Mild Proteolysis Research Articles

Extraction and properties of glutinous rice bran protein obtained by the mild alkaline extraction for the bran combined with enzymatic treatment for the residues

AbstractThe mild alkali extraction combined with the enzymatic hydrolysis was explored to extract protein from glutinous rice bran in the study, and the function properties of the proteins were investigated. The mild alkali extraction of pH 5.0 and temperature 50°C was carried out firstly for the water‐soluble protein extraction from the bran at the solid–liquid ratio of 1:10 (w/v) for 3.0 h, and the complex enzyme of cellulase and papain (7:3, w/w) were subsequently added to hydrolyze the residue for a better protein yield. After a mild proteolysis treatment under the conditions of enzyme addition 5.0%, pH 6.0, temperature 55°C and time 4.5 h, the final 90.2 ± 0.22% protein yield was obtained. It was interesting that the DPPH radical scavenging activity of the IC50 0.71 mg/ml was significantly improved, meanwhile, based on the combined extraction strategy, the protein solubility, emulsifying, and foaming properties were significantly enhanced in a wide range of pH environments. These results demonstrated that the mild alkali extraction combined with the enzymatic hydrolysis could be used in the glutinous rice bran protein extraction with high yield and good functionality, and the extracted protein could be potentially applied in food industry as nutraceutical ingredient or as the functional ingredient in the commercialized food products.Novelty impact statementAlthough the glutinous rice bran has an abundance of protein content, the protein has not been well extracted yet to be utilized in the food industry. Therefore, the proper procedure needs to be explored for glutinous rice bran protein extraction. The mild alkali combined with the enzymatic hydrolysis was firstly applied in the study, and the protein yield of glutinous rice bran protein was notably improved, furthermore, the antioxidant and function properties of glutinous rice bran protein also have been significantly increased because of the mild extraction and proteolysis.

Study of the Enzyme Activity Change due to Inkjet Printing for Biosensor Fabrication.

Enzymes, the most commonly used biosensing element, have a great influence on the performance of biosensors. Recently, drop-on-demand (DOD) printing technique has been widely employed for the fabrication of biosensors due to its merits of noncontact, less waste, and rapid deposition. However, enzyme printing studies were rarely conducted on the effect of printing parameters from the aspect of the pressure wave propagation mechanism. This study investigated the effects of pressure wave propagation on enzyme activity from the aspects of wave superposition, wave amplitude, resulting mechanical stress, and protein conformation change using pyruvate oxidase as the model enzyme. We found that the mechanical stress increased the activity of pyruvate oxidase during the inkjet printing process. A shear rate of 3 × 105 s-1 enhanced the activity by 14.10%. The enhancement mechanism was investigated, and the mechanical activation or mild proteolysis was found to change the conformation of pyruvate oxidase and improve its activity. This study is fundamental to understand the effect of both printing mechanism and induced mechanical stress on the properties of biomolecules and plays an important role in modulating the activity of other enzyme-based inks, which is crucial for the development of biosensors.

Surfaceome of Exosomes Secreted from the Colorectal Cancer Cell Line SW480: Peripheral and Integral Membrane Proteins Analyzed by Proteolysis and TX114.

Exosomes are important bidirectional cell-cell communicators in normal and pathological physiology. Although exosomal surface membrane proteins (surfaceome) enable target cell recognition and are an attractive source of disease marker, they are poorly understood. Here, a comprehensive surfaceome analysis of exosomes secreted by the colorectal cancer cell line SW480 is described. Sodium carbonate extraction/Triton X-114 phase separation and mild proteolysis (proteinase K, PK) of intact exosomes is used in combination with label-free quantitative mass spectrometry to identify 1025 exosomal proteins of which 208 are predicted to be integral membrane proteins (IMPs) according to TOPCONS and GRAVY scores. Interrogation of UniProt database-annotated proteins reveals 124 predicted peripherally-associated membrane proteins (PMPs). Surprisingly, 108 RNA-binding proteins (RBPs)/RNA nucleoproteins (RNPs) are found in the carbonate/Triton X-114 insoluble fraction. Mild PK treatment of SW480-GFP labeled exosomes reveal 58 proteolytically cleaved IMPs and 14 exoplasmic PMPs (e.g., CLU/GANAB/LGALS3BP). Interestingly, 18 RBPs/RNPs (e.g., EIF3L/RPL6) appear bound to the outer exosome surface since they are sensitive to PK proteolysis. The finding that outer surface-localized miRNA Let-7a-5p is RNase A-resistant, but degraded by a combination of RNase A/PK treatment suggests exosomal miRNA species also reside on the outer surface of exosomes bound to RBPs/RNPs.

Network of Surface-Displayed Glycolytic Enzymes in Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Their Interactions with Human Plasminogen.

In different bacteria, primarily cytosolic and metabolic proteins are characterized as surface localized and interacting with different host factors. These moonlighting proteins include glycolytic enzymes, and it has been hypothesized that they influence the virulence of pathogenic species. The presence of surface-displayed glycolytic enzymes and their interaction with human plasminogen as an important host factor were investigated in the genome-reduced and cell wall-less microorganism Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a common agent of respiratory tract infections of humans. After successful expression of 19 glycolytic enzymes and production of polyclonal antisera, the localization of proteins in the mycoplasma cell was characterized using fractionation of total proteins, colony blot, mild proteolysis and immunofluorescence of M. pneumoniae cells. Eight glycolytic enzymes, pyruvate dehydrogenases A to C (PdhA-C), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GapA), lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh), phosphoglycerate mutase (Pgm), pyruvate kinase (Pyk), and transketolase (Tkt), were confirmed as surface expressed and all are able to interact with plasminogen. Plasminogen bound to recombinant proteins PdhB, GapA, and Pyk was converted to plasmin in the presence of urokinase plasminogen activator and plasmin-specific substrate d-valyl-leucyl-lysine-p-nitroanilide dihydrochloride. Furthermore, human fibrinogen was degraded by the complex of plasminogen and recombinant protein PdhB or Pgm. In addition, surface-displayed proteins (except PdhC) bind to human lung epithelial cells, and the interaction was reduced significantly by preincubation of cells with antiplasminogen. Our results suggest that plasminogen binding and activation by different surface-localized glycolytic enzymes of M. pneumoniae may play a role in successful and long-term colonization of the human respiratory tract.

Motor Regulation Results in Distal Forces that Bend Partially Disintegrated Chlamydomonas Axonemes into Circular Arcs

The bending of cilia and flagella is driven by forces generated by dynein motor proteins. These forces slide adjacent microtubule doublets within the axoneme, the motile cytoskeletal structure. To create regular, oscillatory beating patterns, the activities of the axonemal dyneins must be coordinated both spatially and temporally. It is thought that coordination is mediated by stresses or strains, which build up within the moving axoneme, and somehow regulate dynein activity. During experimentation with axonemes subjected to mild proteolysis, we observed pairs of doublets associating with each other and forming bends with almost constant curvature. By modeling the statics of a pair of filaments, we show that the activity of the motors concentrates at the distal tips of the doublets. Furthermore, we show that this distribution of motor activity accords with models in which curvature, or curvature-induced normal forces, regulates the activity of the motors. These observations, together with our theoretical analysis, provide evidence that dynein activity can be regulated by curvature or normal forces, which may, therefore, play a role in coordinating the beating of cilia and flagella.

Abstract 415: Role of Proteolysis in the Remodeling of High-Density Lipoprotein

Introduction: Both quantity and quality of the circulating HDL determine their optimal anti-atherogenic potential. During atherogenesis, various cell types in the arterial intima release enzymes into the intimal fluid, which modify HDL proteins and lipids that adversely affect HDL functionality. Hypothesis: The emerging paradigm for the in vivo proteolytic inactivation of HDL is centered on pre-beta-HDL. Over 90% of the major HDL proteins, apoA-I and apoA-II, circulate on mature HDL. Although binding to HDL protects these proteins from proteolysis, such proteolysis cannot be completely excluded, and its effects on HDL functionality remain unknown. Methods: Human plasma HDL were subjected to mild proteolysis with plasmin, a protease active in atherosclerotic lesions. The proteolytic products were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. HDL remodeling was monitored under near-physiological conditions by size-exclusion chromatography and gel electrophoresis. Results: HDL treatment with plasmin caused no significant structural remodeling of lipoprotein particles. Interestingly, plasmin cleaved apoA-I and apoA-II on HDL. The major protein fragments were observed in the 10-12 kDa range. Western blotting indicated that these fragments were derived from both apoA-I and apoA-II. Next, intact and plasmin-treated HDL were incubated at 37 o C, pH 7.5 for 6-12 h. Intact HDL showed dissociation of a fraction of lipid-free apoA-I without significant changes in the particle size. In contrast, plasmin-treated HDL underwent fusion with release of full-length and fragmented apoA-I and apoA-II, indicating lipoprotein destabilization. Conclusion: Our results reveal that plasmin, can cleave HDL-bound forms of apoA-I and apoA-II and thereby destabilize HDL under near-physiological conditions, resulting in HDL disintegration and dissociation of lipid-free proteins. For the first time, we demonstrate that proteolysis can render not only lipid-free but also HDL-bound proteins dysfunctional. Destabilization of HDL via proteolytic modifications may contribute to the recently observed excessive accumulation of lipid-free apoA-I in the arterial intima, which probably contributes to the progression of atherosclerosis.

Characterization of pyruvate dehydrogenase subunit B and enolase as plasminogen-binding proteins in Mycoplasma pneumoniae

The obligate pathogenic mycoplasma species Mycoplasma pneumoniae uses a limited but effective repertoire of virulence factors to infect and colonize the human respiratory tract. Besides the development of a unique adhesion complex and the expression of tissue-damaging factors, surface-located glycolytic enzymes and their capacity to bind to components of the human extracellular matrix (ECM) support pathogen-host interactions. Here, we demonstrated that the glycolytic enzymes enolase (Mpn606) and pyruvate dehydrogenase subunit B (Mpn392; PDHB) of M. pneumoniae show concentration-dependent binding to human plasminogen. Monospecific polyclonal antisera against both recombinant proteins reduced the binding to plasminogen significantly. The surface location of PDHB but not of enolase was demonstrated using Triton X fractionation of M. pneumoniae total protein content, membrane fractionation, colony blotting, mild proteolysis of mycoplasma cells, and immunofluorescence tests. To characterize the binding site of plasminogen in surface-displaced PDHB, the mycoplasmal protein was separated into four recombinant proteins followed by investigation of the binding behaviour of peptides that overlap the protein part interacting with plasminogen. Spot analysis resulted in a novel region of 12 amino acids (FPAMFQIFTHAA, position 91 to 102 of PDHB), which is responsible exclusively for binding of human plasminogen and also interacts in a dose-dependent manner with this host protein. The data indicate that the plasminogen-binding enzymes enolase and especially the surface-associated PDHB may contribute to the pathogenesis of M. pneumoniae infections.

Single Cell Ganglioside Catabolism in Primary Cerebellar Neurons and Glia

Cell-to-cell heterogeneity in ganglioside catabolism was determined by profiling fluorescent tetramethylrhodamine-labeled GM1 (TMR-GM1) breakdown in individual primary neurons and glia from the rat cerebellum. Cells isolated from 5 to 6 day old rat cerebella were cultured for 7 days, and then incubated for 14 h with TMR-GM1. Intact cells were recovered from cultures by mild proteolysis, paraformaldehyde fixed, and subjected to single cell analysis. Individual cells were captured in a capillary, lysed, and the released single-cell contents analyzed by capillary electrophoresis with quantitative laser-induced fluorescent detection of metabolites. Non-neuronal cells on average took up much more exogenous TMR-GM1 than neuronal cells, and catabolized it more extensively. After 14 h of incubation, non-neuronal cells retained only 14% of the TMR products as GM1 and GM2, compared to >50% for neurons. On average, non-neuronal cells contained 74% of TMR-labeled product as TMR-ceramide, compared to only 42% for neurons. Non-neuronal cells retained seven times as much TMR-GM3 (7%) compared to neuronal cells (1%). To confirm the observed single cell metabolomics, we lysed and compared TMR-GM1 catabolic profiles from mixed neuron/glial cell cultures and from cultures depleted of non-neuronal cells by treatment with the antimitotic agent cytosine arabinoside. The lysed culture catabolic profiles were consistent with the average profiles of single neurons and glia. We conclude that the ultrasensitive analytic methods described accurately reflect single cell ganglioside catabolism in different cell populations from the brain.

Specific IgE responses in patients allergic to goat’s milk but tolerant to cow’s milk: involvement of minor differences in primary structure between caprine and bovine caseins

Methods b-Lactoglobulin, whole casein and its four different fractions, i.e. as1-, as2-, band -caseins, were isolated from raw CM and GM. Purified b-caseins were subjected to a mild proteolysis by plasmin which generated 3 peptides, i.e. f(1-28), f(29-107) and f(108-207/9). Synthetic peptides partially recovering the N-terminal f(29107) part of the caprine b-casein were also produced. Immunoreactivity of the purified proteins and peptides was assessed by IgE binding studies using sera from 12 GM-allergic patients tolerant to CM and 10 CM-allergic patients. The capacity of bovine and caprine milk proteins to induce the degranulation of humanized rat mast cells passively sensitized with human specific IgE was also evaluated.

A needle in a haystack:focus on “Proteomic alterations of distinct mitochondrial subpopulations in the type 1 diabetic heart”

diabetes mellitus is increasingly common throughout the world, due to both an increase in incidence and to decreased mortality of those with diabetes. Unfortunately, diabetes more than doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease in adults, and it even causes its own peculiar form of “diabetic”

Full Repression of RNA Polymerase III Transcription Requires Interaction between Two Domains of Its Negative Regulator Maf1

Maf1, first identified in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a general negative regulator of RNA polymerase III (Pol III). Transcription regulation by Maf1 is important under stress conditions and during the switch between fermentation and respiration. Maf1 is composed of two domains conserved during evolution. We report here that these two domains of human Maf1 are resistant to mild proteolysis and interact together as shown by pull-down and size-exclusion chromatography and that the comparable domains of yeast Maf1 interact in a two-hybrid assay. Additionally, in yeast, a mutation in the N-terminal domain is compensated by mutations in the C-terminal domain. Integrity of both domains and their direct interaction are necessary for Maf1 dephosphorylation and subsequent inhibition of Pol III transcription on a nonfermentable carbon source. These data relate Pol III transcription inhibition to Maf1 structural changes.

Identification of a Minimal Myosin Va Binding Site within an Intrinsically Unstructured Domain of Melanophilin

Myosin V is a molecular motor that transports a variety of cellular cargo, including organelles, vesicles, and messenger RNA. The proper peripheral distribution of melanosomes, a dense pigment-containing organelle, is dependent on actin and the activity of myosin Va. The recruitment of myosin Va to the melanosome and proper transport of the melanosome requires melanophilin, which directly binds to myosin Va and is tethered to the melanosome membrane via Rab27a. Here we use highly purified proteins to demonstrate that the globular tail domain of myosin Va binds directly to an intrinsically unstructured domain of melanophilin. The myosin Va binding domain of melanophilin lacks stable secondary structure, and (1)H NMR measurements indicate that the protein is unfolded. This domain is extremely sensitive to mild proteolysis and has a hydrodynamic radius that is consistent with a random coil-like polypeptide. We show that myosin Va binding does not induce the global folding of melanophilin. Truncations of melanophilin were utilized to define a short peptide sequence (26 residues) within melanophilin that is critical for myosin Va binding. We demonstrate that a peptide corresponding to these residues binds directly to the globular tail domain with the same affinity as melanophilin. We discuss the possible implications of protein intrinsic disorder in recruitment and maintenance of myosin Va on melanosome membranes.

Prion protein in the cerebrospinal fluid of healthy and naturally scrapie-affected sheep

The aim of this study was to characterize the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) prion protein (PrP) of healthy and naturally scrapie-affected sheep. The soluble form of CSF PrP(C) immunoblotted with an anti-octarepeat and an anti-C terminus mAb showed two isoforms of approximately 33 and 26 kDa, corresponding to the biglycosylated and unglycosylated isoforms of brain PrP(C). Neither the mean concentration nor the electrophoretic profile of CSF PrP differed between healthy and scrapie-affected sheep, whereas a slightly increased resistance of CSF PrP to mild proteolysis by proteinase K was evident in the CSF of scrapie-affected sheep. No difference in susceptibility to proteolysis was observed between the two ARR and VRQ genetic variants of the purified prokaryote recombinant PrP. It was concluded that the physicochemical properties of PrP(C) in the CSF could be altered during scrapie and that these changes might reflect the physiopathological process of prion disease.

Mild Protease Treatment as a Small-Scale Biochemical Method for Mitochondria Purification and Proteomic Mapping of Cytoplasm-Exposed Mitochondrial Proteins

Because of its importance in basic biology and medicine, great efforts are being devoted to unraveling of the genuine mitochondrial proteome, which is the dynamic protein complement that the organelle uses to maintain its structure and functionality. Several proteomic investigations have now clearly shown that all the purification approaches we have at our disposal suffer from the problem of co-purification; therefore, it is very difficult to distinguish novel mitochondrial proteins from those that are just contaminants of the preparation. The question is further complicated by the fact that the mitochondrial proteome depends on the tissue source. Density gradient centrifugation is the most widespread purification method for obtaining highly pure mitochondrial fractions. The main disadvantage of these methods is the low yield of purified mitochondria that precludes their use in low-scale purifications. Here, we have treated small aliquots of crude mitochondria from mouse liver and from cultured hepatocytes (HEPA1-6) with trypsin under mild proteolysis conditions and have evaluated the suitability of this reaction as a small-scale purification approach. The protease removed several cytoplasmic and endoplasmic reticulum proteins, together with a fraction of mitochondrial proteins that we hypothesize to be associated with the cytosolic face of the outer mitochondrial membrane. The peculiar topology of these mitochondrial proteins could be indicative of their functional roles. Finally, our study represents an application of advanced mass spectrometry technology to the evaluation of biochemical approaches for the treatment of mitochondria.

The Two Plasmodium falciparum Nucleosome Assembly Proteins Play Distinct Roles in Histone Transport and Chromatin Assembly

The malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum has two nucleosome assembly proteins, PfNapS and PfNapL (Chandra, B. R., Olivieri, A., Silvestrini, F., Alano, P., and Sharma, A. (2005) Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 142, 237-247). We show that both PfNapS and PfNapL interact with histone oligomers but only PfNapS is able to deposit histones onto DNA. This property of PfNapS is divalent cation-dependent and ATP-independent. Deletion of the terminal subdomains of PfNapS abolishes its nucleosome assembly capabilities, but the truncated protein retains its ability to bind histones. Both PfNapS and PfNapL show binding to the linker histone H1 suggesting their probable role in extraction of H1 from chromatin fibers. Our data suggests distinct sites of interaction for H1 versus H3/H4 on PfNapS. We show that PfNapS and PfNapL are phosphorylated both in vivo and in vitro by casein kinase-II, and this modification is specifically inhibited by heparin. Circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, and chymotrypsin fingerprinting data together suggest that PfNapL may undergo very small and subtle structural changes upon phosphorylation. Specifically, phosphorylation of PfNapL increases its affinity 3-fold for core histones H3, H4, and for the linker histone H1. Finally, we demonstrate that PfNapS is able to extract histones from both phosphorylated and unphosphorylated PfNapL, potentially for histone deposition onto DNA. Based on these results, we suggest that the P. falciparum NapL is involved in the nucleocytoplasmic relay of histones, whereas PfNapS is likely to be an integral part of the chromatin assembly motors in the parasite nucleus.

Function of the Conserved S1 and KH Domains in Polynucleotide Phosphorylase

We have examined the roles of the conserved S1 and KH RNA binding motifs in the widely dispersed prokaryotic exoribonuclease polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase). These domains can be released from the enzyme by mild proteolysis or by truncation of the gene. Using purified recombinant enzymes, we have assessed the effects of specific deletions on RNA binding, on activity against a synthetic substrate under multiple-turnover conditions, and on the ability of truncated forms of PNPase to form a minimal RNA degradosome with RNase E and RhlB. Deletion of the S1 domain reduces the apparent activity of the enzyme by almost 70-fold under low-ionic-strength conditions and limits the enzyme to digest a single substrate molecule. Activity and product release are substantially regained at higher ionic strengths. This deletion also reduces the affinity of the enzyme for RNA, without affecting the enzyme's ability to bind to RNase E. Deletion of the KH domain produces similar, but less severe, effects, while deletion of both the S1 and KH domains accentuates the loss of activity, product release, and RNA binding but has no effect on binding to RNase E. We propose that the S1 domain, possibly arrayed with the KH domain, forms an RNA binding surface that facilitates substrate recognition and thus indirectly potentiates product release. The present data as well as prior observations can be rationalized by a two-step model for substrate binding.

Proteolysis of Mitotic Chromosomes Induces Gradual and Anisotropic Decondensation Correlated with a Reduction of Elastic Modulus and Structural Sensitivity to Rarely Cutting Restriction Enzymes

The effect of nonspecific proteolysis on the structure of single isolated mitotic newt chromosomes was studied using chromosome elastic response as an assay. Exposure to either trypsin or proteinase K gradually decondensed and softened chromosomes but without entirely eliminating their elastic response. Analysis of chromosome morphology revealed anisotropic decondensation upon digestion, with length increasing more than width. Prolonged protease treatment resulted only in further swelling of the chromosome without complete dissolution. Mild trypsinization induced sensitivity of chromosome elasticity to five- and six-base-specific restriction enzymes. These results, combined with previous studies of effects of nucleases on mitotic chromosome structure, indicate that mild proteolysis gradually reduces the density of chromatin-constraining elements in the mitotic chromosome, providing evidence consistent with an anisotropically folded "chromatin network" model of mitotic chromosome architecture.

Analysis ofLupinus albusStorage Proteins by Two-Dimensional Electrophoresis and Mass Spectrometry

A laboratory-prepared total protein extract (TPE) and a lupin protein isolate (LPI-E) produced in a pilot plant were submitted to a detailed two-dimensional (2DE) proteomic investigation. Recent findings have indicated that in an established rodent model of hyperlipidemia, moderate daily intakes of LPI-Es lead to a reduction of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and the knowledge of the actual composition of the protein sample used in that study is at the basis of further structure/action investigations. The experimental results indicate that the semi-industrial procedure used for the production of LPI-E damages only marginally the proteins. It does, however, cleave some disulfide bridges and induce mild proteolysis, as confirmed by the higher number of resolved protein spots in the low Mr and acidic pI region of the 2DE map. Out of 72 spots submitted to mass spectrometry and compared with available protein databases, 42 correspond to fragments of beta-conglutin, the 7S globulin of lupin, spanning between positions 37 and 495 of the protein sequence. Using the bioinformatic tool BlastP, these peptides were compared to the alpha'-subunit of beta-conglycinin, the 7S globulin of soybean, this being the most active hypocholesterolemic component of soybean protein, as shown by in vitro and in vivo experiments. At least 18 peptides derived from beta-conglutin, having a percentage identity higher than 50% and a similarity percentage higher than 70% vs the alpha'-subunit of beta-conglycinin, are likely candidates to be the biologically active components of lupin protein.

Myoglobin species with enhanced prooxidative activity is formed during mild proteolysis by pepsin.

Pepsin proteolysis at pH approximately 4 resulted in a lowering of the (pseudo)peroxidase activity of metmyoglobin both at physiological pH and at meat pH, as measured by a peroxidase assay with H(2)O(2) and ABTS as substrates. In contrast, the mildly proteolyzed myoglobin had a strongly enhanced prooxidative effect on lipid oxidation in an oil in water methyl linoleate emulsion compared to native metmyoglobin, as evidenced by rates of oxygen depletion. More severe proteolysis of metmyoglobin at lower pH values near the optimum for pepsin did not result in a similar enhancement of prooxidative activity. The mildly proteolyzed metmyoglobin had spectral characteristics in agreement with a relative stabilization of the iron(II) state. On the basis of the observed effects of metal chelators, of lipophilic and hydrophilic peroxides and of radical scavengers on oxygen depletion rates, it is suggested that the increased prooxidative effect is due to radicals formed by cleavage of lipid peroxides by iron(II)/iron(III) cycling of a heme pigment with affinity for the lipid/water interface.

Definition of structural elements in Plasmodium vivax and P. knowlesi Duffy-binding domains necessary for erythrocyte invasion.

Plasmodium vivax and P. knowlesi use the Duffy antigen as a receptor to invade human erythrocytes. Duffy-binding ligands belong to a family of erythrocyte-binding proteins that bind erythrocyte receptors to mediate invasion. Receptor-binding domains in erythrocyte-binding proteins lie in conserved cysteine-rich regions called Duffy-binding-like domains. In the present study, we report an analysis of the overall three-dimensional architecture of P. vivax and P. knowlesi Duffy-binding domains based on mild proteolysis and supportive-functional assays. Our proteolysis experiments indicate that these domains are built of two distinct subdomains. The N-terminal region from Cys-1-4 (C1-C4) forms a stable non-functional subdomain. The region spanning C5-C12 forms another subdomain, which is capable of binding Duffy antigen. These subdomains are joined by a protease-sensitive linker. Results from deletion constructs, designed for expression of truncated proteins on COS cell surface, show that regions containing C5-C8 of the Duffy-binding domains are sufficient for the binding receptor. Therefore the central region of Duffy-binding domains, which is flanked by two non-functional regions, is responsible for receptor recognition. Moreover, the minimal Duffy-binding region identified here is capable of folding into a functionally competent module. These studies pave the way for understanding the architecture of Duffy-binding domains and their interactions with host receptors.