Functional EGF domain of the human neuregulin 1α produced in Escherichia coli with accurate disulfide bonds.

BACKGROUND: Neuregulins comprise a large family of growth factors containing an epidermal growth factor (EGF) domain. NRG1 acts in signaling pathways involved in proliferation, apoptosis, migration, differentiation, and adhesion of many normal cell types and in human diseases. The EGF domain of NRG1 mediates signaling by interaction with members of the ErbB family of receptors. Easy access to correctly folded hNRG1α EGF domain can be a valuable tool to investigate its function in different cell types. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The EGF domain of hNRG1α was produced in Escherichia coli in fusion with TrxA and purified after cleavage of TrxA. Conformation and stability analyses were performed by using biophysical methods and the disulfide bonds were mapped by mass spectrometry. The activity of the hNRG1α EGF domain was demonstrated in cell proliferation and migration assays. RESULTS: Approximately 3.3 mg of hNRG1α EGF domain were obtained starting from a 0.5 L of E. coli culture. Correct formation of the three disulfide bonds was demonstrated by mass spectrometry with high accuracy. Heat denaturation assays monitored by circular dichroism and dynamic light scattering revealed that it is a highly stable protein. The recombinant EGF domain of hNRG1α purified in this work is highly active, inducing cell proliferation at concentration as low as 0.05 ng/mL. It induces also cell migration as demonstrated by a gap closure assay. CONCLUSION: The EGF domain of hNRG1α was produced in E. coli with the correct disulfide bonds and presented high stimulation of HeLa cell proliferation and NDFH cell migration.

Toxicity of spike fragments SARS-CoV-2 S protein for zebrafish: A tool to study its hazardous for human health?

Despite the significant increase in the generation of SARS-CoV-2 contaminated domestic and hospital wastewater, little is known about the ecotoxicological effects of the virus or its structural components in freshwater vertebrates. In this context, this study evaluated the deleterious effects caused by SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein on the health of Danio rerio, zebrafish. We demonstrated, for the first time, that zebrafish injected with fragment 16 to 165 (rSpike), which corresponds to the N-terminal portion of the protein, presented mortalities and adverse effects on liver, kidney, ovary and brain tissues. The conserved genetic homology between zebrafish and humans might be one of the reasons for the intense toxic effects followed inflammatory reaction from the immune system of zebrafish to rSpike which provoked damage to organs in a similar pattern as happen in severe cases of COVID-19 in humans, and, resulted in 78,6% of survival rate in female adults during the first seven days. The application of spike protein in zebrafish was highly toxic that is suitable for future studies to gather valuable information about ecotoxicological impacts, as well as vaccine responses and therapeutic approaches in human medicine. Therefore, besides representing an important tool to assess the harmful effects of SARS-CoV-2 in the aquatic environment, we present the zebrafish as an animal model for translational COVID-19 research.

Caracterização de dois pares efetor/inibidor associados ao sistema de secreção tipo IV de Xanthomonas citri / Characterization of the two effector/inhibitor pair associated with the type IV secretion system of Xanthomonas citri

O sistema de secreção tipo IV (T4SS) da família de bactérias Xanthomonadaceae transfere efetores (X-Tfes) com a capacidade de matar outras bactérias, conferindo uma vantagem em comunidades bacterianas mistas para colonizar diferentes nichos como o solo ou as superfícies das plantas. Os X-Tfes possuem diferentes domínios putativos com atividades hidrolíticas contra componentes do envelope celular bacteriano do tipo: glicohidrolases, transglicosilases, amidases e lipases. Os X-Tfes por sua atividade biológica inata podem ocasionar dano intracelular para a bactéria que os produz. Para se proteger contra estas atividades, também são produzidas lipoproteínas com função inibitoria (X-Tfis) localizadas no periplasma. Os genes que codificam os X-Tfes e os X-Tfis estão organizados em operons, o que permite gerar os pares efetor/inibidor simultaneamente. Entre os potenciais X-Tfes do fitopatógeno Xanthomonas citri estão Xac1918 e Xac0574. Xac1918 é uma proteína com um domínio da superfamília da lisozima e um domínio conhecido como RTX (Repeats in Toxin) de ligação ao cálcio, enquanto Xac0574 tem um domínio da superfamília da lipase 3. Os seus possíveis inibidores, Xac1917 e Xac0573 respectivamente, apresentam um peptídeo sinal no N-terminal contendo o lipobox representativo das lipoproteínas. As proteínas Xac0574 e Xac0573 são monômeros em solução que formam um complexo estável 1:1, favorecido termodinamicamente (ΔG°= -12 Kcal/mol) com uma constante de dissociação de 2,45 nM, garantindo que a bactéria fique protegida contra os efeitos nocivos de Xac0574 quando é produzida intracelularmente. Xac0574 é uma fosfolipase A1, sem atividade lisofosfolipase, com a capacidade de hidrolisar os três fosfolipídios majoritários que compõem a membrana celular bacteriana, fosfatidilglicerol (PG), cardiolipina e fosfatidiletanolamina (PE), mostrando uma aparente preferência pelo último. A atividade enzimática de Xac0574 explica a forte inibição do crescimento celular em E. coli após da sua indução heteróloga, já que gera uma diminuição de quase 10 vezes da população celular comparada com a cultura não induzida com a mesma construção. Poroutro lado, Xac0573 inibe efetivamente a atividade enzimática de Xac0574 ao formar o complexo, além de não ter atividade fosfolipase nem lisofosfolipase. Foram produzidos cristais da Xac1918 e Xac0573 que difrataram com uma resolução de 3,0 e 2,5 Å, respectivamente. Porém, só foi gerado um modelo de Xac0573. Xac0573 está composta por duas folhas ß antiparalelas com uma topologia característica de ß sanduíche Com uma pequena hélice e duas voltas. Um alinhamento de homólogos de Xac0573 identificou nas extremidades da proteína as regiões conservadas, constituindo duas possíveis interfaces de interação que podem ser as responsáveis por bloquear o acesso dos fosfolipídios ao sítio catalítico ou impedir os rearranjos estruturais de Xac0574 que são necessários para a sua atividade enzimática. Adicionalmente, a topologia da Xac0573 é semelhante do domínio C2, conhecido em eucariotos como domínio de ligação ao lipídio e ao cálcio, e está envolvido em processos de sinalização de segundos mensageiros lipídicos, proteínas de trafego de membranas e mecanismos de fusão de membranas. Nossos resultados apontam para uma nova função biológica do domínio C2 como um inibidor enzimático intracelular em bactérias

The type IV secretion system (T4SS) of the bacteria family Xanthomonadaceae transfers effectors (X-Tfes) with that can kill other bacterial cells, conferring an advantage to the bacterial community during colonization of different niches in the soil or on the plant surface. The X-Tfes possess different putative domains with hydrolytic activity against components of the bacterial cellular envelope, including glycohydrolase, transglycolase, amidase and lipase domain. The innate biological activity of X-Tfes can cause intracellular damage. Therefore, the bacteria that produce them also produce lipoproteins with inhibitor function (X-Tfis) located in the periplasm for their protection. The genes that code for X-Tfes and X-Tfis are organized in operons that allow for their simultaneous expression. Among the X-Tfes of the phytopathogen Xanthomonas citri are Xac1918 and Xac0574. Xac1918 is carries a lysozyme superfamily domain, as well as a domain known as RTX (Repeats in Toxic) predict to bind calcium, while, Xac0574 has a domain belonging to the lipase 3 superfamily. Their possible inhibitors, Xac1917 e Xac0573 respectively, carry an N-terminal signal peptide containing a lipobox found in bacterial lipoproteins. The Xac0574 and Xac0573 proteins are both monomers in solution, They can form a stable 1:1 complex, that is thermodynamically favored (ΔG°= -12 Kcal/mol) with a dissociation constant of 2,45 nM. This affinity ensure that the bacterium is protected against the harmful effects of Xac0574 when it is produced intracellularly. We show that Xac0574 is a phospholipase A1, without lisophospholipase activity, and is able to hydrolyze the three most common phospholipids found in the membranes of Gram negative bacteria, namely phosphatidylglycerol (PG), cardiolipin and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), presenting an apparent preference for PE. The enzymatic activity of Xac0574 explains the strong inhibition of growth of E. coli cells after its heterologous induction: a nearly 10-fold decrease in the cell population is observed when compared to the non-induced culture with the same construct. On the other hand, Xac0573 effectively inhibits the enzymatic activity of Xac0574. Furthermore, Xac0573 does not possess when forming the complex, besides not having phospholipase nor lysophospholipase activity.Crystals of Xac1918 and Xac0573 were produced which diffracted with to resolution of 3.0 and 2.5 Å, respectively. However, we were able to resolve the structure of only Xac0573. Xac0573 is composed of two anti-parallel sheet that form a ß-sandwich with three small helices. An alignment to Xac0573 homologs identified conserved regions at the ends of the protein that constitute two possible interfaces of interaction that may be responsible for blocking the access of the phospholipids to the catalytic site or impede the structural rearrangements of Xac0574 that are necessary for its enzymatic activity. Additionally, the topology of Xac0573 is similar to that to C2 domains, known in eukaryotes to bind lipids and calcium and to be involved in signaling processes mediated by lipid second messengers, membrane trafficking and membrane fusion mechanisms. Our results point to a new biological function of the C2 domain as an intracellular enzyme inhibitor in bacteria