Machine learning-driven multiscale modeling reveals lipid-dependent dynamics of RAS signaling proteins.

RAS is a signaling protein associated with the cell membrane that is mutated in up to 30% of human cancers. RAS signaling has been proposed to be regulated by dynamic heterogeneity of the cell membrane. Investigating such a mechanism requires near-atomistic detail at macroscopic temporal and spatial scales, which is not possible with conventional computational or experimental techniques. We demonstrate here a multiscale simulation infrastructure that uses machine learning to create a scale-bridging ensemble of over 100,000 simulations of active wild-type KRAS on a complex, asymmetric membrane. Initialized and validated with experimental data (including a new structure of active wild-type KRAS), these simulations represent a substantial advance in the ability to characterize RAS-membrane biology. We report distinctive patterns of local lipid composition that correlate with interfacially promiscuous RAS multimerization. These lipid fingerprints are coupled to RAS dynamics, predicted to influence effector binding, and therefore may be a mechanism for regulating cell signaling cascades.

Exploring CRD mobility during RAS/RAF engagement at the membrane.

During the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, the RAS-binding domain (RBD) and cysteine-rich domain (CRD) of RAF bind to active RAS at the plasma membrane. The orientation of RAS at the membrane may be critical for formation of the RAS-RBDCRD complex and subsequent signaling. To explore how RAS membrane orientation relates to the protein dynamics within the RAS-RBDCRD complex, we perform multiscale coarse-grained and all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of KRAS4b bound to the RBD and CRD domains of RAF-1, both in solution and anchored to a model plasma membrane. Solution MD simulations describe dynamic KRAS4b-CRD conformations, suggesting that the CRD has sufficient flexibility in this environment to substantially change its binding interface with KRAS4b. In contrast, when the ternary complex is anchored to the membrane, the mobility of the CRD relative to KRAS4b is restricted, resulting in fewer distinct KRAS4b-CRD conformations. These simulations implicate membrane orientations of the ternary complex that are consistent with NMR measurements. While a crystal structure-like conformation is observed in both solution and membrane simulations, a particular intermolecular rearrangement of the ternary complex is observed only when it is anchored to the membrane. This configuration emerges when the CRD hydrophobic loops are inserted into the membrane and helices α3-5 of KRAS4b are solvent exposed. This membrane-specific configuration is stabilized by KRAS4b-CRD contacts that are not observed in the crystal structure. These results suggest modulatory interplay between the CRD and plasma membrane that correlate with RAS/RAF complex structure and dynamics, and potentially influence subsequent steps in the activation of MAPK signaling.

Optimizing high-yield production of SARS-CoV-2 soluble spike trimers for serology assays.

The SARS-CoV-2 spike trimer is the primary antigen for several serology assays critical to determining the extent of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in the population. Until stable cell lines are developed to increase the titer of this secreted protein in mammalian cell culture, the low yield of spike protein produced from transient transfection of HEK293 cells will be a limiting factor for these assays. To improve the yield of spike protein and support the high demand for antigens in serology assays, we investigated several recombinant protein expression variables by altering the incubation temperature, harvest time, chromatography strategy, and final protein manipulation. Through this investigation, we developed a simplified and robust purification strategy that consistently yields 5 mg of protein per liter of expression culture for two commonly used forms of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. We show that these proteins form well-behaved stable trimers and are consistently functional in serology assays across multiple protein production lots.

Structural dynamics of RAF1-HSP90-CDC37 and HSP90 complexes reveal asymmetric client interactions and key structural elements.

RAF kinases are integral to the RAS-MAPK signaling pathway, and proper RAF1 folding relies on its interaction with the chaperone HSP90 and the cochaperone CDC37. Understanding the intricate molecular interactions governing RAF1 folding is crucial for comprehending this process. Here, we present a cryo-EM structure of the closed-state RAF1-HSP90-CDC37 complex, where the C-lobe of the RAF1 kinase domain binds to one side of the HSP90 dimer, and an unfolded N-lobe segment of the RAF1 kinase domain threads through the center of the HSP90 dimer. CDC37 binds to the kinase C-lobe, mimicking the N-lobe with its HxNI motif. We also describe structures of HSP90 dimers without RAF1 and CDC37, displaying only N-terminal and middle domains, which we term the semi-open state. Employing 1 µs atomistic simulations, energetic decomposition, and comparative structural analysis, we elucidate the dynamics and interactions within these complexes. Our quantitative analysis reveals that CDC37 bridges the HSP90-RAF1 interaction, RAF1 binds HSP90 asymmetrically, and that HSP90 structural elements engage RAF1's unfolded region. Additionally, N- and C-terminal interactions stabilize HSP90 dimers, and molecular interactions in HSP90 dimers rearrange between the closed and semi-open states. Our findings provide valuable insight into the contributions of HSP90 and CDC37 in mediating client folding.

Membrane lipids drive formation of KRAS4b-RAF1 RBDCRD nanoclusters on the membrane.

The oncogene RAS, extensively studied for decades, presents persistent gaps in understanding, hindering the development of effective therapeutic strategies due to a lack of precise details on how RAS initiates MAPK signaling with RAF effector proteins at the plasma membrane. Recent advances in X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy offer structural and spatial insights, yet the molecular mechanisms involving protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions in RAS-mediated signaling require further characterization. This study utilizes single-molecule experimental techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the computational Machine-Learned Modeling Infrastructure (MuMMI) to examine KRAS4b and RAF1 on a biologically relevant lipid bilayer. MuMMI captures long-timescale events while preserving detailed atomic descriptions, providing testable models for experimental validation. Both in vitro and computational studies reveal that RBDCRD binding alters KRAS lateral diffusion on the lipid bilayer, increasing cluster size and decreasing diffusion. RAS and membrane binding cause hydrophobic residues in the CRD region to penetrate the bilayer, stabilizing complexes through ß-strand elongation. These cooperative interactions among lipids, KRAS4b, and RAF1 are proposed as essential for forming nanoclusters, potentially a critical step in MAP kinase signal activation.

Mechanism of thioamide drug action against tuberculosis and leprosy.

Thioamide drugs, ethionamide (ETH) and prothionamide (PTH), are clinically effective in the treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. leprae, and M. avium complex infections. Although generally considered second-line drugs for tuberculosis, their use has increased considerably as the number of multidrug resistant and extensively drug resistant tuberculosis cases continues to rise. Despite the widespread use of thioamide drugs to treat tuberculosis and leprosy, their precise mechanisms of action remain unknown. Using a cell-based activation method, we now have definitive evidence that both thioamides form covalent adducts with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and that these adducts are tight-binding inhibitors of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae InhA. The crystal structures of the inhibited M. leprae and M. tuberculosis InhA complexes provide the molecular details of target-drug interactions. The purified ETH-NAD and PTH-NAD adducts both showed nanomolar Kis against M. tuberculosis and M. leprae InhA. Knowledge of the precise structures and mechanisms of action of these drugs provides insights into designing new drugs that can overcome drug resistance.

Identification of compounds with potential antibacterial activity against Mycobacterium through structure-based drug screening.

To identify novel antibiotics against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, we performed a hierarchical structure-based drug screening (SBDS) targeting the enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (InhA) with a compound library of 154,118 chemicals. We then evaluated whether the candidate hit compounds exhibited inhibitory effects on the growth of two model mycobacterial strains: Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium vanbaalenii. Two compounds (KE3 and KE4) showed potent inhibitory effects against both model mycobacterial strains. In addition, we rescreened KE4 analogs, which were identified from a compound library of 461,383 chemicals through fingerprint analysis and genetic algorithm-based docking simulations. All of the KE4 analogs (KES1-KES5) exhibited inhibitory effects on the growth of M. smegmatis and/or M. vanbaalenii. Based on the predicted binding modes, we probed the structure-activity relationships of KE4 and its analogs and found a correlative relationship between the IC50 values and the interaction residues/LogP values. The most potent inhibitor, compound KES4, strongly and stably inhibited the long-term growth of the model bacteria and showed higher inhibitory effects (IC50 = 4.8 µM) than isoniazid (IC50 = 5.4 µM), which is a first-line drug for tuberculosis therapy. Moreover, compound KES4 did not exhibit any toxic effects that impede cell growth in several mammalian cell lines and enterobacteria. The structural and experimental information of these novel chemical compounds will likely be useful for the development of new anti-TB drugs. Furthermore, the methodology that was used for the identification of the effective chemical compound is also likely to be effective in the SBDS of other candidate medicinal drugs.

Machine Learning-Driven Multiscale Modeling: Bridging the Scales with a Next-Generation Simulation Infrastructure.

Interdependence across time and length scales is common in biology, where atomic interactions can impact larger-scale phenomenon. Such dependence is especially true for a well-known cancer signaling pathway, where the membrane-bound RAS protein binds an effector protein called RAF. To capture the driving forces that bring RAS and RAF (represented as two domains, RBD and CRD) together on the plasma membrane, simulations with the ability to calculate atomic detail while having long time and large length- scales are needed. The Multiscale Machine-Learned Modeling Infrastructure (MuMMI) is able to resolve RAS/RAF protein-membrane interactions that identify specific lipid-protein fingerprints that enhance protein orientations viable for effector binding. MuMMI is a fully automated, ensemble-based multiscale approach connecting three resolution scales: (1) the coarsest scale is a continuum model able to simulate milliseconds of time for a 1 µm2 membrane, (2) the middle scale is a coarse-grained (CG) Martini bead model to explore protein-lipid interactions, and (3) the finest scale is an all-atom (AA) model capturing specific interactions between lipids and proteins. MuMMI dynamically couples adjacent scales in a pairwise manner using machine learning (ML). The dynamic coupling allows for better sampling of the refined scale from the adjacent coarse scale (forward) and on-the-fly feedback to improve the fidelity of the coarser scale from the adjacent refined scale (backward). MuMMI operates efficiently at any scale, from a few compute nodes to the largest supercomputers in the world, and is generalizable to simulate different systems. As computing resources continue to increase and multiscale methods continue to advance, fully automated multiscale simulations (like MuMMI) will be commonly used to address complex science questions.

Phosphorylation of InhA inhibits mycolic acid biosynthesis and growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The remarkable survival ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in infected hosts is related to the presence of cell wall-associated mycolic acids. Despite their importance, the mechanisms that modulate expression of these lipids in response to environmental changes are unknown. Here we demonstrate that the enoyl-ACP reductase activity of InhA, an essential enzyme of the mycolic acid biosynthetic pathway and the primary target of the anti-tubercular drug isoniazid, is controlled via phosphorylation. Thr-266 is the unique kinase phosphoacceptor, both in vitro and in vivo. The physiological relevance of Thr-266 phosphorylation was demonstrated using inhA phosphoablative (T266A) or phosphomimetic (T266D/E) mutants. Enoyl reductase activity was severely impaired in the mimetic mutants in vitro, as a consequence of a reduced binding affinity to NADH. Importantly, introduction of inhA_T266D/E failed to complement growth and mycolic acid defects of an inhA-thermosensitive Mycobacterium smegmatis strain, in a similar manner to what is observed following isoniazid treatment. This study suggests that phosphorylation of InhA may represent an unusual mechanism that allows M. tuberculosis to regulate its mycolic acid content, thus offering a new approach to future anti-tuberculosis drug development.

Standardization of ELISA protocols for serosurveys of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic using clinical and at-home blood sampling.

The extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection throughout the United States population is currently unknown. High quality serology is key to avoiding medically costly diagnostic errors, as well as to assuring properly informed public health decisions. Here, we present an optimized ELISA-based serology protocol, from antigen production to data analyses, that helps define thresholds for IgG and IgM seropositivity with high specificities. Validation of this protocol is performed using traditionally collected serum as well as dried blood on mail-in blood sampling kits. Archival (pre-2019) samples are used as negative controls, and convalescent, PCR-diagnosed COVID-19 patient samples serve as positive controls. Using this protocol, minimal cross-reactivity is observed for the spike proteins of MERS, SARS1, OC43 and HKU1 viruses, and no cross reactivity is observed with anti-influenza A H1N1 HAI. Our protocol may thus help provide standardized, population-based data on the extent of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity, immunity and infection.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis dihydrofolate reductase is not a target relevant to the antitubercular activity of isoniazid.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis enoyl-acyl-ACP reductase (InhA) has been demonstrated to be the primary target of isoniazid (INH). Recently, it was postulated that M. tuberculosis dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is also a target of INH, based on the findings that a 4R-INH-NADP adduct synthesized from INH by a nonenzymatic approach showed strong inhibition of DHFR in vitro, and overexpression of M. tuberculosis dfrA in M. smegmatis conferred a 2-fold increase of resistance to INH. In the present study, a plasmid expressing M. tuberculosis dfrA was transformed into M. smegmatis and M. tuberculosis strains, respectively. The transformant strains were tested for their resistance to INH. Compared to the wild-type strains, overexpression of dfrA in M. smegmatis and M. tuberculosis did not confer any resistance to INH based on the MIC values. Similar negative results were obtained with 14 other overexpressed proteins that have been proposed to bind some form of INH-NAD(P) adduct. An Escherichia coli cell-based system was designed that allowed coexpression of both M. tuberculosis katG and dfrA genes in the presence of INH. The DHFR protein isolated from the experimental sample was not found bound with any INH-NADP adduct by enzyme inhibition assay and mass spectroscopic analysis. We also used whole-genome sequencing to determine whether polymorphisms in dfrA could be detected in six INH-resistant clinical isolates known to lack mutations in inhA and katG, but no such mutations were found. The dfrA overexpression experiments, together with the biochemical and sequencing studies, conclusively demonstrate that DHFR is not a target relevant to the antitubercular activity of INH.

A Sec14-like phosphatidylinositol transfer protein paralog defines a novel class of heme-binding proteins.

Yeast Sfh5 is an unusual member of the Sec14-like phosphatidylinositol transfer protein (PITP) family. Whereas PITPs are defined by their abilities to transfer phosphatidylinositol between membranes in vitro, and to stimulate phosphoinositide signaling in vivo, Sfh5 does not exhibit these activities. Rather, Sfh5 is a redox-active penta-coordinate high spin FeIII hemoprotein with an unusual heme-binding arrangement that involves a co-axial tyrosine/histidine coordination strategy and a complex electronic structure connecting the open shell iron d-orbitals with three aromatic ring systems. That Sfh5 is not a PITP is supported by demonstrations that heme is not a readily exchangeable ligand, and that phosphatidylinositol-exchange activity is resuscitated in heme binding-deficient Sfh5 mutants. The collective data identify Sfh5 as the prototype of a new class of fungal hemoproteins, and emphasize the versatility of the Sec14-fold as scaffold for translating the binding of chemically distinct ligands to the control of diverse sets of cellular activities.

Optimizing high-yield production of SARS-CoV-2 soluble spike trimers for serology assays.

The SARS-CoV-2 spike trimer is the primary antigen for several serology assays critical to determining the extent of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in the population. Until stable cell lines are developed to increase the titer of this secreted protein in mammalian cell culture, the low yield of spike protein produced from transient transfection of HEK293 cells will be a limiting factor for these assays. To improve the yield of spike protein and support the high demand for antigens in serology assays, we investigated several recombinant protein expression variables by altering the incubation temperature, harvest time, chromatography strategy, and final protein manipulation. Through this investigation, we developed a simplified and robust purification strategy that consistently yields 5 mg of protein per liter of expression culture for two commonly used forms of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. We show that these proteins form well-behaved stable trimers and are consistently functional in serology assays across multiple protein production lots.

Standardization of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for serosurveys of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic using clinical and at-home blood sampling.

The extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection throughout the United States population is currently unknown. High quality serology is a key tool to understanding the spread of infection, immunity against the virus, and correlates of protection. Limited validation and testing of serology assays used for serosurveys can lead to unreliable or misleading data, and clinical testing using such unvalidated assays can lead to medically costly diagnostic errors and improperly informed public health decisions. Estimating prevalence and clinical decision making is highly dependent on specificity. Here, we present an optimized ELISA-based serology protocol from antigen production to data analysis. This protocol defines thresholds for IgG and IgM for determination of seropositivity with estimated specificity well above 99%. Validation was performed using both traditionally collected serum and dried blood on mail-in blood sampling kits, using archival (pre-2019) negative controls and known PCR-diagnosed positive patient controls. Minimal cross-reactivity was observed for the spike proteins of MERS, SARS1, OC43 and HKU1 viruses and no cross reactivity was observed with anti-influenza A H1N1 HAI titer during validation. This strategy is highly specific and is designed to provide good estimates of seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in a population, providing specific and reliable data from serosurveys and clinical testing which can be used to better evaluate and understand SARS-CoV-2 immunity and correlates of protection.

Identification of a type III thioesterase reveals the function of an operon crucial for Mtb virulence.

Rv0098 is part of an operon, Rv0096-Rv0101, from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) that is essential for Mtb's survival in mouse macrophages. This operon also contains an acyl carrier protein and one of the only two nonribosomal peptide synthases in Mtb. Rv0098 is annotated in the genome as a hypothetical protein and was proposed to be an acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydratase. The structure of Rv0098, together with subsequent biochemical analysis, indicated that Rv0098 is a long-chain fatty acyl-CoA thioesterase (FcoT). However, FcoT lacks a general base or a nucleophile that is always found in the catalytic site of type II and type I thioesterases, respectively. The active site of Mtb FcoT reveals the structural basis for its substrate specificity for long-chain acyl-CoA and allows us to propose a catalytic mechanism for the enzyme. The characterization of Mtb FcoT provides a putative function of this operon that is crucial for Mtb pathogenicity.

N-Benzyl-4-((heteroaryl)methyl)benzamides: A New Class of Direct NADH-Dependent 2-trans Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase (InhA) Inhibitors with Antitubercular Activity.

Isoniazid (INH) remains one of the cornerstones of antitubercular chemotherapy for drug-sensitive strains of M. tuberculosis bacteria. However, the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains containing mutations in the KatG enzyme, which is responsible for the activation of INH into its antitubercular form, have rendered this drug of little or no use in many cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis. Presented herein is a novel family of antitubercular direct NADH-dependent 2-trans enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (InhA) inhibitors based on an N-benzyl-4-((heteroaryl)methyl)benzamide template; unlike INH, these do not require prior activation by KatG. Given their direct InhA target engagement, these compounds should be able to circumvent KatG-related resistance in the clinic. The lead molecules were shown to be potent inhibitors of InhA and showed activity against M. tuberculosis bacteria. This new family of inhibitors was found to be chemically tractable, as exemplified by the facile synthesis of analogues and the establishment of structure-activity relationships. Furthermore, a co-crystal structure of the initial hit with the enzyme is disclosed, providing valuable information toward the design of new InhA inhibitors for the treatment of MDR/XDR tuberculosis.

Antitubercular drugs for an old target: GSK693 as a promising InhA direct inhibitor.

Despite being one of the first antitubercular agents identified, isoniazid (INH) is still the most prescribed drug for prophylaxis and tuberculosis (TB) treatment and, together with rifampicin, the pillars of current chemotherapy. A high percentage of isoniazid resistance is linked to mutations in the pro-drug activating enzyme KatG, so the discovery of direct inhibitors (DI) of the enoyl-ACP reductase (InhA) has been pursued by many groups leading to the identification of different enzyme inhibitors, active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), but with poor physicochemical properties to be considered as preclinical candidates. Here, we present a series of InhA DI active against multidrug (MDR) and extensively (XDR) drug-resistant clinical isolates as well as in TB murine models when orally dosed that can be a promising foundation for a future treatment.

Discovery of InhA inhibitors with anti-mycobacterial activity through a matched molecular pair approach.

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (mtInhA) is an attractive enzyme and a thoroughly studied target for tuberculosis therapy. In this study, to identify novel structure-activity relationships (SARs) of mtInhA inhibitors, a series of diphenyl ether derivatives were designed based on the matched molecular pair (MMP) method, and the binding energies of these compounds were subsequently estimated by in silico structure-based drug screening (SBDS) to provide more useful data. Consequently, the 10 unique candidate compounds (KEM1-KEM10) were identified and assessed for the inhibition of mtInhA enzymatic activity, in vitro antibiotic effects against model mycobacteria and toxicity level on both intestinal bacteria and mammalian cells. Among the compounds tested, phenyl group (KEM4) and 2-fluorobenzyl group (KEM7) substitutions produced preferable inhibitory effects on mtInhA enzymatic activity relative to those provided by a furyl group (KES4: base compound) at the terminal of the compound, and KEM7 inhibited the growth of the mycobacteria strain with a lower IC50 value. Moreover, most of the candidate compounds exhibited neither inhibition of the growth of enterobacteria nor toxic effects on mammalian cells, though KEM10 exhibited toxicity against cultured MDCK cells. The structural and experimental information concerning these mtInhA inhibitors identified through MMP-based in silico screening will likely contribute to the lead optimisation of novel antibiotics for M. tuberculosis.

Structure of the Mtb CarD/RNAP ß-lobes complex reveals the molecular basis of interaction and presents a distinct DNA-binding domain for Mtb CarD.

CarD from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is an essential protein shown to be involved in stringent response through downregulation of rRNA and ribosomal protein genes. CarD interacts with the ß-subunit of RNAP and this interaction is vital for Mtb's survival during the persistent infection state. We have determined the crystal structure of CarD in complex with the RNAP ß-subunit ß1 and ß2 domains at 2.1 Å resolution. The structure reveals the molecular basis of CarD/RNAP interaction, providing a basis to further our understanding of RNAP regulation by CarD. The structural fold of the CarD N-terminal domain is conserved in RNAP interacting proteins such as TRCF-RID and CdnL, and displays similar interactions to the predicted homology model based on the TRCF/RNAP ß1 structure. Interestingly, the structure of the C-terminal domain, which is required for complete CarD function in vivo, represents a distinct DNA-binding fold.