Weighing the DNA Content of Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors with Zeptogram Precision Using Nanomechanical Resonators.

Quantifying the composition of viral vectors used in vaccine development and gene therapy is critical for assessing their functionality. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors, which are the most widely used viral vectors for in vivo gene therapy, are typically characterized using PCR, ELISA, and analytical ultracentrifugation which require laborious protocols or hours of turnaround time. Emerging methods such as charge-detection mass spectroscopy, static light scattering, and mass photometry offer turnaround times of minutes for measuring AAV mass using optical or charge properties of AAV. Here, we demonstrate an orthogonal method where suspended nanomechanical resonators (SNR) are used to directly measure both AAV mass and aggregation from a few microliters of sample within minutes. We achieve a precision near 10 zeptograms which corresponds to 1% of the genome holding capacity of the AAV capsid. Our results show the potential of our method for providing real-time quality control of viral vectors during biomanufacturing.

Structure and nucleic acid binding activity of the nucleoporin Nup157.

At the center of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) is a uniquely versatile central transport channel. Structural analyses of distinct segments ("protomers") of the three "channel" nucleoporins yielded a model for how this channel is constructed. Its principal feature is a midplane ring that can undergo regulated diameter changes of as much as an estimated 30 nm. To better understand how a family of "adaptor" nucleoporins--concentrically surrounding this channel--might cushion these huge structural changes, we determined the crystal structure of one adaptor nucleoporin, Nup157. Here, we show that a recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae Nup157 protomer, representing two-thirds of Nup157 (residues 70-893), folds into a seven-bladed ß-propeller followed by an α-helical domain, which together form a C-shaped architecture. Notably, the structure contains a large patch of positively charged residues, most of which are evolutionarily conserved. Consistent with this surface feature, we found that Nup157(70-893) binds to nucleic acids, although in a sequence-independent manner. Nevertheless, this interaction supports a previously reported role of Nup157, and its paralogue Nup170, in chromatin organization. Based on its nucleic acid binding capacity, we propose a dual location and function of Nup157. Finally, modeling the remaining C-terminal portion of Nup157 shows that it projects as a superhelical stack from the compact C-shaped portion of the molecule. The predicted four hinge regions indicate an intrinsic flexibility of Nup157, which could contribute to structural plasticity within the NPC.

Epigenetic virtues of chromodomains.

The chromatin organization modifier domain (chromodomain) was first identified as a motif associated with chromatin silencing in Drosophila. There is growing evidence that chromodomains are evolutionary conserved across different eukaryotic species to control diverse aspects of epigenetic regulation. Although originally reported as histone H3 methyllysine readers, the chromodomain functions have now expanded to recognition of other histone and non-histone partners as well as interaction with nucleic acids. Chromodomain binding to a diverse group of targets is mediated by a conserved substructure called the chromobox homology region. This motif can be used to predict methyllysine binding and distinguish chromodomains from related Tudor "Royal" family members. In this review, we discuss and classify various chromodomains according to their context, structure and the mechanism of target recognition.

The Arabidopsis LHP1 protein colocalizes with histone H3 Lys27 trimethylation.

Polycomb proteins are required for maintenance of silent chromatin states via histone H3 Lys27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) in animals, but homologs are not found in plant genomes. Using a DamID-chip method, we found that the Arabidopsis thaliana chromodomain-containing protein LHP1 colocalizes with H3K27me3 genome-wide. The LHP1 chromodomain also binds H3K27me3 with high affinity, suggesting that LHP1 has functions similar to those of Polycomb.

Substrate Affinity and Specificity of the ScSth1p Bromodomain Are Fine-Tuned for Versatile Histone Recognition.

Bromodomains recognize a wide range of acetylated lysines in histones and other nuclear proteins. Substrate specificity is critical for their biological function and arises from unique acetyl-lysine binding sites formed by variable loop regions. Here, we analyzed substrate affinity and specificity of the yeast ScSth1p bromodomain, an essential component of the "Remodels the Structure of Chromatin" complex, and found that the wild-type bromodomain preferentially recognizes H3K14ac and H4K20ac peptides. Mutagenesis studies-guided by our crystal structure determined at 2.7-Å resolution-revealed loop residues Ser1276 and Trp1338 as key determinants for such interactions. Strikingly, point mutations of each of these residues substantially increased peptide binding affinity and selectivity, respectively. Our data demonstrate that the ScSth1p bromodomain is not optimized for binding to an individual acetylation mark, but fine-tuned for interactions with several such modifications, consistent with the versatile and multivalent nature of histone recognition by reader modules such as bromodomains.

Molecular implications of evolutionary differences in CHD double chromodomains.

Double chromodomains occur in CHD proteins, which are ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling factors implicated in RNA polymerase II transcription regulation. Biochemical studies suggest important differences in the histone H3 tail binding of different CHD chromodomains. In human and Drosophila, CHD1 double chromodomains bind lysine 4-methylated histone H3 tail, which is a hallmark of transcriptionally active chromatin in all eukaryotes. Here, we present the crystal structure of the yeast CHD1 double chromodomains, and pinpoint their differences with that of the human CHD1 double chromodomains. The most conserved residues in these double chromodomains are the two chromoboxes that orient adjacently. Only a subset of CHD chromoboxes can form an aromatic cage for methyllysine binding, and methyllysine binding requires correctly oriented inserts. These factors preclude yeast CHD1 double chromodomains from interacting with the histone H3 tail. Despite great sequence similarity between the human CHD1 and CHD2 chromodomains, variation within an insert likely prevents CHD2 double chromodomains from binding lysine 4-methylated histone H3 tail as efficiently as in CHD1. By using the available structural and biochemical data we highlight the evolutionary specialization of CHD double chromodomains, and provide insights about their targeting capacities.

Corecognition of DNA and a methylated histone tail by the MSL3 chromodomain.

MSL3 resides in the MSL (male-specific lethal) complex, which upregulates transcription by spreading the histone H4 Lys16 (H4K16) acetyl mark. We discovered a DNA-dependent interaction of MSL3 chromodomain with the H4K20 monomethyl mark. The structure of a ternary complex shows that the DNA minor groove accommodates the histone H4 tail, and monomethyllysine inserts in a four-residue aromatic cage in MSL3. H4K16 acetylation antagonizes MSL3 binding, suggesting that MSL function is regulated by a combination of post-translational modifications.