CryoEM structural exploration of catalytically active enzyme pyruvate carboxylase.

Pyruvate carboxylase (PC) is a tetrameric enzyme that contains two active sites per subunit that catalyze two consecutive reactions. A mobile domain with an attached prosthetic biotin links both reactions, an initial biotin carboxylation and the subsequent carboxyl transfer to pyruvate substrate to produce oxaloacetate. Reaction sites are at long distance, and there are several co-factors that play as allosteric regulators. Here, using cryoEM we explore the structure of active PC tetramers focusing on active sites and on the conformational space of the oligomers. The results capture the mobile domain at both active sites and expose catalytic steps of both reactions at high resolution, allowing the identification of substrates and products. The analysis of catalytically active PC tetramers reveals the role of certain motions during enzyme functioning, and the structural changes in the presence of additional cofactors expose the mechanism for allosteric regulation.

A conserved rRNA switch is central to decoding site maturation on the small ribosomal subunit.

While a structural description of the molecular mechanisms guiding ribosome assembly in eukaryotic systems is emerging, bacteria use an unrelated core set of assembly factors for which high-resolution structural information is still missing. To address this, we used single-particle cryo-electron microscopy to visualize the effects of bacterial ribosome assembly factors RimP, RbfA, RsmA, and RsgA on the conformational landscape of the 30S ribosomal subunit and obtained eight snapshots representing late steps in the folding of the decoding center. Analysis of these structures identifies a conserved secondary structure switch in the 16S ribosomal RNA central to decoding site maturation and suggests both a sequential order of action and molecular mechanisms for the assembly factors in coordinating and controlling this switch. Structural and mechanistic parallels between bacterial and eukaryotic systems indicate common folding features inherent to all ribosomes.

RsgA couples the maturation state of the 30S ribosomal decoding center to activation of its GTPase pocket.

During 30S ribosomal subunit biogenesis, assembly factors are believed to prevent accumulation of misfolded intermediate states of low free energy that slowly convert into mature 30S subunits, namely, kinetically trapped particles. Among the assembly factors, the circularly permuted GTPase, RsgA, plays a crucial role in the maturation of the 30S decoding center. Here, directed hydroxyl radical probing and single particle cryo-EM are employed to elucidate RsgA΄s mechanism of action. Our results show that RsgA destabilizes the 30S structure, including late binding r-proteins, providing a structural basis for avoiding kinetically trapped assembly intermediates. Moreover, RsgA exploits its distinct GTPase pocket and specific interactions with the 30S to coordinate GTPase activation with the maturation state of the 30S subunit. This coordination validates the architecture of the decoding center and facilitates the timely release of RsgA to control the progression of 30S biogenesis.

Crowding agents and osmolytes provide insight into the formation and dissociation of RNase A oligomers.

RNase A forms 3D domain-swapped oligomers with novel enzymatic and biological activities. We study how crowding agents and osmolytes affect the formation and dissociation of RNase A oligomers. The crowding agents Ficoll and dextran were found to enhance oligomer formation, whereas the stabilizers sodium sulfate, glycine and trimethylammonium oxide (TMAO) do not. In contrast, TMAO significantly slows RNase A dimer dissociation, while the effect of Ficoll is small. These results lead us to propose that the mechanisms of oligomer formation and dissociation are different. In the RNase A "C-dimer", the C-terminal ß-strand is swapped between two subunits. The loop preceding this ß-strand adopts a ß-sheet which has been proposed to resemble amyloid structurally. Hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange of the RNase A C-dimer reveal that the H-bonds formed between the swapped C-terminal ß-strand and the other subunit are strong. Their rupture may be crucial for C-dimer dissociation. In contrast, H-bonds formed by Asn 113 in the novel ß-sheet adopted by the hinge loop in the C-dimer are not strongly protected. Besides the fundamental insights obtained, the results represent a technical advance for obtaining increased oligomer yields and storage lifetimes.

NMR spectroscopy reveals that RNase A is chiefly denatured in 40% acetic acid: implications for oligomer formation by 3D domain swapping.

Protein self-recognition is essential in many biochemical processes and its study is of fundamental interest to understand the molecular mechanism of amyloid formation. Ribonuclease A (RNase A) is a monomeric protein that may form several oligomers by 3D domain swapping of its N-terminal alpha-helix, C-terminal beta-strand, or both. RNase A oligomerization is induced by 40% acetic acid, which has been assumed to mildly unfold the protein by detaching the terminal segments and consequently facilitating intersubunit swapping, once the acetic acid is removed by lyophilization and the protein is redissolved in a benign buffer. Using UV difference, near UV circular dichroism, folding kinetics, and multidimensional heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy, the conformation of RNase A in 40% acetic acid and in 8 M urea has been characterized. These studies demonstrate that RNase A is chiefly unfolded in 40% acetic acid; it partially retains the native helices, whereas the beta-sheet is fully denatured and all X-Pro peptide bonds are predominantly in the trans conformation. Refolding occurs via an intermediate, I(N), with non-native X-Pro peptide bonds. I(N) is known to be populated during RNase A refolding following denaturation in concentrated solutions of urea or guanidinium chloride, and we find that urea- or GdmCl-denatured RNase A can oligomerize during refolding. By revealing the importance of a chiefly denaturated state and a refolding intermediate with non-native X-Pro peptide bonds, these findings revise the model for RNase A oligomerization via 3D domain swapping and have general implications for amyloid formation.

Preparation of ribonuclease S domain-swapped dimers conjugated with DNA and PNA: modulating the activity of ribonucleases.

Obtaining highly specific and active ribonuclease activities is an important goal with numerous medical and biochemical applications. As a step toward more active and specific ribonucleases, we describe the preparation and the enzymatic and structural properties of RNase S monomers and dimers conjugated to DNA and PNA molecules. Poly(dT)n (2'-oligodeoxyribonucleotides, n = 8, 15) and t8 peptide nucleic acid (PNA) chains have been conjugated to the S-peptide of ribonuclease S. Monomers and dimers of the conjugated enzyme have been obtained and characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, showing that DNA or PNA conjugation does not alter the native structure of ribonuclease S. The oligonucleotide-conjugated RNase S monomer and dimer show significant activity against single-stranded RNA and very low/negligible hydrolysis of double-stranded poly(A).poly(U). In contrast, the t8-conjugated RNase S monomer and dimer show substantial activity against both ssRNA and dsRNA. These results highlight the importance of positive charges near but not in the active site in enhancing activity against dsRNA and reveal the promise of PNA-RNase conjugates for modulating RNase activity.