Crystal structure of linoleate 13R-manganese lipoxygenase in complex with an adhesion protein.

The crystal structure of 13R-manganese lipoxygenase (MnLOX) of Gaeumannomyces graminis (Gg) in complex with zonadhesin of Pichia pastoris was solved by molecular replacement. Zonadhesin contains ß-strands in two subdomains. A comparison of Gg-MnLOX with the 9S-MnLOX of Magnaporthe oryzae (Mo) shows that the protein fold and the geometry of the metal ligands are conserved. The U-shaped active sites differ mainly due to hydrophobic residues of the substrate channel. The volumes and two hydrophobic side pockets near the catalytic base may sanction oxygenation at C-13 and C-9, respectively. Gly-332 of Gg-MnLOX is positioned in the substrate channel between the entrance and the metal center. Replacements with larger residues could restrict oxygen and substrate to reach the active site. C18 fatty acids are likely positioned with C-11 between Mn(2+)OH2 and Leu-336 for hydrogen abstraction and with one side of the 12Z double bond shielded by Phe-337 to prevent antarafacial oxygenation at C-13 and C-11. Phe-347 is positioned at the end of the substrate channel and replacement with smaller residues can position C18 fatty acids for oxygenation at C-9. Gg-MnLOX does not catalyze the sequential lipoxygenation of n-3 fatty acids in contrast to Mo-MnLOX, which illustrates the different configurations of their substrate channels.

Dynamic niche-specific adaptations in Neisseria meningitidis during infection.

Neisseria meningitidis is an opportunistic human pathogen that usually colonizes the nasopharyngeal mucosa asymptomatically. Upon invasion into the blood and central nervous system, this bacterium triggers a fulminant inflammatory reaction with the manifestations of septicemia and meningitis, causing high morbidity and mortality. To reveal the bacterial adaptations to specific and dynamic host environments, we performed a comprehensive proteomic survey of N. meningitidis isolated from the nasal mucosa, CSF and blood of a mouse disease model. We could identify 51 proteins whose expression pattern has been changed during infection, many of which have not yet been characterized. The abundance of proteins was markedly lower in the bacteria isolated from the nasal mucosa compared to the bacteria from the blood and CSF, indicating that initiating adhesion is the harshest challenge for meningococci. The high abundance of the glutamate dehydrogenase (GdhA) and Opa1800 proteins in all bacterial isolates suggests their essential role in bacterial survival in vivo. To evaluate the biological relevance of our proteomic findings, four candidate proteins from representative functional groups, such as the bacterial chaperone GroEL, IMP dehydrogenase GuaB, and membrane proteins PilQ and NMC0101, were selected and their impact on bacterial fitness was investigated by mutagenesis assays. This study provides an integrated picture of bacterial niche-specific adaptations during consecutive infection processes.

Design of a PDZbody, a bivalent binder of the E6 protein from human papillomavirus.

Chronic infection by high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) strains may lead to cancer. Expression of the two viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 is largely responsible for immortalization of infected cells. The HPV E6 is a small (approximately 150 residues) two domain protein that interacts with a number of cellular proteins including the ubiquitin ligase E6-associated protein (E6AP) and several PDZ-domain containing proteins. Our aim was to design a high-affinity binder for HPV E6 by linking two of its cellular targets. First, we improved the affinity of the second PDZ domain from SAP97 for the C-terminus of HPV E6 from the high-risk strain HPV18 using phage display. Second, we added a helix from E6AP to the N-terminus of the optimized PDZ variant, creating a chimeric bivalent binder, denoted PDZbody. Full-length HPV E6 proteins are difficult to express and purify. Nevertheless, we could measure the affinity of the PDZbody for E6 from another high-risk strain, HPV16 (Kd = 65 nM). Finally, the PDZbody was used to co-immunoprecipitate E6 protein from HPV18-immortalized HeLa cells, confirming the interaction between PDZbody and HPV18 E6 in a cellular context.

A frustrated binding interface for intrinsically disordered proteins.

Intrinsically disordered proteins are very common in the eukaryotic proteome, and many of them are associated with diseases. Disordered proteins usually undergo a coupled binding and folding reaction and often interact with many different binding partners. Using double mutant cycles, we mapped the energy landscape of the binding interface for two interacting disordered domains and found it to be largely suboptimal in terms of interaction free energies, despite relatively high affinity. These data depict a frustrated energy landscape for interactions involving intrinsically disordered proteins, which is likely a result of their functional promiscuity.

Energetic pathway sampling in a protein interaction domain.

The affinity and specificity of protein-ligand interactions are influenced by energetic crosstalk within the protein domain. However, the molecular details of such intradomain allostery are still unclear. Here, we have experimentally detected and computationally predicted interaction pathways in the postsynaptic density 95/discs large/zonula occludens 1 (PDZ)-peptide ligand model system using wild-type and circularly permuted PDZ proteins. The circular permutant introduced small perturbations in the tertiary structure and a concomitant rewiring of allosteric pathways, allowing us to describe how subtle changes may reshape energetic signaling. The results were analyzed in the context of other members of the PDZ family, which were found to contain distinct interaction pathways for different peptide ligands. The data reveal a fascinating scenario whereby several energetic pathways are sampled within one single domain and distinct pathways are activated by specific protein ligands.

The transition state structure for coupled binding and folding of disordered protein domains.

Intrinsically disordered proteins are abundant in the eukaryotic proteome, and they are implicated in a range of different diseases. However, there is a paucity of experimental data on molecular details of the coupled binding and folding of such proteins. Two interacting and relatively well studied disordered protein domains are the activation domain from the p160 transcriptional co-activator ACTR and the nuclear co-activator binding domain (NCBD) of CREB binding protein. We have analyzed the transition state for their coupled binding and folding by protein engineering and kinetic experiments (Φ-value analysis) and found that it involves weak native interactions between the N-terminal helices of ACTR and NCBD, but is otherwise "disordered-like". Most native hydrophobic interactions in the interface between the two domains form later, after the rate-limiting barrier for association. Linear free energy relationships suggest a cooperative formation of native interactions, reminiscent of the nucleation-condensation mechanism in protein folding.

Structural, biochemical, and computational characterization of the glycoside hydrolase family 7 cellobiohydrolase of the tree-killing fungus Heterobasidion irregulare.

Root rot fungi of the Heterobasidion annosum complex are the most damaging pathogens in temperate forests, and the recently sequenced Heterobasidion irregulare genome revealed over 280 carbohydrate-active enzymes. Here, H. irregulare was grown on biomass, and the most abundant protein in the culture filtrate was identified as the only family 7 glycoside hydrolase in the genome, which consists of a single catalytic domain, lacking a linker and carbohydrate-binding module. The enzyme, HirCel7A, was characterized biochemically to determine the optimal conditions for activity. HirCel7A was crystallized and the structure, refined at 1.7 Å resolution, confirms that HirCel7A is a cellobiohydrolase rather than an endoglucanase, with a cellulose-binding tunnel that is more closed than Phanerochaete chrysosporium Cel7D and more open than Hypocrea jecorina Cel7A, suggesting intermediate enzyme properties. Molecular simulations were conducted to ascertain differences in enzyme-ligand interactions, ligand solvation, and loop flexibility between the family 7 glycoside hydrolase cellobiohydrolases from H. irregulare, H. jecorina, and P. chrysosporium. The structural comparisons and simulations suggest significant differences in enzyme-ligand interactions at the tunnel entrance in the -7 to -4 binding sites and suggest that a tyrosine residue at the tunnel entrance of HirCel7A may serve as an additional ligand-binding site. Additionally, the loops over the active site in H. jecorina Cel7A are more closed than loops in the other two enzymes, which has implications for the degree of processivity, endo-initiation, and substrate dissociation. Overall, this study highlights molecular level features important to understanding this biologically and industrially important family of glycoside hydrolases.

Tolerance of protein folding to a circular permutation in a PDZ domain.

Circular permutation is a common molecular mechanism for evolution of proteins. However, such re-arrangement of secondary structure connectivity may interfere with the folding mechanism causing accumulation of folding intermediates, which in turn can lead to misfolding. We solved the crystal structure and investigated the folding pathway of a circularly permuted variant of a PDZ domain, SAP97 PDZ2. Our data illustrate how well circular permutation may work as a mechanism for molecular evolution. The circular permutant retains the overall structure and function of the native protein domain. Further, unlike most examples in the literature, this circular permutant displays a folding mechanism that is virtually identical to that of the wild type. This observation contrasts with previous data on the circularly permuted PDZ2 domain from PTP-BL, for which the folding pathway was remarkably affected by the same mutation in sequence connectivity. The different effects of this circular permutation in two homologous proteins show the strong influence of sequence as compared to topology. Circular permutation, when peripheral to the major folding nucleus, may have little effect on folding pathways and could explain why, despite the dramatic change in primary structure, it is frequently tolerated by different protein folds.

Interactions outside the boundaries of the canonical binding groove of a PDZ domain influence ligand binding.

The postsynaptic density protein-95/discs large/zonula occludens-1 (PDZ) domain is a protein-protein interaction module with a shallow binding groove where protein ligands bind. However, interactions that are not part of this canonical binding groove are likely to modulate peptide binding. We have investigated such interactions beyond the binding groove for PDZ3 from PSD-95 and a peptide derived from the C-terminus of the natural ligand CRIPT. We found via nuclear magnetic resonance experiments that up to eight residues of the peptide ligand interact with the PDZ domain, showing that the interaction surface extends far outside of the binding groove as defined by the crystal structure. PDZ3 contains an extra structural element, a C-terminal helix (α3), which is known to affect affinity. Deletion of this helix resulted in the loss of several intermolecular nuclear Overhauser enhancements from peptide residues outside of the binding pocket, suggesting that α3 forms part of the extra binding surface in wild-type PDZ3. Site-directed mutagenesis, isothermal titration calorimetry, and fluorescence intensity experiments confirmed the importance of both α3 and the N-terminal part of the peptide for the affinity. Our data suggest a general mechanism in which different binding surfaces outside of the PDZ binding groove could provide sites for specific interactions.

Fast association and slow transitions in the interaction between two intrinsically disordered protein domains.

Proteins that contain long disordered regions are prevalent in the proteome and frequently associated with diseases. However, the mechanisms by which such intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) recognize their targets are not well understood. Here, we report the first experimental investigation of the interaction kinetics of the nuclear co-activator binding domain of CREB-binding protein and the activation domain from the p160 transcriptional co-activator for thyroid hormone and retinoid receptors. Both protein domains are intrinsically disordered in the free state and synergistically fold upon binding each other. Using the stopped-flow technique, we found that the binding reaction is fast, with an association rate constant of 3 × 10(7) m(-1) s(-1) at 277 K. Mutation of a conserved buried intermolecular salt bridge showed that electrostatics govern the rapid association. Furthermore, upon mutation of the salt bridge or at high salt concentration, an additional kinetic phase was detected (∼20 and ∼40 s(-1), respectively, at 277 K), suggesting that the salt bridge may steer formation of the productive bimolecular complex in an intramolecular step. Finally, we directly measured slow kinetics for the IDP domains (∼1 s(-1) at 277 K) related to conformational transitions upon binding. Together, the experiments demonstrate that the interaction involves several steps and accumulation of intermediate states. Our data are consistent with an induced fit mechanism, in agreement with previous simulations. We propose that the slow transitions may be a consequence of the multipartner interactions of IDPs.

Two cellular protein kinases, DNA-PK and PKA, phosphorylate the adenoviral L4-33K protein and have opposite effects on L1 alternative RNA splicing.

Accumulation of the complex set of alternatively processed mRNA from the adenovirus major late transcription unit (MLTU) is subjected to a temporal regulation involving both changes in poly (A) site choice and alternative 3' splice site usage. We have previously shown that the adenovirus L4-33K protein functions as an alternative splicing factor involved in activating the shift from L1-52,55K to L1-IIIa mRNA. Here we show that L4-33K specifically associates with the catalytic subunit of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) in uninfected and adenovirus-infected nuclear extracts. Further, we show that L4-33K is highly phosphorylated by DNA-PK in vitro in a double stranded DNA-independent manner. Importantly, DNA-PK deficient cells show an enhanced production of the L1-IIIa mRNA suggesting an inhibitory role of DNA-PK on the temporal switch in L1 alternative RNA splicing. Moreover, we show that L4-33K also is phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA), and that PKA has an enhancer effect on L4-33K-stimulated L1-IIIa splicing. Hence, we demonstrate that these kinases have opposite effects on L4-33K function; DNA-PK as an inhibitor and PKA as an activator of L1-IIIa mRNA splicing. Taken together, this is the first report identifying protein kinases that phosphorylate L4-33K and to suggest novel regulatory roles for DNA-PK and PKA in adenovirus alternative RNA splicing.

The transition state of coupled folding and binding for a flexible ß-finger.

Flexible and fully disordered protein regions that fold upon binding mediate numerous protein-protein interactions. However, little is known about their mechanism of interaction. One such coupled folding and binding occurs when a flexible region of neuronal nitric oxide synthase adopts a ß-finger structure upon binding to its protein ligand, a PDZ [PSD-95 (postsynaptic density protein-95)/Discs large/ZO-1] domain from PSD-95. We have analyzed this binding reaction by protein engineering combined with kinetic experiments. Mutational destabilization of the ß-finger changed mainly the dissociation rate constant of the proteins and, to a lesser extent, the association rate constant. Thus, mutation affected late events in the coupled folding and binding reaction. Our results therefore suggest that the native binding interactions of the ß-finger are not present in the rate-limiting transition state for binding but form on the downhill side in a cooperative manner. However, by mutation, we could destabilize the ß-finger further and change the rate-limiting step such that an initial conformational change becomes rate limiting. This switch in rate-limiting step shows that multistep binding mechanisms are likely to be found among flexible and intrinsically disordered regions of proteins.

Side-chain interactions form late and cooperatively in the binding reaction between disordered peptides and PDZ domains.

Intrinsically disordered proteins are very common and mediate numerous protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions. While it is clear that these interactions are instrumental for the life of the mammalian cell, there is a paucity of data regarding their molecular binding mechanisms. Here we have used short peptides as a model system for intrinsically disordered proteins. Linear free energy relationships based on rate and equilibrium constants for the binding of these peptides to ordered target proteins, PDZ domains, demonstrate that native side-chain interactions form mainly after the rate-limiting barrier for binding and in a cooperative fashion. This finding suggests that these disordered peptides first form a weak encounter complex with non-native interactions. The data do not support the recent notion that the affinities of intrinsically disordered proteins toward their targets are generally governed by their association rate constants. Instead, we observed the opposite for peptide-PDZ interactions, namely, that changes in K(d) correlate with changes in k(off).

N-glycans of human protein C inhibitor: tissue-specific expression and function.

Protein C inhibitor (PCI) is a serpin type of serine protease inhibitor that is found in many tissues and fluids in human, including blood plasma, seminal plasma and urine. This inhibitor displays an unusually broad protease specificity compared with other serpins. Previous studies have shown that the N-glycan(s) and the NH2-terminus affect some blood-related functions of PCI. In this study, we have for the first time determined the N-glycan profile of seminal plasma PCI, by mass spectrometry. The N-glycan structures differed markedly compared with those of both blood-derived and urinary PCI, providing evidence that the N-glycans of PCI are expressed in a tissue-specific manner. The most abundant structure (m/z 2592.9) had a composition of Fuc3Hex5HexNAc4, consistent with a core fucosylated bi-antennary glycan with terminal Lewis(x). A major serine protease in semen, prostate specific antigen (PSA), was used to evaluate the effects of N-glycans and the NH2-terminus on a PCI function related to the reproductive tract. Second-order rate constants for PSA inhibition by PCI were 4.3±0.2 and 4.1±0.5 M⁻¹ s⁻¹ for the natural full-length PCI and a form lacking six amino acids at the NH2-terminus, respectively, whereas these constants were 4.8±0.1 and 29±7 M⁻¹ s⁻¹ for the corresponding PNGase F-treated forms. The 7-8-fold higher rate constants obtained when both the N-glycans and the NH2-terminus had been removed suggest that these structures jointly affect the rate of PSA inhibition, presumably by together hindering conformational changes of PCI required to bind to the catalytic pocket of PSA.

PEG-stabilized lipid disks as carriers for amphiphilic antimicrobial peptides.

Antimicrobial peptides hold potential as a possible alternative, or complement, to conventional antibiotics but new, safe and efficient means are needed for formulation and administration of the peptides. In this study we have investigated the utility of a novel type of lipid particles, the polyethylene glycol-stabilized lipid disks, as carriers for the model peptide melittin. The structural integrity of the carrier particle when loaded with the peptide was investigated using cryo-transmission electron microscopy. Liposome leakage upon addition of the peptide-lipid disks was monitored as a means to verify the membrane lytic effect of the formulation. The susceptibility of melittin to tryptic digestion was studied and compared in the absence and presence of lipid disks. Finally, the antibacterial effect of the peptide-lipid disk formulation was compared to that of free melittin after both single and repeated exposure to Escherichia coli. The results show that melittin can redistribute from the disk into a new host membrane and that formulation in the disks does not compromise melittin's membrane permeabilizing ability. Further, the peptide was found to be fully protected against degradation when bound to the disks. Time-kill experiments revealed that all the antibacterial effect of melittin administered in free form was gone after a single exposure to E. coli. In contrast, the disk formulation showed significant cell-killing effect also upon a second exposure to bacteria, indicating an extended release of peptide from the lipid disks. These results suggest that the lipid disks constitute a new class of promising carriers for peptide antibiotics.

Sequence-specific long range networks in PSD-95/discs large/ZO-1 (PDZ) domains tune their binding selectivity.

Protein-protein interactions mediated by modular protein domains are critical for cell scaffolding, differentiation, signaling, and ultimately, evolution. Given the vast number of ligands competing for binding to a limited number of domain families, it is often puzzling how specificity can be achieved. Selectivity may be modulated by intradomain allostery, whereby a remote residue is energetically connected to the functional binding site via side chain or backbone interactions. Whereas several energetic pathways, which could mediate intradomain allostery, have been predicted in modular protein domains, there is a paucity of experimental data to validate their existence and roles. Here, we have identified such functional energetic networks in one of the most common protein-protein interaction modules, the PDZ domain. We used double mutant cycles involving site-directed mutagenesis of both the PDZ domain and the peptide ligand, in conjunction with kinetics to capture the fine energetic details of the networks involved in peptide recognition. We performed the analysis on two homologous PDZ-ligand complexes and found that the energetically coupled residues differ for these two complexes. This result demonstrates that amino acid sequence rather than topology dictates the allosteric pathways. Furthermore, our data support a mechanism whereby the whole domain and not only the binding pocket is optimized for a specific ligand. Such cross-talk between binding sites and remote residues may be used to fine tune target selectivity.

Biophysical characterization of the complex between human papillomavirus E6 protein and synapse-associated protein 97.

The E6 protein of human papillomavirus (HPV) exhibits complex interaction patterns with several host proteins, and their roles in HPV-mediated oncogenesis have proved challenging to study. Here we use several biophysical techniques to explore the binding of E6 to the three PDZ domains of the tumor suppressor protein synapse-associated protein 97 (SAP97). All of the potential binding sites in SAP97 bind E6 with micromolar affinity. The dissociation rate constants govern the different affinities of HPV16 and HPV18 E6 for SAP97. Unexpectedly, binding is not mutually exclusive, and all three PDZ domains can simultaneously bind E6. Intriguingly, this quaternary complex has the same apparent hydrodynamic volume as the unliganded PDZ region, suggesting that a conformational change occurs in the PDZ region upon binding, a conclusion supported by kinetic experiments. Using NMR, we discovered a new mode of interaction between E6 and PDZ: a subset of residues distal to the canonical binding pocket in the PDZ(2) domain exhibited noncanonical interactions with the E6 protein. This is consistent with a larger proportion of the protein surface defining binding specificity, as compared with that reported previously.

Further insight into the roles of the glycans attached to human blood protein C inhibitor.

Protein C inhibitor (PCI) is a 57-kDa glycoprotein that exists in many tissues and secretions in human. As a member of the serpin superfamily of proteins it displays unusually broad protease specificity. PCI is implicated in the regulation of a wide range of processes, including blood coagulation, fertilization, prevention of tumors and pathogen defence. It has been reported that PCI isolated from human blood plasma is highly heterogeneous, and that this heterogeneity is caused by differences in N-glycan structures, N-glycosylation occupancy, and the presence of two forms that differ by the presence or absence of 6 amino acids at the amino-terminus. In this study we have verified that such heterogeneity exists in PCI purified from single individuals, and that individuals of two different ethnicities possess a similar PCI pattern, verifying that the micro-heterogeneity is conserved among humans. Furthermore, we have provided experimental evidence that PCI in both individuals is O-glycosylated on Thr20 with a core type 1 O-glycan, which is mostly NeuAcGalGalNAc. Modeling suggested that the O-glycan attachment site is located in proximity to several ligand-binding sites of the inhibitor.

Synthesis of cyclic beta-glucan using laminarinase 16A glycosynthase mutant from the basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

Glycosynthases are precise molecular instruments for making specifically linked oligosaccharides. X-ray crystallography screening of ligands bound to the 1,3(4)-beta-D-glucanase nucleophile mutant E115S of Phanerochaete chrysosporium Laminarinase 16A (Lam16A) showed that laminariheptaose (L7) bound in an arch with the reducing and nonreducing ends occupying either side of the catalytic cleft of the enzyme. The X-ray structure of Lam16A E115S in complex with alpha-laminariheptaosyl fluoride (alphaL7F) revealed how alphaL7F could make a nucleophilic attack upon itself. Indeed, when Lam16A E115S was allowed to react with alphaL7F the major product was a cyclic beta-1,3-heptaglucan, as shown by mass spectrometry. NMR confirmed uniquely beta-1,3-linkages and no reducing end. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the cyclic laminariheptaose molecule is not completely planar and that torsion angles at the glycosidic linkages fluctuate between two energy minima. This is the first report of a glycosynthase that joins the reducing and nonreducing ends of a single oligosaccharide and the first reported synthesis of cyclic beta-glucan.

Antibodies to several citrullinated antigens are enriched in the joints of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

OBJECTIVE: High titers of specific anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) are frequently present in the serum of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, but their presence in synovial fluid is less well characterized. The purpose of this study was to compare the levels of antibody to 4 well-defined citrullinated candidate RA autoantigens in serum and synovial fluid and to determine whether antibodies to one citrullinated antigen are dominant over another. Furthermore, we studied their relationships with mutated citrullinated vimentin (MCV), a newly identified RA-specific serum assay, and the classic cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) in the synovial fluid of well-defined HLA-DR groups. METHODS: Paired serum and synovial fluid samples from 290 RA patients and serum samples from 100 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were analyzed for the presence of anti-MCV and anti-CCP antibodies and for reactivity to citrullinated fibrinogen, alpha-enolase, type II collagen, and vimentin. A total of 219 of the 290 patients were genotyped for the HLA-DR shared epitope alleles. RESULTS: Significantly higher proportions of antibodies against all RA-associated citrullinated antigens were found in synovial fluid as compared with serum. This was also true for the MCV and CCP responses but not for non-RA-associated anti-tetanus toxoid antibodies. As expected, we found a high correlation between citrullinated vimentin and MCV responses. All synovial fluid ACPAs were predominantly associated with HLA-DRB1*04 alleles and were confined to the CCP+/MCV+ subset of patients. CONCLUSION: MCV and CCP positivity represent a similar subset of RA patients, whereas ACPAs with different fine specificities fall into subgroups of anti-CCP+/anti-MCV+ patients. The levels of all specific ACPAs were elevated in synovial fluid, suggesting that there is local antibody production and/or retention of ACPAs at the site of inflammation governed by RA-predisposing genes.