1H, 13C, and 15N backbone resonance assignments of the L124D mutant of StAR-related lipid transfer domain protein 4 (StARD4)

Abstract

Protein-mediated cholesterol trafficking is central to maintaining cholesterol homeostasis in cells. START (Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein-related lipid transfer) domains constitute a sterol and lipid binding motif and the START domain protein StARD4 typifies a small family of mammalian sterol transport proteins. StARD4 consists of a single START domain and has been reported to act as a general cholesterol transporter in cells. However, the structural basis of cholesterol uptake and transport is not well understood and no cholesterol-bound START domain structures have been reported. We have undertaken the study of cholesterol binding and transport by StARD4 using solution state NMR spectroscopy. To this end, we report nearly complete (1)H, (15)N, and (13)C backbone resonance assignments of an inactive but well behaved mutant (L124D) of StARD4.