Functional and structural insights into the multi-step activation and catalytic mechanism of bacterial ExoY nucleotidyl cyclase toxins bound to actin-profilin.

ExoY virulence factors are members of a family of bacterial nucleotidyl cyclases (NCs) that are activated by specific eukaryotic cofactors and overproduce cyclic purine and pyrimidine nucleotides in host cells. ExoYs act as actin-activated NC toxins. Here, we explore the Vibrio nigripulchritudo Multifunctional-Autoprocessing Repeats-in-ToXin (MARTX) ExoY effector domain (Vn-ExoY) as a model for ExoY-type members that interact with monomeric (G-actin) instead of filamentous (F-actin) actin. Vn-ExoY exhibits moderate binding affinity to free or profilin-bound G-actin but can capture the G-actin:profilin complex, preventing its spontaneous or VASP- or formin-mediated assembly at F-actin barbed ends in vitro. This mechanism may prolong the activated cofactor-bound state of Vn-ExoY at sites of active actin cytoskeleton remodelling. We present a series of high-resolution crystal structures of nucleotide-free, 3'-deoxy-ATP- or 3'-deoxy-CTP-bound Vn-ExoY, activated by free or profilin-bound G-actin-ATP/-ADP, revealing that the cofactor only partially stabilises the nucleotide-binding pocket (NBP) of NC toxins. Substrate binding induces a large, previously-unidentified, closure of their NBP, confining catalytically important residues and metal cofactors around the substrate, and facilitating the recruitment of two metal ions to tightly coordinate the triphosphate moiety of purine or pyrimidine nucleotide substrates. We validate critical residues for both the purinyl and pyrimidinyl cyclase activity of NC toxins in Vn-ExoY and its distantly-related ExoY from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which specifically interacts with F-actin. The data conclusively demonstrate that NC toxins employ a similar two-metal-ion mechanism for catalysing the cyclisation of nucleotides of different sizes. These structural insights into the dynamics of the actin-binding interface of actin-activated ExoYs and the multi-step activation of all NC toxins offer new perspectives for the specific inhibition of class II bacterial NC enzymes.

Bacterial Nucleotidyl Cyclases Activated by Calmodulin or Actin in Host Cells: Enzyme Specificities and Cytotoxicity Mechanisms Identified to Date.

Many pathogens manipulate host cell cAMP signaling pathways to promote their survival and proliferation. Bacterial Exoenzyme Y (ExoY) toxins belong to a family of invasive, structurally-related bacterial nucleotidyl cyclases (NC). Inactive in bacteria, they use proteins that are uniquely and abundantly present in eukaryotic cells to become potent, unregulated NC enzymes in host cells. Other well-known members of the family include Bacillus anthracis Edema Factor (EF) and Bordetella pertussis CyaA. Once bound to their eukaryotic protein cofactor, they can catalyze supra-physiological levels of various cyclic nucleotide monophosphates in infected cells. Originally identified in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, ExoY-related NC toxins appear now to be more widely distributed among various γ- and ß-proteobacteria. ExoY-like toxins represent atypical, poorly characterized members within the NC toxin family. While the NC catalytic domains of EF and CyaA toxins use both calmodulin as cofactor, their counterparts in ExoY-like members from pathogens of the genus Pseudomonas or Vibrio use actin as a potent cofactor, in either its monomeric or polymerized form. This is an original subversion of actin for cytoskeleton-targeting toxins. Here, we review recent advances on the different members of the NC toxin family to highlight their common and distinct functional characteristics at the molecular, cytotoxic and enzymatic levels, and important aspects that need further characterizations.

Characterization of association of human mitochondrial lysyl-tRNA synthetase with HIV-1 Pol and tRNA3Lys.

BACKGROUND: An important step in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication is the packaging of tRNA3Lys from the host cell, which plays the role of primer RNA in the process of initiation of reverse transcription. The viral GagPol polyprotein precursor, and the human mitochondrial lysyl-tRNA synthetase (mLysRS) from the host cell, have been proposed to be involved in the packaging process. More specifically, the catalytic domain of mLysRS is supposed to interact with the transframe (TF or p6*) and integrase (IN) domains of the Pol region of the GagPol polyprotein. RESULTS: In this work, we report a quantitative characterization of the protein:protein interactions between mLysRS and its viral partners, the Pol polyprotein, and the isolated integrase and transframe domains of Pol. A dissociation constant of 1.3 ± 0.2 nM was determined for the Pol:mLysRS interaction, which exemplifies the robustness of this association. The protease and reverse transcriptase domains of GagPol are dispensable in this association, but the TF and IN domains have to be connected by a linker polypeptide to recapitulate a high affinity partner for mLysRS. The binding of the viral proteins to mLysRS does not dramatically enhance the binding affinity of mLysRS for tRNA3Lys. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the conclusion that the complex formed between GagPol, mLysRS and tRNA3Lys, which involves direct interactions between the IN and TF domains of Pol with mLysRS, is more robust than suggested by the previous models supposed to be involved in the packaging of tRNA3Lys into HIV-1 particles.

Activation of human mitochondrial lysyl-tRNA synthetase upon maturation of its premitochondrial precursor.

The cytoplasmic and mitochondrial species of human lysyl-tRNA synthetase are encoded by a single gene by means of alternative splicing of the KARS1 gene. The cytosolic enzyme possesses a eukaryote-specific N-terminal polypeptide extension that confers on the native enzyme potent tRNA binding properties required for the vectorial transfer of tRNA from the synthetase to elongation factor EF1A within the eukaryotic translation machinery. The mitochondrial enzyme matures from its precursor upon being targeted to that organelle. To understand how the cytosolic and mitochondrial enzymes are adapted to participate in two distinct translation machineries, of eukaryotic or bacterial origin, we characterized the mitochondrial LysRS species. Here we report that cleavage of the precursor of mitochondrial LysRS leads to a mature enzyme with reduced tRNA binding properties compared to those of the cytoplasmic counterpart. This adaptation mechanism may prevent inhibition of translation through sequestration of lysyl-tRNA on the synthetase in a compartment where the bacterial-like elongation factor EF-Tu could not assist in its dissociation from the synthetase. We also observed that the RxxxKRxxK tRNA-binding motif of mitochondrial LysRS is not functional in the precursor form of that enzyme and becomes operational after cleavage of the mitochondrial targeting sequence. The finding that maturation of the precursor is needed to reveal the potent tRNA binding properties of this enzyme has strong implications for the spatiotemporal regulation of its activities and is consistent with previous studies suggesting that the only LysRS species able to promote packaging of tRNA(Lys) into HIV-1 viral particles is the mature form of the mitochondrial enzyme.

How HIV-1 Integrase Associates with Human Mitochondrial Lysyl-tRNA Synthetase.

Replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) requires the packaging of tRNALys,3 from the host cell into the new viral particles. The GagPol viral polyprotein precursor associates with mitochondrial lysyl-tRNA synthetase (mLysRS) in a complex with tRNALys, an essential step to initiate reverse transcription in the virions. The C-terminal integrase moiety of GagPol is essential for its association with mLysRS. We show that integrases from HIV-1 and HIV-2 bind mLysRS with the same efficiency. In this work, we have undertaken to probe the three-dimensional (3D) architecture of the complex of integrase with mLysRS. We first established that the C-terminal domain (CTD) of integrase is the major interacting domain with mLysRS. Using the pBpa-photo crosslinking approach, inter-protein cross-links were observed involving amino acid residues located at the surface of the catalytic domain of mLysRS and of the CTD of integrase. In parallel, using molecular docking simulation, a single structural model of complex was found to outscore other alternative conformations. Consistent with crosslinking experiments, this structural model was further probed experimentally. Five compensatory mutations in the two partners were successfully designed which supports the validity of the model. The complex highlights that binding of integrase could stabilize the tRNALys:mLysRS interaction.

Use of protein biotinylation in vivo for immunoelectron microscopic localization of a specific protein isoform.

Tagging of proteins in vivo by covalent attachment of a biotin moiety has emerged as a new prospective tool for protein detection and purification. Previously, we established a strategy for expression of in vivo biotinylated proteins in mammalian cells. It is based on coexpression of the protein of interest fused to a short biotin acceptor peptide and biotin ligase BirA cloned in the same vector. We show here that the in vivo biotinylation can be used for immunogold postembedding labeling in immunoelectron microscopy experiments. We show that immunoelectron microscopy with biotinylated nuclear proteins is compatible with a wide range of postembedding methods, facilitating combination of morphological and localization studies in a single experiment. We also show that the method works in both transient transfection and stable cell line expression protocols and can be used for colocalization studies. This manuscript contains online supplemental material at http://www.jhc.org. Please visit this article online to view these materials.

Mutations in MARS identified in a specific type of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis alter methionyl-tRNA synthetase activity.

Biallelic missense mutations in MARS are responsible for rare but severe cases of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) prevalent on the island of La Réunion. MARS encodes cytosolic methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS), an essential translation factor. The multisystemic effects observed in patients with this form of PAP are consistent with a loss-of-function defect in an ubiquitously expressed enzyme. The pathophysiological mechanisms involved in MARS-related PAP are currently unknown. In this work, we analyzed the effect of the PAP-related mutations in MARS on the thermal stability and on the catalytic parameters of the MetRS mutants, relative to wild-type. The effect of these mutations on the structural integrity of the enzyme as a member of the cytosolic multisynthetase complex was also investigated. Our results establish that the PAP-related substitutions in MetRS impact the tRNAMet -aminoacylation reaction especially at the level of methionine recognition, and suggest a direct link between the loss of activity of the enzyme and the pathological disorders in PAP.

Association of human mitochondrial lysyl-tRNA synthetase with HIV-1 GagPol does not require other viral proteins.

In human, the cytoplasmic (cLysRS) and mitochondrial (mLysRS) species of lysyl-tRNA synthetase are encoded by a single gene. Following HIV-1 infection, mLysRS is selectively taken up into viral particles along with the three tRNALys isoacceptors. The GagPol polyprotein precursor is involved in this process. With the aim to reconstitute in vitro the HIV-1 tRNA3Lys packaging complex, we first searched for the putative involvement of another viral protein in the selective viral hijacking of mLysRS only. After screening all the viral proteins, we observed that Vpr and Rev have the potential to interact with mLysRS, but that this association does not take place at the level of the assembly of mLysRS into the packaging complex. We also show that tRNA3Lys can form a ternary complex with the two purified proteins mLysRS and the Pol domain of GagPol, which mimicks its packaging complex.

Marked activity of irofulven toward human carcinoma cells: comparison with cisplatin and ecteinascidin.

PURPOSE: To characterize the activities of irofulven, a novelanticancer agent derived from the mushroom natural productilludin S toward human cancer cells. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We have determined the activity spectrum of irofulven toward a human tumor cell panel comprised of 10 different tumor types in comparison with cisplatin and ET-743. We have also evaluated the influence of major resistance mechanisms, such as expression of multidrug resistance-associated drug efflux pumps, cisplatin resistance, loss of p53 function, and absence of mismatch repair on the cytotoxic activity of irofulven. RESULTS: The activity spectrum of irofulven is clearly different from that of ET-743 and cisplatin. Irofulven shows excellent cytotoxicity toward the majority of human carcinoma cell lines tested, but lesser activity toward sarcoma and leukemia cell lines. The cytotoxic activity of irofulven was particularly pronounced toward head and neck, non-small cell lung, colon, and ovary carcinoma cells, as well as toward malignant glioma cell lines. In addition, irofulven displayed good activity toward poorly differentiated, androgen-independent prostate cancer cells and cell lines expressing high levels of the detoxifying enzymes glutathione S-transferase and gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase. The cytotoxicity of irofulven was not affected by loss of p53 or mismatch repair function, and the drug was not a substrate for multidrug transporters, such as the P-glycoprotein and multidrug resistance protein 1. CONCLUSIONS: Irofulven has an unusual activity spectrum with strong activity toward tumor cells of epithelial origin. Furthermore, irofulven is not or only marginally affected by resistance mechanisms limiting the efficacy of other alkylating agents.

Association of mitochondrial Lysyl-tRNA synthetase with HIV-1 GagPol involves catalytic domain of the synthetase and transframe and integrase domains of Pol.

Cytosolic and mitochondrial lysyl-tRNA synthetases (LysRS) are encoded by a single gene and can be distinguished only according to their very N-terminal sequences. It was believed that cytosolic LysRS is packaged into HIV-1 virions via its association with Gag. Using monospecific antibodies, it was later shown that only the mitochondrial LysRS is taken up in viral particles along with tRNA(3)(Lys), the primer for reverse transcription of the HIV-1 genome. In this work, we re-analyzed the interaction between LysRS and GagPol to determine whether the particular N-terminal sequence of mitochondrial LysRS triggers a specific recognition with GagPol, or if differential routing of the two LysRS species in vivo could explain specific and exclusive packaging of the mitochondrial species. Here, we show that LysRS associates with the Pol domain of GagPol. More specifically, the transframe (TF or p6) and integrase (IN) domain proteins of Pol interact with the catalytic domain of LysRS. A model of the assembly of the LysRS-tRNA(3)(Lys)-GagPol packaging complex is proposed, which is consistent with the release of its different components after maturation of GagPol in the virions. The cytoplasmic and mitochondrial LysRS species share an identical catalytic domain. Accordingly, we found that both enzymes have the intrinsic capacity to bind to GagPol in vitro. In addition, both enzymes interact with p38 in vitro, the scaffold protein of the cytoplasmic multi-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex, even though only the cytoplasmic species of LysRS is a bona fide component of this complex. These results suggest that the different LysRS species are strictly targeted in vivo, and open new perspectives for the search of a new class of inhibitors of the HIV-1 development cycle that would block the packaging of tRNA(3)(Lys) into viral particles.