Structure of Staphylococcus aureus ClpP Bound to the Covalent Active-Site Inhibitor Cystargolide A.

The caseinolytic protease is a highly conserved serine protease, crucial to prokaryotic and eukaryotic protein homeostasis, and a promising antibacterial and anticancer drug target. Herein, we describe the potent cystargolides as the first natural ß-lactone inhibitors of the proteolytic core ClpP. Based on the discovery of two clpP genes next to the cystargolide biosynthetic gene cluster in Kitasatospora cystarginea, we explored ClpP as a potential cystargolide target. We show the inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus ClpP by cystargolide A and B by different biochemical methods in vitro. Synthesis of semisynthetic derivatives and probes with improved cell penetration allowed us to confirm ClpP as a specific target in S. aureus cells and to demonstrate the anti-virulence activity of this natural product class. Crystal structures show cystargolide A covalently bound to all 14 active sites of ClpP from S. aureus, Aquifex aeolicus, and Photorhabdus laumondii, and reveal the molecular mechanism of ClpP inhibition by ß-lactones, the predominant class of ClpP inhibitors.

Functional Characterisation of ClpP Mutations Conferring Resistance to Acyldepsipeptide Antibiotics in Firmicutes.

Acyldepsipeptide (ADEP) is an exploratory antibiotic with a novel mechanism of action. ClpP, the proteolytic core of the caseinolytic protease, is deregulated towards unrestrained proteolysis. Here, we report on the mechanism of ADEP resistance in Firmicutes. This bacterial phylum contains important pathogens that are relevant for potential ADEP therapy. For Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, enterococci and streptococci, spontaneous ADEP-resistant mutants were selected in vitro at a rate of 10-6 . All isolates carried mutations in clpP. All mutated S. aureus ClpP proteins characterised in this study were functionally impaired; this increased our understanding of the mode of operation of ClpP. For molecular insights, crystal structures of S. aureus ClpP bound to ADEP4 were determined. Well-resolved N-terminal domains in the apo structure allow the pore-gating mechanism to be followed. The compilation of mutations presented here indicates residues relevant for ClpP function and suggests that ADEP resistance will occur at a lower rate during the infection process.

Common Fibril Structures Imply Systemically Conserved Protein Misfolding Pathways In†Vivo.

Systemic amyloidosis is caused by the misfolding of a circulating amyloid precursor protein and the deposition of amyloid fibrils in multiple organs. Chemical and biophysical analysis of amyloid fibrils from human AL and murine AA amyloidosis reveal the same fibril morphologies in different tissues or organs of one patient or diseased animal. The observed structural similarities concerned the fibril morphology, the fibril protein primary and secondary structures, the presence of post-translational modifications and, in case of the AL fibrils, the partially folded characteristics of the polypeptide chain within the fibril. Our data imply for both analyzed forms of amyloidosis that the pathways of protein misfolding are systemically conserved; that is, they follow the same rules irrespective of where inside one body fibrils are formed or accumulated.

Structure and mechanism of the caseinolytic protease ClpP1/2 heterocomplex from Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is a devastating bacterial pathogen. Its virulence and intracellular stress tolerance are supported by caseinolytic protease P (ClpP), an enzyme that is conserved among bacteria. L. monocytogenes expresses two ClpP isoforms that are only distantly related by sequence and differ in catalysis, oligomerization, active-site composition, and N-terminal interaction sites for associated AAA(+) chaperones. The crystal structure of the ClpP1/2 heterocomplex from L. monocytogenes was solved, and in combination with biochemical studies, it provides insights into the mode of action. The results demonstrate that structural interlocking of LmClpP1 with LmClpP2 leads to the formation of a tetradecamer, aligns all 14 active sites, and enhances proteolytic activity. Furthermore, the catalytic center was identified as being responsible for the transient stability of ClpPs.

Reversible Inhibitors Arrest ClpP in a Defined Conformational State that Can Be Revoked by ClpX Association.

Caseinolytic protease P (ClpP) is an important regulator of Staphylococcus aureus pathogenesis. A high-throughput screening for inhibitors of ClpP peptidase activity led to the identification of the first non-covalent binder for this enzyme class. Co-crystallization of the small molecule with S. aureus ClpP revealed a novel binding mode: Because of the rotation of the conserved residue proline 125, ClpP is locked in a defined conformational state, which results in distortion of the catalytic triad and inhibition of the peptidase activity. Based on these structural insights, the molecule was optimized by rational design and virtual screening, resulting in derivatives exceeding the potency of previous ClpP inhibitors. Strikingly, the conformational lock is overturned by binding of ClpX, an associated chaperone that enables proteolysis by substrate unfolding in the ClpXP complex. Thus, regulation of inhibitor binding by associated chaperones is an unexpected mechanism important for ClpP drug development.

Fatal amyloid formation in a patient's antibody light chain is caused by a single point mutation.

In systemic light chain amyloidosis, an overexpressed antibody light chain (LC) forms fibrils which deposit in organs and cause their failure. While it is well-established that mutations in the LC's VL domain are important prerequisites, the mechanisms which render a patient LC amyloidogenic are ill-defined. In this study, we performed an in-depth analysis of the factors and mutations responsible for the pathogenic transformation of a patient-derived λ LC, by recombinantly expressing variants in E. coli. We show that proteolytic cleavage of the patient LC resulting in an isolated VL domain is essential for fibril formation. Out of 11 mutations in the patient VL, only one, a leucine to valine mutation, is responsible for fibril formation. It disrupts a hydrophobic network rendering the C-terminal segment of VL more dynamic and decreasing domain stability. Thus, the combination of proteolytic cleavage and the destabilizing mutation trigger conformational changes that turn the LC pathogenic.

Amyloid light chain amyloidosis, shortened to AL amyloidosis, is a rare and often fatal disease. It is caused by a disorder of the bone marrow. Usually, cells in the bone marrow produce Y-shaped proteins called antibodies to fight infections. In AL amyloidosis, these cells release too much of the short arm of the antibody, known as its light chain, and the light chains also carry mutations. The antibodies are no longer able to assemble properly, and instead misfold and form structures, known as amyloid fibrils. The fibrils build up outside the cells, gradually causing damage to tissues and organs that can lead to life-threatening organ failure. Due to the rareness of the disease, diagnosis is often overlooked and delayed. People experience widely varying symptoms, depending on the organs affected. Also, given the diversity of antibodies people make, every person with AL amyloidosis has a variety of mutations implicated in their disease. It is thought that mutations in the antibody light chain make it unstable and prone to misfolding, but it remains unclear which specific mutations trigger a cascade of amyloid fibril formation. Now, Kazman et al. have pinpointed the exact mechanism in one case of the disease. First, tissue biopsies from a woman with advanced AL amyloidosis were analyzed, and the defunct antibody light chain was isolated. Eleven mutations were identified in the antibody light chain, only one of which was found to be responsible for the formation of the harmful fibrils. The next step was to determine how this one small change was so damaging. The experiments showed that after the antibody light chain was cut in two, a process that happens naturally in the body, this single mutation transforms it into a protein capable of causing disease. In this 'bedside to lab bench' study, Kazman et al. have succeeded in determining the molecular origin of one case of AL amyloidosis. The results have also shown that the instability of antibodies due to mutation does not alone explain the formation of amyloid fibrils in this disease and that the cutting of this protein in two is also important. It is hoped that, in the long run, this work will lead to new diagnostics and treatment options for people with AL amyloidosis.

Crystal Structure and Active Site Engineering of a Halophilic γ-Carbonic Anhydrase.

Environments previously thought to be uninhabitable offer a tremendous wealth of unexplored microorganisms and enzymes. In this paper, we present the discovery and characterization of a novel γ-carbonic anhydrase (γ-CA) from the polyextreme Red Sea brine pool Discovery Deep (2141 m depth, 44.8°C, 26.2% salt) by single-cell genome sequencing. The extensive analysis of the selected gene helps demonstrate the potential of this culture-independent method. The enzyme was expressed in the bioengineered haloarchaeon Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 and characterized by X-ray crystallography and mutagenesis. The 2.6 Å crystal structure of the protein shows a trimeric arrangement. Within the γ-CA, several possible structural determinants responsible for the enzyme's salt stability could be highlighted. Moreover, the amino acid composition on the protein surface and the intra- and intermolecular interactions within the protein differ significantly from those of its close homologs. To gain further insights into the catalytic residues of the γ-CA enzyme, we created a library of variants around the active site residues and successfully improved the enzyme activity by 17-fold. As several γ-CAs have been reported without measurable activity, this provides further clues as to critical residues. Our study reveals insights into the halophilic γ-CA activity and its unique adaptations. The study of the polyextremophilic carbonic anhydrase provides a basis for outlining insights into strategies for salt adaptation, yielding enzymes with industrially valuable properties, and the underlying mechanisms of protein evolution.

On the Trails of the Proteasome Fold: Structural and Functional Analysis of the Ancestral ß-Subunit Protein Anbu.

The 20S proteasome is a key player in eukaryotic and archaeal protein degradation, but its progenitor in eubacteria is unknown. Recently, the ancestral ß-subunit protein (Anbu) was predicted to be the evolutionary precursor of the proteasome. We crystallized Anbu from Hyphomicrobium sp. strain MC1 in four different space groups and solved the structures by SAD-phasing and Patterson search calculation techniques. Our data reveal that Anbu adopts the classical fold of Ntn-hydrolases, but its oligomeric state differs from that of barrel-shaped proteases. In contrast to their typical architecture, the Anbu protomer is a tightly interacting dimer that can assemble into a helical superstructure. Although Anbu features a catalytic triad of Thr1Oγ, Asp17Oδ1 and Lys32Nε, it is unable to hydrolyze standard protease substrates. The lack of activity might be caused by the incapacity of Thr1NH2 to function as a Brønsted acid during substrate cleavage due to its missing activation via hydrogen bonding. Altogether, we demonstrate that the topology of the proteasomal fold is conserved in Anbu, but whether it acts as a protease still needs to be clarified.

The Y. bercovieri Anbu crystal structure sheds light on the evolution of highly (pseudo)symmetric multimers.

Ancestral ß-subunit (Anbu) is homologous to HslV and 20S proteasomes. Based on its phylogenetic distribution and sequence clustering, Anbu has been proposed as the "ancestral" form of proteasomes. Here, we report biochemical data, small-angle X-ray scattering results, negative-stain electron microscopy micrographs and a crystal structure of the Anbu particle from Yersinia bercovieri (YbAnbu). All data are consistent with YbAnbu forming defined 12-14 subunit multimers that differ in shape from both HslV and 20S proteasomes. The crystal structure reveals that YbAnbu subunits form tight dimers, held together in part by the Anbu specific C-terminal helices. These dimers ("protomers") further assemble into a low-rise left-handed staircase. The lock-washer shape of YbAnbu is consistent with the presence of defined multimers, X-ray diffraction data in solution and negative-stain electron microscopy images. The presented structure suggests a possible evolutionary pathway from helical filaments to highly symmetric or pseudosymmetric multimer structures. YbAnbu subunits have the Ntn-hydrolase fold, a putative S1 pocket and conserved candidate catalytic residues Thr1, Asp17 and Lys32(33). Nevertheless, we did not detect any YbAnbu peptidase or amidase activity. However, we could document orthophosphate production from ATP catalyzed by the ATP-grasp protein encoded in the Y. bercovieri Anbu operon.