RESUMO
Bak is a pore-forming Bcl2 protein that induces apoptosis at the outer mitochondrial membrane, which can either proceed via Bak oligomerization or be inhibited by anti-apoptotic Bcl2 proteins, such as BclxL. BclxL is very efficient in inhibiting Bak pore formation, but the mechanistic basis of this preferred interaction has remained enigmatic. Here, we identify Bakα1 as a second binding site for BclxL and show that it specifically interacts with the Bcl2-homology (BH)3 binding groove of BclxL. The affinity between BclxL and Bakα1 is weaker than with Bak-BH3, suggesting that Bakα1, being exposed early in the pore-forming trajectory, transiently captures BclxL, which subsequently transitions to the proximal BH3 site. Bak variants where the initial transient interaction with BclxL is modulated show a markedly altered response to BclxL inhibition. This work contributes to a better mechanistic understanding of the fine-tuned interactions between different players of the Bcl2 protein family.
RESUMO
High-resolution structural NMR analyses of membrane proteins are challenging due to their large size, resulting in broad resonances and strong signal overlap. Among the isotope labeling methods that can remedy this situation, segmental isotope labeling is a suitable strategy to simplify NMR spectra and retain high-resolution structural information. However, protein ligation within integral membrane proteins is complicated since the hydrophobic protein fragments are insoluble, and the removal of ligation side-products is elaborate. Here, we show that a stabilized split-intein system can be used for rapid and high-yield protein trans-splicing of integral membrane proteins under denaturing conditions. This setup enables segmental isotope labeling experiments within folded protein domains for NMR studies. We show that high-quality NMR spectra of markedly reduced complexity can be obtained in detergent micelles and lipid nanodiscs. Of note, the nanodisc insertion step specifically selects for the ligated and correctly folded membrane protein and simultaneously removes ligation byproducts. Using this tailored workflow, we show that high-resolution NMR structure determination is strongly facilitated with just two segmentally isotope-labeled membrane protein samples. The presented method will be broadly applicable to structural and dynamical investigations of (membrane-) proteins and their complexes by solution and solid-state NMR but also other structural methods where segmental labeling is beneficial.
Assuntos
Marcação por Isótopo , Proteínas de Membrana , Ressonância Magnética Nuclear Biomolecular , Proteínas de Membrana/química , Ressonância Magnética Nuclear Biomolecular/métodosRESUMO
Triose phosphates (TPs) are the primary products of photosynthetic CO2 fixation in chloroplasts, which need to be exported into the cytosol across the chloroplast inner envelope (IE) and outer envelope (OE) membranes to sustain plant growth. While transport across the IE is well understood, the mode of action of the transporters in the OE remains unclear. Here we present the high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structure of the outer envelope protein 21 (OEP21) from garden pea, the main exit pore for TPs in C3 plants. OEP21 is a cone-shaped ß-barrel pore with a highly positively charged interior that enables binding and translocation of negatively charged metabolites in a competitive manner, up to a size of ~1 kDa. ATP stabilizes the channel and keeps it in an open state. Despite the broad substrate selectivity of OEP21, these results suggest that control of metabolite transport across the OE might be possible.
Assuntos
Cloroplastos , Proteínas de Membrana Transportadoras , Cloroplastos/metabolismo , Proteínas de Membrana Transportadoras/metabolismo , Fotossíntese , Fosfatos/metabolismo , Proteínas de Plantas/metabolismo , Transporte ProteicoRESUMO
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in a multitude of cellular signaling cascades and consequently are a prominent target for pharmaceutical drugs. In the past decades, a growing number of high-resolution structures of GPCRs has been solved, providing unprecedented insights into their mode of action. However, knowledge on the dynamical nature of GPCRs is equally important for a better functional understanding, which can be obtained by NMR spectroscopy. Here, we employed a combination of size exclusion chromatography, thermal stability measurements and 2D-NMR experiments for the NMR sample optimization of the stabilized neurotensin receptor type 1 (NTR1) variant HTGH4 bound to the agonist neurotensin. We identified the short-chain lipid di-heptanoyl-glycero-phosphocholine (DH7PC) as a promising membrane mimetic for high resolution NMR experiments and obtained a partial NMR backbone resonance assignment. However, internal membrane-incorporated parts of the protein were not visible due to lacking amide proton back-exchange. Nevertheless, NMR and hydrogen deuterium exchange (HDX) mass spectrometry experiments could be used to probe structural changes at the orthosteric ligand binding site in the agonist and antagonist bound states. To enhance amide proton exchange we partially unfolded HTGH4 and observed additional NMR signals in the transmembrane region. However, this procedure led to a higher sample heterogeneity, suggesting that other strategies need to be applied to obtain high-quality NMR spectra of the entire protein. In summary, the herein reported NMR characterization is an essential step toward a more complete resonance assignment of NTR1 and for probing its structural and dynamical features in different functional states.
Assuntos
Prótons , Receptores de Neurotensina , Receptores de Neurotensina/genética , Receptores de Neurotensina/metabolismo , Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G , AmidasRESUMO
Membrane mimetics are essential for structural and functional studies of membrane proteins. A promising lipid-based system are phospholipid nanodiscs, where two copies of a so-called membrane scaffold protein (MSP) wrap around a patch of lipid bilayer. Consequently, the size of a nanodisc is determined by the length of the MSP. Furthermore, covalent MSP circularization was reported to improve nanodisc stability. However, a more detailed comparative analysis of the biophysical properties of circularized and linear MSP nanodiscs for their use in high-resolution NMR has not been conducted so far. Here, we analyze the membrane fluidity and temperature-dependent size variability of circularized and linear nanodiscs using a large set of analytical methods. We show that MSP circularization does not alter the membrane fluidity in nanodiscs. Further, we show that the phase transition temperature increases for circularized versions, while the cooperativity decreases. We demonstrate that circularized nanodiscs keep a constant size over a large temperature range, in contrast to their linear MSP counterparts. Due to this size stability, circularized nanodiscs are beneficial for high-resolution NMR studies of membrane proteins at elevated temperatures. Despite their slightly larger size as compared to linear nanodiscs, 3D NMR experiments of the voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) in circularized nanodiscs have a markedly improved spectral quality in comparison to VDAC1 incorporated into linear nanodiscs of a similar size. This study provides evidence that circularized MSP nanodiscs are a promising tool to facilitate high-resolution NMR studies of larger and challenging membrane proteins in a native lipid environment.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Membrana , Nanoestruturas , Bicamadas Lipídicas/química , Proteínas de Membrana/química , Nanoestruturas/química , Fosfolipídeos/química , Canais de Ânion Dependentes de Voltagem/química , Ressonância Magnética Nuclear BiomolecularRESUMO
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy can be used to determine the structure, dynamics and interactions of proteins. However, protein NMR requires stable isotope labelling for signal detection. The cells used for the production of recombinant proteins must therefore be grown in medium containing isotopically labelled substrates. Stable isotope labelling is well established in Escherichia coli, but bacteria are only suitable for the production of simple proteins without post-translational modifications. More complex proteins require eukaryotic production hosts, but their growth can be impaired by labelled media, thus reducing product yields and increasing costs. To address this limitation, we used media supplemented with isotope-labelled substrates to cultivate the tobacco-derived cell line BY-2, which was then cast into plant cell packs (PCPs) for the transient expression of a labelled version of the model protein GB1. Mass spectrometry confirmed the feasibility of isotope labelling with 15 N and 2 H using this approach. The resulting NMR spectrum featured a signal dispersion comparable to recombinant GB1 produced in E. coli. PCPs therefore offer a rapid and cost-efficient alternative for the production of isotope-labelled proteins for NMR analysis, especially suitable for complex proteins that cannot be produced in microbial systems.
Assuntos
Escherichia coli , Células Vegetais , Escherichia coli/genética , Marcação por Isótopo/métodos , Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética/métodos , Células Vegetais/metabolismo , Proteínas Recombinantes/genéticaRESUMO
Male-sterile lines play important roles in plant breeding to obtain hybrid vigour. The male sterility Lembke (MSL) system is a thermosensitive genic male sterility system of Brassica napus and is one of the main systems used in European rapeseed breeding. Interestingly, the MSL system shows high similarity to the 9012AB breeding system from China, including the ability to revert to fertile in high temperature conditions. Here we demonstrate that the MSL system is regulated by the same restorer of fertility gene BnaC9-Tic40 as the 9012AB system, which is related to the translocon at the inner envelope membrane of chloroplasts 40 (TIC40) from Arabidopsis. The male sterility gene of the MSL system was also identified to encode a chloroplast-localized protein which we call BnChimera; this gene shows high sequence similarity to the sterility gene previously described for the 9012AB system. For the first time, a direct protein interaction between BnaC9-Tic40 and the BnChimera could be demonstrated. In addition, we identify the corresponding amino acids that mediate this interaction and suggest how BnaC9-Tic40 acts as the restorer of fertility. Using an RNA-seq approach, the effects of heat treatment on the male fertility restoration of the C545 MSL system line were investigated. These data demonstrate that many pollen developmental pathways are affected by higher temperatures. It is hypothesized that heat stress reverses the male sterility via a combination of slower production of cell wall precursors in plastids and a slower flower development, which ultimately results in fertile pollen. The potential breeding applications of these results are discussed regarding the use of the MSL system in producing thermotolerant fertile plants.
Assuntos
Brassica napus , Brassica napus/metabolismo , Resposta ao Choque Térmico , Melhoramento Vegetal , Infertilidade das Plantas/genéticaRESUMO
Membrane proteins (MPs) play essential roles in numerous cellular processes. Because around 70% of the currently marketed drugs target MPs, a detailed understanding of their structure, binding properties, and functional dynamics in a physiologically relevant environment is crucial for a more detailed understanding of this important protein class. We here summarize the benefits of using lipid nanodiscs for NMR structural investigations and provide a detailed overview of the currently used lipid nanodisc systems as well as their applications in solution-state NMR. Despite the increasing use of other structural methods for the structure determination of MPs in lipid nanodiscs, solution NMR turns out to be a versatile tool to probe a wide range of MP features, ranging from the structure determination of small to medium-sized MPs to probing ligand and partner protein binding as well as functionally relevant dynamical signatures in a lipid nanodisc setting. We will expand on these topics by discussing recent NMR studies with lipid nanodiscs and work out a key workflow for optimizing the nanodisc incorporation of an MP for subsequent NMR investigations. With this, we hope to provide a comprehensive background to enable an informed assessment of the applicability of lipid nanodiscs for NMR studies of a particular MP of interest.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Membrana , Nanoestruturas , Bicamadas Lipídicas/química , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética , Proteínas de Membrana/química , Nanoestruturas/químicaRESUMO
Permeabilization of the outer mitochondrial membrane by pore-forming Bcl2 proteins is a crucial step for the induction of apoptosis. Despite a large set of data suggesting global conformational changes within pro-apoptotic Bak during pore formation, high-resolution structural details in a membrane environment remain sparse. Here, we used NMR and HDX-MS (Hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry) in lipid nanodiscs to gain important high-resolution structural insights into the conformational changes of Bak at the membrane that are dependent on a direct activation by BH3-only proteins. Furthermore, we determined the first high-resolution structure of the Bak transmembrane helix. Upon activation, α-helix 1 in the soluble domain of Bak dissociates from the protein and adopts an unfolded and dynamic potentially membrane-bound state. In line with this finding, comparative protein folding experiments with Bak and anti-apoptotic BclxL suggest that α-helix 1 in Bak is a metastable structural element contributing to its pro-apoptotic features. Consequently, mutagenesis experiments aimed at stabilizing α-helix 1 yielded Bak variants with delayed pore-forming activity. These insights will contribute to a better mechanistic understanding of Bak-mediated membrane permeabilization.
Assuntos
Lipossomos/química , Lipídeos de Membrana/química , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/química , Proteína Killer-Antagonista Homóloga a bcl-2/química , Proteína bcl-X/química , Sítios de Ligação , Clonagem Molecular , Medição da Troca de Deutério , Escherichia coli/genética , Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Expressão Gênica , Vetores Genéticos/química , Vetores Genéticos/metabolismo , Humanos , Cinética , Lipossomos/metabolismo , Lipídeos de Membrana/metabolismo , Modelos Moleculares , Ressonância Magnética Nuclear Biomolecular , Ligação Proteica , Conformação Proteica em alfa-Hélice , Conformação Proteica em Folha beta , Dobramento de Proteína , Domínios e Motivos de Interação entre Proteínas , Multimerização Proteica , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/metabolismo , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/genética , Proteínas Recombinantes/metabolismo , Termodinâmica , Proteína Killer-Antagonista Homóloga a bcl-2/genética , Proteína Killer-Antagonista Homóloga a bcl-2/metabolismo , Proteína bcl-X/genética , Proteína bcl-X/metabolismoRESUMO
MPV17 is an integral inner mitochondrial membrane protein, whose loss-of-function is linked to the hepatocerebral form of the mitochondrial-DNA-depletion syndrome, leading to a tissue-specific reduction of mitochondrial DNA and organ failure in infants. Several disease-causing mutations in MPV17 have been identified and earlier studies with reconstituted protein suggest that MPV17 forms a high conductivity channel in the membrane. However, the molecular and structural basis of the MPV17 functionality remain only poorly understood. In order to make MPV17 accessible to high-resolution structural studies, we here present an efficient protocol for its high-level production in E. coli and refolding into detergent micelles. Using biophysical and NMR methods, we show that refolded MPV17 in detergent micelles adopts a compact structure consisting of six membrane-embedded α-helices. Furthermore, we demonstrate that MPV17 forms oligomers in a lipid bilayer that are further stabilized by disulfide-bridges. In line with these findings, MPV17 could only be inserted into lipid nanodiscs of 8-12 nm in diameter if intrinsic cysteines were either removed by mutagenesis or blocked by chemical modification. Using this nanodisc reconstitution approach, we could show that disease-linked mutations in MPV17 abolish its oligomerization properties in the membrane. These data suggest that, induced by oxidative stress, MPV17 can alter its oligomeric state from a properly folded monomer to a disulfide-stabilized oligomeric pore which might be required for the transport of metabolic DNA precursors into the mitochondrial matrix to compensate for the damage caused by reactive oxygen species.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Membrana/química , Proteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Proteínas Mitocondriais/química , Proteínas Mitocondriais/metabolismo , Mutação , Engenharia de Proteínas/métodos , Membrana Celular/metabolismo , Dicroísmo Circular , Dissulfetos/metabolismo , Humanos , Proteínas de Membrana/genética , Micelas , Proteínas Mitocondriais/genética , Ressonância Magnética Nuclear Biomolecular , Dobramento de Proteína , Multimerização Proteica , Estrutura Secundária de ProteínaRESUMO
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest superfamily of transmembrane proteins and the targets of over 30% of currently marketed pharmaceuticals. Although several structures have been solved for GPCR-G protein complexes, few are in a lipid membrane environment. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of complexes of neurotensin, neurotensin receptor 1 and Gαi1ß1γ1 in two conformational states, resolved to resolutions of 4.1 and 4.2 Å. The structures, determined in a lipid bilayer without any stabilizing antibodies or nanobodies, reveal an extended network of protein-protein interactions at the GPCR-G protein interface as compared to structures obtained in detergent micelles. The findings show that the lipid membrane modulates the structure and dynamics of complex formation and provide a molecular explanation for the stronger interaction between GPCRs and G proteins in lipid bilayers. We propose an allosteric mechanism for GDP release, providing new insights into the activation of G proteins for downstream signaling.
Assuntos
Microscopia Crioeletrônica , Proteínas Heterotriméricas de Ligação ao GTP/metabolismo , Proteínas Heterotriméricas de Ligação ao GTP/ultraestrutura , Bicamadas Lipídicas , Nanoestruturas/química , Receptores de Neurotensina/metabolismo , Receptores de Neurotensina/ultraestrutura , Regulação Alostérica , Subunidades alfa Gi-Go de Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/química , Subunidades alfa Gi-Go de Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/metabolismo , Subunidades alfa Gi-Go de Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/ultraestrutura , Subunidades beta da Proteína de Ligação ao GTP/química , Subunidades beta da Proteína de Ligação ao GTP/metabolismo , Subunidades beta da Proteína de Ligação ao GTP/ultraestrutura , Subunidades gama da Proteína de Ligação ao GTP/química , Subunidades gama da Proteína de Ligação ao GTP/metabolismo , Subunidades gama da Proteína de Ligação ao GTP/ultraestrutura , Guanosina Difosfato/metabolismo , Proteínas Heterotriméricas de Ligação ao GTP/química , Humanos , Bicamadas Lipídicas/química , Bicamadas Lipídicas/metabolismo , Micelas , Modelos Moleculares , Neurotensina/química , Neurotensina/metabolismo , Conformação Proteica , Receptores de Neurotensina/química , Transdução de SinaisRESUMO
Gâ protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are key players in mediating signal transduction across the cell membrane. However, due to their intrinsic instability, many GPCRs are not suitable for structural investigations. Various approaches have been developed in recent years to remedy this situation, ranging from the use of more native membrane mimetics to protein-stabilization methods. The latter approach typically results in GPCRs that contain various numbers of mutations. However, probing the functionality of such variants by inâ vitro and inâ vivo assays is often time consuming. In addition, to validate the suitability of such GPCRs for structural investigations, an assessment of their conformation state is required. NMR spectroscopy has been proven to be suitable to probe the conformation state of GPCRs in solution. Here, by using chemical labeling with an isotope-labeled methyl probe, we show that the activity and the conformation state of stabilized neurotensin receptorâ 1 variants obtained from directed evolution can be efficiently assayed in 2D NMR experiments. This strategy enables the quantification of the active and inactive conformation states and the derivation of an estimation of the basal as well as agonist-induced activity of the receptor. Furthermore, this assay can be used as a readout when re-introducing agonist-dependent signaling into a highly stabilized, and thus rigidified, receptor by mutagenesis. This approach will be useful in cases where low production yields do not permit the addition of labeled compounds to the growth medium and where 1D NMR spectra of selectively 19 F-labeled receptors are not sufficient to resolve signal overlap for a more detailed analysis.
Assuntos
Marcação por Isótopo , Ressonância Magnética Nuclear Biomolecular , Receptores de Neurotensina/química , Animais , Modelos Moleculares , Mutação , Conformação Proteica , Ratos , Receptores de Neurotensina/genéticaRESUMO
Sequence variants of the microglial expressed TREM2 (triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2) are a major risk factor for late onset Alzheimer's disease. TREM2 requires a stable interaction with DAP12 in the membrane to initiate signaling, which is terminated by TREM2 ectodomain shedding and subsequent intramembrane cleavage by γ-secretase. To understand the structural basis for the specificity of the intramembrane cleavage event, we determined the solution structure of the TREM2 transmembrane helix (TMH). Caused by the presence of a charged amino acid in the membrane region, the TREM2-TMH adopts a kinked structure with increased flexibility. Charge removal leads to TMH stabilization and reduced dynamics, similar to its structure in complex with DAP12. Strikingly, these dynamical features match with the site of the initial γ-secretase cleavage event. These data suggest an unprecedented cleavage mechanism by γ-secretase where flexible TMH regions act as key determinants of substrate cleavage specificity.
Assuntos
Doença de Alzheimer/metabolismo , Secretases da Proteína Precursora do Amiloide/metabolismo , Membrana Celular/metabolismo , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/química , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Receptores Imunológicos/química , Receptores Imunológicos/metabolismo , Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal/química , Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal/genética , Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal/metabolismo , Doença de Alzheimer/enzimologia , Doença de Alzheimer/genética , Secretases da Proteína Precursora do Amiloide/genética , Dicroísmo Circular , Células HEK293 , Humanos , Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/genética , Proteínas de Membrana/química , Proteínas de Membrana/genética , Proteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Microglia/metabolismo , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Simulação de Dinâmica Molecular , Mutação , Conformação Proteica em alfa-Hélice , Domínios Proteicos , Receptores Imunológicos/genética , Fatores de Risco , Transdução de Sinais/genéticaRESUMO
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Selective elimination of virus-infected hepatocytes occurs through virus-specific CD8 T cells recognizing peptide-loaded MHC molecules. Herein, we report that virus-infected hepatocytes are also selectively eliminated through a cell-autonomous mechanism. METHODS: We generated recombinant adenoviruses and genetically modified mouse models to identify the molecular mechanisms determining TNF-induced hepatocyte apoptosis in vivo and used in vivo bioluminescence imaging, immunohistochemistry, immunoblot analysis, RNAseq/proteome/phosphoproteome analyses, bioinformatic analyses, mitochondrial function tests. RESULTS: We found that TNF precisely eliminated only virus-infected hepatocytes independently of local inflammation and activation of immune sensory receptors. TNF receptor I was equally relevant for NF-kB activation in healthy and infected hepatocytes, but selectively mediated apoptosis in infected hepatocytes. Caspase 8 activation downstream of TNF receptor signaling was dispensable for apoptosis in virus-infected hepatocytes, indicating an unknown non-canonical cell-intrinsic pathway promoting apoptosis in hepatocytes. We identified a unique state of mitochondrial vulnerability in virus-infected hepatocytes as the cause for this non-canonical induction of apoptosis through TNF. Mitochondria from virus-infected hepatocytes showed normal biophysical and bioenergetic functions but were characterized by reduced resilience to calcium challenge. In the presence of unchanged TNF-induced signaling, reactive oxygen species-mediated calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum caused mitochondrial permeability transition and apoptosis, which identified a link between extrinsic death receptor signaling and cell-intrinsic mitochondrial-mediated caspase activation. CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal a novel concept in immune surveillance by identifying a cell-autonomous defense mechanism that selectively eliminates virus-infected hepatocytes through mitochondrial permeability transition. LAY SUMMARY: The liver is known for its unique immune functions. Herein, we identify a novel mechanism by which virus-infected hepatocytes can selectively eliminate themselves through reduced mitochondrial resilience to calcium challenge.
Assuntos
Caspase 8/metabolismo , Hepatócitos , Mitocôndrias Hepáticas , Receptores Tipo I de Fatores de Necrose Tumoral/metabolismo , Animais , Apoptose/imunologia , Sinalização do Cálcio , Células Cultivadas , Hepatócitos/metabolismo , Hepatócitos/virologia , Humanos , Camundongos , Mitocôndrias Hepáticas/imunologia , Mitocôndrias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Necrose Dirigida por Permeabilidade Transmembrânica da Mitocôndria , Transdução de Sinais , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/metabolismoRESUMO
A membrane protein's oligomeric state modulates its functionality in various cellular processes. Since membrane proteins have to be solubilized in an appropriate membrane mimetic, the use of classical biophysical methods to analyze protein oligomers is challenging. We here present a method to determine the number of membrane proteins inserted into lipid nanodiscs. It is based on the ability to selectively quantify the amount of a small and robust fusion protein that can be proteolytically cleaved off from a membrane protein after incorporation into lipid nanodiscs. A detailed knowledge of the number of membrane proteins per nanodisc at defined assembly conditions is essential to estimate the tendency for oligomerization, but also for guiding sample optimization for structural investigations that require the presence of a homogenous oligomeric state. We show that this method can efficiently be used to determine the number of VDAC1 channels in nanodiscs at various assembly conditions, as confirmed by negative stain EM. The presented method is suitable in particular for membrane proteins that cannot be probed easily by other methods such as single span transmembrane helices. This assay can be applied to any membrane protein that can be incorporated into a nanodisc without the requirement for special instrumentation and will thus be widely applicable and complementary to other methods that quantify membrane protein insertion in lipid nanodiscs.
Assuntos
Bicamadas Lipídicas/química , Proteínas de Membrana/química , Nanoestruturas/química , Canal de Ânion 1 Dependente de Voltagem/genética , Fenômenos Biofísicos , Membrana Celular/química , Membrana Celular/genética , Humanos , Proteínas de Membrana/genética , Fosfolipídeos/química , Estrutura Secundária de Proteína , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/química , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/genética , Canal de Ânion 1 Dependente de Voltagem/química , Proteína bcl-X/química , Proteína bcl-X/genéticaRESUMO
Membrane proteins are important players in signal transduction and the exchange of metabolites within or between cells. Thus, this protein class is the target of around 60â¯% of currently marketed drugs, emphasizing their essential biological role. Besides functional assays, structural and dynamical investigations on this protein class are crucial to fully understanding their functionality. Even though X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy are the main methods to determine structures of membrane proteins and their complexes, NMR spectroscopy can contribute essential information on systems that (a) do not crystallize and (b) are too small for EM. Furthermore, NMR is a versatile tool for monitoring functional dynamics of biomolecules at various time scales. A crucial aspect of such studies is the use of a membrane mimetic that resembles a native environment and thus enables the extraction of functional insights. In recent decades, the membrane protein NMR community has moved from rather harsh detergents to membrane systems having more native-like properties. In particular, most recently phospholipid nanodiscs have been developed and optimized mainly for solution-state NMR but are now also being used for solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Nanodiscs consist of a patch of a planar lipid bilayer that is encircled by different (bio-)polymers to form particles of defined and tunable size. In this review, we provide an overview of available membrane mimetics, including nanodiscs, amphipols and bicelles, that are suitable for high-resolution NMR spectroscopy and describe how these advanced membrane mimetics can facilitate NMR studies on the structure and dynamics of membrane proteins. Since the stability of membrane proteins depends critically on the chosen membrane mimetic, we emphasize the importance of a suitable system that is not necessarily developed for solution-state NMR applications and hence requires optimization for each membrane protein. However, lipid-based membrane mimetics offer the possibility of performing NMR experiments at elevated temperatures and studying ligand and partner protein complexes as well as their functional dynamics in a realistic membrane environment. In order to be able to make an informed decision during the selection of a suitable membrane system, we provide a detailed overview of the available options for various membrane protein classes and thereby facilitate this often-difficult selection process for a broad range of desired NMR applications.
Assuntos
Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética , Lipídeos de Membrana/química , Proteínas de Membrana/química , Animais , Biomimética , Detergentes/química , Humanos , MicelasRESUMO
It is essential for microbes to acquire information about their environment. Fungi use soluble degradation products of plant cell wall components to understand the substrate composition they grow on. Individual perception pathways have been well described. However, the interconnections between pathways remain poorly understood. In the present work, we provide evidence of crosstalk between the perception pathways for cellulose and the hemicellulose mannan being conserved in several filamentous fungi and leading to the inhibition of cellulase expression. We used the functional genomics tools available for Neurospora crassa to investigate this overlap at the molecular level. Crosstalk and competitive inhibition could be identified both during uptake by cellodextrin transporters and intracellularly. Importantly, the overlap is independent of CRE-1-mediated catabolite repression. These results provide novel insights into the regulatory networks of lignocellulolytic fungi and will contribute to the rational optimization of fungal enzyme production for efficient plant biomass depolymerization and utilization.IMPORTANCE In fungi, the production of enzymes for polysaccharide degradation is controlled by complex signaling networks. Previously, these networks were studied in response to simple sugars or single polysaccharides. Here, we tackled for the first time the molecular interplay between two seemingly unrelated perception pathways: those for cellulose and the hemicellulose (gluco)mannan. We identified a so far unknown competitive inhibition between the respective degradation products acting as signaling molecules. Competition was detected both at the level of the uptake and intracellularly, upstream of the main transcriptional regulator CLR-2. Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular communication between perception pathways. Also, they present possible targets for the improvement of industrial strains for higher cellulase production through the engineering of mannan insensitivity.
Assuntos
Celulase/biossíntese , Celulose/metabolismo , Regulação para Baixo , Regulação Fúngica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Mananas/metabolismo , Neurospora crassa/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Repressão Catabólica , Redes Reguladoras de Genes , Genômica , Neurospora crassa/enzimologia , Neurospora crassa/genéticaRESUMO
Ric-8A is a 530-amino acid cytoplasmic molecular chaperone and guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for i, q, and 12/13 classes of heterortrimeric G protein alpha subunits (Gα). We report the 2.2-Å crystal structure of the Ric-8A Gα-binding domain with GEF activity, residues 1-452, and is phosphorylated at Ser435 and Thr440. Residues 1-429 adopt a superhelical fold comprised of Armadillo (ARM) and HEAT repeats, and the C terminus is disordered. One of the phosphorylated residues potentially binds to a basic cluster in an ARM motif. Amino acid sequence conservation and published hydrogen-deuterium exchange data indicate repeats 3 through 6 to be a putative Gα-binding surface. Normal mode modeling of small-angle X-ray scattering data indicates that phosphorylation induces relative rotation between repeats 1-4, 5-6, and 7-9. 2D 1H-15N-TROSY spectra of [2H,15N]-labeled Gαi1 in the presence of R452 reveals chemical shift perturbations of the C terminus and Gαi1 residues involved in nucleotide binding.
Assuntos
Subunidades alfa Gi-Go de Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/química , Fatores de Troca do Nucleotídeo Guanina/química , Proteínas Nucleares/química , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/química , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Sítios de Ligação , Clonagem Molecular , Cristalografia por Raios X , Escherichia coli/genética , Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Subunidades alfa Gi-Go de Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/genética , Subunidades alfa Gi-Go de Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/metabolismo , Expressão Gênica , Vetores Genéticos/química , Vetores Genéticos/metabolismo , Fatores de Troca do Nucleotídeo Guanina/genética , Fatores de Troca do Nucleotídeo Guanina/metabolismo , Guanosina Trifosfato , Histidina/genética , Histidina/metabolismo , Modelos Moleculares , Mutação , Proteínas Nucleares/genética , Proteínas Nucleares/metabolismo , Oligopeptídeos/genética , Oligopeptídeos/metabolismo , Ligação Proteica , Conformação Proteica em alfa-Hélice , Conformação Proteica em Folha beta , Domínios e Motivos de Interação entre Proteínas , Multimerização Proteica , Ratos , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/genética , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/metabolismoRESUMO
G-proteins are essential switch points at the cell membrane that control downstream signaling by their ability to adopt an inactive, GDP-bound or an active, GTP-bound state. Among other exchange factors, G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) induce exchange of GDP to GTP and thus promote the active state of the G-protein. The nucleotide-binding α subunit of the G-protein undergoes major conformational changes upon nucleotide binding. Thus, an NMR analysis of the two distinct nucleotide-bound states is essential for a more detailed understanding of associated structural changes. Here, we provide an NMR backbone as well as methyl group resonance assignment of an inhibitory G-alpha subunit subtype 1 (Gαi,1) in the GDP-bound form and show that, in contrast to the GTP-bound form, large parts of the protein are mobile, presumably caused by a loose arrangement of the two subdomains in Gα that tightly interact with each other only in the GTP-bound state. As the GDP-bound form represents the GPCR-binding-competent state, the presented NMR data will be essential for further studies on G-protein-GPCR interactions and dynamics in solution for receptor systems that couple to G-proteins containing an inhibitory Gα,1 subunit.
Assuntos
Subunidades alfa Gi-Go de Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/química , Guanosina Difosfato/química , Ressonância Magnética Nuclear Biomolecular , Guanosina 5'-O-(3-Tiotrifosfato)/química , Humanos , Proteínas Mutantes/química , Estrutura Secundária de ProteínaRESUMO
The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) resides in the outer mitochondrial membrane and can adopt a closed or open configuration, most likely depending on whether the N-terminal segment (NTS) occupies the pore or protrudes into the cytoplasm. In this study, we calculate the free energy of releasing the NTS from the pore using molecular dynamics simulation. This is complicated by the flexible nature of the NTS, in particular its disordered structure in aqueous solution compared to the pore lumen. We carried out potential of mean force calculations using enhanced sampling or conformational restraints to address the conformational sampling problem. For the binding to the VDAC pore, two systems were considered, featuring either the native VDAC system or a modified system where the NTS is detached from the pore, that is, noncovalently bound in the pore lumen. The calculated free energies required to translocate the NTS from the pore into the solvent moiety are 83.8 or 74.3 kJ mol-1, respectively. The dissociation pathway in VDAC presents two in-pore minima, separated by a low free energy barrier and a membrane-bound intermediate state. Since we observe small changes in pore shape along the NTS dissociation pathway, we suggest that rigidification of the VDAC pore might impair NTS dissociation. The stability of the membrane-bound state of the VDAC NTS is confirmed by independent molecular dynamics simulations showing spontaneous membrane binding of a NTS-derived peptide as well as nuclear magnetic resonance experiments where chemical shift perturbations of the NTS-derived peptide evidence binding to phospholipid nanodiscs.