (2S,4R)-4-methoxyproline (Mop)15 and incorporated it into a collagen-related peptide: (ProMopGly)10 (2). We then used circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy to discern the effect of O-methylation. Peptides 1 and 2 were observed to form a triple helix at 4 °C, as evidenced by a weak positive CD signal near 225 nm and a strong negative signal near 200 nm (Fig. 1A). In addition, both were found to undergo cooperative transitions upon heating (Fig. 1B), indicative of an unfolding triple helix. Most interestingly, triple helices of 2 were discovered to have substantially more conformational stability than those of 1 (Table 1). As in water, 23 was found to be more stable than 13 in aqueous ethylene glycol (EG; Fig. 1B, Table 1), which is known to stabilize the collagen triple helix.4c,16

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Open in a new tab

CD spectroscopy and DSC data for peptides 1 and 2. (A) CD spectra of 1 (E) and 2 (J) (100 μM) at 4 °C in 50 mM HOAc (pH 3.0). (B) Thermal denaturation of 1 and 2 (200 μM) in 50 mM HOAc(aq) (E,J) and 2:1 EG/50 mM HOAc (pH 3.0) (Å,F). (C) DSC scans of 1 (231 μM) and 2 (129 μM) in 50 mM HOAc (pH 3.0); scan rate = 15 °C/h.

Table 1.

Thermodynamic data for the unfolding of collagen triple helices

circular dichroism DSC
Peptide Sequence Tm, watera (°C) Tm, EG(aq)b (°C) ΔH (kcal/mol) TΔS (kcal/mol) ΔG (kcal/mol)
1 (ProHypGly)10 62.0 77.1 −35.2c −33.2c −2.0c
2 (ProMopGly)10 70.1 89.1 −27.9 −25.2 −2.7
3 (ProFlpGly)10 91d ND −20.5c −17.2c −3.3c
Open in a new tab
a

50 mM HOAc (pH 3.0).

b

2:1 EG/50 mM HOAc (pH 3.0).

c

Values from ref 17.

d

Value from ref 4a.

ND = Not determined.

Next, we used differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to reveal the thermodynamic basis for the greater conformational stability of triple-helical 2. The stability of 13 relies more on enthalpy and less on entropy than does that of triple-helical (ProFlpGly)10 (3), indicative of a lesser reliance on a water network.17 The thermodynamic parameters for 23 lie between those for 13 and 33 (Fig. 1C; Table 1), suggesting that 23 is hydrated to an intermediate extent. The decrease in hydration and increase in conformational stability in the series 13→23→33 is consistent with hydration being deleterious, rather than advantageous, to the collagen triple helix.

Finally, we determined the effect of the methoxy group on the conformation of a Mop residue. To do so, we synthesized the model compound Ac-Mop-OMe and determined its crystal structure (Fig. 2A). The pyrrolidine ring of Mop adopts a Cγ-exo ring pucker, which likely derives from a gauche effect between Ni and Oδ1i.4c,18,19 In addition, the conformation of Ac-Mop-OMe appears to rely on another stereoelectronic effect—the Oi−1···C’i=Oi distance of 2.84 Å and Oi−1···C’i=Oi angle of 94.6° are indicative of a favorable n→π* interaction (Fig. 2B).4c,20 This stereoelectronic effect would stabilize the trans (Z) isomer of the amide bond in Ac-Mop-OMe. Indeed, Ac-Mop-OMe has a trans:cis ratio of Kt/c = 6.7 (Table 2), which is among the largest reported in a derivative of Ac-Pro-OMe.1 Thus, these two stereoelectronic effects appear to preorganize the main-chain dihedral angles of Ac-Mop-OMe (as well as Ac-Hyp-OMe, and Ac-Flp-OMe) close to those in 13 (Table 2).

Figure 2.

Figure 2

Open in a new tab

(A) Molecular drawing of crystalline Ac-Mop-OMe (50% probability ellipsoids). (B) Conformation of crystalline Ac-Mop-OMe and Ac-Hyp-OMe showing the putative n→π* interaction.

Table 2.

Values of φ, ψ, ω, and Kt/c for Ac-Mop-OMe and analogs

parameter Ac-Mop-OMe Ac-Hyp-OMea Ac-Flp-OMea 13b
φ (°) −58.1 ± 0.1 −57.0 −55.0 −59.6
ψ (°) 147.7 ± 0.1 150.8 140.5 149.8
ω (°) −179.7 ± 0.1 −178.8 −178.9 178.5
Kt/c 6.7 ± 0.3c 6.1 6.7 ∞
Open in a new tab
a

Mean values of φ, ψ, and ω from two molecules in ref 18; values of Kt/c from ref 19.

b

Mean values for Hyp in 13.2a

c

Determined in 94:6 D2O/CD3OD by 13C NMR spectroscopy using [13CH3]Ac-Mop-OMe.

The conformational stability conferred upon the collagen triple helix by O-methylation provides strong evidence that the hydroxyl group of Hyp acts primarily through stereoelectronic effects and that its hydration provides little (if any) benefit. This finding could have practical consequences. Replacing a hydroxyl group in a protein with a fluoro group while retaining stereochemical configuration (as in Hyp→Flp) is not possible with extant reagents. In contrast, O-methylation is a readily achievable transformation. Moreover, Hyp is much more abundant in human collagens than are the other two amino acids containing a hydroxyl group, Ser and Thr,21 and host–guest studies indicate that Ser and Thr are not especially beneficial to collagen stability.22 Thus, we believe that O-methylation could be a simple means to stabilize natural collagen, and thereby enhance its utility as a biomaterial.23

Supplementary Material

Supporting_Information

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to M. D. Shoulders and D. R. McCaslin for contributive discussions. This work was supported by Grant AR044276 (NIH) and Instrumentation Grants BIR-9512577 (NSF) and RR13790 (NIH). F.W.K. was supported by Postdoctoral Fellowship AR050881 (NIH).

Footnotes

Supporting Information. Procedures and additional data for syntheses and analyses reported herein. This material is available free of charge via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org.

References

  • (1).For a review, see:Raines RT. Protein Sci. 2006;15:1219–1225. doi: 10.1110/ps.062139406.
  • (2).Bella J, Eaton M, Brodsky B, Berman HM. Science. 1994;266:75–81. doi: 10.1126/science.7695699.Bella J, Brodsky B, Berman HM. Structure. 1995;3:893–906. doi: 10.1016/S0969-2126(01)00224-6.Miles CA, Burjanadze TV. Biophys. J. 2001;80:1480–1486. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(01)76120-6.
  • (3).It is noteworthy that the frequency of Hyp could be too low to support such a water network in natural collagen. In the strands of human type-I collagen, an Xaa–Hyp–Gly sequence occurs in no more than four consecutive triads, and occurs in four consecutive triads only twice over >1000 residues.
  • (4).Holmgren SK, Taylor KM, Bretscher LE, Raines RT. Nature. 1998;392:666–667. doi: 10.1038/33573.Holmgren SK, Bretscher LE, Taylor KM, Raines RT. Chem. Biol. 1999;6:63–70. doi: 10.1016/S1074-5521(99)80003-9.DeRider ML, Wilkens SJ, Waddell MJ, Bretscher LE, Weinhold F, Raines RT, Markley JL. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002;124:2497–2505. doi: 10.1021/ja0166904.
  • (5).Shoulders MD, Guzei IA, Raines RT. Biopolymers. 2008;89:xxx–xxx. doi: 10.1002/bip.20864. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • (6).Periskov AV, Ramshaw JAM, Kirkpatrick A, Brodsky B. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003;125:11500–11501. doi: 10.1021/ja036673+. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • (7).Malkar NB, Lauer-Fields JL, Borgia JA, Fields GB. Biochemistry. 2002;41:6054–6064. doi: 10.1021/bi012071w. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • (8).Hine J, Mookerjee PK. J. Org. Chem. 1975;40:292–298. [Google Scholar]
  • (9).For OH, the estimated atomic solvation parameters are −0.066 kcal/mol/Å2 for H (donor) and −0.045 kcal/mol/Å2 for O (acceptor).Petukhov M, Rychkov G, Firsov L, Serrano L. Protein Sci. 2004;13:2120–2129. doi: 10.1110/ps.04748404.The hydrogen-bond donor capability is eliminated upon methylation.
  • (10).Zielenkiewicz A, Wszelaka-Rylik M, Poznański J, Zielenkiewicz W. J. Solution Chem. 1998;27:235–243. [Google Scholar]
  • (11).Dyck M, Krüger P, Lösche M. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2005;7:150–156. doi: 10.1039/b410863a. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • (12).Calculated σ-bond inductive effects using the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane system are σI = 0.26 for OH and 0.22 for OCH3. See:Janesko BG, Gallek CJ, Yaron D. J. Phys. Chem. 2003;107:1655–1663.
  • (13).Average σC–H→σC–X hyperconjugative interactions are 8.47 kcal/mol for X=OH, and 8.86 kcal/mol for X=OCH3. See:Alabugin IA, Zeidan TA. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002;124:3175–3185. doi: 10.1021/ja012633z.
  • (14).Jenkins CL, McCloskey AI, Guzei IA, Eberhardt ES, Raines RT. Biopolymers. 2005;80:1–5. doi: 10.1002/bip.20164. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • (15).Boc-Mop-OH was prepared from Boc-Hyp-OH following the procedure described inKrapcho J, et al. J. Med. Chem. 1988;31:1148–1160. doi: 10.1021/jm00401a014.
  • (16).Feng Y, Melacini G, Taulane JP, Goodman M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996;118:10351–10358. [Google Scholar]
  • (17).Nishi Y, Uchiyama S, Doi M, Nishiuchi Y, Nakazawa T, Ohkuba T, Kobayashi Y. Biochemistry. 2005;44:6034–6042. doi: 10.1021/bi047887m. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • (18).Panasik N, Jr., Eberhardt ES, Edison AS, Powell DR, Raines RT. Int. J. Peptide Protein Res. 1994;44:262–269. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3011.1994.tb00169.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • (19).Bretscher LE, Jenkins CL, Taylor KM, DeRider ML, Raines RT. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001;123:777–778. doi: 10.1021/ja005542v. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • (20).Hinderaker MP, Raines RT. Protein Sci. 2003;12:1188–1194. doi: 10.1110/ps.0241903.Horng J-C, Raines RT. Protein Sci. 2006;15:74–83. doi: 10.1110/ps.051779806.Hodges JA, Raines RT. Org. Lett. 2006;8:4695–4697. doi: 10.1021/ol061569t.Haduthambi D, Zondlo NJ. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006;128:12430–12431. doi: 10.1021/ja0648458.Kümin M, Sonntag LS, Wennemers H. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007;129:466–467. doi: 10.1021/ja067148o.Gorske BC, Bastian BL, Geske GD, Blackwell HE. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007;129:8928–8929. doi: 10.1021/ja071310l.
  • (21).Ramshaw JAM, Shah NK, Brodsky B. J. Struct. Biol. 1998;122:86–91. doi: 10.1006/jsbi.1998.3977. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • (22).For example, Ser and Thr provide less stability than do Ile, Met, or Val in the Xaa or Yaa position of a triple helix.Persikov AV, Ramshaw JAM, Kirkpatrick A, Brodsky B. Biochemistry. 2000;39:14960–14967. doi: 10.1021/bi001560d.
  • (23).Werkmeister JA, Ramshaw JAM, editors. Collagen Biomaterials. Elsevier Science: Barking; Essex, England: 1992. Ramshaw JAM, Werkmeister JA, Glattauer V. Biotechnol. Genet. Eng. Rev. 1995;13:335–382. doi: 10.1080/02648725.1996.10647934.

Associated Data

This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.

Supplementary Materials

Supporting_Information
NIHMS167417-supplement-Supporting_Information.doc (1.2MB, doc)

RESOURCES