Library Screening, In Vivo Confirmation, and Structural and Bioinformatic Analysis of Pentapeptide Sequences as Substrates for Protein Farnesyltransferase.

Protein farnesylation is a post-translational modification where a 15-carbon farnesyl isoprenoid is appended to the C-terminal end of a protein by farnesyltransferase (FTase). This process often causes proteins to associate with the membrane and participate in signal transduction pathways. The most common substrates of FTase are proteins that have C-terminal tetrapeptide CaaX box sequences where the cysteine is the site of modification. However, recent work has shown that five amino acid sequences can also be recognized, including the pentapeptides CMIIM and CSLMQ. In this work, peptide libraries were initially used to systematically vary the residues in those two parental sequences using an assay based on Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS). In addition, 192 pentapeptide sequences from the human proteome were screened using that assay to discover additional extended CaaaX-box motifs. Selected hits from that screening effort were rescreened using an in vivo yeast reporter protein assay. The X-ray crystal structure of CMIIM bound to FTase was also solved, showing that the C-terminal tripeptide of that sequence interacted with the enzyme in a similar manner as the C-terminal tripeptide of CVVM, suggesting that the tripeptide comprises a common structural element for substrate recognition in both tetrapeptide and pentapeptide sequences. Molecular dynamics simulation of CMIIM bound to FTase further shed light on the molecular interactions involved, showing that a putative catalytically competent Zn(II)-thiolate species was able to form. Bioinformatic predictions of tetrapeptide (CaaX-box) reactivity correlated well with the reactivity of pentapeptides obtained from in vivo analysis, reinforcing the importance of the C-terminal tripeptide motif. This analysis provides a structural framework for understanding the reactivity of extended CaaaX-box motifs and a method that may be useful for predicting the reactivity of additional FTase substrates bearing CaaaX-box sequences.

MALDI-MS Analysis of Peptide Libraries Expands the Scope of Substrates for Farnesyltransferase.

Protein farnesylation is a post-translational modification where a 15-carbon farnesyl isoprenoid is appended to the C-terminal end of a protein by farnesyltransferase (FTase). This modification typically causes proteins to associate with the membrane and allows them to participate in signaling pathways. In the canonical understanding of FTase, the isoprenoids are attached to the cysteine residue of a four-amino-acid CaaX box sequence. However, recent work has shown that five-amino-acid sequences can be recognized, including the pentapeptide CMIIM. This paper describes a new systematic approach to discover novel peptide substrates for FTase by combining the combinatorial power of solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) with the ease of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The workflow consists of synthesizing focused libraries containing 10-20 sequences obtained by randomizing a synthetic peptide at a single position. Incubation of the library with FTase and farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) followed by mass spectrometric analysis allows the enzymatic products to be clearly resolved from starting peptides due to the increase in mass that occurs upon farnesylation. Using this method, 30 hits were obtained from a series of libraries containing a total of 80 members. Eight of the above peptides were selected for further evaluation, reflecting a mixture that represented a sampling of diverse substrate space. Six of these sequences were found to be bona fide substrates for FTase, with several meeting or surpassing the in vitro efficiency of the benchmark sequence CMIIM. Experiments in yeast demonstrated that proteins bearing these sequences can be efficiently farnesylated within live cells. Additionally, a bioinformatics search showed that a variety of pentapeptide CaaaX sequences can be found in the mammalian genome, and several of these sequences display excellent farnesylation in vitro and in yeast cells, suggesting that the number of farnesylated proteins within mammalian cells may be larger than previously thought.

Thinking outside the CaaX-box: an unusual reversible prenylation on ALDH9A1.

Protein lipidation is a post-translational modification that confers hydrophobicity on protein substrates to control their cellular localization, mediate protein trafficking, and regulate protein function. In particular, protein prenylation is a C-terminal modification on proteins bearing canonical motifs catalyzed by prenyltransferases. Prenylated proteins have been of interest due to their numerous associations with various diseases. Chemical proteomic approaches have been pursued over the last decade to define prenylated proteomes (prenylome) and probe their responses to perturbations in various cellular systems. Here, we describe the discovery of prenylation of a non-canonical prenylated protein, ALDH9A1, which lacks any apparent prenylation motif. This enzyme was initially identified through chemical proteomic profiling of prenylomes in various cell lines. Metabolic labeling with an isoprenoid probe using overexpressed ALDH9A1 revealed that this enzyme can be prenylated inside cells but does not respond to inhibition by prenyltransferase inhibitors. Site-directed mutagenesis of the key residues involved in ALDH9A1 activity indicates that the catalytic C288 bears the isoprenoid modification likely through an NAD+-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, the isoprenoid modification is also susceptible to hydrolysis, indicating a reversible modification. We hypothesize that this modification originates from endogenous farnesal or geranygeranial, the established degradation products of prenylated proteins and results in a thioester form that accumulates. This novel reversible prenoyl modification on ALDH9A1 expands the current paradigm of protein prenylation by illustrating a potentially new type of protein-lipid modification that may also serve as a novel mechanism for controlling enzyme function.

Synthesis, Enzymatic Peptide Incorporation, and Applications of Diazirine-Containing Isoprenoid Diphosphate Analogues.

Prenylated proteins contain C15 or C20 isoprenoids linked to cysteine residues positioned near their C-termini. Here we describe the preparation of isoprenoid diphosphate analogues incorporating diazirine groups that can be used to probe interactions between prenylated proteins and other proteins that interact with them. Studies using synthetic peptides and whole proteins demonstrate that these diazirine analogues are efficient substrates for prenyltransferases. Photo-cross-linking experiments using peptides incorporating the diazirine-functionalized isoprenoids selectively cross-link to several different proteins. These new isoprenoid analogues should be broadly useful in the studies of protein prenylation.