Phosphatase to kinase switch of a critical enzyme contributes to timing of cell differentiation.

IMPORTANCE: The process of cell differentiation is highly regulated in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. The aquatic bacterium, Caulobacter crescentus, undergoes programmed cell differentiation from a motile swarmer cell to a stationary stalked cell with each cell cycle. This critical event is regulated at multiple levels. Kinase activity of the bifunctional enzyme, PleC, is limited to a brief period when it initiates the molecular signaling cascade that results in cell differentiation. Conversely, PleC phosphatase activity is required for pili formation and flagellar rotation. We show that PleC is localized to the flagellar pole by the scaffold protein, PodJ, which is known to suppress PleC kinase activity in vitro. PleC mutants that are unable to bind PodJ have increased kinase activity in vivo, resulting in premature differentiation. We propose a model in which PodJ regulation of PleC's enzymatic activity contributes to the robust timing of cell differentiation during the Caulobacter cell cycle.

Intranasal CRMP2-Ubc9 inhibitor regulates Na V 1.7 to alleviate trigeminal neuropathic pain.

ABSTRACT: Dysregulation of voltage-gated sodium Na V 1.7 channels in sensory neurons contributes to chronic pain conditions, including trigeminal neuropathic pain. We previously reported that chronic pain results in part from increased SUMOylation of collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2), leading to an increased CRMP2/Na V 1.7 interaction and increased functional activity of Na V 1.7. Targeting this feed-forward regulation, we developed compound 194 , which inhibits CRMP2 SUMOylation mediated by the SUMO-conjugating enzyme Ubc9. We further demonstrated that 194 effectively reduces the functional activity of Na V 1.7 channels in dorsal root ganglia neurons and alleviated inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Here, we used a comprehensive array of approaches, encompassing biochemical, pharmacological, genetic, electrophysiological, and behavioral analyses, to assess the functional implications of Na V 1.7 regulation by CRMP2 in trigeminal ganglia (TG) neurons. We confirmed the expression of Scn9a , Dpysl2 , and UBE2I within TG neurons. Furthermore, we found an interaction between CRMP2 and Na V 1.7, with CRMP2 being SUMOylated in these sensory ganglia. Disrupting CRMP2 SUMOylation with compound 194 uncoupled the CRMP2/Na V 1.7 interaction, impeded Na V 1.7 diffusion on the plasma membrane, and subsequently diminished Na V 1.7 activity. Compound 194 also led to a reduction in TG neuron excitability. Finally, when intranasally administered to rats with chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve, 194 significantly decreased nociceptive behaviors. Collectively, our findings underscore the critical role of CRMP2 in regulating Na V 1.7 within TG neurons, emphasizing the importance of this indirect modulation in trigeminal neuropathic pain.

Intranasal CRMP2-Ubc9 Inhibitor Regulates Na V 1.7 to Alleviate Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain.

Dysregulation of voltage-gated sodium Na V 1.7 channels in sensory neurons contributes to chronic pain conditions, including trigeminal neuropathic pain. We previously reported that chronic pain results in part from increased SUMOylation of collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2), leading to an increased CRMP2/Na V 1.7 interaction and increased functional activity of Na V 1.7. Targeting this feed-forward regulation, we developed compound 194 , which inhibits CRMP2 SUMOylation mediated by the SUMO-conjugating enzyme Ubc9. We further demonstrated that 194 effectively reduces the functional activity of Na V 1.7 channels in dorsal root ganglia neurons and alleviated inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Here, we employed a comprehensive array of investigative approaches, encompassing biochemical, pharmacological, genetic, electrophysiological, and behavioral analyses, to assess the functional implications of Na V 1.7 regulation by CRMP2 in trigeminal ganglia (TG) neurons. We confirmed the expression of Scn9a , Dpysl2 , and UBE2I within TG neurons. Furthermore, we found an interaction between CRMP2 and Na V 1.7, with CRMP2 being SUMOylated in these sensory ganglia. Disrupting CRMP2 SUMOylation with compound 194 uncoupled the CRMP2/Na V 1.7 interaction, impeded Na V 1.7 diffusion on the plasma membrane, and subsequently diminished Na V 1.7 activity. Compound 194 also led to a reduction in TG neuron excitability. Finally, when intranasally administered to rats with chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve (CCI-ION), 194 significantly decreased nociceptive behaviors. Collectively, our findings underscore the critical role of CRMP2 in regulating Na V 1.7 within TG neurons, emphasizing the importance of this indirect modulation in trigeminal neuropathic pain.

Structural and photophysical characterization of the small ultra-red fluorescent protein.

The small Ultra-Red Fluorescent Protein (smURFP) represents a new class of fluorescent protein with exceptional photostability and brightness derived from allophycocyanin in a previous directed evolution. Here, we report the smURFP crystal structure to better understand properties and enable further engineering of improved variants. We compare this structure to the structures of allophycocyanin and smURFP mutants to identify the structural origins of the molecular brightness. We then use a structure-guided approach to develop monomeric smURFP variants that fluoresce with phycocyanobilin but not biliverdin. Furthermore, we measure smURFP photophysical properties necessary for advanced imaging modalities, such as those relevant for two-photon, fluorescence lifetime, and single-molecule imaging. We observe that smURFP has the largest two-photon cross-section measured for a fluorescent protein, and that it produces more photons than organic dyes. Altogether, this study expands our understanding of the smURFP, which will inform future engineering toward optimal FPs compatible with whole organism studies.

ATP-responsive biomolecular condensates tune bacterial kinase signaling.

Biomolecular condensates formed via liquid-liquid phase separation enable spatial and temporal organization of enzyme activity. Phase separation in many eukaryotic condensates has been shown to be responsive to intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, although the consequences of these mechanisms for enzymes sequestered within the condensates are unknown. Here, we show that ATP depletion promotes phase separation in bacterial condensates composed of intrinsically disordered proteins. Enhanced phase separation promotes the sequestration and activity of a client kinase enabling robust signaling and maintenance of viability under the stress posed by nutrient scarcity. We propose that a diverse repertoire of condensates can serve as control knobs to tune enzyme sequestration and reactivity in response to the metabolic state of bacterial cells.

Opposing Effects of Cohesin and Transcription on CTCF Organization Revealed by Super-resolution Imaging.

CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) and cohesin play critical roles in organizing mammalian genomes into topologically associating domains (TADs). Here, by combining genetic engineering with quantitative super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, we demonstrate that in living cells, CTCF forms clusters typically containing 2-8 molecules. A fraction of CTCF clusters, enriched for those with ≥3 molecules, are coupled with cohesin complexes with a characteristic physical distance suggestive of a defined molecular interaction. Acute degradation of the cohesin unloader WAPL or transcriptional inhibition (TI) result in increased CTCF clustering. Furthermore, the effect of TI on CTCF clusters is alleviated by the acute loss of the cohesin subunit SMC3. Our study provides quantitative characterization of CTCF clusters in living cells, uncovers the opposing effects of cohesin and transcription on CTCF clustering, and highlights the power of quantitative super-resolution microscopy as a tool to bridge the gap between biochemical and genomic methodologies in chromatin research.

Cryogenic single-molecule fluorescence annotations for electron tomography reveal in situ organization of key proteins in Caulobacter.

Superresolution fluorescence microscopy and cryogenic electron tomography (CET) are powerful imaging methods for exploring the subcellular organization of biomolecules. Superresolution fluorescence microscopy based on covalent labeling highlights specific proteins and has sufficient sensitivity to observe single fluorescent molecules, but the reconstructions lack detailed cellular context. CET has molecular-scale resolution but lacks specific and nonperturbative intracellular labeling techniques. Here, we describe an imaging scheme that correlates cryogenic single-molecule fluorescence localizations with CET reconstructions. Our approach achieves single-molecule localizations with an average lateral precision of 9 nm, and a relative registration error between the set of localizations and CET reconstruction of ∼30 nm. We illustrate the workflow by annotating the positions of three proteins in the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus: McpA, PopZ, and SpmX. McpA, which forms a part of the chemoreceptor array, acts as a validation structure by being visible under both imaging modalities. In contrast, PopZ and SpmX cannot be directly identified in CET. While not directly discernable, PopZ fills a region at the cell poles that is devoid of electron-dense ribosomes. We annotate the position of PopZ with single-molecule localizations and confirm its position within the ribosome excluded region. We further use the locations of PopZ to provide context for localizations of SpmX, a low-copy integral membrane protein sequestered by PopZ as part of a signaling pathway that leads to an asymmetric cell division. Our correlative approach reveals that SpmX localizes along one side of the cell pole and its extent closely matches that of the PopZ region.

The Nucleoid-Associated Protein GapR Uses Conserved Structural Elements To Oligomerize and Bind DNA.

Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) are DNA binding proteins critical for the organization and function of the bacterial chromosome. A newly discovered NAP in Caulobacter crescentus, GapR, is thought to facilitate the movement of the replication and transcription machines along the chromosome by stimulating type II topoisomerases to remove positive supercoiling. Here, utilizing genetic, biochemical, and biophysical studies of GapR in light of a recently published DNA-bound crystal structure of GapR, we identified the structural elements involved in oligomerization and DNA binding. Moreover, we show that GapR is maintained as a tetramer upon its dissociation from DNA and that tetrameric GapR is capable of binding DNA molecules in vitro Analysis of protein chimeras revealed that two helices of GapR are functionally conserved in H-NS, demonstrating that two evolutionarily distant NAPs with distinct mechanisms of action utilize conserved structural elements to oligomerize and bind DNA.IMPORTANCE Bacteria organize their genetic material in a structure called the nucleoid, which needs to be compact to fit inside the cell and, at the same time, dynamic to allow high rates of replication and transcription. Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) play a pivotal role in this process, so their detailed characterization is crucial for our understanding of DNA organization into bacterial cells. Even though NAPs affect DNA-related processes differently, all of them have to oligomerize and bind DNA for their function. The significance of this study is the identification of structural elements involved in the oligomerization and DNA binding of a newly discovered NAP in C. crescentus and the demonstration that structural elements are conserved in evolutionarily distant and functionally distinct NAPs.

Decoding the Function of Expansion Segments in Ribosomes.

Expansion segments (ESs) are enigmatic insertions within the eukaryotic ribosome, the longest of which resemble tentacle-like extensions that vary in length and sequence across evolution, with a largely unknown function. By selectively engineering rRNA in yeast, we find that one of the largest ESs, ES27L, has an unexpected function in translation fidelity. Ribosomes harboring a deletion in the distal portion of ES27L have increased amino acid misincorporation, as well as readthrough and frameshifting errors. By employing quantitative mass spectrometry, we further find that ES27L acts as an RNA scaffold to facilitate binding of a conserved enzyme, methionine amino peptidase (MetAP). We show that MetAP unexpectedly controls the accuracy of ribosome decoding, which is coupled to an increase in its enzymatic function through its interaction with ES27L. These findings reveal that variable ESs of the ribosome serve important functional roles and act as platforms for the binding of proteins that modulate translation across evolution.

Identification of PAmKate as a Red Photoactivatable Fluorescent Protein for Cryogenic Super-Resolution Imaging.

Single-molecule super-resolution fluorescence microscopy conducted in vitrified samples at cryogenic temperatures offers enhanced localization precision due to reduced photobleaching rates, a chemical-free and rapid fixation method, and the potential of correlation with cryogenic electron microscopy. Achieving cryogenic super-resolution microscopy requires the ability to control the sparsity of emissive labels at cryogenic temperatures. Obtaining this control presents a key challenge for the development of this technique. In this work, we identify a red photoactivatable protein, PAmKate, which remains activatable at cryogenic temperatures. We characterize its activation as a function of temperature and find that activation is efficient at cryogenic and room temperatures. We perform cryogenic super-resolution experiments in situ, labeling PopZ, a protein known to assemble into a microdomain at the poles of the model bacterium Caulobacter crescentus. We find improved localization precision at cryogenic temperatures compared to room temperature by a factor of 4, attributable to reduced photobleaching.

Direct Selection of Fluorescence-Enhancing RNA Aptamers.

RNA aptamers that generate a strong fluorescence signal upon binding a nonfluorescent small-molecule dye offer a powerful means for the selective imaging of individual RNA species. Unfortunately, conventional in vitro discovery methods are not efficient at generating such fluorescence-enhancing aptamers, because they primarily exert selective pressure based on target affinity-a characteristic that correlates poorly with fluorescence enhancement. Thus, only a handful of fluorescence-enhancing aptamers have been reported to date. In this work, we describe a method for converting DNA libraries into "gene-linked RNA aptamer particles" (GRAPs) that each display ∼105 copies of a single RNA sequence alongside the DNA that encodes it. We then screen large libraries of GRAPs in a high-throughput manner using the FACS instrument based directly on their fluorescence-enhancing properties. Using this strategy, we demonstrate the capability to generate fluorescence-enhancing aptamers that produce a variety of different emission wavelengths upon binding the dye of interest.

Genetically Targeted Ratiometric and Activated pH Indicator Complexes (TRApHIC) for Receptor Trafficking.

Fluorescent protein-based pH sensors are useful tools for measuring protein trafficking through pH changes associated with endo- and exocytosis. However, commonly used pH-sensing probes are ubiquitously expressed with their protein of interest throughout the cell, hindering our ability to focus on specific trafficking pools of proteins. We developed a family of excitation ratiometric, activatable pH responsive tandem dyes, consisting of a pH sensitive Cy3 donor linked to a fluorogenic malachite green acceptor. These cell-excluded dyes are targeted and activated upon binding to a genetically expressed fluorogen-activating protein and are suitable for selective labeling of surface proteins for analysis of endocytosis and recycling in live cells using both confocal and superresolution microscopy. Quantitative profiling of the endocytosis and recycling of tagged ß2-adrenergic receptor (B2AR) at a single-vesicle level revealed differences among B2AR agonists, consistent with more detailed pharmacological profiling.

Super-Resolution Microscopy and Single-Protein Tracking in Live Bacteria Using a Genetically Encoded, Photostable Fluoromodule.

Visualization of dynamic protein structures in live cells is crucial for understanding the mechanisms governing biological processes. Fluorescence microscopy is a sensitive tool for this purpose. In order to image proteins in live bacteria using fluorescence microscopy, one typically genetically fuses the protein of interest to a photostable fluorescent tag. Several labeling schemes are available to accomplish this. Particularly, hybrid tags that combine a fluorescent or fluorogenic dye with a genetically encoded protein (such as enzymatic labels) have been used successfully in multiple cell types. However, their use in bacteria has been limited due to challenges imposed by a complex bacterial cell wall. Here, we describe the use of a genetically encoded photostable fluoromodule that can be targeted to cytosolic and membrane proteins in the Gram negative bacterium Caulobacter crescentus. Additionally, we summarize methods to use this fluoromodule for single protein imaging and super-resolution microscopy using stimulated emission depletion. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Super-resolution Imaging of Live Bacteria Cells Using a Genetically Directed, Highly Photostable Fluoromodule.

The rapid development in fluorescence microscopy and imaging techniques has greatly benefited our understanding of the mechanisms governing cellular processes at the molecular level. In particular, super-resolution microscopy methods overcome the diffraction limit to observe nanoscale cellular structures with unprecedented detail, and single-molecule tracking provides precise dynamic information about the motions of labeled proteins and oligonucleotides. Enhanced photostability of fluorescent labels (i.e., maximum emitted photons before photobleaching) is a critical requirement for achieving the ultimate spatio-temporal resolution with either method. While super-resolution imaging has greatly benefited from highly photostable fluorophores, a shortage of photostable fluorescent labels for bacteria has limited its use in these small but relevant organisms. In this study, we report the use of a highly photostable fluoromodule, dL5, to genetically label proteins in the Gram-negative bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, enabling long-time-scale protein tracking and super-resolution microscopy. dL5 imaging relies on the activation of the fluorogen Malachite Green (MG) and can be used to label proteins sparsely, enabling single-protein detection in live bacteria without initial bleaching steps. dL5-MG complexes emit 2-fold more photons before photobleaching compared to organic dyes such as Cy5 and Alexa 647 in vitro, and 5-fold more photons compared to eYFP in vivo. We imaged fusions of dL5 to three different proteins in live Caulobacter cells using stimulated emission depletion microscopy, yielding a 4-fold resolution enhancement compared to diffraction-limited imaging. Importantly, dL5 fusions to an intermediate filament protein CreS are significantly less perturbative compared to traditional fluorescent protein fusions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the use of fluorogen activating proteins for super-resolution imaging in live bacterial cells.

Removing Orientation-Induced Localization Biases in Single-Molecule Microscopy Using a Broadband Metasurface Mask.

Nanoscale localization of single molecules is a crucial function in several advanced microscopy techniques, including single-molecule tracking and wide-field super-resolution imaging 1. To date, a central consideration of such techniques is how to optimize the precision of molecular localization. However, as these methods continue to push toward the nanometre size scale, an increasingly important concern is the localization accuracy. In particular, single fluorescent molecules emit with an anisotropic radiation pattern of an oscillating electric dipole, which can cause significant localization biases using common estimators 2-5. Here we present the theory and experimental demonstration of a solution to this problem based on azimuthal filtering in the Fourier plane of the microscope. We do so using a high efficiency dielectric metasurface polarization/phase device composed of nanoposts with sub-wavelength spacing 6. The method is demonstrated both on fluorophores embedded in a polymer matrix, and in dL5 protein complexes that bind Malachite green 7, 8.

Fluoromodule-based reporter/probes designed for in vivo fluorescence imaging.

Optical imaging of whole, living animals has proven to be a powerful tool in multiple areas of preclinical research and has allowed noninvasive monitoring of immune responses, tumor and pathogen growth, and treatment responses in longitudinal studies. However, fluorescence-based studies in animals are challenging because tissue absorbs and autofluoresces strongly in the visible light spectrum. These optical properties drive development and use of fluorescent labels that absorb and emit at longer wavelengths. Here, we present a far-red absorbing fluoromodule-based reporter/probe system and show that this system can be used for imaging in living mice. The probe we developed is a fluorogenic dye called SC1 that is dark in solution but highly fluorescent when bound to its cognate reporter, Mars1. The reporter/probe complex, or fluoromodule, produced peak emission near 730 nm. Mars1 was able to bind a variety of structurally similar probes that differ in color and membrane permeability. We demonstrated that a tool kit of multiple probes can be used to label extracellular and intracellular reporter-tagged receptor pools with 2 colors. Imaging studies may benefit from this far-red excited reporter/probe system, which features tight coupling between probe fluorescence and reporter binding and offers the option of using an expandable family of fluorogenic probes with a single reporter gene.

Kinetically Tunable Photostability of Fluorogen-Activating Peptide-Fluorogen Complexes.

Ease of genetic encoding, labeling specificity, and high photostability are the most sought after qualities in a fluorophore for biological detection. Furthermore, many applications can gain from the fluorogenic nature of fluoromodules and the ability to turn on the same fluoromodules multiple times. Fluorogen-activating peptides (FAPs) bind noncovalently to their cognate fluorogens and exhibit enhanced photostability. Herein, the photostabilities of malachite green (MG)-binding and thiazole-orange-binding FAPs are compared under limiting- and excess-fluorogen conditions to establish distinct mechanisms for photostability that correspond to the dissociation rate of the FAP-fluorogen complex. FAPs with slow dissociation show evidence of dye encapsulation and protection from photo or environmental degradation and single-step bleaching at the single molecule level, whereas those with rapid dissociation show repeated cycles of binding and enhanced photostability by exchange of bleached fluorogen with a new dye. A combination of generalizable selection pressure based on bleaching, flow cytometry, and site-specific amino acid mutagenesis is used to obtain a modified FAP with enhanced photostability, due to rapid dissociation of the MG fluorogen. These studies shed light on the basic mechanisms by which noncovalent association can effect photostable labeling, and demonstrate novel reagents for photostable and intermittent labeling of biological targets.

Genetically targeted fluorogenic macromolecules for subcellular imaging and cellular perturbation.

The alteration of cellular functions by anchoring macromolecules to specified organelles may reveal a new area of therapeutic potential and clinical treatment. In this work, a unique phenotype was evoked by influencing cellular behavior through the modification of subcellular structures with genetically targetable macromolecules. These fluorogen-functionalized polymers, prepared via controlled radical polymerization, were capable of exclusively decorating actin, cytoplasmic, or nuclear compartments of living cells expressing localized fluorgen-activating proteins. The macromolecular fluorogens were optimized by establishing critical polymer architecture-biophysical property relationships which impacted binding rates, binding affinities, and the level of internalization. Specific labeling of subcellular structures was realized at nanomolar concentrations of polymer, in the absence of membrane permeabilization or transduction domains, and fluorogen-modified polymers were found to bind to protein intact after delivery to the cytosol. Cellular motility was found to be dependent on binding of macromolecular fluorogens to actin structures causing rapid cellular ruffling without migration.

Near-instant surface-selective fluorogenic protein quantification using sulfonated triarylmethane dyes and fluorogen activating proteins.

Agonist-promoted G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) endocytosis and recycling plays an important role in many signaling events in the cell. However, the approaches that allow fast and quantitative analysis of such processes still remain limited. Here we report an improved labeling approach based on the genetic fusion of a fluorogen activating protein (FAP) to a GPCR and binding of a sulfonated analog of the malachite green (MG) fluorogen to rapidly and selectively label cell surface receptors. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry demonstrate that this dye does not cross the plasma membrane, binds with high affinity to a dL5** FAP-GPCR fusion construct, activating tagged surface receptors within seconds of addition. The ability to rapidly and selectively label cell surface receptors with a fluorogenic genetically encoded tag allows quantitative imaging and analysis of highly dynamic processes like receptor endocytosis and recycling.