Molecular Characteristics and Biological Functions of Surface-Active and Surfactant Proteins

• Published in: Annual review of biochemistry 2017-06, Vol.86 (1), p.585-608
• Main Authors: Sunde, Margaret, Pham, Chi L.L, Kwan, Ann H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Bacteria - chemistry; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - metabolism; Bioavailability; bioemulsifier; Biological activity; Boundaries; Caseins - chemistry; Caseins - genetics; Caseins - metabolism; Evaporative cooling; Fungi - chemistry; Fungi - genetics; Fungi - metabolism; Gas exchange; Glycoproteins - chemistry; Glycoproteins - genetics; Glycoproteins - metabolism; Humans; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Hydrophobicity; Interfaces; interfacial; Lipids; Mammals; Membrane Proteins - chemistry; Membrane Proteins - genetics; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Membranes; Microorganisms; Neoplasm Proteins - chemistry; Neoplasm Proteins - genetics; Neoplasm Proteins - metabolism; Peptides; Phosphoproteins - chemistry; Phosphoproteins - genetics; Phosphoproteins - metabolism; Polypeptides; Predation; Protein Conformation; Proteins; Pulmonary Surfactants - chemistry; Pulmonary Surfactants - metabolism; Respiratory tract; Substrates; Surface Properties; Surface tension; surface-active; Surface-Active Agents - chemistry; Surface-Active Agents - metabolism; surfactant; Water - chemistry; Water - metabolism
• ISSN: 0066-4154; 1545-4509
• DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biochem-061516-044847

Many critical biological processes take place at hydrophobic:hydrophilic interfaces, and a wide range of organisms produce surface-active proteins and peptides that reduce surface and interfacial tension and mediate growth and development at these boundaries. Microorganisms produce both small lipid-associated peptides and amphipathic proteins that allow growth across water:air boundaries, attachment to surfaces, predation, and improved bioavailability of hydrophobic substrates. Higher-order organisms produce surface-active proteins with a wide variety of functions, including the provision of protective foam environments for vulnerable reproductive stages, evaporative cooling, and gas exchange across airway membranes. In general, the biological functions supported by these diverse polypeptides require them to have an amphipathic nature, and this is achieved by a diverse range of molecular structures, with some proteins undergoing significant conformational change or intermolecular association to generate the structures that are surface active.