Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Reveals the Structures and Stabilities of Biotherapeutic Antibody Aggregates.

Stability is a key critical quality attribute monitored throughout the development of monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics. Minor changes in their higher order structure (HOS) caused by stress or environment may alter mAb aggregation, immunogenicity, and efficacy. In addition, the structures of the resulting mAb aggregates are largely unknown, as are their dependencies on conditions under which they are created. In this report, we investigate the HOS of mAb monomers and dimers under a variety of forced degradation conditions with ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) and collision-induced unfolding (CIU) technologies. We evaluate two model IgG1 antibodies that differ significantly only in their complementarity-determinant regions: IgG1α and IgG1ß. Our data covering both heat- and pH-based forced degradation conditions, aquired on two different IM-MS platforms, show that these mAbs undergo global HOS changes at both monomer and dimer levels upon degradation, but shifts in collision cross section (CCS) differ under pH or heat degradation conditions. In addition, the level of CCS change detected is different between IgG1α and IgG1ß, suggesting that differences in the CDR drive differential responses to degradation that influence the antibody HOS. Dramatically different CIU fingerprints are obtained for IgG1α and IgG1ß monomers and dimers for both degradation conditions. Finally, we constructed a series of computational models of mAb dimers for comparison with experimental CCS values and found evidence for a compact, overlapped dimer structure under native and heat degradation conditions, possibly adopting an inverted or nonoverlapped quaternary structure when produced through pH degredation. We conclude by discussing the potential impact of our findings on ongoing biotherapeutic discovery and development efforts.

A Modified Drift Tube Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometer for Charge-Multiplexed Collision-Induced Unfolding.

Collision-induced unfolding (CIU) of protein ions and their noncovalent complexes offers relatively rapid access to a rich portfolio of biophysical information, without the need to tag or purify proteins prior to analysis. Such assays have been characterized extensively for a range of therapeutic proteins, proving exquisitely sensitive to alterations in protein sequence, structure, and post-translational modification state. Despite advantages over traditional probes of protein stability, improving the throughput and information content of gas-phase protein unfolding assays remains a challenge for current instrument platforms. In this report, we describe modifications to an Agilent 6560 drift tube ion mobility-mass spectrometer in order to perform robust, simultaneous CIU across all precursor ions detected. This approach dramatically increases the speed associated with typical CIU assays, which typically involve mass selection of narrow m/ z regions prior to collisional activation, and thus their development requires a comprehensive assessment of charge-stripping reactions that can unintentionally pollute CIU data with chemical noise when more than one precursor ion is allowed to undergo simultaneous activation. By studying the unfolding and dissociation of intact antibody ions, a key analyte class associated with biotherapeutics, we reveal a predictive relationship between the precursor charge state, the amount of buffer components bound to the ions of interest, and the amount of charge stripping detected. We then utilize our knowledge of antibody charge stripping to rapidly capture CIU data for a range of antibody subclasses and subtypes across all charge states simultaneously, demonstrating a strong charge state dependence on the information content of CIU. Finally, we demonstrate that CIU data collection times can be further reduced by scanning fewer voltage steps, enabling us to optimize the throughput of our improved CIU methods and confidently differentiate antibody variant ions using ∼20% of the data typically collected during CIU. Taken together, our results characterize a new instrument platform for biotherapeutic stability measurements with dramatically improved throughput and information content.

Native Mass Spectrometry, Ion Mobility, Electron-Capture Dissociation, and Modeling Provide Structural Information for Gas-Phase Apolipoprotein E Oligomers.

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is an essential protein in lipid and cholesterol metabolism. Although the three common isoforms in humans differ only at two sites, their consequences in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are dramatically different: only the ε4 allele is a major genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. The isoforms exist as a mixture of oligomers, primarily tetramer, at low µM concentrations in a lipid-free environment. This self-association is involved in equilibrium with the lipid-free state, and the oligomerization interface overlaps with the lipid-binding region. Elucidation of apoE wild-type (WT) structures at an oligomeric state, however, has not yet been achieved. To address this need, we used native electrospray ionization and mass spectrometry (native MS) coupled with ion mobility (IM) to examine the monomer and tetramer of the three WT isoforms. Although collision-induced unfolding (CIU) cannot distinguish the WT isoforms, the monomeric mutant (MM) of apoE3 shows higher stability when submitted to CIU than the WT monomer. From ion-mobility measurements, we obtained the collision cross section and built a coarse-grained model for the tetramer. Application of electron-capture dissociation (ECD) to the tetramer causes unfolding starting from the C-terminal domain, in good agreement with solution denaturation data, and provides additional support for the C4 symmetry structure of the tetramer.

A Structural Model of the Urease Activation Complex Derived from Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry and Integrative Modeling.

The synthesis of active Klebsiella aerogenes urease via an 18-subunit enzyme apoprotein-accessory protein pre-activation complex has been well studied biochemically, but thus far this complex has remained refractory to direct structural characterization. Using ion mobility-mass spectrometry, we characterized several protein complexes between the core urease apoprotein and its accessory proteins, including the 610-kDa (UreABC)3(UreDFG)3 complex. Using our recently developed computational modeling workflow, we generated ensembles of putative (UreABC)3(UreDFG)3 species consistent with experimental restraints and characterized the structural ambiguity present in these models. By integrating structural information from previous studies, we increased the resolution of the ion mobility-mass spectrometry-derived models substantially, and we observe a discrete population of structures consistent with all of the available data for this complex.

Symmetry-Directed Self-Assembly of a Tetrahedral Protein Cage Mediated by de Novo-Designed Coiled Coils.

The organization of proteins into new hierarchical forms is an important challenge in synthetic biology. However, engineering new interactions between protein subunits is technically challenging and typically requires extensive redesign of protein-protein interfaces. We have developed a conceptually simple approach, based on symmetry principles, that uses short coiled-coil domains to assemble proteins into higher-order structures. Here, we demonstrate the assembly of a trimeric enzyme into a well-defined tetrahedral cage. This was achieved by genetically fusing a trimeric coiled-coil domain to its C terminus through a flexible polyglycine linker sequence. The linker length and coiled-coil strength were the only parameters that needed to be optimized to obtain a high yield of correctly assembled protein cages.

Coming to Grips with Ambiguity: Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry for Protein Quaternary Structure Assignment.

Multiprotein complexes are central to our understanding of cellular biology, as they play critical roles in nearly every biological process. Despite many impressive advances associated with structural characterization techniques, large and highly-dynamic protein complexes are too often refractory to analysis by conventional, high-resolution approaches. To fill this gap, ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) methods have emerged as a promising approach for characterizing the structures of challenging assemblies due in large part to the ability of these methods to characterize the composition, connectivity, and topology of large, labile complexes. In this Critical Insight, we present a series of bioinformatics studies aimed at assessing the information content of IM-MS datasets for building models of multiprotein structure. Our computational data highlights the limits of current coarse-graining approaches, and compelled us to develop an improved workflow for multiprotein topology modeling, which we benchmark against a subset of the multiprotein complexes within the PDB. This improved workflow has allowed us to ascertain both the minimal experimental restraint sets required for generation of high-confidence multiprotein topologies, and quantify the ambiguity in models where insufficient IM-MS information is available. We conclude by projecting the future of IM-MS in the context of protein quaternary structure assignment, where we predict that a more complete knowledge of the ultimate information content and ambiguity within such models will undoubtedly lead to applications for a broader array of challenging biomolecular assemblies. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Evidence for a 1,3-Dipolar Cyclo-addition Mechanism in the Decarboxylation of Phenylacrylic Acids Catalyzed by Ferulic Acid Decarboxylase.

Ferulic acid decarboxylase catalyzes the decarboxylation of phenylacrylic acid using a newly identified cofactor, prenylated flavin mononucleotide (prFMN). The proposed mechanism involves the formation of a putative pentacyclic intermediate formed by a 1,3 dipolar cyclo-addition of prFMN with the α-ß double bond of the substrate, which serves to activate the substrate toward decarboxylation. However, enzyme-catalyzed 1,3 dipolar cyclo-additions are unprecedented and other mechanisms are plausible. Here we describe the use of a mechanism-based inhibitor, 2-fluoro-2-nitrovinylbenzene, to trap the putative cyclo-addition intermediate, thereby demonstrating that prFMN can function as a dipole in a 1,3 dipolar cyclo-addition reaction as the initial step in a novel type of enzymatic reaction.

Sizing Up Protein-Ligand Complexes: The Rise of Structural Mass Spectrometry Approaches in the Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Capturing the dynamic interplay between proteins and their myriad interaction partners is critically important for advancing our understanding of almost every biochemical process and human disease. The importance of this general area has spawned many measurement methods capable of assaying such protein complexes, and the mass spectrometry-based structural biology methods described in this review form an important part of that analytical arsenal. Here, we survey the basic principles of such measurements, cover recent applications of the technology that have focused on protein-small-molecule complexes, and discuss the bright future awaiting this group of technologies.

Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Reveals a Dipeptide That Acts as a Molecular Chaperone for Amyloid ß.

Previously, we discovered and structurally characterized a complex between amyloid ß 1-40 and the neuropeptide leucine enkephalin. This work identified leucine enkephalin as a potentially useful starting point for the discovery of peptide-related biotherapeutics for Alzheimer's disease. In order to better understand such complexes that are formed in vitro, we describe here the analysis of a series of site-directed amino acid substitution variants of both peptides, covering the leucine enkephalin sequence in its entirety and a large number of selected residues of amyloid ß 1-40 (residues: D1, E3, F4, R5, H6, Y10, E11, H13, H14, Q15, K16, E22, K28, and V40). Ion mobility-mass spectrometry measurements and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the hydrophobic C-terminus of leucine enkephalin (Phe-Leu, FL) is crucial for the formation of peptide complexes. As such, we explore here the interaction of the dipeptide FL with both wildtype and variant forms of amyloid ß in order to structurally characterize the complexes formed. We find that FL binds preferentially to amyloid ß oligomers and attaches to amyloid ß within the region between its N-terminus and its hydrophobic core, most specifically at residues Y10 and Q15. We further show that FL is able to prevent fibril formation.

Affinity-Based Selectivity Profiling of an In-Class Selective Competitive Inhibitor of Acyl Protein Thioesterase 2.

Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) has revolutionized the discovery and optimization of active-site ligands across distinct enzyme families, providing a robust platform for in-class selectivity profiling. Nonetheless, this approach is less straightforward for profiling reversible inhibitors and does not access proteins outside the ABPP probe's target profile. While the active-site competitive acyl protein thioesterase 2 inhibitor ML349 (Ki = 120 nM) is highly selective within the serine hydrolase enzyme family, it could still interact with other cellular targets. Here we present a chemoproteomic workflow to enrich and profile candidate ML349-binding proteins. In human cell lysates, biotinylated-ML349 enriches a recurring set of proteins, including metabolite kinases and flavin-dependent oxidoreductases that are potentially enhanced by avidity-driven multimeric interactions. Confirmatory assays by native mass spectrometry and fluorescence polarization quickly rank-ordered these weak off-targets, providing justification to explore ligand interactions and stoichiometry beyond ABPP.

Chemical Probes and Engineered Constructs Reveal a Detailed Unfolding Mechanism for a Solvent-Free Multidomain Protein.

Despite the growing application of gas-phase measurements in structural biology and drug discovery, the factors that govern protein stabilities and structures in a solvent-free environment are still poorly understood. Here, we examine the solvent-free unfolding pathway for a group of homologous serum albumins. Utilizing a combination of chemical probes and noncovalent reconstructions, we draw new specific conclusions regarding the unfolding of albumins in the gas phase, as well as more general inferences regarding the sensitivity of collision induced unfolding to changes in protein primary and tertiary structure. Our findings suggest that the general unfolding pathway of low charge state albumin ions is largely unaffected by changes in primary structure; however, the stabilities of intermediates along these pathways vary widely as sequences diverge. Additionally, we find that human albumin follows a domain associated unfolding pathway, and we are able to assign each unfolded form observed in our gas-phase data set to the disruption of specific domains within the protein. The totality of our data informs the first detailed mechanism for multidomain protein unfolding in the gas phase, and highlights key similarities and differences from the known solution-phase pathway.

Flexible, symmetry-directed approach to assembling protein cages.

The assembly of individual protein subunits into large-scale symmetrical structures is widespread in nature and confers new biological properties. Engineered protein assemblies have potential applications in nanotechnology and medicine; however, a major challenge in engineering assemblies de novo has been to design interactions between the protein subunits so that they specifically assemble into the desired structure. Here we demonstrate a simple, generalizable approach to assemble proteins into cage-like structures that uses short de novo designed coiled-coil domains to mediate assembly. We assembled eight copies of a C3-symmetric trimeric esterase into a well-defined octahedral protein cage by appending a C4-symmetric coiled-coil domain to the protein through a short, flexible linker sequence, with the approximate length of the linker sequence determined by computational modeling. The structure of the cage was verified using a combination of analytical ultracentrifugation, native electrospray mass spectrometry, and negative stain and cryoelectron microscopy. For the protein cage to assemble correctly, it was necessary to optimize the length of the linker sequence. This observation suggests that flexibility between the two protein domains is important to allow the protein subunits sufficient freedom to assemble into the geometry specified by the combination of C4 and C3 symmetry elements. Because this approach is inherently modular and places minimal requirements on the structural features of the protein building blocks, it could be extended to assemble a wide variety of proteins into structures with different symmetries.

Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Reveals Highly-Compact Intermediates in the Collision Induced Dissociation of Charge-Reduced Protein Complexes.

Protocols that aim to construct complete models of multiprotein complexes based on ion mobility and mass spectrometry data are becoming an important element of integrative structural biology efforts. However, the usefulness of such data is predicated, in part, on an ability to measure individual subunits removed from the complex while maintaining a compact/folded state. Gas-phase dissociation of intact complexes using collision induced dissociation is a potentially promising pathway for acquiring such protein monomer size information, but most product ions produced are possessed of high charge states and elongated/string-like conformations that are not useful in protein complex modeling. It has previously been demonstrated that the collision induced dissociation of charge-reduced protein complexes can produce compact subunit product ions; however, their formation mechanism is not well understood. Here, we present new experimental evidence for the avidin (64 kDa) and aldolase (157 kDa) tetramers that demonstrates significant complex remodeling during the dissociation of charge-reduced assemblies. Detailed analysis and modeling indicates that highly compact intermediates are accessed during the dissociation process by both complexes. Here, we present putative pathways that describe the formation of such ions, as well as discuss the broader significance of such data for structural biology applications moving forward.

CIUSuite: A Quantitative Analysis Package for Collision Induced Unfolding Measurements of Gas-Phase Protein Ions.

Ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) is a technology of growing importance for structural biology, providing complementary 3D structure information for biomolecules within samples that are difficult to analyze using conventional analytical tools through the near-simultaneous acquisition of ion collision cross sections (CCSs) and masses. Despite recent advances in IM-MS instrumentation, the resolution of closely related protein conformations remains challenging. Collision induced unfolding (CIU) has been demonstrated as a useful tool for resolving isocrossectional protein ions, as they often follow distinct unfolding pathways when subjected to collisional heating in the gas phase. CIU has been used for a variety of applications, from differentiating binding modes of activation state-selective kinase inhibitors to characterizing the domain structure of multidomain proteins. With the growing utilization of CIU as a tool for structural biology, significant challenges have emerged in data analysis and interpretation, specifically the normalization and comparison of CIU data sets. Here, we present CIUSuite, a suite of software modules designed for the rapid processing, analysis, comparison, and classification of CIU data. We demonstrate these tools as part of a series of workflows for applications in comparative structural biology, biotherapeutic analysis, and high throughput screening of kinase inhibitors. These examples illustrate both the potential for CIU in general protein analysis as well as a demonstration of best practices in the interpretation of CIU data.