A Photo-Crosslinking Approach to Identify Class II SUMO-1 Binders.

The small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) is involved in various cellular processes and mediates known non-covalent protein-protein interactions by three distinct binding surfaces, whose interactions are termed class I to class III. While interactors for the class I interaction, which involves binding of a SUMO-interacting motif (SIM) to a hydrophobic groove in SUMO-1 and SUMO-2/3, are widely abundant, only a couple of examples have been reported for the other two types of interactions. Class II binding is conveyed by the E67 loop region on SUMO-1. Many previous studies to identify SUMO binders using pull-down or microarray approaches did not strategize on the SUMO binding mode. Identification of SUMO binding partners is further complicated due to the typically transient and low affinity interactions with the modifier. Here we aimed to identify SUMO-1 binders selectively enriched for class II binding. Using a genetically encoded photo-crosslinker approach, we have designed SUMO-1 probes to covalently capture class II SUMO-1 interactors by strategically positioning the photo-crosslinking moiety on the SUMO-1 surface. The probes were validated using known class II and class I binding partners. We utilized the probe with p-benzoyl-phenylalanine (BzF, also termed BpF or Bpa) at the position of Gln69 to identify binding proteins from mammalian cell extracts using mass spectrometry. By comparison with results obtained with a similarly designed SUMO-1 probe to target SIM-mediated binders of the class I type, we identified 192 and 96 proteins specifically enriched by either probe, respectively. The implicated preferential class I or class II binding modes of these proteins will further contribute to unveiling the complex interplay of SUMO-1-mediated interactions.

Identification of SUMO Binding Proteins Enriched after Covalent Photo-Cross-Linking.

Post-translational modification with the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) affects thousands of proteins in the human proteome and is implicated in numerous cellular processes. The main outcome of SUMO conjugation is a rewiring of protein-protein interactions through recognition of the modifier's surface by SUMO binding proteins. The SUMO-interacting motif (SIM) mediates binding to a groove on SUMO; however, the low affinity of this interaction and the poor conservation of SIM sequences complicates the isolation and identification of SIM proteins. To address these challenges, we have designed and biochemically characterized monomeric and multimeric SUMO-2 probes with a genetically encoded photo-cross-linker positioned next to the SIM binding groove. Following photoinduced covalent capture, even weak SUMO binders are not washed away during the enrichment procedure, and very stringent washing conditions can be applied to remove nonspecifically binding proteins. A total of 329 proteins were isolated from nuclear HeLa cell extracts and identified using mass spectrometry. We found the molecular design of our probes was corroborated by the presence of many established SUMO interacting proteins and the high percentage (>90%) of hits containing a potential SIM sequence, as predicted by bioinformatic analyses. Notably, 266 of the 329 proteins have not been previously reported as SUMO binders using traditional noncovalent enrichment procedures. We confirmed SUMO binding with purified proteins and mapped the position of the covalent cross-links for selected cases. We postulate a new SIM in MRE11, involved in DNA repair. The identified SUMO binding candidates will help to reveal the complex SUMO-mediated protein network.

Addressable Cholesterol Analogs for Live Imaging of Cellular Membranes.

Cholesterol is an essential component of most biological membranes and serves important functions in controlling membrane integrity, organization, and signaling. However, probes to follow the dynamic distribution of cholesterol in live cells are scarce and so far show only limited applicability. Herein, we addressed this problem by synthesizing and characterizing a class of versatile and clickable cholesterol-based imidazolium salts. We show that these cholesterol analogs faithfully mimic the biophysical properties of natural cholesterol in phospholipid mono- and bilayers, and that they integrate into the plasma membrane of cultured and primary human cells. The membrane-incorporated cholesterol analogs can be specifically labeled by click chemistry and visualized in live-cell imaging experiments that show a distribution and behavior comparable with that of endogenous membrane cholesterol. These results indicate that the cholesterol analogs can be used to reveal the dynamic distribution of cholesterol in live cells.

Influence of the Headgroup of Azolium-Based Lipids on Their Biophysical Properties and Cytotoxicity.

A series of (un-)charged NHC derivatives bearing two pentadecyl chains in the backbone was studied in detail to find cooperative effects between the membrane and the NHC derivative. The tendency to show lipid-like behavior is dependent on the properties of the NHC derivative headgroup, which can be modified on demand. The surface activity was investigated by film balance measurements, epifluorescence microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. Additionally the cytotoxicity was evaluated against different cell lines such as eukaryotic tumor cell lines. These novel lipid-like NHC derivatives offer a broad spectrum for biological applications.

Imidazolium-Based Lipid Analogues and Their Interaction with Phosphatidylcholine Membranes.

4,5-Dialkylated imidazolium lipid salts are a new class of lipid analogues showing distinct biological activities. The potential effects of the imidazolium lipids on artificial lipid membranes and the corresponding membrane interactions was analyzed. Therefore, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) was employed to create an established lipid monolayer model and a bilayer membrane. Mixed monolayers of DPPC and 4,5-dialkylimidazolium lipids differing by their alkyl chain length (C7, C11, and C15) were characterized by surface pressure-area (π-A) isotherms using a Wilhelmy film balance in combination with epifluorescence microscopy. Monolayer hysteresis for binary mixtures was examined by recording triplicate consecutive compression-expansion cycles. The lipid miscibility and membrane stability of DPPC/imidazolium lipids were subsequently evaluated by the excess mean molecular area (ΔAex) and the excess Gibbs free energy (ΔGex) of mixing. Furthermore, the thermotropic behavior of mixed liposomes of DPPC/imidazolium lipids was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The C15-imidazolium lipid (C15-IMe·HI) forms a thermodynamically favored and kinetically reversible Langmuir monolayer with DPPC and exhibits a rigidification effect on both DPPC monolayer and bilayer structures at low molar fractions (X ≤ 0.3). However, the incorporation of the C11-imidazolium lipid (C11-IMe·HI) causes the formation of an unstable and irreversible Langmuir-Gibbs monolayer with DPPC and disordered DPPC liposomes. The C7-imidazolium lipid (C7-IMe·HI) displays negligible membrane activity. To better understand these results on a molecular level, all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed. The simulations yield two opposing molecular mechanisms governing the different behavior of the three imidazolium lipids: a lateral ordering effect and a free volume/stretching effect. Overall, our study provides the first evidence that the membrane interaction of the C15 and C11 derivatives modulates the structural organization of lipid membranes. On the contrary, for the C7 derivative its membrane activity is too low to contribute to its earlier reported potent cytotoxicity.

The effect of compatible solute ectoines on the structural organization of lipid monolayer and bilayer membranes.

Compatible solutes are small organic osmolytes responsible for osmotic balance and at the same time compatible with the cellular metabolism. Here, we have investigated the effect of the compatible solutes, ectoine and hydroxyectoine, on the fluid-rigid domain structure of lipid monolayer and bilayer membranes. Mainly saturated dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine membranes exhibiting a clear le/lc phase transition were used. Fluorescence microscopy showed that ectoines added to the aqueous subphase expand and fluidize the lipid monolayers especially at surface pressures below 30mN/m. The domain structure at the le/lc phase transition is sensitively modified leading to smaller but more numerous domains in the presence of ectoines. Hydroxyectoine was more efficient than ectoine. These results are explained by the replacement theory assuming that the ectoines are likely to be expelled from the membrane surface thus favoring the hydration of the lipid membrane. This effect reduces the line tension, which is the interfacial energy at the domain edges leading to reduced domain sizes and increased number of rigid domains. Isotherms of negatively charged phosphatidylglycerol membranes show a similar expansion, while unsaturated lipids are less affected. Mixed phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylglycerol membranes exhibit the same effect on the line tension increasing the tendency for a phase separation. This could be shown also in bilayer vesicles, where the compatible solutes have only a minor effect on the lipid main phase transition in pure DPPC membranes but reduce the extent of the pretransition. In mixed DPPC/DPPG bilayer membranes ectoines cause a phase separation leading to the enrichment of expanded DPPC domains. In conclusion, our study gives for the first time evidence that ectoines have an effect on lipid membranes increasing the hydration of the surface and thus increasing the mobility of the lipid head groups and fluidizing the lipid layer accordingly. This increased fluidity may be of advantage for cell membranes to withstand extreme conditions like temperature or osmotic pressure and might also accelerate cellular repair mechanisms.