Recent Advances and Future Directions in Downstream Processing of Therapeutic Antibodies.

Despite the advent of many new therapies, therapeutic monoclonal antibodies remain a prominent biologics product, with a market value of billions of dollars annually. A variety of downstream processing technological advances have led to a paradigm shift in how therapeutic antibodies are developed and manufactured. A key driver of change has been the increased adoption of single-use technologies for process development and manufacturing. An early-stage developability assessment of potential lead antibodies, using both in silico and high-throughput experimental approaches, is critical to de-risk development and identify molecules amenable to manufacturing. Both statistical and mechanistic modelling approaches are being increasingly applied to downstream process development, allowing for deeper process understanding of chromatographic unit operations. Given the greater adoption of perfusion processes for antibody production, continuous and semi-continuous downstream processes are being increasingly explored as alternatives to batch processes. As part of the Quality by Design (QbD) paradigm, ever more sophisticated process analytical technologies play a key role in understanding antibody product quality in real-time. We should expect that computational prediction and modelling approaches will continue to be advanced and exploited, given the increasing sophistication and robustness of predictive methods compared to the costs, time, and resources required for experimental studies.

Application of the Protein Maker as a platform purification system for therapeutic antibody research and development.

Within the research and development environment, higher throughput, parallelized protein purification is required for numerous activities, from small scale purification of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and antibody fragments for in vitro and in vivo assays to process development and optimization for manufacturing. Here, we describe specific applications and associated workflows of the Protein Maker liquid handling system utilized in both of these contexts. To meet the requirements for various in vitro assays, for the identification and validation of new therapeutic targets, small quantities of large numbers of purified antibodies or antibody fragments are often required. Reducing host cell proteins (HCP) levels following capture with Protein A by evaluating various wash buffers is an example of how parallelized protein purification can be leveraged to improve a process development outcome. Stability testing under various conditions of in-process intermediates, as an example, the mAb product from a clarified harvest, requires parallelized protein purification to generate concurrent samples for downstream assays. We have found that the Protein Maker can be successfully utilized for small-to-mid scale platform purification or for process development applications to generate the necessary purified protein samples. The ability to purify and buffer exchange up to 24 samples in parallel offers a significant reduction in time and cost per sample compared to serial purification using a traditional FPLC system. By combining the Protein Maker purification system with a TECAN Freedom EVO liquid handler for automated buffer exchange we have created a new, integrated platform for a variety of protein purification and process development applications.

Structural and mechanistic insight into covalent substrate binding by Escherichia coli dihydroxyacetone kinase.

The Escherichia coli dihydroxyacetone (Dha) kinase is an unusual kinase because (i) it uses the phosphoenolpyruvate carbohydrate: phosphotransferase system (PTS) as the source of high-energy phosphate, (ii) the active site is formed by two subunits, and (iii) the substrate is covalently bound to His218(K)* of the DhaK subunit. The PTS transfers phosphate to DhaM, which in turn phosphorylates the permanently bound ADP coenzyme of DhaL. This phosphoryl group is subsequently transferred to the Dha substrate bound to DhaK. Here we report the crystal structure of the E. coli Dha kinase complex, DhaK-DhaL. The structure of the complex reveals that DhaK undergoes significant conformational changes to accommodate binding of DhaL. Combined mutagenesis and enzymatic activity studies of kinase mutants allow us to propose a catalytic mechanism for covalent Dha binding, phosphorylation, and release of the Dha-phosphate product. Our results show that His56(K) is involved in formation of the covalent hemiaminal bond with Dha. The structure of H56N(K) with noncovalently bound substrate reveals a somewhat different positioning of Dha in the binding pocket as compared to covalently bound Dha, showing that the covalent attachment to His218(K) orients the substrate optimally for phosphoryl transfer. Asp109(K) is critical for activity, likely acting as a general base activating the γ-OH of Dha. Our results provide a comprehensive picture of the roles of the highly conserved active site residues of dihydroxyacetone kinases.

Structural analysis of Bacillus pumilus phenolic acid decarboxylase, a lipocalin-fold enzyme.

The decarboxylation of phenolic acids, including ferulic and p-coumaric acids, to their corresponding vinyl derivatives is of importance in the flavouring and polymer industries. Here, the crystal structure of phenolic acid decarboxylase (PAD) from Bacillus pumilus strain UI-670 is reported. The enzyme is a 161-residue polypeptide that forms dimers both in the crystal and in solution. The structure of PAD as determined by X-ray crystallography revealed a ß-barrel structure and two α-helices, with a cleft formed at one edge of the barrel. The PAD structure resembles those of the lipocalin-fold proteins, which often bind hydrophobic ligands. Superposition of structurally related proteins bound to their cognate ligands shows that they and PAD bind their ligands in a conserved location within the ß-barrel. Analysis of the residue-conservation pattern for PAD-related sequences mapped onto the PAD structure reveals that the conservation mainly includes residues found within the hydrophobic core of the protein, defining a common lipocalin-like fold for this enzyme family. A narrow cleft containing several conserved amino acids was observed as a structural feature and a potential ligand-binding site.

Crystal structures of apo and metal-bound forms of the UreE protein from Helicobacter pylori: role of multiple metal binding sites.

The crystal structure of the urease maturation protein UreE from Helicobacter pylori has been determined in its apo form at 2.1 A resolution, bound to Cu(2+) at 2.7 A resolution, and bound to Ni(2+) at 3.1 A resolution. Apo UreE forms dimers, while the metal-bound enzymes are arranged as tetramers that consist of a dimer of dimers associated around the metal ion through coordination by His102 residues from each subunit of the tetramer. Comparison of independent subunits from different crystal forms indicates changes in the relative arrangement of the N- and C-terminal domains in response to metal binding. The improved ability of engineered versions of UreE containing hexahistidine sequences at either the N-terminal or C-terminal end to provide Ni(2+) for the final metal sink (urease) is eliminated in the H102A version. Therefore, the ability of the improved Ni(2+)-binding versions to deliver more nickel is likely an effect of an increased local concentration of metal ions that can rapidly replenish transferred ions bound to His102.

Structural basis for Fe-S cluster assembly and tRNA thiolation mediated by IscS protein-protein interactions.

The cysteine desulfurase IscS is a highly conserved master enzyme initiating sulfur transfer via persulfide to a range of acceptor proteins involved in Fe-S cluster assembly, tRNA modifications, and sulfur-containing cofactor biosynthesis. Several IscS-interacting partners including IscU, a scaffold for Fe-S cluster assembly; TusA, the first member of a sulfur relay leading to sulfur incorporation into the wobble uridine of several tRNAs; ThiI, involved in tRNA modification and thiamine biosynthesis; and rhodanese RhdA are sulfur acceptors. Other proteins, such as CyaY/frataxin and IscX, also bind to IscS, but their functional roles are not directly related to sulfur transfer. We have determined the crystal structures of IscS-IscU and IscS-TusA complexes providing the first insight into their different modes of binding and the mechanism of sulfur transfer. Exhaustive mutational analysis of the IscS surface allowed us to map the binding sites of various partner proteins and to determine the functional and biochemical role of selected IscS and TusA residues. IscS interacts with its partners through an extensive surface area centered on the active site Cys328. The structures indicate that the acceptor proteins approach Cys328 from different directions and suggest that the conformational plasticity of a long loop containing this cysteine is essential for the ability of IscS to transfer sulfur to multiple acceptor proteins. The sulfur acceptors can only bind to IscS one at a time, while frataxin and IscX can form a ternary complex with IscU and IscS. Our data support the role of frataxin as an iron donor for IscU to form the Fe-S clusters.

Structure-function analysis of Escherichia coli MnmG (GidA), a highly conserved tRNA-modifying enzyme.

The MnmE-MnmG complex is involved in tRNA modification. We have determined the crystal structure of Escherichia coli MnmG at 2.4-A resolution, mutated highly conserved residues with putative roles in flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) or tRNA binding and MnmE interaction, and analyzed the effects of these mutations in vivo and in vitro. Limited trypsinolysis of MnmG suggests significant conformational changes upon FAD binding.

Structural and functional analysis of Campylobacter jejuni PseG: a udp-sugar hydrolase from the pseudaminic acid biosynthetic pathway.

Flagella of the bacteria Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni are important virulence determinants, whose proper assembly and function are dependent upon glycosylation at multiple positions by sialic acid-like sugars, such as 5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-l-glycero-l-manno-nonulosonic acid (pseudaminic acid (Pse)). The fourth enzymatic step in the pseudaminic acid pathway, the hydrolysis of UDP-2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-beta-l-altropyranose to generate 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-l-altropyranose, is performed by the nucleotide sugar hydrolase PseG. To better understand the molecular basis of the PseG catalytic reaction, we have determined the crystal structures of C. jejuni PseG in apo-form and as a complex with its UDP product at 1.8 and 1.85 A resolution, respectively. In addition, molecular modeling was utilized to provide insight into the structure of the PseG-substrate complex. This modeling identifies a His(17)-coordinated water molecule as the putative nucleophile and suggests the UDP-sugar substrate adopts a twist-boat conformation upon binding to PseG, enhancing the exposure of the anomeric bond cleaved and favoring inversion at C-1. Furthermore, based on these structures a series of amino acid substitution derivatives were constructed, altering residues within the active site, and each was kinetically characterized to examine its contribution to PseG catalysis. In conjunction with structural comparisons, the almost complete inactivation of the PseG H17F and H17L derivatives suggests that His(17) functions as an active site base, thereby activating the nucleophilic water molecule for attack of the anomeric C-O bond of the UDP-sugar. As the PseG structure reveals similarity to those of glycosyltransferase family-28 members, in particular that of Escherichia coli MurG, these findings may also be of relevance for the mechanistic understanding of this important enzyme family.

Structure and function of the glycopeptide N-methyltransferase MtfA, a tool for the biosynthesis of modified glycopeptide antibiotics.

There is a considerable interest in the modification of existing antibiotics to generate new antimicrobials. Glycopeptide antibiotics (GPAs) are effective against serious Gram-positive bacterial pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. However, resistance to these antibiotics is becoming a serious problem requiring new strategies. We show that the Amycolatopsis orientalis (S)-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent methyltransferase MtfA, from the vancomycin-class GPA chloroeremomycin biosynthetic pathway, catalyzes in vivo and in vitro methyl transfer to generate methylated GPA derivatives of the teicoplanin class. The crystal structure of MtfA complexed with (S)-adenosyl-L-methionine, (S)-adenosylhomocysteine, or sinefungin inhibitor, coupled with mutagenesis, identified His228 as a likely general base required for methyl transfer to the N terminus of the glycopeptide. Computational docking and molecular dynamics simulations were used to model binding of demethyl-vancomycin aglycone to MtfA. These results demonstrate its utility as a tool for engineering methylated analogs of GPAs.

Specificity of Campylobacter jejuni adhesin PEB3 for phosphates and structural differences among its ligand complexes.

PEB3 is a glycoprotein adhesin from Campylobacter jejuni whose structure suggested a role in transport. We have investigated potential ligands for PEB3 and characterized their binding properties using biophysical methods in solution and by X-ray crystallography. A thermal aggregation assay of PEB3 with a library of physiological compounds identified three possible ligands [3-phosphoglycerate (3-PG), phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), and aconitate], which stabilized wild-type PEB3 but did not stabilize either a PEB3 form containing two mutations at the ligand-binding site, T138A/S139A, or a second PEB3 mutant, K135E, at a site approximately 14 A away. Fluorescence titration experiments and cocrystal structures with various ligands were used to characterize the binding of 3-PG, PEP, and phosphate to PEB3. Further, a C. jejuni growth experiment in minimal medium supplemented with 3-PG showed that this molecule enhances the growth of wild-type C. jejuni, but not of the PEB3 mutants. Crystallographic analysis of PEB3 complexes revealed that the Ser171-Gln180 region in the presence of 3-PG or other phosphates is helical and similar to those of other transport proteins, but it is nonhelical when citrate is bound. The K135E mutation resulted in expression of a more highly glycosylated form of PEB3 in vivo, and its crystal structure showed the conformation of the first two residues of the glycan. On the basis of our findings, we suggest that PEB3 is a transport protein that may function in utilization of 3-PG or other phosphate-containing molecules from the host.

Trapping open and closed forms of FitE: a group III periplasmic binding protein.

Periplasmic binding proteins (PBPs) are essential components of bacterial transport systems, necessary for bacterial growth and survival. The two-domain structures of PBPs are topologically classified into three groups based on the number of crossovers or hinges between the globular domains: group I PBPs have three connections, group II have two, and group III have only one. Although a large number of structures for group I or II PBPs are known, fewer group III PBPs have been structurally characterized. Group I and II PBPs exhibit significant domain motions during transition from the unbound to ligand-bound form, however, no large conformational changes have been observed to date in group III PBPs. We have solved the crystal structure of a periplasmic binding protein FitE, part of an iron transport system, fit, recently identified in a clinical E. coli isolate. The structure, determined at 1.8 A resolution, shows that FitE is a group III PBP containing a single alpha-helix bridging the two domains. Among the individual FitE molecules present in two crystal forms we observed three different conformations (open, closed, intermediate). Our crystallographic and molecular dynamics results strongly support the notion that group III PBPs also adopt the same Venus flytrap mechanism as do groups I and II PBPs. Unlike other group III PBPs, FitE forms dimers both in solution and in the crystals. The putative siderophore binding pocket is lined with arginine residues, suggesting an anionic nature of the iron-containing siderophore.

Sequence-structure relationships in polysaccharide co-polymerase (PCP) proteins.

Polysaccharides are ubiquitously distributed on the cell surface of bacteria. These polymers are involved in many processes, including immune avoidance and bacteria-host interactions, which are especially important for pathogenic organisms. In many instances, the lengths of these polysaccharides are not random, but rather distribute around some mean value, termed the modal length. A large family of proteins, called polysaccharide co-polymerases (PCPs), found in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive species regulate polysaccharide modal length. Recent crystal structures of Wzz proteins from Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium provide the first atomic-resolution information for one family of PCPs, the PCP1 group. These crystal structures have important implications for the structures of other PCP families.

Preparation and characterization of bacterial protein complexes for structural analysis.

Bacteria mediate a large variety of biological processes using protein complexes. These complexes range from simple binary heterodimeric enzymes to more complex multi-subunit complexes that can be described as macromolecular machines. A key to understanding how these complexes function is obtaining structural information using methods that include electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. Here we describe a variety of approaches to the expression, purification, and biophysical characterization of bacterial protein complexes as a prerequisite to structural analysis. We also give several examples of the kinds of information these different biophysical approaches can provide and various experimental approaches to obtaining structure information for a given system. Further, we describe several examples of protein complexes where we have obtained structural data that have led to new biological insights.

Structure of L-xylulose-5-Phosphate 3-epimerase (UlaE) from the anaerobic L-ascorbate utilization pathway of Escherichia coli: identification of a novel phosphate binding motif within a TIM barrel fold.

Three catabolic enzymes, UlaD, UlaE, and UlaF, are involved in a pathway leading to fermentation of l-ascorbate under anaerobic conditions. UlaD catalyzes a beta-keto acid decarboxylation reaction to produce L-xylulose-5-phosphate, which undergoes successive epimerization reactions with UlaE (L-xylulose-5-phosphate 3-epimerase) and UlaF (L-ribulose-5-phosphate 4-epimerase), yielding D-xylulose-5-phosphate, an intermediate in the pentose phosphate pathway. We describe here crystallographic studies of UlaE from Escherichia coli O157:H7 that complete the structural characterization of this pathway. UlaE has a triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) barrel fold and forms dimers. The active site is located at the C-terminal ends of the parallel beta-strands. The enzyme binds Zn(2+), which is coordinated by Glu155, Asp185, His211, and Glu251. We identified a phosphate-binding site formed by residues from the beta1/alpha1 loop and alpha3' helix in the N-terminal region. This site differs from the well-characterized phosphate-binding motif found in several TIM barrel superfamilies that is located at strands beta7 and beta8. The intrinsic flexibility of the active site region is reflected by two different conformations of loops forming part of the substrate-binding site. Based on computational docking of the L-xylulose 5-phosphate substrate to UlaE and structural similarities of the active site of this enzyme to the active sites of other epimerases, a metal-dependent epimerization mechanism for UlaE is proposed, and Glu155 and Glu251 are implicated as catalytic residues. Mutation and activity measurements for structurally equivalent residues in related epimerases supported this mechanistic proposal.

Bacterial structural genomics initiative: overview of methods and technologies applied to the process of structure determination.

The focus over the last several years on increasing the number of three-dimensional structures of macromolecules by implementation of high throughput methodology has led to the establishment of dedicated structural genomics programs around the world. These worldwide efforts have in turn led to development of novel, parallelized approaches to cloning, expression, purification, and crystallization of proteins. This chapter describes in some detail the approaches and protocols that have been implemented in the Bacterial Structural Genomics Initiative.

Structure and active site residues of PglD, an N-acetyltransferase from the bacillosamine synthetic pathway required for N-glycan synthesis in Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni is highly unusual among bacteria in forming N-linked glycoproteins. The heptasaccharide produced by its pgl system is attached to protein Asn through its terminal 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-d-Glc (QuiNAc4NAc or N,N'-diacetylbacillosamine) moiety. The crucial, last part of this sugar's synthesis is the acetylation of UDP-2-acetamido-4-amino-2,4,6-trideoxy-d-Glc by the enzyme PglD, with acetyl-CoA as a cosubstrate. We have determined the crystal structures of PglD in CoA-bound and unbound forms, refined to 1.8 and 1.75 A resolution, respectively. PglD is a trimer of subunits each comprised of two domains, an N-terminal alpha/beta-domain and a C-terminal left-handed beta-helix. Few structural differences accompany CoA binding, except in the C-terminal region following the beta-helix (residues 189-195), which adopts an extended structure in the unbound form and folds to extend the beta-helix upon binding CoA. Computational molecular docking suggests a different mode of nucleotide-sugar binding with respect to the acetyl-CoA donor, with the molecules arranged in an "L-shape", compared with the "in-line" orientation in related enzymes. Modeling indicates that the oxyanion intermediate would be stabilized by the NH group of Gly143', with His125' the most likely residue to function as a general base, removing H+ from the amino group prior to nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl carbon of acetyl-CoA. Site-specific mutations of active site residues confirmed the importance of His125', Glu124', and Asn118. We conclude that Asn118 exerts its function by stabilizing the intricate hydrogen bonding network within the active site and that Glu124' may function to increase the pKa of the putative general base, His125'.

Bacterial polysaccharide co-polymerases share a common framework for control of polymer length.

The chain length distribution of complex polysaccharides present on the bacterial surface is determined by polysaccharide co-polymerases (PCPs) anchored in the inner membrane. We report crystal structures of the periplasmic domains of three PCPs that impart substantially different chain length distributions to surface polysaccharides. Despite very low sequence similarities, they have a common protomer structure with a long central alpha-helix extending 100 A into the periplasm. The protomers self-assemble into bell-shaped oligomers of variable sizes, with a large internal cavity. Electron microscopy shows that one of the full-length PCPs has a similar organization as that observed in the crystal for its periplasmic domain alone. Functional studies suggest that the top of the PCP oligomers is an important region for determining polysaccharide modal length. These structures provide a detailed view of components of the bacterial polysaccharide assembly machinery.

Structure of [NiFe] hydrogenase maturation protein HypE from Escherichia coli and its interaction with HypF.

Hydrogenases are enzymes involved in hydrogen metabolism, utilizing H2 as an electron source. [NiFe] hydrogenases are heterodimeric Fe-S proteins, with a large subunit containing the reaction center involving Fe and Ni metal ions and a small subunit containing one or more Fe-S clusters. Maturation of the [NiFe] hydrogenase involves assembly of nonproteinaceous ligands on the large subunit by accessory proteins encoded by the hyp operon. HypE is an essential accessory protein and participates in the synthesis of two cyano groups found in the large subunit. We report the crystal structure of Escherichia coli HypE at 2.0-A resolution. HypE exhibits a fold similar to that of PurM and ThiL and forms dimers. The C-terminal catalytically essential Cys336 is internalized at the dimer interface between the N- and C-terminal domains. A mechanism for dehydration of the thiocarbamate to the thiocyanate is proposed, involving Asp83 and Glu272. The interactions of HypE and HypF were characterized in detail by surface plasmon resonance and isothermal titration calorimetry, revealing a Kd (dissociation constant) of approximately 400 nM. The stoichiometry and molecular weights of the complex were verified by size exclusion chromatography and gel scanning densitometry. These experiments reveal that HypE and HypF associate to form a stoichiometric, hetero-oligomeric complex predominantly consisting of a [EF]2 heterotetramer which exists in a dynamic equilibrium with the EF heterodimer. The surface plasmon resonance results indicate that a conformational change occurs upon heterodimerization which facilitates formation of a productive complex as part of the carbamate transfer reaction.

Insights into the biology of Escherichia coli through structural proteomics.

Escherichia coli has historically been an important organism for understanding a multitude of biological processes, and represents a model system as we attempt to simulate the workings of living cells. Many E. coli strains are also important human and animal pathogens for which new therapeutic strategies are required. For both reasons, a more complete and comprehensive understanding of the protein structure complement of E. coli is needed at the genome level. Here, we provide examples of insights into the mechanism and function of bacterial proteins that we have gained through the Bacterial Structural Genomics Initiative (BSGI), focused on medium-throughput structure determination of proteins from E. coli. We describe the structural characterization of several enzymes from the histidine biosynthetic pathway, the structures of three pseudouridine synthases, enzymes that synthesize one of the most abundant modified bases in RNA, as well as the combined use of protein structure and focused functional analysis to decipher functions for hypothetical proteins. Together, these results illustrate the power of structural genomics to contribute to a deeper biological understanding of bacterial processes.

Structural context for protein N-glycosylation in bacteria: The structure of PEB3, an adhesin from Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni is unusual among bacteria in possessing a eukaryotic-like system for N-linked protein glycosylation at Asn residues in sequons of the type Asp/Glu-Xaa-Asn-Xaa-Ser/Thr. However, little is known about the structural context of the glycosylated sequons, limiting the design of novel recombinant glycoproteins. To obtain more information on sequon structure, we have determined the crystal structure of the PEB3 (Cj0289c) dimer. PEB3 has the class II periplasmic-binding protein fold, with each monomer having two domains with a ligand-binding site containing citrate located between them, and overall resembles molybdate- and sulfate-binding proteins. The sequon around Asn90 is located within a surface-exposed loop joining two structural elements. The three key residues are well exposed on the surface; hence, they may be accessible to the PglB oligosaccharyltransferase in the folded state.