NMR structure of DREAM: Implications for Ca(2+)-dependent DNA binding and protein dimerization.

DREAM (calsenilin/KChIP3) is an EF-hand calcium-binding protein that binds to specific DNA sequences and regulates Ca2+-induced transcription of prodynorphin and c-fos genes. Here, we present the atomic-resolution structure of Ca2+-bound DREAM in solution determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Pulsed-field gradient NMR diffusion experiments and 15N NMR relaxation analysis indicate that Ca2+-bound DREAM forms a stable dimer in solution. The structure of the first 77 residues from the N-terminus could not be determined by our NMR analysis. The C-terminal DREAM structure (residues 78-256) contains four EF-hand motifs arranged in a tandem linear array, similar to that seen in KChIP1, recoverin, and other structures of the neuronal calcium sensor (NCS) branch of the calmodulin superfamily. Mg2+ is bound at the second EF-hand, whereas Ca2+ is bound functionally at the third and fourth sites. The first and second EF-hands form an exposed hydrophobic groove on the protein surface lined by side-chain atoms of L96, F100, F114, I117, Y118, F121, F122, Y151, L155, L158, and L159 that are highly conserved in all NCS proteins. An exposed leucine near the C-terminus (L251) is suggested to form intermolecular contacts with leucine residues in the hydrophobic groove (L155, L158, and L159). Positively charged side chains of Arg and Lys (Lys87, Lys90, Lys91, Arg98, Lys101, Arg160, and Lys166) are clustered on one side of the protein surface and may mediate electrostatic contacts with DNA targets. We propose that Ca2+-induced dimerization of DREAM may partially block the putative DNA-binding site, which may suggest as to how Ca2+ abolishes DREAM binding to DNA to activate the transcription of prodynorphin and other downstream genes in pain control.

Structural insights into activation of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (Pik1) by yeast frequenin (Frq1).

Yeast frequenin (Frq1), a small N-myristoylated EF-hand protein, activates phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase Pik1. The NMR structure of Ca2+-bound Frq1 complexed to an N-terminal Pik1 fragment (residues 121-174) was determined. The Frq1 main chain is similar to that in free Frq1 and related proteins in the same branch of the calmodulin superfamily. The myristoyl group and first eight residues of Frq1 are solvent-exposed, and Ca2+ binds the second, third, and fourth EF-hands, which associate to create a groove with two pockets. The Pik1 peptide forms two helices (125-135 and 156-169) connected by a 20-residue loop. Side chains in the Pik1 N-terminal helix (Val-127, Ala-128, Val-131, Leu-132, and Leu-135) interact with solvent-exposed residues in the Frq1 C-terminal pocket (Leu-101, Trp-103, Val-125, Leu-138, Ile-152, and Leu-155); side chains in the Pik1 C-terminal helix (Ala-157, Ala-159, Leu-160, Val-161, Met-165, and Met-167) contact solvent-exposed residues in the Frq1 N-terminal pocket (Trp-30, Phe-34, Phe-48, Ile-51, Tyr-52, Phe-55, Phe-85, and Leu-89). This defined complex confirms that residues in Pik1 pinpointed as necessary for Frq1 binding by site-directed mutagenesis are indeed sufficient for binding. Removal of the Pik1 N-terminal region (residues 8-760) from its catalytic domain (residues 792-1066) abolishes lipid kinase activity, inconsistent with Frq1 binding simply relieving an autoinhibitory constraint. Deletion of the lipid kinase unique motif (residues 35-110) also eliminates Pik1 activity. In the complex, binding of Ca2+-bound Frq1 forces the Pik1 chain into a U-turn. Frq1 may activate Pik1 by facilitating membrane targeting via the exposed N-myristoyl group and by imposing a structural transition that promotes association of the lipid kinase unique motif with the kinase domain.

Structural basis for calcium-induced inhibition of rhodopsin kinase by recoverin.

Recoverin, a member of the neuronal calcium sensor branch of the EF-hand superfamily, serves as a calcium sensor that regulates rhodopsin kinase (RK) activity in retinal rod cells. We report here the NMR structure of Ca(2+)-bound recoverin bound to a functional N-terminal fragment of rhodopsin kinase (residues 1-25, called RK25). The overall main-chain structure of recoverin in the complex is similar to structures of Ca(2+)-bound recoverin in the absence of target (<1.8A root-mean-square deviation). The first eight residues of recoverin at the N terminus are solvent-exposed, enabling the N-terminal myristoyl group to interact with target membranes, and Ca(2+) is bound at the second and third EF-hands of the protein. RK25 in the complex forms an amphipathic helix (residues 4-16). The hydrophobic face of the RK25 helix (Val-9, Val-10, Ala-11, Ala-14, and Phe-15) interacts with an exposed hydrophobic groove on the surface of recoverin lined by side-chain atoms of Trp-31, Phe-35, Phe-49, Ile-52, Tyr-53, Phe-56, Phe-57, Tyr-86, and Leu-90. Residues of recoverin that contact RK25 are highly conserved, suggesting a similar target binding site structure in all neuronal calcium sensor proteins. Site-specific mutagenesis and deletion analysis confirm that the hydrophobic residues at the interface are necessary and sufficient for binding. The recoverin-RK25 complex exhibits Ca(2+)-induced binding to rhodopsin immobilized on concanavalin-A resin. We propose that Ca(2+)-bound recoverin is bound between rhodopsin and RK in a ternary complex on rod outer segment disk membranes, thereby blocking RK interaction with rhodopsin at high Ca(2+).

Examination of the structure, stability, and catalytic potential in the engineered phosphoryl carrier domain of pyruvate phosphate dikinase.

Pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK) is a multidomain protein that catalyzes the interconversion of ATP, pyruvate, and phosphate with AMP, phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), and pyrophosphate using its central domain to transport phosphoryl groups between two distant active sites. In this study, the mechanism by which the central domain moves between the two catalytic sites located on the N-terminal and C-terminal domains was probed by expressing this domain as an independent protein and measuring its structure, stability, and ability to catalyze the ATP/phosphate partial reaction in conjunction with the engineered N-terminal domain protein (residues 1-340 of the native PPDK). The encoding gene was engineered to express the central domain as residues 381-512 of the native PPDK. The central domain was purified and shown to be soluble, monomeric (13,438 Da), and stable (deltaG = 4.3 kcal/mol for unfolding in buffer at pH 7.0, 25 degrees C) and to possess native structure, as determined by multidimensional heteronuclear NMR analysis. The main chain structure of the central domain in solution aligns closely with that of the X-ray structure of native PPDK (the root-mean-square deviation is 2.2 A). Single turnover reactions of [14C]ATP and phosphate, carried out in the presence of equal concentrations of central domain and the N-terminal domain protein, did not produce the expected products, in contrast to efficient product formation observed for the N-terminal central domain construct (residues 1-553 of the native PPDK). These results are interpreted as evidence that the central domain, although solvent-compatible, must be tethered by the flexible linkers to the N-terminal domain for the productive domain-domain docking required for efficient catalysis.

NMR structure of the natural killer cell receptor 2B4 (CD244): implications for ligand recognition.

2B4, a transmembrane receptor expressed primarily on natural killer (NK) cells and on a subset of CD8(+) T cells, plays an important role in activating NK-mediated cytotoxicity through its interaction with CD48 on target cells. We report here the atomic-resolution structure of the ligand-binding (D1) domain of 2B4 in solution determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The overall main chain structure resembles an immunoglobulin variable (V) domain fold, very similar to that seen previously for domain 1 of CD2 and CD4. The structure contains nine beta-strands assembled into two beta-sheets conventionally labeled DEB and AGFCC'C' '. The six-stranded sheet (AGFCC'C' ') contains structural features that may have implications for ligand recognition and receptor function. A noncanonical disulfide bridge between Cys2 and Cys99 stabilizes a long and parallel beta-structure between strand A (residues 3-12) and strand G (residues 100-108). A beta-bulge at residues Glu45 and Ile46 places a bend in the middle of strand C' that orients two conserved and adjacent hydrophobic residues (Ile46 and Leu47) inside the beta-sandwich as seen in other V domains. Finally, the FG-loop (implicated in ligand recognition in the CD2-CD58 complex) is dynamically disordered in 2B4 in the absence of a ligand. We propose that ligand binding to 2B4 might stabilize the structure of the FG-loop in the ligand complex.