Crystallization of a nonclassical Kazal-type Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda serine protease inhibitor, CrSPI-1, complexed with subtilisin. Corrigendum.

The name of the first author in the article by Tulisas et al. [(2009), Acta Cryst. F65, 533-535] is corrected.

Catalytically important damage-free structures of a copper nitrite reductase obtained by femtosecond X-ray laser and room-temperature neutron crystallography.

Copper-containing nitrite reductases (CuNiRs) that convert NO2 - to NO via a CuCAT-His-Cys-CuET proton-coupled redox system are of central importance in nitrogen-based energy metabolism. These metalloenzymes, like all redox enzymes, are very susceptible to radiation damage from the intense synchrotron-radiation X-rays that are used to obtain structures at high resolution. Understanding the chemistry that underpins the enzyme mechanisms in these systems requires resolutions of better than 2 Å. Here, for the first time, the damage-free structure of the resting state of one of the most studied CuNiRs was obtained by combining X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) and neutron crystallography. This represents the first direct comparison of neutron and XFEL structural data for any protein. In addition, damage-free structures of the reduced and nitrite-bound forms have been obtained to high resolution from cryogenically maintained crystals by XFEL crystallography. It is demonstrated that AspCAT and HisCAT are deprotonated in the resting state of CuNiRs at pH values close to the optimum for activity. A bridging neutral water (D2O) is positioned with one deuteron directed towards AspCAT Oδ1 and one towards HisCAT N∊2. The catalytic T2Cu-ligated water (W1) can clearly be modelled as a neutral D2O molecule as opposed to D3O+ or OD-, which have previously been suggested as possible alternatives. The bridging water restricts the movement of the unprotonated AspCAT and is too distant to form a hydrogen bond to the O atom of the bound nitrite that interacts with AspCAT. Upon the binding of NO2 - a proton is transferred from the bridging water to the Oδ2 atom of AspCAT, prompting electron transfer from T1Cu to T2Cu and reducing the catalytic redox centre. This triggers the transfer of a proton from AspCAT to the bound nitrite, enabling the reaction to proceed.

Unexpected Roles of a Tether Harboring a Tyrosine Gatekeeper Residue in Modular Nitrite Reductase Catalysis.

It is generally assumed that tethering enhances rates of electron harvesting and delivery to active sites in multidomain enzymes by proximity and sampling mechanisms. Here, we explore this idea in a tethered 3-domain, trimeric copper-containing nitrite reductase. By reverse engineering, we find that tethering does not enhance the rate of electron delivery from its pendant cytochrome c to the catalytic copper-containing core. Using a linker that harbors a gatekeeper tyrosine in a nitrite access channel, the tethered haem domain enables catalysis by other mechanisms. Tethering communicates the redox state of the haem to the distant T2Cu center that helps initiate substrate binding for catalysis. It also tunes copper reduction potentials, suppresses reductive enzyme inactivation, enhances enzyme affinity for substrate, and promotes intercopper electron transfer. Tethering has multiple unanticipated beneficial roles, the combination of which fine-tunes function beyond simplistic mechanisms expected from proximity and restrictive sampling models.

A proteomic study of mitotic phase-specific interactors of EB1 reveals a role for SXIP-mediated protein interactions in anaphase onset.

Microtubules execute diverse mitotic events that are spatially and temporally separated; the underlying regulation is poorly understood. By combining drug treatments, large-scale immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, we report the first comprehensive map of mitotic phase-specific protein interactions of the microtubule-end binding protein, EB1. EB1 interacts with some, but not all, of its partners throughout mitosis. We show that the interaction of EB1 with Astrin-SKAP complex, a key regulator of chromosome segregation, is enhanced during prometaphase, compared to anaphase. We find that EB1 and EB3, another EB family member, can interact directly with SKAP, in an SXIP-motif dependent manner. Using an SXIP defective mutant that cannot interact with EB, we uncover two distinct pools of SKAP at spindle microtubules and kinetochores. We demonstrate the importance of SKAP's SXIP-motif in controlling microtubule growth rates and anaphase onset, without grossly disrupting spindle function. Thus, we provide the first comprehensive map of temporal changes in EB1 interactors during mitosis and highlight the importance of EB protein interactions in ensuring normal mitosis.

Monopolin subunit Csm1 associates with MIND complex to establish monopolar attachment of sister kinetochores at meiosis I.

Sexually reproducing organisms halve their cellular ploidy during gametogenesis by undergoing a specialized form of cell division known as meiosis. During meiosis, a single round of DNA replication is followed by two rounds of nuclear divisions (referred to as meiosis I and II). While sister kinetochores bind to microtubules emanating from opposite spindle poles during mitosis, they bind to microtubules originating from the same spindle pole during meiosis I. This phenomenon is referred to as mono-orientation and is essential for setting up the reductional mode of chromosome segregation during meiosis I. In budding yeast, mono-orientation depends on a four component protein complex referred to as monopolin which consists of two nucleolar proteins Csm1 and Lrs4, meiosis-specific protein Mam1 of unknown function and casein kinase Hrr25. Monopolin complex binds to kinetochores during meiosis I and prevents bipolar attachments. Although monopolin associates with kinetochores during meiosis I, its binding site(s) on the kinetochore is not known and its mechanism of action has not been established. By carrying out an imaging-based screen we have found that the MIND complex, a component of the central kinetochore, is required for monopolin association with kinetochores during meiosis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that interaction of monopolin subunit Csm1 with the N-terminal domain of MIND complex subunit Dsn1, is essential for both the association of monopolin with kinetochores and for monopolar attachment of sister kinetochores during meiosis I. As such this provides the first functional evidence for a monopolin-binding site at the kinetochore.

Structural basis for dual-inhibition mechanism of a non-classical Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor from horseshoe crab in complex with subtilisin.

Serine proteases play a crucial role in host-pathogen interactions. In the innate immune system of invertebrates, multi-domain protease inhibitors are important for the regulation of host-pathogen interactions and antimicrobial activities. Serine protease inhibitors, 9.3-kDa CrSPI isoforms 1 and 2, have been identified from the hepatopancreas of the horseshoe crab, Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda. The CrSPIs were biochemically active, especially CrSPI-1, which potently inhibited subtilisin (Ki = 1.43 nM). CrSPI has been grouped with the non-classical Kazal-type inhibitors due to its unusual cysteine distribution. Here we report the crystal structure of CrSPI-1 in complex with subtilisin at 2.6 Šresolution and the results of biophysical interaction studies. The CrSPI-1 molecule has two domains arranged in an extended conformation. These two domains act as heads that independently interact with two separate subtilisin molecules, resulting in the inhibition of subtilisin activity at a ratio of 1:2 (inhibitor to protease). Each subtilisin molecule interacts with the reactive site loop from each domain of CrSPI-1 through a standard canonical binding mode and forms a single ternary complex. In addition, we propose the substrate preferences of each domain of CrSPI-1. Domain 2 is specific towards the bacterial protease subtilisin, while domain 1 is likely to interact with the host protease, Furin. Elucidation of the structure of the CrSPI-1: subtilisin (1∶2) ternary complex increases our understanding of host-pathogen interactions in the innate immune system at the molecular level and provides new strategies for immunomodulation.

Structural basis for reversible and irreversible inhibition of human cathepsin L by their respective dipeptidyl glyoxal and diazomethylketone inhibitors.

Cathepsin L plays a key role in many pathophysiological conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, tumor invasion and metastasis, bone resorption and remodeling. Here we report the crystal structures of two analogous dipeptidyl inhibitor complexes which inhibit human cathepsin L in reversible and irreversible modes, respectively. To-date, there are no crystal structure reports of complexes of proteases with their glyoxal inhibitors or complexes of cathepsin L and their diazomethylketone inhibitors. These two inhibitors - inhibitor 1, an α-keto-ß-aldehyde and inhibitor 2, a diazomethylketone, have different groups in the S1 subsite. Inhibitor 1 [Z-Phe-Tyr (OBut)-COCHO], with a K(i) of 0.6nM, is the most potent, reversible, synthetic peptidyl inhibitor of cathepsin L reported to-date. The structure of the inhibitor 1 complex was refined up to 2.2Å resolution. The structure of the complex of the inhibitor 2 [Z-Phe-Tyr (t-Bu)-diazomethylketone], an irreversible inhibitor that can inactivate cathepsin L at µM concentrations, was refined up to 1.76Å resolution. These two inhibitors have substrate-like interactions with the active site cysteine (Cys25). Inhibitor 1 forms a tetrahedral hemithioacetal adduct, whereas the inhibitor 2 forms a thioester with Cys25. The inhibitor 1 ß-aldehyde group is shown to make a hydrogen bond with catalytic His163, whereas the ketone carbonyl oxygen of the inhibitor 2 interacts with the oxyanion hole. tert-Butyl groups of both inhibitors are found to make several non-polar contacts with S' subsite residues of cathepsin L. These studies, combined with other complex structures of cathepsin L, reveal the structural basis for their potency and selectivity.

Modifying the substrate specificity of Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda serine protease inhibitor domain 1 to target thrombin.

Protease inhibitors play a decisive role in maintaining homeostasis and eliciting antimicrobial activities. Invertebrates like the horseshoe crab have developed unique modalities with serine protease inhibitors to detect and respond to microbial and host proteases. Two isoforms of an immunomodulatory two-domain Kazal-like serine protease inhibitor, CrSPI-1 and CrSPI-2, have been recently identified in the hepatopancreas of the horseshoe crab, Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda. Full length and domain 2 of CrSPI-1 display powerful inhibitory activities against subtilisin. However, the structure and function of CrSPI-1 domain-1 (D1) remain unknown. Here, we report the crystal structure of CrSPI-1-D1 refined up to 2.0 Å resolution. Despite the close structural homology of CrSPI-1-D1 to rhodniin-D1 (a known thrombin inhibitor), the CrSPI-1-D1 does not inhibit thrombin. This prompted us to modify the selectivity of CrSPI-1-D1 specifically towards thrombin. We illustrate the use of structural information of CrSPI-1-D1 to modify this domain into a potent thrombin inhibitor with IC(50) of 26.3 nM. In addition, these studies demonstrate that, besides the rigid conformation of the reactive site loop of the inhibitor, the sequence is the most important determinant of the specificity of the inhibitor. This study will lead to the significant application to modify a multi-domain inhibitor protein to target several proteases.

A combined crystallographic and molecular dynamics study of cathepsin L retrobinding inhibitors.

We report the crystal structures of three noncovalent retrobinding inhibitors in complex with mature cathepsin L up to resolutions of 2.5, 1.8, and 2.5 A, respectively. These inhibitors were Bpa-(Nepsilon-Bpa)Lys-DArg-Tyr-Npe, Bpa-(Nepsilon-Bpa)Lys-DArg-Phe-Npe, and Bpa-MCys-DArg-Phe-Npe, where Bpa = biphenylacetyl and Pea = N-phenylethyl. These were selected to clarify the binding mode of the biphenyl groups in the S' subsites because the addition of a second biphenyl does not improve potency. Examination of the symmetry-related monomers in the crystal structures revealed inhibitor-inhibitor crystal packing interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations were then used to explore the structure and dynamical behavior of the isolated protein-ligand complexes in solution. In the simulations, the backbone biphenyl groups for all three inhibitors ended up in the same location despite having started out in different orientations in the initial crystal structure conformations. The lack of improved potency of the larger inhibitors over the smaller one is attributed to a correspondingly greater entropic cost of binding.