Structural Basis of Pheromone Binding to Mouse Major Urinary Protein (MUP-I)
Timm, D.E., Baker, L.J., Mueller, H., Zidek, L., Novotny, M.V.(2001) Protein Sci 10: 997-1004
- PubMed: 11316880 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1110/ps.52201
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1I04, 1I05, 1I06 - PubMed Abstract: 
The mouse major urinary proteins are pheromone-binding proteins that function as carriers of volatile effectors of mouse physiology and behavior. Crystal structures of recombinant mouse major urinary protein-I (MUP-I) complexed with the synthetic pheromones, 2-sec-butyl-4,5-dihydrothiazole and 6-hydroxy-6-methyl-3-heptanone, have been determined at high resolution. The purification of MUP-I from mouse liver and a high-resolution structure of the natural isolate are also reported. These results show the binding of 6-hydroxy-6-methyl-3-heptanone to MUP-I, unambiguously define ligand orientations for two pheromones within the MUP-I binding site, and suggest how different chemical classes of pheromones can be accommodated within the MUP-I beta-barrel.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Biochemistry, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA. dtimm@iupui.edu