TXNL1 has dual functions as a redox active thioredoxin-like protein as well as an ATP- and redox-independent chaperone

TXNL1 (also named TRP32, for thioredoxin related protein of 32 kDa) is a cytosolic thioredoxin-fold protein expressed in all cell types and conserved from yeast to mammals, but with yet poorly known function. Here, we expressed and purified human TXNL1 together with several Cys-to-Ser variants, characterizing their enzymatic properties. TXNL1 could reduce disulfides in insulin, cystine and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) in reactions coupled to thioredoxin reductase (TXNRD1, TrxR1) using NADPH, similarly to thioredoxin (TXN, Trx1), but with lower catalytic efficacy due to at least one order of magnitude higher K(m) of TrxR1 for TXNL1 compared to Trx1. However, in sharp contrast to Trx1, we found that TXNL1 also had efficient chaperone activity that did not require ATP. TXNL1 made non-covalent complexes with reduced insulin, thereby keeping it in solution, and TXNL1 provided chaperone function towards whole cell lysate proteins by preventing their aggregation during heating. The chaperone activities of TXNL1 did not require its redox activity or any dithiol-disulfide exchange reactions, as revealed using Cys-to-Ser substituted variants, as well as a maintained chaperone activity of TXNL1 also in the absence of TrxR1 and NADPH. These results reveal that TXNL1 has dual functions, supporting TrxR1-driven redox activities in disulfide reduction reactions, as well as being an ATP-independent chaperone that does not require involvement of its redox activity.