A Poly-ADP-Ribose Trigger Releases the Auto-Inhibition of a Chromatin Remodeling Oncogene.

DNA damage triggers chromatin remodeling by mechanisms that are poorly understood. The oncogene and chromatin remodeler ALC1/CHD1L massively decompacts chromatin in vivo yet is inactive prior to DNA-damage-mediated PARP1 induction. We show that the interaction of the ALC1 macrodomain with the ATPase module mediates auto-inhibition. PARP1 activation suppresses this inhibitory interaction. Crucially, release from auto-inhibition requires a poly-ADP-ribose (PAR) binding macrodomain. We identify tri-ADP-ribose as a potent PAR-mimic and synthetic allosteric effector that abrogates ATPase-macrodomain interactions, promotes an ungated conformation, and activates the remodeler's ATPase. ALC1 fragments lacking the regulatory macrodomain relax chromatin in vivo without requiring PARP1 activation. Further, the ATPase restricts the macrodomain's interaction with PARP1 under non-DNA damage conditions. Somatic cancer mutants disrupt ALC1's auto-inhibition and activate chromatin remodeling. Our data show that the NAD+-metabolite and nucleic acid PAR triggers ALC1 to drive chromatin relaxation. Modular allostery in this oncogene tightly controls its robust, DNA-damage-dependent activation.

ADP-ribosylhydrolase activity of Chikungunya virus macrodomain is critical for virus replication and virulence.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an Old World alphavirus, is transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes and causes acute rash and arthritis, occasionally complicated by neurologic disease and chronic arthritis. One determinant of alphavirus virulence is nonstructural protein 3 (nsP3) that contains a highly conserved MacroD-type macrodomain at the N terminus, but the roles of nsP3 and the macrodomain in virulence have not been defined. Macrodomain is a conserved protein fold found in several plus-strand RNA viruses that binds to the small molecule ADP-ribose. Prototype MacroD-type macrodomains also hydrolyze derivative linkages on the distal ribose ring. Here, we demonstrated that the CHIKV nsP3 macrodomain is able to hydrolyze ADP-ribose groups from mono(ADP-ribosyl)ated proteins. Using mass spectrometry, we unambiguously defined its substrate specificity as mono(ADP-ribosyl)ated aspartate and glutamate but not lysine residues. Mutant viruses lacking hydrolase activity were unable to replicate in mammalian BHK-21 cells or mosquito Aedes albopictus cells and rapidly reverted catalytically inactivating mutations. Mutants with reduced enzymatic activity had slower replication in mammalian neuronal cells and reduced virulence in 2-day-old mice. Therefore, nsP3 mono(ADP-ribosyl)hydrolase activity is critical for CHIKV replication in both vertebrate hosts and insect vectors, and for virulence in mice.

Synthesis, Reactivity, and Stereoselectivity of 4-Thiofuranosides.

Thiosugars, sugars that have their endocyclic oxygen substituted for a sulfur atom, have been used as stable bioisosteres of naturally occurring glycans because the thiosugar glycosydic linkage is supposed to be stabilized toward chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis. We have performed an in-depth investigation into the stability and reactivity of furanosyl thiacarbenium ions, by assessing all four diastereoisomeric thiofuranosides experimentally and computationally. We show that all furanosyl thiacarbenium ions react in a 1,2- cis-selective manner with triethylsilane, reminiscent of their oxo counterparts. The computed conformational space occupied by the thiacarbenium ions is strikingly similar to that of the corresponding furanosyl oxycarbenium ions, indicating that the stereoelectronic substituent effects governing the stability of furanosyl oxocarbenium ions and thiacarbenium ions are very similar. While the thio- ribo-furanose appears to be less reactive than its oxo counterpart, the thio- ara-, lyxo-, and xylo-furanosides appear to be more reactive than their oxygen equivalents. These differences are accounted for using the conformational preference of the donors and the carbocation intermediates. The lower reactivity of the thio- ribo furanosides in (Lewis) acid-mediated reactions and the similarity of the thia- and oxocarbenium ions make thio- ribo-furanosides excellent stabilized analogues of the naturally occurring ribo-furanose sugars.

New Quantitative Mass Spectrometry Approaches Reveal Different ADP-ribosylation Phases Dependent On the Levels of Oxidative Stress.

Oxidative stress is a potent inducer of protein ADP-ribosylation. Although individual oxidative stress-induced ADP-ribosylated proteins have been identified, it is so far not clear to which extent different degrees of stress severity quantitatively and qualitatively alter ADP-ribosylation. Here, we investigated both quantitative and qualitative changes of the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced ADP-ribosylome using a label-free shotgun quantification and a parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) mass spectrometry approach for a selected number of identified ADP-ribosylated peptides. Although the major part of the basal HeLa ADP-ribosylome remained unchanged upon all tested H2O2 concentrations, some selected peptides change the extent of ADP-ribosylation depending on the degree of the applied oxidative stress. Low oxidative stress (i.e. 4 µm and 16 µm H2O2) caused a reduction in ADP-ribosylation of modified proteins detected under untreated conditions. In contrast, mid to strong oxidative stress (62 µm to 1 mm H2O2) induced a significant increase in ADP-ribosylation of oxidative stress-targeted proteins. The application of the PRM approach to SKOV3 and A2780, ovarian cancer cells displaying different sensitivities to PARP inhibitors, revealed that the basal and the H2O2-induced ADP-ribosylomes of SKOV3 and A2780 differed significantly and that the sensitivity to PARP inhibitors correlated with the level of ARTD1 expression in these cells. Overall, this new PRM-MS approach has proven to be sensitive in monitoring alterations of the ADP-ribosylome and has revealed unexpected alterations in proteins ADP-ribosylation depending on the degree of oxidative stress.

A General Approach Towards Triazole-Linked Adenosine Diphosphate Ribosylated Peptides and Proteins.

Current methods to prepare adenosine diphosphate ribosylated (ADPr) peptides are not generally applicable due to the labile nature of this post-translational modification and its incompatibility with strong acidic conditions used in standard solid-phase peptide synthesis. A general strategy is presented to prepare ADPr peptide analogues based on a copper-catalyzed click reaction between an azide-modified peptide and an alkyne-modified ADPr counterpart. The scope of this approach was expanded to proteins by preparing two ubiquitin ADPr analogues carrying the biological relevant α-glycosidic linkage. Biochemical validation using Legionella effector enzyme SdeA shows that clicked ubiquitin ADPr is well-tolerated and highlights the potential of this strategy to prepare ADPr proteins.

Synthesis and Macrodomain Binding of Mono-ADP-Ribosylated Peptides.

Mono-ADP-ribosylation is a dynamic posttranslational modification (PTM) with important roles in signaling. Mammalian proteins that recognize or hydrolyze mono-ADP-ribosylated proteins have been described. We report the synthesis of ADP-ribosylated peptides from the proteins histone H2B, RhoA and, HNP-1. An innovative procedure was applied that makes use of pre-phosphorylated amino acid building blocks. Binding assays revealed that the macrodomains of human MacroD2 and TARG1 exhibit distinct specificities for the different ADP-ribosylated peptides, thus showing that the sequence surrounding ADP-ribosylated residues affects the substrate selectivity of macrodomains.

Chemoselective Cleavage of p-Methoxybenzyl and 2-Naphthylmethyl Ethers Using a Catalytic Amount of HCl in Hexafluoro-2-propanol.

A new, fast, mild and chemoselective deprotection method to cleave p-methoxybenzyl and 2-naphthylmethyl ethers using catalytic amounts of hydrochloric acid in a 1:1 mixture of hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) and methylene chloride (DCM) is described. The scope of the methodology becomes apparent from 14 examples of orthogonally protected monosaccharides that are subjected to HCl/HFIP treatment. The applicability of the HCl/HFIP method is illustrated by the synthesis of a sulfated ß-mannuronic acid disaccharide.

Synthesis of well-defined adenosine diphosphate ribose oligomers.

The post-translational modification of proteins that is known as adenosine diphosphate ribosylation (ADPr) regulates a wide variety of important biological processes, such as DNA-damage repair and cellular metabolism. This modification is also involved in carcinogenesis and the process of aging. Therefore, a better understanding of the function of ADP-ribosylation is crucial for the development of novel therapeutics. To facilitate the elucidation of the biology of ADPr, the availability of well-defined fragments of poly(ADP-ribose) is essential. Herein we report a solid-phase synthetic approach for the preparation of ADP-ribose oligomers of exactly defined length. The methodology is exemplified by the first reported synthesis of an ADP-ribose dimer and trimer.

4-Thioribose Analogues of Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose (ADPr) Peptides.

Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) ribosylation is an important post-translational modification (PTM) that plays a role in a wide variety of cellular processes. To study the enzymes responsible for the establishment, recognition, and removal of this PTM, stable analogues are invaluable tools. We describe the design and synthesis of a 4-thioribosyl APRr peptide that has been assembled by solid phase synthesis. The key 4-thioribosyl serine building block was obtained in a stereoselective glycosylation reaction using an alkynylbenzoate 4-thioribosyl donor.

ADPr-Peptide Synthesis.

Synthetic mono-ADPr-peptides are useful for structural, biochemical, and proteomics studies. We describe here a protocol for the preparation of mono-ADPr-peptides based on a fairly standard Fmoc-based solid-phase synthesis. Phosphoribosylated precursor building blocks are introduced into the peptide chain on solid-phase and subsequently converted to ADPr-sites by chemical phosphorylation with adenosine phosphoramidite. Suitably protected phosphoribosylated glutamine, asparagine, and citrulline building blocks described in this protocol allow introduction of ADP-Gln, ADPr-Asn, and ADPr-Cit into peptide chains as demonstrated for three peptides. Trifunctional amino acids, for which base-sensitive side-chain protection is available, can be accommodated in the sequences flanking the ADPr-cites.

Synthesis of ribosyl-ribosyl-adenosine-5',5'',5'''(triphosphate)-the naturally occurring branched fragment of poly(ADP ribose).

Poly-adenosine diphosphate ribose (PAR) is a branched biopolymer that occurs as a result of post-translational modification of proteins. In 1981 Miwa et al. determined the structure of enzymatically prepared branched PAR. We present the first synthesis of the same branched PAR fragment and have shown by NMR that the structure proposed by Miwa is correct.

Solid-Phase Synthesis of Oligo-ADP-Ribose.

Solid-phase methodology for synthesis of adenosine diphosphate ribose oligomers (ADPr-oligomers) of defined length is described using an advanced 2-ribosyl adenosine phosphoramidite building block that is prepared in solution via an expeditious and high-yielding method. The methodology is based on phosphitylation of a phosphomonoester as the key condensation step in the solid-phase protocol. As ADP-ribosylation appears to be an important yet poorly understood post-translational modification of proteins, the presented methodology for rapid synthesis of ADPr-fragments of exactly defined length should be of interest for researchers in the field of structural biology and cell biology. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Branching of poly(ADP-ribose): Synthesis of the Core Motif.

The synthesis of the core motif of branched poly(adenosine diphosphate ribose) (poly(ADPr)) is described, and structural analysis reasserted the proposed stereochemistry for branching. For the synthesis, a ribose trisaccharide was first constructed with only α-O-glycosidic linkages. Finally, the adenine nucleobase was introduced via a Vorbrüggen-type glycosylation reaction. The orthogonality of the selected protecting groups was demonstrated, allowing for the construction of branched poly(ADPr) oligomers in the near future.

Stereoselective ribosylation of amino acids.

The glycosylation properties of ribofuranosyl N-phenyltrifluoroacetimidates toward carboxamide side chains of asparagine and glutamine were investigated. Conditions were found that promote nearly exclusive formation of the α-anomerically configured N-glycosides. The strategy allows for the synthesis of Fmoc-amino acids suitably modified for the preparation of ADP-ribosylated peptides. Furthermore, ribosylation of serine with these donors proved to be completely α-selective, and for the first time, α-ribosylated glutamic and aspartic acid, the naturally occurring sites for poly-ADP-ribosylation, were synthesized.