ROS-dependent S-palmitoylation activates cleaved and intact gasdermin D.

Gasdermin D (GSDMD) is the common effector for cytokine secretion and pyroptosis downstream of inflammasome activation and was previously shown to form large transmembrane pores after cleavage by inflammatory caspases to generate the GSDMD N-terminal domain (GSDMD-NT)1-10. Here we report that GSDMD Cys191 is S-palmitoylated and that palmitoylation is required for pore formation. S-palmitoylation, which does not affect GSDMD cleavage, is augmented by mitochondria-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS). Cleavage-deficient GSDMD (D275A) is also palmitoylated after inflammasome stimulation or treatment with ROS activators and causes pyroptosis, although less efficiently than palmitoylated GSDMD-NT. Palmitoylated, but not unpalmitoylated, full-length GSDMD induces liposome leakage and forms a pore similar in structure to GSDMD-NT pores shown by cryogenic electron microscopy. ZDHHC5 and ZDHHC9 are the major palmitoyltransferases that mediate GSDMD palmitoylation, and their expression is upregulated by inflammasome activation and ROS. The other human gasdermins are also palmitoylated at their N termini. These data challenge the concept that cleavage is the only trigger for GSDMD activation. They suggest that reversible palmitoylation is a checkpoint for pore formation by both GSDMD-NT and intact GSDMD that functions as a general switch for the activation of this pore-forming family.

Neurobehavioral mechanisms influencing the association between generativity, the desire to promote well-being of younger generations, and purpose in life in older adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVES: Generativity, the desire and action to improve the well-being of younger generations, is associated with purpose in life among older adults. However, the neurobehavioral factors supporting the relationship between generativity and purpose in life remain unknown. This study aims to identify the functional neuroanatomy of generativity and mechanisms linking generativity with purpose in life in at-risk older adults. METHODS: Fifty-eight older adults (mean age = 70.8, SD = 5.03, 45 females) with a family history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) were recruited from the PREVENT-AD cohort. Participants underwent brain imaging and completed questionnaires assessing generativity, social support, and purpose in life. Mediation models examined whether social support mediated the association between generativity and purpose in life. Seed-to-voxel analyses investigated the association between generativity and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and ventral striatum (VS), and whether this rsFC moderated the relationship between generativity and purpose in life. RESULTS: Affectionate social support mediated the association between generative desire and purpose in life. Generative desire was associated with rsFC between VS and precuneus, and, vmPFC and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rdlPFC). The vmPFC-rdlPFC rsFC moderated the association between generative desire and purpose in life. DISCUSSION: These findings provide insight into how the brain supports complex social behavior and, separately, purpose in life in at-risk aging. Affectionate social support may be a putative target process to enhance purpose in life in older adults. This knowledge contributes to future developments of personalized interventions that promote healthy aging.

The αC-ß4 loop controls the allosteric cooperativity between nucleotide and substrate in the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A.

Allosteric cooperativity between ATP and substrates is a prominent characteristic of the cAMP-dependent catalytic (C) subunit of protein kinase A (PKA). Not only this long-range synergistic action is involved in substrate recognition and fidelity, but it is likely to regulate PKA association with regulatory subunits and other binding partners. To date, a complete understanding of the molecular determinants for this intramolecular mechanism is still lacking. Here, we used an integrated NMR-restrained molecular dynamics simulations and a Markov Model to characterize the free energy landscape and conformational transitions of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PKA-C). We found that the apo-enzyme populates a broad free energy basin featuring a conformational ensemble of the active state of PKA-C (ground state) and other basins with lower populations (excited states). The first excited state corresponds to a previously characterized inactive state of PKA-C with the αC helix swinging outward. The second excited state displays a disrupted hydrophobic packing around the regulatory (R) spine, with a flipped configuration of the F100 and F102 residues at the tip of the αC-ß4 loop. To experimentally validate the second excited state, we mutated F100 into alanine and used NMR spectroscopy to characterize the binding thermodynamics and structural response of ATP and a prototypical peptide substrate. While the activity of PKA-CF100A toward a prototypical peptide substrate is unaltered and the enzyme retains its affinity for ATP and substrate, this mutation rearranges the αC-ß4 loop conformation interrupting the allosteric coupling between nucleotide and substrate. The highly conserved αC-ß4 loop emerges as a pivotal element able to modulate the synergistic binding between nucleotide and substrate and may affect PKA signalosome. These results may explain how insertion mutations within this motif affect drug sensitivity in other homologous kinases.

A case series and literature review of blastomycosis during pregnancy amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

Blastomycosis dermatitidis is a rare fungus known for is classic mimicry of pneumonia, lung cancer, and mycobacterial infections. Whilst it is known best for affecting those in the Ohio and Mississippi River basins, several cases have erupted in the Midwest region. Few case reports have focused on blastomycosis and its sequalae in pregnancy. We present a case series of blastomycosis diagnosed during the second and third trimesters in two women amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Given immunosuppression, complications and treatment can be challenging for clinicians. This case series and discussion hopes to provide future clinicians with the presentation, diagnosis, management, and treatment of this uncommon infection.

The NK cell receptor NKp46 recognizes ecto-calreticulin on ER-stressed cells.

Natural killer (NK) cell kill infected, transformed and stressed cells when an activating NK cell receptor is triggered1. Most NK cells and some innate lymphoid cells express the activating receptor NKp46, encoded by NCR1, the most evolutionarily ancient NK cell receptor2,3. Blockage of NKp46 inhibits NK killing of many cancer targets4. Although a few infectious NKp46 ligands have been identified, the endogenous NKp46 cell surface ligand is unknown. Here we show that NKp46 recognizes externalized calreticulin (ecto-CRT), which translocates from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the cell membrane during ER stress. ER stress and ecto-CRT are hallmarks of chemotherapy-induced immunogenic cell death5,6, flavivirus infection and senescence. NKp46 recognition of the P domain of ecto-CRT triggers NK cell signalling and NKp46 caps with ecto-CRT in NK immune synapses. NKp46-mediated killing is inhibited by knockout or knockdown of CALR, the gene encoding CRT, or CRT antibodies, and is enhanced by ectopic expression of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored CRT. NCR1)-deficient human (and Nrc1-deficient mouse) NK cells are impaired in the killing of ZIKV-infected, ER-stressed and senescent cells and ecto-CRT-expressing cancer cells. Importantly, NKp46 recognition of ecto-CRT controls mouse B16 melanoma and RAS-driven lung cancers and enhances tumour-infiltrating NK cell degranulation and cytokine secretion. Thus, NKp46 recognition of ecto-CRT as a danger-associated molecular pattern eliminates ER-stressed cells.

The influence of generativity on purpose in life is mediated by social support and moderated by prefrontal functional connectivity in at-risk older adults.

Objectives: Generativity, the desire and action to improve the well-being of younger generations, is positively associated with purpose in life among older adults. However, the neural basis of generativity and the neurobehavioral factors supporting the relationship between generativity and purpose in life remain unknown. This study aims to identify the functional neuroanatomy of generativity and mechanisms linking generativity with purpose in life in at-risk older adults. Methods: Fifty-eight cognitively healthy older adults (mean age = 70.78, 45 females) with a family history of Alzheimer's disease were recruited from the PREVENT-AD aging cohort. Participants underwent brain imaging and completed questionnaires assessing generativity, social support, and purpose in life. Mediation models examined whether social support mediated the association between generativity and purpose in life. Seed-to-voxel analyses investigated the association between resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and ventral striatum (VS) and whether this rsFC moderated the relationship between generativity and purpose in life. Results: Affectionate social support mediated the association between generative desire and purpose in life. Generative desire was associated with rsFC between VS and precuneus and vmPFC and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rdlPFC). The vmPFC-rdlPFC connectivity moderated the association between generative desire and purpose in life. Discussion: These findings provide insight into how the brain supports social behavior and, separately, purpose in life in at-risk aging. Affectionate social support may be a putative target process to enhance purpose and life in older adults. This knowledge contributes to future developments of personalized interventions that promote healthy aging.

ROS-dependent palmitoylation is an obligate licensing modification for GSDMD pore formation.

Gasdermin D (GSDMD) is the common effector for cytokine secretion and pyroptosis downstream of inflammasome activation by forming large transmembrane pores upon cleavage by inflammatory caspases. Here we report the surprising finding that GSDMD cleavage is not sufficient for its pore formation. Instead, GSDMD is lipidated by S-palmitoylation at Cys191 upon inflammasome activation, and only palmitoylated GSDMD N-terminal domain (GSDMD-NT) is capable of membrane translocation and pore formation, suggesting that palmitoylation licenses GSDMD activation. Treatment by the palmitoylation inhibitor 2-bromopalmitate and alanine mutation of Cys191 abrogate GSDMD membrane localization, cytokine secretion, and cell death, without affecting GSDMD cleavage. Because palmitoylation is formed by a reversible thioester bond sensitive to free thiols, we tested if GSDMD palmitoylation is regulated by cellular redox state. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mildly and LPS plus the NLRP3 inflammasome activator nigericin markedly elevate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and GSDMD palmitoylation, suggesting that these two processes are coupled. Manipulation of cellular ROS by its activators and quenchers augment and abolish, respectively, GSDMD palmitoylation, GSDMD pore formation and cell death. We discover that zDHHC5 and zDHHC9 are the major palmitoyl transferases that mediate GSDMD palmitoylation, and when cleaved, recombinant and partly palmitoylated GSDMD is 10-fold more active in pore formation than bacterially expressed, unpalmitoylated GSDMD, evidenced by liposome leakage assay. Finally, other GSDM family members are also palmitoylated, suggesting that ROS stress and palmitoylation may be a general switch for the activation of this pore-forming family. One-Sentence Summary: GSDMD palmitoylation is induced by ROS and required for pore formation.

An NMR portrait of functional and dysfunctional allosteric cooperativity in cAMP-dependent protein kinase A.

The cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) is the archetypical eukaryotic kinase. The catalytic subunit (PKA-C) structure is highly conserved among the AGC-kinase family. PKA-C is a bilobal enzyme with a dynamic N-lobe, harbouring the Adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) binding site and a more rigid helical C-lobe. The substrate-binding groove resides at the interface of the two lobes. A distinct feature of PKA-C is the positive binding cooperativity between nucleotide and substrate. Several PKA-C mutations lead to the development of adenocarcinomas, myxomas, and other rare forms of liver tumours. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy shows that these mutations disrupt the allosteric communication between the two lobes, causing a drastic decrease in binding cooperativity. The loss of cooperativity correlates with changes in substrate fidelity and reduced kinase affinity for the endogenous protein kinase inhibitor (PKI). The similarity between PKI and the inhibitory sequence of the kinase regulatory subunits suggests that the overall mechanism of regulation of the kinase may be disrupted. We surmise that a reduced or obliterated cooperativity may constitute a common trait for both orthosteric and allosteric mutations of PKA-C that may lead to dysregulation and disease.

ATP-competitive inhibitors modulate the substrate binding cooperativity of a kinase by altering its conformational entropy.

ATP-competitive inhibitors are currently the largest class of clinically approved drugs for protein kinases. By targeting the ATP-binding pocket, these compounds block the catalytic activity, preventing substrate phosphorylation. A problem with these drugs, however, is that inhibited kinases may still recognize and bind downstream substrates, acting as scaffolds or binding hubs for signaling partners. Here, using protein kinase A as a model system, we show that chemically different ATP-competitive inhibitors modulate the substrate binding cooperativity by tuning the conformational entropy of the kinase and shifting the populations of its conformationally excited states. Since we found that binding cooperativity and conformational entropy of the enzyme are correlated, we propose a new paradigm for the discovery of ATP-competitive inhibitors, which is based on their ability to modulate the allosteric coupling between nucleotide and substrate-binding sites.

Validation of Discrete and Regression-Based Performance and Cognitive Fatigability Normative Data for the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test in Multiple Sclerosis.

Cognitive fatigability is an objective performance decrement that occurs over time during a task requiring sustained cognitive effort. Although cognitive fatigability is a common and debilitating symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS), there is currently no standard for its quantification. The objective of this study was to validate the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) discrete and regression-based normative data for quantifying performance and cognitive fatigability in an Ontario-based sample of individuals with MS. Healthy controls and individuals with MS completed the 3″ and 2″ versions of the PASAT. PASAT performance was measured with total correct, dyad, and percent dyad scores. Cognitive fatigability scores were calculated by comparing performance on the first half (or third) of the task to the last half (or third). The results revealed that the 3″ PASAT was sufficient to detect impaired performance and cognitive fatigability in individuals with MS given the increased difficulty of the 2″ version. In addition, using halves or thirds for calculating cognitive fatigability scores were equally effective methods for detecting impairment. Finally, both the discrete and regression-based norms classified a similar proportion of individuals with MS as having impaired performance and cognitive fatigability. These newly validated discrete and regression-based PASAT norms provide a new tool for clinicians to document statistically significant cognitive fatigability in their patients.

Structural basis for sarcolipin's regulation of muscle thermogenesis by the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase.

The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) plays a central role in muscle contractility and nonshivering thermogenesis. SERCA is regulated by sarcolipin (SLN), a single-pass membrane protein that uncouples Ca2+ transport from ATP hydrolysis, promoting futile enzymatic cycles and heat generation. The molecular determinants for regulating heat release by the SERCA/SLN complex are unclear. Using thermocalorimetry, chemical cross-linking, and solid-state NMR spectroscopy in oriented phospholipid bicelles, we show that SERCA's functional uncoupling and heat release rate are dictated by specific SERCA/SLN intramembrane interactions, with the carboxyl-terminal residues anchoring SLN to the SR membrane in an inhibitory topology. Systematic deletion of the carboxyl terminus does not prevent the SERCA/SLN complex formation but reduces uncoupling in a graded manner. These studies emphasize the critical role of lipids in defining the active topology of SLN and modulating the heat release rate by the SERCA/SLN complex, with implications in fat metabolism and basal metabolic rate.

Is Disrupted Nucleotide-Substrate Cooperativity a Common Trait for Cushing's Syndrome Driving Mutations of Protein Kinase A?

Somatic mutations in the PRKACA gene encoding the catalytic α subunit of protein kinase A (PKA-C) are responsible for cortisol-producing adrenocortical adenomas. These benign neoplasms contribute to the development of Cushing's syndrome. The majority of these mutations occur at the interface between the two lobes of PKA-C and interfere with the enzyme's ability to recognize substrates and regulatory (R) subunits, leading to aberrant phosphorylation patterns and activation. Rarely, patients with similar phenotypes carry an allosteric mutation, E31V, located at the C-terminal end of the αA-helix and adjacent to the αC-helix, but structurally distinct from the PKA-C/R subunit interface mutations. Using a combination of solution NMR, thermodynamics, kinetic assays, and molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the E31V allosteric mutation disrupts central communication nodes between the N- and C- lobes of the enzyme as well as nucleotide-substrate binding cooperativity, a hallmark for kinases' substrate fidelity and regulation. For both orthosteric (L205R and W196R) and allosteric (E31V) Cushing's syndrome mutants, the loss of binding cooperativity is proportional to the density of the intramolecular allosteric network. This structure-activity relationship suggests a possible common mechanism for Cushing's syndrome driving mutations in which decreased nucleotide/substrate binding cooperativity is linked to loss in substrate fidelity and dysfunctional regulation.

Defective internal allosteric network imparts dysfunctional ATP/substrate-binding cooperativity in oncogenic chimera of protein kinase A.

An aberrant fusion of the DNAJB1 and PRKACA genes generates a chimeric protein kinase (PKA-CDNAJB1) in which the J-domain of the heat shock protein 40 is fused to the catalytic α subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA-C). Deceivingly, this chimeric construct appears to be fully functional, as it phosphorylates canonical substrates, forms holoenzymes, responds to cAMP activation, and recognizes the endogenous inhibitor PKI. Nonetheless, PKA-CDNAJB1 has been recognized as the primary driver of fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma and is implicated in other neoplasms for which the molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here we determined the chimera's allosteric response to nucleotide and pseudo-substrate binding. We found that the fusion of the dynamic J-domain to PKA-C disrupts the internal allosteric network, causing dramatic attenuation of the nucleotide/PKI binding cooperativity. Our findings suggest that the reduced allosteric cooperativity exhibited by PKA-CDNAJB1 alters specific recognitions and interactions between substrates and regulatory partners contributing to dysregulation.

Cushing's syndrome driver mutation disrupts protein kinase A allosteric network, altering both regulation and substrate specificity.

Genetic alterations in the PRKACA gene coding for the catalytic α subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA-C) are linked to cortisol-secreting adrenocortical adenomas, resulting in Cushing's syndrome. Among those, a single mutation (L205R) has been found in up to 67% of patients. Because the x-ray structures of the wild-type and mutant kinases are essentially identical, the mechanism explaining aberrant function of this mutant remains under active debate. Using NMR spectroscopy, thermodynamics, kinetic assays, and molecular dynamics simulations, we found that this single mutation causes global changes in the enzyme, disrupting the intramolecular allosteric network and eliciting losses in nucleotide/pseudo-substrate binding cooperativity. Remarkably, by rewiring its internal allosteric network, PKA-CL205R is able to bind and phosphorylate non-canonical substrates, explaining its changes in substrate specificity. Both the lack of regulation and change in substrate specificity reveal the complex role of this mutated kinase in the formation of cortisol-secreting adrenocortical adenomas.

Probing Protein-Protein Interactions Using Asymmetric Labeling and Carbonyl-Carbon Selective Heteronuclear NMR Spectroscopy.

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) regulate a plethora of cellular processes and NMR spectroscopy has been a leading technique for characterizing them at the atomic resolution. Technically, however, PPIs characterization has been challenging due to multiple samples required to characterize the hot spots at the protein interface. In this paper, we review our recently developed methods that greatly simplify PPI studies, which minimize the number of samples required to fully characterize residues involved in the protein-protein binding interface. This original strategy combines asymmetric labeling of two binding partners and the carbonyl-carbon label selective (CCLS) pulse sequence element implemented into the heteronuclear single quantum correlation (¹H-15N HSQC) spectra. The CCLS scheme removes signals of the J-coupled 15N⁻13C resonances and records simultaneously two individual amide fingerprints for each binding partner. We show the application to the measurements of chemical shift correlations, residual dipolar couplings (RDCs), and paramagnetic relaxation enhancements (PRE). These experiments open an avenue for further modifications of existing experiments facilitating the NMR analysis of PPIs.